As Super Bowl XLV approaches, the Texas Department of Transportation is kicking off a new campaign reminding sports fans and drivers not to drink and drive as they travel to parties, sports bars, or Cowboys Stadium for the game.
Reminders to celebrate responsibly are popping up in TV and radio ads, online party invitations and digital billboards around the state.
"We know that many Texans look forward to parties at homes and at bars during the big game. This year, with the game taking place at Cowboys Stadium, Texans also have the option of going to see the game in Arlington," Carol Rawson, TxDOT Traffic Operations Director, said in a news release. "That's why we're making a special effort to reach sports fans with 'don't drink and drive' reminders at locations where alcohol is served or purchased, as well as in their homes. We want everyone to be safe coming and going from watching parties or the stadium itself."
This year, TxDOT is debut a new element of the agency's onoing campaign: interactive posters featuring a graphic Quick Response code (or QR code), which will hang in bars and restaurants in major Texas markets. By photographing the QR code using their smart phones, Texans will automatically be taken to the TxDOT Ride Finder mobile website, TexasDWI.org.
From there, users can find numbers for local cab companies, public transportation options, and even tweet friends to ask for a safe ride home.
TxDOT has also produced TV and radio messages reminding sports fans not to drink and drive.
SOURCE
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Guardian angel car stops drunk drivers
This vehicular prototype device is not only your whip, but also your guardian angel. The technology we’re talking about is a cool detection system that uses an automatic sensor to gauge a driver’s alcohol level before starting. If your alcohol level is too high, the car simply will not drive.
According to the Center for Disease Control, 32 people die in alcohol-related accidents every day, making an "alcohol-detecting" car extremely appealing to the U.S. Transportation department.
In a visit with QinetiQ North America, the creators of the technology, U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood showed public interest in such technology. The measure called the Driver Alcohol Detection Systems (or…DADS?) will measure the driver’s blood alcohol level, and if it’s above .08 the smart car won’t start.
Although similiar technology already exists, the current judge-ordered bulky tech requires the driver blow into a large tube before starting a vehicle.
This particular version of the technology is designed to be super sensitive and therefore less obtrusive, making it more appealing for major car manufacturers.
The device will analyze the blood alcohol content by analyzing the driver’s breath or skin using touch-based sensors placed on the steering wheel and door locks.
David Strickland, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, estimated such technology could prevent as many as 9,000 fatal alcohol-related crashes a year in the U.S.
So far the program has received $10 million in research money from the NHTSA and the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety.
But some critics argue that the system could never be 100% accurate. Sarah Longwell of the American Beverage Institute said, "Even if the technology is 99.9 percent reliable, that's still tens of thousands of cars that won't start every day.
"It's going to eliminate the ability of people to have a glass of wine with dinner or a beer at a ball game and then drive home, something that is perfectly safe and currently legal in all 50 states."
On the other hand, Laura Dean Mooney, president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said the system could "turn cars into the cure."
Sadly, the anti-drunk driving tech won't available for at least 8-10 years.
SOURCE
According to the Center for Disease Control, 32 people die in alcohol-related accidents every day, making an "alcohol-detecting" car extremely appealing to the U.S. Transportation department.
In a visit with QinetiQ North America, the creators of the technology, U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood showed public interest in such technology. The measure called the Driver Alcohol Detection Systems (or…DADS?) will measure the driver’s blood alcohol level, and if it’s above .08 the smart car won’t start.
Although similiar technology already exists, the current judge-ordered bulky tech requires the driver blow into a large tube before starting a vehicle.
This particular version of the technology is designed to be super sensitive and therefore less obtrusive, making it more appealing for major car manufacturers.
The device will analyze the blood alcohol content by analyzing the driver’s breath or skin using touch-based sensors placed on the steering wheel and door locks.
David Strickland, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, estimated such technology could prevent as many as 9,000 fatal alcohol-related crashes a year in the U.S.
So far the program has received $10 million in research money from the NHTSA and the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety.
But some critics argue that the system could never be 100% accurate. Sarah Longwell of the American Beverage Institute said, "Even if the technology is 99.9 percent reliable, that's still tens of thousands of cars that won't start every day.
"It's going to eliminate the ability of people to have a glass of wine with dinner or a beer at a ball game and then drive home, something that is perfectly safe and currently legal in all 50 states."
On the other hand, Laura Dean Mooney, president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said the system could "turn cars into the cure."
Sadly, the anti-drunk driving tech won't available for at least 8-10 years.
SOURCE
Will technology stop drunk drivers?
Senator Sherrod Brown and others believe it can.
Cleveland) - U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio is calling for passage of the Roads Safe Act.
The measure would fund a program to create a device that would prevent intoxicated motorists from being able to start a vehicle.
Speaking at Cleveland Police headquarters, Brown explained the bill would authorize $12 million in annual funding for five years for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety program.
He says the funding would be provided through money that the federal government has already appropriated for road safety initiatives, rendering the bill cost-neutral.
Supporting the legislation is Julie Leggett, the executive director of the northeast Ohio chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Leggett contends drunk driving has reached epidemic proportions in Ohio, with 122-thousand drivers on state roads with 3 or more DUI's, the third worst record in the nation.
Leggett doesn't feel it will be difficult to create technology that prevents a car from starting when its driver is intoxicated.
Also supporting the bill is Oxford Township firefighter Steve Westcott, who helped Erie County police apprehend a driver who is now facing his 11th DUI.
Westcott says he has seen the effects of drunk driving first hand as a first responder. He feels $12 million is a small price to pay for potentially saving many lives.
Brown claims existing devices, such as ignition locks, can be expensive and obtrusive. The main goal of the legislation is to make the new device smaller and less noticeable, so that parents could choose to install it in the car of their high school- or college-age child.
He maintains the legislation does not require this technology to be installed in any car, but would give families and law enforcement a new means of combating drunk driving.
Previous versions of the bill were supported by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Distilled Spirits Council, General Motors, and Nationwide Insurance.
SOURCE
Cleveland) - U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio is calling for passage of the Roads Safe Act.
The measure would fund a program to create a device that would prevent intoxicated motorists from being able to start a vehicle.
Speaking at Cleveland Police headquarters, Brown explained the bill would authorize $12 million in annual funding for five years for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety program.
He says the funding would be provided through money that the federal government has already appropriated for road safety initiatives, rendering the bill cost-neutral.
Supporting the legislation is Julie Leggett, the executive director of the northeast Ohio chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Leggett contends drunk driving has reached epidemic proportions in Ohio, with 122-thousand drivers on state roads with 3 or more DUI's, the third worst record in the nation.
Leggett doesn't feel it will be difficult to create technology that prevents a car from starting when its driver is intoxicated.
Also supporting the bill is Oxford Township firefighter Steve Westcott, who helped Erie County police apprehend a driver who is now facing his 11th DUI.
Westcott says he has seen the effects of drunk driving first hand as a first responder. He feels $12 million is a small price to pay for potentially saving many lives.
Brown claims existing devices, such as ignition locks, can be expensive and obtrusive. The main goal of the legislation is to make the new device smaller and less noticeable, so that parents could choose to install it in the car of their high school- or college-age child.
He maintains the legislation does not require this technology to be installed in any car, but would give families and law enforcement a new means of combating drunk driving.
Previous versions of the bill were supported by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Distilled Spirits Council, General Motors, and Nationwide Insurance.
SOURCE
Friday, January 28, 2011
Alco-Buddy helping to reduce New Year's Eve drunk driving accidents and DUI's
Alcohol Breathalyzer Vending Machine Being Used in More Establishments This Year
Someone is killed in an alcohol related automobile accident every 50 minutes and someone is injured almost every minute.
Now, a new report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recently reported the average number of deaths stemming from alcohol-related motor car crashes was nearly 150 percent higher on New Year’s Eve than the average for the same day of the week during the holiday season greater on New Year's Day than usual.
The AAA report estimates the number of alcohol-related fatalities will be especially high this year, as New Year's Eve falls on a weekend.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a large proportion of people in many states pulled over for DUIs refuse to take an alcohol breathalyzer test.
NHTSA data show that last year, 10,839 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, including 753 in December alone.
Agency trend data have consistently shown an increase in fatalities during the holiday season.
