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Popular Canadian Web sites leaking personal information, Privacy Commissioner says

Posted: September 26, 2012 at 10:14 pm


A research report conducted over the summer into major Canadian Web sites find that 11 out of 25 are leaking personal information to third parties. 9/25/2012 12:01:00 PM By: Brian Jackson

Some of Canada's most-visited Web sites operated by large corporations are giving away user information without their consent or knowledge to third party advertisers, the Privacy Commissioner reports.

Jennifer Stoddart and her federal office have concluded an investigation spurred by other international studies that found similar results and selected 25 popular Canadian Web sites. It found six sites that raised significant privacy concerns, and five sites that raised questions about Web site practices, according to the commissioner's office. But Canadians won't be learning the names of those leaking their personal details. There were 14 sites that did not appear to be leaking personal information.

The Privacy Commissioner has not exercised her discretion to publicly name the specific tested organizations at this time, a press release states. The research was designed to offer a snapshot of the Canadian context and it is likely that a significant number of other Canadian sites may also be leaking personal information.

Sites selected as research targets by the commissioner had a high volume of Canadian traffic and either targeted Canadians or generated revenue from interactions with Canadians. The sites collected personal information from users for the creation of accounts and other uses.

Researchers worked over the summer with Charles Web proxy software. It captures and analyzes data being sent between a user's Web browser and a Web site, and data sent between the user's browser and third-party sites.

It found privacy leaks from organizations in several sectors, including media, retail, shopping, and a classified ads site. Sites were sending personal information to third parties that included organizations involved in online marketing, online advertising, analytics, and Web site performance monitoring.

Personal details exposed to third parties included e-mail address, name, username, postal code, city location, and search strings.

Stoddart has sent letters to the 11 organizations found to be leaking personal information, asking them to provide information about their practices and explain how they will correct the problems.

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Popular Canadian Web sites leaking personal information, Privacy Commissioner says

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September 26th, 2012 at 10:14 pm

Spectrum Brands Holdings’ Remington® Personal Care Division Announces Entry into Large U.S. Women’s Hair Accessories …

Posted: at 10:14 pm


MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (SPB), a diversified and global consumer products company with market-leading brands, announced today that its Remington personal care division has entered the U.S. womens hair accessories market with a full line of basic-to-trend hair accessories, accessory storage items and brushes for both the adult and teenage girl segments.

Remington already has secured sizeable placements at several major retailers in the U.S. womens hair accessory category, a consumables market estimated at more than $1 billion annually. Remington also is leveraging its strong global footprint in hair care, shaving and grooming to enter growing womens hair accessories markets in Europe and Latin America.

Our successful launch in the womens hair accessory market is among a number of global categories Remington is entering to advance our strategy of rapid organic growth in higher margin and faster growing consumables markets over the next several years, said Dave Lumley, Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum Brands Holdings. We are investing in resources to capitalize on this significant growth platform, leveraging our Spectrum Value Model approach of same performance/less price to gain distribution in both stores and online, and working hard to help our retail partners grow their category shares.

Extending the Remington brand to the consumable hair accessory category further enhances Remingtons position as one-stop shopping for hair styling for all ages. According to Drew Fiorenza, Remington Global Vice President, Our hair accessory product development has a strong emphasis on executing fashion and trend and always with a focus on winning the value position. With our brand positioning of How the World Gets Ready, we have a unique opportunity for cross promoting our hair accessories with complementary segments of our business, such as hair care appliances, and even with other adjacent beauty categories by co-merchandising in stores and offering in-pack trial samples or coupons for discounts with purchase.

Our approach is to create a fun, engaging experience for the consumer, making the product the hero of the proposition and exciting the female consumer with the most trend-forward fabrications, colors and materials at a compelling consumer value, he added. For the female consumer, feeling confident and beautiful is a 360-degree experience, and Remington is committed to making hair accessories an important part of that.

As Remington expands its global market position in womens hair accessories, Fiorenza said, Remington is excited to be able to offer consumers and our retail partners a total hair care solution. We will continue our focus on innovation that matters to the consumer and on bringing exciting, fashion-forward items to this category at a value price position, which has proven to be a successful formula for Remington and its retail partners worldwide.

