Eurovision ’04 winner Ruslana discusses her paths as singer, spokesmodel, stateswoman and source of inspiration

Monday, March 30, 2009

First becoming famous in her native Ukraine in the 1990s, long-haired self-described “AmazonRuslana gained international recognition for winning the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest with her song “Wild Dances,” inspired by the musical traditions of the Hutsul people of the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains.

In the five years since, Ruslana has decided to use her name and public status to represent a number of worthy causes, including human trafficking, renewable energy, and even the basic concept of democratic process, becoming a public face of Ukraine’s Orange Revolution and later serving in Parliament.

Currently, she is on an international publicity tour to promote her album Wild Energy, a project borne out of a science fiction novel that has come to symbolize her hopes for a newer, better, freer way of life for everyone in the world. She took time to respond to questions Wikinews’s Mike Halterman posed to her about her career in music and her other endeavors.

This is the fifth in a series of interviews with past Eurovision contestants, which will be published sporadically in the lead-up to mid-May’s next contest in Moscow.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Eurovision_%2704_winner_Ruslana_discusses_her_paths_as_singer,_spokesmodel,_stateswoman_and_source_of_inspiration&oldid=3548877”

Australian government hopes to establish triage by phone

Sunday, January 29, 2006

The Australian federal government hopes to slash hospital emergency department waiting queues by setting up a 24-hour national medical hotline.

A government source said that the National Health Call Centre Network would be manned by registered triage nurses 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. Triage nurses would perform a diagnosis over the phone based upon the description given by the patient. The patient would then be referred to the nearest emergency department, their local GP or pharmacy – as determined by the nurse.

The issue is expected to be discussed at next month’s Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in Canberra. It is believed that the states and territories are supportive of the system.

If agreed upon by COAG, the service will be jointly funded by state/territory and the commonwealth governments at a cost of $40 million a year. The service would take 18 months to set up.

The service will be ran from a centralised call centre and be managed by a private contractor.

Julia Gillard, the opposition’s spokeswoman for health said any national call service needed to be linked with local GPs and medical services.

Gillard claims that under a Labor government, an after-hours “Pizza Hut” style service would be implemented, with a single national number connecting to a local call centre.

“You would be talking to people in the locality you are in and who know the local services,” she said

The Australian Medical Association, an organisation representing more than 27,000 doctors in Australia has slammed the proposal saying it will only deter people from seeking appropriate medical treatment.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Australian_government_hopes_to_establish_triage_by_phone&oldid=1059187”

What Is The Process Of Water Purification?

byadmin

There are a number of different ways to create pure water from water that comes from natural sources or indeed, water that emanates from human drainage systems. The most common water purification in Lincoln, NE is when water is extracted from a constant source and mechanically enhanced by removing all the physical impurities. Once the physical impurities have been removed from the source water and any harmful bacteria or organisms in the water have been destroyed the water is safe for human consumption.

The process of water purification begins when water is taken from the source, this can be a river, lake or a sewer system. The water is first sent to huge holding tanks where it is allowed to sit motionless for long enough for much of the suspended material to be separated as it sinks to the bottom of the tank.

Once the initial separation process has been completed the water moves on to the actual purification process. It moves from the holding tank to another tank where large physical objects are removed, not sediment. At this stage the pH of the water is adjusted to within specific limits and sodium carbonate is put into the water, this begins a reaction that results in calcium carbonate.From here the water moves to areas where the water is disinfected. As it moves from the second holding tank and heads to the area where water purification in Lincoln, NE takes place, harmful microbes are destroyed. In the past the destruction of the microbes was done with chlorine, today much of the purification process is done using hydrogen peroxide, UV light and ozone.

At this stage the water is still not purified, it must be subjected to a process called flocculation. Based on the original source of the water and the location of the purification plant tiny particles are added to the water. These tiny particles are attracted to one another and many of the common impurities found in water. These particles eventually form small balls of impure material; this water then flows to another tank where the little balls settle on the bottom.

The final stage of the purification process is active filtering. Many different filtering methods exist but the most common is to force the water through a bed of sand. Once filtration is complete the water is fit for human consumption and is piped to the consumer through the municipal water distribution system.

Dissolved mineral salts, excessive chorine and even bacteria can still remain in the municipal water when it arrives in your home and further water purification in Lincoln, NE will improve the taste and odor. You are invited to contact Futuramic’s Clean Water Center to learn more about their reverse osmosis and UV sterilization systems.

Apple collecting location data from iPhone, iPad

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Apple Inc.’s iPhone and iPad periodically send location information back to the company, according to new reports. The data is transmitted to a secure database that only it can access, Apple claims.

