Author: Serkadis

After a year of negotiations, the Crete police union and village have agreed to a new three-year contract that includes salary increases from the financially strapped village.

The Crete Metropolitan Alliance of Police Chapter 36 ratified the contract earlier this month. The village board gave the pact preliminary approval last week and is expected to give it final approval March 8.

The contract calls for a 3 percent wage increase for officers, retroactive to 2009. Also, it calls for the contract to be reopened between February and May 2011 to renegotiate salary.

Mayor Michael Einhorn said he is glad the contract is being accepted by both parties. Hammering out contracts is an “unpleasant facet of local government,” he said.

Police Chief James Paoletti said he is glad the time-consuming process is finished.

“I’m happy for the officers involved. They were waiting nearly a year for this. It’s time to move forward. These are tough economic times to try to negotiate a contract,” he said.

The village had sought a provision allowing it to force officers to take unpaid furloughs, but the union rejected that. Now, village officials said, if spending cuts must be made in the department officers will be laid off.

Also in the contract is a life insurance policy, not related to death while in the line of duty, with an increased payout from $35,000 to $50,000.

Police officers will be able to roll over to the next year up to $300 of their uniform allowance to buy replacement bullet proof vests.

The two sides were set to go into arbitration the first week in March, but the contract was hammered out with the help of a mediator during some 40 hours of negotiations.

Read the original article from SouthTown Star.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

Friends build the ultimate snow fort

There are snow forts.

And then there are snow forts.

PHOTO GALLERY

Ultimate snow fort

Club Chill is one of the latter.

Most snow forts consist of kids digging into a pile of snow at the end of a driveway.

That’s what longtime friends Dylan Kwiatkowski, 18, Nick Frodyma, 18, and Randy Remblake, 17, all of Tinley Park, did for years.

“We’re sick of those,” Kwiatkowski said Friday.

So when they woke up Monday to find a blanket of heavy snow had fallen, the wheels were set in motion.

“It was perfect packing snow,” Kwiatkowski said.

Perfect for building the ultimate snow fort.

“Over the years, we wanted to do something awesome, and we came up with this,” Remblake said.

“This” is a snow fort that’s 15 feet wide, 15 feet long and seven feet tall.

The fortress with walls that are 2 1/2 feet thick is going nowhere soon.

“This will be up until the middle of March, at least,” Remblake said.

The three, all seniors at Lincoln-Way North High School in Frankfort, worked on the fort three to four hours after school Monday through Thursday.

“It was worth it,” Kwiatkowski said.

They gathered snow from the Frodyma yard and neighbors’ yards.

Why build it behind the Frodyma home?

“I’ve got the biggest back yard,” Frodyma said.

And the most snow to work with.

Once word spread in the neighborhood, younger kids began showing up to help.

They gathered snow into small buckets that were dumped into recycle bins used to build the walls.

Inch by inch, foot by foot, the fort grew. Cold weather at night fortified the walls, Frodyma said.

The three all attend engineering classes, and put that knowledge to work.

“We used a tape measure. We made sure the walls were straight, and the ground was flat” Frodyma said.

The walls look sturdy.

“You can run into one and nothing would happen,” Kwiatkowski said.

A moment later, he added, “but we don’t want to try that.”

They considered using sheets of plywood topped with snow for the roof. Instead, a green tarp borrowed from a friend’s pool is the roof. The tarp attracts heat, making the interior quite tolerable.

There’s plenty of room to lounge inside Club Chill.

There’s a bench, several folding chairs, a small table, a garbage can, an iPod player and a George Foreman Grill.

“We made hot dogs on the grill (Thursday) night,” Kwiatkowski said.

Power is supplied by an extension cord from the Frodyma home that snakes through a small hole in the wall.

Several strings of green Christmas lights illuminate the interior.

“When it’s dark out, there’s a green aura coming from in here,” Remblake said.

These three Arctic architects planned to spend most of the weekend relaxing in their fort.

“We’ll beat this one next year. We’ll all come home from college to build it,” Kwiatkowski vowed.

His father, Matt Kwiatkowski, is impressed by the boys’ dedication.

“It’s nice that they channeled their energy doing something constructive, rather that sit around playing video games. They made good use of the snow,” he said.

