iniviual voluntary arrangement,Top Design Episode 6 Part 2

Let's get crackin', kids!


Does anyone else think it's weird that the client requested "masculine?" Sure, we can understand not wanting, say, a pink office or something but why would that be their first concern?


On the other hand, we can't say Ondine nailed it. Granted, Wisit did all the preliminary work on this one and we all know how masculine she is. Still, we wouldn't call this "feminine" either. It's the eunuch of office design.


We kind of love that chair.


BUT STOP PUTTING THROWPILLOWS IN AN OFFICE, DESIGNERS!

It's weird!


Hate the shades but we tend to hate fabric shades anyway. Oh, and we kind of hate torchieres too, but again, that's just us.

We thought her idea for the light fixture sounded horrible, but y'know? It turned out kind of cool.


We just think she should have done a better job of drying out those bottles.


Andrea gets more and more defensive and depressed about her lack of experience and we thought she was going to be the bitch of the season but now we kind of feel sorry for her.


It's not bad. The blues are a bit overwhelming but she didn't pick the colors and besides, it fit the theme for a water recycling company.


She got a lot of praise from the judges for her furniture arrangement and we agree that she did a good job of maximizing the space, but the client wanted their desk by the window and if we had to work in this tunnel of an office, we would too.


They're shoved in a dark corner as far away from the natural light as possible.


THROW PILLOWS!!!!!


The judges didn't love this but we liked it.


Jesus, these are some depressing little offices.


We would have given the win to Nathan. He designed two great offices but only got credit for one. We love the color scheme and we love the shelves, which, in true "green" fashion were repurposed from the legs of the desk.

We're pretending not to see the throwpillows.


Of course, taking the legs off the desk left it looking like this. We can't say we love the saw horses.


The green judge loved the cardboard tube for the drapes and we have to say it's pretty clever but it borders on gimmicky.


The artwork was sharp too. This was the only office that looked like an office and not like some weird amalgam of office and living space.

And Nathan?


Keep wearing those tight jeans, baby.


[Screencaps: Tomandlorenzo.blogspot.com]

asbestos poisoning,How to Avoid Food Poisoning

Johns Hopkins Health
Alerts | "%20http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts_index/digestive_health/19-1.html">
Digestive Health | "%20http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts/digestive_health/JohnsHopkinsHealthAlertsDigestiveDisorders_365-1.html">
How to Avoid Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is estimated to cause 76
million infections, 300,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 or more
deaths annually – but there are many ways to prevent food
poisoning!

The most common forms of foodborne illnesses
are infections caused by microscopic agents that thrive in or on
food that has not been properly handled. Unwashed, raw, or
undercooked foods are the most vulnerable to this type of
contamination. In this country, the usual contaminants are bacteria
(including various species of Shigella, Salmonella, and
Staphylococcus; Campylobacter jejuni, Bacillus cereus, and
certain strains of Escherichia coli) and viruses (most
commonly the Norwalk or Norwalk-like viruses).

Although many people assume that all foodborne
illnesses are “food poisoning,” food poisoning is only
one type of foodborne illness. True food poisoning is caused by a
harmful contaminant, such as a toxin or a chemical. For example,
food poisoning can result from deadly toxins produced by poisonous
mushrooms or by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum (which
results in botulism).

Food-related infections can also be caused by
parasites, but such infections are more likely to be encountered
abroad in areas where food-handling practices are less stringent
than in the United States.

Preventing Food Poisoning at Home

Proper food-handling practices and personal
hygiene are key to preventing foodborne illness and food poisoning.
Here are some prevention tips you should follow when choosing,
storing, preparing, and serving food.

Food Poisoning Prevention Tip #1:
Shopping

• Avoid packaging that is ripped or leaky
  when buying perishable products.


• Select perishable items
  last.


• Choose items that have not reached
  their expiration date.


• Pass up cans that are bulging or
  dented.


• Do not purchase fresh, pre-stuffed,
  whole poultry.


• Drink only pasteurized milk and
  juice.


• Check fresh food for mold.

Food Poisoning Prevention Tip #2:
Storage

• Refrigerate food at 40° F or
  below; freeze food at 0° F or below.


• Refrigerate oils containing garlic or
  herbs.


• Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood
  away from other foods to prevent bacteria from spreading; seal
  these foods in containers or bags to prevent raw juices from
  dripping onto other foods.


• Avoid overstuffing the refrigerator, so
  that air may circulate.


• Save cooked leftovers for no more than
  four days.


• Freeze or cook fresh poultry, seafood,
  and ground meat within two days of purchase. Freeze or cook whole
  cuts of meat within three to five days.

Food Poisoning Prevention Tip #3:
Preparation

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and
  water for 20 seconds before and after handling food.


• Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator
  (never at room temperature), then cook immediately. For faster
  thawing, use the microwave or submerge foods in cold water in a
  sealed container; cook immediately afterwards.


• Always refrigerate food that is being
  marinated.


• Avoid cross-contamination: Use one
  cutting board and set of utensils to prepare any raw meat, fish,
  poultry, or eggs for a meal. Use a separate cutting board and
  utensils for all other ingredients (such as vegetables or
  bread).


• Use strict sanitary procedures when
  home canning. Boil home-canned food before eating, if possible, to
  destroy any potential microbes.


• Clean fruits and vegetables thoroughly
  with water before eating.


• Sanitize cutting boards and countertops
  with a solution of 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach in 1quart of
  water.

Food Poisoning Prevention Tip #4:
Cooking

• Thoroughly cook meat, poultry, seafood,
  and eggs. (Cook eggs until the yolk is firm.) Use a meat
  thermometer to ensure proper internal cooking temperatures of meat,
  poultry, and casseroles; insert the thermometer into the thickest
  part of the food, as far as possible from bone, fat, or
  gristle.


