Marizela Perez, Still Missing, Happy Birthday

Time passes.

Marizela Perez just had a birthday.
What astounds me is that Michelle Malkin is such a HUGE personality, and one would think that someone so well-known, accomplished and regarded would have just a bit more clout than the average joe or judy... but apparently not: Michelle writes on her blog:

[Marizela's] parents, family, and friends continue to search Seattle and beyond. Strangers near and far are working on the case. Praying. Hoping. Pushing. But there have been no new leads since the last time I updated you. No bank activity. No online or phone activity. No progress in the police investigation.

We have been pressing the Jack in the Box Corporation to help us obtain surveillance video at one of its University District-area restaurants on the corner near her last known whereabouts. But still no help.

We are waiting to hear whether Google will help us obtain crucial web search/browsing history that could shed light on what happened, and whom she may have contacted or met, on the March 5 afternoon she disappeared. But still no word.

We have pressed the police to issue warrants to AT&T, Facebook, and AOL to preserve and obtain all relevant perishable data that could rule in or rule out foul play. But still no progress.

...and that's not good... Michelle, this certainly must be driving you nuts. Pure mental torture for any one of us to have to lose a loved one or a friend in this way. Our prayers are with you.

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John Paul II honored at vigil on eve of beatification

Rome— Thousands of young people flooded an ancient Roman field Saturday for an all-night prayer vigil honoring Pope John Paul II on the eve of his beatification, remembering his teachings, travels and his own suffering.

Pilgrims waving flags from Poland, Spain Germany and Brazil filled the Circus Maximus, which twinkled with the light of thousands of candles as choirs from John Paul's native Poland, the Philippines and Italy sang. They listened as a French nun who suffered from Parkinson's disease recounted how she was cured after praying to John Paul, who also battled the same disease.

The Vatican has decreed that Sister Marie Simone-Pierre's inexplicable healing was the miracle needed to beatify John Paul, a process that will reach its culmination Sunday during a Mass in St. Peter's Square celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI.


The vigil was to last all night, a so-called "white night" of prayer to be continued in eight churches kept open in the city center before barricades around St. Peter's Square open to pilgrims at 5:30 a.m. (0330GMT) for the 10 a.m. (0800GMT) beatification Mass.

Waiting for a prayer vigil at Circo Massimo

Sister Marie Simon-Pierre talks about her miracle

Vigil at the Circus Maximus

Vigil at the Circus Maximus

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NetActive 30 April 2011

Geoffrey Philp's Blog Spot

Barack Obama & the American Dream - Barack Obama would be a terrible poker player. He has certain “tells” that reveal his emotional status, especially when he is feeling nostalgic.

Michelle Malkin

Jobs a Trump Presidency Would ‘Save or Create’ - **Written by Doug Powers Imagine for a moment that Donald Trump is elected president next year...

Orient Lodge

Should Doctors and Patients be Friends Online? - As many of my regular readers know, I have been a long time advocate for social media and I over the winter, I took a position as Social Media Manager for...

‘Top 10 reasons twitter is on top of the social media food chain’

akhilak Akhila K.

Beautiful series of posts on Gender Across Borders blog on intersectionality. Love this one: I am from... http://bit.ly/jL34RH

SheBytesBlog Renee Schmidt

Check out: http://www.waterblocknyc.com - My friend's site where SHE posts hip hop music, videos and cool other stuff :) @waterblocknyc

HOT97SUMMERJAM Summer Jam 2011

Don't forget to to tune in to the Angie Martinez Show, Monday at 4pm for the official Summer Jam Artist Lineup! http://ow.ly/4K9Vl

Permission to reprint this blog post in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author (or authors) and Dave Lucas are properly cited. Permission to reprint any comments below is granted only for those comments written by Dave Lucas and staff.

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Millionaire Lottery Winner Hawking Book

If I were a big prize winner, I wouldn't bother selling anything on the net - I'd be too busy spending money and planning for my future.

Found in my "spam" email inbox: a message from LARRY!
Hover and click on the images to see what I've seen! Here's a link to "Larry"'s website, via the e-mail:

And here's a link to the Oklahoma Lottery:

Larry?

