My Chicago Rant

Archive for April, 2010

Already spending hundreds for new & original text? Wait! An advanced Contents Generator Tool can easily save you all that. The following solution quickly enables you to produce the Web’s most precious resource and much of it. In this quick review learn how an innovative technology can help you promote your Site like never before.

Quick review

The idea is quite simple yet a clever one – Contents Generator Tool is based on a smart engine that automatically researches the Internet for existing information based on keyword(s) that you provide, it then stores what it find as most relevant to your topic. The next phase is about sorting and categorizing all collected data into subtopics groups. On the final and most exciting part all you need is to simply start ‘constructing’ new and original article(s) with virtually unlimited combinations.

Advantages

Let’s quickly summarize the main benefits:

* It enables you to grow your Sites much faster than before.
* Get into the business of writing contents for other Webmasters on any subject they want.
* Helps on keeping the attention of your visitors and the search engines.
* Enables you to setup new Sites, WebPages, and Blogs much faster.
* The new contents are completely your own, so there are no plagiarism issues.

Article summary

Contents Generator Tool can easily fit to any budget size of home users and small businesses. Now that you understand how it works the best tip would be to check it by yourself so you can immediately enjoy the wide range of benefits that it offers. We could probably come across other pluses provided by this important webmarketing technique simply because it is a powerful webmarketing solution that provides so many opportunities for beginner and experienced webmarketers.

Dan Kazinsky
http://www.articlesbase.com/article-marketing-articles/contents-generator-tool–unbelievable-technique-695003.html

Leeds is a large and successful city, which is centrally located in the North of England. The City is renowned as the commercial and art gallery capital of the North and has long been known for its sizeable manufacturing industry, which is still thriving.

With some wonderful modern architecture and wonderful shops, Leeds has truly transformed itself recently. however, there’s still many architecture that evoke the city’s Victorian splendour, too. One of the most well-known Victorian architecture is Leeds corn exchange, which was designed by the architect Cuthbert Broderick.

Leeds also boasts the amazing Kirk stall Abbey, which is situated in the western outskirts of the city. This pretty Abbey is widely regarded as one of the most complete examples of a medieval Cistercian abbey in Great Britain. It boasts historical architecture, as well as pretty gardens that are full of wildlife & greenery.

Kirk stall Abbey was started in 1152 and took more than 75 years to build. The historical ruins have been painted by artists such as turner & the abbey is now a Grade 1 listed building. In the summer, visitors flock to watch open-air concerts & plays in the nice grounds of the Abbey.

Often known as the ‘Knightsbridge of the North’, Leeds is an excellent location for shoppers! It boasts over 1,000 stores, which include Harvey Nicholls, Louis Vinton and more, scattered around its sophisticated high streets, for more details visit to www.art-of-astrology.com state-of-the-art shopping centers, Victorian arcades, considerable buildings & Edwardian markets.

If you would prefer to spend your time in Leeds doing more cultured activities, you will be pleased to understand that the city has 9 fantastic museums and galleries. These include the royal armories museum & the amazing Leeds city art gallery, so you are sure to find something to entertain you.

If fast-paced city life gets too much, you will be pleased to understand that Leeds has some stunning green spaces & stunning parks, for more details visit to www.101-save-money.com including the award winning nelson Mandela gardens. These stunning gardens were built at a cost of £12 million to celebrate the year 2000 & were jointly funded by Leeds council & the Millennium Commission. The gardens won a medal at the 2004 Chelsea Flower Show.

Finally, any tourist passing by Leeds should make sure that they enjoy its museums. With wonderful restaurants, elite bars and amazing nightclubs, you’ll have an unforgettable evening there. It goes without saying that Leeds boasts a big gay community, too. You’ll find sometimes exciting gay venues sprinkled around the Calls area, including the notorious new penny.

When the nightclubs close, why not head to one of the city’s plush hotels for an excitingsleep? There are some exciting hotels in the city, including the Radisson sas hotel, so you will be spoilt for choice. The best thing is, if you decide a hotel with a free breakfast – you will be able to eat away your hangover, too.

Whether you are traveling by car or public transport, you will locate getting to Leeds is easy. it’s well served by Leeds Railway Station, also known as Leeds City, as well as having regular bus & coach services.

