- Here’s An Opinion On:
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Slots
By Peter Nisbet
If you are looking online for a P2P file sharing program you can find one on any number of free download music sites. Many would claim P2P music downloads to be illegal, and most of the time they would be right, but peer to peer file sharing is not intrinsically illegal, and it would be wrong to claim it to be so.
Certainly, the large music conglomerates will claim them to be so and some would tend to support them in that accusation, particularly the producers and artists, but it is not, in fact, illegal for two people to share their files. If it is not illegal for two to share computer files, then it should not be illegal for three to share, and so on and on and on.. .
It is understandable that artists and music studios get annoyed when their products are being shared online, but there are two points to be discussed here: the legal situation and the moral situation. Let’s look at each of these in order given:
The Legal Aspects of a P2P File Sharing Program
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W7RzDYLmjc[/youtube]
A P2P file sharing program is not illegal. What all of this hullabaloo is about is copyright, and the fact that peer to peer downloads of material that is still protected by copyright is illegal. That is not in dispute! Nobody could agree that it is correct for one person to steal another’s work, and present it as their own. That is either plagiarism or breach of copyright, and nobody could realistically argue that it is not.
It is therefore illegal to copy another artist’s work by using P2P file sharing software to connect one hard disk to another and copy the files on the one to the other – even if the music files on the first had been paid for. However, not all free download music sites do that, because many young musicians and singers will offer their work free online in order to get themselves better known.
One favorite of the free download music sites available is Jamendo, where you will find legitimate legal music downloads from independent artists that want their work to be published and better known. You can download tracks or even entire albums legally using your own P2P file sharing program, and another is Legal Torrents, where you can find a large number of legal media files to download with your P2P file sharing program.
This is a typical legal P2P site that offers legal online downloads of music, movies, games and audio-books plus a lot more. This is just one example of the type of free download music sites you are liable to come across when you are looking for a P2P file sharing program online.
It is therefore illogical to infer that all free download music sites are illegal, and that a P2P file sharing program must be breaking the law. There are many legal uses to which peer to peer software can be put.
The Moral Aspects of a P2P File Sharing Program
When it comes to the morality of using peer to peer software, here too there are no issues if it is being used legally. However, there are both legal and moral issues if the software is used to download copyright protected work and not all of these side with music and movie companies, particularly with respect to downloading music.
Where is it immoral for somebody wanting to check out the quality of new artists before buying their work? Many people use P2P file sharing program to check out a track or two before purchasing an album. Some also use free download music sites to test an artist’s work before buying tickets for a live gig. There is nothing wrong with that even though it might be illegal.
Where it is both illegal and morally wrong is for people to get a free download of a movie or music tracks in order to avoid paying for it. The way for the music industry to prevent that is to offer free tracks from albums that can be used as testers by potential customers. By doing that, anybody who then uses P2P file sharing software to download copyright protected material will then be fair game.
It is not the software that is illegal but the people that use it illegally, and the music companies should use some initiative in getting the moral high ground by offering their own free download music sites and making it less necessary for people to test albums and artists by breaking the law.
About the Author: More information on free music download sites and their movie equivalents is available from
Online Free Movies
where you will find legal P2P software and more comments of the legality or otherwise of downloading music, movies and games.
Source:
isnare.com
Permanent Link:
isnare.com/?aid=596565&ca=Entertainment
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Researchers have found a crucial genetic difference between humans and chimps that could help explain our language and speech abilities. The difference lies in a gene called FOXP2 which encodes for a protein of the same name. This acts as a transcription factor, controlling the activity of other genes.
The human and chimp versions of the protein differ in only two of their 740 amino acid components, but when researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, replaced the human gene with the chimp version in neurons grown in the laboratory, they found it affected the expression of at least 116 other genes.
The results are detailed in a paper published on Thursday in the scientific journal Nature.
Author of the study Dr. Daniel Geschwind, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, said the gene had a “major role” in differences between chimps and humans. “We showed that the human and chimp versions of FOXP2 not only look different but function differently too.”