So, what can be done to curb this trend and make the roads safer on a weekend like this one when the data clearly show that there is a high risk of being involved in an alcohol related traffic situation? The Alco Buddy company of Holbrook, NY, believes that they have a solution that can help deter many of these would be drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel after a night of New Year’s Eve revelry. It appears that many establishments who cater to the New Year’s Eve party crowd agree.
Alco-Buddy is a manufacturer of an alcohol breathalyzer vending machine that is installed in establishments that serve alcohol. The premise is simple: a patron, who may or may not be over the legal driving limit, purchase a straw from the Alco Buddy machine, inserts it into the machine and blows into it. The machine, in turn, will provide that person’s BAC (blood alcohol content) before the person ever gets behind the wheel of a car. This process is beneficial to not only the subject in question, but also to other drivers on the roads and the establishment itself. Consider that an Alco Buddy machine:
· May reduce the number of impaired or intoxicated people driving.
· Assists to educate patrons to moderate and appropriately pace their drinking.
· Sets the tone and shows that the establishment cares about their customers.
Alco Buddy has, in the last couple of years, spawned a lot of cheap imitators. Alco Buddy, however, creates a product that is more advanced and of greater quality than any other in the industry. Alco-Buddy sets the standard for excellence in breathalyzer vending machines. The price, quality and overall value of their machine is far superior to any other breathalyzer machine. Through their time and effort invested into their product, they are dedicated to being the best. For more information on Alco Buddy and their product line, please contact
1180 Lincoln Ave Suite 5 Holbrook N.Y.11741, USA.
PHONE NUMBER 1888 (9) alcobuddy (1.888.925.2628)
FAX NUMBER: 631 648 7754
EMAIL: sales@alcobuddy.com
SITE: www.alcobuddy.com
Someone is killed in an alcohol related automobile accident every 50 minutes and someone is injured almost every minute.
Now, a new report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recently reported the average number of deaths stemming from alcohol-related motor car crashes was nearly 150 percent higher on New Year’s Eve than the average for the same day of the week during the holiday season greater on New Year's Day than usual.
The AAA report estimates the number of alcohol-related fatalities will be especially high this year, as New Year's Eve falls on a weekend.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a large proportion of people in many states pulled over for DUIs refuse to take an alcohol breathalyzer test.
NHTSA data show that last year, 10,839 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, including 753 in December alone.
Agency trend data have consistently shown an increase in fatalities during the holiday season.
So, what can be done to curb this trend and make the roads safer on a weekend like this one when the data clearly show that there is a high risk of being involved in an alcohol related traffic situation? The Alco Buddy company of Holbrook, NY, believes that they have a solution that can help deter many of these would be drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel after a night of New Year’s Eve revelry. It appears that many establishments who cater to the New Year’s Eve party crowd agree.
Alco-Buddy is a manufacturer of an alcohol breathalyzer vending machine that is installed in establishments that serve alcohol. The premise is simple: a patron, who may or may not be over the legal driving limit, purchase a straw from the Alco Buddy machine, inserts it into the machine and blows into it. The machine, in turn, will provide that person’s BAC (blood alcohol content) before the person ever gets behind the wheel of a car. This process is beneficial to not only the subject in question, but also to other drivers on the roads and the establishment itself. Consider that an Alco Buddy machine:
· May reduce the number of impaired or intoxicated people driving.
· Assists to educate patrons to moderate and appropriately pace their drinking.
· Sets the tone and shows that the establishment cares about their customers.
Alco Buddy has, in the last couple of years, spawned a lot of cheap imitators. Alco Buddy, however, creates a product that is more advanced and of greater quality than any other in the industry. Alco-Buddy sets the standard for excellence in breathalyzer vending machines. The price, quality and overall value of their machine is far superior to any other breathalyzer machine. Through their time and effort invested into their product, they are dedicated to being the best. For more information on Alco Buddy and their product line, please contact
1180 Lincoln Ave Suite 5 Holbrook N.Y.11741, USA.
PHONE NUMBER 1888 (9) alcobuddy (1.888.925.2628)
FAX NUMBER: 631 648 7754
EMAIL: sales@alcobuddy.com
SITE: www.alcobuddy.com
Monday, January 24, 2011
Chapel Hill police crack down on serving to minors
Kathryn Ruff didn’t look at the license closely enough.
A server at Four Corners Grille, she was charged with selling a malt beverage to a minor after an undercover alcohol law enforcement check was held at the Franklin Street bar, along with 46 others in the Chapel Hill area.
“I didn’t know they send people in,” said Ruff, a first-time offender. “Pay attention, because you never know.”
Ruff was one of the 13 servers charged with selling alcohol to minors in the Jan. 7 operation, the latest in an effort to reduce underage drinking in the area.
The Alcohol Law Enforcement Response Team has issued more citations for selling alcohol to minors this year than in all of 2009, the year the group was formed.
Last year, 39 were issued.
“We’re getting stricter on enforcement,” said Chapel Hill Alcohol Enforcement Officer Debbie Timmons.
ALERT was formed in February 2009 by the Chapel Hill Police Department and the Coalition for Alcohol and Drug Free Teenagers of Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
The team, comprised of local police officers, focuses on fighting underage drinking in Orange County.
Lt. Pat Burns, an ALERT coordinator and retired police officer, said the team uses underage customers to go into businesses and attempt to buy alcohol.
The minors use their own IDs, and an undercover officer is also present in the business to witness, he said.
“We don’t like to see it,” Burns said. “We’re not trying to get people out of business.”
Burns said bartenders often rely on the people working the door to check IDs, but they don’t always do it.
READ MORE HERE
A server at Four Corners Grille, she was charged with selling a malt beverage to a minor after an undercover alcohol law enforcement check was held at the Franklin Street bar, along with 46 others in the Chapel Hill area.
“I didn’t know they send people in,” said Ruff, a first-time offender. “Pay attention, because you never know.”
Ruff was one of the 13 servers charged with selling alcohol to minors in the Jan. 7 operation, the latest in an effort to reduce underage drinking in the area.
The Alcohol Law Enforcement Response Team has issued more citations for selling alcohol to minors this year than in all of 2009, the year the group was formed.
Last year, 39 were issued.
“We’re getting stricter on enforcement,” said Chapel Hill Alcohol Enforcement Officer Debbie Timmons.
ALERT was formed in February 2009 by the Chapel Hill Police Department and the Coalition for Alcohol and Drug Free Teenagers of Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
The team, comprised of local police officers, focuses on fighting underage drinking in Orange County.
Lt. Pat Burns, an ALERT coordinator and retired police officer, said the team uses underage customers to go into businesses and attempt to buy alcohol.
The minors use their own IDs, and an undercover officer is also present in the business to witness, he said.
“We don’t like to see it,” Burns said. “We’re not trying to get people out of business.”
Burns said bartenders often rely on the people working the door to check IDs, but they don’t always do it.
READ MORE HERE
Cops Spot Car Damage, Arrest Drunk Driver
Braintree police spotted Stephen La, 30, of Randolph driving on Granite Street with what appeared to be fresh damage from an accident early Sunday morning.
A piece of La's Infinity EX35 – the rear bumper – was extending out from the vehicle, and so officer Kenneth Murphy pulled him over and immediately suspected La was intoxicated.
"La agreed to perform several sobriety tests and at the conclusion of the tests he was placed under arrest," Deputy Chief Russell Jenkins said in a press release. "Once at the police station, La agreed to take a breath test and recorded a reading almost twice the legal limit."
The legal limit is 0.08 percent.
He was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
SOURCE
A piece of La's Infinity EX35 – the rear bumper – was extending out from the vehicle, and so officer Kenneth Murphy pulled him over and immediately suspected La was intoxicated.
"La agreed to perform several sobriety tests and at the conclusion of the tests he was placed under arrest," Deputy Chief Russell Jenkins said in a press release. "Once at the police station, La agreed to take a breath test and recorded a reading almost twice the legal limit."
The legal limit is 0.08 percent.
He was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
SOURCE
Small Business Startup News
A survey, released Monday, from the National Association of Business Economics is reporting that during the last three months of 2010, industry demand increased for the sixth consecutive quarter, with 55 percent of survey respondents reporting rising demand versus 12 percent reporting falling demand.
Additionally, these increases coincide with a significantly improved economic outlook. Sixty-two percent of respondents are planning for 2 to 3 percent GDP growth this year.
"The number of firms expressing positive hiring plans is at a level not seen in over a decade - a sign of improving labor market dynamics. Supporting these hiring plans, industry demand continues to move higher, and profit margins are expanding," said Shawn DuBravac of the Consumer Electronics Association.
