Emancipation Proclamation: Creation of the United States Colored Troops

Image: Page 1 of War Department General Order 143 Ordering the Creation of the U.S. Colored Troops, 05/22/1863; Orders and Circulars, 1797?1910; Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762?1984, Record Group 94; National Archives (National Archives Identifier 4662603)

The issues of freedom for the slaves and military service were intertwined from the beginning of the Civil War. News from Fort Sumter had set off a rush by free black men to enlist in military units. They were turned away, however, because a Federal law dating from 1792 barred them from bearing arms for the U.S. Army (although they had served in the American Revolution and in the War of 1812).

The Lincoln administration thought about authorizing the recruitment of black troops before the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, but they were worried that doing so would prompt the border states to secede.

Nevertheless, the Emancipation Proclamation, issued on January 1, 1863, did include mention of military service, although Lincoln did not call slaves and free blacks to serve as combatant troops in the war. Lincoln wrote, ?And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable conditions, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.?

This statement directly applied to slaves in the slave states, and many black men moved to free themselves. Despite the restrictions of the Emancipation Proclamation in loyal border states, Tennessee, and portions of Union-occupied Louisiana and Virginia, slaves found their way to the Union armies and U.S. recruitment stations while their families remained in slavery.

From February to June 1863, the War Department established procedures for the selection, recruitment, and training of blacks?regardless of status?to serve in the U.S. Army. The War Department also created a selection process for white officers to lead the troops. On May 22, 1863, the War Department issued General Order 143, officially establishing a Bureau of Colored Troops and authorizing the raising of regiments of ?U.S. Colored Troops? (USCT). Many African Americans served in the USCT as the war continued.

You can read more about the beginning of the USCT in ?Living with the Hydra? by Walter B. Hill, Jr., which was published in the Winter 2000 edition of Prologue. This story also comes from the National Archives online exhibit, ?Our Documents,? featuring General Order 143.

The story of the creation of the USCT? is featured in ?The Meaning and Making of Emancipation,? a free eBook created by the National Archives. You can read it on your iPad, iPhone, Android, Nook, or other electronic device.

The National Archives will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation with a special display of the original document at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, from Sunday, December 30, to Tuesday, January 1. The commemoration will include extended viewing hours, inspirational music, a dramatic reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, and family activities and entertainment for all ages.

Image: Page 2 of War Department General Order 143 Ordering the Creation of the U.S. Colored Troops, 05/22/1863; Orders and Circulars, 1797?1910; Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762?1984, Record Group 94;. (National Archives Identifier 4662603)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ProloguePiecesOfHistory/~3/AFe1AjP_ukk/

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Checkers' Point Streak Ends at Texas

For all of the Checkers? recent success, they still can?t seem to solve the Texas Stars.

By way of a 3-1 defeat at Texas on Saturday, the Checkers fell to 0-1-2 against the Stars this season, with their South Division lead dropping to two points. Zac Dalpe opened the scoring in the first period before Texas stormed back to score three unanswered goals, one in each period, against goalie Dan Ellis, who finished with 28 saves.

The result marked the first time the Checkers have suffered a regulation loss on the road since Oct. 31 at Milwaukee. It also ended Charlotte?s point streak at seven games (5-0-2), which tied a franchise record set during the team?s inaugural season in 2010-11.

The Checkers, who suffered an overtime defeat at Houston on Friday, will now complete their three-games-in-three-nights stretch against divisional opponents at San Antonio on Sunday.

Saturday?s game started out brightly enough, with Dalpe ending a six-game goal drought that matched his longest of the season as the result of a great give-and-go play with Riley Nash just two seconds after a Checkers power play had expired. The goal was Dalpe?s eighth of the season and first since Dec. 11 against Milwaukee.

The home team then began its barrage against Ellis, who was playing for the second time in the Checkers? last six games. NHL veteran Toby Peterson started the scoring by finishing a centering feed from Taylor Vause with five minutes left in the first period. The goal was Peterson?s second of the season, as he had not scored since the season opener back on Oct. 13.

With the Stars beginning to seize the momentum ? though shots finished at an even 31 apiece, the home team was ahead 18-8 at one point ? Alex Chiasson scored the eventual game winner on a power play five minutes into the second period. The Checkers had taken two consecutive penalties to start the middle frame, having killed off a Riley Nash tripping penalty before Texas made them pay for Jeremy Welsh?s hold just 15 seconds after Nash?s penalty had expired.

Despite some increasing pressure by the Checkers, Stars scoring leader Cody Eakin, who had four goals in his last four games against Charlotte coming in, put the final nail in the coffin midway through the third period. As Chiasson sent a centering feed toward Eakin coming down the left side, Ellis nearly made a spectacular diving save only to see Eakin pull the puck toward his backhand and slide it under him for the 3-1 lead.

The Checkers out-shot Texas 13-6 in the third period, but it was to no avail as the team fell to 0-1-1 to start their three-in-three set. Even if they were to beat San Antonio on Sunday, they are already assured of their worst finish to a three-in-three this season, as Saturday?s loss dropped them to a combined 10-2-2 in those games.

NOTES: The Checkers are scoreless in their last 13 power-play opportunities, including an 0-for-4 showing against Texas ? Of the 11 teams the Checkers have faced this season, Texas is one of two (Oklahoma City) they have yet to defeat ? Tim Wallace assisted on Dalpe?s goal, giving him a two-game point streak (1g, 1a) ? Checkers defensemen Marc-Andre Gragnani and Rasmus Rissanen each missed the game due to injury. Finnish blueliner Tommi Kivisto played his second career AHL game in their stead ? Forwards Justin Shugg and Justin Soryal were healthy scratches.

Source: http://www.sportspagemagazine.com/content/hy/all-hy/art-all-hy/checkers-point-streak-ends-at-texas.shtml?55341

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Small business? Get Online! | CEED

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For anyone starting out in business these days, the internet is one of the first things that you must think about. I don?t mean to sound like a broken record, but the internet has so much potential ready for you to utilise, and if you do it well, you?ll soon see your small idea turn into big business.

Creating a powerful website is step one, without this you have no real presence on the internet. You must provide all of the relevant information for your customers, but you must do it in an elegant and organised way; reducing bounce rate is the aim of the game here. You want people on your site for as long as possible, this way they will remember the page and ergo the organisation. It also shows that your page is an authority page, and will bump you up the search engine results page, meaning more potential customers. If you allow space for advertisements on your page, you may even be able to make a pretty penny from it.

