Monday, December 31, 2007
What would you tell your grandchildren about 2007 if they asked you about it in, let’s say, 20 year’s time? If the answer to a quiz question was 2007, what would the question be? The year that you first signed on to Facebook? The year Britney Spears and Amy Winehouse fell apart? The year author Kurt Vonnegut or mime Marcel Marceau died, both at 84?
Let’s take a look at some of the international stories of 2007. Links to the original Wikinews articles are in bold.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday that unemployment in the country edged down from 10.2% to 10% in November, with fewer jobs lost in the previous two months than anticipated. The latest monthly figure was discussed at a congressional hearing yesterday as president Barack Obama welcomed the news but said he is still not satisfied.
At a hearing of the bipartisan Joint Economic Committee at the Senate, lawmakers from both major US political parties cited the November unemployment figure as welcome progress. However, they also noted the economic pain many of their constituents are still feeling in an economy struggling with deep recession.
Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, said Americans at all levels, but notably the middle class, continue to struggle. “While parts of our economy are clearly stabilizing, with the Dow Jones over 10,000 again, it is clear that other parts of the economy are still struggling. We need to make sure that all Americans, not just the folks who happen to work on Wall Street, feel that we are digging ourselves out of the hole,” she commented.
Despite a generally upward trend in recent months on Wall Street, Obama, administration officials, and economists continue to caution that employment will lag behind other indicators of economic recovery.
Keith Hall, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, said the November figure, which still represents 15.4 million Americans out of work, is the lowest monthly job loss since the official beginning of the US recession in December 2007, and follows moderating figures in three previous months.
But in an economy that has lost jobs for 23 consecutive months, Hall noted that long-term unemployed continued to grow, rising by 293,000 to 5.9 million, with little change in the number of Americans employed part-time but seeking full-time work.
Democrat Carolyn Maloney asked him about economist’s predictions that it would take 10.7 million jobs created to return the country to full employment. “Well, without offering an opinion on that 10.7 million jobs, at that rate though, it would be about three years,” said Mr. Hall.
Opposition Republicans responded to the latest figures by focusing on specific sectors that continue to lag and renewing their assertions that steps President Obama has taken since he came to office, such as the $787 billion stimulus, have had little impact on the economy.
Kevin Brady is the Republican co-chair of the committee. He said while the November figures are good news, there is not much more to celebrate.”We can’t celebrate a 10 percent unemployment rate, especially when the long-term unemployment continues to grow in very troubling numbers.”
But Maryland Democrat Elijah Cummings noted what he called a major improvement with job losses going from 700,000 per month at the start of the recession to 11,000 in November. “The report we received this morning is a clear indicator that the economy is slowly returning to growth,” he said.
In an appearance in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Friday, Obama called the jobs figure “modestly encouraging”, but noted that he will not be satisfied until there is sustained significant improvement. “We have still got a long way to go. I consider one job loss one job too many and as I said yesterday at a jobs conference in Washington. Good trends don’t pay the rent. We have got to actually grow jobs and get America back to work as quickly as we can,” he said.
The president had held a so-called jobs summit at the White House this week seeking support from business and union leaders for his economic recovery efforts.
Republicans responded with their own event on Capitol Hill, where economists such as Douglas Holtz Eakin, the former adviser to Senator John McCain who lost the 2008 election to Obama, questioned his approach to recovery. “Job creation in the United States is something that small businesses, entrepreneurs and the private sector will do but they cannot do it if they are burdened by a legacy of debt and the prospect of higher taxes to pay off that debt and that is the most troubling aspect of the policies this administration is pursuing,” he said.
In testimony to Congress this week, US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke agreed with economists who caution that despite hopeful predictions of moderately strong economic growth unemployment is likely to remain high well into 2010.
By Adrianna Noton
Film schools are all over the country and students have a number of types of film education they can pursue. Someone interested in studying movies and their production should remember to keep some important factors in mind. Factors such as the type of school they want to attend and what kind of degree they are after.
The study of movies is the study of how a one is constructed. Students learn to read a movie. Reading a movie is understanding the shots involved in making up the cohesive idea or production. Each movie has a different feel and some are more successful then others.
The study of movies is also understanding the importance of where the camera is and what it is looking at between frames. The position of camera to the subject being recorded is vital to understanding the proper elements of a successful movie. Watching the successful movies and breaking them down is no different then understanding the individual brush strokes of any great painting. Camera placement is not the only part of a successful movie.
Light in any production is critical. Light allows the film maker to give his or her movie a certain look that over time becomes easily identifiable and distinguished their movie. The marriage of light and camera position can make a scene or actor come alive, look scary or sad. The proper use of light between scenes makes the story seem to jump out of the screen and draw the viewer into it, following intensely along as the director carries the audience to the end of the story.