Despite the survey's inclusion of both small and large businesses, 2011 is forecast to be a much more profitable year, as banks begin lending at a more vigorous pace and consumer optimism continues to grow.
SOURCE
Additionally, these increases coincide with a significantly improved economic outlook. Sixty-two percent of respondents are planning for 2 to 3 percent GDP growth this year.
"The number of firms expressing positive hiring plans is at a level not seen in over a decade - a sign of improving labor market dynamics. Supporting these hiring plans, industry demand continues to move higher, and profit margins are expanding," said Shawn DuBravac of the Consumer Electronics Association.
Despite the survey's inclusion of both small and large businesses, 2011 is forecast to be a much more profitable year, as banks begin lending at a more vigorous pace and consumer optimism continues to grow.
SOURCE
Saturday, January 22, 2011
County Commissioners approve purchase of portable breathalyzer for Sheriff's Dept.
The San Saba County Commissioners Court was held on Monday, January 17th at 9 a.m. in the County Judge’s Chambers. County Judge Byron Theodosis called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. Commissioner Kenley Kroll gave the invocation followed by everyone joining for the pledges to the American and Texas flags.
County Sheriff, Allen Brown, gave comments regarding the security for the courthouse. A committee is needed to make plans for the right response to emergency situations. State officials have been contacted to notify the Sheriff’s Department when they visit our area so that security can be in place. A new employee with excellent credentials and experience has been hired as a deputy. The purchase of a portable Breathalyzer which was on the Court’s agenda in December was discussed and information was given by Sheriff Brown, Judge Les Dawson and Chief Deputy Bill Price.
After questions and more discussion about the Breathalyzer, the Commissioners voted unani-mously to purchase one at the price of $419.00.
The following items were approved by the Court:
1. The minutes of the previous Commissioners Court meeting.
2. The report presented by County/District Clerk, Kim Wells.
3. The Treasurer’s report, presented by County Treasurer, Gayla Hawkins.
4. The County Justice of the Peace report by Judge Les Dawson.
5. The County Sheriff and jail report was accepted.
6. Payment of accounts payable.
Commissioner Kenley Kroll verified the Sheriff’s jail report at an average of 9.06.
The following non-action Departmental reports were accepted: County Judge; County Extension Agents; County Indigent Health Care Program Director; County Grant Writer; County EMS billing; County Emergency Management Coordinator; County On-Site Sewage Facility Management Coordinator; County 9-1-1 Coordinator; County Trapper.
Attorney David Williams attended the meeting at the request of Judge Theodosis to give the court some advise and discuss the Courthouse renovation, a lawsuit regarding the closing of a county road, and the appointment of Biennium members to the County Historical Commission. Necessary changes for the Courthouse renovation will be discussed at a meeting next week and given to the engineers of the project by the last day of January.
The Commissioner’s approved the appointment of the list of Biennium members to the County Historical Commission.
The Commissioners changed the County Conservation Contract rates to be $100 per hour for equipment plus cost of material.
One new employee was added to the County's payroll. The new employee is John Wilkerson, hired by the Sheriff’s Department.
The conditions of the County has changed since some rain came last week and more expected. After some discussion, the
Commissioner’s lifted the Burn Ban that was enacted on November 9, 2010.
SOURCE
County Sheriff, Allen Brown, gave comments regarding the security for the courthouse. A committee is needed to make plans for the right response to emergency situations. State officials have been contacted to notify the Sheriff’s Department when they visit our area so that security can be in place. A new employee with excellent credentials and experience has been hired as a deputy. The purchase of a portable Breathalyzer which was on the Court’s agenda in December was discussed and information was given by Sheriff Brown, Judge Les Dawson and Chief Deputy Bill Price.
After questions and more discussion about the Breathalyzer, the Commissioners voted unani-mously to purchase one at the price of $419.00.
The following items were approved by the Court:
1. The minutes of the previous Commissioners Court meeting.
2. The report presented by County/District Clerk, Kim Wells.
3. The Treasurer’s report, presented by County Treasurer, Gayla Hawkins.
4. The County Justice of the Peace report by Judge Les Dawson.
5. The County Sheriff and jail report was accepted.
6. Payment of accounts payable.
Commissioner Kenley Kroll verified the Sheriff’s jail report at an average of 9.06.
The following non-action Departmental reports were accepted: County Judge; County Extension Agents; County Indigent Health Care Program Director; County Grant Writer; County EMS billing; County Emergency Management Coordinator; County On-Site Sewage Facility Management Coordinator; County 9-1-1 Coordinator; County Trapper.
Attorney David Williams attended the meeting at the request of Judge Theodosis to give the court some advise and discuss the Courthouse renovation, a lawsuit regarding the closing of a county road, and the appointment of Biennium members to the County Historical Commission. Necessary changes for the Courthouse renovation will be discussed at a meeting next week and given to the engineers of the project by the last day of January.
The Commissioner’s approved the appointment of the list of Biennium members to the County Historical Commission.
The Commissioners changed the County Conservation Contract rates to be $100 per hour for equipment plus cost of material.
One new employee was added to the County's payroll. The new employee is John Wilkerson, hired by the Sheriff’s Department.
The conditions of the County has changed since some rain came last week and more expected. After some discussion, the
Commissioner’s lifted the Burn Ban that was enacted on November 9, 2010.
SOURCE
Bill would make prior Breathalyzer refusals applicable in DWI sentencing
A New Jersey senator plans to introduce legislation that would make prior convictions for refusing a Breathalyzer test applicable when sentencing someone for a DWI.
The state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that refusing a Breathalyzer could not be used when determining if someone is a repeat offender.
Prior convictions for refusing a breath test and prior convictions for DWI were written in the law to be separate offenses, the court said.
"We need to make sure people who abuse the public trust by driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol are held accountable and don't get a lesser penalty due to a glitch in the law," said Sen. Sean Kean (R-Monmouth), who plans to introduce the legislation.
SOURCE
The state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that refusing a Breathalyzer could not be used when determining if someone is a repeat offender.
Prior convictions for refusing a breath test and prior convictions for DWI were written in the law to be separate offenses, the court said.
"We need to make sure people who abuse the public trust by driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol are held accountable and don't get a lesser penalty due to a glitch in the law," said Sen. Sean Kean (R-Monmouth), who plans to introduce the legislation.
SOURCE
Small Business Development courses offered at CLC in February
In February, the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the College of Lake County will offer a variety of courses designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners create, manage and grow successful businesses.
Starting a Business in Illinois, explains the laws, regulations, rules and reports Illinois business owners must abide by. It is offered online as a self-paced learning module, and students have until the last day of the month to complete the course. Visit http://wpdi.clcillinois.edu/sbdc/courses.asp for more information. Cost: $25. An instructor-led Spanish language version is offered on Wednesday, Feb. 9 from 6:30-9 p.m. at the CLC Southlake Campus. Cost: $25.
FastTrac® NewVentureTM and FastTrac® GrowthVentureTM courses are designed specifically for entrepreneurs. NewVentureTM is appropriate for entrepreneurs in the early stages of business development and GrowthVentureTM is designed those who have experience running their businesses. Both classes meet Tuesdays, Feb. 15 through April 19 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Grayslake campus, 19351 W. Washington St. Cost: $350 – all materials are included. Thursdays, Feb. 15 through April 19 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Grayslake campus, 19351 W. Washington St. Cost: $350. Registration deadline is Feb. 8.
QuickBooks Module 2, offered on Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 6-10 p.m. at the Grayslake campus, is an intermediate level course. Learn to create and customize reports, payroll functions and more. Cost: $99.
For more information on these courses or the Illinois Small Business Development Center, visit http://wpdi.clcillinois.edu/sbdc or call (847) 543-2033.
The Illinois Small Business Development Center is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in partnership with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the College of Lake County. All SBA programs are extended to the public on a non discriminatory basis. The Illinois Small Business Development Center offers many services to help businesses grow and succeed. Free one-on-one business counseling, planning, and strategizing along with a variety of workshops for small business: start-up and business planning, marketing/sales/public relations, legalities of business ownership, accounting and finance and commerce and technology.