Read the original article from SouthTown Star.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

There’s plenty of new stuff on this week’s calendar but nothing comes close to Global Ignite Week. And with more than 50 events all around the world, it’s likely that there’s an Ignite close to you. Remember, they’re almost guaranteed to make you smarter. Like the the Ignite motto says: “Enlighten us, but make it quick.”

How do you like your events calendar? As a world map? As an iCal (and Google Calendar-importable) file? You can also import individual events using the link beside each entry. Know of something cool taking place that should appear here? Let us know in the comments below or contact us.

Sponsor

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1 – 5 March 2010: Worldwide

Global Ignite Week

From March 1-5, 50-plus Ignites will take place in cities around the world. Upwards of 10,000 entrepreneurs, technologists, DIYers, creative professionals, and enthusiastic knowledge-seekers will gather in local pubs, theaters, and other convivial venues for an evening that is a unique blend of networking, information, and fun, encapsulated in

In talks that are exactly five minutes long, Ignite presenters share their personal and professional passions, using 20 slides that auto-advance every 15 seconds.

Global Ignite Week is both an in-person and online phenomenon. Local Ignites will stream live video during the event, and those videos will be archived on the new Ignite video site that is being launched in conjunction with the event. At least 500 five-minute session videos will be available on the new site when it debuts.

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4 March 2010: Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley VC and Angel Conference

At FundingPost‘s next event, a panel of investors who will focus on early-stage venture investing. We will be discussing trends in early-stage investing, sectors that these Angels and VCs look at, things that are most important to them when they are considering an investment and the best and worst things an entrepreneur can do to get their attention. Entrepreneur summaries will be given to the investor speakers and attendees – all of the investors will get your company description and contact info!

Additionally, there will be an optional pitching workshop lunch where we will completely deconstruct your elevator pitch, and work with you on formulating a clean and concise elevator pitch giving the important information that investors need to hear to make an educated decision on your company! Then you get to give your new elevator pitch in person to the panel of investors during the event! Click here for more information.

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11 March 2010: Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles VC and Angel Event

At FundingPost‘s next event, a panel of investors who will focus on early-stage venture investing. We will be discussing trends in early-stage investing, sectors that these Angels and VCs look at, things that are most important to them when they are considering an investment and the best and worst things an entrepreneur can do to get their attention. Entrepreneur summaries will be given to the investor speakers and attendees – all of the investors will get your company description and contact info!

Additionally, there will be an optional pitching workshop lunch where we will completely deconstruct your elevator pitch, and work with you on formulating a clean and concise elevator pitch giving the important information that investors need to hear to make an educated decision on your company! Then you get to give your new elevator pitch in person to the panel of investors during the event! Click here for more information.

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15 – 16 March 2010: London, England

2nd Annual Social Networking World Forum — London

The 2nd Annual Social Networking World Forum takes place at the Olympia Conference Centre in London. The two-day event features four dedicated conference streams:

• Social Networking World Forum
• Enterprise social media
• Social TV World Forum
• Mobile Social Networking Forum

The event features key speakers from global brands, organizations, social networking publishers and developers, pioneering social media leaders, top agencies, content producers, and more.

• Full workshop program within exhibition area
• Evening networking reception
• Pre-show online meeting planner for delegates
• Free pass for exhibition only

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22 – 26 March 2010: New York City

Search Engine Strategies New York Conference & Expo

Go beyond search at Search Engine Strategies New York. Learn the newest trends, strategic action plans, and technology that industry leaders are employing today. Our experts will trace the natural evolution of search exploring topics such as: digital asset optimization, mobile application development, transition from search to discovery and more.Book your pass today. Enter RWW15 to save 15% off the registration. Sessions include:

• Digital Asset Optimization
• Deep Dive Into Analytics
• Augmented Reality: It’s a Brave New World
• Bringing SEO In-House: The Pros and Cons
• Advanced B2B Search Marketing
• Duplicate Content & Multiple Site Issues

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23 March 2010: San Francisco, California

S.F. Beta 4.0

After a long winter’s hiatus, S.F. Beta is back, for its forth year straight! Join hundreds of founders, investors, developers, and technologists for a lively evening of demos, drinks, conversation, and new connections. Early bird tickets are available, and they’re going fast. Register now for discounted admission. As always, we feature startup demos all night. This time around, the theme is Search & Discovery. If you’re building the next Google (or the next Google acquisition), we want you here! Email [email protected] for more info.

