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Saturday, November 27, 2010

Vandals target homes for no show.... - Germany

  • 25 November 2010, 9:11

Vandals target Street View dodgers

Google street view camera in Germany /PA
German home-owners who have opted out of Google's Street View appear to have been targeted by vandals.
Properties in Essen which have chosen to be blurred on the service have been pelted with eggs, reports the BBC.
The houses had notices reading "Google's cool" pinned to their door, according to local media reports.
Street View is only now rolling out across Germany after the German government insisted citizens be allowed to opt out.
Almost 250,000 Germans requested that Google blur pictures of their homes, before the service went live.
A Google spokesperson said the company respected people's right to privacy and described the vandalism as a one-off incident.
"We respect people's right to remove their house from Street View and by no means consider this to be acceptable behaviour," the spokesperson added.
Since going live in Germany, the service has captured a series of bizarre events, including a naked man climbing into the boot of his car on the driveway of a house in Mannheim, south-west Germany.
Another camera appeared to capture the birth of a baby on a street in a Berlin suburb, although there are claims the incident was a hoax.

Fast food.... fast degrees....


McDonald's asks: Would you like a degree with your burger and fries? 

Cash-strapped students who cannot afford increased tuition fees could swap university degrees for French fries and free diplomas.

McDonald's are to feed the stomachs AND minds of students (AP)McDonald's are to feed the stomachs AND minds of students (AP)
Fast food chain McDonald’s has unveiled a new prospectus of qualifications available to staff, including certificates in English and maths and foundation degrees in managing business operations.
The details will be available in careers advice centres, alongside university brochures and other academic advice.
Newcastle restaurant boss Sally Fox enrolled on the foundation degree course – for managers only – in September. She said: ‘I can learn and earn at the same time and, although it’s hard work, it’s more than worth it for the extra potential it will bring to my future career.’
David Fairhurst, chief people officer of the chain’s British arm said: ‘There’s no longer a need to choose between education and employment.’
McDonald’s has signed up more than 7,000 people for courses including Btecs, hospitality apprenticeships and shift management diplomas.
Its British ‘Hamburger University’ is in East Finchley, north London.


Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/848329-mcdonalds-asks-would-you-like-a-degree-with-your-burger-and-fries#ixzz16VZgvl6v

In the pink.... the 'other' wine makes a show.


In the pink...rosé tastes a £1bn boom as the alcopop generation takes to its sweet taste

By PAUL BENTLEY
Last updated at 12:39 AM on 27th November 2010
1970s classic: Bulbous bottles of Mateus are long forgotten as rosé sales hit a record high
1970s classic: Bulbous bottles of Mateus are long forgotten as rosé sales hit a record high
For years it has been a deeply unfashionable drink, associated with the bulbous bottles of Mateus popular in the 1970s and 80s. 
But rosé wine is making a dramatic comeback as the alcopop generation takes to its sweet taste, and better imported varieties win over traditional drinkers. 
Rosé sales saw a huge increase over the past year, hitting the £1billion mark for the first time, research revealed yesterday.
At the same time, red and white wine sales have fallen significantly after the recession. 
Record quantities of rosé are also being bought in colder months, dispelling the myth that it is purely a summer tipple. 
Market researchers Mintel found that rosé now accounts for 12 per cent of the UK wine market, up 5 per cent last year alone. 
Analyst Jonny Forsyth said that younger drinkers are increasingly attracted to rosé wines because they have a high sugar content. 
He said: ‘This is attracting a younger demographic who, due to having a less developed palate when it comes to alcohol, are normally put off wine.
‘However, they find this sweet-tasting rosé an appealing alternative to other sweet-tasting drinks, notably alcopops.’ 
He said older drinkers are also being won over as better varieties of rosé reach the UK. 
Enlarge Comeback: Rosé now accounts for 12 per cent of the UK wine market
Comeback: Rosé now accounts for 12 per cent of the UK wine market


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1333560/In-pink--ros-tastes-1bn-boom-alcopop-generation-takes-sweet-taste.html#ixzz16VYN9w53

Friday, November 26, 2010

New 'dog beer' hits shelves - Holland


New 'dog only' beer hits shelves 

Hair of the dog anyone? Thanks to Dutch-made 'Dog Beer', man's best friend can now join man in an ice-cold brew. 