• Do not serve raw or lightly cooked
  sprouts. Avoid them or cook them thoroughly.


• Reheat foods to an internal temperature
  of 165°F.


• Cook steaks, roasts, and chops of beef,
  veal, and lamb to an internal temperature of 145°F; all cuts
  of pork, to 160°F.


• Cook whole poultry, as well as poultry
  thighs and wings, to an internal temperature of 180°F;
  breasts, to 170°F.


• Cook ground meat to an internal
  temperature of 160°F; ground poultry, to
  165°F.

Food Poisoning Prevention Tip #5:
Serving

• Hold hot foods at 140°F or higher
  and cold foods at 40°F or lower.


• Use warming trays and chafing dishes to
  serve hot foods at a buffet; hold cold foods on ice.


• Serve food on clean plates that have
  not touched raw meat, fish, poultry, or eggs.


• Refrigerate foods promptly after
  serving. Discard perishables left at room temperature for two hours
  or more; one hour if the room or outdoor temperature is 90°F
  or above.


• Never give honey to a baby because of
  the potential for botulism poisoning.

Johns Hopkins Health
Alerts | "%20http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts_index/digestive_health/19-1.html">
Digestive Health | "%20http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts/digestive_health/JohnsHopkinsHealthAlertsDigestiveDisorders_365-1.html">
How to Avoid Food Poisoning

asbestos poisoning,Aliens and Random Lists

I feel like there is an alien inside of my belly. Since I can't sleep while he is doing gymnastics, I have been amusing myself with this list copied from my friend Jessica's blog. The idea is to underline/bold everything you have done so far in your life.


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band ....at school
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland /world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

asbestos poisoning,Holiday Safety Tips

While the holiday season may be the most wonderful time of the year, it also is a time when there are many hazards for children, including unsafe toys, winter fires, and food-borne illnesses.

Kids Health First Pediatric Alliance, a metro Atlanta pediatric alliance composed of 36 independent practices and 196 pediatricians, has released its annual Safety Tips for the Holidays.

Kids Health First Holiday Safety Tips

Purchase only safe toys. In 2007, 18-related toy deaths were reported. Beware of toys with tiny small pieces, especially magnets, which children can easily swallow. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s top five toys to beware of are toys with chargers/adapters, magnets, balloons, small pieces and riding toys.

Be aware of what your children are eating. It’s easy for children to overeat and indulge in sweets while attending many holiday events. Be sure children eat regular meals and sweets in moderation.

Buckle up the booster seat. During the holiday season, accidents increase. Booster seats saved the lives of 425 children under age 5 in 2006. Kids should remain in booster seats until they are at least 4'9" or 80 lbs. Children should always ride in the back seat, and use a child’s safety seat and seat belt in accordance with his/her height, weight and age.
Keep your children warm. When it’s cold, dress infants and children in several layers of of loose-fitting, tightly woven clothing. Be advised that space heaters and fireplaces increase the risk of household fires, as well as the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. During power outages, generators, grills, camp stoves, or other gasoline, propane, natural gas, or charcoal-burning devices should never be used inside a home, basement, or garage.

Prevent fires. Keep candles away from children, pets, walkways, trees, and curtains. Never leave fireplaces, stoves, or candles unattended. Install a smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector in your home. Test them once a month, and replace batteries twice a year. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.

Throw away wrapping paper. It can easily suffocate children. Do not throw it in the fireplace, as that can create a "flash fire" by igniting suddenly and burning intensely at very high temperatures. Also, wrapping paper can contain lead as well as metallic materials that can be toxic if burned.

Keep your family safe from food-related illness. When preparing food, wash hands and cooking surfaces often. Avoid cross-contamination by keeping raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs (including their juices) away from ready-to-eat foods and eating surfaces. Cook foods to the proper temperature. Refrigerate promptly. Do not leave perishable foods out for more than two hours. Remember to keep young children away from the stove.
Keep Christmas trees fresh. Choose a fresh Christmas tree and secure it in a sturdy stand. Place the tree away from heat sources and exits, and water it daily. If you purchase an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled as fire-retardant. If you plan to hang stockings on your fireplace, do not use the fireplace for fires.

Use cautions with Menorahs and when frying latkes. Keep the Menorah and all burning candles out of the reach of children. Do not place the Menorah near draperies or anything that might easily catch fire. When frying latkes, keep baking soda and a cover for the frying pan nearby in case of a grease fire.

Choose holiday decorations carefully. Choose decorations made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or non-combustible materials. Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees. Purchase only lights and electrical decorations bearing the name of an independent testing lab, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation and maintenance. Don't mount lights in any way that can damage the cord's wire insulation (i.e., using clips, not nails).

www.kidshealthfirst.com

asbestos poisoning,Another 100 things....

Things glittrgirl has done in bold.

1. Started my own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than I can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/world

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sung a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched lightening at sea

14. Taught myself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning - 3 varieties!

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown my own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitchhiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught myself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had my portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had my picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Rode an elephant

Pilfered from gourdongirl....

The original was quite US centric, so perhaps I should have suggested some European alternatives?

asbestos poisoning,Pop-tarts, Sushi, Shelves

I was running late this morning so breakfast was two pop-tarts, half a banana and water (in a cycling bottle, of course) as I drove to work. Brown Sugar Cinnamon is the one true pop-tart.



As noon approached my thoughts turned to lunch. My sandwich meat in the fridge was going on two weeks, and while I'll often gamble with food poisoning on food nearing or past it's expiration date, I didn't feel lucky today. That and my boss said his whole family is down with the flu. I decided not to double up on things that could make me vomit. The silver lining was, I had a good excuse to eat out (well, good enough for me).

What should I eat for lunch? I was about to head to Draper's restaurant row (123rd east of I-15) when I serendipitously recalled dug mentioning the exotic fare at the new Harmons. Bingo, and away I went.

