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Teen broadcasts suicide online

Sunday, November 23, 2008

A Pembroke Pines, Florida teenager killed himself Wednesday, November 19, while broadcasting on the live video site Justin.tv. After making suicide threats and being encouraged by Justin.tv viewers and Bodybuilding.com forum members, Abraham K. Biggs, 19, committed suicide by taking an overdose of opiates and benzodiazepine, which had been prescribed for his bipolar disorder.

Biggs first began blogging about his planned suicide 12 hours before the actual event. He died after taking pills and lying on the bed in front of the webcam. After the broadcast, viewers who apparently thought it was a hoax posted messages such as “OMG”, “LOL”, and “hahahah”.

Hours later, after being alerted by viewers who had noticed that Biggs had stopped breathing, law enforcement and paramedics arrived, discovered his body, and covered the camera. The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office has reportedly confirmed Biggs’ death.

According to Montana Miller of the Bowling Green State University, the circumstances of this case were not shocking: “If it’s not recorded or documented, then it doesn’t even seem worthwhile. For today’s generation it might seem, ‘What’s the point of doing it if everyone isn’t going to see it?'”

Biggs’ sister Rosalind was angry that neither the website nor its viewers reacted soon enough to save him. “They got hits, they got viewers, nothing happened for hours,” she said. She described him as “very happy” and “friendly and outgoing.” “On a normal day, you couldn’t really tell that he got as low as he did.” However, he did have relationship problems with his girlfriend, according to a friend.

Mental health professionals have warned about the possibility that other mentally troubled people would copy his actions. According to Dr. David Shaffer of Columbia University, “Any video showing it as heroic or romantic or glamorous could reduce the anxiety people might feel about suicide. It becomes a respectable behavior and lowers the threshold of suicide.” He and other psychiatrists recommend that potentially suicidal teens talk to others and “tell what’s going on.”

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Teen_broadcasts_suicide_online&oldid=4579216”

The Work Of The Civil And Structural Consulting Engineer

Reading Level: Beginner

A consulting engineer are called by client when client does not has engineering capability, his engineering staff not qualified in work area, client cannot free his engineering staff from present commitments, or client needs an outside objective analysis (Refer to article Reason for engaging civil and structural engineers).

Normally the work of civil and structural consulting engineer starts when then engineer signs a contract with client. Frequently, the employment of civil and structural consulting engineer will continue whenever the first task for client has been fully satisfied. In a design office such as civil and structural consultant, there are a number of work needs to be done as follow:

Feasibility studies.

When client has a general idea of what he wants on a specific assignment, he may be uncertain about the scope of work. Consulting engineer is called and carry out studies and reports in variety of way. Based on the reports forwarded to client, client is able to determine the workability of his assignment

Preliminary design.

After a project is awarded to engineer, initially client may want to know some preliminary information such as initial cost estimation, equipments, local authorities’ requirements etc. Consulting engineer plays an important role in this matter. In this stage, it may start with some submission of works to authorities for approval.

Liaise with client, architect, quantity surveyors, mechanical and electrical engineers and local authorities.

In order to accomplish the project, civil and structural consulting engineer has to all the time liaise with client and update the changes of client. During the preparation of the preliminary design, civil and structural engineer needs to liaise to architect, quantity surveyors, mechanical and electrical engineers and local authorities. He has to incorporate the entire requirement from these parties into his design.

Detailed design.

Further to the requirement obtained, he is able to prepare detail design such as actual building structural, drainage system, water supply and sewer system for the project.

Preparation of drawings.

All these details are further transform into drawings.

Cost estimation.

When details design drawings is ready, consulting engineer may require preparing cost estimation for client. If client has in house quantities surveyors, he will carry out his own cost estimation and compare with consulting engineer results. Budget will be checked.

Preparation of tender document.

When all the requirements and needs have satisfied the client, it wills be the time for preparing tender document. Tendering will be called.

Evaluation of tender.

After tender closed, reports for evaluation of tender will be forwarded to client. In the reports, engineer will propose recommendation to client. Client will based on his best judgment and select a candidate.

Getting approval from authorities.

During preliminary design until tendering or even during construction, consulting engineer needs to liaise with authorities for getting all necessary approval from local authorities. Without the approval from authorities, project cannot be accomplished.

Project supervision.

After the awarded of project to candidate, project will commence. This is the time of supervision of project start. Throughout the project, quality control must be given the highest priority. Civil and structural consulting engineer will base on his best ability to monitor the project. Attention to quality control during the design and bidding stages will be wasted if adequate of inspection by the consulting engineer is not carried out during construction.