Bruce Sewell, an attorney for Apple, sent a letter to two US Representatives last year, discussing the company’s data collection techniques and policies. The thirteen-page letter states that location information is recorded and sent to Apple every twelve hours, but only if the user enables the device’s location settings.

Apple began building a location database of its own when it decided to stop using similar services offered by Google & SkyHook Wireless. Location data is used in social networking applications and call routing.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Democratic Massachusetts Representative Edward Markey said, “Apple needs to safeguard the personal location information of its users to ensure that an iPhone doesn’t become an iTrack.”

Such data collection is not unique to Apple. Google’s Android operating system uses similar technology to provide location-based services to its users. Google has said that it also uses the data collected to provide accurate traffic data through its “Maps” applications on both Apple and Android devices. However, the company declined to comment on the latest findings regarding its data collection.

Apple was also recently in the spotlight after it was discovered that the iPhone and iPad were retaining location data on the device itself. This information is collected in an unencrypted file and is not transmitted elsewhere. The data file reportedly contains a variety of information, including longitude and latitude, cell phone tower identification data, wireless hotspot identification, and timestamps.

 This story has updates See Steve Jobs denies ‘location-gate’ 
Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Apple_collecting_location_data_from_iPhone,_iPad&oldid=3807263”

Evangelist Kent Hovind’s tax trial begins

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Evangelist Kent Hovind and his wife, Jo, are trying to convince a federal jury that their money from video and amusement park admission sales belong to God and cannot be taxed. The trial began at United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida on Tuesday October 18, 2006 after twelve jury members and two alternates were selected to decide on the 58 federal courts against Hovind and his wife. The trial was expected to take at least two weeks to complete with the prosecution hoping to rest its case Tuesday, but a defense attorney became ill and the Judge delayed the trial until October 30th.

Hovind is a Young Earth creationist who does many speaking engagements and debates. He also sells videos giving a pro-creationism perspective, which he receives income for. Hovind, who calls himself “Dr. Dino”, received a Ph.D in “Christian education” from the unaccredited correspondence school Patriot Bible University in 1991.

Prosecutor Michelle Heldmeyer said from 1999 to March 2004, the Hovinds took in more than $5 million. Heldmeyer charged Hovind on 12 counts for failing to pay about $470,000 in federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes for his ministry employees between March 31, 2001, and Jan. 31, 2004. Counts 13 through 57 include Hovind’s wife for making 45 transactions in a little more than a year, sometimes taking out as much as $9,500 at a time. Banks are required to report cash withdrawals that exceed $10,000.

In count 58 against Kent includes filing a frivolous lawsuit against the IRS, demanding damages for criminal trespass, filing an injunction against an IRS agent, making threats against investigators and those cooperating with the investigation, and filing false complaints against the IRS for false arrest, excessive use of force and theft.

In July with his attorney, Public Defender Kafahni Nkrumah, Hovind stated that he did not recognize the government’s right to try him on tax-fraud charges.

This is not the first time Hovind has found himself in legal trouble. In 2002 he refused to get a $50.00 building permit for his Dinosaur Adventure Land, and after three years of legal battles the court ruled that he get a permit or the building would be razed. The park, which depicts dinosaurs as coexisting with humans in the last 6-4,000 years with the more recent “dinosaurs” being the Loch Ness monster, is reportedly open after Hovind paid for the permit and fines totaling $10,402.64.

More directly, M.C. Powe, an IRS officer who investigates people who have unpaid tax returns or unpaid tax liabilities, testified at Hovind’s current trial on October, 19, 2006 that she first attempted to collect taxes from the Hovinds in 1996. She noted Hovind tried several “bullying tactics” that included suing her at least three times. These resulted in each case being thrown out.

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Beard handled Hovind’s bankruptcy in 1996 testified on Wednesday that in 1996 after Hovind’s vehicles were seized by the IRS, he filed under the Chapter 13 “wage-earner plan,” available only to those who have a regular source of income. However, Hovind wrote that he had no form of income, that he rejected his Social Security number and that his employer was God, Beard testified.

In a 2005 affidavit, the Hovinds argue that Social Security is essentially a “Ponzi scheme.” The Hovinds referred to the United States Government as “the ‘bankrupt’ corporate government” and said they were renouncing their United States citizenship and Social Security numbers to become “a natural citizen of ‘America’ and a natural sojourner.”

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

On Thursday an employee of AmSouth Bank explained that the Currency Transaction Reports requires the bank to report any time a cash amount of $10,000 or more is withdrawn or deposited. This employee noted that various records demonstreated Jo Hovind had made transactions up to $15,000 at a time.