Even though this is the end of our sightseer guide to Leeds, we have not managed to cram in all of the wonderful charm that this city has to offer. To find out many more info about Leeds and the areas nearby, simply get in touch with your localized sightseer information centre.

pinks.dec2008
http://www.articlesbase.com/cricket-articles/magnificent-and-amusing-activities-in-leeds-676605.html

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DATELINE: IRVINE, CA…

Greg Bishop, founder of Boot Camp for New Dads, a non-profit orientation program for fathers-to-be, operating in more than 260 hospitals, clinics, schools, fire stations and churches around North America and internationally, and author of two books on fathering, advises parents who are expecting to prepare a list of items to bring to the hospital, and keep it with the hospital bag to double check before heading out.

Below, Bishop shares the “19 Essential Items” that are listed in his most recent book Crash Course for New Dads: Tools, Checklists and Cheat Sheets:

1. A folder containing important documents including insurance cards, pre-admission forms, birth plan (two or three copies), etc.

2. Baby book (many nurseries will put your baby’s footprint in the book).

3. A watch with a second hand or digital readout.

4. Change of clothes and pajamas for mom (and dad, if staying overnight)

5. Warm shirt because hospital rooms are kept cool.

6. Basic toiletries such as a toothbrush, shaver, shampoo and deodorant.

7. Comfortable shoes, as you may do a lot of walking.

8. Something to read to mom.

9. CD, iPod or other music player with mom’s favorite music.

10. Pain-easing tools recommended at your birthing classes such as tennis balls, hot or cold packs, massagers, lotion, etc.

11. A bathing suit for dad to help mom take a shower which eases labor pains.

12. Something to eat and drink such as sandwich or power bars and juice, in a small cooler. Pack snacks for both of you for after the birth.

13. Cash to have on hand.

14. Pen and pad of paper.

15. Camera (photos and/or video), with extra film, battery, etc.

16. Address book and/or a list of phone numbers to announce birth.

17. Cell phone or calling card.

18. Champagne to celebrate. (Put your name on it and ask a nurse to store it in the fridge.)

19. Childbirth Coaching Guide from Crash Course for New Dads.

According to Bishop, “When you’re trying to get out the door and to the hospital, it’s guaranteed that you’ll forget one or more important items. Being prepared ahead of time is half the battle. In addition to considering our list of 19 Essential Items, expectant parents should talk to staff at the hospital; other attendees in birthing classes or someone they know who recently delivered a baby to get even more ideas for their list. Time is of the essence and you don’t want to have to drop mom at the hospital then rush back home to retrieve insurance papers or something else you must have. Every moment counts.”

Tips, Advice, Instructions and more

Greg Bishop offers strategies from more than 200,000 new dads that have gone through the Boot Camp for New Dads program in his second book, Crash Course for New Dads: Tools, Checklists and Cheat Sheets. His first book, Hit the Ground Crawling, covers work balance, being a dad, caring for a new mom and much more. Both books are available online at www.DadsAdventure.com.

New Dads Learn What to Expect at Boot Camp Workshops

Dads-to-be will be better equipped to face the challenges and opportunities of fatherhood after attending a Boot Camp “hands on” educational workshop. Men attend the class when they are expecting their first baby, and are joined in the workshop by “veterans” who had previously attended and have returned with their two to four-month-old baby in tow. They are able to give the dads-to-be a realistic idea of what to do and what to expect when their first baby comes. For many men attending, it’s their first time holding a baby.

Boot Camp for New Dads

Now celebrating their 18th year, Boot Camp for New Dads is nationally acclaimed as the “Best Practice” for preparing men to be fathers and has been named a U.S. Navy Model Program. Boot Camp for New Dads has prepared more than 200,000 men for fatherhood over the years.

With more than 4.1 million births (National Center for Health Statistics), and approximately 1.5 million men becoming new dads every year, it’s more important than ever for fathers to realize that being a “good provider” is only part of the very central role they have in their children’s lives.

For more information about Boot Camp for New Dads, visit www.bcnd.org, or to visit Dads Adventure, go to www.Dadsadventure.com. To arrange an interview with Greg Bishop, please contact sdubin@prworkzone.com, (781) 582-1061.