As I got out of my car something caught my eye. Could it be? I thought they were all extinct. But there it was...



Sadly, as this photo proves, the W legacy will linger.

I quickly forgot the sticker as I entered the shangri-la Harmons has created in Draper.



It will be interesting to see if this super supermarket idea pans out. Everything was different. The carts are the short, double-decker variety. As dug noted, they've got upscale foods (I've never seen so many cheeses), gelato, sushi, a mini-buffet, a coffee bar (with hot chocolate too). Pretty swanky.

I went upstairs to the loft to eat. I chose the tall table and chairs - not good. Unless you've got a Napoleon complex I don't see any benefit to these high chairs. You have to get off them to scoot closer to the table, instead of just pulling normal height chairs. But all the chairs look cool - stainless steel things and such.



Still following dug's recommendation, I chose the spicy california roll. It was pretty good and I liked the extra kick of the spicy variation. (Note: the one packet of soy sauce included with the sushi was not enough, so grab another one next to the chopsticks.) For gelato I chose almond caramel - it was rich, creamy and deeeelicious. They even stick a tube cookie in it.

This Harmons is close to my work. So, yeah, I'll be eating there again.

After work at home I set about finishing the shelves I started on Saturday. The old, bent and leaning, metal shelves were a burr under my saddle and I snapped on Saturday and took them down.

Assisted by my helper I finished the job tonight. Kade did pretty good sawing the 1x1 but needed a break so I cut it almost through and let him have the coup de grace.



After cutting the shelf blocks, building the three posts and cutting the shelves down to length, I assembled the parts and this is the result:



Then I swept up the floor and put all the junk back on the new shelves. Serenity now.

That's a day in my life.

I was surprised I didn't get more comments on the odd movie gems post yesterday. Movies seem to be a good topic of discussion. Maybe the "really odd movie gems" post coming up will provoke more comments.

forex traing,Forex.com tightens spreads for EUR/USD and USD/JPY pairs

The forex.com announses that the spreads on EUR/USD and USD/JPY pairs will be tightened for a limited time. FOREXPro rates are their tightest available spreads and usually require a $10,000 minimum balance, but for a limited time, the company wants to offer the opportunity to trade on FOREXPro rates with as little as $2,500.

FOREXPro rates:

Pair	As low as		Pair	As low as
EUR/USD	1.5		NZD/USD	2
USD/JPY	1.5		CHF/JPY	2.5
USD/CHF	2		CAD/JPY	3.5
EUR/GBP	1		AUD/JPY	3.5
EUR/JPY	2		NZD/JPY	3.5
EUR/CHF	1		GBP/JPY	3.5
GBP/USD	2		GBP/CHF	4
USD/CAD	2		EUR/AUD	3.5
AUD/USD	2		EUR/CAD	3.5
AUD/NZD	4		AUD/CAD	2
GBP/CAD	3.5		GBP/AUD	4
EUR/NZD	7.1		GBP/NZD	16.7
AUD/CHF	5.2		NZD/CHF	5.5
NZD/CAD	7.0		CAD/CHF	5.4
USD/HKD	3.5		USD/SGD	5.0
SGD/JPY	4.0

Other news:

1. 24-hour trading in Hong Kong Dollar and Singapore Dollar - now you can trade US Dollar/Hong Kong Dollar (USD/HKD), US Dollar/Singapore Dollar (USD/SGD) and Singapore Dollar/Japanese Yen (SGD/JPY). These new pairs provide fresh opportunities to tap into Asian economies


2. Curious about emerging Asian economies? USD/SGD (Singapore Dollar) and USD/HKD (Hong Kong Dollar) open up new ways to speculate on regional growth in Asia. SGD/JPY lets you trade on those opinions directly, without going through the USD first.


3. Have opinions about the global trade imbalance? USD/SGD lets you target another Asian economy beyond Japan (USD/JPY), and to speculate on the Asian regional growth theme and the resolution of global trade imbalances.


4. Watching the USD closely? The Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) is currently pegged to the USD, although pressure may be growing to peg to China’s RMB. If you have opinions about this peg’s staying power, USD/HKD offers a way to express those in the market.

Other news and tools you`ll find on www.forex.com site.

forex traing,Again about Forex.com

FOREX.com is a division of GAIN Capital Group, LLC, one of the most respected

online forex trading firms in the industry. The company’s flagship service, GAIN

Capital, is used by institutional investors, professional money managers and

experienced day traders from over 140 countries. GAIN Capital Group is pleased

to offer individual investors access to its award-winning trading platform and

professional-level services via FOREX.com.

FOREX.com is a registered Futures Commission Merchant (NFA ID #0339826) and

a member of the National Futures Association. As an FCM, FOREX.com is regulated

by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), must uphold the highest

standards and business practices and is subject to strict financial requirements

and reporting. Interested parties can visit the NFA

web site at any time to review FOREX.com’s record.

Your feedback and suggestions are welcome. email info@forex.com

The FOREX.com Advantages:

• 
  Very solid financials
  
  FOREX.com is a division of GAIN Capital Group, LLC, a pioneer in the online foreign exchange industry. The firm is well-capitalized, with an experienced management team and strong corporate governance. GAIN’s majority shareholders are five well-known U.S. venture capital and private equity firms with over $5 billion in combined assets.
  


• 
  No comissions
  
  Trade on spreads as low as 1-2 pips on the most widely traded currencies. As
  
  always, you pay no commissions at FOREX.com, only the bid/offer spread. The fractional
  
  pip pricing is the most precise quoting currently available to forex traders
  
  anywhere and is designed to help you take advantage of smaller price movements.
  


• 
  Quality and fast executions
  
  provide a fair, efficient trading environment for clients, which means
  
  quoting competitive spreads and ensuring quality executions. Our best execution
  
  goal is supported by liquidity relationships with over a dozen of the world’s
  
  leading FX banks, such as UBS, Barclays and Goldman Sachs. Plus, there are
  
  no restrictions on trading in volatile markets or before and after major economic
  
  announcements.