Also on Thursday Hovind’s former neighbor testified regarding Hovind’s purchasing of her Palafox Street home. On the stand she said Hovind paid her $30,000 in cash as part of the $155,000 sale.

In this week’s trial two of Hovind’s workers testified in federal court that they didn’t consider where they worked to be a church. In court Hovind maintains he does not have to pay the taxes because his employees were “volunteers,” “missionaries” or “ministers” and his business was a ministry.

However, Brian Popp, Hovind’s employee for at least eight years, said he considered himself a minister at the time of his employment, but said Hovind’s ministry isn’t a church. Popp also testified that Hovind knew about the bank’s requirement to report transactions over $10,000 and said it was “not safe to carry large sums of cash.”

Further, Popp said Hovind told his workers not to accept mail addressed to “KENT HOVIND” because Hovind told the workers the government created a corporation in his “all-caps name” and if the mail was accepted, Hovind claimed, it would be accepting the responsibilities associated with that corporation.

Diane P. Cooksey, served as a sales representative for the ministry from January 2003 to June 2005, and said Hovind expected to pay her own taxes. Cooksey said, “He explained what his belief was, right up front in the interview, that I would pay my own taxes.” As told’s worker, she received $10 an hour in a weekly paycheck, punched a time clock, was given 10 paid vacation days a year, and considered herself an employee, not a missionary as a few others called themselves.

The IRS raided Hovind’s Dinosaur Adventure Land in April 2004, after which Hovind required his employees to sign nondisclosure agreements. “I was uncomfortable signing it, I guess, because of not having a full understanding,” Cooksey said.

Rebekah Horton, vice president of the unaccredited Pensacola Christian College, took the stand on the second day of the trial and testified that “We know the Scriptures do not promote (tax evasion)”. “It’s against Scripture teaching.”

Horton was given a videotape in the mid 1990s from a woman who worked for Hovind. The video contained “another evangelist advocating tax evasion,” Horton explained. The woman who gave the tape to Horton claimed Hovind’s philosophy as “You were giving a gift with your work, and they were giving a gift back to you.”

Pensacola Christian College decided to disallow its students from working with Hovind’s Creation Science Evangelism and reported Hovind’s scheme to the IRS.

On Friday, attorney David Charles Gibbs testified that Hovind claimed he had no obligation to pay employee income taxes and explained with “a great deal of bravado” how he had “beat the tax system.” Gibbs is an attorney with the Gibbs Law Firm, also is affiliated with the Christian Law Association, a nonprofit organization founded by his father that offers free legal help to churches nationwide in a suburb of St. Petersburg, Florida. Gibbs attended the Marcus Pointe Baptist Church when Hovind was a guest speaker at the church on October 17, 2004. Hovind invited Gibbs and others to Hovind’s home for pizza and soda.

Gibbs testified they talked for many hours, and Hovind “tried to stress to me that he was like the pope and this was like the Vatican.” Also Gibbs explained Hovind also told him he preferred to deal in cash because “dealing with cash there is no way to trace it, so it wasn’t taxable.”

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Later on Friday, Special IRS Agent Scott Schneider took up the remainder of the day and is expected to resume Monday. Schneider told the jury his investigation revealed that Hovind “hadn’t filed tax returns ever, to my knowledge.”

Hovind tried suing the IRS and Schneider several times to avoid providing information required by the IRS. Each filing was thrown out by the judges.

Schneider’s discussed documents seized during the 2004 raid of Hovind’s property. These documents, Schneider explained, indicated Hovind ran his ministry as a business with “meticulous” payroll documents and a time clock employees had to punch in and out.

In the raid cash was found “all over the place.” Ultimately, $42,000 in cash was seized along with half-dozen guns (including a SKS semiautomatic) at the Hovinds’ home.

The Pensacola News Journal noted that “in one memo, Jo Hovind informed her daughter, who works at the park, that her pay would be docked $10 for talking too long on the telephone when she should have been working.”

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Evangelist_Kent_Hovind%27s_tax_trial_begins&oldid=3853459”

Dutch financial institution ING takes impairment charge

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Dutch financial institution ING Group reported today in its quarterly results an impairment charge of 194 million euros (approximately US$285.6 million). However, as a result of selling an equity stake in rival ABN AMRO, the net profit of €2.48 billion, was 18% higher than last year.

The impairment charge is a result of risky investments, including RBMS (mortgage) investments backed by subprime loans and Alt-A loans, which are made to borrowers with a slightly better credit profile than those in the subprime category, as well as from collateral debt obligations (CDOs).

