Japan July Retail Sales ? Business Insider | Japan Wham

(Updates with currency in fifth paragraph.) Aug. 30 (Bloomberg) ? Japan's retail sales fell more than economists forecast in July as a winding down of government subsidies for car purchases threatens to further damp consumer spending in ?
Business Insider

Read the full article HERE.

This entry was posted in Japan and tagged japan. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://japanwham.com/japan-july-retail-sales-business-insider/

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Marijuana activists seek vote to block Los Angeles dispensary ban

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Marijuana activists in Los Angeles, the hub of America's medical cannabis industry, said on Wednesday they will submit a petition of 50,000 signatures to block a municipal ban on pot dispensaries from taking effect next week.

The move comes amid a widening dispute over pot shops in California's most populous city. Residents complain dispensaries are a nuisance that draw riffraff, but the store owners say they serve patients with serious diseases like cancer and AIDS.

"We believe that this total ban would not allow for safe access for some of the city's sickest patients," said Rigoberto Valdez, vice president of a local union and a member of the Committee to Protect Patients and Neighborhoods.

The committee said it would turn in 50,000 signatures on Thursday, which would immediately put the ban on hold while officials check if more than 27,000 valid signatures are there to force a March 2013 referendum. Until that vote, the city would be prohibited from enforcing the ban, officials said.

Los Angeles has an estimated 1,000 dispensaries. They have multiplied quickly in recent years, even though pot remains illegal under federal law and the U.S. government has cracked down on several cannabis shops in southern California.

A 14-0 vote last month by the mostly liberal Los Angeles City Council to close down the medical marijuana dispensaries represented a significant blow to the industry in a state where voters in 1996 became the first to allow the drug as medicine. But officials had expected the industry to fight back.

The committee challenging the ban is made up of organized labor for dispensary employees, the shops themselves and patients, said Valdez, vice president of United Food and Commercial Workers local 770. The group supports reducing the number of dispensaries in the city to 100.

Seventeen states and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana. Voters in Washington state, Colorado and Oregon will decide in November whether to allow recreational use of pot.

Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar, the author of the ordinance to ban dispensaries, said he proposed it due to nuisance complaints from residents and dispensaries selling to recreational users faking a medical ailment.

"I've got parents complaining to me that they're walking with their kids down the street, and there's marijuana smoke either coming from the dispensary or people smoking it on the street outside," Huizar said.

Medical marijuana trade group Patient Care Alliance and 11 patients filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court this month seeking to block enforcement of the ban. A judge has not ruled on that request from the group, which is separate from the activists planning to submit signatures on Thursday.

(Reporting By Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and David Brunnstrom)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/marijuana-activists-seek-vote-block-los-angeles-dispensary-003823967.html

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Balancing investment with your Web site and Yellow Pages

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Using Yellow Pages to Broaden Your Web Site?s Market

Successful Web sites often rely on a number of lead-generation tools to draw traffic. To truly reach all markets, experts recommend casting a wide net. This can be done through investing in various online resources, one of the fastest growing and proven being Internet Yellow Pages (IYP).

IYP offers advertisers dozens of localized search sites, as well as a national site, depending on the desired market. With several IYP ad types available, businesses can get creative with their campaign. Options include:

• Enhanced (sponsored) listing: With this option, the business?s information and logo are listed at the top of the listing box above the other free listings. Usually, visitors can click on the logo or a specific button to link to the business?s Web site.
• Banner ad: These advertisements appear somewhere outside of the listing box, often at the top of the Web page. They mainly serve as a branding tool and aren?t necessarily search-related like the listings. For instance, a pizzeria banner ad might appear on a page devoted to automobile shop listings. Sometimes they include animation, pop-ups and other attention-grabbing features.
• Listing with e-mail link: IYP offers the capability for consumers to immediately contact a business via an e-mail link on the listing. Not only does this feature open up the lines of communication with prospective buyers, but it also helps businesses measure which listing messages get direct results and which ones don?t.

?

The Payoff of Marketing with Internet Yellow Pages

Studies found that consumers who use IYP to track down a business are more likely to purchase than those surfing standard search engines. In fact, research indicates people logging onto IYP generally are focused on finding a specific service or product. Certain online marketing experts point out that IYP users seem farther along in the purchase decision cycle. Other benefits of promoting your Web site through IYP include:

?

• Approximately 65 million people use IYPs each month to find products and services.
• Low risk ? Setting up an IYP account is fast with limited commitment.
• Geographically targeted on true shoppers ? IYP users can narrow their search down to a specific zip code with a few clicks of the keyboard. IYP sites appeal most to consumers ready to purchase a specific product/service.
• Ad placement & update flexibility ? IYP advertisers have the ability to quickly change promotional message, aligning it with consumer demand at the time. No close dates.
• Trackable leads make it simple to calculate ROI.

????????? YP ad solutions local internet marketing ? AT&T can be your complete marketing and internet advertising solution.

But what about people who turn to the printed Yellow Pages as the leading source for business information? An ad placed in the widely-used book, with your Web site?s URL and an online offer, works as an effective lead strategy. Many businesses use the printed version as a quick method to get in front of the traditional consumer. The ad steers the viewer to the Web site, which then educates the consumer on the actual products/ services available. Consumer psychology shows that multiple impressions help build trust and the perceived credibility of an operation.

?

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Source: http://play2fun.com/?p=13777

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Fed survey finds moderate US growth during summer

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The U.S. economy grew moderately in July and early August, and hiring was more robust than in the previous six-week period, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday.

The Fed report on business conditions said nine of its 12 districts reported growth that was "modest" or "moderate." That's roughly in line with the conditions described in the previous report.

Strength in auto sales, tourism and home sales in July and early August offset weakness in manufacturing.

The report comes two days before Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will address an annual conference of economists in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Investors will be listening for any signals about whether the Fed might take action at its next policy meeting Sept. 12-13 to stimulate the economy.

Michael Gapin, an economist at Barclays, said he viewed the latest Fed survey of business conditions as slightly more positive than the July report. But he said companies continue to worry about threats, including economic weakness in Europe.

Analysts said nothing in the report would discourage the Fed from helping the economy, if its policymakers saw the need for it.

"As long as activity grows at a rate that fails to bring down the unemployment rate, Fed action remains on the table," said Paul Edelstein, director of financial economics at HIS Global Insight.