-Dog 1 enjoys a beer - Dog 2 wonders how he got the bottle open
Ever sat in a bar and thought ‘I wish just once my dog could join me in a casual beer?’ Us neither, but clearly it’s a problem for someone as a Dutch brewer has started producing beer for the as yet untapped pooch market.
Dog Beer is made from a special blend of beef extracts and malt, giving dogs that clean, crisp lager taste while adding some meaty goodness.
A spokesman for the brewers said: ‘It is a beer for your best friend.
‘For large dogs we would recommend one bottle a day and for things like a Chihuahua... well, they prefer shorts.’
The brew is of course, non-alcoholic.
Dog owner Wiktor Piotrowski was among one of the first to buy the product when it was released in Poland this week.
After enjoying some frosty suds with his pet he said: ‘My dog loves it. Now when we go for a walk we can both go to the pub.’


Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/848399-new-dog-only-beer-hits-shelves#ixzz16Ol7f3Z6

Mexican airstewardesses reduce uniform for calendar.


Mexican air stewardesses 'do a Calendar Girls' by posing up to help bankrupt national airline

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 1:58 PM on 26th November 2010
It could be the Mexican remake of the Calendars Girls - just swap the Women’s Institute ladies portrayed in 2003 for slightly more glamorous Latina flight attendants.
Ten stewardesses with troubled Mexicana Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy in August and suspended operations, have launched a sultry aviation-themed calendar in a bid to call attention to their own plight and that of their airline.
Sultry fliers: Flight attendants - or 'Aromozas' with Mexicana Airlines show off the 2011 calendar they posed for
Sultry fliers: Flight attendants - or 'Aromozas' with Mexicana Airlines show off the 2011 calendar they posed for

The 2011 calendar features glossy shots of the flight attendants, clad only in bikinis and aviation shades or abbreviated uniforms, draped over propellers and striking racy poses in the cockpit.
Unlike the Women's Institute members in Britain, who really create a racy calendar to raise funds, the stewardesses kept their clothes on.
It was the brainchild of 10-year Mexicana veteran Coral Perez.
Las chicas del calendario: The women paid for the photography and printing themselves in a bid to help the airline
Las chicas del calendario: The women paid for the photography and printing themselves in a bid to help the airline
Calendar grilCalendar gril
Month markers: Miss April, left, and Miss May pose up
Stricken: Mexican Airlines planes stopped operating in August after filing for bankruptcy
Stricken: Mexican Airlines planes stopped operating in August after filing for bankruptcy
Inspiration? Actress Helen Mirren in the 2003 movie Calendar Girls about Women's Institute members who posed nude to raise funds
Inspiration? Actress Helen Mirren in the 2003 movie Calendar Girls about Women's Institute members who posed nude to raise funds
‘It occurred to me because we all needed money, and I thought that with so many pretty girls (among Mexicana's staff) there were bound to be some who'd be interested,’ she said.
Each of the 10 ‘aeromozas’ - flight attendants in Spanish - who ended up posing paid out of her own pocket to help cover the £5,000 production costs.
‘The goal was to try to help ourselves because we lost everything overnight,’ said 26-year-old Maribel Zavala.
The calendar has sparked a media frenzy in Mexico and the first run of 1,000 was sold out even before yesterday's launch and a second edition of 3,000 calendars, which cost about £8 each is in the works.
The calendar's release came on the heels of Mexicana's announcement that a restructuring proposal might allow it to resume some flights by mid-December.
Under the plan, just 30 per cent of the company's personnel would be rehired.
Founded in 1921, shortly after Dutch carrier KLM and Australia's Qantas airline, Mexicana used to serve 65 destinations in Mexico, the U.S., other parts of the Americas and Europe.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1333288/Mexican-air-stewardesses-Calendar-Girls-posing-help-bankrupt-national-airline.html#ixzz16OiYqiA0

Work on water in floating office....