SOURCE
Starting a Business in Illinois, explains the laws, regulations, rules and reports Illinois business owners must abide by. It is offered online as a self-paced learning module, and students have until the last day of the month to complete the course. Visit http://wpdi.clcillinois.edu/sbdc/courses.asp for more information. Cost: $25. An instructor-led Spanish language version is offered on Wednesday, Feb. 9 from 6:30-9 p.m. at the CLC Southlake Campus. Cost: $25.
FastTrac® NewVentureTM and FastTrac® GrowthVentureTM courses are designed specifically for entrepreneurs. NewVentureTM is appropriate for entrepreneurs in the early stages of business development and GrowthVentureTM is designed those who have experience running their businesses. Both classes meet Tuesdays, Feb. 15 through April 19 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Grayslake campus, 19351 W. Washington St. Cost: $350 – all materials are included. Thursdays, Feb. 15 through April 19 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Grayslake campus, 19351 W. Washington St. Cost: $350. Registration deadline is Feb. 8.
QuickBooks Module 2, offered on Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 6-10 p.m. at the Grayslake campus, is an intermediate level course. Learn to create and customize reports, payroll functions and more. Cost: $99.
For more information on these courses or the Illinois Small Business Development Center, visit http://wpdi.clcillinois.edu/sbdc or call (847) 543-2033.
The Illinois Small Business Development Center is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in partnership with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the College of Lake County. All SBA programs are extended to the public on a non discriminatory basis. The Illinois Small Business Development Center offers many services to help businesses grow and succeed. Free one-on-one business counseling, planning, and strategizing along with a variety of workshops for small business: start-up and business planning, marketing/sales/public relations, legalities of business ownership, accounting and finance and commerce and technology.
SOURCE
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
President vows to reduce regulatory burdens for small business in op-ed
In a recent op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, U.S. President Barack Obama explains his rationale for signing an executive order that he asserts will help improve the nation's business climate and boost job creation.
According to the piece, the order mandates a government-wide review of current business regulations so as to remove those that are outdated or hampering economic recovery. The government, Obama writes, will be "making it our mission to root out regulations that conflict, that are not worth the cost and/or that are just plain dumb."
In particular, the president writes that he is tasking federal agencies to do more to relieve small businesses of the regulatory burdens placed upon them.
"Small firms drive growth and create most new jobs in this country. We need to make sure nothing stands in their way," he writes.
However, whether small businesses buy into this rhetoric remains to be soon. Some groups, such as the National Federation of Independent Businesses, said that they will be watching closely to see if this is mere political posturing or will amount to real change.
SOURCE
According to the piece, the order mandates a government-wide review of current business regulations so as to remove those that are outdated or hampering economic recovery. The government, Obama writes, will be "making it our mission to root out regulations that conflict, that are not worth the cost and/or that are just plain dumb."
In particular, the president writes that he is tasking federal agencies to do more to relieve small businesses of the regulatory burdens placed upon them.
"Small firms drive growth and create most new jobs in this country. We need to make sure nothing stands in their way," he writes.
However, whether small businesses buy into this rhetoric remains to be soon. Some groups, such as the National Federation of Independent Businesses, said that they will be watching closely to see if this is mere political posturing or will amount to real change.
SOURCE
Ballet Director Pleads Guilty to Driving While Impaired
The director of the New York City Ballet pleaded guilty this Tuesday to driving while his ability was impaired. Peter Martins was arrested on January 1 in the first hours of the new year by Westchester County police near his home in Irvington, New York. The ballet master refused a breath test, and after failing a field sobriety test, was charged with "driving while intoxicated," what's commonly known as a DWI.
On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, and was fined $300, according to Nina Azeez, a Yonkers City Court clerk.
"A driver who refuses a breathalyzer test should have their license suspended, even for a first offense," said Alan Gordon, the leader of a ballet dancers' union that has been locked in difficult negotiations with City Ballet over labor contracts. "An insignificantly small fine does nothing to deter future drunk driving."
The ballet company issued a statement saying it was glad the matter had been resolved.
SOURCE
On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, and was fined $300, according to Nina Azeez, a Yonkers City Court clerk.
"A driver who refuses a breathalyzer test should have their license suspended, even for a first offense," said Alan Gordon, the leader of a ballet dancers' union that has been locked in difficult negotiations with City Ballet over labor contracts. "An insignificantly small fine does nothing to deter future drunk driving."
The ballet company issued a statement saying it was glad the matter had been resolved.
SOURCE
Facebook shaming for drunk drivers voted down
There will be no Facebook shaming of those arrested for driving under the influence by posting their mug shots, the council of a California beach city decided late Tuesday.
While drinking and driving is a huge problem in Huntington Beach, aka "Surf City," the council gave a "no" vote to their colleague's proposal to put repeat offenders' mug shots on the police department's Facebook page.
Devin Dwyer wanted to put the information on the Facebook page, saying before the meeting, "If it takes shaming people to save lives, I am willing to do it ... I'm hoping it prevents others from getting behind the wheel and getting inebriated."
During discussion Tuesday, council member Kevin Bohr said the proposal "might be well-meaning, but it is misguided, misdirected ... It's the wrong tool at the wrong time."
City officials noted that arrest information is already available online via the police department's website.
Council member Connie Boardman was perhaps the most eloquent when she spoke of the repercussions such an action could have.
"I appreciate council members Dwyer's efforts to deal with this serious problem of drunk driving and thinking creatively," she said. "But, "repeat drunk drivers, well ... they're addicts; they're alcoholics, and putting their picture on Facebook is not going to stop them from drinking. But what it will do is humiliate their parents and terribly embarrass their children.
"Children of alcoholics live in a private hell as it is, and I don't want this city to make it any worse for them," she said. "You know how savvy kids are with Facebook. A picture that appears on the police department's Facebook page is not going to stay there. It's going to be on the home pages and (Facebook) 'walls' of hundreds of kids at the high school or middle school where the children of that alcoholic go. These kids may have real successful in hiding a secret that they're deeply ashamed of, and we've just outed them. And I just don't want to contribute to that."
SOURCE
While drinking and driving is a huge problem in Huntington Beach, aka "Surf City," the council gave a "no" vote to their colleague's proposal to put repeat offenders' mug shots on the police department's Facebook page.
Devin Dwyer wanted to put the information on the Facebook page, saying before the meeting, "If it takes shaming people to save lives, I am willing to do it ... I'm hoping it prevents others from getting behind the wheel and getting inebriated."
During discussion Tuesday, council member Kevin Bohr said the proposal "might be well-meaning, but it is misguided, misdirected ... It's the wrong tool at the wrong time."
City officials noted that arrest information is already available online via the police department's website.
Council member Connie Boardman was perhaps the most eloquent when she spoke of the repercussions such an action could have.
"I appreciate council members Dwyer's efforts to deal with this serious problem of drunk driving and thinking creatively," she said. "But, "repeat drunk drivers, well ... they're addicts; they're alcoholics, and putting their picture on Facebook is not going to stop them from drinking. But what it will do is humiliate their parents and terribly embarrass their children.
"Children of alcoholics live in a private hell as it is, and I don't want this city to make it any worse for them," she said. "You know how savvy kids are with Facebook. A picture that appears on the police department's Facebook page is not going to stay there. It's going to be on the home pages and (Facebook) 'walls' of hundreds of kids at the high school or middle school where the children of that alcoholic go. These kids may have real successful in hiding a secret that they're deeply ashamed of, and we've just outed them. And I just don't want to contribute to that."
SOURCE
Sunday, January 16, 2011
4 Loko, other drinks turned into ethanol in Va.
Truckloads of Four Loko and other alcohol-laced energy drinks are being recycled into ethanol and other products after federal authorities told manufacturers the beverages were dangerous and caused users to become "wide-awake drunk."
Wholesalers from Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and other East Coast states started sending cases of the high-alcohol, caffeinated malt beverages to MXI Environmental Services in Virginia after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a crackdown on the sale of such beverages in November.
Brian Potter, vice president of operations at MXI's facility in Abingdon, Va., said about a couple of hundred truckloads of the drinks would be coming to the plant. Each truck holds 2,000 cases of the 23.5-ounce cans.
MXI Enterprises is one of three facilities in the U.S. that recycle ethanol, according to the American Coalition for Ethanol, an industry group. Potter said Thursday that his competitors also are taking shipments of the drinks.
"We're equipped to process four truckloads a day, and we're at full capacity," he said. "There are about 30 different products involved, and we've only seen a couple of them at this point. It could go on for several months."
