Newark Nottinghamshire Vacation of Dreams

Author: David Morrisonbr
Source: ezinearticles.combr
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Security is only ever as strong as its weakest link, and the majority of the time, an organisations users become the weakest point. No matter how much money is invested in security, installing firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, complex remote access systems, security guards, physical access passes or a myriad of other solutions that combine to form strong layered security, if users are not educated in the basic principles of security, it is all pointless.

One of the greatest risks to an organisation is the possibility that one of its users could be manipulated or deceived into performing some action or disclosing confidential information to someone outside the business. Information Security terminology defines this manipulation as social engineering. While the term social engineering is a fairly new term, this type of attack is as old as the human race itself. Two of the most famous social engineering attacks are those of the story of the wooden horse of Troy from Homers The Odyssey, and dating even further back to the start of the Bible with Adam and Eve and the Devils manipulation of Eve to persuade her to take a bite from the apple in the Garden of Eden.

In the story of the wooden horse of Troy, after the Greeks had failed to overthrow Troy, they built a giant wooden horse which they left outside the city. Leaving one soldier behind, the Greeks left the outskirts of Troy to return home. When captured, the soldier told the people of Troy the Greeks had left the wooden horse as an offering to the Gods to ensure safe travel. He also disclosed they had created the horse too large for it to be moved within Troy as bad luck would befall the Greeks if this came to pass. Little did the people of Troy know that hidden inside the horse were a number of Greek soldiers. Of course the people of Troy could not resist moving the horse inside the gates to inflict ill-luck on the Greeks. In this text book example of social engineering, the soldier had manipulated the people of Troy into performing the action of moving the horse, with the Greeks inside, inside the city walls, something the Greeks had not been able to do themselves. That night the Greeks slipped out of the horse, killed the guards and opened the city gates to allow the rest of the Greek army in to defeat Troy.

While not IT related, the story of Troy is a perfect example of strong security defeated via the weakest link, something people do not necessarily even see as security related. Troy had withstood the attacks of the Greeks for over a decade. They had guards and soldiers, strong impenetrable walls and food to sustain them for countless years. It was only via the weakest link in their security model, their residents, that the Greeks were able to succeed.

In the present day, IT and physical related social engineering attacks are aimed at users in an attempt to reach a number of specific outcomes. The most common objectives are:

• Gaining access to restricted data;
• Gaining access to restricted areas;
• Monetary gain and profit; and
• Identity theft

The first two in the list, gaining access to restricted data and areas, are most commonly aimed at gaining unauthorised access to an organisation. Identity theft is generally aimed at individuals, whereas monetary gain targets both areas. While initiation and execution of these attacks follow different methods and paths, they all follow the same principle: manipulate the user without them knowing.

While an organisation may have implemented strong layered security, in a lot of environments, all that is required to access the network from anywhere in the world is knowing how to connect to the organisations remote access system, along with a valid username and password. In the past, this required the phone number of the organisations remote access modem, but with the common place use of sophisticated Virtual Private Network (VPN) devices in most organisations, all that is required is an IP address or a URL. There are countless methods for acquiring organisational information such as modem numbers, VPN access information or usernames and possible passwords. Wardialing, the act of dialing consecutive numbers in an area looking for modems, was common place when modems were the chief method of remote access. Trashing is the act of going through an individuals or organisations trash looking for information such as account details for users and sometimes finding corresponding passwords. Google hacking is the act of using the Google search engine to extract as much usable information about a user or organisation as possible. And finally, the organisations Help Desk. If an attacker has the names of legitimate users within the organisation, including other information that may help to establish credibility, it is not difficult to impersonate a user and request an action such as a password reset or request information such as the VPN access details or modem number. A successful attack such as this would enable an attacker to access the organisations network from anywhere in the world. Depending on the access rights of the user they are impersonating, this could lead to vast compromises of critical systems.

Access to IT systems and the data contained within these system is not the only goal of social engineers. Most medium to large organisations have now implemented some form of physical access token to allow access to buildings, offices and restricted areas. These come in various forms, be they magnetic swipe cards, HID, RFID or just simple identification badges validated by other users or security guards. Social engineers have dozens of methods for bypassing these systems without the need to even touch the technology. By targeting the users of these systems, there is no need. Social engineering is a low tech solution for a high tech problem. All that is required is that the attacker fits in to the environment, that he or she looks like she belongs in the organisation or is there performing a valid task. Tailgating, the act of following close behind an individual, is a common method to bypass physical access controls. This method allows the attacker to follow another person through a restricted door after they have provided the required authentication. Impersonation, the act of pretending to be someone else, is extremely effective. How often have you seen tradesmen, cleaners or other individuals within your organisation? How often have you actually looked at their pass or asked to verify who they are? Have you ever held a door open for them while they wheeled in their trolley, tools or carried a cumbersome box? These are all common methods of the skilled social engineer.

Organisations are not the only prey of the social engineer. The vast amounts of SPAM and Phishing attacks everyone receives in their email is just another form of social engineering. Phishing attacks, the act of attempting to gain sensitive information by masquerading as a trusted individual, is a perfect example. The only differences between the attacks described above and Phishing are the targets and the methods. Phishing tends to aim at individuals on a personal level, rather than aimed at an individual in an attempt to compromise an organisation. Also, while the above methods are manual attacks, Phishing is generally automated and aimed at hundreds, thousands or even millions of users. This method provides the attacker with a much higher success rate and correspondingly, considerably more profit.

The only defence against social engineering is education. Organisations should implement a security awareness program that becomes a requirement when new staff begin, including annual refresher courses for established staff. Security awareness is an integral part of an organisations overall security implementation, and as such, is a mandatory requirement in the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI:DSS), section 12.6. Security awareness and training is also specified in section 5.2.2 of the ISO 27001 security standards. While security awareness training should include such areas as password policies and acceptable use, the following areas specific to social engineering should be discussed:

1. Always wear identification badges.

Identification badges should be worn and visible at all times by all staff, contractors and visitors. These should be easily identifiable and to all staff. Visitor IDs should be returned at the end of their visit and disposed of properly.