How to stay afloat in business: Work on water with the H2Office

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 12:01 PM on 26th November 2010
    With the country still edging out of recession it is harder than ever for businesses to keep their heads above water. 
So here is an innovative solution for professionals seeking alternatives to gray office block or industrial estate locations - the floating office.
These eye-grabbing H2Offices allow entrepreneurs and creatives alike to touch base in a serene and futuristic waterfront setting.
Plain sailing: One of the H2Offices sits in a marina in Cardiff Bay, South Wales
Plain sailing: One of the H2Offices sits in a marina in Cardiff Bay, South Wales
In the dry: The interior of an H2Office aims for a stylish look to attract creatives and innovative businesses
In the dry: The interior of an H2Office aims for a stylish look to attract creatives and innovative businesses
The stylish prefabricated floating structures have large windows designed to allow the beauty of the surrounding marine environment into the office space.
The H2Office has been designed and produced by Cardiff based company, WaterSpace.
Each office is nine metres long, 3.7 metres wide and 3.7 metres high with an internal working and sitting area of almost 23 square metres.
In good weather workers using the office can break out on the nine square metre upper deck and enjoy the ambiance of the surrounding waters.
While they are not built to sail the waterways like yachts or canal boats they give fresh access to marinas and quays for businesses wishing to take advantage of the tranquility of marinas and harbours around the UK.
WaterSpace Sales Director, Steve Evans, 45, from Cardiff, is passionate about the difference the H2Office can make to the well-being of business professionals.
Movable: The floating offices are moored and, while they are not designed to sail, they can change location
Movable: The floating offices are moored and, while they are not designed to sail, they can change location
Can we go outside to play? In good weather employees can use the top deck to work in the sunshine
Can we go outside to play? In good weather employees can use the top deck to work in the sunshine
'It is a completely different, cool and quirky place to work,' said Mr Evans.
'The unit can be moved to a different view, marina or country really quickly and easily.
'It is just great to be working at the panoramic view window looking out to the marina outside.
'We have some great space, all the mod cons and if the sun shines we enjoy drinks, lunch and meetings on deck.' 
The idea of a floating office in the calm of southern summer waters is enticing, but less so the prospect of a meeting on a rain-lashed winter morning in the Outer Hebrides, which is why the majority of sales have so far come from abroad. 
Business has been strong in Morocco and the West Indies, although several large UK marina companies have expressed an interest in buying multiple units.
Abroad of demand: The cool white interior suits customer requirements, with business brisk in hotter locations
Abroad of demand: The cool white interior suits customer requirements, with business brisk in hotter locations
WaterSpaces' next project is H2Home, a floating studio currently in the design phase.
With the UK housing markets in a state of flux there is a practical side to owning a home on the waves.
'With the price of housing rocketing, as well as other services, we want to design a different place to live, with all the amenities,' said Mr Evans.
'But we want to make it affordable to the average man on the street.
'Living on the water is pretty cool too.' 
The team behind the project hope to have a prototype of the H2 Home ready by early next year.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1333311/Floating-H2Office-allows-work-water.html#ixzz16OhcPSMO

Tequila goes on sale at £2.5 million a bottle...