The FDA issued warning letters to four companies on Nov. 17 saying the beverages' combination of caffeine and alcohol can lead to a "wide-awake drunk." The agency called the caffeine an "unsafe food additive." Warning letters were sent to Phusion Projects, Charge Beverages Corp., New Century Brewing Co. and United Brands Company Inc.
FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said at the time that consuming the drinks has led to alcohol poisoning, car accidents and assaults.
Health experts have raised concerns that the caffeine can mask a person's perception of intoxication, leading them to drink more than they typically would before passing out. Many of those who consume the drinks are college-age and underage drinkers.
The four companies decided to pull their beverages from stores or reformulate them to remove caffeine or other stimulants after the FDA's ruling. Under pressure from states' attorneys general, Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors removed their Bud Extra, Tilt and Sparks drinks from the market two years ago.
In Virginia, wholesalers have been buying back the canned drinks from retailers to get them off the market, said Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control spokesman Philip Bogenberger.
In addition to accepting the drinks from wholesalers, MXI has a contract to take Phusion Projects' discontinued Four Loko beverages.
MXI distills the alcohol from the drinks, then sells the fuel to be blended into gasoline, Potter said. It sells the aluminum cans to a recycler. Potter estimated it takes "30 days until it's back on the shelf as another beer can." It also recycles the drinks' water, cardboard packaging and shipping pallets.
"These are actually things that could go directly into a landfill or incinerator or some other waste process that's not as environmentally friendly, so I think it's a good thing," he said.
SOURCE
Wholesalers from Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and other East Coast states started sending cases of the high-alcohol, caffeinated malt beverages to MXI Environmental Services in Virginia after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a crackdown on the sale of such beverages in November.
Brian Potter, vice president of operations at MXI's facility in Abingdon, Va., said about a couple of hundred truckloads of the drinks would be coming to the plant. Each truck holds 2,000 cases of the 23.5-ounce cans.
MXI Enterprises is one of three facilities in the U.S. that recycle ethanol, according to the American Coalition for Ethanol, an industry group. Potter said Thursday that his competitors also are taking shipments of the drinks.
"We're equipped to process four truckloads a day, and we're at full capacity," he said. "There are about 30 different products involved, and we've only seen a couple of them at this point. It could go on for several months."
The FDA issued warning letters to four companies on Nov. 17 saying the beverages' combination of caffeine and alcohol can lead to a "wide-awake drunk." The agency called the caffeine an "unsafe food additive." Warning letters were sent to Phusion Projects, Charge Beverages Corp., New Century Brewing Co. and United Brands Company Inc.
FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said at the time that consuming the drinks has led to alcohol poisoning, car accidents and assaults.
Health experts have raised concerns that the caffeine can mask a person's perception of intoxication, leading them to drink more than they typically would before passing out. Many of those who consume the drinks are college-age and underage drinkers.
The four companies decided to pull their beverages from stores or reformulate them to remove caffeine or other stimulants after the FDA's ruling. Under pressure from states' attorneys general, Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors removed their Bud Extra, Tilt and Sparks drinks from the market two years ago.
In Virginia, wholesalers have been buying back the canned drinks from retailers to get them off the market, said Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control spokesman Philip Bogenberger.
In addition to accepting the drinks from wholesalers, MXI has a contract to take Phusion Projects' discontinued Four Loko beverages.
MXI distills the alcohol from the drinks, then sells the fuel to be blended into gasoline, Potter said. It sells the aluminum cans to a recycler. Potter estimated it takes "30 days until it's back on the shelf as another beer can." It also recycles the drinks' water, cardboard packaging and shipping pallets.
"These are actually things that could go directly into a landfill or incinerator or some other waste process that's not as environmentally friendly, so I think it's a good thing," he said.
SOURCE
Driving While Talking on Your Cell Phone Is Safe?
No matter how many times scientists, the Mythbusters, the government or even we bloggers tell you that driving while talking on the phone is dangerous, you just don't listen. So, why isn't the road littered with the shells of burned-out cars and the bodies of drive-time chatterboxes? A new study from economists Saurabh Bhargava, at the University of Chicago, and Vikram Pathania, of the London School of Economics, suggests that, while gabbing on your cell seems dangerous in a laboratory setting, it doesn't translate to real-world disaster.
The two researchers collected call data from a cell phone company, filtering for drivers' calls by looking for those that switched towers over an 11-day period in 2005. There should have been an increase in reported crashes during those spikes, and, yet, the researchers found none. They then expanded their research to cover more years and a wider area (the initial data being from California only), and still found no correlation between calls by drivers and reported accidents. The researchers have suggested that driving while talking on a cell phone may hinder some drivers, but may cause others to be more cautious.
Of course, the research is hardly definitive. There is no way for the researchers to identify the number of those drivers who were using hands-free devices, and there is an obvious correlation between downward trends in crashes and the increase of laws against talking on cell phones. Are the dangers of driving while on the phone overstated? Perhaps -- but we wouldn't consider this news as a license to drive around with your cell phone glued to your ear. Besides, it's still illegal.
SOURCE
The two researchers collected call data from a cell phone company, filtering for drivers' calls by looking for those that switched towers over an 11-day period in 2005. There should have been an increase in reported crashes during those spikes, and, yet, the researchers found none. They then expanded their research to cover more years and a wider area (the initial data being from California only), and still found no correlation between calls by drivers and reported accidents. The researchers have suggested that driving while talking on a cell phone may hinder some drivers, but may cause others to be more cautious.
Of course, the research is hardly definitive. There is no way for the researchers to identify the number of those drivers who were using hands-free devices, and there is an obvious correlation between downward trends in crashes and the increase of laws against talking on cell phones. Are the dangers of driving while on the phone overstated? Perhaps -- but we wouldn't consider this news as a license to drive around with your cell phone glued to your ear. Besides, it's still illegal.
SOURCE
Triopia awarded grant for safe driving program
Triopia Junior-Senior High School was one of 105 high schools in Illinois to receive $2,000 in grant funding to participate in the 2010-’11 Operation Teen Safe Driving program.
The initiative is designed to educate teens about driving responsibly in an effort to decrease the number of fatalities and injuries involving teenagers in Illinois.
Students identify issues relating to traffic safety in their community such as underage drinking and driving unbuckled, impaired or distracted. The selected schools will develop and implement a peer-to-peer based program.
The program is funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic Safety and the Allstate Foundation.
Winners are selected from each region and will receive prize money to host a post-prom party.
The top five schools in each of the seven regions will be invited to send students to a “Driving Skills for Life, Ride and Drive” event sponsored by the Ford Motor Company Fund. Students will observe professional drivers on two separate courses demonstrating critical driving skills.
Teens will then drive the same courses with the professional driver in the passenger seat providing tips and assistance.
SOURCE
The initiative is designed to educate teens about driving responsibly in an effort to decrease the number of fatalities and injuries involving teenagers in Illinois.
Students identify issues relating to traffic safety in their community such as underage drinking and driving unbuckled, impaired or distracted. The selected schools will develop and implement a peer-to-peer based program.
The program is funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic Safety and the Allstate Foundation.
Winners are selected from each region and will receive prize money to host a post-prom party.
The top five schools in each of the seven regions will be invited to send students to a “Driving Skills for Life, Ride and Drive” event sponsored by the Ford Motor Company Fund. Students will observe professional drivers on two separate courses demonstrating critical driving skills.
Teens will then drive the same courses with the professional driver in the passenger seat providing tips and assistance.
SOURCE
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Drunk driving will cost licence: RR Patil
Soon, anyone caught driving in an inebriated condition will lose his or her licence as the state government is gearing up to amend the traffic rules in view of rising cases of drunk driving.
"A detailed policy, with a provision for cancelling driving licences in cases of drunk driving, will be formed shortly and implemented with immediate effect," state home minister R R Patil said at the concluding ceremony of the Maharashtra State Road Safety Drive here on Saturday.
A total of 57,000 drunk driving cases were registered across the state last year, and on New Year's Eve alone, 8,000 cases were registered in the state, said Patil. "These figures are shameful. Despite strict action by the traffic department, there seems to be a continuous rise in the number of such cases. Hence, we have decided to cancel the licence of a person involved in drunk driving."
Seveny-five per cent of accidents happen due to the drivers' mistakes and it is imperative that the driver is penalised, said Patil.
The minister announced that traffic lessons would soon be part of the school syllabus to inculcate a traffic sense in students right from the young age.