Another great way to promote your business and attract potential customers is through the use of social media. What is social media? Why should I use it? I imagine you may be asking these questions. For businesses, social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook are great spaces to introduce your brand to people and also gauge their feedback meaning that you are able to tailor your business to your customers; good things. You can also link social networking sites and with the use of clever software are able to use as little time on this medium as possible while still reaping the benefits! There are many great blogs and websites offering help with this.

Optimising your website for access on mobile devices is also something to think about. There are many people predicting that mobile searches will surpass that of searches from a desktop in the next few years. If you can stay ahead of the curve, you will be in prime position when this happens. Perhaps consider using apps, and competitions, as these are relatively easy to do and can be done out of house if you do not have the time.

Finally, in terms of outreach, email is a popular option. It is a great way to get your name out there without hassling potential clients, they can choose to take or leave you email, unlike a phone call. It?s also a great way to suggest visiting your website and social media pages.

For any business starting out, these are arguably the initial steps that must be taken to ensure survival in the digital age.

Source: http://www.ceed.info/small-business-get-online/

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Family Gardening: Attracting Wildlife to the Garden | Your Garden ...

Attracting wildlife to the home garden is an enjoyable and creative way to teach children about nature, evoke their respect for the environment and provide meaningful family together time.

THE BASICS

All wildlife requires three things for survival: food, water and cover.

FOOD

Native trees, shrubs, vines, and wildflowers provide the foliage, nectar, pollen, berries, seeds and nuts that wildlife requires to survive and thrive. As an added advantage, natives are well adapted to their particular geographic area and therefore generally require little maintenance.

There will be times when natural food sources are not readily available. This is when it is most important to provide supplemental sources of food using bird, squirrel and butterfly feeders to add to the native food sources for resident and migrating wildlife.

WATER

All wildlife requires a source of clean water for drinking and bathing. Many of us do not have a natural water source on our properties but this situation is easily remedied by adding a garden birdbath or water dish. With larger landscapes, adding a pond is an ambitious and rewarding project that will greatly enhance your efforts to increase the wildlife population.

COVER

Wildlife requires a place to hide from predators, shelter in inclement weather and a secluded place to birth their young. Trees, both dead and alive, are perfect for hiding, nesting and perching. Leafy and thorny shrubs also provide wildlife protection and a suitable hiding place.? Even if you have plenty of vegetation the addition of bird and bat houses will increase areas of wildlife safety in your landscape.

Source: http://www.yourgardencenter.com/?p=1709

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Americans from Central African Republic capital evacuated

Reuters

Hundreds protest in front of the French Embassy in the Bangui, Central African Republic, on Wednesday, expressing anger over the lack of response by the former colonial power to rebels advancing on the capital.

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By NBC News and wire services

U.S. diplomats and other American citizens have been evacuated from the Central African Republic and U.S. embassy operations have been suspended in the capital, Bangui, the State Department said Thursday. The move came as?rebel forces?advanced on the city.

"This decision is solely due to concerns about the security of our personnel and has no relation to our continuing and long-standing diplomatic relations with the (Central African Republic)," said State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell.

Insurgents on motorbikes and in pickup trucks have driven to within 45 miles of Bangui after weeks of fighting, threatening to end President Francois Bozize's nearly 10-year rule over the turbulent, resource-rich country.

Bozize appealed to the United States and France to help push back the rebels.

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Some U.S. Special Forces are operating in the country, trying to track down the Lords Resistance Army, a rebel group responsible for killing thousands of civilians across four African nations.?There was no indication that these forces would be used to aid Bozize against the advancing insurgents.

Earlier a senior defense official told NBC News that there were "several hundred" civilians, including Americans and citizens of close U.S. allies who may be evacuated, but comments by the State Department's Ventrell suggested fewer had left:?

"Ambassador (Laurence) Wohlers and his diplomatic team left Bangui today along with several private U.S. citizens," according to Ventrell.

The non-combatant evacuation operation transported "U.S. citizens and designated foreign nationals to safe havens in the region," according to a statement from?Defense Department spokesman Todd Breasseale. The flight out of Bangui was "wheels up" at about 7:15 p.m. ET.?

Paris said its troops would protect French nationals, but not be involved in repelling the rebels.?

Some 1,200 French nationals live in the CAR, mostly in the capital, according to the French Foreign Ministry, where they typically work for mining firms or aid groups.

French nuclear energy group Areva mines the Bakouma uranium deposit in the CAR's south ? France's biggest commercial interest in its former colony.?

Bozize on Thursday appealed for French and U.S. military support to stop the SELEKA rebel coalition, which has promised to overthrow him unless he implements a previous peace deal in full.

France: 'Those days are over'
He told a crowd of anti-rebel protesters in the riverside capital that he had asked Paris and Washington to help move the rebels away from the capital to clear the way for peace talks which regional leaders say could be held soon in Libreville, Gabon.

"We are asking our cousins the French and the United States, which are major powers, to help us push back the rebels to their initial positions in a way that will permit talks in Libreville to resolve this crisis," Bozize said.

Georges Gobet / AFP - Getty Images file

Central African Republic President Francois Bozize in 2008.

France has 250 soldiers in its landlocked former colony as part of a peacekeeping mission and Paris in the past has ousted or propped up governments ? including by using air strikes to defend Bozize against rebels in 2006.

But French President Francois Hollande poured cold water on the latest request for help.

"If we have a presence, it's not to protect a regime, it's to protect our nationals and our interests and in no way to intervene in the internal business of a country, in this case the Central African Republic," Hollande said on the sidelines of a visit to a wholesale food market outside Paris.

"Those days are over," he said.

France is increasingly reluctant to directly intervene in conflicts in its former colonies. Since coming to power in May, Hollande has promised to put ties with its former colonies on a healthier footing.

The rebel advance has highlighted the instability of a country that has remained poor since independence from Paris in 1960 despite rich deposits of uranium, gold and diamonds. Average income is barely over $2 a day.

Regional African leaders, meantime, tried to broker a ceasefire deal and rebels said they had temporarily halted their advance on Bangui to allow talks to take place.

Officials from around central Africa were to meet in Bangui later on Thursday to open initial talks with the government and rebels.

A rebel spokesman said fighters had temporarily halted their advance to allow dialogue.

"We will not enter Bangui," Col. Djouma Narkoyo, the rebel spokesman, told Reuters by telephone.

Previous rebel promises to stop advancing have been broken, and a diplomatic source said rebels had taken up positions around Bangui on Thursday, effectively surrounding it.

The atmosphere remained tense in Bangui the day after anti-rebel protests broke out, and residents were stocking up on food and water.