About Remington

Remington is How the World Gets Ready. A global leader and manufacturer of mens and womens grooming and styling products, Remington is an innovator of affordable hair care, electric shavers, wet shavers, wet shave products and body groomers and trimmers, and a subsidiary of Spectrum Brands Holdings. For more information about Remington, visit http://www.remingtonproducts.com.

About Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.

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Spectrum Brands Holdings’ Remington® Personal Care Division Announces Entry into Large U.S. Women’s Hair Accessories ...

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September 26th, 2012 at 10:14 pm

Success Court a unique effort to keep kids from habitually skipping class

Posted: at 10:13 pm


KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -

In a unique effort to keep truant kids in class, a judge is heading to a Kansas City school to hold court.

The first day of the Success Court program was cut short a week prior because someone phoned in a bomb threat, but Wednesday they will start again. The program started because too many students are skipping school at Northeast High School.

There are no desks and no teachers inside one Northeast High School room. It was a store room that has recently been transformed into a Success Courtroom. The judge works for free to help troubled teens who are cutting class.

"Parents are not engaged in their student's educational journey. You have problems in the community dealing with gangs, substance abuse, domestic violence. These kids are in that element," said Executive Director of Student Intervention Luis Cordoba.

To stop negative influences, the school district modeled the Success Courtroom program after the Independence School District's.

"We focus on those kids that are high at-risk, this is a prevention program where parents say, 'I'm having a challenge getting my kids to school, and yes, I know they are not achieving academically,'" Cordoba said.

The program aims to get troubled teens back on the right track. It focuses on kids with 60 to 80 percent attendance, disruptive behavior and lack of family involvement. It is a voluntary program that requires weekly sessions at 6:30 a.m. Wednesdays. To date, 10 students and their parents are participating.

"I'll use my own personal experience. I too was a child labeled as learning disabled. I too was a child that didn't like coming to school but, if you surround yourself with positive mentors, it only took one teacher to say, You know what? You can do it,'" Cordoba said.

The weekly sessions scheduled for seventh- and eighth-grade students are structured to promote education and social skills, something the kids will miss if they're absent from regular classes.

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Success Court a unique effort to keep kids from habitually skipping class

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September 26th, 2012 at 10:13 pm

Posted in Personal Success

New Life Fitness Report Links Technology to Workout Success

Posted: at 10:13 pm


SCHILLER PARK, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Life Fitness, global leader in commercial fitness equipment manufacturing, today released its 2012 Fitness and Technology Survey, which found nearly three-quarters of regular exercisers use some type of technology device during their workouts. More than half of respondents consider themselves more successful at achieving their weight and fitness goals because of technology. The new survey evaluated the habits of exercisers from seven countries who own smartphones or tablets and exercise at least twice a week.

Technology is integrated into so many aspects of our lives today, but this report is the first time weve been able to show just how plugged in exercisers are today and what access theyd like to have tomorrow, said Chris Clawson, president, Life Fitness. This is vital intelligence for fitness facilities around the world to help them understand what tech tools motivate their members to continue exercising, as well as retain their memberships.

A sampling of results is listed below. To view the full report and methodology, visit http://www.LifeFitness.com/Survey.

Exercisers already plugged in

Tuned in and toning up

Keeping pace with young, tech-savvy exercisers

For more information on Life Fitness visit http://www.LifeFitness.com.

About Life Fitness

Life Fitness is the global leader in commercial fitness equipment. The company manufactures and sells strength and cardiovascular equipment under the brand names Life Fitness and Hammer Strength and distributes its equipment in more than 120 countries. Headquartered outside Chicago, in Schiller Park, Ill., Life Fitness is a division of Brunswick Corporation (BC).

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New Life Fitness Report Links Technology to Workout Success

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September 26th, 2012 at 10:13 pm

Posted in Personal Success

Frost & Sullivan: Natural Ingredients' Success Alter Business Plans in the Personal Care Active Ingredients Market

Posted: at 10:13 pm


KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Sept. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The rising green consciousness in Asia Pacific is generating demand for natural products, and the personal care active ingredients market has been cashing in, especially with synthetics coming under scrutiny for its lack of sustainability. Customers' growing awareness and affinity for natural ingredients, higher affordability, and environment consciousness is turning them toward premium natural personal care products.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.chemicals.frost.com), Strategic Analysis of Asia-Pacific Personal Care Active Ingredients Market, finds that the market earned revenues of US$116.6 million in 2011 and estimates this to reach US$176.4 million in 2017.