Civil and structural consulting engineer is all the time facing with items that mention above. He will be based on his own professionalism to overcome the mention matters.

Malaysian government warns citizens about Uncyclopedia

This article mentions the Wikimedia Foundation, one of its projects, or people related to it. Wikinews is a project of the Wikimedia Foundation.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Satire site Uncyclopedia, a parody of online encyclopedia Wikipedia, has been labeled by the Malaysian government as dangerous. The Internal Security Department of Malaysia issued the warning today, saying that the site has “messages and information insulting Malaysia”.

The warning notes the creation date of the website as being 5 January 2005, and hosted by Wikia, Inc., both of which are correct. However, it claims Wikia owns Wikipedia; Wikipedia is a charitable non-profit website owned by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, while Wikia is an independent, for-profit company.

The report evidently mentions that Uncyclopedia covers Malaysian “history, culture, the political leaders, the government, the national song and the name / history of the national flag,” none of which is “correct”. They accuse the website of helping to reinforce a bad international image of their country.

There are no reports of the site being blocked from access within the country, only this statement, which urges Malaysians not to circulate the content.

Uncyclopedia’s article on Malaysia begins:

Essentially the penis of Asia which is located to the north of their cousins who live on an even smaller island Singapore, Malaysia (also known as Bolehland) is a young nation of diverse cultures and races such as F1 Formula-1 and Nascar. The timezone of Malaysia is unique because it follows the system of +1/+2 PMT (Predetermined Meeting Time) which is 1 or 2 hours later than PMT. Most foreigners have difficulty adjusting to this new timezone as they tend to show up 1 or 2 hours earlier than the local counterparts. The nation is moving forward with a vision towards becoming a developed nation by the year 2020, 3030, 4040 or whatever catchy number.

…Another common state that Malaysians have is denial (no lah, where got?), which incidentally, is a river in Egypt.

The site has fired back with a parody article posted at the site under their UnNews section, titled Uncyclopedia Internal Security Department warns on Malaysia. The article suggests that the “Internal Security Department of the Uncyclomedia Foundation,” which is a facetious and fictitious parent organization of Uncyclopedia, identifies Malaysia “as a dangerous country… It warned its people not to use the country today.”

There are forty-seven individual language editions of Uncyclopedia, including Tolololpedia, which is written in Bahasa Melayu, the Malay language. This is in addition to fictional “language” editions which include Oscar Wilde, Newspeak, N00b, White Supremacist, and Re: PharmaccgRy.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Malaysian_government_warns_citizens_about_Uncyclopedia&oldid=1408264”

Bangladesh security tightened following Pilkhana massacre and Bashundhara City fire

Friday, March 20, 2009

Following the Pilkhana massacre which occurred February 25 and 26 leaving 74 dead and the inferno at the Bashundhara City shopping mall complex March 13 leaving seven dead, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said security measures are being tightened countrywide across Bangladesh.

Fire drills will be enacted at all key-point installations (KPI). Fire fighting systems will be examined by the fire brigade and the public works department (PWD) to ensure functionality. Security measures will be enhanced supplementing areas under private security such as at the Bashundhara City Complex.

The Fire Service and Civil Defence Department requires modernization and needs new equipment to fight fires past the sixth floor of buildings. The Fire Brigade says it needs turntable ladders, snorkels, foam-tenders, lighting units, emergency tenders, fireproof uniforms, and rescue ropes for fire fighting and rescue operations. Transportation to fires is also an issue due to narrow roads, low electrical wires and congestion.

The Bangladesh National Building Code requires fire fighting equipment installed in buildings over seven floors. This code is to be monitored by authorities to ensure compliance with the new guidelines and to make sure buildings are being maintained.

The Bashundhara City Complex opened Monday for shoppers two days after Friday’s blaze. A probe is underway to determine the cause of the fire and to assess structural damage.

Loss of life was minimized as the blaze broke out on a Friday, the beginning of the weekend in Bangladesh, so offices in the upper floors were empty. The lower eight floors are used for shopping and the upper floors are all Bashundhara Group offices.

The mall is valued at Tk 7.0 billion (US$100 million). It is not known if the complex is covered by fire insurance.

It is estimated that it will take over two years to rebuild the area damaged by flames which were burned down to a skeleton. Bashundhara City’s technical advisor, Latifur Rahman, estimated damages at Tk 2.0 billion (US$29m).