National and International Locations

Boot Camp For New Dads locations include ALASKA (Anchorage); ARIZONA (Chandler, Flagstaff, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sun City); ARKANSAS (Jonesboro, Paragould, Springdale); CALIFORNIA (Apple Valley, Bakersfield, , Fresno, Garden Grove, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Madera, Merced, Mission Hills, , Oakland, Orange, Pomona, Port Hueneme, San Diego, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, , S. Lake Tahoe, Travis, Valley Springs); COLORADO (Aurora, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver, Durango, Fort Collins, Fort Carson, Greeley, Longmont, Thornton, Wheat Ridge); CONNECTICUT (Bristol, Danbury, New London); FLORIDA (Brandon, Clearwater, Hollywood, Jacksonville, North Palm Beach, Orlando, St. Petersburg, West Palm Beach, Sarasota, Tampa); GEORGIA (Atlanta, Elberton, Gainesville, Marietta, Savannah); HAWAII (Pearl Harbor, Schofield); ILLINOIS (Aurora, Carbondale, Champaign, Chicago, East St. Louis, Evanston, Freeport, Geneva, Great Lakes, Highland Park, Libertyville, Moline, Oak Park, Rockford, Springfield, Urbana, Winfield); INDIANA (Anderson, Bluffton, Hammond, Indianapolis, Jeffersonville, Kokomo); IOWA (Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Jefferson, Sioux City); KANSAS (Junction City, Topeka); KENTUCKY (Paducah); LOUISIANA (Covington); MAINE (Auburn, Augusta, Bangor, Brunswick, Ellsworth, Waterville); MARYLAND (Annapolis) MASSACHUSETTS (Beverly, Ipswich, Lowell, Nantucket, Plymouth, Weymouth, Springfield); MICHIGAN (, Ann Arbor, Bay City, Centreville, Iron Mountain, Ithaca, Kalamazoo, Niles, St Joseph, Ypsilanti); MINNESOTA (Brainerd, Duluth, Robbinsdale); MISSISSIPPI (Tupelo); MISSOURI (Jefferson City) MONTANA (Billings, Helena, Miles City); NEBRASKA (Kearney, Lincoln, Omaha); NEVADA (Las Vegas) NEW HAMPSHIRE (Manchester, Portsmouth); NEW JERSEY (Princeton) NEW YORK (Glens Falls, Little Falls, Mineola, Rome, Utica); NORTH CAROLINA (Burlington, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Concord, Ft. Bragg, Greensboro, Monroe, Raleigh, Shelby); NORTH DAKOTA (Grand Forks); OHIO (Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, East Cleveland, East Liverpool, Garfield Heights, Lima, Lorain, Mayfield Heights, Middleburg Heights, Orange Village, Portsmouth, Toledo, Warren, Westlake, Youngstown); OKLAHOMA (Claremore, Oklahoma City, Tulsa); OREGON (Corvalis, McMinnville, Salem, Silverton); SOUTH CAROLINA (Columbia, Pickens, Walhalla); TENNESSEE (Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis); TEXAS (Amarillo, Dallas, Fort Hood, Longview, Lubbock, Plano, San Antonio, Texarkana, Waco, Webster); VERMONT (Barre, Brattleboro, Middlebury); VIRGINIA (Charlottesville, Chesapeake, Hampton, Richmond) WASHINGTON (Everett, Fairchild AFB, Longview, Olympia, Puyallup, Yakima); WEST VIRGINIA (Wheeling); WISCONSIN (Florence, Green Bay, Madison, Oshkosh, Watertown, Wausau); JAPAN (Atsugi, Yokosuka), ITALY (Sicily); UNITED KINGDOM [a.k.a. Hit the Ground Crawling] (Birmingham, Liverpool)

Steve Dubin
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/preparing-for-birth-boot-camp-for-new-dads-advises-parents-of-19-essential-items-for-the-hospital-727226.html

Cell phones, also commonly known as mobile phones, are electronic devices which are used for communication purposes. Voice or data is communicated through these cell phones over a network of stations. Cell phones have all the features of a general telephone and also have various specialized features.