CEO Michel Tilmant said that “solid risk management” shields ING from the worst effects of the financial crisis. “ING’s exposure to the riskiest assets is limited, and the RMBS investments we selected have a high level of structural credit protection to absorb significant losses as the U.S. housing crisis deepens,” added Tilmant.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Dutch_financial_institution_ING_takes_impairment_charge&oldid=4606615”

Go Dancing Each Day The Panglao Way

Submitted by: Jysmon Sean

SITTING at the foot of Bohol just a short sea-trip from Cebu, Panglao Island has already proved itself to be the new playground of the Philippines…and thousands (if not millions) of dollars of investment money is being poured in to develop the island.

Already it has twice helped Bohol to win the Tourist Destination of the Year contest in the Philippines and hopes to help a third time at the Manila trade exhibition this September when it showcases the beauty of its beaches.

There are even plans approved by President Gloria Arroyo to develop a domestic airport on the island to take over from Tagbilaran Airport, with the intention to upgrade it to international status at some time in the future, to make it easier for the island s thousands of visitors to reach the coral-white sandy shores which surround it on all sides.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWeF6lwg4aY[/youtube]

There are resorts dotted all around the sandy shores of the island, which connects to mainland Bohol at Tagbilaran and Bool via two road bridges, and each resort is situated in its own grounds on the edge of a sapphire sea.

Already well-known by scuba divers for the diversity of its fish life in the off-islands of Pamilacan, Balicasag and Pungtod, which are easily reached from the main resort area of Alona Beach, the rest of the island is also developing with top-class resorts: Land has already been put aside for a new Tourism Estate.

The off-islands sport hammerhead sharks, some rays, massive schools of jackfish and barracudas, and there are resident dolphins playing just off the beaches, plus (in the right season) whale-sharks. It is also well-known for the inordinate number of nudibranch and pygmy fish (including seahorses) which inhabit the coral reefs on its southern side.

Bohol itself takes pride in Panglao Island, although sometimes other towns in the area become a little jealous especially since Panglao town itself has won the prestigious street dancing competition in Tagbilaran s Sandugo four times in a row, the only two in the history of Bohol to do so. Now the island town has been asked to take a rest for a while by the Sandugo Foundation to give another town on Bohol a chance to win!

The dance capital of Panglao is not too worried: the Sandugo street festival in July is only the live rehearsal for its own major event the Hudyaka sa Panglao which takes place on August 28th every year in the grounds of its parish church. Then the ten barangays of the municipality compete fiercely with each other to see which is the best of the best.

Its own dance festival brings back ex-Panglao residents from all over the world, and instead of making a day of it, the music and dance lovers of Panglao try and make a whole week of it and more. Actually, they take nine days and the whole town has a festive atmosphere with parties all over the place.

The big party starts off in earnest at 2pm every August 28th when several hundred dancers and their accompanying bands with their distinctive beat queue up outside the Municipal Hall to dance and parade their way to the grounds of San Agustin Church, where the real party is held on the green. Now the people of Bohol can really see what they have missed out on by telling them to take a breather!

A funfair atmosphere is already in motion and has been for days! and the dancers entertain until well past sunset to compete for the best of the best prize.

About the Author: Philippine Wide provides quick information on traveling in the Philippines. Philippine Travel Guide, Restaurant Reservation, Diving Spots, Best Spa and Beach Resorts Reservation Services. Visit their site at

philippinewide.com/

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Dell joins Microsoft-Nortel VoIP Team

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Dell Inc. announced on Tuesday that it will partner up with the Microsoft-Nortel Innovative communications alliance (ICA) team to sell Unified Communications and VoIP products.

The announcement on Tuesday the 16th of October 2007 includes Dell selling VoIP, data and wireless networking products from Nortel and the Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 and other unified communications products.

The partnership with both manufacturers should allow Dell to provide a pre-integrated solution.

In March 2007, competitors IBM and Cisco announced they would join in the competition for developing unified communications applications and the development of open technologies around the unified communications and collaboration (UC2) client platform an application programming interfaces (APIs) offered by IBM as a subset of Lotus Sametime.

“We want to make it simple for our customers to deploy unified communications so their end users can get access to all their messages in one place – whether its e-mail, phone or mobile device. This will pave the way for more business-ready productivity tools,” said vice president of solutions, Dell Product Group, Rick Becker.

  • Customers have four options:
    • Core Office Communication Server 2007 – provides instant messaging and on-premise Microsoft Live Meeting.
    • Office Communication Server: Telephony – enables call routing tracking and management, VoIP gateway and public branch exchange (PBX) integration.
    • Audio and Video Conferencing – allows point-to-point conference, video conference and VoIP audio conference.
    • Exchange Unified Messaging – provides voicemail, e-mail and fax in Microsoft Outlook, and anywhere access of Microsoft Outlook Inbox and Calendar.
Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Dell_joins_Microsoft-Nortel_VoIP_Team&oldid=2808441”

Dead body left in UK hospital alongside living patients for seven hours

Thursday, August 14, 2008

A dead body was left in a ward in Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland for seven hours before it was removed.