The economy is still struggling to gain traction more than three years after the end of the Great Recession in June 2009. The Fed report said that six of its districts reported weaker demand in manufacturing. And it highlighted concerns about a severe drought affecting cotton, soybean and corn crops in its Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City districts.

The report, known as the Beige Book, is released eight times a year. It's based on information that the Fed's 12 regional banks gather from business contacts around the country.

At its last policy meeting on July 31-Aug. 1, the Fed took no action. But the minutes from that meeting signaled that Fed officials might act as soon as September, possibly by launching a fresh round of bond buying. The goal of the bond purchases would be to lower long-term interest rates to encourage more borrowing and spending.

The minutes showed that Fed officials spoke with increased urgency about the need to provide more help for the U.S. economy. Many officials felt further support would be needed "fairly soon" unless the economy improved significantly.

The Fed has already sought to drive down long-term rates by buying more than $2 trillion in Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities in two previous rounds of bond purchases. These purchases are known as "quantitative easing."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fed-survey-finds-moderate-us-growth-during-summer-201614140--finance.html

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Fundamental Concerns When Acquiring Internet business Hosting ...

The assistance wherein place is allotted to people on laptop computer servers with 24/7 online world connectivity so their web pages developed into readily available on the internet is generally known as website internet hosting. Servers are high-tech, efficient personal computers which have an totally sizable disk drive, or an array of stressful drives. Web hosting companies also hire place to potential clients, in order that they may have a web-based ?website existence.?

Stuff to Glance for When picking an internet Host

When searching for an useful online host, families may want to retain a watch out for that subsequent expert services:

one. FTP entry: Uploading information to your webpage will become much easier if FTP accessibility is involved inside of a web hosting organize. The good news is, FTP accessibility is given by a greater part of world-wide-web hosts.

two. Ample disk place: When hunting for world wide web hosts, men or women are advised to establish what amount net house they will need. Mostly, a disk house considerably less than 10MB is necessary by new web-sites.

three. Dependability and fast accessibility: When picking an internet, it ought to be ensured that a minimal uptime of 99% is assured. On-line people may be fairly impatient therefore the velocity of entry is essential as well so web content load swiftly.

four. Bandwidth/Traffic: The quantity of bytes transferred by an information site with the home computer of the customer when exploring from the online site is thought as being the bandwidth. As a result, enough bandwidth also needs to be provided with the internet hosting arrange which is becoming picked out in addition to a 3GB month-to-month bandwidth is a lot more than more than enough for just a new internet site.

five. Electronic mail addresses: E mail addresses must also be provided while in the web hosting regimen. Acquiring electronic mail addresses for the domain is authorized by a vast majority of web hosting establishments. So, web hosting ideas, such as e mail addresses will be picked.

six. Technical Help: 24/7 technical assist is mostly made available all year long by a bulk of online hosts, and other people will want to be sure this can be the event when selecting a person.

What?s the Big difference Around VPS Internet hosting and Shared Internet hosting?

Little doubt, essentially the most wide-spread style of spending plan website web hosting is shared web hosting. Within this kind of internet hosting, a range of website pages are hosted over a simple server, that?s shared around them. Even the sources of your server are shared around the web sites, which is what can make it a cost-effective opportunity.

Alternatively, in terms of operation is worried, VPS web hosting is similar as devoted server web hosting. It really is as instantly obtainable, versatile, with administrative deal with and talent to put in custom made apps and software systems, as devoted web hosting. In spite of this, in regards to the value, VPS web hosting is way less expensive than committed web hosting. In contrast to shared web hosting, the level of server means is devoted to every person as well as their online site. This is actually the good reason its thought to be considerably more isolated than shared web hosting, that is a very good problem and there aren?t any restrictions for web page homeowners.

As a result, when evaluating and contrasting VPS with shared web hosting, VPS is certainly the greater preference despite the fact that its selling price is perhaps somewhat larger it happens to be even now more affordable than committed web hosting. As for people newcomers seeking an online web hosting company, they need to frequently sustain the pointed out issues in your mind when selecting one particular.

Cheap Hosting ? Picking Your Earliest A Person will allow you to attain more beneficial understanding on the theme.

Source: http://usafreelistings.com/fundamental-concerns-when-acquiring-internet-business-hosting-remedies/

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Some Thoughts on the Raw Food Movement, plus Zucchini Pasta ...

Recently I?ve been very interested in the raw food movement/diet/lifestyle/religion and thinking about the value of raw foods in one?s diet.

Generally I agree about 80% with it. Raw, whole foods are the way nature provides them to us which is probably a good indication that it?s a good way to eat. But then there is a part of me that has questions.

Do sashimi and beef carpaccio count?
Foods dried in the sun would get over the ?raw? temperature, wouldn?t they?
Some foods are only edible if cooked, right?
Not everything in nature is good for us, deathcap mushroom anyone?
How can you live without coffee?
Is this all just too much?

I?d started feeling really sluggish recently when I tried to eat more meat too quickly. I started to read into raw foods and I was massively intrigued by their recipes. I tried a few of their recipes and have been feeling really good. Can you call it a recipe if you don?t use heat? (Kidding). There is a lot of benefit in eating more raw, more fibre and nutrients, it?s harder to eat ?naughty? foods, and a great enthusiasm for food and life. But I think for me personally there is a lack of balance and I?m not sure I could sustain it in social situations; don?t offer me brie, I can?t say no.

Also I found a lot of raw foodies were only mainly ?raw?, not that it in any way undermines their dedication to a healthy diet though.

Nevertheless, I?ve been incorporating more ?raw? and ?raw inspired? (that is cooked because I don?t have a dehydrator) in my diet and I am feeling good, much better than when I tried to incorporate more meat. So there may be more ?raw? recipes after today, and I really encourage you to try some to find the deliciousness that is a raw carrot, or a cashew cheese, or cauliflower pizza.

Raw zucchini pasta with pesto and cherry tomatoes

Zucchini ?pasta? with pesto and tomatoes
serves 2, 10 minutes preparation and 0 minutes cooking because it?s raw!

2 large zucchinis
The juice of half a lemon
Olive oil
Basil pesto
Cherry tomatoes

K?s handiwork turning zucchini into pasta

Using a vegie peeler, turn the zucchini into ?tagliatelle pasta? strips. Then toss in the lemon juice and a little olive oil.