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We believe FOXP2 is not only important for the higher order cognitive aspect of language but also for the motor aspect of speech and language |
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Some of the affected genes control the formation of connections in the brain, whilst others relate to facial movements. Several have already been found to be involved in language disorders. Mutations in FOXP2 itself were also known to affect speech and language; the gene was first identified in members of a family suffering from language problems who were found to share a genetic mutation.
Frances Vargha-Khadem at University College London has studied patients with FOXP2 mutations, and agrees with the new research. As well as language problems, some of her subjects have changes in the shape of their jaws, mouths and tongues. She thinks that chimps may also have these differences.
“We believe FOXP2 is not only important for the higher order cognitive aspect of language but also for the motor aspect of speech and language,” said Genevieve Konopka, one of the authors of the paper at UCLA.
Previous research indicates that the changes in FOXP2 occurred around 200,000 years ago with the rise of modern humans. Geschwind also suggests that several of the related genes may have evolved together. Preliminary studies have shown signs that they too emerged relatively recently.
Scientists are now keen to further study FOXP2 and the genes that it affects. Geschwind believes this could eventually lead to breakthroughs in treatment for disorders such as autism and schizophrenia, which affect language skills.
The study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the A.P. Giannini Foundation and the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression.
Wednesday, February 8, 2006
The H5N1 Avian Flu virus, also known as Bird Flu, has been found in Nigeria by Italian scientists. Tests done on samples in a laboratory confirm that the strain is the one that can kill people, although no human cases have been reported said the Paris-based United Nations body. This is the first time is has appeared on the continent.
Reports say tests of the virus closely resemble the virus in Asia. The virus has been discovered in poultry flocks in a large Nigerian farm. “It is the first report of the disease in Africa,” the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said on Wednesday.
“It’s going to be very difficult to mount an eradication campaign,” said Dr. Alex Thiermann, president of the OIE’s international animal health code, from Paris, France. “With what we have today, it is a highly pathogenic H5N1 – the same, or very closely related to the previous ones,” said Thiermann. He also added, “a full genetic analysis of sample viruses is expected to be completed by late Thursday.”
Maria Zampaglione of the Paris-based OIE said “An outbreak has been detected. A local poultry farm keeping 46,000 birds was affected, of which 42,000 were infected and 40,000 of those, died.” The farm is located in Jaji, which is a village in the northern state of Kaduna.
“The farm is located near the Niger Delta, one of the largest over-wintering areas for wild birds in Africa.” said Thiermann.
Quarantine measures on the control and movement of poultry have been taken, and the farm has been disinfected said Nigerian authorities.
“However, it is too early to say how serious the outbreak is and how big its spread could be,” said Ilaria Capua of the Italian bird flu centre in Padua. “We have to be cautious in evaluating the possible implications of these findings.”
In Rome, Samuel Jutzi, a director of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization said, “if the situation in Nigeria gets out of control, it will have a devastating impact on the poultry population in the region. It will seriously damage the livelihoods of millions of people and it will increase the exposure of humans to the virus.”
“When you have 46,000 chickens in a house, usually you have some degree of biocontainment…So these (chickens) are not likely to be the ones to first encounter migratory waterfowl,” Thiermann said.
Wildlife circles have been debating on whether or not wild birds are spreading the virus around the globe. Experts believe they are playing a role but most believe poultry movement, poultry products and poultry manure is the main cause of the spreading of the virus.
“But probably not in this case,” said Thiermann. “While it’s too early to blame the wildlife, it’s very likely to be in an area that’s remote enough that it’s not likely to be associated with international trade.”
OIE spokeswoman Zampiglione also said, “Experts had been fearing an African outbreak for months. The conditions there are more likely to lead to contagion from birds to man.”
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Wikinews extended invitations by e-mail on March 23 to multiple candidates running in the Texas’ 6th congressional district special election of May 1 to fill a vacancy left upon the death of Republican congressman Ron Wright. Of them, the office of Democrat Daryl Eddings, Sr. agreed to answer some questions by phone March 30 about their campaigns and policies. The following is the interview with Ms Chatham on behalf of Mr Eddings, Sr.
