Microsoft Wants Google to Censor…. Microsoft.com

Microsoft Wants Google to Censor…. Microsoft.com

In an attempt to make pirated content harder to find copyright holders ask Google to remove millions of search results every week. While these automated requests are usually legitimate, mistakes happen more often than one might expect. For example, in an embarrassing act of self-censorship Microsoft recently asked Google to censor links to its very own Microsoft.com.

Earlier this week we reported that Google has already received takedown requests for more than 100 million URLs this year.
While most of the submitted URLs do indeed link to infringing content, not all requests received by Google are correct.
The automated systems used by many of the copyright holders often trigger notices that include links to perfectly legitimate content, and sometimes even their own work. The latter happened in a recent DMCA takedown request sent by LeakID on behalf of Microsoft.
Instead of listing URLs of infringing material, Microsoft asked Google to remove links to their own websites, as can be seen below. The six links point to Microsoft’s store, support pages and product descriptions. A pretty embarrassing mistake to say the least.

Whoops..

Luckily for Microsoft, Google spotted the error, meaning that the pages in question have not been removed from the search results, although it would have been a fitting punishment if Google had decided to comply with the request.
While the above error is rather entertaining, matters gets more serious when copyright holders censor legitimate content produced by others. It’s hard to say how frequently this happens, but just by browsing through the many DMCA notices we have been able to find dozens of examples already.
Just two weeks ago we found that HBO had asked Google to remove a perfectly legal copy of the open source video player VLC, for example. The link in question was clearly submitted in error, but at the time of writing it’s still absent from Google’s search result.
Some individuals respond to these mistakes by blaming the search engine, and taking counter-action. For example, a person who uses the handle “Google dicksuck” decided to respond to the VLC takedown request by asking Google to remove HBO.com.

How about this takedown?

Unfortunately for him or her, Google did not remove the TV-network’s website.
Of course Google can’t really be blamed for responding to takedown requests because they are required to do so by law. Considering the millions of notices submitted to them every week, Google does a pretty good job at filtering out the most obvious mistakes.
The copyright holders on the other hand could take much more care to prevent these errors. Even if it’s just to avoid embarrassing themselves.
Update: A Microsoft spokesperson told TorrentFreak the following in response to our findings.
“We believe strongly in the effectiveness and the need for accuracy in the use of notice and takedown to address online infringement. To explain what happened here, Google’s online form requires identification of both the copyrighted content being infringed and the website address of the infringement.”
“A vendor properly listed those six urls as Microsoft copyrighted content that was being infringed, but then inadvertently copied and pasted those same six urls in the field to identify the locations of infringement. This simple clerical error was identified and corrected right away, and we have taken steps to address the process to avoid it being repeated.”

 http://torrentfreak.com/microsoft-wants-google-to-censor-microsoft-com-130728/

 

Finding A Great Lawyer Without Spending A Lot

Finding A Great Lawyer Without Spending A Lot

By ACPadmin

Friday, July 26, 2013

When in court, you must be prepared. It doesn’t matter what the case is about, it’s important to have legal representation that will help you to navigate the legal process. If you want to be in the best place possible when you enter the courtroom, you should read the informational article that follows below.
If you’re accused of a crime, you need to find a lawyer immediately. Let your lawyer guide you, because after all they are the real experts. Lawyers have the experience necessary to take care of your situation.
If you have a lawyer retained, they will always be available if the need arises. You won’t feel pressured and can take the necessary amount of time. Having a trusted lawyer on retainer will also give you an expert on hand, should you ever have any legal advice.
Make sure to ask plenty of questions when interviewing lawyers. In the first consultation, the attorney should willingly answer all questions you have, small or big. It’s their duty to ensure you are satisfied with their knowledge level and experience. If you do not feel comfortable, then you should find someone else to represent you.
Before you hire any attorney, check with your local state bar to see if there had been any complaints launched against him. If there are just a few, you should not be too concerned, but if there are many, you should worry.