Government soldiers deployed at strategic sites and French troops reinforced security at the French embassy after protesters threw rocks at the building on Wednesday.

Bozize came to power in a 2003 rebellion that overthrew President Ange-Felix Patasse.

The government holds little sway outside the capital, and in some parts of the country, the consequences of conflicts in troubled neighbors Chad, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo have spilled over.

This report includes reporting by Reuters and NBC News' Courtney Kube.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/27/16193391-us-evacuates-americans-from-central-african-republic-capital-as-rebels-close-in?lite

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Confusing Your Loved One and the Addiction | Drug Treatment ...

The term ?codependency? is often used to describe a relationship with an addict. A codependent relationship is one in which one person takes a passive, controlling or caretaking role in relation to the other person. In a healthy relationship there is give and take. When that give and take get out of balance, the relationship takes on codependent elements. Relationships that are complicated by addiction involve and addict who does all of the taking and a loved one who does the giving. This giving can take on many forms, but the result is always the same: It allows an addict to remain comfortable in his or her addiction.

According to PsychCentral codependent behaviors and attitudes related to addiction include the following:

• Making excuses for an addict
• Cleaning up after an addict
• Setting aside personal hobbies and interests when the addict needs something
• Continuing to help the addict even if he or she is abusive
• Denying that the addict has a problem
• Refusing to confront an addict
• Giving an addict money, food or drugs
• Feeling like you can?t survive without the addict
• Constantly adapting to meet the addict?s needs
• Forfeiting your own needs to meet the needs of an addict

What makes codependency so difficult to identify is that these many of these behaviors and attitudes are rooted in concern, compassion and self-sacrifice, which are considered as hallmarks of love. However in codependency these actions stem from somewhere other than healthy love.

Why Do Codependent Behaviors Exist?

Enabling an addict to remain actively in addiction seems counterintuitive to a healthy relationship, so why would any person allow this behavior to continue? Most often such a relationship continues because partners, spouses and loved ones are in denial that their behavior is unhealthy. To admit a problem means upsetting the delicate structure of the relationship. Psychology Today lists the following additional reasons unhealthy relationships continue:

• Perceived compassion. A loved one may simply not want to hurt an addict?s feelings. While this might seem like a noble and ?nice? gesture, it is simply a smokescreen. What is really behind the compassion is fear?fear of upsetting the stasis of the relationship, fear of upsetting the addict and fear of retaliation.
• Fear. Fear is a powerful motivator in unhealthy relationships. A loved one may fear the reaction of an addict, when the balance of power is shifted. An addict may react in anger or may otherwise make a person ?sorry? for their actions. A loved one may be afraid of how the relationship will change and would rather keep things as they are instead of having to face the unknown. Keeping the peace is the ultimate priority above personal safety, stability and preservation.
• Concern about judgment. If a loved one changes the dynamics of a relationship, he or she might be perceived as uncaring, mean or heartless. Why would you let your loved one stay in jail? Why would you kick him out of the house? Because no one knows what goes on behind closed doors, judgment comes easily. Many people are unable to accept being perceived in a negative light.
• Hope. Hope can be a dangerous tool in the hands of an addict. Phrases like, ?I promise I?ll be better? and, ?I promise this was the last time? can lead loved ones to give him or her yet another chance. A loved one genuinely wants an addict to change and will believe almost anything to keep that hope alive.
• Comfort. In a codependent relationship the people involved are comfortable with the roles they play. A partner or loved one can be comfortable being the martyr or being the rescuer.

Because these issues distort relationships, it is important for loved ones to participate in the therapy offered to them while the addict is in treatment. Therapy is essential for both the addict and those who love him or her. In therapy you will examine ways to identify codependent behavior, how codependent behavior has been rewarded and how to develop a more balanced relationship.

Changing Your Relationship with the Addict

According to Psychology Today changing the relationship with an addict often means becoming comfortable with discomfort. This may mean setting new boundaries, enforcing old boundaries, setting up an intervention for an addict or cutting off the relationship if it continues to foster dependency and addiction. Changing the relationship means admitting to yourself and to others that the addict has a problem that you cannot fix. If you have been entrenched in a pattern of unhealthy behavior for a long time, you will need the help of professionals who are skilled in detecting and dealing with unhealthy relationships. They can help you examine why you remain in a toxic relationship and how you can change.

Getting Help for You and Your Loved One

If you are confused about addiction and how you can help yourself and your loved one, we are here for you. You don?t have to go through this alone. Call us any time, 24 hours a day, and talk directly with a recovery counselor. We can help you examine your relationship with an addict and find resources that will help both of you pursue a healthy and drug-free life. Don?t let another person?s actions dictate your health and happiness anymore. Call today.

Source: http://www.drugtreatmentinsurance.com/confusing-your-loved-one-and-the-addiction

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Use the "Layoff Test" to Build Your Professional Network

Your professional network may be just as valuable a job hunting tool as your resume, but if you haven't kept it up to date and you're not in touch with the people you're closest to, now's the time to reach out. Use the "Layoff Test" to beef up your professional network and strengthen those bonds now, when you don't need anything from them but their friendship.

Here's the test: If you were laid off today, who would be the first ten people you'd reach out to for advice, or to catch up with? When is the last time you spoke with them? If you can't even list ten people, much less remember the last time you caught up with some of the people you would normally call references, it's time to start reaching out now, while you're comfortably employed and don't need anything in particular.

Ask them out to lunch to catch up, or see if they can grab coffee with you sometime, just to see how they're doing, discuss your respective careers, and see if they need anything from you. Remember, a "professional network" is really just career code for "friends willing to help each other professionally," so stay in touch and see if you can lend them a hand as well. After all, what goes around comes around.

Five Networking Tips You Haven't Heard | The Fast Track

Photo by Warren Goldswain.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/CSaRJM9COQ0/use-the-layoff-test-to-build-your-professional-network

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The Apps You Should Download For Your New Android Hotness

Santa brought you an Android phone or tablet. Congratulations and Merry Christmas you filthy animal. Now you need some apps. Here's what you need to cop from the Google Play Store. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GmYd5au-02g/the-apps-you-should-download-for-your-new-android-hotness

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The Best Stocks, Currencies, Commodities, And Funds Of 2012 ...

There were undoubtedly a few major stories that dominated financial markets in 2012.

The formation of a recovery in U.S. housing is definitely one of them. Another is ECB President Mario Draghi's proclamations to "do whatever it takes the save the euro," which has calmed markets plagued in recent years by the eurozone sovereign debt crisis.