Christine Martin, who saw the body, said that although there were curtains around the body, they “were open sufficiently for me to see this man, whom we had got to know over a period of 10 days, lying dead, face uncovered.”

Officials from the hospital have apologized for having allowed the incident to occur. The son of the dead man said that the hospital acted with “utter compassion” when permitting his request to see his father’s dead body in the ward.

National Health Service Greater Glasgow and Clyde said in a statement that, “we have acknowledged to the Martins that, beyond this, there was some delay in the transfer of the patient to the mortuary and steps have already been taken to ensure that this does not happen again.”

The Royal College of Nursing also released a statement on this incident. “The normal practice if someone has died in a four-bedded ward is to access a single room where the deceased could be viewed by the family and the family can have some time with the relative, and for that to be done in as dignified manner as possible,” said Lynn McDowall, a professional officer for the organization. “This case highlights the campaign we’re running and highlights the kind of problems nurses come across, because no nurse would want a deceased patient lying on a ward for seven hours.”

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Dead_body_left_in_UK_hospital_alongside_living_patients_for_seven_hours&oldid=4627123”

What You Need To Know Before You Shop For A Microwave

By Daniel Smith

The microwave oven is one of the most used appliances in most kitchens. Millions of people use them everyday to warm up leftovers, cook frozen dinners, and even make popcorn. As much as people use microwaves on a daily basis, most people only utilize a small percentage of a microwave ovens capabilities. Before you go out and purchase your next microwave oven, it is a good idea to have an understanding of everything a microwave can do for you as well as a knowledge of the types of microwaves that are available.

Most microwave ovens see the majority of their use coming from simple tasks such as reheating leftovers or thawing frozen food, but they are able to do so much more. Microwaves can also be used to cook complete meals in very little time. Because microwave ovens cook food much faster than a conventional oven or stove, more nutrients are allowed to remain in your food, making the microwave a healthy cooking option. Microwave ovens are also an economical choice because they save a lot of money in energy costs. With such quick cooking times, they will be at full power for much less time than a conventional oven or stove, using less electricity and saving you money on your utilities. They also are a wonderful alternative to cooking with your oven on a hot day. There is nothing worse than heating up the kitchen when it is already sweltering outside. Try preparing your whole meal using the microwave instead of the oven and not only will your house remain at a much more comfortable temperature, you will save money by not having to run a fan or the air conditioner to compensate for the heat the oven or stove caused.

There are several things to consider when buying a microwave oven. If you have an understanding of your cooking and reheating needs, you will be better equipped to choose exactly the right microwave oven for you. Capacity and power are the biggest differences in the microwave ovens on the market today. Before you shop around, it is best to determine what capacity and power your family needs.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLSjIYWkFh8[/youtube]

If you plan to use your microwave to cook a lot of food for a large number of people you need to buy a microwave oven that is a higher powered unit. Look for a microwave with a wattage of at least 1000 watts. Compact microwave ovens run between 500-800 watts, midsize microwave ovens tend to range from 800-1000 watts, and full size microwaves are over 1000 watts. The higher the wattage, the more power the microwave has, which means faster cooking times.

The capacity of a microwave is almost as important as the wattage. You want to make sure that you get a microwave that is big enough to fit your favorite cookware. If you are planning to cook large casseroles in your microwave, you should consider buying a full size model. Compact microwave ovens have a capacity that is less than .8 cubic feet. Midsize microwave ovens have a capacity that is .8 to 1.2 cubic feet and full size microwaves are always larger than 1.2 cubic feet.

The last thing to consider when buying a microwave oven is storage. The size of the microwave will limit where you can place it, so it needs to be taken into account. If you have limited counter space, a full size microwave may be out of the question. If you are set on getting a high wattage microwave with the capacity to cook a roast, but your counter space is limited, there are a few alternatives. You can buy a microwave cart to set it on or invest in a microwave that fits over your existing range. You can also find microwaves that fit under cabinets or built in to your walls.

If you are in the market for a new microwave, carefully consider how much capacity you need, how high a wattage system you require, and how much kitchen space you can allot to your new microwave. Once you have figured out the three basics, you can easily narrow down your choices based on your list of needs. Buy the microwave that best fits all three of your criteria.

About the Author: Daniel Smith writes about

Home Appliances

and

Kitchen Appliances

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