History and Overview:

Cellular Network was initially proposed by Bell Labs in the year 1947. He was the first person to establish cellular network in the year 1970 in Chicago. After that Japan launched the first mobile phone service in the year 1978. With the advent of time, there has been tremendous improvement in the mobile phone technology and in the year 1996, mobile phone giant Nokia launched its first multi use smart phone Nokia communicator which had the facility of internet connectivity and email services.

Cell phone handsets:

Cell phone handsets are the devices which are used for communication purposes. There are a wide rang of handsets with varying features which are being produced by manufacturers worldwide. Currently, Nokia is holding the largest chunk of market share of cell phones and is regarded as world`s largest manufacturer of mobile phone handsets.

Other major names in the list of cell phone manufacturers include Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, LG etc. These cell phones work on rechargeable batteries which obtain power from electric current, solar, dynamo, car battery charger etc. Before using a handset it needs to be activated with a SIM card provided by a mobile phone service provider who will also allot a unique number for your phone.

Features of Cell Phones:

Apart from having almost all the features of a normal telephone the cell phone also has various other unique features which make them very useful in today`s busy life schedule. These features include music, mp3 player, in built high pixel still and movie camera, personal organizer functions, Internet connectivity with browsing and emailing facility, different ring tones both inbuilt and with a facility to download, blue tooth and infra red connectivity etc.

Cell phones are also able to receive and send faxes if it is connected to a computer. Apart from Short messaging service (SMS), Cell phones are also enabled to send pictures and videos through Multimedia messaging service (MMS).

Uses of Cell Phone:

Cell phones are now widely used by both civilians and government agencies. Government agencies use mobile phones extensively for law enforcement, military purposes, disaster management etc. In the usage of cell phones, you must be particular about maintaining the culture and customs.

It is not decent to use your mobile phone while sitting in an important meeting. It is desirable that you switch off your phone when in any funeral or libraries or cinema halls etc. Most schools and colleges have restricted the use of mobile phones in their premises.

Beliefs about health and environment hazards and safety concerns:

Several concerns regarding human health resulting as an impact of mobile phone usage has been raised from time to time. There have been dermatological concerns such as occurrence of rashes on ears and cheeks of the users, hearing problems in the ear, heart problems concern etc.

Environmental hazards such as electronic waste and safety hazards in usage of the cell phone have been of great concern. There has been an increase in accidents by drivers while talking on cell phones. Road accidents while using a cell phone are on an increase. High rise towers of the cellular networks are also a cause of concern to flying aircrafts and birds.

The tremendous benefits of connectivity in all locations wherever you are have outshined the disadvantages and health concerns of cell phone and the number of cell phone users is rising day by day.

Roberto Sedycias
http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/the-amazing-world-of-cell-phones-708138.html

Curious about a simple way that’ll enable you to easily improve your Site’s performance? Well, Website Audio Tool is definitely something you should seriously examine. One thing is for sure – it is more effective than just using plain text. If you want to learn more about it, keep reading this article.

Getting some basics

This “Put Audio In Website” Tool performs one important task – that is enabling you to easily convert audio and music files to Web-Format. The process is quite short and easy. You provide it with the requested files, select a player type and that is it. By the end you get a small code that needs to be embedded onto your desired webpage.

The following process enables you to create a ’streaming webaudio’ file – it can be played immediately without having to wait till the entire file is downloaded.

Using such technology provides numerous opportunities and advantages; for example: creating a more personal approach that in most cases simply works better or the ability to ’smash’ the silence of the world-wide-web and make WebPages come alive.

Tip

There is one important rule to remember while using this technology: focus on your listeners – talk more about/to them, not about yourself. One other thing: there are many complicated and expensive solutions out there, start with the simple ones – you’ll quickly find out that it is sufficient in most cases.

Conclusions

Thanks to Website Audio Tool we can significantly improve the affectivity and profitability of our online business. Take a moment and imagine what would have happened if your WebPages could suddenly “speak”. It is advised to test it in order to explore and see how it can easily improve the productivity of your online business.

Tom Sheinberg
http://www.articlesbase.com/audio-articles/quotput-audio-in-websitequot-tool–the-unbelievable-truth-735599.html

By using an advanced “Adding Video In Flv” Tool it seems like converting video(s) to web format has never been easier. The following solution quickly enables you to make your first steps with Webvideo marketing. Let’s quickly take a look and see how this advanced tool enables you to quickly create streaming movie files.