While housing and Draghi were major factors for investors in 2012, they weren't the only developments that drove returns in financial markets this year.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/presenting-the-best-investments-of-2012-12

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Dakar mosque lit up for Christmas in Senegal

In this Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012 photo, people walk past Christmas decorations in Independence Square in central Dakar, Senegal. As Christmas approaches in mostly Muslim Senegal, vendors ply the streets selling tinsel, artificial trees, and inflatable Santas, and the main boulevards are all aglow in holiday lights. Senegal, a moderate country along Africa's western coast, has long been a place where Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully and share in each other's holidays. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

In this Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012 photo, people walk past Christmas decorations in Independence Square in central Dakar, Senegal. As Christmas approaches in mostly Muslim Senegal, vendors ply the streets selling tinsel, artificial trees, and inflatable Santas, and the main boulevards are all aglow in holiday lights. Senegal, a moderate country along Africa's western coast, has long been a place where Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully and share in each other's holidays. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

In this Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012 photo, a pair of women beg outside a pharmacy display window decorated for Christmas, in downtown Dakar, Senegal. As Christmas approaches in mostly Muslim Senegal, vendors ply the streets selling tinsel, artificial trees, and inflatable Santas, and the main boulevards are all aglow in holiday lights. Senegal, a moderate country along Africa's western coast, has long been a place where Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully and share in each other's holidays. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

In this Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012 photo, Christmas lights reading "Welcome to Dakar," light up a highway alongside a mosque in Dakar, Senegal. As Christmas approaches in mostly Muslim Senegal, vendors ply the streets selling tinsel, artificial trees, and inflatable Santas, and the main boulevards are all aglow in holiday lights. Senegal, a moderate country along Africa's western coast, has long been a place where Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully and share in each other's holidays. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

In this Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012 photo, Muslim vendors set up a display of Christmas decorations and inflatable Santas on a street corner in central Dakar, Senegal. As Christmas approaches in mostly Muslim Senegal, vendors ply the streets selling tinsel, artificial trees, and inflatable Santas, and the main boulevards are all aglow in holiday lights. Senegal, a moderate country along Africa's western coast, has long been a place where Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully and share in each other's holidays. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

In this Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012 photo, a girl plays with a glowing ball inside a cone of lights representing a Christmas tree, in central Dakar, Senegal. As Christmas approaches in mostly Muslim Senegal, vendors ply the streets selling tinsel, artificial trees, and inflatable Santas, and the main boulevards are all aglow in holiday lights. Senegal, a moderate country along Africa's western coast, has long been a place where Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully and share in each other's holidays. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) ? After prayers at the mosque, Ibrahim Lo is off to do some last-minute Christmas shopping. Soon he is eyeing the rows of dolls wrapped in plastic bags on a wooden table as he searches for gifts for his four children.

A bouquet of inflatable Santa toys tied to a nearby tree bobs in the air at this outdoor market in the seaside capital as he makes his picks.

It looks a lot like Christmas in Senegal, where 95 percent of the 12.8 million residents are Muslim. Even the Grande Mosquee, a mosque that dominates the city's skyline, is aglow in holiday lights.

"When they go to school, the children learn about Santa," says Lo, wearing a flowing olive green robe known as a boubou. "We are born into the Senegalese tradition of cohabitation between Muslims and Christians. What is essential is the respect between people."

Senegal, a moderate country along Africa's western coast, has long been a place where Christians and Muslims have coexisted peacefully. Most Christians here are Catholic and live in the south of country and in the capital.

Hadim Thiam, 30, normally sells shoes but during December he's expanded to an elaborate spread of tinsel, cans of spray snow and fireworks.

"It's not linked to God. It's for the children," says Jean Mouss, 55, a Christian out shopping for holiday decorations at Thiam's stand. "We wish Muslims a Merry Christmas and invite them into our homes for the holiday."

Signs of Christmas are prevalent in this tropical seaside capital.

Green and flocked plastic trees of every size are sold on street corners alongside Nescafe carts and vendors splitting open coconuts. "My First Christmas" baby sleepers are folded neatly on the top of the piles of second-hand clothing for sale on the streets. There are French "buches de Noel" and chocolate snowmen for sale in the upscale patisseries.

At lunchtime, a chorus of schoolchildren singing "Silent Night" echoes across a courtyard. The main cathedral is now a spectacle of lights each night ? no easy feat for a city often subjected to power cuts.

Still, not everyone in Senegal thinks embracing Christmas is all in good cheer. Mouhamed Seck, a Quranic teacher and imam for a mosque in a Dakar suburb, says taking part in the holiday is supporting a non-Muslim's religion.

"Islam forbids Muslims from taking part in these festivities," he says.

Parents who celebrate Christmas, though, say it's a secular time to celebrate with their families on a national holiday.

"To make my two children happy, I buy gifts for them and ask their mother to prepare a very hearty meal but we don't go to Mass," says Oumar Fall, 46, who has a 10-year-old and a 13-year-old.

Santa Claus, known in this former French colony as Pere Noel, also makes the rounds at upscale shopping centers and grocery stores in the weeks before Christmas.

Mamadou Sy, 40, had been working at a hotel in Morocco until his visa recently expired. Now back in Senegal, he's making extra money this December as a Santa at the seaside Magicland amusement park.

Like children everywhere, some are frightened by him, but most just want pictures ? and presents.

"Senegal is a unique case where 5 percent of the country is Christian," he says, seeking shade while wearing his red fur costume and hat. "Christians celebrate Muslim holidays and Muslims celebrate Christian holidays."

The tradition even extends to Senegalese schools. Therese Angelique Soumare's students all get together for a Christmas party the weekend before the holiday with their parents. The teachers put presents under a tree and Santa Claus shows up to hand them out.

"Everyone celebrates because it's for the children. Here in Senegal we are good neighbors," she says as she picks out gifts for the party. "We sing, we dance and we love seeing the children's joy."

___

Associated Press writer Sadibou Marone contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-24-Senegal-Muslim%20Christmas/id-1fdc6f72746f49f48c81f48a6fba9d8b

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In Minnesota, Guns In Schools May Be Legal. For Now. | Power Line

Minnesota is both a solidly blue state and a land of political correctness, so it is surprising to learn that guns aren?t necessarily prohibited in the state?s schools. The Minneapolis Star Tribune headlines: ?Little-known Minnesota exemption allows guns in schools.?

For years, Greg Lund carried a loaded gun as a high school principal in northwestern Minnesota. Students, parents and most of the staff at Norman County East High School didn?t know he was armed, but Lund said he couldn?t leave his students? safety to chance.