• Powerful trading tools
  
  Spot and seize potential market opportunities with our forex trading platform. We make it easy to put your trading strategy into action with advanced order management tools, a choice of robust charting packages, and auto execution tools.
  


• 
  24-hour access to licensed representatives
  
  Series 3 registered reps 24-hours a day during market hours and on Saturdays
  
  from 9am-5pm ET. Get answers quickly by phone, email or chat.
  


• System stability and reliability
  
  The technology infrastructure is designed to support a 24-hour trading environment
  
  with 100% uptime. Forex.Com subject the systems to rigorous testing and
  
  maintain multiple connections through several Tier 1 Internet backbones to
  
  assure connectivity for its clients around the globe.
  


• Market research you can count on
  
  The experienced research team provides robust market analysis,
  
  from real-time commentary to essential daily and weekly reports that summarize
  
  key market developments with an insightful perspective.
  


• Forex training and education
  
  Whether you need ideas for a new strategy, to brush up on platform tools, or
  
  just to learn our platform for the first time, all the resources you need
  
  at FOREX.com. Open a free forex practice account to test your knowledge with
  
  no risk or obligation, attend a webinar, or check our schedule for a forex
  
  workshop in your area.
  

forex traing,Forex.com aka gain capital group

Welcome, my friends.

I`ll start reviewing with Forex.com.

From their site:

FOREX.com … division of GAIN Capital Group, one of the most respected online forex trading firms in the industry. The company’s flagship service, GAIN Capital, is used by institutional investors, professional money managers and experienced day traders from over 140 countries.

I can not agree that forex.com is one of the most respected online forex trading firms. After investigated a lot of sites found that there a lot of unsatisfied traders:

…This is the worst trading platform I have ever used. For starters the layout is appalling and account transaction statements won’t work. The java edition is very unstable, crashing every other minute. Secondly, execution of orders is slow and you are only successful after several attempts. Thirdly when I tried phoning them I was waiting for half an hour before I gave up, nobody answered the phone. Their live chat is useful but they’ll give you a phone number and then when you try it they’ll say there are problems with that line, duh! Fourthly, their 5 pip spread on GBP! Don’t waste your time and money with them…

…First experience in FX was with them. Absolutely horrid platform. Of dealing desk brokers, hard to get any worse, only ACM lies with them at the bottom of the barrel. Their rollover policies royally suck and they have all the disadvantages of a dealing desk broker with none of the advantages…

and 2 positive:

…I have traded equities and currencies for the last 15 years, I recently added Forex trading to the fold. I open my first account with FXCM and never even entered a trade. They have a rule which prohibits entering limit orders at or near the current buy/sell price. After checking out several other firms I learned this was a common practice. I had heard a lot of shady things about Forex but this was unbelievable, talk about stacking the card in the houses favor. I then began to search around to see if this was industry standard. Luckily it was not I came across Forex.com. There service has been outstanding from opening the account, to trading the account. Yes there platform is a little primitive but who really relies on there platform for trade ideas, for that matter I don’t really even think that the pip spread matters either. I looked at the spread calculator on ONA! DA, that is completely misleading because the only thing that matters is what price you actually buy and sell your position. In trading you are either right or wrong. When you are right you need to make more then when you are wrong or you won’t be trading very long. What matters is that the pip spread is representative of the real market. Anyway the reason I am so happy with them is that they allow me to enter limit orders, stop orders, stop limit orders, or cancel other (OCO, and If then orders. All of these orders can be entered at any price I choose. They also give me Advanced Get which is an e-signal program which include e-signal data that is a compilation of over 200 banks and brokers best prices. They give me the tools to see the real market and don’t block me from entering my orders at the presice place and time in the market. I don’t know what else a trader could ask for. By the way I have not had a margin call yet, but according to what they tell me is that it is all done by there computer system. They are from the east coast and I bet if Felix argued enough they would have eaten that error. In my 15 years of trading I have had plenty of error and bad fills. Sometimes you win sometimes you lose. Don’t let it get to you.

- second one i can`t find at this moment

GAIN Capital Group is pleased to offer individual investors access to its award-winning trading platform and professional-level services via FOREX.com.

FOREX.com is a registered Futures Commission Merchant (NFA ID #0339826) and a member of the National Futures Association. As an FCM, FOREX.com is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), must uphold the highest standards and business practices and is subject to strict financial requirements and reporting. Interested parties can visit the NFA web site at any time to review FOREX.com’s record as an NFA member in good standing…”

forex traing,The Wizard: Web Application Developer at thewizard.com

Location: Continental USA

URL: http://www.thewizard.com

THE PROJECT

This isn’t a typical developers’ position. This position is for an entrepreneur who happens to be a developer. We’re smart, fast, ambitious, passionate and agile. You should be, too. Interested? Read on.

THE POSITION

You’ll be responsible for strategizing, designing and building a scalable, object-oriented web application. This job includes:

1. The development and management of the application-side of a full suite of integrated web-applications.
2. Conceptualizing and strategizing, designing, building and integrating both the front- and back-ends.
3. Work on an object-oriented application that includes some procedural functions. 4. Work with existing code to determine its viability and adaptability to the desired technical structure
5. The development of a scalable, flexible customer database which will function with the shopping cart, operational and marketing systems of the site.

US

The Wizard is a subscription-based web application for financial market timing and investment decisions. We provides our subscribers with end-of-day signals for buying and selling stocks, ETF’s, futures and forex as well as a comprehensive toolset for support their decision making. The system is designed for all market conditions – up or down – so even in this market, the system has been extraordinarily successful and we are growing at a very fast clip.