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26 March 2010: San Francisco, California

Freemium Summit

The first Freemium Summit is a one day event focused on exploring what it takes to succeed under the freemium business model. Across all segments of the media landscape, entrepreneurs and executives are pioneering models that combine a free offering with a premium, paid offering. This hybrid business model is one of the most exciting areas of business model innovation impacting the world of media and the Freemium Summit will explore the most important topics on the minds of leading practitioners.

Confirmed Speakers: Toni Schneider, Automattic (WordPress); Matt Brezina, Xobni; Aaron Levie, Box.net; Phil Libin, Evernote; Tom Conrad, Pandora; Drew Houston, Dropbox; Ranjith Kumaran, YouSendIt; Ben Chestnut, Mailchimp; Lance Walley, Chargify; Isaac Hall, Recurly; and Lincoln Murphy, Sixteen Ventures.

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7 – 9 April 2010: Sydney, Australia

ConnectNow

ConnectNow brings together international specialists and thought leaders in social media, emerging technologies and their intersection with business. Learn how the realtime web, location based services, augmented reality, ubiquitous computing and personalised services are changing marketing and communications. Understand the importance of trust in relationship marketing and what is “social currency”. For more info email [email protected].

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13 – 15 April 2010: Dallas, Texas

PubCon South

PubCon, the premier search and social media conference, features the industry’s biggest names and key players shaping the future of the Web. PubCon South will include cutting-edge panel sessions exploring tracks dedicated to search, social media and affiliate marketing, an intensive professional search and social media training program, and some of the world’s top keynote speakers. PubCon South at Dallas will also hold a one-day, two-track slate of intensive educational training programs led by some of the industry’s most respected search professionals. The event takes place at the Richardson Conference and Civic Center. Register here.

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16 April 2010: Mountain View, California

Under the Radar: Cloud

Under the Radar: Cloud is must-attend event for dealmakers and heads of IT from large enterprises, SMBs, service providers, carriers and media companies who are responsible for helping their companies leverage new technology and innovation in the fast-evolving IT ecosystem. Join us for the 15th Under the Radar conference, featuring a hand-picked selection of the world’s most innovative cloud startups among 350 top tech, media, telcom and finance executives. For ticket and more information, visit http://undertheradarblog.com.

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16 – 17 April 2010: Royal Oak, Michigan

FutureMidwest

FutureMidwest is the region’s largest technology and knowledge conference. Founded by Adrian Pittman, Jordan Wolfe and Zach Lipson, FutureMidwest is the fusion of two successful conferences held in Michigan in 2009 – the Module Midwest Digital Conference and TechNow.

Both conferences highlighted how technology and digital tools have dramatically changed the way we do business and the effect this transition has had on companies. FutureMidwest kicks things up a notch with presentations, group breakout sessions, relationship-building opportunities and influencers who are taking action to redefine business in the digital age. Register here.

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19 – 21 April 2010: San Francisco, California

DrupalCon

DrupalCon is the premier conference focused on Drupal, the award-winning open source content management framework that is galvanizing social publishing and web development today. For a registration fee of $195, attendees get three full days of sessions led by the best and brightest Drupal experts.

Drupal has been downloaded over 2 million times since its inception, and project growth has doubled annually for several years. Drupal is used to deliver a wide variety of application types including blogs, wikis, community networks, digital media portals, and web content publishing and management.

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26 April 2010: San Francisco, California

Future of Money and Technology Summit

The Future of Money & Technology Summit will bring together the best and brightest thinkers around money, including visionaries, entrepreneurial business people, developers, press, investors, authors, solution/service providers, and organizations who work where cash and commerce collide. We meet to discuss the evolving ecosystem around money in a proactive, conducive to dealmaking environment. Featured speakers include Jolie O’Dell from ReadWriteWeb, as well as representatives from Wells Fargo Bank, Kiva, SharesPost, Jambool, Founders Fund, Outright.com, SoftTech VC, and many more.

Use discount code “rww” to get 10% off registration.