According to the statistical information given by Patil, every year, 12,000 people in Maharashtra are killed in road accidents -- the second biggest cause of death after natural death -- while 25,000 people are injured permanently every year.
"Those killed in road mishaps are in the age group of 18-25 years, which shows lack of traffic awareness. Hence, we have decided to traffic lessons in the school syllabus. We have already spoken to the education department and students will be taught traffic rules in schools soon."
"We are working on the policy (of cancelling the licences in drunk driving cases)," said state transport commissioner Dilip Jadhav, who was present at the function.BOX
SOURCE
"A detailed policy, with a provision for cancelling driving licences in cases of drunk driving, will be formed shortly and implemented with immediate effect," state home minister R R Patil said at the concluding ceremony of the Maharashtra State Road Safety Drive here on Saturday.
A total of 57,000 drunk driving cases were registered across the state last year, and on New Year's Eve alone, 8,000 cases were registered in the state, said Patil. "These figures are shameful. Despite strict action by the traffic department, there seems to be a continuous rise in the number of such cases. Hence, we have decided to cancel the licence of a person involved in drunk driving."
Seveny-five per cent of accidents happen due to the drivers' mistakes and it is imperative that the driver is penalised, said Patil.
The minister announced that traffic lessons would soon be part of the school syllabus to inculcate a traffic sense in students right from the young age.
According to the statistical information given by Patil, every year, 12,000 people in Maharashtra are killed in road accidents -- the second biggest cause of death after natural death -- while 25,000 people are injured permanently every year.
"Those killed in road mishaps are in the age group of 18-25 years, which shows lack of traffic awareness. Hence, we have decided to traffic lessons in the school syllabus. We have already spoken to the education department and students will be taught traffic rules in schools soon."
"We are working on the policy (of cancelling the licences in drunk driving cases)," said state transport commissioner Dilip Jadhav, who was present at the function.BOX
SOURCE
Smart vending machine unveiled to help make decision
Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) The state-backed Institute for Information Industry (III) launched Thursday a vending machine it says can make product selection choices for consumers by identifying their faces.
The so-called "intelligent" vending machine, which can tell a person's gender, age, hair color, skin color, as well as whether the person has a beard or spectacles, will be able to recommend what it "thinks" is suitable merchandise to customers after it has detected their faces, III section manager Chiu Jing-ming told a press conference to introduce the machine.
Consumers' choices will be collected and stored by software connected to the Internet through fixed or wireless networks, which will help retailers to analyze consumers' preferences, according to Chiu.
"Eventually, we want to use this technology to build a fully automatic and smart retail store that does not require clerks and can do business more efficiently," he added.
The machine can also automatically detect any electronic devices the consumer might be carrying, such as smartphones, e-readers or tablets, enabling easy access for downloading e-books, music or films offered by the machine.
SOURCE
The so-called "intelligent" vending machine, which can tell a person's gender, age, hair color, skin color, as well as whether the person has a beard or spectacles, will be able to recommend what it "thinks" is suitable merchandise to customers after it has detected their faces, III section manager Chiu Jing-ming told a press conference to introduce the machine.
Consumers' choices will be collected and stored by software connected to the Internet through fixed or wireless networks, which will help retailers to analyze consumers' preferences, according to Chiu.
"Eventually, we want to use this technology to build a fully automatic and smart retail store that does not require clerks and can do business more efficiently," he added.
The machine can also automatically detect any electronic devices the consumer might be carrying, such as smartphones, e-readers or tablets, enabling easy access for downloading e-books, music or films offered by the machine.
SOURCE
Taiwan Develops Face-recognition Vending Machine
Government-funded researchers in Taiwan have developed a vending machine that recommends purchases based on people's faces, one of the inventors said on Friday.
The machine, designed by the Institute for Information Industry in Taipei, builds a profile after checking characteristics such as complexion and hair color, said researcher Tsai Chi-hang. Those clues help the machine guess a shopper's gender, approximate age and other things that might be helpful in promoting a suitable product.
Researchers spent the past year using a grant from Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs to build the first machine, which was rigged up on Thursday to spit out free cosmetics samples in the institute's lobby.
The machine looks for clues like whether a person has glasses, a beard or a mustache, said Tsai. Based on that it guesses their use of make-up or frequency of shaving, Tsai said. It then might recommend a facial mask, razor, or health products that people in a certain category are statistically likely to buy.
"If you stand in front of it, the machine has ways of recognizing your characteristics, though it doesn't know exactly who you are as that would infringe on personal privacy," Tsai said in an interview.
"It's a new concept, so it's taking some time to catch on," he said, referring to a model machine installed this week in the institute's lobby.
Researchers in Japan unveiled a similar concept in August last year. The Taiwanese machine isn't a copy of that but the Taiwan researchers kept up on what Japan was doing, Tsai said.
The machine also attempts to detect any smartphones, e-readers or tablets the buyer might be carrying, the institute told Taiwan's semi-official Central News Agency. That recognition would tell the machine whether the shopper was equipped to download books, music or films.
Taiwan's institute aims to tailor-design machines for vendors, with storage capacity and exact features depending on the individual order, Tsai said. The institute has already been in touch with some vendors, he said, but he declined to say how much machines would cost.
SOURCE
The machine, designed by the Institute for Information Industry in Taipei, builds a profile after checking characteristics such as complexion and hair color, said researcher Tsai Chi-hang. Those clues help the machine guess a shopper's gender, approximate age and other things that might be helpful in promoting a suitable product.
Researchers spent the past year using a grant from Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs to build the first machine, which was rigged up on Thursday to spit out free cosmetics samples in the institute's lobby.
The machine looks for clues like whether a person has glasses, a beard or a mustache, said Tsai. Based on that it guesses their use of make-up or frequency of shaving, Tsai said. It then might recommend a facial mask, razor, or health products that people in a certain category are statistically likely to buy.
"If you stand in front of it, the machine has ways of recognizing your characteristics, though it doesn't know exactly who you are as that would infringe on personal privacy," Tsai said in an interview.
"It's a new concept, so it's taking some time to catch on," he said, referring to a model machine installed this week in the institute's lobby.
Researchers in Japan unveiled a similar concept in August last year. The Taiwanese machine isn't a copy of that but the Taiwan researchers kept up on what Japan was doing, Tsai said.
The machine also attempts to detect any smartphones, e-readers or tablets the buyer might be carrying, the institute told Taiwan's semi-official Central News Agency. That recognition would tell the machine whether the shopper was equipped to download books, music or films.
Taiwan's institute aims to tailor-design machines for vendors, with storage capacity and exact features depending on the individual order, Tsai said. The institute has already been in touch with some vendors, he said, but he declined to say how much machines would cost.
SOURCE
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Alco-buddy big push for Small Businesses
The vending machine market may seem old to some but provides very valuable business to new and upcoming business owners. When you have a vending machine market that caters to everything from bubble gum, toys, snacks, refreshments, hair products (Glamour Buddy), and not to mention Breathalyzer's you will begin to realize how valuable it is to tap into such a business that has limitless room to grow.
Do you own a Bar, Restaurant, or any establishment that sells Alcohol? If you are a business owner and you do, take a look at Alco-Buddy, its the worlds #1 leading Breathalyzer Vending Machine on the market that will take your business to the next level. For more information about Alco-buddy, visit the website at: http://www.alcobuddy.com
Do you own a Bar, Restaurant, or any establishment that sells Alcohol? If you are a business owner and you do, take a look at Alco-Buddy, its the worlds #1 leading Breathalyzer Vending Machine on the market that will take your business to the next level. For more information about Alco-buddy, visit the website at: http://www.alcobuddy.com
Drunk driver nabbed with someone else’s ID
Brookline police said an accused drunk driver was found with marijuana and someone else’s credit card and out-of-state identification during his arrest last week.
Eric Andrew Raposo, 24, of 110 Malwood Ave., Dracut, was arrested on Jan. 5 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, possession and retaining a lost credit card, weaving between the lanes and driving a vehicle with defective equipment. He was also issued a $100 civil fine for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, police said.
Police said that Raposo was driving his truck westbound on Route 9 at about 2 a.m., and was weaving across the road when an officer stopped him in a cruiser. The officer reported that Raposo appeared to have a “glazed confused look about him” and could smell an odor of alcohol.
There was also a woman asleep in the truck’s passenger seat, and she awoke during the traffic stop, according to a police report.