Why is "Larry" hiding his identity? (If that is "Larry" writing me?)

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Long live the newlyweds!

Prince William and Kate Middleton are now husband and wife.
Long live the newlyweds!
Picture 1,2,3, 4 and 5: Prince William and Kate Middleton
Photo 6: Bernard Bujold (LeStudio1.com)
View photo album wedding The Globe and Mail ;

View photo album wedding trip ;
See website Anderson Cooper ;
See story CTV ;
See website royal couple ;

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BlogCatalog Raising Ca$h for MyBlogLog Acquisition?

MyBlogLog is closing soon. BlogCatalog is trying to take it over, and my guess is they are trying to fund a purchase by gouging bloggers with their "$150 a month" "Power Blogger" program. Looks like they need a few more bucks.

Even though they have banned my blog from BlogCatalog, (the slap in the face came AFTER I blogged nicely about them) they continue to "keep me informed" via email.

Let's face it: Facebook and Twitter have really sucked the life out of both MyBlogLog and that ridiculous runner-up "Blog Catalog."

Here's the scOOp from the MBL e-mail:

Since initial enrollment for the Power Blogger program closed, we have been swamped with emails asking how to become part of this exclusive group. In response, we have opened Power Blogger enrollment up to 10 more success-driven bloggers. Take advantage of this limited-time offer and secure your spot as one of the next blogging sensations. Don't waste another minute reading someone else's online success story. Sign up for Power Blogger and start writing your own.

Let's see. They want to sell 10 spots at $150 a month. That's $1500 a month. And they have some signed up already, so maybe we can assume if they are borrowing money to buy MyBlogLog from yahoo, they need to pay back the loan at about $3000 or more a month, for X number of months...

Looks like they also have some "big name blogger" endorsements from bloggers with snazzy websites (maybe a little too snazzy for the rest of us)

Meantime, the folks at Famous Bloggers have been dealing with an invader.

And I continue to RECOMMEND ENTRECARD to all my fellow-bloggers!



Tags: MyBlogLogk, Blog Catalog, BlogCatalog



Permission to reprint this blog post in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author (or authors) and Dave Lucas are properly cited. Permission to reprint any comments below is granted only for those comments written by Dave Lucas and staff.

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Internet Surfers - Proceed with Caution

Wi-Fi networks are popping up nearly everywhere and many consumers don’t realize the dangers, including real threats of identity theft, that come with using a Wi-Fi connection that is not your own. According to a recent poll conducted by Wakefield Research and Wi-Fi Alliance, 32 percent of respondents said they have tried to get on a Wi-Fi network that was not their own, 18 percent more than a December 2008 poll. The Better Business Bureau, along with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), urges consumers to think ahead before surfing the Web on a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Wi-Fi hotpots like coffee shops, libraries, airports, hotels and universities are all breeding grounds for hackers. According to the FTC, new hacking tools—available for free online—make hacking easy, even for users with limited technical know-how.

Consumers should be cautious before using a non-secure wireless network and before sending personal information via unencrypted websites. When surfing on a non-secure Internet connection, an individual’s personal information, private documents, contacts, photos and even login information can be up for grabs as other users on the network have the capability of seeing what is being sent.

David Polino, Better Business Bureau President, warns consumers against two popular security scams that can be associated with using an unsecure Internet connection. “Many consumers don’t realize the repercussions that come from using a Wi-Fi hotspot. Phishing, a popular e-mailing scam, and text message scams, grow rapidly when hackers obtain access to personal information on the Web via an unsecure Wi-Fi network.” BBB urges consumers to protect themselves from such scams by securing their Internet surfing.