Only one television cameraman has been allowed in to film the burnt area. None of the 2,500 shops, cinemas or cafes were burnt by the inferno. The seventh and eighth floors still experience smoke damage, and there was water damage to merchandise.

A three member committee is currently investigating the cause of the fire which will consist of Iqbal Khan Chowdhury, joint secretary of the ministry, representatives of the police, IGP Noor Muhammad, and fire brigade, Director General Abu Nayeem Md Shahidullah. The committee is required to report within the week with their findings. The forensics department is also sifting through the burnt remains.

The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries has also formed a committee which has begun interviewing witnesses and recording their testimony alongside the government committee.

It has been discovered that 150 closed circuit cameras were not being used when the fire started. Another mystery is why the mall fire fighting system has been found unused.

Why the fire burnt so fiercely is a matter to think….These matters seem to be mysterious

“In the shopping mall there is an ultra-technology elevator which runs even without electricity but we have found that locked,” Iqbal Khan Chowdhury, joint secretary (Police) of the home ministry, said. “Why the fire burnt so fiercely is a matter to think. We have to see if there was any incendiary substance there. These matters seem to be mysterious.”

Mall management has been asked to submit substances and items which would have been in the upper floors when the fire started. The fire erupted on the 17th floor and spread quickly to the two floors above and engulfed the three floors below. The aerial ladders belonging to the Fire Service and Civil Defence reached as high as the 13th floor of the 21-storey building.

Videos have been sent to the United States (US) for examination to assist in determining the cause of the fire and to help in the damage assessment. Experts from the US are expected to arrive soon.

Firefighters were brought to the rooftop of the 20-storey tower by helicopter. The only fatality in this operation was Baki Billa, a firefighter of Bashundhara City firefighting department, who fell when climbing down a rope from a helicopter to the roof of the building. Three other firefighters made the transition safely. At this same time, the chief security officer was safely rescued by the Bangladesh Air Force helicopter, a Bell 212. Six security officers of the complex also lost their lives.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Bangladesh_security_tightened_following_Pilkhana_massacre_and_Bashundhara_City_fire&oldid=4231268”

Tips To Get Your Employment Background Verification Right

Today, almost all companies demand background checks for their employees. But the question is why background checks are needed for the employees? The answer is simple. It gives employers a clear picture of whom they are working with. It has been estimated that around 40% of the resume contains false information. So, a Employee Background Screening helps employers to ensure that the employee is what he is claiming. Moreover, background verifications don’t always mean authenticating major information, but it also mean verifying petty information about the employees. For example- if someone claims that he has done MBA finance or he has graduated from a particular college then a background check can put a tick mark on the said information. These kinds of checks are basically done prior to or during employment.

The Background Verification typically includes a simple verification of the employee’s social security number to a detailed checking. Furthermore, it can include work history, credit, driving records, criminal records, vehicle registration, court records, compensation, bankruptcy, medical records, references, property ownership, drug test results, military records, and sex offender information.

It can involve a character check which has become a vital aspect in today’s scenario. A character check can typically involve speaking with personal acquaintances, including friends and neighbors. The extensiveness of a background check depends on the employer, company, and the job involved.

There are certain things that cannot be involved in a background check such as bankruptcies after 10 years, civil suits, civil judgments and records of arrest after 7 years, paid tax liens after 7 years, and accounts placed for collection after 7 years. Employers can only look into certain records with employees’ consent.

These checks can also help employers get rid of liability issues. If an employee has behavior issues, then the employer can take necessary action against the employee if required. It can also help employers get rid of liability issues. If an employee has behavior issues, then the employer can take necessary action against the employee if required. Here we provide you all with a few tips as to how you can get your employment background verification right.

For most extreme wellbeing and safety, the organization should have a reliable and reasonable policy for verifications that verifies the background of every candidate irrespective of the position they are applying for. There should be no inclinations or loosening up the standards for any applicant and the verification process must be done without any partiality.

While it is essential to lead business check forms on all up-and-comers with no sort of discrimination, it is additionally critical to comprehend that one size doesn’t constantly fit all. Subsequently, it is foremost that work foundation confirmation bundles be custom-made to fit each activity position. The higher the hazard or the more significant the position, the more careful and stringent the personal investigation ought to be.