2. Question unknown people

If staff see someone within their area that they do not recognise, or someone trying to tailgate, question them. Ask to see their ID or who they are visiting and escort them to that staff member.

3. Remove or turn around identification badges when outside the office

Staff who wear identification in full view when outside the office are providing more than enough information for an attacker to start a social engineering attack. While some passes only display a photo, most have valuable information to a social engineer. Common information displayed on corporate ID passes include their full name, company and even the department the user belongs to within that company. When leaving the premises, remove the badge and place it in your pocket or handbag, or at the very least, turn the badge around so no information is visible.

4. Never write down passwords

Passwords should never be written down, period. Choose passwords that can be easily remembered without the need to write it down. Users commonly write down passwords and stick them to monitors, under keyboards, on their cubicle walls or place them in their desk drawer. A social engineer, contractor, visitor, cleaner or even other staff can easily see these when walking by a desk or by taking a few seconds to look for them. Paper, especially post-it notes that easily stick to other items, are commonly thrown out in the trash accidentally. This allows easy access for social engineers performing trashing attacks.

5. Help Desk staff should always validate users fully before disclosing any information

When talking to users on the telephone, any request to disclose or modify information should require Help Desk to fully validate the user on the other end. Validation questions should always include some form of non-wallet question. A non-wallet question is something about a user that cannot be discovered from reading the contents of their wallet. If questions like, DOB, address or drivers license number are used, a social engineer that has stolen a wallet or been through a users trash will have easily obtained this information. Non-wallet questions should be something that the user knows and is not easily found out via trashing, Googling or simple social engineering of the user to obtain the information.

6. Shred all documents

All documents with any form of sensitive information should be shredded or placed in secure disposal bins that are shredded by a trusted third-party company. No documents with any confidential data should ever be thrown in the trash or recycling bins.

7. Do not open email attachments or visit URLs from unknown people or from suspicious looking emails.

Users should be educated in basic phishing attacks and how they can identify a phishing attack versus a real email from a valid source.

A few examples include:

• Banks and other financial institutions will never send emails asking for your credentials or to log in to your account by using a link in the email.
• If a suspicious looking email is sent requesting you to visit a URL to a company you know, do not click on the link. Instead, open your web browser and manually type the known URL for the company and visit the site that way.
• Never open an attachment sent by someone you do not know.
• Be wary of executable type attachments, for example, .exe, .com, .scr, sent by friends unless you are expecting this type of document. They may not realise that they are sending you a malicious file.

If a security awareness program is developed and implemented, the chances of successful social engineering attacks become far less likely. If an organisations users are no longer the weakest link, attacks against the company become a lot harder. Not only does security awareness help protect an organisation, it also helps defend users in their personal lives. Understanding common attacks and how to recognise and defend against them will help users protect themselves against attacks such as phishing, aimed at stealing their bank account or other personal details.

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pDavid Morrison is a security consultant with Sense of Security. Sense of Security is the premier provider of a target=_new href=http://www.senseofsecurity.com rel=nofollowIT Security and Risk Management Solutions/a in Australia, and is the trusted provider to many of Australias leading organisations./pbr
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Author: Lance Winslowbr
Source: articleage.combr
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Most expensive Yacht owners spare no expense in flotation devices. Ship owners, US Coast Guard and the United States Navy have invested thousands if not millions in flotation and drowning prevention devices. There are companies, which specialize in just making and selling nifty flotation devices. One Canadian company Waterkite, whose technical team are self proclaimed marketing geniuses believe that such flotation devices are the only way to go. But lets face it face it flotation devices can only be thrown 50 yards at maximum and you have a man over board and traveling away from them at 20-35 knots, it is not even going to get close.
I therefore propose a small puffy UAV or unmanned aerial vehicle, which can be hand launched to the potential drowning victim. This device would look like an exaggerated model airplane, which needs a diet or looks like it belongs in a cartoon of some type. This device would not be any more complicated than a GPS with a dial on it and a push button to start the battery which runs the propeller, point and shoot. Ever turn on an Alpha Numeric Pager; add a dial and throw it, it is that simple.
UAVs in the future will have many more military applications than are being used today and the lists of commercial uses and killer aps is growing. Here are some other UAV uses or potential application.

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?s=c0f56a3fb1530e29f7e9bab6a3779b76showforum=23

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?s=c0f56a3fb1530e29f7e9bab6a3779b76showforum=236

To bring this particular FFD Flying Floating Device application to the general understanding of the public and what the future of UAVs can mean, you may wish to take a look at this article to see just how useful something like this could be:

http://ezinearticles.com/?id=80489

Some may criticize and a few have for introducing future technologies in this way, but to them we must say; why dont you read Caleb Carr, Ben Bova, Arthur C Clark, Tom Clancy, Michael Creighton who write about possible futures which should be looked at. If folks think we should not write such articles for the masses, then they should never go see a Sci Fi movie or future action drama? People want to be entertained and it is a good way to teach them, because they often do not think about how these technological advances can help people, they look at research and development spending for military as wasteful. Yet we know that people are dying and drown every day; last week 2000 deaths from the Flood from Hurricane Stan remnants in Guatemala and remember the flooding from the levee breaches in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina?
Getting a flotation device to a drowning victim is about the best thing you can do and the faster the better, therefore a flying flotation device makes sense. Often rescuers hesitate and do not make good use of their tools or the latest technologies and are complete afraid. Often they are so busy trying to be safe that it takes them 15-minutes to get locked and loaded and ready for the rescue. This is a known fact of real men, who are forced to use procedure rescue techniques that take 10-minutes to complete. Some say this is a sorry excuse for a human being who is suppose to be a tough guy, that is many peoples take on it as they watch the firemen slowly put on their safety gear or police pull over and put on their vests in the middle of a back robbery going down, before rolling to the scene? What about the people who are going to be shot while they are getting ready? Serve and protect, just turned into, protect yourself forget about the public. This is such a common occurrence by so rarely addressed. If humans cannot get it done, use robots and technology and lets save some taxpayers some money in all these training of first responders for such things as sexual harassment at FEMA. We can build these FFDs or Flying Flotation Device units for under $1,000 on economies of scale.
Lance Winslow – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/br
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Author: Ma. Corazon Macahiligbr
Source: ezinearticles.combr
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Having baby cribs is a best way of giving safety to your child while growing and making your baby sitting easier. It is necessary to give your child comfort and attention in giving rigid supervision where to safely place the crib. For the first 2 to 3 months of your baby, sleep is one of the most important factors to new born babies other than the caring of parents and the need for milk.