Referral Service

Use a legal referral service to find an attorney. This type of service can locate a lawyer for you. They carefully screen according to qualifications and credentials. Others use the standard set by the state bar in order to keep liability insurance to find favorable lawyers. These are things that you want to look at before deciding which referral service to go with.
Speak with your lawyer constantly to get the inside scoop on what is going on. Make sure your lawyer is making progress and ask if you can do anything to help out. It can only help you in the end.
If your attorney is too busy with other matters, yours may suffer. Inquire if they can take on your case with what is on their plate already. Hopefully, they will tell you if they have a lot going on at the moment or not.
Making sure that you work well with a lawyer is something that will make the relationship work. If you don’t feel comfortable with your lawyer, you won’t have a good client-lawyer relationship. Trust your feelings and pick a lawyer that suits you.
Inquire with the lawyer to see if there might be things you could do yourself in order to trim your bill. You could for instance help with the paperwork you have to fill out. If the courthouse requires documents, see if they can get them personally so that the law office staff doesn’t need to get paid to do it.
Referrals from a general lawyer can also be very helpful. Keep in mind that each lawyer specialized in one type of legal problem and it is best to get a referral from your lawyer for a lawyer who has extensive experience with the kind of issue you are dealing with. Your lawyer will help you out since he will want you to be satisfied.
Make sure you have done your own research before you start a claim for worker’s compensation. Each state has different guidelines when it comes to Worker’s Compensation. Workers’ comp is an entirely different animal. There are things that are slightly different that need to be done.
You should always show up prepared when meeting a lawyer. They are paid by the hour. This means that any time you call them for advice or need to find paperwork, you have to pay for their time. If you come to the meeting prepared, you will not pay as much and you may come to a resolution sooner.
Learn where a potential lawyer attended college. This is one of several items you should use to make your determinations. If he went to a good school, he likely had tougher courses and he had to work harder for his degree. A good lawyer could have gone to a mediocre law school, but that should be something you know when you are making choices.
You should keep things professional when facing legal issues. Nobody knows the legal system better than an attorney — yourself included. Hopefully, this article leaves you in a good position to make the right choices and resolve the legal matter you face.

http://attorneyclient-privilege.com/finding-a-great-lawyer-without-spending-a-lot/

Stamina: 5 Ways to Increase It And Go That Extra Mile!

 

Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight … oh, that’s enough! 

You want to do more reps on that gym equipment, run the extra mile, or steps on that walk, but you just don’t have the strength. Your exercise and workouts may be suffering — because you lack stamina.

The truth is it doesn’t have to be that way. There are a number of ways to improve your stamina and do so without adding more complication to your life. The right blend of actions can go a long way in improving your stamina and your overall quality of life as a result.

Too Tired to Feel the Burn

If your exercise plan is fizzling out, who can blame you? Life is physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding. And after a hard day of working, caring for children, and navigating through your life, your workout might not last as long as you wish it would. To work out at your highest level, you need sleep and some stress-free down time–and many of us don’t get enough of either!

Endurance and Fat Burning

Research has shown that the human body doesn’t start burning fat until about 30 minutes into a cardio workout—so if you’re working out for 45 minutes, only the last 15 are really helping improve your heart. Also, once you’ve been routinely exercising for a while, your body gets accustomed to your workout. If it’s a breeze, it’s not testing your stamina enough to help you maintain your healthy physique and to continue to burn fat.

How to Last Longer

Fortunately, there are some alternative techniques and strategies you can use to increase your stamina in the gym:

• Use this herb: While many herbs that claim to boost your performance and enhance your stamina in the gym,  Golden Root is often the herbal supplement of choice for people who want to increase their stamina in every area of life. This herb is an adaptogen, which means it can help rebalance your body and solve a huge variety of problems. Some people even use Golden Root as an aphrodisiac. You can buy this supplement at any health food store or online vitamin outlet.
• Picture success: Using a visualization of something encouraging can help you push past the natural end of your endurance. If you are not the best at conjuring up your imagination, consider using a picture that is posted in the gym or one you put on your cell phone. It might be a place you want to be, a body you wish you had, or a hot gentleman you’d like to date. Use whatever fuels your fire. When you feel like stopping your workout, become inspired to keep going a bit longer by getting a glimpse of what success could look like.
• Speak up: Another tip to getting yourself to go above and beyond your normal workout is to use affirmations. Say things like, “Every minute I spend running, I feel healthier and happier.” You can personalize your own affirmations, but be sure they emphasize how great the workout feels and what positive things it is doing for your body. Keep affirmations in the present tense. “When I am at the gym, I feel my best.” “I am succeeding at weight loss.” “I am fully capable of improving my physical performance.” Say your affirmations several times a day—not just in the gym.
• Boost your qi: Your qi, or life energy, is the natural energy that flows through your body. Traditional Chinese Medicine uses qi to balance the body, heal organs, and increase general feelings of happiness and calm. But you can also harness the power of your qi to give you extra energy for your workout. One of the best ways to focus yourqi is to meditate. The act of focusing on the energy in the body itself may increase your level of qi. Breathe deeply and calmly with your eyes closed for 10 minutes before your exercise. Try to visualize inhaling energy and light into your second chakra—the energy center that’s two inches below your belly button—for a few minutes before you hit the gym.
• Eat right: Your diet is a good place to look if you find yourself feeling drained after your workout. In order to have the energy you need for optimum performance at the gym, you will need a balanced diet of lean proteins, healthy fats, fruits and veggies, and whole grains. An extremely limited diet can do more harm than good; lack of carbs can leave you feeling foggy-headed and craving sugar, persuading you to leave your workout and head for the donut shop instead! Try choosing healthy versions of your favorites: Lean, organic beef; multi-grain bread; and extra virginolive oil can be part of any healthy diet. Munch on a piece of fruit on the way to the gym, to give you some quality carbohydrates that can be burned off quickly for an immediate energy boost. Be sure your daily diet includes high-quality, lean protein like eggs, beans, or fish.