Raposo told police he was headed to Lowell, and an officer began a series of field sobriety checks. Police asked Raposo about his educational background before the test.
“I then asked him if he had graduated high school and he stated no. I asked him what was the last grade he completed and he stated twelfth grade,” according to police.
Based on the results of the sobriety tests, Raposo was arrested for drunk driving and booked at police headquarters.
During a search of Raposo’s truck, police found a sandwich bag containing what they said was marijuana, plus four empty 12-ounce cans of Heineken beer, along with a fifth can that was unopened.
Police said they also found a coin purse in Raposo’s truck that contained a Rhode Island driver’s license and other cards with another person’s name on them. Raposo told police he found the items and notified his boss, but didn’t make any further effort to return the items to their rightful owner.
A police dispatcher contacted the owner of the cards, who said he lost the ID and other property during the post-Christmas snowstorm.
The owner said there was also $100 in cash in the purse, and that someone tried using a credit card from the purse on a purchase of $186 on Jan. 4. The credit card was reported missing on Dec. 28, according to police, but there was no cash.
SOURCE
Eric Andrew Raposo, 24, of 110 Malwood Ave., Dracut, was arrested on Jan. 5 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, possession and retaining a lost credit card, weaving between the lanes and driving a vehicle with defective equipment. He was also issued a $100 civil fine for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, police said.
Police said that Raposo was driving his truck westbound on Route 9 at about 2 a.m., and was weaving across the road when an officer stopped him in a cruiser. The officer reported that Raposo appeared to have a “glazed confused look about him” and could smell an odor of alcohol.
There was also a woman asleep in the truck’s passenger seat, and she awoke during the traffic stop, according to a police report.
Raposo told police he was headed to Lowell, and an officer began a series of field sobriety checks. Police asked Raposo about his educational background before the test.
“I then asked him if he had graduated high school and he stated no. I asked him what was the last grade he completed and he stated twelfth grade,” according to police.
Based on the results of the sobriety tests, Raposo was arrested for drunk driving and booked at police headquarters.
During a search of Raposo’s truck, police found a sandwich bag containing what they said was marijuana, plus four empty 12-ounce cans of Heineken beer, along with a fifth can that was unopened.
Police said they also found a coin purse in Raposo’s truck that contained a Rhode Island driver’s license and other cards with another person’s name on them. Raposo told police he found the items and notified his boss, but didn’t make any further effort to return the items to their rightful owner.
A police dispatcher contacted the owner of the cards, who said he lost the ID and other property during the post-Christmas snowstorm.
The owner said there was also $100 in cash in the purse, and that someone tried using a credit card from the purse on a purchase of $186 on Jan. 4. The credit card was reported missing on Dec. 28, according to police, but there was no cash.
SOURCE
Vt. lawmakers target drunk drivers
Montpelier, Vermont - January 11, 2011
"What took place in Burlington in the last few weeks was a tragedy. It was horrific," said Rep. Bill Lippert, D-Hinesburg.
Vermont lawmakers say stopping drunk driving is one of their top priorities this session. Fresh in their minds is the recent death of Kaye Borneman. Police say she was killed by a four-time convicted drunk driver who was drunk again when he hit Borneman in downtown Burlington.
"The tragedy in Burlington highlights once again that we are not yet finished keeping Vermonters safe from drunken drivers safe on highways or in this case, the streets of Burlington," Lippert said.
Rep. Brian Savage, R-Swanton, has been trying for years to change DUI laws in Vermont with Nick's Bill. Savage spoke Monday with Kaye Borneman's family.
"They do hope that through Kaye's death that we will get stiffer DUI legislation in the state," Savage said.
"It's important for us to understand the specifics of this case but it's also important for us not to have legislation driven by any one case," Lippert said.
The House judiciary committee says that requiring ignition interlock systems will be the first step in stopping offenders from driving drunk again. They prevent cars from starting if they detect alcohol on a person's breath. But lawmakers say there's still more to do.
"All proposals are on the table," Lippert said. "I've been talking to law enforcement and the new commissioner of public safety. I'm confident over the next period of weeks we'll be putting through new proposals to ensure safe highways for Vermonters."
"This has been an ongoing problem in Vermont as well as elsewhere in country for 50 years or more but certainly as recent and tragic as it is we hope it will contribute to the success," Savage said.
The ignition interlock systems goes into effect on July 1 but it still remains to be seen if anything else can be done to stop drunk drivers. Right now the ignition interlock system law that goes into effect in July is completely voluntary. Offenders would receive a lesser sentence in exchange for installing the system in their vehicles.
SOURCE
"What took place in Burlington in the last few weeks was a tragedy. It was horrific," said Rep. Bill Lippert, D-Hinesburg.
Vermont lawmakers say stopping drunk driving is one of their top priorities this session. Fresh in their minds is the recent death of Kaye Borneman. Police say she was killed by a four-time convicted drunk driver who was drunk again when he hit Borneman in downtown Burlington.
"The tragedy in Burlington highlights once again that we are not yet finished keeping Vermonters safe from drunken drivers safe on highways or in this case, the streets of Burlington," Lippert said.
Rep. Brian Savage, R-Swanton, has been trying for years to change DUI laws in Vermont with Nick's Bill. Savage spoke Monday with Kaye Borneman's family.
"They do hope that through Kaye's death that we will get stiffer DUI legislation in the state," Savage said.
"It's important for us to understand the specifics of this case but it's also important for us not to have legislation driven by any one case," Lippert said.
The House judiciary committee says that requiring ignition interlock systems will be the first step in stopping offenders from driving drunk again. They prevent cars from starting if they detect alcohol on a person's breath. But lawmakers say there's still more to do.
"All proposals are on the table," Lippert said. "I've been talking to law enforcement and the new commissioner of public safety. I'm confident over the next period of weeks we'll be putting through new proposals to ensure safe highways for Vermonters."
"This has been an ongoing problem in Vermont as well as elsewhere in country for 50 years or more but certainly as recent and tragic as it is we hope it will contribute to the success," Savage said.
The ignition interlock systems goes into effect on July 1 but it still remains to be seen if anything else can be done to stop drunk drivers. Right now the ignition interlock system law that goes into effect in July is completely voluntary. Offenders would receive a lesser sentence in exchange for installing the system in their vehicles.
SOURCE
Winter Driving Tips
As the winter weather strikes across the country, it brings a lot of snow, ice and slippery roads. The first safety tip is don’t go out unless you have to. That being said, there are a lot of things you can do to reduce the risk of an accident, or at least minimize the impact.
In Ice and Snow, Take It Slow!
* Allow extra time to get to your destination;
* Drive for the conditions – slower accelerations, slower steering, slower braking and slower speeds will allow for better control of your vehicle;
* Always look and steer in the direction you wish to travel;
* Don’t tailgate or crowd other vehicles, allow twice the distance between you would for dry conditions. You may have control of your car – but they may be perilously close to losing control and taking you out with them;
* Remember larger vehicles always take longer to stop;
* USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS!
* DO NOT use your cruise control;
* Prepare to brake and slow down long before you get to an intersection or off-ramp;
* Use extra caution on bridges and shady spots as they always freeze first;
* Remember that even four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles will not stop or steer any better than other vehicles in icy conditions;
* Clear the snow from your lights, mirrors and all windows before you leave your parking space – increasing your ability to see and be seen, as well as reducing the snow flying off your vehicle making conditions unsafe for others;
* DO NOT CROWD OR PASS THE SNOW PLOW; the driver has limited visibility, and is concentrating in cleaning the roads, stay back at least 10 car lengths until you part ways;
* If possible avoid using your parking brake in freezing, snowy or icy weather -it may freeze in place;
* In the event of a skid, slowly decelerate, then slowly accelerate to regain control – do not suddenly accelerate into a skid;
* Know whether or not you have anti-lock brakes, if you have anti-lock brakes use the ball of your foot to apply firm and steady pressure on the brake pedal. If you have a car without anti-lock brakes, pump the pedal to achieve a more straight line break in your speed;
* If you start to lose traction, release the accelerator and if possible let your cars own inertia move you through to an area with more traction;
* As you crest hills, reduce your speed and proceed down as slowly as possible – down shifting aids in slowing your vehicle without applying the brakes;
* Try to avoid stopping when going uphill, it is very hard to get traction when moving uphill;
* Secure all packages, bags and items in the passenger cabin – in the event of a severe swerve loose items fly around, possibly causing injury;
* Use your seatbelt, and make certain all passengers are securely fastened into their seats every time you drive.