In choosing baby cribs, take note of the following considerations: First, it must follow the safety assembly instructions. The screws, bars, bolts and others fasteners must be in place and tight. Next, it must meet the minimum safety standard set. Baby crib related injuries have been recorded that 26 infants die and 11,500 are hospitalized due to hand-me-down cribs or low quality cribs. The distance between vertical bars or slates in the headboard or footboard must not exceed 2 3/8 wide (about the same width of the soda can). If the spaces are bigger, babies can squeeze in their body and might get stuck, or can lodge himself out. Corner post should not be higher that 1 1/16 because higher post can strangulate babies. Their dress can catch on corner posts higher that 1 1/6. Third, it should have mattresses and bumpers for safety. They should be firm and tightly fit to the crib. Another thing to consider is the drop side. Make sure that it is properly installed because it might trap your baby or if it not properly set up, the baby might fall. The fourth one is the teething rail guard. This will protect your baby from chewing on the railing. Choose also those that have no chipping paint or sharp edges; it is hazardous to the health of your child. Lastly, consider also portable or convertible type which is ideal for travelling. With this type, check also the simplicity of instruction in assembling it and its safely.

These tips may seem too many but be of great help especially for first time parents. As parents, the primary concern is safety and protection. With baby cribs, you will nurture your babys growth and development the healthy way but also, gives them full protection. It is also a very big help for busy parents and for working parents as will.
Cost sometimes reflects quality. The more expensive the item becomes the more comfortable and safe it is. In buying, get one that gives value for your money but never compromise the safely. Remember, in saving, there is a risk. Bear in mind that your crib cradles your innocent baby.

Definitely, you will feel at ease when your little one is safe in his crib. Choose the best kind that is not only cute but safe!

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pCora Macahilig/ppa target=_new href=http://www.mybabiescrib.com rel=nofollowhttp://mybabiescrib.com/a/ppNurture Your Baby the Safe Way with Baby Crib/pbr
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Author: David Triletybr
Source: articleage.combr
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When I was a kid sitting in school I can remember looking out the window daydreaming of mountains, and skiing. These were just a few things I dreamed of doing. Over the years the daydreams have continued.
Do you have daydreams. Silly question to be asking
right. But when was the last time you stopped to think
about that daydream. Think right now about how your
life would be if you had the freedom to do whatever
you dreamed of. I am often reminded of the movie
Cinderella when Leslie Ann Warren sang the words
In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can
be whatever I want to be.
How about Judy Garland when she was on a quest
to know what life was like outside the farm in The
Wizard of OZ. when she sang Somewhere over the
rainbow, way up high, theres a land that I dreamed of,
once in a lullaby
We all have dreams that we hold onto. Pictures of how
we know it can be, that give us the hope that keeps us
moving forward.
Why though do we only dream, and continue to, for 95%
of people, drudge along doing the same thing day in day
out, week in week out, year in year out. My profession
for the last 21 years except for a short break has been
Law Enforcement. I have seen what people do, not only
to themselves to self destruct, but to the ones they care
about most. Frustration and the feeling of futility are like
the constant drip, drip, drip like a kind of daily water torture
without the water.
People drone along day after day on a quest for the week-
End. Two days of a chance physically and mentally to get
away from whatever box that holds them from what they
truly desire.
Its sad to hear what people say when you really stop and
Listen. I recently heard someone say, Oh, so and so is
having a good day. Then the person being referred to
said I must be nuts as if its some kind of a sickness
to be happy.
Its been said the average person only stops to think 3 or
4 times in their lifetime. A close family member gets sick,
a disaster like 9/11 happens and for a brief period we stop
and think and say to ourselves, what am I doing. However
in a day or so the shock wears off and they fall hopelessly
back into the safety of the rut.
When you were learning to walk did you just hope right up
and truck across the room, I would venture to say you didnt.
I would guess you fell, stumbled, got back up. Inch by inch,
step by step, with sore knees and some tears you made it.
Even after your first success you still had to try, but once
you learned you could do it, your little legs could scoot you
across the floor so fast at times, full grown mom had to run
to catch you.
I have great news for you. If this article has sturred you,
and I sincerely hope that it has, I am here to tell you, that
as for your long lost dreams, there is hope. I can hear
you saying, Dave I have tried everything already. This is the
same response I had until the true secret was shared with
me several years ago.
The answer is not in a program, article, tape series, or
hot deal. The answer to your dreams, the places you have
longed to see, time you desire to spend with the ones you
love, freedom to travel, all you truly want I will show you in
the next two paragraphs.
If you are not at home put this article away until you are,
and can follow these instructions to the letter. Trust me, the
life you live and the dreams you hold dear are worth the wait.
If you are I want you to get up right now and walk into your
bathroom. Yes I know, this is a strange place to find the
answer to your dreams but you will see why in just a minute.
Look in the mirror at the person looking back at you. There
is the answer to all that you have ever dreamed of, ITS YOU.
No one knows you like you know you.
I can hear you saying, Ive tried on my own before and failed.
Im here to tell you, you can make it, and not just make it, but
You can make it in a big, big way. Everything you need to get
your dreams back is within reach. The tools are all available
to help you. As my friend Jim Rohn says All the books you
need, all the training you need, all the money you need, all
the classes you need, its all here.
One place you can start is to begin to put the right things
into your mind. We live in a negative world, and you need to
guard against the negative voice. One way you can guard
against them is to eliminate the newspaper and nightly
news. You may be saying Oh but how will I know what
is going on. If it is important enough for you to know it
someone will tell you.
To begin with the good things start with your car. The
average American drives 12 thousand miles to and from
work each year. This comes to somewhere between
500 and 1000 hours on the road each year. Turn your car
into a mobile classroom. Bob and Tom in the morning
might be funny, but your future success is no laughing
matter.
Pull the dreams of the past out and blow the dust off
of them. Write them down. Go through some magazines
and cut out pictures that represent what you want and see
for your future. Get started today.
Dave Trilety is a Deputy Sheriff and Entrepreneur. He has helped many people through trainings on Leadership, and Self Development. He is currently assisting people in the development of Retirement Income. For more information go to the link below. Dave lives in the Cincinnati area with his wife Tammy and their daughter Tara.br
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Author: Laura Finkbr
Source: free-articlesbr
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The Skin Traveler