Attending the right school means the student is afforded the luxury of not only great teachers but also great equipment to make their own movies. Part of a solid education is the creation of their own production called a student film. No matter the school you attend the end result or final thesis is the creation and premier of their movie to an audience.
One choice of a school is to go a university with a major in film. These four year universities are heavy on theory mixed with practical production experienced during the junior and senior years. These universities mix understanding of movie making with the education of all aspects of the movie making process to better prepare their graduates for life in the entertainment world beyond education.
Among four year universities you can choose between those that are known as film schools and those that teach film. No two universities will be exactly the same, location, price and professors are all factors to consider when comparing Universities. Entertainment education can be costly so the curriculum and professors should be two important factors. You should compare the equipment they offer for use during student productions. The better University will have the right combination of professor, curriculum and equipment to make the education a superior one for the learner.
Filmmaking institutions are more focused on the production of student films versus hours spent understanding theory and are completed in about 2 years or less. Students will produce and work on a number of films during their enrollment and will have more hands on experience over the traditional college. When deciding to go this route cost, location of the institution, equipment and class size are critical. The smaller the class the more one on one teaching each student can expect to receive. Location and equipment are also critical factors, an institution located in a major city will mean a variety of locations for shoots.
Films schools are not the same, some are heavier in theory with a marginal emphasis on practical studies while others are more aimed toward the production of a students vision versus the years spent understanding other filmmakers visions. The right choice will depend on the type of student you are, one who learns with a smaller class size and more hands on practical guide or one that thrives in the textbook college environment. Class size is less important in college and instead the focus is on understanding the subject matter and creation of a movie.
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Sunday, October 21, 2007
Fans of the American hard rock band Aerosmith have launched legal action against the band in response to a late cancellation of a scheduled concert on the Hawaiian Island of Maui.
Attorney Brandee Faria filed a class action suit in Hawaii Circuit Court on October 19. The suit alleges that the band’s cancellation cost fans between US$500,000 (€349,944) and $3 million (€2.1 million) in travel and accommodation costs, as well as other related expenses.
The sold-out September 26 Maui concert – originally planned months before as the final show of a world tour that began in Brazil in April – was canceled by the band on the basis that they could not make it to the island in time after a September 24 concert in Chicago. The Chicago concert, which attracted 18,000 people, was rescheduled at the last minute after the original September 10 concert date had been postponed due to illness.
The band canceled the show at Maui’s War Memorial Stadium, which was set to be attended by 9,000 people, and apologized to fans. The band’s management company, HK Management Inc., gave no initial reason when they canceled on September 20, but blamed logistical reasons by the next day.
However, just days later, on September 29, the band traveled to the neighbor island of Oahu to play a corporate event in Honolulu for Toyota car dealers and private guests. An audience of 6,000 people celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Japanese automobile manufacturer at the University of Hawaii, with Toyota paying $500,000 (€349,944) to hire the campus. Aerosmith received $1 million (€700,000) to perform at the event. Faria alleges that Aerosmith abandoned the scheduled public concert on Maui in favor of the more lucrative corporate event on Oahu.
“…Defendants simply canceled the only public performance by Aerosmith in favor of the larger Chicago venue and the lucrative, private concert for the Toyota car dealers,” the complaint states.
Local officials had hoped the concert would attract other big names to the island.
Faria said that “I’ve had people contact me being out of pocket at much as $800 or $900,” adding that if the cancellation is found to be deceptive ticket holders may be eligible for a minimum of $1,000 each. The complaint also says that those aged 62 or over should receive at least $5,000 each. Currently about a dozen ticket holders are involved with the suit. If the action is approved by a judge, steps will be taken to contact everyone who purchased a ticket.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Yesterday, Norwegian news outlets reported that Defense Security Service (Forsvarets sikkerhetstjeneste [FOST]) had conducted illegal surveillance against the prime minister’s office and other government offices.
Kripos, a division of the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police, did a police search of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence’s top-secret intelligence agency’s computer equipment in Jørstadmoen, after a request by the Ministry of Defense.
While remaining confident that the case will be investigated in a correct way, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg stated to Aftenposten late Wednesday that “it’s important that the police now find out what actually has happened.”
Verdens Gang reported that to their knowledge, the surveillance happened in connection with FOST, having the responsibility for the computer security of key personnel within the prime minister’s office and other government offices. For practical reasons these people have been connected to the military secure lines. Sources with insight to the surveillance process explained to Aftenposten that when a possible breach of computer security is detected its protocol that the person be given a notice that he may be in process off or already have broken the security rules. A person, possible within the Prime minister’s office has most likely received such a note and has reacted to the fact that the computer traffic had been under surveillance.