Eddings is a federal law enforcement officer and senior non-commissioned officer in the US military. His experience as operations officer of an aviation unit in the California National Guard includes working in Los Angeles to control riots sparked by the O. J. Simpson murder case and the police handling of Rodney King, working with drug interdiction teams in Panama and Central America and fighting in the Middle East. He is the founder of Operation Battle Buddy, which has under his leadership kept in touch with over 20 thousand veterans and their families. He was born in California, but moved to Midlothian, Texas. He endeavours to bring “good government, not no government”. Campaign manager Faith Chatham spoke to Wikinews on matters ranging from healthcare to housing.
An Inside Elections poll published on March 18 shows Republican candidate Susan Wright, the widow of Ron Wright, is ahead by 21% followed by Democrat Jana Sanchez with 17% and Republican Jake Ellzey with 8% with a 4.6% margin of error among 450 likely voters. The district is considered “lean Republican” by Inside Elections and voted 51% in favour of Donald Trump in last year’s US presidential election. This is down from 54% for Trump in 2016’s presidential election, the same poll stated.
By Eric Badgely
Home inspectors cite wood to earth contact as a condition that will, eventually, lead to decay of the wood. Sometimes, the wood that is in contact with the soil is pressure treated lumber that is designed for that purpose. This article gives advice on what could be considered appropriate uses for pressure treated lumber.
Wood to earth contact is one of the most frequently cited concerns in a home inspection report. Often, clients ask about wood to earth contact and how it applies to pressure treated lumber. In the world of construction, pressure treated lumber is advertised as having a long life (some say 40 plus years) even with direct earth contact. The manufacturers soak the lumber in chemicals that penetrate into the wood from the outside surface. The most vulnerable area to future rot is where the builder cuts the wood — such as to length and then that end is dropped in a hole for use as a fence post. In theory, if an end is cut and buried, a topical wood treatment should be applied at the cut. In practice, this lumber does last a very long time. There have been instances of fence posts, that were installed 20 years before, being dug up and they looked as good as they did the day they were buried. On the other hand, depending on soil conditions, sometimes the wood will not meet the advertised expectations for longevity.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KEW_iFupy4[/youtube]
Pressure treated lumber, and what a home inspector should say about it when it touches soil, is an issue a home inspector wrestles with. Fact: The wood is manufactured for ground contact, so having it touch the earth is not necessarily a defect. However, pressure treated wood in contact with the soil will last much longer if all soil contact is eliminated. Putting pressure treated lumber on a concrete pier will make it last longer.
A logical means of evaluating the situation, that makes sense for the home inspector, follows: If pressure treated lumber is being used in a crucial role, and it is in contact with soil, then the inspector recommends removal of the soil. For example, if a structural post under the house is buried the risk for extensive damage, the result of rot, cannot be ignored. Another example: Outside columns that support high decks should be kept well away from soil. High decks can come down if the columns rot.
Now, if an inspector finds a couple pressure treated 4×4’s, for support of a handrail, sunk into the earth at the steps from a low deck, that is a relatively minor concern. Usually the inspector will probe the lumber at the ground level and, if it is sound, not think or say much about it. No grading is applicable, since the posts are sunk into the ground, in part to make the rail steady. Pressure treated lumber is commonly used in simple outdoor applications and, down the road, any repair should be simple to do and the area easy to access. Should there be a problem at some point, a workman who is affordable can perform the repair and no structural damage is likely to have occurred. That makes this an appropriate use of pressure treated lumber.
About the Author: This article was produced by Eric Badgley; specializing in
Bellingham Condos
and
Bellingham WA Real Estate
. http://www.bellingham-realestate.net
Source:
isnare.com
Permanent Link:
isnare.com/?aid=352632&ca=Real+Estate
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Journalist, counselor, painter, and US 2012 Presidential candidate Joe Schriner of Cleveland, Ohio took some time to discuss his campaign with Wikinews in an interview.