?? 2001 Laura Fink / All Rights Reserved

http://www.clockdomain.com

Episode One – The Lion Doesnt Sleep Tonight

The sculpted bushes and phosphorous fountains of Shiver Tower Gardens began to fade, and Tock felt a strange buzzing in his head. He saw his hand reach in slow motion for his mouse, but before he could touch it, he found himself sitting in a dim corner of a dark enclosure. It smelled musty, like a cave. Beside him was his laptop. Although his cell-phone was nowhere in sight, the computer appeared to be still on-line. Tock puzzled over this for a moment, and then began to look around. He heard voices speaking quietly in a foreign tongue. As he strained to listen, he found that gradually he was able to understand their language. The voices came from the center of the room, where a group of simply clothed men and women sat on the floor, their heads bowed.

And Father, please take away all fear, so that we may give honor to Your Name, one man said. Amen! the other voices added in unison.

With shock, Tock noticed that he was dressed just like the folk sitting on the floor. Quickly, he stuffed his computer into a spare corner of his shell, as the sound of clanging metal filled the room. It was then that he noticed the bars that closed off the far end of the room. A key turned in a lock, and the bars swung open. The shadow of a very big man with a serious case of body odor filled the room. All of you, rise! he bellowed. The small group stood meekly. The brute with the key pointed his truncheon at Tock. You, too! The lions are especially hungry, today!

Tock froze, sweat running down his face. Mamma mia! This was not the trip he had planned! He wondered vaguely where the Tourist Information Office was located.

The beastly smelling, over-muscled Roman guard led Tock and the others into a small holding pen which led, through a gate, into the open coliseum. A faint roaring sound came from the arena. What, the lions were out there already? Tock wondered. His stomach tightened. But no, it was just the roar of the crowd. They wanted to see blood, guts, and ripped flesh. Tock wondered if he had time to download the trailer for Gladiator from the Net. Would that satisfy them?

Behind the back of the guard, who stood Rambo-like at the gate to the arena, Tock edged nearer to investigate a foul-smelling hole in one corner of the room. Phew! The removal of human waste products certainly had improved in the last millenium or two. A little standard lo-tech hygeine would be good for these folks. One of the prisoners drew close to Tock and leaned down to whisper in his ear.

Brother, I see you have noticed something of interest. Tock looked up at him quizzically, then down at the primitive loo. Ah, of course! Being of such small stature, you could find your way through this fissure down into the sewage tunnels that criss-cross this city. And from there:

The catacombs! Yes, I could do it! But what about you and the others?

The prisoner shook his head. We each will serve God in his own way. But you – take this to the brethern. From within his cloak he drew a small scroll made of some animal skin. I thought it would have to be destroyed with me, but now it seems that is not so. Its a first generation copy of a letter from our brother Paulus to his friends in this city. Give it to the others – they will treasure it well!

Tock tucked the scroll into his shell with reverence. Then, before he could think twice about it, he hopped into the slimy pit. Oh, the stench! At least he had a soft landing. (He tried not to think about the reason why.) Tock crawled away as fast as his legs would take him. He made mental note to thank George, his personal trainer, for working him so hard on the treadmill in recent weeks.

The dark passage twisted and turned. Tock passed through a broken cistern where he was able to wash off most of the muck covering his body. After more wandering in the dark, Tock entered a cavernous room dimly lit by sunlight shining through cracks in the high ceiling. There were signs that people had been there recently, but not a soul was to be found. Alone and lost, Tock sat down in despair. From within his shell, he pulled out the scroll and his laptop. I wonder how long Ive been down here, he muttered. Then, for the first time, he noticed that the label on the center face in his Clock Domain.com Trizoner clock read Italy.

Of course! Tock slapped his shell with the palm of his hand. He remembered now that he had set one of the three clock faces for Shiverbrook time, one for Eastern Standard (he often phoned his sister in Virginia), and one for the corresponding time in Italy (Trik-Tech was sending him there next week on business). He tried to activate the Shiverbrook clock face, but it didnt respond. But the clock face labeled Virginia was active! With a quiver in his green belly, Tock clicked Apply. Immediately, he felt a buzzing in his head again (Got to cut back on coffee after 10 p.m., he thought) and his surroundings began to fade.

Oh no, the scroll! Tock cried. Drat. It would probably sit in that cave for all of history. Nothing to be done about it now.

In every issue of Just a Minute,

join Tock the Turtle for an adventure in time and space.

No one knows just where or when hell find himself next,

not even the folks at Clock Domain . com!

http://www.clockdomain.com/cgi-bin/subscribe.cgi?id=28

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Author: enricobr
Source: articledashboard.combr
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The beach of Mondello:
Mondello is one of the well known summer places of Italy, its close to Palermo the biggest city of Sicily. In addiction to its wonderful sea, Mondello is an ancient fishermen village famous for its summer sport and food events. Its full of good pizzeria, restaurants and fast food.