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11 May 2010: San Francisco, California

FinovateSpring

FinovateSpring 2010 will again showcase the most cutting-edge financial and banking technology innovations to Silicon Valley and the world. With Finovate’s signature mix of short, fast-paced onstage demos (no slides are allowed) from handpicked companies and intimate networking time with their executives, this conference packs a ton of unique value into a single day.

Come see the cutting edge of banking and financial technology and network with hundreds of the leading financial executives, venture capitalists, press, industry analysts, bloggers and fintech entrepreneurs. Early bird registration rates are available.

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15 – 16 June 2010: New York City

Corporate Social Media Summit

The Corporate Social Media Summit is a two day conference focused exclusively on how big businesses can take advantage of social media to enhance their marketing/comms strategy. Featuring:

• Practical and relevant insights from peers who have already used social media successfully
• 20-plus corporate speakers (including PepsiCo, Whole Foods, Dell, McDonald’s, General Motors, Citi, Johnson & Johnson),
• Best practice, benchmarks and practical next steps you can use to take advantage of social media in your business
• A tightly-focused agenda with 14 in-depth, practical workshops giving you knowledge on only the most critical business issues surrounding corporate use of social media

Save $400 if you quote RWW400 when booking. Book here.

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29 – 30 June 2010: London

Cloud Computing World Forum

The 2nd annual Cloud Computing World Forum is the perfect event to learn and discuss the development, integration, adoption and future of cloud computing and SaaS. Building on the success of the 2009 show, this two day conference and free-to-attend exhibition will provide a focused platform for the global cloud and SaaS industry. Show highlights include:

• Co-located with CloudCamp London
• Co-located with Green IT conference
• Free-to-attend exhibition with seminar and scenario theatre
• Free-to-attend evening awards presentation
• Hear from leading case studies on how they have integrated cloud computing and SaaS into their working practices
• Learn from the key players offering cloud and SaaS services
• Evening networking party for all attendees

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5 October 2010: New York City

FinovateFall

FinovateFall will return to Manhattan on Tuesday, October 5 to showcase dozens of the biggest and most innovative new ideas in financial and banking technology from established leaders and hot young companies. The Fall event is the original and largest Finovate and features a single day packed with our special blend of short, fast-paced onstage demos (no slides are allowed) and intimate networking time with top executives from the innovative demoing companies.

FinovateFall is a unique chance to see the future of finance and banking before your competition and find the edge you need in today’s market. Early bird registration rates are available.

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Download this entire events calendar in iCal format.

Discuss

El medio Autoplus ha sido el encargado de publicar la primera imagen correspondiente al nuevo Renault Espace. Este modelo dará paso a la nueva generación de este monovolumen de la marca gala.

En la imagen podemos ver la parte trasera del nuevo modelo de Renault en el que por lo que se puede apreciar tendrá un diseño mucho más elegante y elaborado que en la pasada generación. Uno de los cambios más reclamados que tendrá será que los asientos traseros podrán ser plegados por completo para aumentar la capacidad del maletero.

En lo referente a la motorización, hará uso de un motor 3.0 dCi que esta siendo desarrollado por la propia marca. Por el momento estos son los pocos datos que tenemos asi que tendremos que seguir esperando.

Related posts:

1. Toyota RAV4 2010, primera imagen filtrada
2. Renault Mégane CC, vídeo disponible
3. Renault Wind, vídeo disponible

The copper market re-opens tomorrow evening, and earthquake-struck Chile is the world’s major player.

Here are some key background facts courtesy of Mbendi.com:

• Chile accounts for 30% of the world’s reserves. 
• Its share of global production is even higher, at 35%. 
• 17% of the countrys’ exports go to China. The US, France, and South Korea account for another 30%.
• Copper accounts for 40% of the nation’s exports.

Now, here’s some of what’s known right now, courtesy of Reuters:

• About one-fifth of the country’s production has already been suspended.
• The mines closest to the epicenter of the quake are Anglo-American’s Los Bronces and El Soldado. They produce 280,000 tons per year.
• The main state-owned firm Codelco is only expected to be closed for two days. (Wikipedia: Codelco).