?There?s little you can do to prevent them from getting in the building,? said Lund, a gun safety educator. ?It was a small, rural school, and it would be 20 minutes or more before we would have police in the building.?

Lund carried the gun with the permission of his superintendent ? and under the provisions of a little-known exemption to the state?s general ban on guns in school. The rule says that any adults who have a state permit to carry a gun can bring the firearm to school once they obtain written permission from a principal or other school authority.

Given what happened at Sandy Hook elementary, one might think that Minnesotans would applaud the foresight manifested by that exemption, and consider whether it should be more broadly implemented. But no:

Brenda Cassellius, the state education commissioner, ?feels very strongly that we should be keeping guns out of schools,? said spokeswoman Charlene Briner. Gov. Mark Dayton agreed, and he will look at tightening the state ban on guns in schools when the Legislature convenes in January, said his spokeswoman, Katharine Tinucci.

I think everyone would agree that our first choice is ?keeping guns out of schools.? The problem is that people come and go from schools all the time. It simply isn?t possible to ensure that all of them are unarmed, and none of them are crazy. That being the case, it seems rather pathetic to take comfort in the fact that guns are ?banned? from schools. Murderers don?t obey signs. But practicality?actually improving safety, as opposed to feeling self-righteous?is not much in evidence:

?I cannot even imagine a situation where we would consider giving people permission to carry guns in school,? Richfield Schools Superintendent Robert Slotterback said. ?You?re not going to have a gun drawn. If they walk up to you, point a gun and fire, it doesn?t matter if you have a gun in your pocket or not.?

So self-defense is impossible, apparently. This really is the mentality that we are dealing with in trying to improve school safety. Unfortunately, now that Minnesota?s governor and legislators are aware of the provision that creates at least the possibility of protecting students from armed predators, it likely will be repealed.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Source: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/12/in-minnesota-guns-in-schools-may-be-legal-for-now.php

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Could Someone Please Show Leica How to Make a Proper Lens Mug?

Hello Mr. and Mrs. Ernst Leitz GmbH. Thank you for meeting with me. The reason I asked you to stop by today was because I have some concerns with your son Leica and his ability to follow simple directions. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/nqQL1Tb-kNU/could-someone-please-show-leica-how-to-make-a-proper-lens-mug

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Suzy Favor Hamilton says she has worked as escort

Three-time Olympian runner Suzy Favor Hamilton has admitted leading a double life as an escort.

She apologized Thursday after a report by The Smoking Gun website said she had been working as a prostitute in Las Vegas.

The 44-year-old Favor Hamilton lives in Madison, Wis. The Smoking Gun said she has been working for the last year for an escort service.

Soon after the story appeared online, Hamilton released a series of tweets saying in part that she was "drawn to escorting in large part because it provided many coping mechanisms for me when I was going through a very challenging time with my marriage and my life."

A middle-distance runner, Favor Hamilton competed for the U.S. at the Olympics in 1992, 1996 and 2000 but did not win a medal. She won seven U.S. national titles.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/suzy-favor-hamilton-says-she-worked-escort-195701330--spt.html

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Engadget HD Podcast 329 - 12.18.2012

Flashy new logo, same HD news. We've finally put out our review of Ceton's Echo Windows Media Center Extender and... oh, wait, what's that? There's already an update available in beta for an issue with 1080i video playback, so listen in to find out why this is the overall best Media Center extender available. Also, there's finally official details about Redbox Instant -- for $9 a month users get kiosk Blu-ray rentals and streaming. Press play to get the full scoop on that and the rest of the week's news including Kaleidescape, Amazon and (of course) Apple HDTV rumors.

Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh (@bjdraw), Richard Lawler (@rjcc)

Producer: James Trew (@itstrew)

Hear the podcast

Continue reading Engadget HD Podcast 329 - 12.18.2012

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Jahgv5u9Qf0/

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Arsenal fixture likely to be cancelled amid London Tube strike

Arsenal's Boxing Day clash against West Ham looks likely to be called off due to the threat of a Tube strike.

The Press Association has reported that the match between the London rivals is almost certain to be re-scheduled with an official statement to be made later today.

London Underground drivers are planning to stage three strikes in a row over Bank Holiday pay - with the first scheduled for December 26.

The match is likely to now take place either on January 23 or 26.

There are two other Premier League matches taking place in the capital on Boxing Day - Fulham play Southampton and QPR host West Brom.

However those two games do not appear under threat with QPR stating their match is "definitely going ahead" and Fulham saying they have no plans to cancel theirs.

Other matches in London on Boxing Day include Charlton, Leyton Orient, AFC Wimbledon and Dagenham and Redbridge. They all expect to see their matches go ahead despite the industrial action.

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/266/f/3784/s/26b874fe/l/0L0Sindependent0O0Csport0Cfootball0Cnews0Eand0Ecomment0Carsenal0Efixture0Elikely0Eto0Ebe0Ecancelled0Eamid0Elondon0Etube0Estrike0E84240A770Bhtml/story01.htm

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PowerPivot for Tax Pros! | Intaxication: The Red Moon Solutions Tax ...

Posted by Kelley LearcloseAuthor: Kelley Lear Name: Kelley Lear
Email: kelley.lear@redmoonsolutions.com
Site: http://blog.redmoonsolutions.com
About: Kelley is a member of the executive leadership team and leads our sales and marketing efforts at Red Moon Solutions. Kelley?s extensive experience in project management, product management, and consulting with Fortune 500 and Global 1000 clients is extremely important in this role.See Authors Posts (169) on Dec 19, 2012 | 0 comments

PowerPivot for Tax Pros can be a fantastic foray into the world of business intelligence and analytics for tax.? If you haven?t heard of it or haven?t been using it, this Microsoft Excel ?add-in? solution brings your regular Excel spreadsheets and pivot tables to the next level and truly is in the category of business intelligence (BI) tools.? A lot of companies already have many analytics options purchased and in use within IT, Finance, Marketing, or for the enterprise as a whole.? However, very few tax pros are leveraging the power of these tools sets and the ability to slice and dice large amounts of data in a multi-dimensional way.

So, what is Excel PowerPivot? It?s a?FREE?add-in for Excel 2010 designed by Microsoft. It adds a lot of power to Excel by extending the capabilities of PivotTable and data summarization (data layering, consolidation, etc.). It also allows tax pros to import data from multiple sources such as Excel, Access, SQL Server, SharePoint, and many other databases you might need to tap into for your provision and compliance cycles. Designed to add and integrate large amounts of data in Excel workbooks, this new solution can create remarkably dynamic reports. Further, if rumors are true, Microsoft may be building this functionality into the next baseline version of Excel.