The beach of Taormina
Taormina is the pearl of the Mediterranean, its a medieval village. Its beach is the small bay of Mazzar?, full of sea caves and natural marine reserve like the Isola Bella, a little island connected to the mainland by a little sand langue.

The beach of San Vito lo Capo
The beach is in the western coast of Sicily in the city of Trapani, where there is the natural reserve of Zingaro. It is famous for the presence of tonnare (ancient fishermens tool to fish the tuna).

The south coast of the Sicily is formed by sand beaches, reefs and capes. In the south side of the island there is a little treasure: The Island of Currents

The Island of the Currents is a small rocks island. This island is too similar to the African coast, in fact its the is the latest southern tip of the Sicily, Italy and Europe

The beach of Vendicari in Syracuse
Vendicari is a natural paradise in the province of Syracuse in the middle between the baroque cities of Noto and Scicli. Here its possible to visit the turtles that deposit their eggs and a lot of migratory birds. Not to lose the visit to the citizen of Noto and its baroque patrimony.

Along the oriental coast there are the beaches of the Playa of Catania, the reef of Acicastello and Acitrezza and the battiggia gravelly of Fondachello

The beaches of Ragusa:
In Ragusa there are in particular 4 sable beaches with limpid waters, little crowded and close to the city centre.
* Marina di Ragusa
* Marina di Modica, paradise for windsurfers
* Pozzallo, 30 km from Ragusa
* Sampieri, close to Scicli and Modica

The beach of Capo DOrlando in Messina
The coast from Messina is characterized by the reef of Saint Gregorio, with view of the Aeolian Islands, and Tindari.

The beach of Cefal?
Cefalu is between Palermo and Capo D Orlando. Its a village with sable beaches for approximately 1,5 km. Advised to who wants to do windsurf, sea fishermen villages, historical centers and boat tours

Some tips to enjoy your summer vacations:
-The best periods to visit are the months of June and September. August and July are crowded and the beaches are less reachable by car and its difficult to find parking.
-Dont stay there on Sunday
-Most beach dont preview a fee, but for those who preview it price is 10? for entrance and cabin.
-Many beaches have their bars and restaurants (a bit expensive but good)
-By car parking cost 2? a day
-The security service is available from 8:00 AM to 18:30 PM
-Its possible to swim until 200 meters from the coast
-Windsurf, water-scooter, etc…have to stay over 200 meters from the coast
-Topless is allowed only is some beaches
-The Italian number for coast guard is 117
-The red flags on the beach mean that is not allowed bathing cause bad conditions of weather
-After a long exposure on sunlight, enter gradually in water
-Left to at least three hours from the last meal before taking a bath/pbr
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Author: Lance Winslowbr
Source: articleage.combr
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In 1350 AD we were still quite a few centuries from settling at Plymouth. I have been luckily in that I have found adequate records back to 1200s in my family tree. But this is the time of the end of the inhabitants and Civilization of the Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellers. Some stayed back we suppose, they are the Anastasi Indians. What else was going on in the world during this time? Well as the Indians were leaving there was another civilization flourishing in Thailand and the Thais people had built many city-states.
http://galileo.gits.net.th/www.thaimain.org/en/intro/history.html .
Of course in Italy and Europe they were dealing with the Bubonic Plague. Droughts can cause plagues;

http://www.huttoncommentaries.com/ECNews/SolarHeats/Pisces-AquarianHeatsDroughtsPlagues.htm