Bloomberg also has an assessment and notes that most mining is done well to the north of the quake, and that so far, miners are saying they’re largely unscathed. Rio Tinto says its prize Escondido copper mine (the world’s biggest) is not affected.

As for oil, Platts is reporting that all refining has been shut down, taking 230k b/d off the market.

So the initial flash doesn’t sound too bad. But here’s what we’re waiting to hear: What is going to be the effect on transportation of copper? To what extent will the destruction and various waves effect sea-based exports?

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Tsunami Fears In Hawaii Following Massive Earthquake In Chile
• Chile Struck By Massive 8.8 Magnitude Quake
• Copper Traders Nervously Await Sunday 6:00 PM

What drew us in to the pork recipe submitted by Susan Rosenberg (for the Primal Blueprint Cookbook Contest) was not the pork itself, although any meal involving pork tenderloin is bound to be good. The pork preparation is simple and straightforward, involving nothing more than searing medallions in a pan. It is what Susan serves with the tenderloin, a creamy variation of pesto with flavors ranging from slightly spicy and sweet to cool and pungent, that makes us swoon.

As much as we like this pesto with pork, we immediately started thinking about all the other foods we might pair it with. This led to mixing some pesto in with a little shredded cabbage that happened to be in the fridge, and the result was a killer coleslaw. It’s just as easy to imagine serving the pesto over steak or seafood. What, exactly, makes it so versatile? First of all, you’ve got to love cilantro, an aromatic herb that people tend to have very strong feelings about.

From a distance, cilantro can easily be mistaken for parsley, but when you look at cilantro closely, the leaves are flatter and more feathery. Cilantro has a perfumed (some might say soapy) aroma and fresh, clean flavor. Those who love it will put it on just about anything, although the cool flavor makes cilantro especially delicious with Asian, Indian and Mexican dishes. Those who hate cilantro won’t even let it come near their kitchen. If you fall into this category, try the pesto with a different herb, like mint or parsley. You might also consider joining the Facebook group “I Hate Cilantro,” where you can get moral support from more than 700 members.

But if you love cilantro, you’re not going to be able to get enough of this pesto. Although Susan’s right, a little bit goes a long way, so you can make one batch and save half for another meal. The rich texture and bold flavor add an addictive flavor to the pork tenderloin or whatever you choose to serve it with. While the flavor mostly comes from the cilantro and ginger, the almond butter and coconut milk add just the right amount of creaminess.

Marinade Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of pork tenderloin
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

Instructions:

Slice the tenderloin into rounds of 1-inch thickness. Mix oils and vinegar, add garlic and ginger.

Marinate the pork slices in a non-reactive glass container for at least 2 hours or overnight, turning at intervals to marinate both sides of the slices. When the pork is ready to cook, prepare the pesto below:

Pesto Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of cilantro, leaves only
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil (or less, to taste)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (or more, to taste)
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
• 1/2 -1 cup coconut milk
• sea salt to taste

Blend sauce ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth, adding coconut milk until preferred consistency is reached.

To cook the pork, heat some coconut oil, lard, or olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Quickly sear the slices, turning once, until just cooked through. Do not crowd the pan, cook in batches as needed so they sear and don’t steam.

Keep each batch warm in a warm oven or covered in foil wrap.

To serve: Put a few slices of pork on a plate with a little bit of pesto on each slice, or serve pesto on the side. (A little pesto goes a long way, flavor-wise.)

Serve with cooked greens with sesame seeds and sliced red peppers for a nice color combo.

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Related posts:

1. Broccoli Rabe Pesto with Baked Cod
2. Roasted Pork Loin with Apples, Onions and Sauerkraut
3. Pork Loin with Mango Salsa

CHICAGO (STMW)  — Police are looking for a man who stabbed his former co-worker during an armed robbery Saturday morning at a Lincoln Park car wash.

The victim, a man in his 30s, was stabbed about 8:29 a.m. at a car wash at 1415 W. Shakespeare Ave., police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli said.

The robber was the man’s former co-worker at the car wash and fled with an unknown amount of cash, police said. No one is in custody Saturday morning, Mirabelli said.

White Glove Car Wash, in the near north side Lincoln Park neighborhood, is located at that address according to a Web listing.

The victim was transported to Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital in serious-to-critical condition, Fire Media Affairs Chief Joe Roccasalva said.

