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| BBFC in danger due to Manhunt 2 controversy? |
 It looks like the whole Manhunt 2 fiasco has put the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) in a spot of bother. After being forced to give Rockstar Games' Manhunt 2 (Sony PSP and Nintendo Wii) the green light, doubts have risen about the viability of the BBFC as a games classification body.According to MCVUK, BBC News' technology index editor Darren Waters has said that the "grudging nature of the BBFC s statement [regarding Manhunt 2] ... coupled with the fact the body went to the High Court, twice rejected the game itself and tried to overturn the original judgment of the VAC leaves the organisation with its credibility bruised." Waters also added that Dr. Tanya Byron, who is set to give a report on video game classification later this month, is expected to favour handing the games classification job over to the Pan European Game Information (PEGI). There has been confusion among consumers as to why there are often two certificates on UK games, from the BBFC and European body PEGI," said Waters. The BBFC s dogged fight to ban Manhunt 2, even though industry figures lined up to defend the title, might come back to haunt it. Buy: [Manhunt 2 (PSP)] Buy: [Manhunt 2 (Wii)] |
| a quote |
| … that I have heard on radio: (she) “I would like to have more people paying attention to my presenting skills!” (he) but you don’t have any, that’s why people look at your breasts. |
… that I have heard on radio:
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| NASA launches telescope |
| Read full story for latest details.
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| Luftbrücke in Malaysia |
Irres Bauwerk über einer Gebirgsschlucht. |
| Forget Paper and Sign Contracts Online With Tractis |
| Tractis, which recently came out of private beta, allows you to negotiate and execute worldwide legally binding contracts online. Tractis’ focus is making e-commerce more safe by providing not only digital signing of contracts, but conflict resolution and micro-insurance services. Today, they officially open their doors for Spain and plan to eventually make their service [...] |
Aside from signing contracts, Tractis also provides a database of contract templates which anyone can save to their account and use for free. Right now you’ll find non-disclosure agreements, design service agreements, and contracts for the selling of goods. (Goodbye lawyers!) But where do these contacts come from? The answer is other Tractis users. In your account, you can create contract templates and make them publicly available for others to use. This is a great idea and I definitely see the value in it, however, I can’t help but feel uneasy knowing they are from users that are likely not lawyers. (Lawyers, come back!) On the plus side, templates are open for all to edit, rate, and comment on. Also, Tractis plans to roll out a reputation system in the next few months that would allow users to rank other Tractis users, according to Business 2.0 Magazine.
Additionally, Tractis is a collaborative environment for your contracts. Invite your whole team and the people you are sending contacts to. Start a contract from scratch or from a template, make changes, revert to older versions, and add comments. When you’re done preparing the contract, invite your client to review and digitally sign. If the client isn’t in agreement, you can discuss and edit the contract right then and there with them. One thing to keep in mind is the person signing the contract will need a Tractis account. This is said to be for identity protection reasons, but I’d personally prefer sending a contract to anyone, whether they have an account or not. Also, as of now, each digital signature will cost you 1 Euro, so be sure to increase your balance before sending off a contract to a client. What’s more important, are contracts sent using Tractis legally binding? Even now I have clients questioning the legality of signing a document over EchoSign, even though E-Signatures were legalized in the year 2000 (see, E-Signature Act). I will admit the concept does seem questionable, but Tractis does guarantee that contracts are not only legally binding, but valid worldwide. At the same time, it’s hard to trust a guarantee when pages like contact, about, and terms of use are missing from the website. (I believe the content did exist during the private beta, but seem to have disappeared at public launch - oops!) Let’s hope they get that fixed quick! (Update: I’ve spoken with David Blanco, founder of Tractis, and have been told that they are working on new content and translated versions for the website.)
Working with Tractis is much like typing a document in a web-based word processor, or a contract focused Writeboard with basic contact management. You create and edit contracts in a WYSIWYG editor, invite users to collaborate, and eventually save for signing. And this works great, except my biggest complaint is that you cannot upload existing contracts that you might have, something that EchoSign does very well. Tractis also lets you create groups of people, find new people on Tractis, download vCards, and add people to your team. And what would a collaborative application be without being able to customize your interface to match your company? Nothing too fancy - you can change colors and replace the Tractis logo with your company logo. As I brought up earlier, Tractis also allows you to create templates which can be used to start off new contracts. You can browse the public database of templates, edit as needed, and add them to your account for easy access. Very helpful, but they are no more than basic documents of legal agreement containing filler spaces and strings like “(Your Company Name).” They work fairly well, but one slight annoyance is having to replace thirty or so “(Your Company Name)” tags in a template by hand. The templates would be much more useful if there was a way to somehow mass replace a string with a new value, or perhaps create a custom markup or generate a form that fills in the information for you. Either way, the templates do save a lot of time, not to mention possible lawyer fees.