Cut the tomatoes in half. This stops them exploding inappropriately all over you.

We both enjoyed this for a light, refreshing lunch. Perhaps it would be good as a side next to something more substantial though?

Serve in a bowl topped with pesto.

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Source: http://thelabkitchen.com/2012/08/28/some-thoughts-on-the-raw-food-movement-plus-zucchini-pasta/

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A meeting a decade ago sets Romney's path

BOSTON (AP) ? Mitt Romney's path to the Republican presidential nomination started more than a decade ago.

As CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, he was at a crossroads as the closing ceremonies approached. Political and professional suitors were all around.

That's when he met with Kerry Healey, head of the Massachusetts GOP. During a meeting that ran an hour too long, she pressed the successful businessman to run for governor.

Romney would soon agree to run, and the decision would open the next phase of his life.

Romney's role as Massachusetts governor became the launching pad for a political career that reaches its pinnacle Thursday when he accepts the Republican presidential nomination.

Those who know Romney well say he's always been driven to driven to lead.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/meeting-decade-ago-sets-romneys-path-213039856--election.html

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Marriage: 8 Dangerously Wrong Conventional Wisdoms ...

Marriage: Is conventional wisdom wise?

Marriage, the loving partnership of two people, easily fits the words that the author Charles Dickens once famously penned in his book A Tale of Two Cities.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,... it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way...."

Most couples feel positive about their relationship when they first wed.? Over time however familiarity can breed contempt.? Many seemingly well-matched and well-intentioned couple find their matrimonial bliss becoming increasingly tarnished.

How does a dream marriage turn into a nightmare?

The reality is that in the first stage of love, "the honeymoon phase," folks focus on what they find attractive about each other.? Later comes stage two, when spouses begin to address the areas of difference, the his-way, her-way issues. ?

At this point, and again at any point in the relationship where the couple faces difficult challenges, heeding conventional wisdom, alas, can undermine a potentially excellent marriage partnership.?

Here's some "words of wisdom," i.e., matrimonial myths, about which it's an especially good idea to wise up.

1. Marriage is about compromise.

Heaven forbid.? Compromise is lose-lose decision-making.? If I want to live in Florida and you want to live in Seattle, we?ll both be unhappy in Ohio.? Aim instead for win-win solutions.?

If you don?t already know the art of win-win decision-making, that's a skill well-worth a few hours of your time to learn.? In addition to the link in the prior sentence, I have multiple posts on my PT blog on skills for making win-win decisions together that both partners will feel good about (see specific links below).? There's further info and practice options also in my Power of Two Workbook and on my website, PowerOfTwoMarriage.com.

2. For a happy marriage, couples need to get their anger out.

Yes, and no.? If you are mad, no doubt there's something real that you need to discuss.? The key word here though is discuss.?

Discussing issues that have triggered anger takes skills.

Anger is a stop sign.? That means that when you feel angry, or hear your partner becoming angry, stop the conversation.? Take a cool-down break, either by momentarily changing the topic to a cooler issue, or by briefly going out of the room to get a cooling drink of water.?

No one wants to feel the other is walking out on him, so be sure that the two of you map a plan ahead of time.? That way any time either of your tempers begins to rise, you both each will rise up on your legs, walk in an opposite direction, cool down, and then return for a fresh start on the discussion.?

Once your anger has drained, it's easier to take a calmer perspective on the problem. You'll both listen better to your partner's perspective.? Without anger or defensiveness, you'll be better able to figure out what your own concerns are, to hear your partner's, and to respond to both with a plan of action that solves the problem.

If you don't treat anger as a stop sign? Addressing challenging situations via anger instead of stopping at best results in domination, that is, in forcing your partner to do it your way.? That means you may win the battle but you'll lose the matrimonial war. And it has potential to cause serious emotional and relationship injuries along the way.? Want a depressed spouse?? A resentful spouse?? Get mad instead of getting smart.

Interestingly, like sexual feelings, angry feelings tend to intensify the more you act on them. The more you shout, the more you'll shout, possibly continuing to escalate until you are flooded, at which point you may explode with a full raging anger orgasm.?

On the flip side, smothering anger also is a risky strategy. Smothering anger invites an eventual outburst of rage: smother, smolder, smother, explode.?

The better strategy when you are angry is to stop.?Calm down enough to discuss the problem together quietly, and find solutions. ?????????

3. Intimacy requires being open, communicating what you feel.

Yes, communication in marriage is vitally important.? At the same time, all matrimonial communication is not equal.? Effective communication enhances intimacy. Hurtful communication invites negative emotions, resentment and distancing.

Hurtful communications are usually either critical or controlling.? Here's some examples:

Marriage partners need to communicate sensitively.

Critical:? I don't like how hot our bedroom gets at night.

Controlling: I would like you to keep the window open

Effective: I would like to find a way to cool off our bedroom at night.? How would you feel about my opening the windows all the way so we get more breeze in our room??

The differences between these three ways of raising an issue may look subtle, but the reality is that your gut can immediately feel the difference if they are said to you.?

Critical: Any formulation of the problem that has the word not, including in contraction form such as "I don't like...", "I wish you wouldn't..." Critical comments provoke defensiveness or counter-attacks instead of empathy and understanding.

Controlling: Any formulation that is telling the other person what you want them to do:? "I would like you to" is controlling; "I would like to...", is informative. Controlling comments invite resistance.

Effective: Flip your don't likes to would likes.? Flip what you want your partner to do, e.g., "I would like you to ..." to what you yourself might do differently: "I would like to..."?

To further increase your odds of successful dialogue, be sure to invite your partner to share his/her perspective.? Asking open-ended How or What questions mines the most data: "How would you feel about ... ?" "What's your thoughts on ...?"?

Now you're on your way to collaborative problem-solving.

4. Father knows best.? (or mother...)

An I?m right, you?re wrong attitude will block you from listening to your partner's perspective. The reality of marriage is that there's two of you, and both viewpoints need to count.

The belief that you know best can tempt you to dismiss your partner's viewpoints. That's a recipe for matrimonial disaster.? Insistence on your way or the highway can put you on the fast road to divorce.? In fact, as marriage researcher John Gottman's has concluded from his studies, an attitude of contempt for your partner's views is one of the best predictors of marriage failure.