So, why would you want to use this solution versus regular Excel today (and regular pivot table functionality)?? ?

• Tax Pros Can Combine?Data From Different Sources & Build Relationships

This has to be one of the most important features in PowerPivot for Excel. Excel has always been able to connect to different data sources such as SQL Server, XML, Microsoft Access and even web based data.? However, it was challenging to create various relationships between data across different data sources. You were able to do this VLOOKUPs to ?join? data, and/or via the use of other third party add ins. Tax pros need to do these ?joins? every day. ?With the need to tax sensitize entity data structures as well as account structures and details, these relationships need to be created easily, be flexible and changeable.? Tax pros also need to reduce the amount of possible error in creating and maintaining these relationships.? Also, ?regular Excel can be ?impractical for large data sets while PowerPivot for Excel is built to accommodate very large data sets as it does not have the 1,048,000 row limit of Excel.

• Tax Pros Can Create Complex and ?Sexy? Analytical Visual Models

PowerPivot for Excel allows you to display a variety of visual data to your Excel worksheets. You can return data in a PivotTable, PivotChart, Chart and Table (horizontal and vertical), Two Charts (horizontal and vertical), Four Charts and a Flattened PivotTable. You can even create a worksheet that has many outputs!? This provides a dashboard view of the data that makes analysis really easy. So, for example, you might have a provision spread that shows the prior and current years and have another dimension for business units, single entities and legal entity structures.? You could run multiple trend analysis as well as current year profiles across operating units versus legal entities.?These dashboards can also be built so that they are dynamic and interactive, so that you can change the view or way you are seeing the data at the click of a button.? You can use ?Slicers? to quickly visually filter data.

• Tax Pros Can Use DAX to Create Calculated Fields for Slicing and Dicing Data

DAX stands for Data Analysis Expressions and is the formula language used in PowerPivot tables. These are similar to Excel formulas, and can create calculated columns. You can create date or YEAR slicers to filter easily by tax year, calendar year, quarter, month or day.

I could go on and on?but, I thought I?d share this great YouTube instruction video on how to get started. ?It?s great. ?Check it out!

?

I will try to share more BI tips and tricks as this is a hot topic for tax pros. ?If you are not leveraging some sort of business intelligence solution today in your work, you are missing out on some amazing power and functionality! ?I would love to hear what else you are using. Perhaps Cognos, Tableau, SAP Business Intelligence, or other solution sets ? ?Share what is working and what isn?t!

I will try to share more BI tips and tricks as this is a hot topic for tax pros.? If you are not leveraging some sort of business intelligence solution today in your work, you are missing out on some amazing power and functionality!? I would love to hear what else you are using. Perhaps Cognos, Tableau, SAP Business Intelligence, or other solution sets ?? Share what is working and what isn?t!

Source: http://blog.redmoonsolutions.com/new

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What I learned in real estate today. Each day is something new.

Well I learn something new every day in property management or real estate. Just when you think you?ve heard it all. We do not take on new clients who require the use of supplemental housing. The reasons are numerous but we?ll leave those out of this discussion. As for today we learned that specifically one particular housing authority in our area requires the installation of a working fire extinguisher. Now on the surface this is a great thing. However in application this triggers another part of the property code which says that if a fire extinguisher is onsite at a property it must be inspected biannually be a specially licensed technician. This is another bill for the owner that typically is a non-issue. These programs seems like a sure thing however I can tell you that this same housing authority which will remain nameless for the purpose of this blog, has yet to pay rent for December. 18 days later?we?ve called and email 3 people all the way to the top. They check was supposed to be in the mail last Tuesday. A week later no check. When these folks go on vacation, good luck. They will simply not send out checks and no one will help out or return calls. If you?re thinking about leasing and utilizing supplemental housing I would not advise it. While a government check sounds like a good deal, it forces you to deal with the government.

Source: http://1836propertymanagement.com/2012/12/19/what-i-learned-in-real-estate-today-each-day-is-something-new/

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Would You Pay 300 Bucks for a Radio?

Geneva, maker of very pretty but expensive rectangles that pump out sweet sound, has a radio that costs 300 bucks. To be fair, the Geneva WorldRadio is a little more than just a radio, it has a Bluetooth receiver, touch controls, alarm cock and a headphone jack (along with its FM tuner). So that makes it a lot more like a Jambox than the dusty alarm clock from the early 90's on your bedstand. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/TRxEXheA_cw/would-you-pay-300-bucks-for-a-radio

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Toyota Slapped With Record $17.35 Million Fine

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Toyota's ascension to the top of 2012's sales heap hasn't come without a cost: the newly crowned automaker has been fined $17,350,000 for not handling unintended acceleration issues with Lexus RX350 and RX450h SUVs in a timely manner.

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"It's critical to the safety of the driving public that manufacturers report safety defects in a timely manner," National Traffic Safety Administration head David Strickland said in a statement. "Every moment of delay has the potential to lead to deaths or injuries on our nation's highways." Toyota replied in a statement saying that they "...agreed to this settlement in order to avoid a time-consuming dispute and to focus fully on our shared commitment with NHTSA to keep drivers safe."

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The fine follows a NHTSA probe launched in May, when the organization approached Toyota about issues with floor mats interfering with accelerator pedal movement; it wasn't until June that Toyota recalled 154,036 RX-series SUVs. This latest fine follows a mammoth $48.8 million fine paid two years ago for similar issues in Toyota vehicles.?

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Source: CNN Money

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/toyota-slapped-with-record-17-million-dollar-fine?src=rss

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Neighbors, friends say Racine homicide appears random ... - WITI

Posted on: 2:21 pm, December 16, 2012, by Ben Handelman, updated on: 04:00pm, December 16, 2012

RACINE ? Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man near 10th and Grand Ave. in Racine just before midnight on Saturday, December 15th. Police say a gunman fired into a group of teens and young men, and one person was killed. Now, what started out as a celebration has left the neighborhood with heavy hearts and few clues as to who is responsible.

Neighbors told FOX6 News the night began with crowds of teens who showed up at the nearby Bray Center, where joint birthday parties were taking place.?

Jennifer McNeil said she heard about four shots just before midnight. She says the gunman was in a car, and the shooter appeared to spray the crowd.