Belmont Area detectives are investigating.

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

Google has been under a lot of pressure and scrutiny as it dominance in search and other fields has grown. While the company ensures everyone its practices are legit, with so much power, many, including government regulators, are wondering if Google doesn’t abuse its position. The story of one Google employee should shed some light on how Google h… (read more)

STEGER (STMW)  — Parents of students at Bloom Trail High School in south suburban Steger are upset about not being alerted about two ROTC instructors who were suspended for allegedly sending inappropriate e-mails to some students.

Bloom Township High School District 206 Supt. Glen Gianetti said Daniel Walsh and Robert Lamacki were suspended with pay Feb. 18 pending an investigation into improprieties through e-mail dealing with ROTC students.

He would not go into any details of what the improprieties were.

Some parents are upset not only at the allegations, but about the lack of communication from the school.

“As a parent of an ROTC student who has these two instructors, my husband and I should have been sent a letter or informed in some way that they’ve been removed from the school,” said Theresa Kilmowski, of Steger, whose son is a sophomore in ROTC at the high school.

“I don’t need to know all the sordid details, but let us know what’s going on.”

Gianetti said he was told by Frank Kuzniewski, principal at Bloom Trail High School, that he had informed parents of the allegations and the suspensions.

Carla Anderson, of Sauk Village, said her son told her about the situation after he went to meet with Walsh and was told by students that Walsh had been suspended.

“They didn’t let parents know about this, as usual,” Anderson said. “They bury things over there.”

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

This week, an Italian magistrate convicted three Google employees for an Internet video that none of them had produced, uploaded, or even seen. The case arose from an Italian video that was uploaded in 2006 to Google Video, which showed a disabled child being bullied by other schoolchildren. An advocacy organization and the boy’s father in Milan pushed for a criminal prosecution; a local prosecutor decided to pursue a case against four individual Google employees. In the decision, a defamation charge was dropped, but three of the named executives were found guilty of a charge related to Italy’s privacy laws, and each sentenced to a six month suspended sentences.

We may not see the Italian decision stand for long, and cannot imagine a similar case happening in most Western countries. But it represents a growing temptation of courts and lawmakers worldwide: to find excuses to strip away the protection the law grants to Internet intermediaries. It’s also an intimation of the very serious consequences to the Net and free speech if those safe harbors are weakened.

Europe has, in theory at least, at the EU level, strong protections for Internet intermediaries in its E-Commerce Directive: Article 14 of that directive provides that hosting providers are not responsible for the content they host, as long as they are not informed of its illegal character, and they act promptly when informed of it. Article 15 clarifies that hosts do not need to monitor hosted content for potentially illegal content.

This judgement guts both these principles. The court dismissed the allegation of criminal defamation but upheld a charge of illegally handling personal data on the basis that a video is personal data, and that under EU data protection law, Google needed prior authority before distributing that personal data.

This interpretation of the law means that Google is co-responsible for the legality of content containing the images of persons — before anyone has complained about the content. That effectively means to comply with the decision, any intermediary working within Italy must now pre-screen every piece of video with anyone who appears within it, or risk prosecution. As the judgement stands, it also presents such a wide definition of personal data that it might effectively require that all hosts pre-screen all content be it video, text, audio or data.

The unconscionable fact that this prosecution is of individuals, while devastating for those involved, is only part of the problem. The whole Internet relies on the fact that third-parties can carry messages without having to self-police, interfere with those messages or take responsibility for millions of others’ communications.

The Net is made of intermediaries, and attacks on the safe harbor protections for those intermediaries is under way across the world. In China, it’s called ISP “self-discipline”. In the United States, it’s rightsholders demanding secondary or even tertiary liability for infringement by users, or loopholes in net neutrality, or attempts to weaken the protections of CDA 230. Italy may choose to unfairly victimize three American executives in this case, but the openness of the entire Internet risks becoming a victim if the safe harbors are compromised elsewhere.

Everyone will be focused on the copper markets Sunday evening, awaiting news on damage to Chilean copper mines, and the effect on shipping routes.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Chile Struck By Massive 8.8 Magnitude Quake
• Once Again, Copper Nails The Trade
• Chinese Demand Will Keep The Boom Going For Copper And Fertilizer In 2010

Update: See here for information on how to survive a tsunami.