"Technological innovations are giving market participants a competitive edge by enhancing the ingredients' functionality," said Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst Dr.Nandhini Rajagopal. "Following the success of the new ingredients, manufacturers are replacing traditional materials with innovative ingredients; for instance, light emollients are replacing some silicon products in final formulations."

The cosmetics industry is riding a crest due to the higher spending power of the people in the region. As the Asia Pacific is expected to be economically strong for the next few years, the demand for cosmetics, and thereby, active ingredients, is likely to be high.

Meanwhile, changing lifestyles and poor food habits are also altering strategies in the personal care active ingredient market. Premature aging due to lifestyle habits has created a new target group of 27-40 year olds for personal care products.

Apart from these shifting patterns, the biggest challenge faced by the active ingredient suppliers in the Asia Pacific is the smuggling and counterfeiting of ingredients. They are also significantly pegged back by competition from low-priced Chinese products.

As these illegal products evade import duty and sales tax, their suppliers can afford to price them competitively and still gain huge margins, placing enormous pressure on legitimate suppliers.

Countries need to design strict regulations and enforce adherence to eliminate the threat from counterfeit and smuggled personal care products. Further, suppliers could also establish local manufacturing facilities to mitigate the effects of this challenge.

"Strategic relationships between manufacturers will also help synergise their strengths and overcome individual weaknesses," noted Rajagopal. "While vertical integration of industries can result in higher margins, horizontal integrations are expected to expand the product line."

Such alliances have been useful to the majors operating in this segment, and could be replicated by other participants.

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Frost & Sullivan: Natural Ingredients' Success Alter Business Plans in the Personal Care Active Ingredients Market

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September 26th, 2012 at 10:13 pm

Posted in Personal Success

Europe Catching up on Online Education

Posted: at 10:12 pm


BRUSSELS, September 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Rapid growth in offer, demand and funding - new portal on distance learning launched

The availability and popularity of online education in Europe are on the rise. Following the revolutionary developments in online learning in the US, Europe is now catching up, increasing both funding and infrastructure. To build awareness for European online learning, a new web-portal brings transparency to the quickly growing options available.

In the last decade, the US has heavily invested in online education: it is projected that US online education will outgrow traditional education by 2015. Already today, renowned institutes like Stanford and MIT offer massive online courses for free - followed by up to 100,000 students worldwide. Europe now heads in the same direction. Within its upcoming 'Erasmus For All' programme the European Commission makes more funding available to support distance education in Europe.

Traditionally, in Europe online education has been associated with commercial institutes, sometimes of doubtful quality. As distance learning however makes higher education more accessible and affordable it "has become an important answer to the current educational challenges and will significantly impact our educational landscape", states Piet Henderikx, Secretary General of the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU). Today, about 500 European institutes provide short courses and entire degree programmes at a distance - with continuous success: last year student enrolment increased 15-20% while the offer grew with 40% as reported by universities across Europe. That makes online education an increasingly serious alternative to traditional education - and disproves many still widespread misconceptions.

A new portal will now be launched to bring transparency to the quickly growing study options: http://www.DistanceLearningPortal.eu. Funded by the European Union and developed by the European study choice platform Studyportals and EADTU, this central information source will support orienting learners worldwide to study abroad from home. On 27 September 2012 the portal will officially be launched by Commissioner Vassiliou at the EADTU annual conference in Cyprus.

To date, already 180 institutes participate in this European initiative (88 in UK and 3 in Ireland) ranging from Open University to London School of Economics - listing a total of more than 1,200 Bachelors, Masters, PhDs and Short Courses.

[Ambient Insight Market Study 2011]

More information on Studyportals: http://www.studyportals.eu. More information on http://www.distancelearningportal.eu: contact press@studyportals.eu or call +31402920060.

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Europe Catching up on Online Education

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September 26th, 2012 at 10:12 pm

Posted in Online Education

Catholic church sparks religious row by banning ‘Hindu’ Yoga classes

Posted: at 1:18 pm


A ROW has erupted over a priest banning yoga from a church hall because the class was not compatible with the Catholic faith.