Vice admiral Jan Eirik Finseth told Verdens Gang that the Defense security agency’s computer security section, reported that computer communication lines had been put under surveillance by military communications lines. Vice admiral Finseth stated to Verdens Gang that “the circumstances is of such a nature that the police [were] asked to investigate if anything of this may be illegal.”
When Wikinews contacted State attorney Petter Mandt, who leads the investigation, we received confirmation that a search in Jørstadmoen took place, but he would not comment on what was confiscated, if anything. Mandt also stated that they would not comment on any specifics or give any details on the investigation, but explained that for use of a police search there has to be more than 50% probable suspicion that something illegal may have happened. When asked if suspicion was that the prime minister’s office had been put under illegal surveillance, Mandt refused to comment and stated that he will comment on neither how many nor who the individuals involved are.
Defense political spokesperson for Socialistic left (Sv) Bjørn Jacobsen, told Wikinews that “it’s important to find out what, if anything has happened,” but that “it’s shocking that there even exist[s] a reason for a police search.” When asked what will happen if anything illegal is found to have taken place, Jacobsen responded by pointing out that in this case the prosecutors will have to decide on what to do next, but stated that “parliament will have to see if the law and regulations ha[ve] to be changed. It’s important to stop an eventual bad culture before it sticks to the walls.”
This is the second investigation of illegal government surveillance in Norway since the Lund commission’s report uncovered illegal surveillance of communist, socialist, and other persons, which the Norwegian Police Security Service deemed to be dangerous.
Wikinews was unable to get any comments from the Norwegian Military Defense when contacted.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Now on display at the Fridge Front Gallery in Shoppers World is “Mayfield Exposed!”, an exhibit of artworks by high school students.
Eighteen students in Mayfield School of the Arts’ Visual Arts program participated, from grades nine, ten, and eleven. The exhibit was organized by Stephanie Hagendorn and Paulina Su, both students at Mayfield who were once Visual Arts Brampton teen members.
The exhibit highlights a diverse range of subject matter, medias used, and style.
Among the sixteen other artists participating are Alana Arvay, Nicole Clouston, Emily Kowalik, Susan Li, Kirsten Marry, Tiffany Modinsar, Jannin Moore, Sarah Patterson, Alexandra Platt, Ricardo Stephen, Paulina Su, Brandie Wilkerson, Kristen Wilkinson, Clint Wilson, James Wu, and Lisa Young.
Fridge Front is run by Visual Arts Brampton, and is located on the west side of Shoppers World mall in Brampton. Shoppers World at 499 Main Street South, at the corner of Steeles Avenue.
Java Multithreading Basics | Creating and running threads in Java with examples
by
Infocampus
Conceptual basics of multithreading
Usually when we talk of multi-programming we refer to multiple programs running on a processor. A program is a set of instructions which when executed provides a specific functionality. An example of a commonly used program is a word processor such as MS Word. From the operating system point-of-view executing instances of programs are individual processes with each process having its own memory address space allocated to it.
As a process runs, it might need to take care of multiple internal tasks in parallel in order to deliver the complete set of functionalities which it offers. For example, as a person types in the word processor, there are multiple tasks running in the background. One task is responsible for saving changes in the document in a recovery file. Another task checks for spelling and grammatical errors as the user types. Yet another task does the basic task of displaying what a user types in the editor and so on.
All the above mentioned tasks are internal to the word processor program, i.e. they share the same memory address space which has been allocated to the word processor by the operating system. At the same time these internal tasks need to execute together or in parallel to ensure the programs functionalities are available to its users at the same time. Each of these parallel tasks are the smallest units of independent work carried out by program, and are instances of individual threads working to make the whole program work together.
To summarize the relation between programs, processes and threads. A program in execution is a process, and an executing process can have multiple threads running in parallel within it to accomplish multiple tasks that the process needs to carry out. The diagram below depicts the relationship between processes and threads.
A thread in Java is the smallest unit of dispatchable code which can be executed. As the bigger program executes in a process space of its own, its multiple internal threads carry out their individual tasks and communicate with each other to make the program work as a whole. These internal threads of work use a portion of the memory address space allocated to their parent program/process. As we will see in detail in forthcoming tutorials on concurrency management, this sharing of memory space has both advantages(inter-thread communication) and disadvantages(synchronization issues).
Thread management classes in Java are all designed around management of parallel internal threads of work over their entire lifecycle from creation to destruction. As we study basic and advanced features for multithreading in Java in this and upcoming tutorials in Java Concurrency series, we will cover all aspects related to defining, managing and optimizing threads.