Instead of insisting that you are right, assume that you both are sensible and intelligent people.? That?s part of why you chose each other.? So listen for what?s right, what makes sense, instead of what's wrong with what your partner tells you.? Add your partner's views to your own and the odds zoom up that you will succeed in traveling together the road to ever-more-loving partnership. (please continue on page 2)

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/resolution-not-conflict/201208/marriage-8-dangerously-wrong-conventional-wisdoms

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Colombia's president: talks held with FARC rebels

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) ? President Juan Manuel Santos said Monday that his government has opened "exploratory talks" with Colombia's main rebel groups in a bid to end a stubborn half-century-old conflict.

Santos' announcement in a brief televised address followed mounting rumors of talks supposedly held in Cuba between representatives of his government and the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Santos offered no details of the talks, including when they began.

"In the coming days the results of the conversations with the FARC will become known," he said.

Santos said military operations would continue "on every single centimeter of national territory" during whatever peace process might emerge.

That statement was a clear allusion to the last peace dialogue held with the FARC, when the government surrendered a Switzerland-sized swath of southern Colombia to the rebels from 1990-2002 and reconciliation efforts collapsed as the guerrillas continued to mount attacks on security forces, kidnap politicians and traffic in cocaine.

Santos also mentioned that Colombia's No. 2 rebel band, the National Liberation Army known by its Spanish-language initials ELN had expressed a desire to participate in peace talks.

The ELN has also held failed peace talks with the government in the past.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/colombias-president-talks-held-farc-rebels-002314083.html

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Romney to make early visit to Florida convention (reuters)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/243922917?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Tricks aren't protecting you from today's hackers

Getty Images stock

Password message on computer screen

By Melanie Pinola, Lifehacker

Security breaches happen so often nowadays, you're probably sick of hearing about them and all the ways you should beef up your accounts. Even if you feel you've heard it all already, though, unfortunately, today's password-cracking tools are more advanced and cut through the clever password tricks many of us use. Here's what's changed and what you should do about it.

Background: Passwords are easier to crack than ever
Our passwords are much less secure than they were just a few years ago, thanks to faster hardware and new techniques used by password crackers. Ars Technica explains that inexpensive graphics processors enable password-cracking programs to try billions of password combinations in a second; what would have taken years to crack now may take only months or maybe days.

Making matters much worse is hackers know a lot more about our passwords than they used to. All the recent password leaks have helped hackers identify the patterns we use when creating passwords, so hackers can now use rules and algorithms to crack passwords more quickly than they could through simple common-word attacks.

Take the password "Sup3rThinkers"?a password which would pass most password strength tests because of its 13-character length and use of mixed case and a number. Web site How Secure Is My Password? estimates it would take a desktop computer about a million years to crack, with a 4 billion calculations-per-second estimate. It would take a hacker just a couple of months now, Ars Technica notes:

Passwords such as "mustacheehcatsum" (that's "mustache" spelled forward and then backward) may give the appearance of strong security, but they're easily cracked by isolating their patterns, then writing rules that augment the words contained in the [2009 hack of online games service] RockYou [...]and similar lists. For [security penetration tester] Redman to crack "Sup3rThinkers", he employed rules that directed his software to try not just "super" but also "Super", "sup3r", "Sup3r", "super!!!" and similar modifications. It then tried each of those words in combination with "thinkers", "Thinkers", "think3rs", and "Think3rs".

In other words, hackers are totally on to us!

What You Can Do: Strengthen your passwords by making them unique and completely unpredictable
We've suggested plenty of strong password tips over the years, but in light of the faster and newer cracking capabilities, these are worth reviewing.

1. Avoid predictable password formulas

The biggest problem is we're all padding our passwords the same way (partly because most companies limit your password length and require certain types of characters). When required to use mix of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols, most of us:

• Use a name, place, or common word as the seed, e.g., "fido" (Women tend to use personal names and men tend to use hobbies)
• Capitalize the first letter: "Fido"
• Add a number, most likely 1 or 2, at the end: "Fido1"
• Add one of the most common symbols (~, !, @, #, $, %, &, ?) at the end: "Fido1!"

Not only are these patterns obvious to professional password guessers, even substituting vowels for numbers ("F1d01!") or appending another word ("G00dF1d01!") wouldn't help much, since hackers are using the patterns against us and appending words from the master crack lists together.

Other clever obfuscation techniques, such as shifting keys to the left or right or using other keyboard patterns are also now sniffed out by hacking tools. As one commenter wrote in the Ars Technica article, hackers use keyword walk generators to emulate millions of keyboard patterns.

The solution: Don't do what everyone else is doing. Avoid the patterns above and remember the basics: don't use a single dictionary word, names, or dates in your password; use a mix of character types (including spaces); and make your passwords as long as possible. If you have a template for how you create memorable passwords, it's only secure if no one else is using that rule. (Check out IT security pro Mark Burnett's collection of the top 10,000 most common passwords, which he says represents 99.8% of all user passwords from leaked databases, or this list of 500 most common passwords in one page.)

2. Use truly random passwords

Use multiple unrelated words for your strong, long password: Using a passphrase is more secure and more memorable than complicated but shorter passwords, as web comic xkcd pointed last year. Longer and simpler passwords trump shorter and more complex ones?but only if the words you use are truly random. If you're using a common quote or saying for your passphrase, you're a target, because hackers' dictionaries include common quotes, phrases, titles, and lyrics?and they can easily employ rules to use just the first letter of each word or other similar pattern. "To be or not to be" and "2b30rn0t2b3" and "tbontb" might all very well take just seconds to crack thanks to fast algorithms, so make your passphrase truly unique and random. (The xkcd password generator can pick four random words for you.)

The best option is to use a password generator and manager: While the passphrase approach might be good for, say, your computer login or the few cases you need to remember your password, the best option is to generate a truly random, long, and complex password. This avoids the problem of easily cracked patterns and word lists. LastPass, KeePass, or 1Password can all generate a random password for you. See how to build a nearly hack-proof password system with LastPass for detailed instructions. Remember, "the only secure password is the one you can't remember."

3. Use a unique password for each site

No matter what passwords you choose or create, this is the most important security strategy of all: Use a different password for each site. This limits the damage that can be done if/when there's a security breach?if your password is compromised on one site, at least all your other accounts are protected.