Original post: Here’s an amazing graphic from the the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showing the potential tsunami fallout zone. As you can see, this earthquake in underground Chile is an event that will literally be felt by everyone on the pacific.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Hawaii To Sound Tsunami Sirens At 6:00 AM To Wake Everyone Up And Warn Them
• Tsunami Fears In Hawaii Following Massive Earthquake In Chile
• Chile Struck By Massive 8.8 Magnitude Quake

CHICAGO (STMW)  — ComEd has tipped its hand. The electric utility plans to seek a rate increase this year on top of one it’s due to receive this spring.

The company said it will ask the Illinois Commerce Commission for a rate hike in a few months. It declined to say how much it will seek. Spokesman Bennie Currie said the utility cut costs by $200 million in 2009 while still spending to upgrade its system. He said ComEd needs to be compensated for that work.

The utility disclosed its plans at a Feb. 3 investor conference for its parent company, Exelon Corp.

The ICC has given ComEd permission to implement a $70 million rate increase in April. The money will cover escalating costs from unpaid bills and is expected to cost the average residential customer about $1 per month.

In September 2008, ComEd raised its rates by $270 million.

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

As always, Warren Buffett has woven some gems into his folksy discussion of Berkshire’s past year and crazy half-century of success.

This year’s letter includes:

• A body-slam of Wall Street CEOs who refuse to accept any responsibility for the huge risks that destroyed their firms
• The requisite story of a boneheaded mistake Warren made this year (charming and hardly boneheaded, as always)
• Advice for companies that actually want to get good advice from Wall Street
• An explanation of why CEOs are eager to overpay for acquisitions
• An explanation of how our government’s screwy housing policies are hammering some housing consumers and one of Berkshire’s companies
• An explanation of why Warren focuses on book value instead of his share price as a measure of his success
• Highlights of what you’ll be able to do at the Annual Meeting.

Let’s get right to it >

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Warren Buffett’s Annual Letter

PALATINE (STMW)  — A northwest suburban man is suing his neighbor for libel and slander after she falsely called the police on him and said he was masturbating at an open window.

Kevin Converse filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court Friday against his neighbor Neri Barcenas for libel and slander. Barcenas falsely reported to the police that she saw Converse masturbating while standing at an open window and staring at her on two separate occasions in February and July 2008, according to the suit.

After the second incident, Barcenas identified Converse in a photo lineup and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Converse turned himself in and had to hire a lawyer for a criminal misdemeanor trial that eventually found him not guilty, the suit said.

During the trail, Converse was notified by the Palatine Police Department Sex Offender Unit to register as a sex offender via neon green signs that were posted on his door, causing him public humiliation and damaging his reputation, the suit said.

The suit claims defamation and seeks at least $50,000 plus legal fees.

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

CEDAR LAKE, Ind. (STMW)  — A natural gas leak that smelled like “car exhaust” sent 47 Hanover Central High School students and teachers to area hospitals Friday morning.

As a precaution, Hanover Community School Corp. officials dismissed the middle and high school students as emergency responders and investigators swarmed the school, located at 10120 W. 133rd Ave.

Investigators determined the gas leak came from a faulty stove valve in one of the high school home economics classrooms, Cedar Lake Fire Chief Todd Wilkening said.

After making several safety checks with the school’s air handling system throughout the building, “everything checked out fine,” Wilkening said.

School Superintendent Carol Kaiser said she expects classes to resume Monday.

Earlier in the day, 45 students and two teachers went to the hospital after feeling ill with flu-like symptoms.

Students reported feeling sick at about 9:45 a.m., Cedar Lake Police Chief Roger Patz said.

School officials advised students and faculty through the school’s public announcement system to report to the gymnasium if they felt sick.

Reported symptoms included vomiting, nose bleeds, headaches and nausea.

Ambulances transported those who sought a medical checkup to Community Hospital in Munster, Saint Anthony Medical Center in Crown Point, Saint Margaret Mercy in Dyer and The Methodist Hospitals in Merrillville.

They were all treated and released by Friday afternoon, Wilkening said.