Once you get passed having a digital certificate and Java 1.6 on your machine, you can finally sign a contract. It’s all simple from here on and you just have to check the box stating that you agree and click sign. It verifies the form and submits your signature and lets contract participants know. I feel the whole process of signing a contract may be a bit much for the average person, but it certainly does add a sense of trust and security to the signing, which is exactly what Tractis was aiming to do in making e-commerce more safe. Although, I’m not sure I’d want a client of mine to go through all of that. Fortunately, I’ve been told that there are plans for additional methods of authentication and signing, including “Accept/Clickwrap” agreements, but will strongly recommend the use of digital certificates. Even though Tractis is out of private beta and officially launched for Spain today, they still have a ton of work ahead of them. I expect it will be a while until Tractis is available for U.S. users, but I definitely look forward to using Tractis when it becomes available. What I like most is the public database of templates and the ability to collaboratively edit a contract before making an agreement, features Tractis’ competitors do not have. I don’t necessarily trust the public templates just yet, but they are nice to have around as reference and to act as a starting point. I also found the signing process to be a bit much for my line of work (creative services), although my opinion on that would change if “Accept/Clickwrap” agreements are implemented. I just wouldn’t want to have my clients create an account on Tractis just to sign a contract and then have to deal with providing a digital certificate. I do, however, see the value in requiring digital certificates when handling large transactions, such as buying a car from a random user on eBay. In all, I feel Tractis is building an impressive service and I hope to use it when it’s ready worldwide. Until then, I’ll stick with EchoSign and the old-fashioned way of signing contracts (pen and paper). |
| Tags: tractis, contracts, digital, signature, esignature, |
| Anne Hathaway discusses her ex husband (the con). |
| Anne Hathaway is available, homeless and seeking comfort right now. I really can’t think of a better set of odds for me to attempt to become her next ex boyfriend. Hot desperate women pretty much rule. I am like a comforter of emotions. “As soon as I found out about the arrest, I had to get [...] |
Anne Hathaway is available, homeless and seeking comfort right now. I really can’t think of a better set of odds for me to attempt to become her next ex boyfriend. Hot desperate women pretty much rule. I am like a comforter of emotions.
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| Busch dominates Dover, wins 8th Nationwide race |
| Kyle Busch made it eight victories this season in the Nationwide Series, leading 157 laps and absolutely dominating to win Saturday in a green-white-checkered flag finish at Dover International Speedway. |
| For all you car lovers: Audi Wallpapers |
 Here you find some audi images for your desktop... And don't forget to check out the rest of Flmsdown |
| Chicago Essex Inn from $79 |
| Chicago’s Essex Inn is situated on Michigan Avenue, steps from Grant Park, and approximately 12 miles from Chicago Midway Airport and 20 miles from O’Hare International Airport. Local attractions include Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Field Museum, Sears Tower, Art Institute of Chicago, and Soldier Field. Hotel amenities include 24-hour business center, valet parking (fee), ATM, limited [...] |
Hotel amenities include 24-hour business center, valet parking (fee), ATM, limited room service, fax/photocopy service, safe deposit box, guest laundry facility, express check-in/out, 24-hour front desk, and complimentary local area shuttle. Guests may also enjoy the garden pool and fitness center. Onsite dining and drinks are available at the Savoy Bar & Grill. Guest rooms feature wireless internet availability (3.95 for 24-hour access), hairdryers, dataports, A/C, voicemail, telephones, irons, ironing boards, TVs with cable, coffee-makers and coffee. Although the hotel will make every effort to accomodate guests with special needs, there are no ADA-approved rooms on property, and there is no hot tub. Rooms: 254 Sauna-no charge Stair stepper-no charge Stationary bike-no charge Treadmill-no charge Universal gym-no charge Heated indoor pool . |
Chicago’s Essex Inn is situated on Michigan Avenue, steps from Grant Park, and approximately 12 miles from Chicago Midway Airport and 20 miles from O’Hare International Airport. Local attractions include Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Field Museum, Sears Tower, Art Institute of Chicago, and Soldier Field.| University publishes 15 words we <3 to hate for 2009 |