More from Lifehacker:

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Source: http://digitallife.today.com/_news/2012/08/27/13505619-tricks-arent-protecting-you-from-todays-hackers?lite

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Editor's desk: Forums, friendless, and fines

This week was a blur punctuated by something neither tragic nor triumphant. Part gut check, part gut punch. So let's spin up the FTL drives and jump right to it...

iMore Forums app

Earlier this week we launched the iMore Forums app for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Thousands of you have downloaded it already, but in case you somehow managed to miss it, it's FREE, it's fabulous, and it's available via the App Store:

• Download iMore Forums app

(If you have nay trouble logging in, just see here.)

Friendless; or: who's followers are they anyway?

While I was busy ranting about Twitter restricting third-party clients, I completely forgot to address the parallel dickosity of Twitter turning off API access to Instagram and Tumblr. Both services were using Twitter's service to help you find your friends -- they'd show you the people you follow on Twitter so you could follow those same people on Instagram or Tumblr. Now you can no longer do that. Twitter's happy with Instagram and Tumblr pumping gazillions of tweets into their service, but apparently not with Instagram or Tumblr pulling any social value back out.

To our dismay, Twitter has restricted our users? ability to ?Find Twitter Friends? on Tumblr. Given our history of embracing their platform, this is especially upsetting. Our syndication feature is responsible for hundreds of millions of tweets, and we eagerly enabled Twitter Cards across 70 million blogs and 30 billion posts as one of Twitter?s first partners. While we?re delighted by the response to our integrations with Facebook and Gmail, we are truly disappointed by Twitter?s decision.

So that demands the question: Who owns my follow list anyway? Is it the property of Twitter, the service that enables it, or my property, the user who builds it?

Obviously, Twitter thinks it's them. But the way they're going about it makes me want to strongly disagree. And throw things. Is that really the best strategy?

The verdict

I've written and said far too much already about the Apple vs. Samsung U.S. court verdict, but two things have stuck with me over the course of the weekend:

First, it was almost uncomfortable watching Apple paint the board aluminum (or whatever color represents Apple in these things). A good fight is a spectacle, but there's no spectacle to be had in a beating like that. Sadly, there was also no Big John McCarthy to pull the jury off, no one gracious enough at Apple to stop the pounding, and no one smart enough at Samsung to throw in the towel. Let's hope now that the bell has rung, this gets settled and settled well before the appeals, bans, and further infringement cases are brought. I don't know who was being more stubborn in the talks to date, Apple or Samsung, but the time for stubborn is over. There's way too much blood on the mats already.

Second, the reaction by extreme Apple and Android supporters on both sides was difficult for me to comprehend. Make no mistake, this was a loss for Samsung, but it was no cause for strutting by Apple. To argue either way is silly. These companies should be fighting over us, not us over them. If you hate a company, or worse, if you hate the people who work for or even just use the products of a company, you need to stop. Now. It's not okay. The bits of plastic in your pockets, and the bits of plastic in other people's pockets are just that -- bits of plastic.

There's much more important stuff for all of us to expend energy on.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/P8UryjEjq9Y/story01.htm

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Free Cloud Service Accounting Software Giving Quickbooks A Run ...

Free Cloud Service Accounting Software Giving Quickbooks A Run For Their Money

Quickbooks has been the leader in business accounting software for quite some time. In the past few years, this business accounting authority has turned to cloud services to host their accounting program online, thus allowing users the ability to do their accounting anytime, from anywhere in the world. Though Quickbooks is one of the leaders, new business and personal accounting software companies are also offering their accounting through a cloud service, and some are even doing it for free.

Free Business Accounting through Cloud Services?

Like Quickbooks, most cloud service accounting software has some sort of monthly service fee that ranges from $30 to over $100 per month. However, there are now new age cloud service accounting companies who offer 100 percent free accounting programs. WaveAccounting.com, a new kid on the block for cloud service accounting programs, offers cloud computing services that are completely free for freelancers and small business owners who want a cloud service accounting program, but without the high costs.

On-Site Features through Cloud Services

Featured in ?The New York Times,? PC Magazine and Profit, Wave Accounting offers a free cloud service accounting program that has the same features as the paid cloud computing accounting services. With Wave Accounting, users are given a user name, sign-in page and password. From there they log-in, link bank accounts and credit cards and update their spending and income instantly. Wave Accounting allows users to generate estimates, invoices and statements that can be personalized to the user?s needs for a professional company image.

What about Security?

Many worry that a free cloud service accounting program might lack in security and privacy, but Wave Accounting has already proven itself worthy when it comes to customer security. The site offers privacy and security features that include:

• 256-bit SSL encryption
• Secure storage 24/7/365 with added customer support and troubleshooting
• Read-only capabilities
• Certified third-party security measures
• Backup procedures to automatically save each time users exit their site
• Safe, secure collaboration

Wave Accounting prides itself on being more secure than accounting with an on-site computer. With their cloud service accounting, users no longer have to worry about computer crashes, virus attacks, power outages or even theft ? everything is secure and stored through the cloud service.

Wave Accounting is not the first free cloud service accounting program and certainly will not be the last. With such cloud services gaining funding from the banks and lenders they link with, the possibilities for free cloud service accounting will be endless in the near future.

By?KoriLynn Johnston

Source: http://www.cloudtweaks.com/2012/08/free-cloud-service-accounting-software-giving-quickbooks-a-run-for-their-money/

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Picking A Realtor When Buying A Home | South Jersey Real Estate ...

Many folks prefer to work with one individual when purchasing a home, particularly if they are from out of the city. A good real estate sales agent has a wealth of info about the area and about local home values. Choosing a Realtor ( should be licensed ), is generally the best way to proceed. Realtors are bound by codes of ethics that give you some protection against devious practices, which explains why it is important to conduct business with the right people that are approved to work with you.

Unfortunately, many buyers are not aware of the fact that the sales agent generally represents the seller in any exchange. This implies that he or she is not obliged to inform you if the house is expensive or has unattractive features. Some Realtors claim to represent both consumer and seller, as supposed ?transaction brokers.? It is actually tough to represent both sides nonetheless, since they have conflicting interests.