We’re the ultimate virtual company. Our president works from Southern California and Colorado. Our VP of operations is based in Las Vegas. Our interactive designer/brand strategist lives in Boston. We’re also a startup, having been in business for a year. We love what we’re doing and work hard at it. So should you.

YOU

The idea of working for a startup and helping to build a company from the ground up should excite you. If you’re looking for a cube to go and write code 8 hours a day, this is not the job for you.

You must want and be able to handle a lot of responsibility; be able to manage yourself and others; strategize, design, build and troubleshoot; communicate what you’re doing in plain English. We expect you to tell us what we don’t know and then to help us do it.

REQUIRED SKILLS

1. Working with existing PHP / MySQL Databases on Red-Hat L.A.M.P. servers to assist in implementing front-end feature changes and maintain current site
2. Develop new systems and maintain / expand current systems for parsing XML, CSV and other data feeds containing raw market data. Develop systems for storing this data in MySQL databases. Develop PHP to provide easy access to this data
3. Develop and maintain systems to perform analysis of raw market data and store results / provide access to results.
4. Working knowledge of HTML / JavaScript / CSS so front-end development can easily be linked with our back-end database and analysis platform.
5. Experience in developing a custom shopping cart system suitable for subscription-based applications. This cart must connect into the broader object framework of the site.
6. The current system is built with OSCommerce (OSCMax) and PayPal’s PayFlowPro, so experience with these platforms is a plus, as the developer will need to initially work with them in order to transition to an improved cart system.

EMPLOYMENT ARRANGEMENT

Temp-to-perm. Will initially begin with a small project to see if the fit is right. From there, further salary or contract will be negotiated.

To apply: Send replies to: thewizardjobs@gmail.com. Minimum 3 years' professional experience required. Include a detailed resume. CONTINENTAL U.S. residents only. No phone calls. No exceptions.

ault personals yahoo,Test du BlackBerry Storm 2/2

Après la partie “esthétique” et fonctionnalités de bases dévoilées dans cet article, j’ai le plaisir, après 15 jours d’utilisations de vous donner mon ressenti sur la partie matérielle / applications du BlackBerry Storm.

Tout d’abord… Le coup de gueule !

Vendre des téléphones c’est bien… Les vendre en exclu, ça peut s’avérer sympa quand on a choisi le bon opérateur (quoique… Quand on voit Orange et le iPhone…)… Vendre des téléphones à la date annoncé, c’est sympa (pour les g33k qui les attendent de pieds fermes)… Vendre des téléphones qui fonctionnent, c’est quand même plus sympa !

On aurait pu attendre de la part d’une firme telle que RIM, qui s’adresse avant tout à des professionnels, qu’ils proposent un produit fini. Et malheureusement, ce n’est pas le cas. Avec mon utilisation modeste du combiné, j’ai recensé un certain nombre de bugs assez plétorique pour un téléphone de cette gamme. Donc… Quand est ce que les fabricants arreteront de vendre des produits en version “beta” juste pour tenir les délais imposés. Quand est ce que l’on pourra acheter des porduits fonctionnels et qui fonctionnent???
Voici les bugs et défauts les plus génants recensés:
- Téléphone s’etteint inopinément… Impossible de le redemarrer autrement que par un soft reset (soit + de 2 minutes pour pouvoir passer un appel)
- Lenteurs catastrophiques, notament liées à l’accelerometre qui parfois perd la boule
- Carte SIM qui devient “interdite”: Obligation de relancer le portable pour avoir accès au réseau
- Bluetooth qui n’arrive pas à s’appareiller du premier coup avec mon oreillette Samsung. Obligation de débrancher puis relancer l’appareillage.
- Fonction main libre Bluetooth au fonctionnement ératique: On décroche avec le BT, mais finalement le son sort par le combiné !
- Contacts qui s’affichent de façon “rémanente”: Quand quelqu’un vous appele, l’espace de 2 secondes, c’est la fiche du précedent appelant qui apparait à l’écran.
- Etc… Etc…

Dommage pour RIM, j’attends sincèrment un debbugage lié à un futur firmware pour profiter pleinement des fonctions de base du téléphone…

Mais bon… Faisons fi de ces défauts, et décortiquons le reste.

Le GPS

C’est la première fois que j’utilise un smartphone avec GPS integré… Et j’avoue que j’ai été assez surpris par la qualité de localisation et la rapidité de l’engin.

SFR Find & Go

Le système utilisé est SFR Find & GO. Pour ceux qui ne connaissent pas… Gratuitement SFR vous propose la partie “Find” qui vous géolocalise et vous informe sur des points d’intérêts à proximité. Vous cherchez un resto, un tabac, une salle de spectacle pas loin d’ou vous êtes? (sympa quand on est paumés à Paris), après la localisation, vous pouvez rechercher à proximité ce que vous désirez. Ca fonctionne sur la base d’un “Pages Jaunes” qui en fonction de votre recherche identifie les points d’intérêts dans un rayon (relativement restreint autour de vous).

SFR Find & Go

La seconde partie de l’application est le GO. Là, on a affaire à un GPS des plus classiques, mais facturés (en fonction du forfait choisi) 5€ par mois. On aura vite fdait d’amortir un GPS autonome, même si ça rajoute un engin à se trimbaler en plus. L’intérêt est des plus limités.
De plus, la fonction GPS activée à une facheuse tendance à dévorer votre batterie de portable. Je n’ai pas fait de test comparatif, mais j’ai bien senti qu’avec le GPS activé, la jauge de batterie descend presque à vue d’oeil!