and so did the Indians fight over resources and simultaneously had to deal with plagues of the day. We know from El Nino that insects can catch a ride across the Pacific on the jet stream. Did issues such as this add to the problems along with fires, which forced hot air into the air above, ten thousand feet send it into the jet stream and across the ocean? With increased solar activity this is relatively possible and we already know that fires in Russia and China and a Volcano in the Pacific Rim could force debris and insects that would travel with the smoke across the globe. Also dust storms have recently had clouds, which have traveled, twice around the world. As well as the Gulf War sending smoke around the world and changing the atmospheric weather patterns. We know increased electromagnetic energy from solar activity could also cause changes in the ionosphere that changes weather for as many as five or more years. We have recently experienced all of this in the past tow decades.
Now we may not have realized it before, but now with GeoSats I through VII, we have learned more about he weather and its over all effect on our planet and the species and eco-systems in the land, air and sea. Now we know from fallen trees, which have fossilized an estimation of the weather back then. It appears that perhaps we may have accomplished a complete defense system to prevent a repeat of the former issues that mankind had to deal with. For instance air-conditioning, de-salting and the CDC. As far as fighting over resources and killing our fellow species members, apparently genetics has not moved as fast or advanced as much as the innovations which have propelled us to fight these issues. Now we seed the clouds, build barriers, sewer treatment plants, modify foods, use pesticides and fight pathogens, viruses and carefully discharge waste to prevent diseases. I must say if you stand back and look at how far we have come. It is quite impressive.
Now then we see the same signs of the past civilizations, their longevity and their goals. In modern time we saw Hitler proclaim the Third Reich to last some 1000 years. It is possible to create a culture that could accomplish this. It had been done before with the Chinese Dynasties, Egyptians, etc. If you look at England they are well on their way. We are young in the US, but we have really come a along way fast. Are we paying attention to the past and the cycles and flows? Are we kidding ourselves as to resources? Is the rest of the world kidding them selves? Places like Africa where a woman is not considered worthy in her culture unless she has no less than five children living. This is tough since the mortality rate is five to one living, therefore they need to have twenty kids to get five and yet there are not the natural resources or basic infrastructure to support all those children.
When I talk about Basic infrastructure, I mean such things as in sewer treatment plants, water supplies and food shelter and clothing, which are very inefficient in Africa. I suggest Virus Hunters of The CDC a great book to explain my point here. Are not paying attention to the most obvious challenges on living on the surface of a planet which is not only quite hostile, but also goes through cycles which make it difficult to habitat. In the US we have evolved our lifestyles and infrastructures to over come these cycles and trends. We are still caught off guard from linear decision making from time to time from politicians and short term thinking special interest groups pulling their strings using such form as a unit of trade or networked group of voters. However usually decisions, which are the worst for our future come from linear decisions which do not take into account the future or known cycles so that our most important projects take into account those issues we must face in future periods, some beyond our own naturals lives. Luckily our innovations have out paced our stupidity. And since free flow thought is still allowed for the most part and only stifled occasionally we all able to use the known clich?; Necessity is the mother of all inventions, to bail us out. This maybe true yet it makes no sense to drive towards a hypothetical point C, when the direct route to B from A is direct (this may not be a straight line).
I submit to you that the issues which have caused Indian Civilizations to fall are the same issues we see today as we attempt to feed more people, who use more resources and often waste that which they use. Growing populations are good for those cultures immersed in trade and using a common currency or unit of trade. We know that declining populations such as the mass exodus in the California bay area, due to miss management by Gray Davis will lead to an accelerated decay as maintenance of infrastructure will not be meeting the lessened flow of dollars in income from taxes. When we look at the zero growth rate of Japan we see a fate, which will befall many European Nations and eventually our population in the United States. The only way out of this is in the next 75 years we will need to change the currency to include payments or vouchers for helping the common good, since we will be over producing with less due to technology, robots and decreased consumption as populations get older.
If we look at Germany with 19% unemployment and taxes of over 70% you can see that free health care is not free at all, as a matter of fact it is nearly 5-6 times the cost as a free market provides such as in the US. With trade down in ancient civilization times as growers could only grow enough to eat and water resources ran out, starving armies grew like starving domestic dogs travel in packs where there is no animal control and they are hungry. Armies can rape and pillage and thus the spoils of war are a way to survive. When Anarchy exists due to a breaking down of civilization, you have turmoil. Which seems to be exactly what happened to the Indians, as we also saw in other times, when people signed up for armies because it meant they could eat if they fought.
When you compound droughts, fires which torch the fields of corn and wheat, which is used to feed your people and animals which bring you everything else with the destruction of wars from your own species. Then you either fight to live, or you die, or you give up and move away. This appears to be either all or part of the factors which led the Indians to leave such places as Mesa Verde:

http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.mesa-verde.2.html

or Canyon de Chelly;

http://www.desertusa.com/ind1/du_cdc_main.html

Why would you leave if you had adequate defense and plentiful water? You would not, and I believe in the end they had neither. Why would you leave paradise unless you had too? The Incas were obviously not stupid people.
I hope this helps you think about our direction as a nation and how we go about our business throughout the world. Civilization includes so many more things than just a nice grouping of buildings and a base of population.
Lance Winslow – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/br
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Author: Mark Duncan Smithbr
Source: ezinearticles.combr
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One of the most frustrating things that can happen to a telescopic fishing rod is for it to become jammed at a joint. This can happen for a variety of reasons but is usually due to corrosion or dirt/mud/sand in the joint.

Prevention is better than cure: try to keep your rod off the ground at all times to avoid dirt getting into the joints. Wipe it clean with a cloth before taking it down so you dont jam dirt into the joint. If youve been using it in saltwater give it a quick rinse with freshwater as soon after use as you can. Its a good idea to put a protectant like WD-40, Tackle Guard or a silicon lube on the joints. Be sure not to use too much or it can go the other way and stop the rod staying up when you extend it – especially around the tip joints.

Now if youre unlucky enough to have a rod jam on you (due to bad luck or bad management) there are several techniques to unstick the sucker.

1. The hot water technique

Pour hot water on large side of the joint as close to the joint as you can to rapidly expand it. Then after a few seconds try twisting or pushing the small side of the joint back down. Its best if you can do this under a tap where the water starts off cold then gets progressively warmer over a few seconds as this reduces the risk of stress cracks developing in the joint.

2. The ice and hot water technique

If the hot water technique fails try the next step up. Do the same as above but put ice on the small side of the joint to shrink it. This is easiest if you get some ice from your freezer place it on a cloth or towel and then wrap that around the rod and hold it while you heat the other side with hot water.

3. Lubrication

Try a penetrating lubricant like WD-40, CRC or Tackle Guard. Leave the joint to soak for an hour or two and then try gently to take the rod down.

4. Tapping method

Stand the rod butt on a hard surface like concrete and hold it above the stuck joint. Gently lift and tap the butt on the ground. This works best if the lower joints are stuck. Never tap the tip on the ground as you are very likely to break it.

5. The partner twist

Have a friend hold one side of the joint while you hold the other and twist. I recommend you use a friend you trust and give them the thicker end to hold. It might not be very good for the relationship if something snaps.

6. The Lost All Hope Method

Go to our website and buy another rod – theyre not very expensive. Take more care of your fishing gear in the future! You can always keep the stuck one for a spare or give it to a neighborhood kid (tell them youll buy it back for a $dollar if they fix it)

Look out for more articles on how to get the best out of your telescopic fishing rod.

Happy fishing…

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pMark Smith/ppMore reviews, tips and techniques for users of telescopic fishing rods at: a target=_new href=http://www.TelescopicFishing-Rod.com/ rel=nofollowTelescopic Fishing Rod.com/a/ppFind out how to choose a telescopic fishing rod at: a target=_new href=http://www.telescopicfishing-rod.com/telescopic-fishing-rod/choosing-a-telescopic-fishing-rod rel=nofollowChoosing a Telescopic Fishing Rod/a/ppCopyright 2009 – Mark Smith/pbr
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Author: William R Grahambr
Source: ezinearticles.combr
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Your childs helmet is the most important item of safety whether your child is riding your motorbike as a passenger or is prodding curiously the rapids of motorcycle racing. You should be paying great attention to this as only a proper motorcycle helmet can protect the head of your child in times of a crash. Dont go in just flashy designs and stickers and what is written on the label. Take time to check the helmet properly to find out if it meets all safety standards and is really good enough for keeping your child safe. Childrens motorcycle helmets are usually aimed for the off-road market which is quite all right.