In order to confirm that an Internet connection is secure, BBB advises consumers to follow the FTC’s top Wi-Fi tips:

• Make sure the connection is protected by a unique password. If a Wi-Fi hotspot doesn’t ask for a password, the Internet connection is not secure. If a hotspot asks for a password just to grant access, consumers should proceed as if the connection were unsecured. Only trust home and work internet connections that are protected by a customized user password. Wi-Fi hotspot connections with generic passwords are vulnerable to hackers.
• Transmitted information should be encrypted. When sending personal information like addresses, credit card numbers and Social Security numbers over the Internet, make sure the website is fully encrypted and the network is secure. Look for https (the “s” stands for secure) at the beginning of the URL address to confirm its security.
• Don’t stay permanently logged-in to wireless hotspots. Never leave your Internet connection running while your computer is unattended and make sure to log-off after every use.
• Change your passwords frequently. When creating new accounts, make sure you use different passwords. Do not use the same password for different sites. If one password is hacked, the chances of other accounts being hacked becomes greater with repeated passwords.

For more advice on security scams, visit www.bbb.org or to learn more about protecting your privacy online and what to do if your information is compromised, visit www.OnGuardOnline.gov and http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/02/wireless.shtm.

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All About About!

Suddenly, all bloggers are knuckleheads.

The latest "advice" craze among "guru" bloggers involves tweaking or otherwise "tuning up" any blog or website's "ABOUT" page!

I've noticed a lot of articles like this one are making the rounds. And here's a somewhat milder post:

Richard Adams writes::: "Your readers want to know who *you* are. They want to know what makes you unique, what your experiences are and why they can trust what you’re writing." TRUE, but you don't HAVE to tell them everything anything.

Let's examine this realistically: quite simply, everyone has his or her own unique comfort level. No one should be compelled to believe they need give up more information than they would feel comfortable with. I don't believe that spilling your guts or detailing your resume is a requirement for an effective "about" page. I think the topic is without all the merit recently attributed to it, and is on its way to becoming another vehicle for "guru" bloggers to get links, sell ebooks and kiss each other's fannies.

RIPPED from Google: a few of the more legit advice articles...
Ideas for Crafting a Better 'About' Page - Baymard Institute

Awesome About Page Designs for Inspiration - designmodo.com
How to write about yourself, "about" pages | HowToWriteBetter.net



Tags: about page, about page


Permission to reprint this blog post in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author (or authors) and Dave Lucas are properly cited. Permission to reprint any comments below is granted only for those comments written by Dave Lucas and staff.

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THE BLOGGING CLASS ::: LESSON TWELVE

Today's lesson is all about BRANDING...

I've told you before how certain celebrities and blogebrities achieved fame via artificial internet buzz... now here's another celebrity who plays PR like a virtuoso plays a violin... this is something you should STUDY ON YOUR OWN and think of ways you can apply these techniques to BLOGGING!

I offered this comment earlier this week to an article I clicked on via microblogging platform twitter:

"You wrote “How do you shake off old paradigms and see something with new eyes?” – that can be a tall order. Perspective and knowledge come into play. For someone new to writing, blogging, publishing – your tips and techniques are like opening a treasure box. For somebody like me who has been reading (and writing) good advice for a long time, I ask myself “How many more times can we re-invent the same stuff and recycle it over and over again,” which is exactly the role the “guru” must play… to shake off those old paradigms one needs to (I hate to say it) “think outside the box.”

A better example might be the career of rap artist Nicki Minaj, who went from a relatively unremarkable, rather plain-looking minor player to a glam SUPERSTAR in demand for collaborative projects with the likes of Mariah Carey, Britney Spears etc., all in a relatively short 4-year timespan. Particulary interesting is how Minaj hijacked the “Barbie” franchise without stepping on any copyright toes: This could be a great lesson for bloggers… Minaj-icize your blogs!

Make sure you save/print this link: observe the "before" and "after" photographs. Now, substitute YOU and YOUR BLOG for the "before" ---- how do you want things to be/look "after" ?????

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Andrew Cuomo's eStop

GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES E-STOP LAW LEADS TO REMOVAL OF MORE THAN 24,000 SOCIAL NETWORKING ACCOUNTS AND PROFILES LINKED TO REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS

e-STOP Marks Third Anniversary as One of the Most Effective Internet Safety Laws in the Nation

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that e-STOP has resulted in the removal of more than 24,000 accounts and online profiles linked to registered sex offenders.

The Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators Act (e-STOP), authored by Cuomo when he served as Attorney General and passed unanimously by the Legislature in April of 2008, established numerous groundbreaking protections.