One way out of this dilemma is to hire a buyer?s sales agent . A real buyer?s broker should represent only consumers and should not have lists for sale. A good buyer?s broker is worth his or her weight in gold. Such a broker will steer you away from bad buys and inform you about issues you will not be conscious of, for example neighborhood prone to flooding or other natural calamities. Some buyer?s brokers work for a set fee, but most ask for a commission from the seller?s agent, meaning your employment of a buyer?s agent will not cost anything additional. {Therefore ,} you?ll only get to focus on choosing a buying a home that meets all your express needs.

Buyer?s brokers are a pretty new idea, and they aren?t available in many areas. There is really nothing wrong with working with a seller?s broker or a transaction broker so long as you notice that individual may be more motivated to sell homes than to protect you. Be especially wary if the broker attempts to push his very own listing or the lists that offer him a bonus for procuring the purchaser.

Buying a home may not that straightforward as many folk claim it to be. Unless you have all the money to spend on hiring an estate broker that is capable of giving you the services of doing the job for you, then you need to get yourself involved throughout the whole process. Be protective with all the opportunities presented to you. Don?t hesitate to raise questions for matters that are not clear to you or you do not understand. It?s the only way you can protect your hard-earned cash.

?Mail this post

Posted under Need help buying or renting?

Source: http://southjerseyrealestateagent.com/?p=10586

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Victorinox offers refunds for secure USB drives in light of discontinued software updates

Software support and security certificates are coming to an end for Victorinox's line of secure USB drives, but the firm announced on Facebook that it's offering customers full refunds until December 31 if they'd like to return their products in light of the developments. In order to avoid losing data, owners of the flash drives should perform a backup before the encryption application meets its untimely end on September 15th. However, files stored on non-encrypted areas of the device will remain accessible without further action. The Slim, Secure and Presentation Master storage sticks can still be used as run-of-the-mill thumb drives after the cut-off date, but the Swiss Army Knife maker's application will no longer be able to scramble or unscramble their contents.

Filed under: Storage

Victorinox offers refunds for secure USB drives in light of discontinued software updates originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 04:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/24/victorinox-secure-usb-flash-drives-refunds/

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New Marketing Program Draws Thousands To Its Free Teleseminar ...

Aug 24, 2012 Posted by admin on Aug 24, 2012 in Marketing | 0 comments

Title:

Word Count:
374

Summary:
What is making this business opportunity so popular is, that after some initial effort, you can just lay back and let the company do the work for you and actually collect an income. Or if you prefer, and most do, put forth some additional effort and make a very comfortable income. Many have found it to be an excellent method to earn cash from home.

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Article Body:
Less than three short months ago, a new 1Step System was born with a very real potential for generating a great deal of income in a short time. Co -founders Rod Stinson and Chris Koehl have brought this opportunity to people all over the world. Many are joining now because the company is still in its infancy, which from a marketing standpoint is surely the best time to get on board.

What makes this business opportunity so attractive is that it is so easy. It is appropriately called the 1 Step System. It stands to reason, the more an individual puts in to their business, the more he or she will get out of it, however, your early efforts in the beginning stages can easily provide at least some income while you lay back and observe.

Everyone knows, there is no such thing as a free lunch, however, I haven?t seen another business opportunity where start-up costs can so easily be recouped in such a short time and profit starts rolling in. From those who have no experience, to the most seasoned marketer, its a great opportunity to see a steady cash flow in a relatively short time. It?s also a great way to earn extra income at home. Those with years of Internet marketing experience are calling it a brilliant concept designed for building wealth for anyone who is savvy enough to see its earning potential.

Our experience has revealed that to many entrepreneurs out to earn extra money from home, have fallen victim to deceptive and greedy get rich quick scams that guarantee your success. This business sets itself far apart from those, and what is so refreshing about the 1 Step System is there is no selling, no phone calls, no explaining, no answering questions and no closing. Most of the work is done for you. It?s a fact, co-founders Rod Stinson and Chris Koehl have taken the ?Net by storm. It?s nice knowing that with this business, anyone, regardless of their experience or background, has the same chance for financial independence.

For more information visit:

http://www.1stepsystem-premier.com

and, for your FREE EBOOK detailing the fastest and easiest way to the top of the search engines, visit:

http://www.ride-to-the-top.com

Source: http://newcountrymag.com/11010/new-marketing-program-draws-thousands-to-its-free-teleseminar/

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Real names no longer required online: SK court

9 hrs.

Youkyung Lee , AP

(AP)?SEOUL, South Korea -?A South Korean court ended a law requiring Internet contributors to use their real names to leave comments, ruling unanimously Thursday that the policy undermined free speech.

The online naming law took effect in 2007 under a bipartisan push to curb libeling, the spread of false rumors and abusive comments in the cyber space. South Korea saw a flurry of celebrity suicides allegedly motivated by malicious online comments, which mobilized the move to control the Internet space.

The eight judges at the Constitutional Court said the real name policy discouraged people from voicing dissents out of concern they would be punished.

"Expressions under anonymity or pseudonym allow (people) to voice criticism on majority opinion without giving into external pressure," the court said. "Even if there is a side effect to online anonymity, it should be strongly protected for its constitutional value."

The court also said it found no proof that the law helped decrease libel or the spread of rumors and false information.

Under the real-name policy, nearly 150 websites with over 100,000 daily visitors, often very popular destinations for South Koreans, required submission of identity information to leave comments.

The regulation also prompted South Koreans, including popular online pundits and critics of government policies, to find an anonymous refuge in overseas services such as Google and Twitter. Some argued the law discriminated against domestic Internet services.

Observers said a series of security breach that leaked millions of personal data from those websites that adopted real-name policy also factored in the decision.

Others said the ruling, while it is a significant step toward fostering freedom of speech, addresses a small part of broader regulations that are still tightly controlling the Internet space in one of the world's most wired countries.

Even though South Korea has a vibrant democracy and Asia's fourth-largest economy, a batch of laws that regulate the Internet are still in place, critics say.

"Real name policies are still intact in many other places. Teens and their parents should verify their names to play online games and during election campaign periods, no anonymous comments are allowed," at websites of media companies, said Jinbo Net activist Chang Yeo-kyung.

Until recently, South Koreans could be criminally punished for leaving false information online. Before 2012, South Koreans were not allowed to disclose in the cyber space their support or opposition of a political party or a candidate. These bills were ruled unconstitutional in 2010 and in 2011.?