To run a piece of functionality in parallel, you will need to first encapsulate it as a separate thread and then execute that thread. Let us now learn how to define and run individual thread instances as per our needs.
Creating and running a thread defined by extending Thread class
The first way of defining your own thread functionality involves sub-classing the java.lang.Thread class. An instance of Thread class holds a single thread of execution of a running program.
Creation of a new parallel thread using Thread class involves the following 3 steps
1.Define a class which extends Thread class.
2.Override the run() method of Thread class, and write your custom thread logic in it.
3.Invoke the start() method on your custom Thread subclass to start the thread execution.
Creating and running a thread defined by implementing Runnable interface
The second way to create a parallel thread is by implementing java.lang.Runnable interface. There are 4 steps involved in creating and running a separate thread using Runnable
1.Define a class which implements Runnable interface.
2.Override the run() method of Runnable interface, and write your custom thread logic in it.
3.Wrap the Runnable instance inside a new Thread instance. This is accomplished by using one of the multiple constructors provided by Thread class which accept the Runnable interface as parameter.
4.Invoke the start() method on the newly created Thread instance to start the thread execution.
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Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Dale Ogden, a 2010 California gubernatorial candidate, talks with Wikinews reporter Mike Morales about his platform.
Ogden is a member of the United States’ Libertarian Party.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
English actress Rachel Weisz thinks that Botox injections should be banned for all actors.
The 39-year-old actress, best known for her roles in the Mummy movie franchise and for her Academy Award-winning portrayal in The Constant Gardener, feels facial Botox injections leave actors less able to convey emotion and that it harms the acting industry as much as steroids harm athletes.
In an interview with UK’s Harper’s Bazaar, coming out next month, Weisz says, “It should be banned for actors, as steroids are for sportsmen,” she claims. “Acting is all about expression; why would you want to iron out a frown?”
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Currently living in New York, she also mentions that English women are much less worried about their physical appearance than in the United States. “I love the way girls in London dress,” she claimed. “It’s so different to the American ‘blow-dry and immaculate grooming’ thing.”
By Chris Malta & Robin Cowie
Running a One Man Show
Transitioning from working in the corporate world to working from home requires many adjustments, but the biggest one is probably organizing your time. Because, in a very real sense, it is
your time
now. Its not your boss time or the companies time you answer to yourself. Thats a tremendous amount of freedom, but its also a great deal of responsibility.
Youre now in charge of every aspect of your business. Its your job to find your clients, as well as to deliver your services to them. Its your job to collect the money, pay the bills and make the office run. Youre not only your boss, youre also your secretary, your marketing department, your tech support, your accountant, and so much more. Without a support staff backing you up, time-management becomes critical to your business success.
4 Tips to Make the Most of Your Time
To manage your time effectively, its imperative that you have a plan and that you follow through with it:
1. Schedule your days, and stick to your schedule.
Assign certain times for certain activities and projects. If you dont put yourself on a schedule, its very easy to find yourself wandering aimlessly and waste the entire day without really accomplishing anything. Or to forget some important task until its too late.
2. Make a to-do list each day, and be diligent about crossing everything off.
If you dont get something on todays list done, it should go right back to the top of tomorrows list. Rosalind Resnick, founder of Axxess Business Centers (
ABCBizHelp.net
), says, Thats one very good way to stay focused. Otherwise five oclock rolls around and its time for dinner, and youve got nothing done.
3. Set aside time to market yourself.
Promoting your business is essential, so schedule time for whatever it is that you do to bring in new customers.
Consider using the first hour of the day to make phone calls to potential clients, send out emails, etc., before you get busy with all your other business.
Resnick recommends using lunch as an opportunity for networking. She reasons, Everybody has to eat, so have lunch with either a client or potential client, or a consultant or professional services provider who could provide you with client leads, at least three out of five days a week.
4. Have a place in your house designated for business purposes only.
It doesn’t matter if it’s the spare room, the den, or the basement, but you need to have a place from which to work. When youre working from home, therell never be a shortage of distractions to pull your attention from the work at hand the kids, the fridge, the TV, even the solitude. So if possible, set up your work space somewhere that has a door you can close. And make sure your family understands that your work space is separate from your home space and when you’re at work, youre unavailable for non-emergencies.
Just being good at what you do doesnt guarantee you a profitable home business. If you want to be successful, youre going to have to take control of your time. If you discipline yourself and organize your time according to your needs, youre putting yourself in a position to achieve your goals.
About the Author: Product Sourcing Radio is Created and Hosted by Chris Malta and Rob Cowie of WorldwideBrands.com, Home of OneSource: The Internet’s Largest Source of Genuine, Factory-Direct Wholesalers for online sellers.
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