It requires sex offenders to register and keep up-to-date all current email accounts, screen names, and any other Internet identifiers with the state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). The list is then given to more than two dozen social networking companies on a weekly basis and those sites use it to purge offenders.

"e-STOP is one of the most effective Internet safety laws in the nation, directly responsible for keeping thousands of sex offenders off-line and away from our children," Governor Cuomo said. "I commend the social networking sites that have agreed to continually use our data to ensure the safety of their users. e-STOP shows that New York continues to be on the forefront of Internet safety and its success is an example of what can be accomplished when we work together."

Provisions of the e-STOP law include:

· Requiring sex offenders register all of their Internet accounts and identifiers (e-mail addresses and designations used for chat, instant messaging, social networking, or other similar Internet communication) with DCJS.
· Authorizing DCJS to release state sex offender Internet identifiers to social networking sites and certain other online services to prescreen or remove sex offenders from using the site's services and notify law enforcement authorities and other government officials in conformity with state and federal law of potential violations and threats to public safety.
· Requiring mandatory Internet restrictions for all level 3 sex offenders, offenders whose victims were under 18, and offenders who used the Internet to victimize a minor.

Laura A. Ahearn, L.M.S.W, Executive Director of Parents for Megan's Law and the Crime Victims Center said, "Regardless of the office he holds, to us, Andrew Cuomo will always be the Sheriff of Cyberspace. As parents and lawmakers struggle to keep up with the dangers of an ever-expanding digital universe, Governor Cuomo has stepped in, passed an effective law, and kept the spotlight on Internet safety. We applaud his successful efforts to expand provisions of Megan's Law to the Internet."

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Wedding gifts to William and Kate

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has officially announced the wedding gifts to William and Kate. He will offer "camping equipment" to be use during the royal couple's visit to Canada next July!

Kate would have preferred a carriage with a horse ...
Canada will also donate $ 50,000 to the Canadian Coast Guard.

Picture 1: Stephen Harper ;

Picture 2: Kate Middleton and Prince William
SEE PRESS RELASE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ;

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Around The Blogosphere 28 April 2011

A controversial shutdown of three localised British blogs has readers scratching their heads. The blogs served netizens in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Leeds. Each location had its own reporter aka "beatblogger"- DJ Leekee blogs::: "Launched as a local experiment in 3 cities throughout the UK, Guardian Local was set-up to connect local citizens to information sources and resources in their areas and bring them local stories, news and features that mattered to them!"

Don't forget to stop back here on the blog tonight at 7:37 PM New York (Eastern) Time for the latest installment of THE BLOGGING CLASS! I think you'll find tonight's lesson particularly interesting!

AMERICAN DREAM SMASHED BY "BEAST" ::: (CBSNewYork) — In a fiery courtroom faceoff, a heartbroken mother lashed out at the sentencing of the monster who brutally raped and killed her daughter.

CBS 2’s Pablo Guzman was in the Queens courtroom as the woman confronted the killer through a translator.

“Come back my daughter! My only child!” the mother said.

Even the most hardened courtroom observers were wiping their eyes. The mother, Guihua Yu, had traveled from a remote part of China to confront Carlos Cruz, 29, the man who beat, raped and killed her daughter last May.

Guihua Yao said her 23-year-old daughter, Yu Yao, had just arrived in the land of her dreams – America.

BLOGGER DAN NGUYEN has that all-important BACKSTORY.

Michelle Malkin

Finally: Catholic Church suspends rogue Chicago Rev. Michael Pfleger - News out of the Windy City tonight: Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George has at long last suspended prog nutball Rev. Michael Pfleger.

The appearance of Egyptian political activist and tweep Gigi Ibrahim on The Daily Show brought a wave of support and protests from fellow tweeps, who covered the Egyptian revolution. Tarek Amr wrote this post for Global Voices.

Malaysia: Boot Camp to “Help” Effeminate Boys

Written for Global Voices by Syafique Shuib · East Asia

Based on their effeminate tendencies, 66 schoolboys from the state of Terengganu in Malaysia were recently sent to a boot camp aimed at "helping them behave in a proper manner". The boys were identified by their schools, who were instructed last year to identify students who displayed feminine qualities. The blogoshere in Malaysia is divided over this issue. read »

Digi has launched the DiGi WWWOW Award, it's 1st people’s choice Internet awards for Malaysians by Malaysians.