As soon as school officials determined the school would close, they alerted parents and guardians about the situation through an automated emergency call system.

Cynthia Singleton, a mother of two Hanover Central students, received an automated phone message alerting her that school was canceled due to “unknown circumstances.”

“Honestly, I didn’t know what to think,” said Singleton, of Cedar Lake.

She said she breathed a sigh of relief only when she reached her children through their cell phones.

“I just needed more information as a parent,” she said. “You panic until you find out what’s going on.”

After dismissal, students streamed out into the parking lot to get to their cars.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said 17-year-old Jordan Westhoff, a high school junior, as he surveyed the scene standing in the parking lot.

“When they told us to stay in our rooms, I first thought ‘OK, it’s a drug search,’” he said.

Hazardous materials teams and emergency vehicles from surrounding jurisdictions, including Lakes of the Four Seasons and Beecher, Ill., lined the school’s athletic center entrance.

Other students who either took the bus or had their parents pick them up were bused to Jane Ball Elementary School for their rides.

“I just have a headache,” said Ryan Yaverski, a high school junior, as he walked to the parking lot passing by dozens of emergency vehicles.

The odor reminded him of “car exhaust.”

Shelby Mager, a high school senior, agreed.

She was in a home economics class when she noticed the odor.

Mager, 18, and some of her classmates suspected it came from the “cooking room.”

“Because once we moved to the sewing room, (the odor) wasn’t as strong,” she said. “… I think (canceling school) was a necessary precaution.”

Abby Schweitzer, a senior, credited the faculty and staff for keeping the situation orderly.

“They were calm and steady,” said Schweitzer, 18.

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

FOX LAKE (STMW)  — Seven years after McHenry County teenager Brian Carrick vanished from a neighborhood grocery store, a former co-worker has been charged with murdering the 17-year-old stock boy and then disposing of his body, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Carrick’s one-time boss, 26-year-old Mario Casciaro, allegedly killed the teen while he worked at Val’s Foods in far northwest suburban Johnsburg, McHenry County authorities announced late Friday.

The charges filed against Casciaro brought a measure of comfort to Carrick’s father, who said he always believed that family members would see murder charges brought in the notorious case.

“I think it was inevitable,” Carrick’s father, William, said of the charges, praising police and prosecutors for never halting their efforts to determine what happened to his son.

“I knew they weren’t going to quit and it was just going to be a matter of time,” Carrick added. “This is the culmination of a lot of real, real hard work.”

Brian Carrick disappeared on Dec. 20, 2002 when he left his Johnsburg home and walked across the street to Val’s Foods.

The high school junior never returned home, but police later found traces of his blood–and signs of a disturbance–inside the store. His body, however, has never been found.

But throwing an unusual twist into the charges filed against Casciaro is the fact that he already has been tried and acquitted of perjury charges stemming from Carrick’s disappearance.

That 2009 acquittal didn’t stop a McHenry County grand jury this week from indicting Casciaro on charges of first-degree murder and concealing a homicidal death. The indictment alleges that Carrick died after being struck in the head while he was at the store, authorities said.

Casciaro was arrested Saturday in Fox Lake.

Casciaro was charged in 2007 with perjury for allegedly lying to a grand jury investigating Carrick’s disappearance. A former acquaintance testified at his trial last year that Casciaro had admitted that he and another man had been involved in Carrick’s disappearance. Casciaro, however, denied implicating himself in Carrick’s disappearance and he ultimately was acquitted of the charges by a McHenry County judge.

Authorities wouldn’t say Friday what prompted the indictment, but said they never lost hope of some day filing charges in the teen’s disappearance.

“We’re committed, regardless of the time, to pursue justice and bring closure to the family,’’ said McHenry County State’s Attorney Louis Bianchi, who declined further comment on the case.

Casciaro is jailed on $5 million bond. He is scheduled to appear Saturday in bond court in northwest suburban Woodstock on the charges, which could send him to prison for as long as 65 years.

Carrick’s mother, Therese “Terry” Carrick, died of cancer last November, still grieving over the disappearance of her son–one of her 14 children. But William Carrick said he believes his wife, always a devout Catholic, knows that murder charges finally have been filed in the case.

“She’s watching from the balcony,” William Carrick said of his wife.

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services