Cartes Blackberry Niveau minimum, niveau 6 et niveau 1 de zoom

A noter qu’un outil cartographie est également disponible, si vous avez besoin de compulser une carte. Assez simpathique, et rapide à l’usage, l’application uniquement consultative est assez sympa, mais tiens plus du gadget…
La Navigation

Perso, j’ai prit un appareil compatbile 3G pour pouvoir surfer sur le web d’ou bon me semble. Même si je me doutais que ça ne serait pas la panacée, j’avoue que mon ressenti est assez positif, dés lors que l’on dispose du réseau qui va bien…
En effet, le terminal vous indiquera si vous êtes en reception GPRS (la plus petite connexion), 3G, 3G+ ou Blackberry (le top du top).
Dans ce dernier cas, une page standard (telle que le blog Un monde de Photos) prendra moins de 20 secondes à s’afficher! Quand la connexion se fait plus capricieuse, vous pouvez attendre longtemps… Très longtemps, surtout si votre page est lourde à charger.

Navigateur Blackberry storm Panoramique

D’un point de vue général, la navigation est relativement aisée… Pensez juste à vous munir de petits doigts, car sinon vous cliquerez toujours à coté, et n’hésitez pas à employer le zoom.
En effet, si le spages s’affichent en pleine page en vue panoramique, oubliez en la lecture, dés lors que la page affichée est conséquente. Mais globalement, une fois l’ergonomie en main, vous arrivez à surfer plus ou moins décement.

Navigateur Blackberry storm Portrait

La grosse déception vient du contenu “affichable”. En effet, comme d’habitude, le flash n’est pas supporté, et du coup ça limite pas mal la navigation!
Amis parisiens, oubliez l’idée de surfer sur Sytadin avant de partir de chez vous, les cartes ne s’afficheront pas!
Vous voulez regarder certains sites utilisant le flash… Rien à faire, rien ne paraitra sur l’écran. Et ne comptez pas sur un petit message vous informant de l’indispo du contenu, vous pourrez attendre longtemps sans que rien ne paraisse et que vous vous rendiez compte que vous n’accederez jamais au contenu désiré.
A l’heure ou le flash se développe sur la toile et ou chaque site ne peut plus se passer de ce jolis animations, cette situation devient critique. Mais c’est malheureusement le cas aussi, si vous êtes possesseur d’iPhone.

Les Applications

Un menu “Centre d’applications” vous permet d’accéder à une sélection d’applications développées spécialement pour (par??) RIM pour votre Blackberry. On y retrouve:
- Appli Facebook
- Appli Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, ICQ (oui ! oui!), Google Talk
- Appli Youtube
- Appli SFR Find&GO
- Appli FlickR (mais que pour le UP de photos)

C’est certainement le prémice du Blackberry Store, qui à la façon du Apple Store espère séduire et proposer des milliers d’applications aux utilisateurs. D’ailleurs j’attends de pied ferme ce BBStore qui permettra de développer le terminal, en termes de fonctionnalités parrallèles (jeux, thèmes, applis, etc..).

En Conclusion

Je suis séduit par ce premier smartphone tout tactile BB… Le clic est uen révolution qui je pense sera surement reprise par d’autres constructeurs… A se demander pourquoi personne n’y avait pensé avant.
Le terminal est principalement orienté bricoleur et il ne faut pas hésiter à bidouiller dans tous les sens pour trouver son bonheur… Des fois même trop bidouiller (surement au gout de certains!).
Je regretterais cette stratégie qui pousse actuellement les fabricants à sortir des produits pas finalisés (déjà constaté avec mon archos, qui souffre de quelques bugs).
L’appareil photo est un peu en deça de ce que ferait un photophone dernière génération, mais le matériel est plus orienté multimédia que photo.

Voir le Blog

ault personals yahoo,[KlimBim] 2008-12-23

ZodTTD veröffentlicht ein weiteres Bild des iControlPad-Prototypen - einen kommenden Videospiel-Joystick für das iPhone. Sicherlich wird das Zubehörteil ohne Apple-Lizenz in den Markt eintreten, dürfte deshalb aber für manch einen Emulator ein App Store-Spiel deshalb nicht uninteressanter werden.

via ZodTTD

**

Mehr digitale Literatur ist sehr zu unterstützen!

Leider produzieren ganz viele Firmen ‘Inhalte für elektronische Medien’ und haben keine Ahnung wie das funktioniert oder welche Vorzüge bzw. Werbestrecken man ausnutzen könnte. Im amerikanischen App Store wird beispielsweise seit Gestern das Buch ‘Twilight von Stephanie Meyer’ (App Store-Link) für schlappe $10.99 angeboten - das Taschenbuch kostet aktuell auf Amazon.com $5.99

#Hände-über-dem-Kopf-zusammenschlagen

**

Wie man’s richtig macht, zeigt TexTunes mit dem TUBUK Sampler No. 1 im deutschen App Store für gerade einmal null EURO. Dadrin enthalten sind Bücher der jungen, poetischen, neugierigen und dabei deutschsprachigen Literaturszene.

Von Diemtar Dath bis Jennifer L. Knox - sehr lesenswert.

-> App Store-Link

**

DirektBoobs

Keine iBoobs im App Store, dafür bereits mit 150.000 Views auf YouTube und einem 98fachen-Bewertung-Marathon - das Internet ist manchmal schon ein komischer Ort…

via aptgetupdate

**

Photo: nd architecture library (cc)

Ganz vergessen: Der französisches Wettbewerbsrat kippt die Exklusiv-Bindung zwischen Apple und dem Mobilfunkanbieter Orange. Während das Hamburger Landesgericht nach einer einstweiligen Verfügung von Vodafone die auserwählte Partnerschaft hier in Deutschland zwischen T-Mobile und Apple für rechtmäßig erklärt, konfligiert der Konkurrenten-ausschließende-Deal im Nachbarland mit dem Wettbewerbsrecht.

Eine weitere spannende Zusatzinformation ist der Stellungnahme des Wettbewerbrates zu entnehmen: Die Partnerschaft zwischen Apple und Orange war für Jahre ausgelegt und schließt darin alle in diesem Zeitraum veröffentlichten iPhone-Modelle ein. Gleiche Bedingungen sind für Deutschland zu vermuten.