Instructor Cori Withell said the classes she booked for yoga and pilates at St Edmunds Church building in Southampton were cancelled with 10 days to go.

She was told by the church's booking secretary that it was because yoga is a Hindu religious activity.

Father John Chandler from the church said that the hall has to be used for Catholic activities and he banned it because it was advertised as spiritual yoga.

The ban is not Catholic Church policy and decisions are left to the discretion of individual priests. Some Catholic retreats use yoga for relaxation.

Ms Withell, 37, from nearby Eastleigh, said the church accepted the booking two months ago and she paid 180.

She was called later and told that yoga was from another religion so she could not have the hall. A separate pilates class she had booked was also cancelled.

Concerned ... Father John Chandler

She said: I had never heard about any religious issue with yoga before but I have looked into it since and found that some other religions feel that when people meditate it could let the devil inside them.

But there was never any meditation in my class - it was just exercises. Yoga is not religious: spiritual, but not religious.

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Catholic church sparks religious row by banning ‘Hindu’ Yoga classes

Written by simmons |

September 26th, 2012 at 1:18 pm

Posted in Financial

Let’s go yoga!

Posted: at 1:18 pm


Speak of yoga and the first thing you hear to the effect of verbalism is Namaste (popularized by Western wannabe yogis); or the mental imaginings of Indian rishis (seers) knotted in terrifyingly painful postures or asanas, as yogis call it; and for simple you-and-me folk its all about longer than can moments of stretching and absolute mental nothingness. Bliss?! But lets seriously move beyond all that Hollywood gaga and go yoga as the real rishis would want us to! A true exercise that aims to engage the mind, body and soul, yoga since millennia has been highly extolled for its values of physical robustion, mental tranquility, and a means of reaching spiritual ascension if done right.

How to get started All you need is a yoga mat, a well-ventilated area (preferably near trees; open spaces work best), a tranquil state of mind (burn some invigorating incense for added effect or play soothing tunes from Buddha Bar) and you breathing in some fabulously cool and unrestrictive apparel. Is that asking for too much? Breathing is a very important aspect of yoga, but unfortunately people in present practice ignore it. They focus only on the dynamic part, which is not the highest recommendation of yoga itself, says Karthik Kasyup, who has a masters degree in Yogic Science and is a yoga instructor in India. Yoga must preferably be practiced in the mornings, when greater muscle stiffness is experienced. This should essentially be followed by relaxing meditation and tuning of the mind in silence for inner introspection. The stimulation of the nervous and endocrine system followed by relaxation produces wondrous effects. A sincere one-hour workout everyday is optimum to ensure a healthy and fit body.

What can it do for me? Everything from treating lifestyle and stress-related diseases like hypertension and diabetes, skin disorders like psoriasis, obesity, and redressing anger issues. I will even go as far as saying that cancer can be cured through yoga if diagnosed in the initial stages. Through balancing asanas and breathing exercises, cancer in the later stages can be controlled in intensity through yoga, asserts Kasyup. While oxygen therapy, a regimen that was advocated in the 1930s for the treatment of cancer, found many users in allopathic medicine, the exercise foundation of yoga lies in the intake of pure oxygen itself to achieve all its intended goals. Yoga not only increases physical fitness and endurance, but also improves concentration while allowing one to develop their intellect and other mental faculties. Cervical and lumbar spondylitis, and migraines caused by sedentary lifestyles and stress can be easily treated through yoga with shoulder and lumbar stretches of the vertebral column and spine that helps release stress, stiffness and provides mobility to musculature. Modern offshoots of the classical exercise like power yoga, rhythmic yoga, water yoga, and aerial yoga have also emerged today to suit the present pace of both lifestyle and individual exercise preference. While the benefits of these super yogas may help toward weight reduction in just five to six sessions, many people tend to ignore the benefits that classical yoga provides through overall stimulation of the senses, which is mostly absent in these new focused forms of yoga.