Follow Youkyung Lee on Twitter.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/real-names-no-longer-required-online-south-korean-court-961016

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Dana Milbank Mainstreams Hate: The Washington Post columnist's inside-the-Beltway support for the Family Research Council makes bigotry a value of the political class

It was only a few days ago that the world of Washington politics and punditry was in its most self-congratulatory mode: Politics was about to get serious again, with Mitt Romney's pick of Paul Ryan as a running mate being the magical unicorn powder that would finally spur ''serious'' discussion of the nation's problems. But then, it being August in an election year, everything got really stupid, really fast (thanks, Missouri).

Actually, first things got really scary. No one can downplay the act of violence at the headquarters of the Family Research Council (FRC). A man connected to our community decided, for reasons as yet unknown, to take a gun and shoot people he disagreed with. The fact only one person was shot and no one died doesn't lessen the impact. Our community understood that and came together quickly and decisively to denounce the shooting and offer sincere sympathy for the security guard who was wounded and the staff who were terrorized.

But then FRC president Tony Perkins chose the next day to aggressively attack the LGBT community, claiming that by labeling his organization as a ''hate group'' -- as the Southern Poverty Law Center has done ? the shooter had been given a ''license to kill.'' Later Perkins extended blame for the shooting to President Obama, as well.

Never one to shy away from a moment of self-aggrandizing opportunity, National Organization for Marriage (NOM) president Brian Brown immediately began fundraising off the shooting, and this past Tuesday sent a letter to supporters saying, ''We're not going to allow gay activists to get away with attempted murder!''

This being FRC and NOM we're talking about, it's no surprise to us to see them taking advantage of a situation by bending truth, twisting facts and outright lying. They've engaged in this behavior for a long time. It's not second nature to them, it is their nature.

So, into this wades Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank, who set off a firestorm with a column denouncing LGBT groups for calling FRC a ''hate group.'' It's not hard to compress Milbank's argument, because it's not much of one: Because FRC is a ''mainstream conservative think tank'' it can't be a hate group because it's not the Ku Klux Klan. Apparently, only people who wear a white hood and brandish a swastika can be labeled ''hateful.''

Unless, perhaps, the KKK opens an office on K Street, in which case we would need to begin carefully considering their policy proposals.

Dana Milbank's ''Homo Politicus''

Milbank's column is ludicrous because we know that to regularly call LGBT people pedophiles ? the polite word for ''child molesters'' ? is to traffic in hate. (Andrew Sullivan argues that we should call it ''bigotry'' rather than ''hate,'' which is a little bit too to-may-to/to-mah-to from my perspective.) As John Aravosis at AmericaBlog has thoroughly documented, FRC has a years-long history of falsified reports, outrageous lies and horrible slanders. But for Milbank, a downtown address on the FRC letterhead makes the rhetoric just another part of the political dialogue. And he doesn't like being called on it, griping on Wednesday to The Advocate that his radio interview on the topic with Michelangelo?Signorile was ''an ambush, and quite unfair.''

You know it's ugly when journalists start complaining about being subjected to questions by journalists. Yet his Washington-insider support for the FRC is an attempt to mainstream hate, and he deserves the attention he's getting, no matter how prickly he finds it to be on the other end of the scope.

It's retroactively ironic that Milbank positioned himself as anthropologist of the ''tribes'' of Washington in his 2008 book, Homo Politicus. Milbank fancies himself the zookeeper for the wild ways of Washington, when he's actually just another monkey in the cage.

Source: http://www.metroweekly.com/news/opinion/?ak=7671

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Recap: Texas vs. Baltimore

Adrian Beltre hit three homers, including two in the fourth inning and Mitch Moreland hit a grand slam as the Texas Rangers trampled the Baltimore Orioles, 12-3, on Wednesday.

David Murphy had three hits, scored twice and knocked in a run for the AL West leaders, who have won five of their last seven.

Derek Holland (8-6) allowed three runs on five hits and struck out five over seven innings to snap a four-start winless stretch.

Nick Markakis went 3-for-4 and drove in all three runs for Baltimore, which lost for the second time in five games.

Tommy Hunter (4-8) was tagged for eight runs on eight hits while walking two over three-plus innings to lose his fourth consecutive decision.

Beltre hammered a solo homer to center field in the second. Baltimore countered with a run the following inning when Markakis' hit to left field plated Nate McLouth.

The Rangers broke the game open with a nine-run fourth inning. Josh Hamilton singled before Beltre ripped a two-run blast to left field.

Following back-to-back singles from Nelson Cruz and Michael Young, David Murphy doubled, scoring Cruz. Geovany Soto then walked to load the bases for Moreland, who launched a grand slam into the right field stands.

Later in the inning, Hamilton walked and Beltre hammered his second homer of the inning, a shot to center, to make it 10-1.

"It's definitely tough, you'd rather have a different outcome," Markakis said of the huge inning. "You have to tip your hat. That's a solid lineup, up and down. They've got a lot of firepower in that lineup."

Beltre became the 57th player in MLB history to homer twice in one inning, and the second this season. Angels designated hitter Kendrys Morales homered twice in the sixth inning of a 15-8 win over the Rangers on July 30.

"Finally, I got a good game offensively," Beltre said. "I've been struggling a couple of weeks, driving the ball. I hit the ball hard in the air."

Baltimore added two in the fifth. Lou Ford doubled and Robert Andino walked before Markakis' bases-clearing triple into the right-field corner.

The Rangers came back with one in the home half. Young and Murphy singled to open the inning before advancing on a wild pitch. Moreland then plated Young with a sacrifice fly.

Soto's RBI double in the seventh accounted for the final margin.

Game Notes

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/22/2964181/recap-texas-vs-baltimore.html

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Hyatt Regency | Mandarin Oriental | Orbitz Blog

Posted in Business Travel, Caribbean Vacation, Europe Vacation, Food & Wine, Hotels, New York Vacation | Tags: Europe travel, fall vacation, Massachsetts hotels, New York hotels

Early autumn view of Central Park from the Mandarin Oriental, New York. Photo: Marley White, NYC and Co.

By Mark Chesnut

Within a matter of weeks, cooler temperatures will start descending upon North America. So it?s the perfect time to take a look at how to make the most of business travel during the autumn months?including how to find the best travel deals and how to avoid seasonal hassles. If you have a bit of flexibility when planning, keep these ideas in mind to make those trips go smoothly.