Overview

The main goal of any “Adding Video In Flv” Tool is in most cases to encode (convert) and compress videos to the Web’s most popular Web display format called Flash-Video. By simply adding a small html code to your target page and delivering the files to your Web’s server, you’ll be able to display your new streaming Webvideo(s). This conversion process creates streaming webvideos – they enable the user to start viewing them without first completely downloading the entire file.

What are the main benefits?

This technology quickly brings immediate and clear advantages:

* If a picture is worth a thousand words how much would a Webvideo worth?
* It is easier and faster than generating plain text.
* Auto-redirect your visitors to an order page after your Web-Movie ends.
* Quick and easy upload of your video files.
* Upload movies to an existing Web page instead of making a new page.

If we search a little more, we could easily find other benefits provided by this innovative technology simply because it this powerful web-marketing tool provides so many opportunities for quick and creative web-marketers.

On the bottom line

It is important to know (especially for newbies) that “Adding Video In Flv” Tool installation is quit easy and requires no special technical or professional skills. The first step you need to take is to evaluate this unique solution as in most cases implementation requires no more than several minutes.

Ben Goldman
http://www.articlesbase.com/video-articles/quotadding-video-in-flvquot-tool–the-unbelievable-truth-721954.html

Nissan Motors earlier announced the signing of a Collaboration Protocol between the Autonomous Government of Castilla y León in Spain, the Avila City Council and Nissan Motor Iberica to develop an infrastructure network in the territory. The said network is aimed at improving competitiveness of the automaker’s light commercial vehicle production.

According to the Protocol, the Autonomous Government of Castilla y León will develop the local logistics infrastructure and services that will facilitate Avila’s role as a major industrial player in the region. The Avila City Council will also provide a minimum of 11 hectares of land to accommodate the infrastructures. The automaker’s part is to provide the necessary technical support. As stated, Nissan will benefit from these services and infrastructure when completed.

The infrastructure network include a parking and storage lot for a minimum of 1,650 trucks and containers; a supplier park with plants for a minimum of 8,500 square meters; a dedicated customs zone to maximize the speed of logistic procedures from Avila to the global market; and a railway-road hub for the interchange of trucks and train transportation of parts and vehicles.

The logistics and service hub will improve Avila plant’s ability to receive and integrate parts from leading cost competitive countries as well as to send KD parts to other Nissan plants. “With the collaboration of Nissan and the local authorities we are creating the conditions to enhance the cost structure of our plant, and improve the efficiency of the whole supplier-plant value chain”, said José Vicente De Los Mozos, the Vice President of the Nissan Spanish Industrial Operations.

The automaker will invest 1.6 million euros to build a 1,500 meter track as a dedicated LCV proving ground within the Avila plant. The proving ground will be used by the automaker in conducting painstaking product test-drives to be conducted onsite to improve the quality of its products at the same time support the development of forthcoming Nissan vehicles. Auto parts like Nissan ball joints, axle assembly and body kits will also be tested in the proving ground.

As announced in the Nissan Green Program 2010, the company is undertaking a wide range of environmental initiatives in CO2 reduction and promotes energy conservation through wider use of renewable energy resources. As such, the Avila plant will be equipped with the largest solar panel structure in Spain for industrial use. The total surface of the solar panels will sum to 1,335 square meters and will generate 608,000 Kwh annually. This will trim down 267 tons of CO2 emissions each year.

“We want the Avila plant to be the best Nissan light duty truck production site in the world. The improvements we are announcing today represent an investment on the future of Nissan’s LCV business, and the commitment of the Avila plant for an ever improving competitiveness,” noted De Los Mozos.

KatieJones
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/nissan-develops-infrastructure-network-in-spain-112920.html

Did you know that “Making Pv Power” System easily enables you to construct your very own power-supply-system? Very quickly you’ll find out that this technique can be easily duplicated and used for virtually unlimited applications. By reading this quick article you’ll be able to know more about how this technology can help you to significantly cut your expenses.