There is something that comes before all this though if you are thinking of buying your child a motorcycle helmet. Is your child ready to be a passenger on your motorcycle? What is the age before your kid should be riding a motorcycle? Well there is no minimum age as such. As a rule of thumb, wait till your child is able to reach the pegs with their feet. Discard all temptations to put your child on to the motorbike before that. You wouldnt want something to happen that you will not be able to forgive yourself for. Once the childs feet are able to reach down and rest on the pegs your child will be able to maintain balance properly.

The motorcycle helmet that you choose should at least meet all DOT standards and should be preferably Snell certified. They should be full faced and have a good chin guard. It is not enough to just protect the head and leave the face open. Scars on the face can be disastrous and blows on the face can be fatal too. The helmet should be fitted throughout with real expanded polystyrene (EPS). They should also have foam padded comfort linings. On an impact a helmet is designed to spread the force of impact over a greater area so as to minimize it as the force is inversely proportional to the area it works upon. The inner polystyrene crunches after an impact and lets the head travel a bit so as to gently bring it to rest instead of letting it crash against the outer casing.

The motorcycle helmet must fit on the head of your child comfortably and should not be either loose or too tight. Ideally an inch of gap should be there between the head and the inner lining. Loose helmets will tend to come off during a crash. For these reasons never fit your child with any old adult helmet. The chin strap must be tight enough so that your child is not able to loosen itself. They should ideally have D rings so that they can be fastened securely. Your child would be complaining in all probabilities when they wear these tight things for the first time. Explain to them that a motorbike runs faster than a skateboard and when they hit a car they do not move. Go for a motorcycle helmet that has designs that they like as well as all safety features.