While searching for Background Screening Companies, look or agencies which have ISO mark. Having an ISO in your background verification companies in India means, they keep the quality and data security norms in leading representative screening administrations for your organization and in particular, agree to information security. In addition, pick sellers who have area aptitude in background confirmation alone, as opposed to the individuals who offer plenty of administrations without having some expertise in anything.

On the off chance that you discover anything in the business foundation check results that may influence the applicant’s capability for the activity position, try to make important move. Don’t simply direct record verifications only for it. Continuously finish relieving dangers for your company.

There are different laws for different kinds of verifications. For example, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) can enable you to discover which background check administrations you can include with regard to data on an applicant’s credit. Choose the law according to the requirement and get your verification done in the right manner.

Whatever the consequence of your business check might be, consistently be straightforward about it with the candidates. You need to advise them about your discoveries, and if there is anything flawed, offer them a chance to clarify and legitimize themselves. One must guarantee that the foundation confirmation procedure is a success win for both the business and the worker and the experience is consistent for both the gatherings.

Stock markets worldwide rise on hopes of US economic recovery

Friday, August 21, 2009

Stock indexes worldwide rose on Friday, after US bank chief Ben Bernanke said that the US economy was starting to recover from the recession.

Addressing a conference in Wyoming, the bank chief said that “the prospects for a return to growth in the near term appear good.”

He added, however, that “the economic recovery is likely to be relatively slow at first, with unemployment declining only gradually from high levels.”

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 155.91 points, or 1.67%, to end the day at 9505.96. The Nasdaq reached 2020.90 points after gaining 1.59%. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, meanwhile, struck a ten-month high, reaching a level of 1,026.13 at the closing bell, up 1.9%.

The British FTSE index rose about two percent, closing at 4,851. The French Cac index gained 3.1% and the German Dax 2.8%.

“Bernanke was a little bit more bullish than most people were expecting. He’s saying that the global economy is starting to emerge from the recession and that the fears of a financial collapse have receded substantially,” said Jacob Oubina, the currency strategist of Forex.com.

“I think the market is just taking those headlines as extreme positives for the outlook.”

Jean-Claude Trichet, the European Central Bank president, warned that talk of a complete recovery might be premature. “I am a little bit uneasy when I see that, because we have some green shoots here and there, we are already saying, ‘well, after all, we are close to back to normal,’ ” he said.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Stock_markets_worldwide_rise_on_hopes_of_US_economic_recovery&oldid=2296121”

Andrea Muizelaar on fashion, anorexia, and life after ‘Top Model’

Monday, November 26, 2007

In the 18 months since Andrea Muizelaar was crowned winner of the reality TV series Canada’s Next Top Model, her life has been a complete whirlwind. From working in a dollar store in her hometown of Whitby, Ontario, to modeling haute couture in Toronto, she had reached her dream of becoming a true Top Model.

But at what cost? Unknown to casual television viewers, Muizelaar had been enveloped in the eating disorder anorexia nervosa, which inevitably became too much for her to bear. She gave up modeling and moved back to Whitby, where she sought treatment for her disorder, re-entered college, and now works at a bank. Where is she now? Happy and healthy, she says.

Recently Andrea Muizelaar sat down with Wikinews reporter Mike Halterman in a candid interview that stretched to nearly two hours, as she told all about her hopes and aspirations, her battle with anorexia, and just what really happened on Canada’s Next Top Model.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Andrea_Muizelaar_on_fashion,_anorexia,_and_life_after_%27Top_Model%27&oldid=1408470”

Role Of Bpm In Human Resources

Submitted by: Invensys Skelta

Well, we do know that various technologies are now in place to simplify human resource management. Most of these technologies depend on merging information technology with the automation of various sub-processes, and since the function of the human resources department is no longer limited to performing administrative duties, its effective management becomes all the more important.

However, a business cannot expect increased productivity or efficiency by simply incorporating any new technology. On the contrary, if the solution in question is not effective, it would only lead to increased losses in the form of exceeding overhead costs. A single BPM solution, on the other hand, can be used for various purposes like recruitment, planning, wage administration, leave tracking, etc. This is amongst the main reason that an increasing number of businesses are looking towards BPM solutions in streamlining their human resource management.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RF7RH_y4aU[/youtube]