Quick overview

Getting such Ready-Made “Making Pv Power” System is already possible for quite a while, the only problem is the high-cost, fortunately there are excellent guides on the Web that expose everything you need to know about assembling Solar-Panels on your own. Although many of these guides offer the same thing, it is necessary to choose the right one; make sure it provides ‘proofs’ to be working for others. Anyway, here are some important benefits and tips that may help you to know more about this subject.

Important advantages

Let’s quickly see what is in it for us:

* Leaves us almost unaffected by any possible energy crisis.
* Made of simple parts/tools found at any local hardware store.
* Knowing that we are doing our part to conserve the planet.
* Increases the value of your home by thousands.
* It is already proven to work for thousands of people.

Advice

In order to optimize it, make sure to place the solar-paneling unit in a spot that gets the most sun at all times of the year.

Summary

In most cases, implementing such technology requires no more than 2-3 days; while the return-on-investment with this “Making Pv Power” System takes in average just about few weeks. There are so many other great benefits provided by this special invention, simply because it is about to change the entire industry forever. It is advised to use it as in most cases it will take you no more than a single weekend to have it working.

Jason Gilford
http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/quotmaking-pv-powerquot-system–the-unbelievable-truth-721518.html

Hurray, another end of the year list. This one though (from Bank Info Security) is not reviewing the top movies, songs, celebrities but, the miserable failures in data security of 2008. With nine more days until the end of 2008, this post could be pre-mature. Data breach threats show no regard for end of the year holiday parties and frivolities.

The data breach incidents of 2008 include the old stand-bys of lost tapes and data due to mistake and theft but also reveals an increased use of break in technologies to steal information from data bases. Numerous “hacking” incidences and infected computer systems not only resulted in millions of dollars in cost to businesses but exposed large numbers of consumers to fraud. Stolen data has to go some where and can be held in reserve for use at a later time, possibly changing hands often before reaching a perpetrator. Data is a commodity. After all, identity theft is a business – suppliers, middle men and end users are the norm, just like in any business.

At least one of these breaches began in 2007 and continued into 2008 due to law enforcement action. Last year’s breaches while not lacking of hacking incidents, were focused more on missing data. For comparison purposes, below the top 10 list find links to stories looking back on 2007 and a link to a comprehensive multi-year listing. APRPEH is currently taking predictions of data loss stories for the end of 2009.

For accuracy purposes, it is important to recognize the difference between lost back up tapes or disks and stolen computers, hard drives or data devices and must be further differentiated from data lost due to hacking, viruses, malware – any active invasion of data storage systems for the purpose of stealing information. It is this last category with its obviously pernicious intent to steal data (vis a vis hardware) which represents a greater threat equation for consumers. The ‘how was it stolen’ question makes a huge difference in predicting whether or not consumers are likely or unlikely to become victims of identity theft.

Top 10 Security Breaches of 2008 – Bank Info Security
Ghost of Christmas Past (TJX) Still Casts Specter on Present and Future
Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
December 22, 2008

From Hannaford to Countrywide to the Bank of New York Mellon, 2008 has been a year of high-profile security breaches in or impacting the financial services industry. Here’s our list of the top 10 – and lessons that should be learned, so we aren’t back revisiting these issues in ‘09.

1. TJX Case Winds Up, Arrests Made

Earlier this year, The TJX Companies (parent of retailer TJ Maxx) settled in federal court and paid out millions to its federal regulator, the Federal Trade Commission, banking institutions, credit card companies and consumers to bring to a close the court cases that had threatened to overwhelm the company.

The August arrest of 11 alleged hackers accused of stealing more than 40 million credit and debit cards brings law enforcement closer to closing what is still the largest hack ever. The U.S. Department of Justice brought charges against 11 alleged hackers from around the globe. Some of the hacking gang were nabbed and brought to the U.S. to face trial alongside three U.S.-based defendants. Two of the defendants, Christopher Scott and Damon Patrick Toey, have already pled guilty in the case. Others including the ringleader, Alberto Gonzalez, await trial.

Lesson Learned: The wide-range of the perpetrators brings to light something that those in the cyber intelligence realm have known for some time: Criminal hackers are part of a very mature and multi-billion dollar industry that reaches around the world. No organization is immune to the threat.