That Extra Mile

… twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one!

It’s a great feeling to meet your goal, especially when you were considering pooping out just a few minutes earlier! Use these strategies to improve your stamina, so you can get the most from your workout by staying on task until you’ve met your goals. Then, don’t forget: When you’ve accomplished what you set out to do, bump your goals a little higher!

doing a good job here

WHAT PETS DO WHEN WE'RE AT WORK

WHAT PETS DO WHEN WE'RE AT WORK

Wealth, Success, and Love.

Wealth, Success, and Love.


A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.

"No", she replied. "He's out."
"Then we cannot come in", they replied.
In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.
"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"
The woman went out and invited the men in"
"We do not go into a House together," they replied.
"Why is that?" she asked.
One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"
His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"

Their daughter-in- law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"
"Let us heed our daughter-in- law's advice," said the husband to his wife.
"Go out and invite Love to be our guest."
The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."
Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"   The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!!!!! !"
MY WISH FOR YOU...

LOVE.

Work Etiquette: Why Self-Deprecation Is A Workplace Mistake

Work Etiquette: Why Self-Deprecation Is A Workplace Mistake




Posted: 12/18/2012 Briana Fasone
The Daily Muse



Before Tina Fey and Chelsea Handler—and even before Joan Rivers—comedy’s queen of self-deprecation was the late Phyllis Diller. Sassy one-liners (“I once wore a peekaboo blouse—people would peek and then they’d boo”) spun out of her mouth for some serious laughs. It was funny when Diller did it—and it’s still funny when Liz Lemon does it, with her self-deprecating jabs that sizzle on the small screen.



We love people who don’t take themselves too seriously. We applaud self-deprecation. And we like to use it ourselves—especially in the office.



For example, self-deprecation can be used to keep our colleagues’ expectations for us in check. “By self-deprecating a little, you’re making sure your co-workers and employers aren’t expecting too much and you gain points for modesty,” says Mark Leary, a professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Director of the Social Psychology Program at Duke University.



For years, I’ve attempted to master my own self-deprecating inclinations. I kept a handful of one-liners in my pocket, which I could whip out to charm and soften any kind of awkward exchange. Then, one day at work, I made fun of my inability to spell. I can’t remember exactly what I said, but I do remember receiving an email that afternoon from one of my colleagues—a completely heartfelt but serious email—that concluded with a postscript: “You may want to rethink boasting about your spelling issues while working at a magazine!” Yikes.



Turns out, self-deprecation can backfire. It’s counterproductive in the most obvious way: People might actually start believing you. Of course there’s no hard and fast rule for when we should and shouldn’t use it—but for starters, here are three situations that demand a little self-censorship.



1. A Job Interview



This should be self-explanatory, but during interviews, nerves and the desire to be likable tend to fuel self-deprecation. Think, “Oh, don’t look at the early part of my resume—as you can tell, I couldn’t really figure out what I wanted to do with my life!” Trust me, not the way to impress a hiring manager.



Though no one likes a self-aggrandizer, don’t be modest in an interview. Practice talking about your achievements and addressing your shortcomings in a way that is realistic, that paints you in the best light possible, and that you can be comfortable with.



2. A Meeting



Know your audience. If you’re not in a high position of power, knocking yourself down in front of your boss or colleagues, whether it’s about your skills at work (learn from my mistake) or your less-than-stellar date last night, isn’t doing you any favors. Remember that promotion you want? You’re selling yourself for it, every single day.



And sure, a little humor keeps things light-hearted, but remember that, unless you’re a comedy queen (or king), self-deprecating humor can fall flat. The only thing worse than a bad joke is a bad joke about yourself.



3. When You Receive a Compliment



When someone says to you, “Great job on that presentation,” what’s your first instinct? A self-effacing “no problem”? Well, your two words should be “thank you.” Hey, someone at work is actually pointing out how awesome you are—why would you want to redirect him or her to your weaknesses?



Self-deprecation is endearing. Self-deprecation is funny. Self-deprecation reminds us that we are all flawed and that nobody has it together all of the time. But self-deprecation is tricky. And unless we are stand-up masters or have a hit television series on NBC, it’s probably wise to rethink it sometimes. Especially when we’re trying to land our dream job (or any job). Especially when we’re trying to impress our colleagues. And especially when someone is trying to focus on our strengths.   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/18/work-etiquette-self-deprecation_n_2322785.html