How is yoga different from other exercises? A one-hour session of yoga helps release toxins through the sweat glands, as opposed to other forms of sweat burn like using the treadmill, where breathing is not optimum or focused. Instead of releasing toxins, the body goes into stress mode, the breathing becomes shallower, and the entire purpose of treating diseases from the inside is lost, says Kasyup. In yoga the effort is on long and deep breathing in different postures. This increases the oxygen intake and lung capacity, which helps the cells to get revitalized.

Is yoga the exercise for me? Anyone from any age group and gender can practice the art of yoga safely. Around 500 different asanas exist in the 5,000-year-old ancient yogic scripture for the treatment of any particular ailment, constituting what they call today therapeutic yoga. But bear in mind that yoga must be practiced with care, and one should exercise yoga under the supervision of a certified yoga therapist, especially if there are health issues, as some yogic postures may create undesired effects if performed incorrectly.

Women and yoga Yoga is extremely beneficial for the treatment of symptoms accompanied with monthly cycles, specifically abdominal cramps, thighs and backaches. During cycles, lumbar stretches can be practiced to loosen the back, hips and thighs. Mental irritation and other PMS symptoms can be controlled with meditative yoga with the help of focus on breathing, says Kasyup. Common hormonal disorders like PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) are also known to be managed through yogic postures like pigeon pose, and the half and full butterfly that loosen the pelvic joints and uterus and help stabilize hormonal imbalances. Yoga can even be safely practiced during pregnancy in the second and third trimesters, although complete refrain must be exercised during the first trimester. Regular practice has been known to ease natural childbirths and labor pains from its focus on breathing, pelvic exercises, back strengthening, and stretching poses.

The Y-word There is a big inner world inside our bodies, and we never bother to look into it. Once we do, we can understand a lot, adds Kasyup. And yoga can help you do it. So spread the mat and start humming

Email: life.style@arabnews.com

Originally posted here:
Let’s go yoga!

Written by simmons |

September 26th, 2012 at 1:18 pm

Posted in Financial

Priest bans yoga for 'being incompatible with Catholic faith'

Posted: at 1:18 pm


The ban is not Catholic Church policy and decisions are left to the discretion of individual priests. Some Catholic retreats use yoga for relaxation.

Ms Withell, 37, from nearby Eastleigh, said the church accepted the booking two months ago and she paid 180.

She was called later and told that yoga was from another religion so she could not have the hall. A separate pilates class she had booked was also cancelled.

''I had never heard about any religious issue with yoga before but I have looked into it since and found that some other religions feel that when people meditate it could let the devil inside them,'' she said.

''But there was never any meditation in my class - it was just exercises. Yoga is not religious: spiritual, but not religious.

''I do not object to anyone having a religious viewpoint, but it seemed terribly petty to cancel the classes.

''As a nation we have an obesity epidemic. I was trying to bring some exercise to the community and coming across blocks like this is frustrating.

''I offered to go down and show them the moves and, literally, the shutters came down.''

Fr Chandler said the church was ''misled'' by Ms Withell's booking because he claimed that, at first, the hall was booked for pilates and then he found out it was also for spiritual yoga.

''Yoga is a Hindu spiritual exercise. Being a Catholic church we have to promote the gospel and that's what we use our premises for.

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Priest bans yoga for 'being incompatible with Catholic faith'

Written by simmons |

September 26th, 2012 at 1:18 pm

Posted in Financial

Priest bans yoga from church hall

Posted: at 1:18 pm


26 September 2012 Last updated at 06:42 ET

A priest has banned yoga from a church hall because the class was "not compatible" with the Catholic faith.

Instructor Cori Withell from Hampshire said her yoga and pilates classes at St Edmund's Church building in Southampton were cancelled with 10 days to go.

Father John Chandler said that the hall had to be used for Catholic activities, and he banned it because it was advertised as "spiritual yoga".

Ms Withell, 37, said it "seemed terribly petty to cancel the classes".

The ban is not Catholic Church policy and decisions are left to the discretion of individual priests.

Ms Withell, from Eastleigh, said the church accepted the booking two months ago and she paid 180.

She was called later and told that yoga was "from another religion", so she could not have the hall.

Source: BBC Religion and Ethics

A separate pilates class she had booked was also cancelled.

Read more:
Priest bans yoga from church hall

Written by simmons |

September 26th, 2012 at 1:18 pm

Posted in Financial


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