Schriner previously ran for president in 2000, 2004, and 2008, but failed to gain much traction in the races. He announced his candidacy for the 2012 race immediately following the 2008 election. Schriner refers to himself as the “Average Joe” candidate, and advocates a pro-life and pro-environmentalist platform. He has been the subject of numerous newspaper articles, and has published public policy papers exploring solutions to American issues.
Wikinews reporter William Saturn? talks with Schriner and discusses his campaign.
Tuesday, October 4, 2005
Reliant Energy and CenterPoint Energy–two local utilities in Houston, Texas–plan to increase consumer rates in response to increased demand and recent disasters.
Reliant Energy is expected to raise rates to effect a 14% increase on a 1,000 kilowatt-hour bill. A typical customer could see an increase up to $20 per month. Reliant has reached an agreement with the Texas Public Utilities Commission to raise rates in two steps, once at the end of October, and again on 1 January 2006.
CenterPoint Energy must increase charges for services such as meter-reading and customer service. The Texas Public Utilities Commission prohibits natural gas companies from buying wholesale product, raising rates, and reselling. Wholesale prices of natural gas also continue to rise due to increased demand and declining domestic supply. Natural gas cannot be easily shipped to other regions like oil.
Consumer energy prices are expected to rise across the state, in some cases as much as 20%.
The Texas Public Utilities Commission must approve rate increases before they go into effect, but approval is expected.
Reverse Mortgage Basics : A New Kind of Loan
by
springersf
If youre a home-owner who is sixty two years of age or older and youre having trouble making ends meet , consider a reverse mortgage. A
reverse mortgage
is a new type of mortgage that you can apply against your home. It converts part of the equity in your home into cash without requiring you to sell your home or pay monthly bills . Generally , the older you are when you apply, the higher the equity-to-cash ratio will be.
A reverse mortgage
doesnt have to be repaid as long as the home remains your primary residence, but it has to be repaid when the last surviving borrower dies , sells the home , moves out, refinances the home or fails to meet the obligations of the loan. When that time comes, you have six months to repay the loans balance or sell the home to pay off the balance. Its unlikely that your home will sell for less than the balance of the
reverse mortgage,
but if it does, you wont be held liable . If you or your heirs would like to retain ownership of the home , however, you must repay the loan in full, even if you owe more than the home is worth. If there are proceeds beyond the amount owed, they will be transferred to your spouse or estate.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQP2jksXFSg[/youtube]
Reverse Mortgages vs. Traditional MortgagesReverse mortgages
are referred to as such because they are essentially the opposite of
traditional mortgages
. Homeowners with a conventional mortgage begin with little to no equity in the home and then gradually pay the lender until they have 100% equity and own the home outright. On the other hand, homeowners with a
reverse mortgage
begin with significant or complete equity in the home, and the lender makes payments to them. Over time, the homeowner loses equity and the lender obtains equity.
When you have a reverse mortgage
, you continue to own your home and pay property taxes, utilities, and homeowners insurance just like always. The difference is that the lender pays you each month and there are no principal and interest payments to worry about.
Reverse mortgage
loan advances arent taxable. To be eligible for a reverse mortgage, you must be 62 years of age or older, reside in your home, and own your home outright or have a low mortgage balance that can be paid off at closing with proceeds from the reverse mortgage.
Is a Reverse Mortgage Right for You? If your income is minimal and youre struggling to keep up with living expenses, a reverse mortgage
may be right for you. A
reverse mortgage
can help you stay in your current home or enhance your retirement years by covering the cost of medical care, home repairs, and more. If you are capable of meeting your financial obligations with the assets you have, however, obtaining a
reverse mortgage
probably isnt a good idea. Only those with significant financial need should consider a reverse mortgage, as it involves giving up equity in your home.