Fancy a tipple? World's most expensive tequila goes on sale... for $3.5million a bottle

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 8:11 AM on 26th November 2010
    For this price, you'd think they would have included a worm.
A Mexican distiller has produced what it hopes will become the world's most expensive tequila in a platinum and diamond-studded bottle.
Hacienda La Capilla's 'The Diamond Sterling' comes in a 1.3-litre ceramic bottle coated in more than 5lbs of platinum.
But that's not all: the bottle is encrusted in more than 4,000 diamonds, totalling 328 carats.
Pay up! Hacienda La Capilla's new 'Diamond Sterling' tequila, in a platinum and diamonds encrusted bottle, which they are hoping to sell for $3.5million
Pay up! Hacienda La Capilla's new 'Diamond Sterling' tequila, in a platinum and diamonds encrusted bottle, which they are hoping to sell for $3.5million
The bottle is crafted by renowned designer Fernando Altamirano and is valued at around $3.5million.
The liquor inside is not half bad either: a rich seven-year aged tequila straight from the Mexican state of Jalisco.
Hacienda La Capilla already holds the Guinness record for the most expensive tequila with a bottle that sold for $225,000 (£142,000) in 1996. 
But the company said they hoped their newest creation would fetch $3.5 million (£2.2 million).
Its latest creation will go on a world tour of tequila-appreciating hotspots, including London, Paris, Switzerland, Spain, Monaco and Dubai.
The diamond-encrusted bottle will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1333203/Fancy-tipple-Worlds-expensive-tequila-goes-sale--3-5million-bottle.html#ixzz16OfXS5SK

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Passengers strip for TSA ... - USA


Who need body scans? Passengers beat the TSA by stripping off BEFORE they go through airport security

