the e-waste problem

The Electronic Wasteland (as seen on 60 Minutes)

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[12/4/07] The air smells acrid from the squat gas burners that sit outside homes, melting wires to recover copper and cooking computer motherboards to release gold. Migrant workers in filthy clothes smash picture tubes by hand to recover glass and electronic parts, releasing as much as 6.5 pounds of lead dust.

For five years, environmentalists and the media have highlighted the danger to Chinese workers who dismantle much of the world's junked electronics. Yet a visit to this southeastern Chinese town regarded as the heartland of "e-waste" disposal shows little has improved. In fact, the problem is growing worse because of China's own contribution.

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SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- Most Americans think they're helping the earth when they recycle their old computers, televisions and cell phones. But chances are they're contributing to a global trade in electronic trash that endangers workers and pollutes the environment overseas.

While there are no precise figures, activists estimate that 50 to 80 percent of the 300,000 to 400,000 tons of electronics collected for recycling in the U.S. each year ends up overseas. Workers in countries such as China, India and Nigeria then use hammers, gas burners and their bare hands to extract metals, glass and other recyclables, exposing themselves and the environment to a cocktail of toxic chemicals.

"It is being recycled, but it's being recycled in the most horrific way you can imagine," said Jim Puckett of the Basel Action Network, the Seattle-based environmental group that tipped off Hong Kong authorities. "We're preserving our own environment, but contaminating the rest of the world."

cell phone use and your health

Though many (including me) have voiced concern over the safety of cell phone use, the evidence of potential dangers has been inconsistent thus far -- but a recent news story about an industry insider's personal concerns delivers an urgent precautionary message to all of us. The founding director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Ronald B. Herberman, MD, sent a memo to faculty and staff, as well as to his friends and family, advising them to limit cell phone use based on his interpretation of recent research, some of which is as yet unpublished. While acknowledging that the connection between cell phones and brain tumors is still inconclusive, he says some studies have found that the phones emit radiofrequency energy, a form of electromagnetic radiation, that may damage DNA and could be harmful. Though never intended for such widespread distribution, his memo brought accolades from scientists in the fields of cancer and cancer epidemiology research.

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Here's the article from the FDA saying there is no clear connection.

free tech support

One of these sites will help to get rid of the virus.

They are staffed by people who give their time and knowledge free to people with pc problems.

I've used them 5 or 6 times now and they've told me how to get rid of the virus every time.

It's free to use and the help is given by e-mail / the message board or messenger. You can even get one of them to remotely fix your pc.

Here's the sites

Tech Support Guy

protonic.com

Help2Go

CyberTechHelp


The first one is the best and quickest in my opinion but any of these will help you fix your pc for free.

[from Mandi at frwr-news]

50 words kids think you don't know

• Online
crackberry: nickname for a BlackBerry, the addictive phone, e-mail device and general digital gadget.
google: to use a search engine, especially Google.
hit: a visit to a website.
webisode: a video short produced specifically for Internet viewing.
wikidemia: a term paper that was entirely researched on Wikipedia.org.

• Text Message Decoder
BFF: best friends forever.
IDK: I don’t know.
LOL: laughing out loud.
OMG: oh my God!
ROFL: rolling on the floor laughing.
TMI: too much information.

• Fashion
bling: sparkly jewelry, often gaudy.
tatted out: covered in tattoos.
tramp stamp: a tattoo on a woman’s lower back, designed for viewing between low-riding jeans and short T-shirts.
scooby doos: good shoes.
soul patch: a small tuft of beard under a male’s lower lip, usually with the rest of the face clean-shaven.

• Love
baby mama: the mother of one’s children, usually not a spouse.
boo: boyfriend or girlfriend.
cougar: an older woman who dates younger men.
cupcaking: engaging in a public display of affection.
flirtationship: a prolonged flirtation with an acquaintance, not involving physical contact.

• Friends
brodown: boys’ night out.
bromance: a close but nonsexual relationship between two men.
frenemy: a friend-enemy; someone close to you who often competes or hurts your feelings.
n00b: a newcomer, especially one to online gaming. Also noob, newb, newbie.
peeps: people; one’s closest friends or family.

• Music
crunk: a hip-hop genre.
disco nap: a short nap before a night out clubbing.
emo: softcore punk genre and its subculture of angsty teen fans.
mash up: To take elements of existing pieces of music, usually of different genres, and combine them in a new song; also the resulting song.

• Actions
check vitals: to monitor one’s e-mail, cell phone, voice mail and other electronics.
floss: to show off your wealth, often in a car.
friend: to add as a contact on a social networking website.
jump the shark: to have peaked and now be on a downward slide.
rock: to manifest greatness.
talk smack: to speak negatively or belittle a person, often in the heat of competition.

• Affirmations
fo’ shizzle: certainly.
obvi: obviously.
totes: totally.

• Descriptors
bomb, the: an ultimate favorite.
off the chain: the bomb.
ridonkulous: beyond ridiculous.
sick: extremely cool.
tight: fantastic.
wack: unjustifiable;.

• Britishisms
chav: derogatory term for a working-class youth.
nutter: crazy person.
snog: to kiss.
T5: disorganization, like the infamous new Terminal Five at Heathrow Airport.

• The End
badonkadonk: an attractive derriere.

-- By Betsy Towner - October 1, 2008 - From the AARP Bulletin print edition

The State of Communications

http://www.arcamax.com/pic/61910/382253