?I guess it was a group of kids outside on the corner, and somebody came through and fired shots into the crowd. It wasn?t meant for like, a specific person. It was meant for whoever was out there,? McNeil said.

Friends say the man who was killed was in his early 20s. He was reportedly struck in the head and taken to the hospital, where he died.

Friends who gathered at the scene on Sunday said the shooting doesn?t make sense.

?(He was a) cool person, laid back, made you laugh. He ain?t cause no harm to nobody. I don?t understand. Everything happened so fast,? one friend said.

Neighbors like McNeil say the gun culture in this area needs to change.

?An act of ignorance ? that?s it. This is the society we live in today,? McNeil said.

The identity of the victim is not being released until relatives are notified.

This is an active and ongoing criminal investigation.?

Racine Police?investigators are interested in any additional information that you may have about this crime. If you have any information about this homicide, you are urged to contact the Racine Police Department Investigations Unit at?262-635-7756. You may also contact Crime Stoppers at?262-636-9330, or by texting RACS plus the message to CRIMES (274637) and referring to Tipsoft I.D. #TIP417 with your text message.

Source: http://fox6now.com/2012/12/16/neighbors-friends-say-racine-homicide-appears-random/

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North Carolina Court Issues Leading Decision Regarding Copyright ...

Posted by?Tony Lathrop?on?Monday, December 17th 2012?????

??????????? In the digital age where the internet permeates every aspect of our lives and commerce, the courts are continually called upon to demarcate where and how communications and intellectual property laws apply to the services provided by websites and internet service providers.? Many internet-based companies find themselves facing potential liability based upon their legitimate business activities due to the unfortunate attempts by users of their services to thwart the intellectually property rights of others. ?The U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina is among the most recent courts to issue a decision favoring internet-based companies in this continuing struggle in Ark Promotions, Inc. v. Justin.tv, Inc., YouTube, LLC and YouTube, Inc., No. 3:12-CV-131-RJC-DCK, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 149283 (W.D.N.C. Oct. 16, 2012).? Defendants Justin.tv and YouTube operate websites that allow users to create or upload videos and share the video broadcasts with others.? Plaintiff Ark Promotions, a boxing promoter, sued Justin.tv and YouTube because individuals uploaded and streamed video of one of Ark Promotions? pay-per-view boxing matches to the YouTube and Justin.tv video-hosting websites, which allowed thousands of people to view the match without paying for it. Our very own Magistrate Judge David Keesler issued a recommendation to grant the defendants? motion to dismiss with prejudice plaintiff?s claims against Justin.tv and YouTube for violations of the Communications Act and inducement of copyright infringement under Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd., 545 U.S. 913 (2005).? The recommendation went unopposed and Chief Judge Conrad adopted it, having found that Magistrate Judge Keesler had conducted a ?thorough examination and dismissal of plaintiff?s claims.?? According to counsel for defendants, Magistrate Judge Keesler and Chief Judge Conrad join the ranks of the first few judges in the country to grant a 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss a complaint for inducement of copyright infringement (see here).? A look at the key factors underlying the decision in this case will inform companies facing such claims in North Carolina (and elsewhere, as the court noted that plaintiffs cited no authority supporting their position).??

??????????? The Communications Act Does Not Apply to Retransmission of Cable/Satellite Broadcasts via the Internet.? Receiving a video of an authorized cable broadcast streamed on the internet is not cable theft.? This is so, whether the streaming was done simultaneously with receipt of the cable signal from an authorized cable provider or done via the uploading of a recording of the authorized cable broadcast to the internet at a later time.? Nor is receiving video of authorized cable or satellite broadcasts streamed on the internet considered the receipt or publication of an intercepted radio communication.? While these two statements sound like common sense, it was necessary for our court to confirm these principles in Ark Promotions. Plaintiff alleged unauthorized interception or reception of cable service in violation of 47 U.S.C. ? 553 andunauthorized publication or use of communications in violation of 47 U.S.C. ? 605 based upon allegations that video of its copyrighted pay-per-view broadcast of a boxing match was streamed on Justin.tv?s website by third-parties and video clips of the fight were uploaded to YouTube by third-parties after the broadcast.? The court held that ?because Defendants did not intercept or receive a direct cable or satellite communication, Plaintiff fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted as a matter of law under ? 553 or ? 605. Plaintiff has not identified any authority supporting a finding that receipt of a retransmission of a communication by computer or the internet creates liability under the Communications Act.?? This was the outcome, despite the fact that plaintiff allegedly had notified Justin.tv prior to and during the broadcast that its users planned to use the website to transmit the live fight.??

??????????? In another recent case with similar claims, Zuffa, LLC v. Justin.tv, 838 F.Supp.2d 1102 (D.Nev. 2012), the court noted the peculiar attempt by the plaintiff to bring Communications Act claims based upon internet video streaming: ?neither can the Court or the parties find an instance where a plaintiff has asserted Communications Act claims under facts similar to these. Rather, again, Communications Act claims are generally colloquially referred to as claims for ?stealing cable.? In cases such as these for illegally streaming copyright protected video, such as against YouTube, plaintiffs simply assert copyright (and maybe trademark) claims, not cable theft.??

??????????? Decision deferred on whether the Communications Decency Act Provides Immunity to Communications Act Claims.? Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act(47 U.S.C. ? 230(c)(1))provides protection for internet-based companies that host or transmit content created by third parties by prohibiting them from being treated as the ?publisher or speaker? of content created or developed by such third parties.? Defendants in Ark Promotions argued that this protection clearly grants them immunity to the plaintiff?s claims under the Communications Act (if the Act were applicable) because the claims are based upon conduct of third parties who allegedly streamed and uploaded content to the defendants? websites.? There are no cases that have resolved whether Section 230 applies to Communications Act claims, and our court in Ark Promotions joined the court in Zuffa in deferring a decision on the issue, having already found that the Communications Act claims asserted by the plaintiffs did not apply to the video streaming at issue.? The Ark Promotions defendants argued that no courts have ?applied Section 230 specifically in the context of claims under the Communications Act?because, as discussed above, that statute is clearly inapplicable to the hosting of content by a website? and ?while this issue may be new, the law is clear.??