The workforce of the organization implementing such solutions would be involved in different capacities. From a point of view of a worker this would result in tasks being represented in the form of instructions, priorities, completion times, etc. and the solution in question would also help in executing and monitoring the tasks. For a manager, this would translate into detailed and graphic reports which would offer clear pictures, and the solution would also help in the approval and escalation aspects. Do know that all the processes that are linked to human resources would be directly or indirectly affected by the way the human resources department functions. The human resources department can particularly benefit by the implementation of a good business process management solution for various reasons, and these include knowing that many existing human resources processes are paper based; that solutions often require cross departmental collaboration; that time is often a crucial factor; that multiple levels could be involved in the decision making process; and that the processes have to be adaptable to change. Some of the many human resources sub-processes that can be effectively automated using BPM solutions include: Hiring and On-boarding Termination of services Leave management Training and development Wage management Performance appraisal Compensation and benefits Certification management Facility management Timekeeping Internal auditing Having said that, a good BPM software can also be used to understand how the given skill sets can be used most effectively; it can be used to formulate new processes; it can be used as a common platform across various functions; it can regulate compliance within the existing framework; it can help minimize human errors; it can help increase productivity; it can help in the form of offering customized reports; it can help align the goals of the business across all departments; and in effect, it can help decrease overall expenses and increase overall profits.

About Skelta BPM Skelta BPM is an enterprise class Business Process Management (BPM) platform & Advanced Workflow Software that eliminates the risk of process initiatives, enables communication amongst all process stakeholders and drives innovation by fostering business ownership. Skelta BPM empowers business analysts to quickly build end-to-end, feature rich, process centric, composite applications using a web interface. Skelta BPM enables quick automation and improvement of processes without any coding. Skelta BPM components support every step in the lifecycle of a process based application, namely Envision & Model, Execute & Deploy and Optimize & Analyze. For more information about Skelta BPM go to: www.skelta.com

About the Author: About Skelta BPMSkelta BPM is an enterprise class Business Process Management (BPM) platform & Advanced Workflow Software. For more information about Skelta BPM go to:

skelta.com

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=542737&ca=Business+Management

Viktor Schreckengost dies at 101

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Viktor Schreckengost, the father of industrial design and creator of the Jazz Bowl, an iconic piece of Jazz Age art designed for Eleanor Roosevelt during his association with Cowan Pottery died yesterday. He was 101.

Schreckengost was born on June 26, 1906 in Sebring, Ohio, United States.

Schreckengost’s peers included the far more famous designers Raymond Loewy and Norman Bel Geddes.

In 2000, the Cleveland Museum of Art curated the first ever retrospective of Schreckengost’s work. Stunning in scope, the exhibition included sculpture, pottery, dinnerware, drawings, and paintings.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Viktor_Schreckengost_dies_at_101&oldid=2584756”

Wikinews Shorts: June 15, 2008

A compilation of brief news reports for Sunday, June 15, 2008.

Morgan Tsvangirai has been arrested again according to his party, the Movement for Democratic Change.. The police detention of Tsvangirai and 11 co-workers occurred in Shurugwi, but all were released after three hours. In the past week, the MDC leader was arrested four times as Zimbabwe approaches the June 27 secondary elections to determine if he, or incumbent President Robert Mugabe will receive a clear majority of votes.

Sources

  • David Watts. “Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe arrests MDC chiefs” — The Times, June 15, 2008
  • Press Release: “President Tsvangirai released after a three-hour detention” — Movement for Democratic Change, June 14, 2008
  • News 24. “Tsvangirai arrested again” — Reuters, June 14, 2008

Space Shuttle Discovery landed at 11:15 AM Saturday on Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-124 mission successfully delivered parts for Kibo, an experimental module developed in Japan, to the International Space Station.

Sources

  • Irene Klotz. “Space shuttle Discovery returns to Earth” — Reuters, June 14, 2008
  • “U.S. space shuttle Discovery safely lands after 14-day space trip” — Xinhua, June 14, 2008
  • Anna Heiney. “NASA landing blog” — NASA, June 14, 2008

R. Kelly, a popular American R&B musician has been found not guilty on all 14 charges involving a videotape of him having sex with a minor. Both Kelly and the girl who was alleged to be his partner both denied they were participants in the video recording. Had the Chicago-based trial jury convicted the singer, he could have faced a 15-year prison term.

Sources

  • Associated Press. “R. Kelly acquitted of all child porn counts” — CNN, June 14, 2008
  • “R Kelly not guilty of porn charges” — The Press Association, June 14, 2008
  • David Streitfeld. “R. Kelly cleared of kid porn” — Toronto Star, June 14, 2008

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Wikinews_Shorts:_June_15,_2008&oldid=2467846”

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