SOURCE
In Ice and Snow, Take It Slow!
* Allow extra time to get to your destination;
* Drive for the conditions – slower accelerations, slower steering, slower braking and slower speeds will allow for better control of your vehicle;
* Always look and steer in the direction you wish to travel;
* Don’t tailgate or crowd other vehicles, allow twice the distance between you would for dry conditions. You may have control of your car – but they may be perilously close to losing control and taking you out with them;
* Remember larger vehicles always take longer to stop;
* USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS!
* DO NOT use your cruise control;
* Prepare to brake and slow down long before you get to an intersection or off-ramp;
* Use extra caution on bridges and shady spots as they always freeze first;
* Remember that even four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles will not stop or steer any better than other vehicles in icy conditions;
* Clear the snow from your lights, mirrors and all windows before you leave your parking space – increasing your ability to see and be seen, as well as reducing the snow flying off your vehicle making conditions unsafe for others;
* DO NOT CROWD OR PASS THE SNOW PLOW; the driver has limited visibility, and is concentrating in cleaning the roads, stay back at least 10 car lengths until you part ways;
* If possible avoid using your parking brake in freezing, snowy or icy weather -it may freeze in place;
* In the event of a skid, slowly decelerate, then slowly accelerate to regain control – do not suddenly accelerate into a skid;
* Know whether or not you have anti-lock brakes, if you have anti-lock brakes use the ball of your foot to apply firm and steady pressure on the brake pedal. If you have a car without anti-lock brakes, pump the pedal to achieve a more straight line break in your speed;
* If you start to lose traction, release the accelerator and if possible let your cars own inertia move you through to an area with more traction;
* As you crest hills, reduce your speed and proceed down as slowly as possible – down shifting aids in slowing your vehicle without applying the brakes;
* Try to avoid stopping when going uphill, it is very hard to get traction when moving uphill;
* Secure all packages, bags and items in the passenger cabin – in the event of a severe swerve loose items fly around, possibly causing injury;
* Use your seatbelt, and make certain all passengers are securely fastened into their seats every time you drive.
SOURCE
Sunday, January 2, 2011
DWI deaths drop; impaired driving persists
Drunken-driving deaths have dropped dramatically since the early 1980s across the nation and locally - the result of tougher law enforcement, safer cars and a less-tolerant public, experts say - but the problem of impaired motorists persists on car-reliant Long Island.
The recent spate of wrong-way drivers on major highways in Nassau and Suffolk counties, most of whom face DWI charges, has spotlighted the often-lethal consequences when those who have been drinking or taking drugs get behind the wheel.
"We don't have a mass transit system, obviously, like New York City," said Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice, who has made fighting drunken driving a signature cause. "It puts more people in cars, which means more drunk drivers, which makes more people victims."
In the past three decades, drunken-driving deaths nationwide have been cut in half, falling from 21,113 in 1982 to 10,839 in 2009, according to figures from an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety analysis.
That trend holds in New York State, which had 836 drunken-driving deaths in 1982 compared with 320 in 2009, a decline of 62 percent, according to the institute's analysis. Nassau County saw a drop from 60 to 19 such deaths during the same period, and in Suffolk the number fell from 88 to 39, the analysis found, declines of 68 and 56 percent respectively.
On Long Island, the number of drunken-driving deaths has seesawed over the past decade, so in 2009 the number of deaths was comparable to figures seen 10 years ago, the analysis revealed.
A troubling plateau
Yet, a broader look at the data reveals that while these deaths have fallen significantly, a stubborn plateau has been reached.
Statewide, drunken-driving fatalities have hovered at or near 30 percent of all motor-vehicle-related deaths annually for about the past five years - even as stronger penalties against offenders have become law.
FULL ARTICLE
The recent spate of wrong-way drivers on major highways in Nassau and Suffolk counties, most of whom face DWI charges, has spotlighted the often-lethal consequences when those who have been drinking or taking drugs get behind the wheel.
"We don't have a mass transit system, obviously, like New York City," said Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice, who has made fighting drunken driving a signature cause. "It puts more people in cars, which means more drunk drivers, which makes more people victims."
In the past three decades, drunken-driving deaths nationwide have been cut in half, falling from 21,113 in 1982 to 10,839 in 2009, according to figures from an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety analysis.
That trend holds in New York State, which had 836 drunken-driving deaths in 1982 compared with 320 in 2009, a decline of 62 percent, according to the institute's analysis. Nassau County saw a drop from 60 to 19 such deaths during the same period, and in Suffolk the number fell from 88 to 39, the analysis found, declines of 68 and 56 percent respectively.
On Long Island, the number of drunken-driving deaths has seesawed over the past decade, so in 2009 the number of deaths was comparable to figures seen 10 years ago, the analysis revealed.
A troubling plateau
Yet, a broader look at the data reveals that while these deaths have fallen significantly, a stubborn plateau has been reached.
Statewide, drunken-driving fatalities have hovered at or near 30 percent of all motor-vehicle-related deaths annually for about the past five years - even as stronger penalties against offenders have become law.
FULL ARTICLE
New Year's Drunk Driving Arrests
The partying is done and 2011 is officially here...and surprisingly, the drunk driving arrests this past weekend were quite low.
Sergeant Clark Felix of The State Highway Patrol says there were only two drunk driving arrests this holiday weekend. The Highway Patrol also handled eight wrecks with only two of them involving injuries; all of the wrecks were non-alcohol related.
"New Year's Eve really isn't a big time for us. There are so many people that take advantage of the free cab rides and have designated drivers," said Sgt. Felix.
Felix says the number of DUI arrests were down during this New Year's compared to last year's number being slightly over the two mark figure. Felix says the decrease in numbers has a lot to do with the economy making people stay at home instead of spending more money by going out. He also says winter holidays show less arrests than others.
"Most DUI arrests that we make during the holiday season are the summer holidays. Memorial Day, Labor Day, 4th of July, seems like there is a whole lot more partying going on than there is in the winter months," said Sgt. Felix.
Felix says there were a total of five troopers out on New Year's with two of them working overtime.
SOURCE
Sergeant Clark Felix of The State Highway Patrol says there were only two drunk driving arrests this holiday weekend. The Highway Patrol also handled eight wrecks with only two of them involving injuries; all of the wrecks were non-alcohol related.
"New Year's Eve really isn't a big time for us. There are so many people that take advantage of the free cab rides and have designated drivers," said Sgt. Felix.
Felix says the number of DUI arrests were down during this New Year's compared to last year's number being slightly over the two mark figure. Felix says the decrease in numbers has a lot to do with the economy making people stay at home instead of spending more money by going out. He also says winter holidays show less arrests than others.
"Most DUI arrests that we make during the holiday season are the summer holidays. Memorial Day, Labor Day, 4th of July, seems like there is a whole lot more partying going on than there is in the winter months," said Sgt. Felix.
Felix says there were a total of five troopers out on New Year's with two of them working overtime.
SOURCE
Winter Driving Tips
When the weather changes, so do driving conditions. The following information can help you drive safely when winter weather strikes. The National Weather Service is also another source of important information.
Check the road conditions (text or map search) in your area (or call 800-452-9292), and stay tuned to local news broadcasts for more information on roadway and weather conditions.
Remove snow and ice from your vehicle before you drive, making sure the headlights and taillights are visible.
Accelerate slowly.
Increase your following distance.
Brake gently in slow, steady strokes to see how much traction you have, and begin braking early when approaching intersections or stops.
Approach bridges, shaded spots, overpasses and turns slowly.
Never use cruise control in winter driving conditions.
Use non-freezing windshield washer liquid.
Use snow tires and/or chains (where allowed).
SOURCE
Check the road conditions (text or map search) in your area (or call 800-452-9292), and stay tuned to local news broadcasts for more information on roadway and weather conditions.
Remove snow and ice from your vehicle before you drive, making sure the headlights and taillights are visible.
Accelerate slowly.
Increase your following distance.
Brake gently in slow, steady strokes to see how much traction you have, and begin braking early when approaching intersections or stops.
Approach bridges, shaded spots, overpasses and turns slowly.
Never use cruise control in winter driving conditions.
Use non-freezing windshield washer liquid.
Use snow tires and/or chains (where allowed).
SOURCE
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