2. Bank of New York Mellon

An unencrypted backup tape with 4.5 million customers of the Bank of New York Mellon went missing on Feb. 27, after it was sent to a storage facility. The missing tape contains social security numbers and bank account information on 4.5 million customers – including several hundred thousand depositors and investors of People’s United Bank of Connecticut, which had given Bank of New York Mellon the information so it could offer those consumers an investment opportunity.

Lesson Learned: For Bank of New York Mellon, know that when data is released to a third-party that their security is as good or better than yours. Encryption isn’t just something that is good for the data held at an institution; it’s also something to consider for data that leaves the institution.

3. Hannaford Data Breach

In March, the Maine-based Hannaford Brothers grocery store chain announced that 4.2 million customer card transactions had been compromised by the hackers. More than 1800 credit card numbers were immediately used for fraudulent transactions.

The affected banks and credit unions were forced to reissue the credit and debit cards. Within two days of the breach announcement, two class action suits had been filed on behalf of customers against the retailer. The retailer claims its systems were PCI-compliant and had passed a PCI assessment shortly before the hack was discovered.

Lesson Learned: The case is still open, and forensic reports by security investigators brought in by Hannaford have not been made public. The PCI Security Council has pledged that if the PCI requirements are found to be wanting in light of the report, they will make changes to tighten the requirements. Cases such as Hannaford may be the impetus behind legislation to require prompt notification of a data security breach.

4. Countrywide Insider Theft

In August, a former Countrywide Financial Corp. senior financial analyst, Rene Rebollo, was arrested and charged by the FBI for stealing and selling sensitive personal information of an estimated 2 million mortgage loan applicants. How he did it over a two-year period was to download about 20,000 customer profiles each week onto flash drives, working on Sunday nights, when no one else was in the office. Rebollo then took the excel spreadsheets to business center stores to email to buyers.

Countrywide, now owned by Bank of America, was already facing money and reputation issues because of the subprime loan meltdown before it faced the insider threat of Rebollo.

Lesson Learned: While Countrywide and Bank of America now know firsthand what a rogue insider can do, other institutions need to do a better job of monitoring their employees and creating asset controls. As the economy continues to produce layoffs, this threat may become even more so, as fearful employees look to cash in on their trusted status and take data just in case they face unemployment.

5. GE Money Backup Tape Goes AWOL

Early in January, Iron Mountain said it could not find a backup tape that belonged to GE Money, containing information on J.C. Penney customers and 100 other retailers.

The tape was stored in an Iron Mountain vault, says an Iron Mountain statement issued about the loss, and had been requested by GE Money in October 2007. The tape contained the personal information of about 650,000 J.C. Penney customers and the other 100 retailers. GE Money processes credit cards for those retailers. As a records and archive company that specializes in records management, Iron Mountain was at a loss to explain the tape’s whereabouts.

Iron Mountain said it was an unfortunate case of a misplaced tape, but asserts that there was no evidence that the information was obtained and used by unauthorized persons. The missing tape also included about 150,000 social security numbers.

Lesson Learned: While GE Money paid for credit monitoring for the 650,000 credit card holders, Iron Mountain may have learned to better monitor where media is located. For the rest of companies that hold information of a personally identifiable nature, there is another reason to keep it safe from prying eyes. The cost of an average data breach can hit a company’s bottom line. According to a study conducted by the Ponemon Institute, an independent information security and privacy research group, data breaches are costing businesses an average of $197 per customer record, up from $182 in 2006.

6. RSA Report: Half-Million Banking ID’s Stolen

In November, security vendor RSA said it found a single Trojan that had taken more than 500,000 online banking accounts credentials, credit cards and other resources. The company’s Fraud Action Research Team added that the hacking gang behind the Trojan may have been operating for as long as three years. The compromised data came from hundreds of financial institutions around the world.

Lesson Learned: The Trojan Sinowal is so tricky that the average institution or customer would not even know that they are infected with it. Taking a professional, defense-in-depth approach to protecting a network and customers is the best remedy.