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 9:15 AM on 25th November 2010
  • 'National Opt Out Day' protests fail to take place at American airports
  • Only short waits at airport security lines across U.S.
  • TSA: We must balance demands for privacy with protecting travellers
  • Poll: Half of passengers think searches go too far
Many Americans are furious at the new TSA security checks, while others say they are willing to endure them if it keeps them safe.
But one small, though growing, group of people appear to be positively enjoying the new regulations.
Breaking out their bikinis, Speedos, body paint and racy underwear, various passengers around America are using the stringent new measures to explore their exhibitionist sides.
'Unconcerned': A passenger at LAX named only as Corinne opens her black jacket to reveal she is wearing nothing but a bikini underneath
'Unconcerned': A passenger at LAX named only as Corinne opens her black jacket to reveal she is wearing nothing but a bikini underneath
Corinne claimed she was hoping that by baring nearly all, she could avoid having to endure a pat-down by TSA officials. It is not known if she succeeded
Corinne claimed she was hoping that by baring nearly all, she could avoid having to endure a pat-down by TSA officials. It is not known if she succeeded
One female passenger arrived at the airport in Los Angeles this morning wearing nothing but a black coat and a bikini.
'It's not that I'm concerned,' the woman, named only as Corinne, told local media outside LAX.
'It's that I feel like the TSA is making travellers feel uncomfortable, and I feel like we can have security measures that don't make people feel uncomfortable.
'Every time I go through security I always say, "I don't even know why I got dressed this morning." I end up taking off belts, jewellery and everything else off anyway.'
'I don't want to do a body scan, and I'm hoping by wearing a bikini they will see everything they need to see and we can avoid a pat-down, as well.'
Meanwhile a male passenger named only as Jimmy had a similar idea in Salt Lake City.
protest:
Protest: A passenger at Salt Lake City Airport revealed a stark message to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano as he stripped off for a search
The college student posted video of himself on YouTube passing through security after stripping down to only a pair of Speedos.
And he went one further than Corinne, with body paint on his back that spelled out the words: 'Screw Big Sis'.
Meanwhile an aspiring porn star filmed herself stripping to her underwear at Seattle-Tacoma airport. 
The woman, known only as 'Furrygirl', arrived at Seattle's Sea-Tac airport to board her flight on Sunday.
There she told startled TSA officials that she was 'going to enjoy this experience as much as I can, instead of being scared and humiliated like the TSA wants me to be.'
Transparent: A woman known only as 'Furrygirl' stripped off at Seattle's Sea-Tac airport to beat the new TSA scanners
Transparent: A woman known only as 'Furrygirl' stripped off at Seattle's Sea-Tac airport to beat the new TSA scanners
Nearly naked: Now in just her underwear, the woman prepares for her patdown - although security quickly asked her to get dressed againOblivious: Having removed her coat, Furrygirl starts to remove her jeans, with other passengers seemingly taking no notice
Nearly naked: Now in just her underwear, the woman prepares for her pat-down - although security quickly asked her to get dressed again
She then cheerfully strips down to her underwear.
Upon reaching the pat-down area, a security guard orders her to place her coat back on, but Furrygirl replies to the guard saying she 'wants to be transparent to the TSA'.
Cheekily she adds: 'I thought we weren't supposed to wear jackets.'
Passengers furious at invasive security searches at airports across America were warned today they could soon face similar ordeals while travelling on trains and boats - possibly provoking even more racy incidents. 
Thousands of air passengers began their Thanksgiving journeys amid fears protests against increased security measures could cause major disruption.
But public anger is likely to be heightened today after Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano revealed tightened security could also be introduced on trains and boats.
She said : 'I think the tighter we get on aviation, we have to also be thinking now about going on to mass transit or to trains or maritime.
patdown
patdown
Intrusive? A passenger (left) undergoes a body scanner at Logan International Airport in Boston today while a woman traveller is subjected to a 'patdown' at Chicago airport
'(Terrorists) are going to continue to probe the system and try to find a way through.'
Many travellers had threatened to boycott the stringent airport security measures as part of a National Opt Out Day organised by a number of protest websites.
Any such protests - coupled with widespread snow and storms - would have led to major disruption for Thanksgiving passengers.
But reports from airports across the U.S. today suggested passengers had chosen not to take part in the planned protests.
TSA Administrator John Pistole encouraged passengers not to engage in delaying tactics going through airports this Thanksgiving
Outcry: TSA Administrator John Pistole said he understands the public's concerns over new invasive measures but needs to ensure passenger airline safety
A government official told Fox News that most screening lines were taking less than 10 minutes.
The station reported that Reagan National Airport in Washington DC had virtually no delays while at Los Angeles International Airport passengers were only having to wait five minutes.
Meanwhile waiting times at Tampa were under 20 minutes and Salt Lake City International Airport had no lines at all.
Despite the national furore, some passengers were happy to undergo the stringent checks.
LAX passenger Dennis Gossard, 63, from Glendale, California, told CNN: 'They can pat me down for three hours if it's going to save someone's life.'
The apparent calm at U.S. airports followed the head of the Transport Security Administration's (TSA) plea to passengers not to boycott airport body scans.
John Pistole has said he understood public concerns about privacy in the wake of the TSA's tough new airline boarding security checks.
But he said that only a small portion of the 34 million people who have flown since the new procedures have taken effect have had the body patdowns.
Despite early reports suggesting planned protests had yet to be materialise, a group called We Won't Fly said hundreds of activists would be going to 27 airports today to pass out fliers with messages such as 'You have the right to say no' and 'No radiation strip search'.
But Mr Pistole implored passengers not to take any delaying actions or engage in boycotts, saying this would only serve to 'tie up people who want to go home and see their loved ones'.
In light of the public outcry in recent days, Mr Pistole has pledged to review security procedures but says the TSA must balance people's demands for privacy with the need to protect passengers from terror threats.
A traveller undergoes an enhanced pat down by a Transportation Security Administration agent: Staff have said that they also find the searches unpleasant
A traveller undergoes an enhanced pat down by a Transportation Security Administration agent: Staff have said that they also find the searches unpleasant
He said he hoped people would exercise sound judgement today and over the holiday season.
'Just one or two recalcitrant passengers at an airport is all it takes to cause huge delays', said Paul Ruden, spokesman for the American Society of Travel Agents which has warned its 8,000 members about the effects of the delays stemming from the boycott. 
Mr Ruden added: 'It doesn't take much to mess things up anyway - especially if someone purposely tries to mess it up'.
The latest poll shows that half of all Americans said hand searches for those who refuse to be screened went too far.

