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| KOKO | Posted
on 17-Dec-02 09:53 AM
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Malaysian officials have banned a car advert featuring Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt, saying the promotion could be humiliating to Asian looks. According to the official Bernama new agency, the move comes as part of a broader effort by the government to reduce the number of non-Malaysian faces used in local advertising. In comments directed at the country's advertising agency, Malaysian Deputy Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin said the widespread use of Western faces in advertisements could create an inferiority complex among Asians. "Why do we need to use their faces in our advertisements? Are our own people not handsome?" Bernama quoted him as saying. Commenting on the Pitt advertisement he said: "We barred the advertisement as it appeared as a humiliation against Asians." Hollywood actors and other Western stars frequently appear in advertising across Asia, where they can earn millions of dollars simply by associating their face with a particular brand. |
| KOKO | Posted
on 17-Dec-02 09:55 AM
IBM Takes Heart Monitor a Step Further Tue December 17, 2002 06:11 AM ET By Bill Berkrot NEW YORK (Reuters) - A tiny device that reads a heart rate monitor and automatically sends a warning call to a predetermined cell phone number if the user is in distress, could soon aid people at high risk of cardiac problems. A team from IBM Engineering and Technology Services has successfully tested the relay device and is actively seeking a customer to turn it into a consumer product, the company said. It remains to be seen whether the instrument will be produced and marketed by a medical device company, a cell phone network provider or an athletic equipment manufacturer. But the designers see a variety of uses for it and are busy working on variations on the theme. While portable heart rate monitors have been available to joggers, cyclists, heart patients and assorted weekend warriors for some time, this device goes a couple of steps further, explained Bryan Striemer, a development engineer for IBM and one of the inventors. "Suddenly we were able to send heart rate information over cell phone networks," Striemer told Reuters in a telephone interview from Rochester, Minnesota. The device uses radio frequency wireless technology, such as short-range Bluetooth technology, to read a heart monitor. When a predetermined heart rate that signals possible cardiac distress is reached, the device automatically sends a text message alert via cell phone to any pre-programmed cell phone number, such as a physician, care-giver or the emergency services. Striemer said the developers initially focused on uses for the elderly -- "somebody who wanted to be independent and live alone but they have a heart condition that they wanted to have monitored all the time. "Then pretty quickly we got into the issue of athletes as well," he added. In addition to its potential life-saving function for those who want to continue a vigorous exercise regimen but are at risk for heart problems, the device could send heart rate information from runners or cyclists to coaches or conditioning trainers for reference. Its convenient size should make it attractive to runners or other athletes who are not willing to take on extra weight or carry around cumbersome devices. "Our device is the size and shape of a few sticks of chewing gum," Striemer said. Of course, the user must have a cell phone and it must be turned on to automatically transmit the crucial information. Striemer is working on incorporating global positioning technology into a version of the device that would enable an elderly person or someone suffering from Alzheimer's disease who became lost or confused to send their whereabouts to their children or a designated care-giver's cell phone. He also has a pedometer version in the works to allow athletes to send distance information to coaches or to a training database. No price structure has been determined for the device, but a spokesman for IBM Engineering and Technology Services said they were determined to make it affordable for the average consumer. "It will not be overboard pricewise, nothing prohibitive," promised Cary Ziter. "What I would love to see in next coming months is that this would be available in your local athletic store and be in a price range of similar gadgets," Striemer said. |
| KOKO | Posted
on 17-Dec-02 09:56 AM
NJ Bus Driver Pleads Guilty MARLBORO, N.J. December 17, 2002 — A frustrated bus driver who caused a stir when he told his passengers "I'm taking you to the Taliban" has pleaded guilty to a disorderly persons charge. Robert L. Mickens, 37, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was fined $500 after he entered his plea Monday in Marlboro Township Municipal Court. He admitted making the remark Nov. 30 after several passengers criticized his abilities, but said it was meant as a joke. Mickens was driving a Greyhound bus from Philadelphia to New York when he lost his way and soon grew angry when his route choices were questioned by some of his 30 passengers. After making the remark, some passengers became alarmed and called 911 on their cell phones, prompting Mickens' arrest at gunpoint after 18 township patrol cars converged on the bus. He was then charged with creating a false public alarm. Mickens, who no longer works for Greyhound, was late for his court appearance because he got lost on the way. He declined to comment on the case. |