7. Compass Bank Hard Drive Stolen, 1 Million Accounts Taken

At the sentencing of a former bank programmer at Compass Bank in Birmingham, AL. in March, it was revealed that the accused had stolen a hard drive with 1 million customer records and used it to commit debit-card fraud. James Kevin Real is now serving a 42-month sentence and was ordered to pay back the more than $32,000 that he and an accomplice withdrew from Compass Bank customer accounts. The bank claimed that the customer records contained limited information, but Real was able to create 250 counterfeit debit cards. He used 45 of them to access and withdraw cash before being arrested.

At the time of Real’s sentencing, Alabama was one of 11 states that didn’t require companies to automatically notify customers of data breaches.

Lesson Learned: Compass Bank dodged a bullet in terms of cost on this breach. It would have had to notify all 1 million customers of the compromise of their data had the hard drive theft been in a state that requires notification. Other than the 250 customers that Real took money from, no other customers were notified of the data loss. That means that 999,750 of the other 1 million customers weren’t notified of the potential risk.

8. Ski Resort Okemo Suffers Hannaford-Like Data Breach

In an attack similar to what hit Hannaford Brothers in March, the Okemo Ski Resort in Vermont said in April it had been hit by hackers that installed malicious software to capture credit card data as it was being processed at the resort. Law enforcement officials at the time said they were investigating as many as 50 other similar incidents in the Northeast.

Lesson Learned: PCI compliance is like a driver’s license — it may mean that a retailer has passed the test for compliance, but doesn’t necessarily mean it is in compliance.

9. Retailer Montgomery Ward

Six months after a breach happened at the parent company of the Montgomery Ward website, the company Direct Marketing Services finally began notifying customers that their credit card information was stolen in the hack. At least 51,000 records were stolen out of a database in December, 2007.

Direct Marketing said it had promptly contacted its payment processor and Visa and MasterCard, and it also notified the U.S. Secret Service.

Lesson Learned: Direct Marketing Services was forced into contacting the customers after the company CardCops, an investigative firm that tracks credit card thefts for the financial services industry, found more than 200,000 payment cards being offered for sale on an Internet chat room often visited by card thieves. Better to take the public relations role and confess the breach than possibly face data breach notification lawsuits by consumers and state attorney generals.

10. More Than $5 Million Taken By ATM Capers

The Automatic Teller Machine capers are hitting everywhere. In June, two men were charged with making hundreds of withdrawals from New York City ATMs, grabbing $750,000 in the process, using stolen information from a previous computer intrusion into a Citibank server that processes ATM withdrawals. One of the same accused also allegedly took $5 million in withdrawals from iWire prepaid MasterCard accounts.

Lesson Learned: While Citibank denied the indictment’s charge that their server had been breached and blames a third-party transaction processor for the compromise, it still meant it had to notify and reissue new debit cards to those customers that the bank believed were exposed to increased risk.

The Top 10 Data Breaches of 2007 – CSO Online

APRPEH
http://www.articlesbase.com/corporate-articles/looking-back-2008-data-breaches-693991.html

Website Audio Tool is definitely becoming one of the most important online marketing tools. One thing is for sure – it is more effective than just using plain text. If you want to learn more about it, keep reading this article.

Quick overview

“Add Audio To Websites” Tool uses an advanced processor that automatically converts popular music/audio files to Web-Format. The process is quite short and easy. You provide it with the requested files, select a player type and that is it. By the end you get a small code that needs to be embedded onto your desired webpage.

The following process enables you to create a ’streaming webaudio’ file – it can be played immediately without having to wait till the entire file is downloaded.

Using such technology provides numerous opportunities and advantages; for example: adding your voice right where customers complete the final steps of the order process (can dramatically decrease the number of last minute dropouts) or delivering ‘talking’ e-mail newsletters (much easier then typing them) which are far more effective.

Tip

There is one important rule to remember while using this technology: focus on your listeners – talk more about/to them, not about yourself. One other thing: there are many complicated and expensive solutions out there, start with the simple ones – you’ll quickly find out that it is sufficient in most cases.

Article summary

There is no doubt – Website Audio Tool can easily provide outstanding results for any Website(s) owner! Have you ever tried communicating with others by using sign language? Isn’t it frustrating? It is advised to test it in order to explore and see how it can easily improve the productivity of your online business.

Tom Sheinberg
http://www.articlesbase.com/audio-articles/quotadd-audio-to-websitesquot-tool–the-unbelievable-truth-725945.html