However the ABC News and Washington Post survey did find that 64% of respondents did back the use of the machines to stop terrorism.
Body scans take only 10 seconds to process but those who decline and submit to a full patdown will take up more of the TSA agents' time.
President Obama weighed into the debate while in Lisbon over the weekend and said he had asked TSA officials whether there is a less intrusive way to ensure travel safety.
'Clearly it's invasive, it's not comfortable', Mr Pistole said of the pat-downs but added, 'If we are to detect terrorists, who have again proven innovative and creative in their design and implementation of bombs that are going to blow up airplanes and kill people, then we have to do something that prevents that'.
'I understand people's frustrations', but added that he had told the TSA, 'You have to constantly refine and measure whether what we're doing is the only way to assure the American people's safety'.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said she would not submit to a security pat-down if she could avoid it.
Meanwhile more stories are emerging from passengers having their privacy invaded.
Eliana Sutherland recently flew from Orlando International Airport.
She told local media that she felt the two male TSA workers were staring at her breasts and chose her for additional screening because of their size.

No exemptions: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa goes through an Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) full-body scanner at the city's airport
No exemptions: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa goes through an Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) full-body scanner at the city's airport
'It was pretty obvious. One of the guys that was staring me up and down was the one who pulled me over,' said Sutherland. 'Not a comfortable feeling.'
The TSA is set to investigate her claims.
With pilots and flights attendants allowed to get around some of the TSA's new screening requirements, it is being reported that some high level government officials will be able to circumvent being patted down too.
Cabinet secretaries, top congressional leaders and an exclusive group of senior U.S. officials are exempt from the rigorous security checks when they fly commercially with government-sanctioned security detail.

THE CHERTOFF LINK: WHO PROFITS FROM THE TSA SCANNERS?

President Bush's Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff, pictured below, has a financial link to one of the companies that makes the new TSA body scanners, it has been revealed.
The Cherftoff Group worked 'briefly' as a consultant for Rapiscan last year.
Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff
Rapiscan has sold $41.2million in scanners to the TSA. The company has spent $221,500 lobbying government. 
The company insists that Mr Chertoff's work for them was unrelated to the government.
'Mr Cherftoff and his staff of experts provided Rapiscan with advice and analysis with respect to a limited set of well-defined subjects unrelated to aviation security,' Peter Kant, executive vice president of the company, told Fox News in a written statement. 
'Chertoff Group's activities in that engagement were advisory, and neither Mr Chertoff nor his staff has ever represented Rapisan in any communication with the U.S. government.'
The TSA has not explained why it has made these exemptions but many of the exempted government officials have gone through several levels of security clearances, including FBI background checks which eliminates the need for an additional layer of security at airports.
TSA spokesman Nicholas Kimballs said: 'TSA follows a specialised screening protocol for federal law enforcement officers and those under their control, which includes identity verification'.
Some members of President Obama's Cabinet, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, travel almost exclusively on government or military planes and are therefore not subject to airport security.
Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer said the only Congress members with protective details are leaders, 'based upon a threat analysis conducted by the (U.S. Capitol Police) and affirmed by the Capitol Police Board.'
Mr Gainer added that members 'with sworn protection' are able to avoid security because 'their secure posture is affirmed by the law enforcement process established by TSA.'
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday urged travellers to get over their outrage about the body scanners and patdowns saying it is necessary in the 'dangerous world we live in'.
'We have to stop all this shilly-shallying and understand if you want to be safe on airplanes we have to make sure that we keep you safe,' Mr Bloomberg said.
Mr Bloomberg shared that although he flew to Washington on a private place, he underwent a patdown last week at Reagan National Airport.
'If you have a better idea, call Janet Napolitano,' Bloomberg said of the beleaguered Homeland Security Secretary. 'I'm 100 per cent in sympathy. She wants to make sure we're safe. That's the job she's been charged with.'
Up to two million passengers per day were expected to fly yesterday and today ahead of Thanksgiving.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1332777/Passengers-beat-TSA-body-scans-stripping-BEFORE-airport-security.html#ixzz16JnLSt5s