| KOKO | Posted
on 17-Dec-02 10:03 AM
15 common renters' rights Although renters' rights vary by region, many are pretty predictable. Here's a sample of rights likely to be addressed in your state's landlord-tenant law: The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to deny housing to a tenant on the grounds of race, color, sex, religion, disability, family status, or national origin. Residential rental units should be habitable and in compliance with housing and health codes—meaning they should be structurally safe, sanitary, weatherproofed, and include adequate water, electricity, and heat. Many states limit the amount landlords can charge for security deposits. (See http://www.nolo.com/encyclopedia/articles/lt/lt1.html to find out if yours is one of them.) A landlord should make necessary repairs and perform maintenance tasks in a timely fashion, or include a provision in the lease stating that tenants can order repairs and deduct the cost from rent. A landlord must give prior notice (typically 24 hours) before entering your premises and can normally only do so to make repairs or in case of an emergency. Illegal provisions in a rental agreement (provisions counter to state law) are usually not enforceable in court. If a landlord has violated important terms related to health, safety, or necessary repairs, you might have a legal right to break your lease. If you have to break a long-term lease, in most states landlords are required to search for a new tenant as soon as possible rather than charging the tenant for the full duration of the lease. Damage or security deposits are not deductible for "normal wear and tear." Some states require that a landlord give an itemized report of any deductions. Most states require landlords to return refundable portions of a security deposit within 14 to 30 days after the tenant has vacated the premises, even in the case of eviction. Landlords usually can't legally seize a tenant's property for nonpayment of rent or any other reason, except in the case of abandonment as defined by law. Landlords are legally prohibited from evicting tenants as retaliation for action a tenant takes related to a perceived landlord violation. A landlord cannot legally change the locks, shut off (or cause to have shut off) your utilities, or evict you without notice; eviction requires a court order. If a landlord makes life so miserable for you that it forces you to move, it may be considered "constructive eviction," which is usually grounds for legal action. In many states, it's illegal for a lease to stipulate that the tenant is responsible for the landlord's attorney fees in case of a court dispute. |
| KOKO | Posted
on 17-Dec-02 10:08 AM
A truck driver was driving along on the freeway. A sign comes up that reads "low bridge ahead." Before he knows it the bridge is right ahead of him and he gets stuck under the bridge. Cars are backed up for miles. Finally, a police car comes up. The cop gets out of his car and walks around to the truck driver, puts his hands on his hips and says, "Got stuck, huh?" The truck driver says, "No, I was delivering this bridge and ran out of gas." The cop got out of his car and the kid, that was stopped for speeding, rolled down his window. "I've been waiting for you all day," the cop said. The kid replied, "Yeah, well I got here as fast as I could." When the cop finally stopped laughing, he sent the kid on his way without a ticket. A guy sits in front of TV all day, farting like there's no tommorrow. But not just gassy airish farts, I'm talking mega greasy wet ones, the kind that would make your dog puke. The wife, understandably is angry as f**k, and says: "one day Honey, you are gonna fart your guts out." THe next Sunday, as wife is preparing Turkey for sunday lunch, Hubbie falls asleep. THe wife spies an opportunity to get her own back, so she takes the innards of the turkey and places them in the underwear her husband is wearing. She then went back to cooking the turkey. Later on that night, her husband came to the dinner table looking very frightened. "What happened?" asked his wife. "Well," the man said, "you were right. I farted my guts out." "What did you do?" asked his wife. "Well with the Grace of God and these two fingers I got 'em all back up in there!" There's a woman in a hospital in a coma. Her nurse notices after a few days that every time she sponge bathes the woman around the crotch, her vital signs, according to the nearby monitor, increase significantly. The nurse gets the bright idea that oral sex might just provide the stimulus to bring the woman out of her coma. She calls the woman's husband, tells him her idea about oral sex, and he agrees. When he arrives at the hospital, the nurse ushers him into the room, closes the curtain around the bed, and closes the door. Five minutes later, the man comes running out of the room screaming that all of his wife's vital signs have plummeted to zero and she needs a doctor immediately. The nurse, upset that her idea had not only not worked, but seemed to be threatening the life of the woman she had sought to save, asks the man what had happened. "I'm not sure, but I think she choked." |