To determine whether a reverse mortgage
is a good option for you, assess your financial situation thoroughly and predict your future needs. It is also required under federal law that you meet with a housing counselor, who will explain what
reverse mortgages
are about and explore possible alternatives with you. If you determine that a
reverse mortgage
is indeed appropriate for your situation, investigate different lenders and ask friends and family for recommendations. As with any type of mortgage, it pays to shop around!
http://www.keithspringer.com
Article Source:
ArticleRich.com
Saturday, September 10, 2016
A cube of ice, weighing about ten tons (about 9000 kg) and measuring 80 inches (2m) per side, is melting in Seattle, Washington’s Occidental Park. The temporary art installation, set up yesterday morning, “showcases the stages of the natural water cycle as the ice shifts from opaque to translucent”, the artists said.
The project is part of the Seattle Design Festival, and was designed by Olson Kundig Architects’ Clay Anderson, Noah Conlay, Jarri Hasnain, Gregory Nakata, and Mark Olthoff. Crews began assembling blocks yesterday morning and had stacked all 64 blocks in place by 8:00 am.
The cube drew tourists, workers at lunch, and photographers. Image: Dennis Bratland
The cube drew tourists, workers at lunch, and photographers. Image: Dennis Bratland
The cube drew tourists, workers at lunch, and photographers. Image: Dennis Bratland
It is not certain how long the 64 blocks of ice that make up the cube will take to melt, and discovering how the process unfolds is part of the intent. Olson Kundig contacted University of Washington meteorologist Cliff Mass to try to estimate the time it would take to melt, which Mass called “not a trivial calculation”. He said the variables included how much sun warms the block, in turn dependent on cloud cover; condensation on the block’s surface, thus variables like humidity, temperature, and wind; and heat conduction, both from the ground and from the surrounding air.
The installation inspired photographers at The Seattle Times, and under the hashtag #ok_icecube at Instagram and Twitter.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Brampton — Suresh Joachim of Mississauga, Ontario continues to amaze, breaking yet another world record, this time at The Bay Court in Shoppers World.
From Thursday, September 22 at 8 am, to Saturday, September 24 at 3:05 pm, Suresh ironed continuously for 55 hours and 5 minutes, in front of the thousands of onlookers shopping at the mall those three days.
The achievement, now submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records, breaks the previous record by Eufemia Stadler of Zurich, Switzerland. Stadler completed 40 hours of continuous ironing from September 16-18, 1999.
Originally from Sri Lanka and Australia, Joachim is no stranger to the folks at Guinness. He currently holds twenty other records, ranging from greatest distance travelled on ‘up’ and ‘down’ escalators (225.44 km between May 25 and May 31 1998), furthest travelled on a treadmill in one week (659.27 km at a gym in Paris, France), and longest dance marathon by an individual (100 hours at the Dixie Outlet Mall).
This September, Suresh watched television in the lobby of WABC in New York City for 69 hours and 7 minutes, breaking the previous record by 19 hours. The event was covered daily on the talk show “Live with Regis and Kelly” as part of their Guinness World Record Breaker Week. He also recently set the record for longest time rocking in a rocking chair, at 75 hours.
A DJ on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire recently tried to break Joachim’s record for longest continuous time as a DJ. He was unsuccessful, and Suresh’s 120-hour World Record set on Geethavaani Tamil Radio in Scarborough stands unharmed.
The event helped raise funds for the Universal Fund for Suffering Children, whose funds are “utilized to save the world’s children from poverty, disease and war.” All of Joachim’s stunts have been dedicated to this charity.
What’s next for Suresh? He plans to start static cycling from October 18th, 2005 to October 22nd, 2005, in Britain. Suresh’s goal is 150 world records, which would beat the long-time record breaker Ashrita Furman, who has accumulated 94 records. While Furman started two decades ago, Suresh only discovered the Guinness Book of World Records in 1991, and started record breaking in 1996.
You can visit Suresh online at www.sureshjoachim.org
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This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details. |
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This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details. |
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This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.
Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.
Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.
Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.
Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age.
|
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This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.
Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.
Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.
Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.
Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age. |