Where to Go for Deals: Prices for Europe hotels and airfares start to drop in the autumn, as summer vacations wrap up and temperatures cool. The same goes for some Florida hotels, since the summer crowds have left but the wintertime snowbirds haven?t yet moved in. The fall is also a good time to consider a meeting or executive getaway in the Caribbean; peak season for Caribbean hotels usually doesn?t start until late November or December.

Where to Go for Scenery: September is prime grape stomping season in California?s wine country, so if your itinerary takes you to the northern part of the state, check with your concierge about special events taking place.?Fall foliage is a big draw in the northeast, and its easy to enjoy the changing colors when you stay at a business-friendly Massachusetts hotel with a view, such as the Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center in Sturbridge or the?Hyatt Regency Cambridge. In New York City, check into a room facing Central Park at the Jumeirah Essex House or the Mandarin Oriental, New York and you?ll be treated to vistas of Manhattan?s largest expanse of natural beauty.

How to Avoid Headaches: Autumn is a beautiful time of year to travel, but there are certain times and places during the season that are best to avoid. Destinations with large universities, for example, can become congested during fall orientation and the beginning of the new semester?and airports may get a bit crowded, too. Thanksgiving, of course, is the most heavily traveled period of all, so it?s a good idea to avoid the few days before and after, when possible. Europe-bound business travelers might want to steer clear of the festivities in Munich during Oktoberfest?but then again, they might want to make a point to be there to join the celebration.

Related resources

Mark Chesnut is a travel writer, editor and publisher of LatinFlyer.com, which focuses on travel to Latin America. He loves cool weather.

This entry was posted Business Travel, Caribbean Vacation, Europe Vacation, Food & Wine, Hotels, New York Vacation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://www.orbitz.com/blog/2012/08/cool-temperatures-hot-deals-fall-business-travel/

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USDA, McDonald's suspend slaughterhouse buys

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) ? The federal government and McDonald's Corp. suspended purchases of meat Wednesday from a California slaughterhouse under investigation for animal cruelty and possible health issues.

The fast-food chain joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture in severing ties with Central Valley Meat Co.

The suspensions occurred after an animal welfare group's covert video showed cows that appeared to be sick or lame being beaten, kicked, shot and shocked in an attempt to get them to walk to slaughter.

"There are behaviors in the video which appear to be unacceptable and would not adhere to the standards we demand of our suppliers," McDonald's said in release.

Federal officials say nothing they have seen so far in the video shows meat from cows that may have been sick made it into the food supply, but interviews with employees were ongoing.

The video was shot in June and July by an undercover operative for the group Compassion Over Killing who worked at the plant and also gave a written statement to the USDA about events not on tape.

"We do know that workers were trying to make non-ambulatory cows not eligible for slaughter go to slaughter," said Erica Meier, executive director of the animal welfare organization. "We believe red flags are raised for sure with our video, but it's up to the USDA to decide."

It's against the law to slaughter a non-ambulatory animal for food out of concern that it could be infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease.

The Hanford slaughterhouse is in the same city where a dairy cow at a rendering plant was discovered in April to have mad cow disease. The USDA said earlier this month it was an isolated case and didn't pose a threat to the food supply.

Central Valley Meat Co. primarily slaughters dairy cows that have lost their value as milk producers.

The USDA bought 21 million pounds of beef from the company in 2011 for the national school lunch and other federal food programs.

Records show the government made five large-scale purchases of ground and chunk beef, spending more than $50 million of the total $135 allocated by the government for such acquisitions that year.

USDA spokesman Justin DeJong said he did not know to which government food programs the beef was allocated. The meat generally goes to the national school lunch program and food distribution on Indian reservations, and is available for discount purchases by community food banks.

"The department works to ensure that product purchased for the federal feeding programs meets stringent food safety standards and that processors comply with humane handling regulations," the USDA said in a statement.

McDonald's also said it had suspended purchases of meat from the slaughterhouse. The company did not immediately say how much meat it had been buying. But a spokesman for the chain said the percentage of meat purchased from the slaughterhouse was in the single digits.

Regional fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger previously suspended purchases after learning of the allegations of inhumane treatment.

The New York Times reported that Costco Wholesale Corp. also suspended purchases. That company did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment.

The USDA acted quickly to shut down Central Valley Meat Co. on Monday after the video documented the treatment of dairy cows.

The video appears to show workers bungling the slaughter of cows struggling to walk and even stand. Clips show workers kicking and shocking cows to get them to stand and walk to slaughter.

The video prompted the National Cattlemen's Beef Association to issue a statement.

"We firmly believe that those knowingly and willfully committing any abuse to animals should not be in the business ? period," Dave Daley, a professor at California State University, Chico, said in the statement released by the marketing group. "The actions depicted in these videos are disgraceful and not representative of the cattle community."

Central Valley Meat Co. has referred all questions to a public relations firm that issued a statement saying Central Valley Meat is cooperating with investigators and developing a plan to remedy any potential violations of USDA guidelines.

"Based on our own investigation and 30 years of producing safe, high-quality US beef, we are confident these concerns pose no food safety issues," the statement said.

The video shows one man standing on the muzzle of a downed cow. Other footage depicts cows struggling after being repeatedly shot in the head with a pneumatic gun.

Federal regulations say slaughterhouses must be successful with a single shot.

Other clips show cattle with udders so swollen they are unable to keep their legs under them to walk, and workers trying to lift downed cattle using their tails.

Compassion Over Killing also provided the video to the district attorney's office in Kings County, where the plant is located. The office is following the federal investigation before deciding whether to file state cruelty charges.

The case has attracted the attention of Temple Grandin, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and subject of a documentary about her life working with livestock behavior issues while she struggled with autism.

In a release distributed by the American Meat Institute, she said some video clips of cows twitching after being shot in the head with a pneumatic gun are normal reflexes, but she did note some problems.

"I did observe some overly aggressive and unacceptable use of electric prods with non-ambulatory cattle and in sensitive areas like the face," she wrote. "I would classify this as egregious animal abuse."

___

Tracie Cone can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/TConeAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/usda-mcdonalds-suspend-slaughterhouse-buys-003343165.html

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