In einer Sonderklausel kann der Konzern aus Cupertino jedoch die Vereinbarung bereits nach drei Jahren aufkündigen.

via fscklog

atlanta criminal lawyer,We can do it again - celebrating the end of alcohol prohibition

This week marks the 75th anniversary of the end of alcohol prohibition in the United States. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) - a group made up of current and former members of the law enforcement and criminal justice communities - is using this anniversary as a call to action for those who want an end to drug prohibition. In a report published this week they argue that lessons need to be learned from the failure of alcohol prohibition.

Click to read pdf

'But by learning a lesson from American history and ending today’s expensive and counterproductive prohibition of drugs like we ended the earlier prohibition of alcohol, we can cut wasteful spending and generate new revenues, all while making America’s streets safer. A legal and regulated drug trade will lead to far fewer people being arrested and incarcerated at taxpayer expense and will generate essential new revenues, some of which can be earmarked to finance improved drug treatment and recovery.'

They also highlight the failures of the current drugs laws and the parallels with alcohol prohibition,

'After spending a trillion tax dollars and making 39 million arrests for nonviolent drug offenses, drugs are now generally cheaper, more potent and easier for our children to access than they were 40 years ago at the beginning of the “drug war.”

'Today’s prohibition of the many so-called “controlled substances” is similar to, but is in many respects significantly more complex than, alcohol prohibition. The wide variety of prohibited substances; their global cultivation, production and trade; the global ease of capital movement and the connection between the illegal drug trade and political insurgencies are all modern features of prohibition that our great grandparents did not have to face. Nonetheless, in so many of its essential features drug prohibition has echoed alcohol prohibition’s impact on the economy, crime, public safety and public health. Alcohol prohibition involved ethnic, religious and regional prejudices, and those ugly features are dramatically worse under the racial stereotyping and disparities of today’s drug enforcement.'

In particular they emphasise a number of key areas where drug prohibition, like alcohol prohibition before it, has had a negative effect on society:

1) More people use drugs today than at the beginning of the 'war on drugs'
2) Drugs are more concentrated and potent
3) The murder rate has skyrocketed
4) Organized crime as well as terrorist groups have profitted greatly from prohibition
5) People who are addicted to drugs are forced to commit crime in order to fund their habits
6) Public health has suffered
7) Drug money corrupts officials of the state
8) Governments spend huge amounts of their budgets on locking people up

Recent polls in the US indicate that 67% of police chiefs and 76% of the public believe that the prohibition of drugs has failed.

As a first step to ending this disastrous policy, LEAP support what Transform, RAND Corp and the EMCDDA have been calling for - a cost-benefit analysis of the current drugs laws.

'At a moment that is as economically threatening to millions of Americans as the Great Depression, we would do well to learn the lessons that history so clearly and compellingly provides and repeal prohibition, eliminating its numerous unintended consequences.'

Another report out this week funded by the same organisation and written by Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron concludes that ending drug prohibition would boost America's economy by $76.8 billion a year. We've blogged it here.

This blog has many contributors; blog entries or comments posted to blog are not necessarily the views of Transform Drug Policy Foundation. For official comment or position statements on any given topic, or with any feedback or queries, please contact Transform. Transform Drug Policy Foundation is a registered charity No. 1100518

associates egree online,FRANK confuses cocaine harms with prohibition harms

As reported by Alan Travis in the Guardian:

"A £1m TV and online anti-cocaine advertising campaign featuring "Pablo the drug mule dog" is to be launched by the government today.

The campaign advertisements, voiced by comedian David Mitchell, are targeted at 15- to 18-year-olds to make them more aware of the risks and harms of cocaine use.

Pablo, a dead dog, wakes up to find he's been used as a drug mule to smuggle cocaine into the country. In an attempt to find out what led to his demise Pablo interviews key players from the world of the drug - the dealer, the user, a bag of cocaine, a heart, a nostril and a bank note.

They highlight the addiction, heart attacks, personality changes, fear and violence involved in the process."

As you can see in the 'Meet Pablo' video, the Government once again conflate the harms caused by prohibition with the potential harms of cocaine use. Bear in mind that it is prohibition that puts a huge premium on the price of heroin and cocaine (through the economic alchemy of prohibition, plants are transmuted into products worth literally more than their weight in gold) and encourages the most concentrated forms to be transported by violent criminal profiteers from producer countries to pleasure seekers in the industrialised West.

Even if we accept the primary aim of the FRANK campaign is to alert people to the potential health risks of cocaine use by talking about the drug's 'dark side', the 'Meet Pablo' ad that showcases the campaign ( featuring the dead dog/drug mule, dealers with guns, and adulterated drugs) is mostly about the dark side of the drug war. Some of the other ads in the series do focus on the health risks (although the 'bad baggie' and 'pablos story' ads just don't make any sense) but are still framed in the narrative context of a illegal drugs smuggled in a dog/mule named after the world's most notorious cocaine gangster; again, all about the drug war, not the drug itself. It's important remember the drug war is the policy choice of the Government, not the cocaine user.

In parallel with illicit cocaine production there is a not-so -dark-side; completely legal, licensed and regulated coca production for medical cocaine (as well as use in coca tea, traditional leaf chewing, and flavouring of cola drinks) which notably is not transported inside dogs, by children, or by impoverished women becoming drug mules, nor is it associated with 'gang violence and gun crime' - all flagged up on the FRANK website. We do have a choice, but the Government will not discuss it and campaigns such as this confuse the public health issues with political choices. You want to be supportive of efforts like FRANK, but they don't make it easy.