| KOKO | Posted
on 17-Dec-02 10:57 AM
All J1, Exchange Visitor Visa Holders: If you have a valid, multiple entry visa stamp in your passport, the back of the pink form DS2019 or IAP-66 must be signed prior to departure. This is done by a Responsible Officer (RO) or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO). Please contact Human Resources at 2-3052 to set-up a time to meet with an appropriate staff member who has signature authority. This system has been in effect for several years, there is no change. The signature of the Responsible Officer or Alternate Responsible Officer is valid for one year. If you hold a J1 visa and do not have a valid J1 stamp with an entry into the United States in your passport, you must obtain one prior to re-entry to the U.S. This cannot be done within the United States. It must be done at an American Consulate or Embassy in the country you are visiting. It is now necessary to be registered in the Department of States ISEAS system before being issued a new J1 stamp in your passport and carry with you a new DS2019 form (formerly form IAP-66), with all three copies (yellow, white & pink). You can arrange to be entered into the ISEAS system and be issued a new form DS2019 by contacting Lorraine Barnes in the Human Resources Department at 2-3063. All persons seeking a visa at an American Consulate must allow for extra time for security clearances to take place. It now takes substantially more time for Consular Officers to complete mandatory security clearances. The days of obtaining a visa in one or two days is over. It is recommended that you contact the Embassy you will visit prior to your departure to ensure that you will be gone long enough for them to issue the visa stamp in your passport. H1B Holders: If you have a valid, multiple entry visa stamp in your passport, it is recommended that you obtain an employment letter from Human Resources prior to your departure. No trip to the Embassy is necessary. If, however, you do not have a valid H1B stamp in your passport or you have to renew the visa stamp, you must go to the Embassy in the country your are visiting to obtain the new stamp in your passport. Again, you should contact the Embassy prior to your departure to ensure you will be gone long enough for them to run the necessary security checks and process your visa. You will need to bring with you an employment letter, a copy of the original H1B petition filed, a copy of the certified Labor Condition Attestation (LCA) form and the original support letter that your supervisor wrote in support of the H1B petition. Also, if you received a waiver of Section 212E, the original Waiver Approval Notice from the INS may be required. These forms can be obtained by contacting Lorraine Barnes in Human Resources at 2-3063. Student holding Practical Training Status: Please contact your school's International Office for travel details. |
| KOKO | Posted
on 17-Dec-02 02:09 PM
Some churches are more fun than others. Believe it or not, these actually appeared in various church bulletins: 1. Thiss afternoon there will be a meeting in the south and north ends of the church. Children will be baptised at both ends. 2. Tuesday at 4PM there will be an ice cream social. All ladies giving milk, come early. 3. Wednesday the ladies liturgy society will meet. Mr. Johnson will sing, "Put Me In My Little Bed," accompanied by the pastor. 4. Thursday at 5PM there will be a meeting of the little mothers club. All ladies wishing to be little mothers please meet with the pastor in his study. 5. This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Johnson to come forward and lay an egg at the alter. 6. The service will close with "Little Drops Of Water". One of the ladies will start quietly and the rest of the congregation will join in. 7. On Sunday, a special collection will be taken to defray the expenses of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the new carpet, come forward and get a piece of paper. 8. The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement on Friday afternoon. 9. A bean supper will be held on Saturday evening in the church basement. Music will follow. 10. The rosebud on the alter this morning is to announce the birth of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev. and Mrs. Julius Belzer. 11. Tonights sermon: What is hell? Come early and listen to our choir practice. 12. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs. 13. Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community. 14. Potluck supper: prayer and medication to follow. 15. Don't let worry kill you off -- let the church help. |
| Brit | Posted
on 18-Dec-02 07:53 AM
Never argue with a fool - people might not know the difference Arthur Block Murphy's Law, 1979 |