Every year, a handful of words and phrases ride the pop culture rollercoaster into our vernacular, only to arrive at the short end of our tolerance once December rolls around. Lake Superior State University has a list of the worst offenders to avoid for 2009. |
| 5 Night Western Caribbean from $279 |
| Brochure price $999. Save up to 72% off Brochure Prices! This adventurous round-trip from Tampa takes you to enchanted Grand Cayman, where you can visit a turtle farm, snorkel with stingrays, and visit Hell, which is devilishly popular with senders of postcards. You can also enjoy the island’s most magnificent stretch of oceanfront, Seven Mile [...] |
This adventurous round-trip from Tampa takes you to enchanted Grand Cayman, where you can visit a turtle farm, snorkel with stingrays, and visit Hell, which is devilishly popular with senders of postcards. You can also enjoy the island’s most magnificent stretch of oceanfront, Seven Mile Beach. Then continue on to Cozumel, the gateway to the Yucatan. Your package includes shipboard accommodations, ocean transportation, fabulous entertainment and daily activities, on-board meals and some beverages, port charges and more. It does not include shore excursions, personal expenses, gratuities, or alcoholic beverages. Government fees and taxes are not included and can vary from $5 to $150 per person. Book this cruise |
Brochure price $999. Save up to 72% off Brochure Prices! | who said cutting down some trees and printing newspapers serves no 2.0 purpose ? :D |
| Always fun to get a bit of AFR luv*, esp when u get up at 5am, leave at 6am in extremely thick fog and one of the coldest days on June record I think I heard, it was more the fog, shutdown Melbourne airport (see we are just like San Francisco!) : Getting home 14 hours later, I heard flights that had been diverted to Adelaide first thing this morning, had only just arrived at Melbourne post-dinner. Ick, so sometimes, it helps to get a bit of coverage, when u maybe asking yourself what the hell was i thinking, do i have a clue what i am doing. And not from an ego sense (ok maybe a bit) But more from a analytical you get more exposure to a business/investor audience; You get more calls/emails from cheque signers and decision makers. And it can help push some things (like funding or that bus dev deal) that extra 1-2%, which is sometimes all you need to get it over the line. The more industry pieces too the better, so great work Renai. Although the cautionary Omnidrive tale is a pity that it takes up half the article. But it's newsworthy so until we have more stories about overfunding and abused expenditure instead, we're going to get what happens when the kids bootstrapping goes bad : And see some insights into human nature when pushed to the edge. It's ugly often, there isnt a finance department ensuring clock like precision that your fortnightly pay goes in so you can pay your mortgage/creditcards/lifestyle expenses. Sometimes there isn't even a fortnightly pay. Or in this case, you might not get paid for 6 months. But being in this biz, thats what happens. Caveat emptor. See Richard Giles tweet below about how it all starts to add up; The gigs of internets, laptops and desktops, lattes so u can use wireless and do meetings, travel to airport, flights, accomodation. And we're not near the big ticket items. Teams of engineers each earning $100 per hour. For months. Which becomes years. Then you lose them, and have to retrain new teams. Product releases slip, clients are slow in paying and the I just had positive momentum becomes a counterforce slippery slope pushing you the other way. 2 steps forward, 3 steps sideway.  And fact is Omnidrive is another company that didnt get enough funding (even if it passed on potential terms sheet etc); Personalities, debt, communication, angel funding + ongoing techcrunch writing aside. When funding doesnt happen sometimes the children will eat themselves. And not be able to communicate as Dunc would like and Pollenizer rightly expect. Hopefully the followup industry piece in a year will talk about the fundings, the odd exit (News have bought getprice and bezurk now called Wego.com in the meta-search ecommerce/travel spaces recently which should get more positive mentions for example - nice work conrad!), and lets hope in 2009 for some profitable growing businesses. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie**. *The online link is here if u have a paid version : If you dont Fairfax will offer you this morsel : "Just 12 months ago, Australia's internet start-up community was on a rare high. It seemed the sky was the limit." - so nudge, nudge, the best I can do - until flickr delete this account too for IP infringement as they dont believe in mashing up nor postmodernism of collecting 3rd party media sources as a form of social expression - what I can offer u some readable happy snaps - High Res parts 1 + 2 here. Funny flickr banter until they delete this account too 'ere'n'ere. Update : Thx anonymous posted link from MISAustralia to article.  ** Caught up quickly with @cathye the West Aussie mining town gal to Melbourne export for a short NextG/Mtub pitstop before going all the 3Jam SMS 2.0 way. Aside from the cash intense $oma loft rents, the stereotype of the valley/SF being rich with fundings, acquisitions, and a startup team in every coffee shop in the Valley sounds as true as ever, and the polar opposite in Australia : Over funding and excess employment of web2 verticals while here anemic is a better description. Anyway, given we lack locally focused Paid Content/Techcrunch type magazines/websites/newspapers - the more the Renais, Foads, JoshGlids, at BRW, AFR, Smart Company cover this stuff and use the reach/resources of SMH, The Age, AFR too : The more the baby booming cash rich non facebook non twittering secretary still reads my email crew become aware thru the media they consume of disciplined, focused, roll the sleeves up types that low funding has the benefit of instilling in most us, maybe they'll realise, one by one, we could help their corporate, private equity and operational ventures. We're hungry and will code for food and promise of future glory.  Smile fellow entrepreneur or bemused bystander : We all need to get on the Aussie Silicon Harbour Melbourne Twitter Underground Brigade Hot Tamali Train. Build it and they will come is what they say isn't it.... |
| Universal cell phone Tools And Utilities - Free Software Or Shareware - About.com |
| Download Universal cell phone Tools And Utilities for your PC. Includes free software and shareware. |
| end of the world?, the Large Hadron Collider ( LHC ) |
The Large Hadron Collider is the largest and most complex scientific instrument ever built and the highest energy particle accelerator in the world. The accelerator is located 100 m underground and runs through both French and Swiss territory. ( 27km circumference) Year 2008 marks the culmination of 20 years of work by over 8000 scientists thousands of engineers, technicians and support staff from over 80 different countries. some critics say that this could create a black hole and could be the end of the world.. the first attempt starts on the 10th september 2008..!(just a test run, the main collision with full power will happen in end of october) for more info folow the link. http://lhc-first-beam.web.cern.ch/lhc-first-beam/Welcome.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg0r7nfXhGw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9XotvwgnaY http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/5005914/physicists-firing-atomsmasher/ this video is done by Chris Mann, CERN- european organization for nuclear research
Author: T56rOx |
| Freeman: Psycho babble too early, bust talk might be late |
| All the Vince Young mental evaluations made by arm-chair therapists were premature; can't a guy just watch a game at a friend's house? Mike Freeman says it's not the only premature assessment of Young -- so was his anointment to greatness. |
| Mountains could have growth spurts: researchers |
| WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Andes Mountains may have growth spurts, doubling their height in as little as 2 million to 4 million years, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.
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| Suicide attack on NATO force kills 3 Afghans |
| KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A suicide attack aimed at a NATO convoy in southern Afghanistan killed at least three civilians on Monday, police said.
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| u say earnings. i say revenue. |
 x : "so the market lumps all these digital assets together. we're valued at 3.5 times earnings."y : "facebook was valued by microsoft at 100 times revenue, but that's an outlier. the average is 10 times revenue, with recent sales in the space at 7.5 times." x : "we will buy assets with earnings at 6 times." y : "we've valued our company at 1.5 times revenue for this deal." x : "your best chance is high net worths and a convertible note. i know a family that would be interested..." (story to continue, caffeination_time...) |
| Fashion Finds: Hilary Duff |
| Reader request! Get Hilary Duff’s look for under $205, and that’s including the same top she’s wearing. And if anyone is curious, the real cardigan she’s wearing is the Sibley Cardigan by Velvet. ASOS - Cardigan- $41.06 The Giant Peach - Top- $30.80 Couture Candy - Earrings- $45.00 Urban Outfitters - Handbag- $58.00 Forever 21 - Leggings- $4.50 Forever 21 [...] |
| Free Trade: Good jobs going |
| Nearly 700 good jobs will disappear when Western Union closes its St. Louis call center and other operations this summer. Officials of the union that represents Western Union workers say the company plans to move many of those jobs to Costa Rica, the Philippines, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. |