See also:

• Transform in the Guardian CIF: Coaker's line on cocaine
  
  
• UNODC ramps up the weird drug war rhetoric

This blog has many contributors; blog entries or comments posted to blog are not necessarily the views of Transform Drug Policy Foundation. For official comment or position statements on any given topic, or with any feedback or queries, please contact Transform. Transform Drug Policy Foundation is a registered charity No. 1100518

best high internet spee,Fashion on the Campaign Trail: Mr. Layton

Youth League rates Mr. Layton high on the list of well-dressed Canadian politicians. He's not particularly chic, but that's the point. He's a left wing politician with a mandate in support of the eradication of poverty in 12 years, and nothing says that better than a simple tie and rolled up shirt sleeves.

Youth League's campaign promise for Mr. Layton is an on-budget, Made in Canada solution. 

Mr. Layton has the benefit of ties to two of Canada's most fashionable cities: Toronto and Montreal. And, in a beautiful twist of fate, the federal election will come to a close just in time for the NDP leader to attend fashion weeks in both cities--a perfect opportunity to build a snappy wardrobe for a new year in the House of Commons. It just so happens that I'll be there too...

If Mr. Layton wanted to up the ante, it also wouldn't hurt to attend the Fashion Takes Action fashion show in Toronto on November 8th. Ten fabulous Canadian designers have signed up to design eco-friendly pieces for this evening in support of sustainable couture, like Zoran Dobric, for example. One of his looks is pictured below:

While the overall look in this photo is a bit bold for Mr. Layton, the blazer on its own with a crisp white oxford would be a fun, trendy look for a visit to Young NDs on campus.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The name of the game for Mr. Layton is Made in Canada. This left-wing leader is a strong supporter of Canadian industry, and it is only fitting that his clothes reflect his mandate. He can look no further than Green Shag in Toronto, which specializes in built-to-order dress shirts made on-site by a team of designers.

For all the other pieces, Mr. Layton need look no further than GOTSTYLE in Toronto, which has been voted the top menswear store in the city by NOW Magazine. With a selection of casual and dress apparel, along with a spa to boot, Mr. Layton can get fitted for a tailored suit and relax in a facial all in one stop--all the while supporting a local business in his hometown.

While he's at it, I recommend Mr. Layton ditch the sport watch for something sleeker. I propose this classic piece by Armani, which he could find at a Canadian staple, the Hudson's Bay Company.

Note: The mustache stays.

best high internet spee,Obama: Fix U.S. Drug Policy

As he prepares his new administration, Obama has the opportunity to appoint a "Drug Czar" who will shift drug policy toward a public health model and away from a criminal justice model. The US based campaigning and advocacy group Students for Sensible Drug Policy have set up a petition on the social networking site Facebook to let the new president know that a change in drug policy is needed.

In the unlikely event you are unaware of Facebook, it's basically a huge online social network (like its forerunner MySpace, but aimed at non-teenagers) now with over 100 million members. You can sign up in minutes and put as much or as little personal information on your page as you choose (as well as setting privacy and access controls). There's all manner of political and social policy activity in the Facebook network that's worth having a nose around, with endless possibilities to publicise causes, reach new audiences, debate and fund raise (as Obama's presidential Facebook campaign demonstrated).

Where Obama is going to take US drug policy remains unknown - to my knowledge it did not feature even once in the McCain election battle. But we can be sure that Obama wont be as hawkish as his predecessor, and he has certainly been making some positive noises in the few public comments he has made (this Rolling Stone Interview for example, or his previous commitment to cannabis decriminalisation here) that suggests at the very least the US War on Drugs may have now passed its high tide mark. That said, two of his key appointments, Rahm Emanuel and Joe Biden, are old school drug warriors and they will be influential even if it will be Obama calling the shots. This all makes the Drug Tsar appointment all the more key, even if only as an indication of how Obama plans to play his cards. There are plenty of whispers, rumours and gossip about the appointment - but it is unlikely to happen until Spring and is clearly not in the bag yet.

US drug policy is, of course, enormously influential globally; directly on our Government, through the UN drug agencies and via their various certification processes and other forms of geo-political pressure. Like the November 4th election - the upcoming decisions will have impacts for us all. I don't necessarily think drug policy petitions have much impact but, if nothing else, they show common cause for the activists and demonstrate that people and its all, you know, water building behind the dam. The petition open to all to sign, has 4000 signatures and is gaining 1000 a day, aiming for 10,000 with 55 days to run. Seems eminently achievable.

The SSDP petition is all, unsurprisingly, sensible stuff. It focuses on some of the most egregious drug war injustices of the previous administration and calls for a general shift in approach (all points that Obama has already flagged up in the Rolling Stone interview), avoiding the 'third rail' issues like the legalisation/regulation debate. The text is as follows:

When you called the War on Drugs an "utter failure" in 2004, you were right. A 2008 Zogby poll found that 3 out of 4 of Americans agree with you.

When appointing the head of your Office of National Drug Control Policy, please select someone with health, science, or education credentials rather than a military general, law enforcement official, or "tough on drugs" politician. The next "Drug Czar" should base policy on proven methodology rather than counterproductive Ideology. At a minimum, he or she should support these measures:

*Ending the racially unjust disparity in sentencing for crack and powder cocaine.

*Ending the practice of prosecuting patients in states with medical marijuana laws.

*Eliminating the federal law that denies financial aid to students with drug convictions.

We all know that the War on Drugs is failing because handcuffs don't cure addictions -- doctors do. You have the opportunity to bring us the change we need. Will you?

Sincerely,

The Undersigned......

Further information:

SSDP facebook petition (you may need to install the causes application first)

Stop the Drug War Blog: unrivaled coverage and discussion on Obama's new administration and related drug policy issues

This blog has many contributors; blog entries or comments posted to blog are not necessarily the views of Transform Drug Policy Foundation. For official comment or position statements on any given topic, or with any feedback or queries, please contact Transform. Transform Drug Policy Foundation is a registered charity No. 1100518