??????????? Providing Instructions on How to Use the Website Is Not Enough to Support a Claim for Inducement of Copyright Infringement.? Defendants? counsel notes that the WDNC is among the first courts in the country to dismiss a complaint for inducement of copyright infringement.? The Ark Promotions court cited Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662 (2009) in noting that a complaint will survive a motion to dismiss ?if it contains enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face,? meaning that the plaintiff has plead ?factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.? ?Plaintiff in this case fell far short of this standard by merely pleading in one sentence that ?Justin.tv provides detailed instructions on its website directing users how to stream live video over the Internet through the www.justin.tv website.?? According to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd, 545 U.S. 913 (2005),an inducement claim requires ?active steps?taken to encourage direct infringement,?such as advertising an infringing use or instructing how to engage in an infringing use.?? In Ark Promotions, the court found that plaintiff?s complaint ?does no more than suggest that Justin.tv is providing instructions for use of its product for lawful purposes.??

??????????? The Bottom Line.? Internet-based companies that operate content sharing services similar to those of Justin.tv and YouTube should take comfort in this North Carolina decision.? The sharing services provided by such internet-based companies do not appear to subject them to liability under the Communications Act; and, without more direct involvement in encouraging the use of such services for unlawful purposes, simply providing content sharing services and instructing users on how to operate the services does not appear to subject these companies to liability for inducement of copyright infringement.? The court did, however, decline to address whether the Communications Decency Act provides protection for such companies from claims under the Communications Act.? But this novel question may never be tackled by the courts since the law on the inapplicability of the Communications Act to such services seems to be clear.

Source: http://blogs.mvalaw.com/litigation-law-blog/2012/12/17/north-carolina-court-issues-leading-decision-regarding-copyright-infringement/

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Perfume makers create stink over EU allergy laws

Fabrizio Bensch / Reuters

An employee holds a Guerlain's perfume bottle at the KaDeWe department store in Berlin in this April 15, 2008 file photo.

By Reuters

PARIS - Luxury perfume brands fear the European Union is about to introduce measures that could cripple the $25 billion global industry in the name of protecting consumers against allergies.

New laws could severely curb or ban natural ingredients used in vintage best-sellers and put some perfume makers out of business.

But Brussels' proposed legislation - a draft will be unveiled early next year - is also causing a stir for another reason. It sheds light on the best-kept secret in the trade: many big brands have been tweaking their formulas for years.

"It is a taboo in the industry. People are scared to say anything about it," says Fflur Roberts, head of luxury goods at market research company Euromonitor.

Until now, changes to perfume formulas have come as a result of increasingly severe restrictions imposed by the industry's self-regulatory body, the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), though ingredient shortages or cost-cutting have also played a part.

A new Europe-wide law would force even more severe tweaks.

The brands most affected will be those which have been in the perfume industry for more than half a century, such as Dior, Chanel and Guerlain. All those fragrances use many natural ingredients and were created before scientists started looking into perfumes' potential health hazards. Chanel's No.5, one of the world's best-selling perfumes and named after its creator's fifth trial, was created in 1921.

Chanel declined to comment to Reuters on whether it has ever changed the formula of its world-famous perfume, as did Guerlain, Dior and luxury brand Hermes, which all make high-end perfumes using natural ingredients.

Most luxury perfume names do not want to disclose the fact that they have had to make tweaks to their scents for fear they could lose customers or damage their carefully nurtured luxury brand.

If new, even stricter rules are adopted, hundreds of perfumes would have to be reformulated with synthetic allergen-free contents. That, many in the industry fear, could threaten their business.

"If this law goes ahead I am finished, as my perfumes are all filled with these ingredients," said Frederic Malle, who owns high-end perfume company Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle. The impact on luxury perfume brands as a whole would, he said, be "like an atomic explosion and we would not have the means to rebuild ourselves."

Most fine perfumes are composed of a mix of natural ingredients and synthetic molecules. Perfumes are made up of a concentrate that is diluted with alcohol, usually from beetroots.

Paulo Whitaker / Reuters

An employee creates a fragrance in a laboratory in Granja Viana, 25 miles south of Sao Paulo in this August 2, 2012 file photo.

Since its creation in 1973, the IFRA, which is financed by scent makers such as Givaudan, New York-listed International Flavors & Fragrances, and Germany's Symrise, has restricted natural ingredients for a range of health reasons, from worries about allergic reactions to cancer concerns.

Many traditional essences that perfume creators consider core to their craft have been blacklisted in recent decades. Birch tar oil was removed from Guerlain's Shalimar several decades ago because it was thought to be a cancer risk. Clove oil and rose oil, which contain a component called eugenol, and lavender, which contains linalool, may only be used in limited quantities in case of allergies.

An estimated 5 million to 15 million people, or 1 to 3 percent of the EU population, who are allergic or potentially allergic to natural ingredients contained in fine perfumes, according to a report published in July by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), an advisory body for the European Commission.

Europe is not the only region to look more closely at the impact of fragrance. Earlier this year Republican lawmaker Michele Peckham from New Hampshire proposed a bill in the state House to ban state employees who have contact with members of the public from wearing strong fragrances.

The bill did not pass, but other lawmakers are considering reintroducing similar legislation. Meanwhile the city of Portland in Oregon has asked public workers and citizens visiting and using public spaces to limit their use of scented products.

Some hospitals in the U.S. have also introduced bans on using perfumes.

The SCCS, whose recommendations Reuters was first to report in October, recommended that 12 substances used in hundreds of perfumes on the market today be limited to 0.01 percent of the finished product, a level perfume makers say is unworkable. The SCCS has proposed a total ban on tree moss and oakmoss, which scientists say are strong allergens.

If the recommendations are enforced by the European Commission, IFRA estimates some 9,000 perfume formulas would have to be changed.

Patrick Saint-Yves, president of the French Society of Perfume Creators (SFP), is furious about the recommendation.

"I simply find that there is a huge contradiction," Saint-Yves says. "We encourage the use of many essential oils such as lavender in aromatherapy for massages, but we want to ban it in perfumes. Shops continue to sell alcohol and cigarettes which do much more harm."

Part of the problem is the secrecy surrounding perfumes. Most perfume brands are reluctant to label their products. Unlike artists and writers, perfume creators have no intellectual property rights to the fragrances they compose for big brands, and so perfume brands fight hard to keep their formulas hidden.

LVMH, which owns Dior and Guerlain, and Chanel are lobbying Brussels to protect their perfumes, many of which were created decades ago.

"It is essential to preserve Europe's olfactory cultural heritage," LVMH told Reuters in an emailed statement.

Givaudan and L'Oreal declined to comment for this Reuters report.

Ignoring the recommendations altogether would be difficult. The European Consumer Group (BEUC) has welcomed the SCCS's report as a "thorough and evidence-based study" that is a starting point for the decisions ahead.?

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Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/16/15941682-luxury-perfume-makers-create-stink-over-europe-allergy-laws?lite

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