On the heels of Japan's flying girl, here come Taiwan's lying girls. The Lying Girls will show you a really, totally, different way of viewing Taiwan…

The Technium

Would You Pay For Search? - How much would you pay for Google if it were not free?



Tags: Yu Yao, UK Guardian Blogs

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The media and the Royal wedding

It is estimated that over two billion people worldwide will watch via television or Internet the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Some criticize the emphasis placed on the event by the media especially that journalists covering the wedding are among the most respected and are generally concerned with very serious matters, as is the case with Anderson Cooper of CNN who is a war reporter known for his excellent reports on political conflicts around the world.
The royal wedding has become a symbol for the world the same way a trip to the moon, an artistic event, sporting event or a tragedy. The royal wedding will cost approximately U.S. $ 78 million. To watch Friday morning April 29 live on TV networks or the Internet.
Photo 1: Prince William with his grandparents in front of his military helicopter;

Photo 2: Anderson Cooper on War reporting ;

Photo 3: Bernard Bujold and the Quebecor Helicopter (1997);
See website Anderson Cooper ;
See story royal wedding costs ;
See Editorial La Presse - Nathalie Petrowski ;
View photo album of Prince William and his military helicopter;
See Official website LeStudio1 ;

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The Birth Certificate Circus ::: Smoking Gun Opens Up "Birther" Can of Worms

When I was waiting for the bus this morning, I was thinking of writing a new post about the Barack Obama "birther" brouhaha. It was gonna be a kind of a "so what, move on" piece. Heck, I'd already posted and updated an article regarding that birth certificate, but in the course of the day, the President released his document (Donald Trump proudly took credit for the release) - but then Matt Drudge posted a link to a website that apparently had been scrubbed clean - a site that supposedly did a step-by-step document dissection in Adobe Illustrator and presented an argument that the paper was a fake. The site was originally posted on the Smoking Gun, which then brought the "birther" concept to new levels... here it all is, ripped from DRUDGE!

HERE IT IS!

OBAMA SHOWS LONG FORM...

IS IT REAL?

Composed of layers?

TRUMP TAKES CREDIT...

Permission to reprint this blog post in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author (or authors) and Dave Lucas are properly cited. Permission to reprint any comments below is granted only for those comments written by Dave Lucas and staff.

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RIP Bahare Alavi

The One Million Signature Campaign and the Iranian women’s movement have lost one of their brightest stars forever. 22-year old blogger and women's rights activist Bahare Alavi died in a car accident. She wrote for years in Dokhtare Khorshid blog. She is dearly remembered by colleagues, friends and fans.



Tags: Bahare Alavi, Bahare Alavi

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White House releases Obama's original birth certificate

On Wednesday morning, the White House released President Barack Obama's long form birth certificate.

The document indicates that Obama was born in the state of Hawaii and thus is eligible to serve as president. The release comes in the wake of some raising skepticism over his place of birth.

White House spokesman Jay Carney says Obama felt the debate over his birthplace had become a "sideshow" that was bad for the country and political debate.

Rumours of Obama's foreign birth have persisted despite Obama's earlier release of his standard short-form birth certificate. This week, he requested his original birth certificate from Hawaiian officials.

Polls have suggested that a significant minority of Americans doubt that Obama was born in the U.S.

Donald Trump touched down in New Hampshire today in a helicopter bearing his name, immediately taking credit for forcing President Obama to release his birth certificate.

"I am really honored, frankly, to have played such a big role in hopefully, hopefully, getting rid of this issue," Trump told reporters, his helicopter sitting behind him.

"Today I'm very proud of myself, because I've accomplished something that no one else has been able to accomplish," said Trump on the release of the president's birth certificate, according to NBC News. "I want to look at it, but I hope it's true. ... But he should have done it a long time ago."

Barack Obama with his grandfather

I guess the Kenyan sign below is just misleading advertisement, and so are the other birth cetificates....

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