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pWilliam has been writing articles for a couple of months. His latest interest is in IT and modern technology. Come visit his latest website over at a target=_new href=http://www.fullfacehelmets.org/ rel=nofollowFull Face Helmets/a and a target=_new href=http://www.fullfacehelmets.org/kids-motorcycle-helmets rel=nofollowKids Motorcycle Helmets/a for information on the ultimate motorcycle safety accessory./pbr
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Author: Timothy Stelly Srbr
Source: articleage.combr
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I. VICTORY OUT WEST
If the Democrats are to seize control of the White House in 2008, they need to rally behind the partys brightest star, New York Senator Hillary Clinton. If they again parade a spineless, lackluster nominee?a la Al Gore, Bill Bradley, John Kerry, Michael Dukakis, Hollerin Howard Dean, et al. They can expect another election day version of the St. Valentines Day Massacre. If the Democrats are humbled again, they have nothing to look forward to in 2012, unless the Republican President-elect makes a Gerald Ford-like gaffe or two.
For the Democrats once-promising candidate Gavin Newsome is already out of the running. His endorsement of gay marriage left him with the maverick label and knocked him out of contention. (Is he (the new Governor Moonbeam?) The name of Bob Graham pops up every year, but he is as faceless as they come. Dennis Kucinich and John Edwards are two more young guns that might make a strong showing at future Democratic conventions. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer has the same maverick label, but is seen as a fiscal conservative. Some mention the name of Obama Barack, but I dont see that as a realistic option.
However, if a minority candidate from the Party is to make a strong push in the future, Id bet on California Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante or New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. If Bustamante is elected Governor in 2006, or 2010, he will be catapulted onto the national stage, especially if he can solve the states fiscal woes. He is intelligent, well-liked and the high Latino populations of California, New York, Florida and Texas offer a substantial voter base.
Richardson will also hold sway with Latinos and Demo party bigwigs. If Hillary Clinton were to win the nomination and Richardson was her choice for Veep, they would create a formidable ticket.
Since the Dems have no southern strategy, their hopes lie out west. This is essential, since in 2004 George W. Bush won four states with Democratic Governors (New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming and Arizona). These states, along with Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah and Nevada want to vote as a bloc. They form an aggregate of 53 electoral votes?almost as many as Californias 55?which is solidly Democratic. Add this 108-vote bloc to New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania?which have all gone Democratic in each election since 1992 (73 electoral votes total), and the Dems would be 2/3 of the way to the White House.
Whoever garners the nomination must sleep with two conflicting entities?labor and big business. Labor has been a long-time Demo stronghold. On the other hand, the presidency is financed and thus, partially owned by business conglomerates that will contribute the majority of the 450 million dollars needed to run a successful campaign. There are other factors to be considered: Gasoline prices, which will have a profound impact on inflation; unemployment and interest rate levels. The ost important factor may be whether or not our military is engaged in conflict with any number of countries?including North Korea, Iran, Iraq and in Southeast Asia?and to what extent.
II. CAN LATINO POWER RESUSCITATE THE DEMOCRATS?
If the Dems focus their strategy out west they would be wise to seek the ever-growing Hispanic vote. Not only are Bustamante and Richardson well-known, but Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has a rising popularity. The question will be whether or not he is seasoned enough. However, Bustamante and Richardson will be invaluable in selling the Dems platform in their heavily-Hispanic states, as will former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros.
Arizonas population is 25 percent Hispanic. New Mexicos is 42. California, Florida, Texas and New York also have sizable Latino populations. These six states account for 162 electoral votes, 60% of the total needed to win. The dramatic increase in the number of Latino citizens in the 1990s has created a powerful voting bloc that both Democrats and Republicans are wooing. Statistics show that between 1984 and 1996, the GOPs share of the Hispanic vote in presidential elections dropped from 37 to 21 percent, while the voter registration for this group increased by nearly 30%.
Washington Post reporter Terry M. Neal writes, The GOP has long been accused by critics on the left of seeking electoral advantage by using race as a subtext–on issues from welfare, busing, affirmative action, immigration and crime–to drive a wedge to court white voters. Bushs approval rate among black voters is 2%, which is why the GOP would be wise to woo this resource. Though blacks shun the Republican party, their votes have failed to put the last two Democratic candidates over the top. This is why the Dems must expand their base. Strangely, Black American Political Action Committee (BAMPAC) showed that Condoleezza Rice had an approval rating (41%) just over half of that of Jesse Jackson and Colin Powell. However, Rice experienced the largest surge in name recognition and approval rating. Fifty-nine percent of the black registered voters polled recognized Rices name in 2002, compared with 38 percent last year; and her favorable rating rose to 41 percent this year from 17 percent in 2001.
The ever-growing clout of Latinos is most evident in California, where they comprise about 30 percent of the population. This political weight has enabled Latinos to combat anti-immigration sentiment, including denial of social services to legal immigrants.
Californias Lieutenant Governor, Cruz M. Bustamante is expected to launch another Gubernatorial bid in 2006. Early polling shows him defeating current Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger 46-42% in a two-man race. Bustamantes chances are improving as Schwarzeneggers popularity is dwindling even among fellow Republicans. Furthermore, during the November elections four Schwarzenegger-backed ballot initiatives were defeated, making him vulnerable come June.
Bustamante sought the States top job during the 2003 recall vote of Gray Davis. State Democratic leaders had urged prominent party members not to run, hopeful it would increase Daviss chances of holding onto the seat. Bustamante denounced the recall but ran anyway, losing by 1.3 million votes. Subsequently, many Dems considered him disloyal. Bustamante also alienated some blacks when he accidentally used the word nigger in a speech.
It is Richardson who has the more impressive credentials. He was nominated as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. In 1998, he was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Secretary of Energy. He was elected Governor of The Land of Enchantment in 2002. He has also negotiated with Saddam Hussein and the government of the Sudan to free prisoners and his work addressing human rights abuses earned him a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995, 1997, 2000 and 2001. He also assisted in the arms negotiations with North Korean delegates.
During Richardsons fifteen years representing New Mexicos 3rd Congressional District, He sponsored and passed a bill to retain and improve health care for rural New Mexicans as well as a bill to increase the amount of nurses in the state. He traveled to Missouri and convinced milk producers to open a dairy factory in eastern New Mexico, creating jobs and bringing economic development to the state.
Richardson understands the power of the Hispanic voting bloc, saying These are changing political times?We have to band together and that means Latinos in Florida, Cuban-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, South Americans – we have to network better. We have to be more politically minded, we have to put aside party and think of ourselves as Latinos, as Hispanics, more than we have in the past.
Latinos are concerned about laws that would restrict immigration. Richardson however, has no clear position on the issue. He declared four counties along the New Mexico border as disaster areas and stepped up border patrols; at one time he called for an amnesty program; another time he was against building a fence along the border, calling it easily porous. In 2003 he signed a bill allowing illegal immigrants to obtain drivers licenses.
What Richardson does believe in is strong alliances between the U.S. and Mexico, saying, Now is the time to increase our economic cooperation, our trade, our educational exchanges. Further, Richardson is praised by New Mexicos conservatives for cutting state taxes.
Cisneros, who is also the former Mayor of San Antonio has a scandal-ridden past (An affair, divorce and a convicted of making false statements to federal officials), but he still holds sway among Latinos. In Texas, such support will be crucial. (Cisneros guilty plea was negotiated and he received a $10,000 fine, but was later pardoned by President Clinton).
He believes that Latinos can make a difference in states representing 214 electoral votes adding, We have just now begun to achieve critical mass with enough votes to make a difference, Cisneros said. We have within our reach the ability to influence the outcome.
A non-Hispanic candidate the Dems may consider is fifty-year old Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer. He is not quite through his first year in office, however, and has already sparked controversy by first choosing Republican State Senator John Bohlinger his running mate and by once suggesting the return of Montana National Guard troops from Iraq to help battle wildfires across the state.
Schweitzer is a rancher and holds an undergraduate degree in international agronomy from Colorado State University and a Masters Degree in soil science from Montana State. He was also appointed by President Clinton to the United States Department of Agriculture. In 2000 he ran unsuccessfully for a U.S. Senate seat.
As a last resort the Democrats could always emulate George W. Bush and add a wizened member of the party to their ticket. In this case they could opt for Florida Senator Bob Graham. The 69-year old Graham is considered a moderate. Michael Grunwald of the Washington Post says of Graham, The Almanac of American Politics had described him as careful, methodical, thorough,hardworking, reliable?it might as well have added zzzzzzz. This means he wont outshine the top of the ticket, expected to be Hillary Clinton. Plus, he hails from a state that has 27 electoral votes, which would be important if the GOP nominee is current Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
Michael Grunwald writes, Graham differs from President Bush on several fronts. Graham supports tax cuts, but ones aimed more at low- and middle-income workers. But he is most effective at dismantling the Bush record when it comes to fighting terrorism. Graham says that the administration had Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda on the ropes after Afghanistan but let them get away by focusing on going to war against Saddam Hussein…He is running for the nomination as a centrist.or, as he would say, from the electable wing of the Democratic Party.
Health considers might hinder his chances as he has had open-heart surgery and would be nearly 70 when the campaign begins. Graham is convinced had he rather than Joe Lieberman been on the ticket in 2000, Gore would have won the Presidency.
III. THE COST OF A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
The next presidential election is a mere three years away, but candidates have made fund raising a non-stop affair. Before the last ballot from the 2004 election was counted, both political parties were gearing up for 2008, a campaign expected to cost between 450 and 500 million dollars. During the 2004 campaign President Bush and Senator Kerry raised $693,664,838. Each candidate also received 74.6 million in government funding for the general election.
Even the campaign reform laws fail to keep the Presidency out of the grasp of corporate America. These laws were enacted to prevent political parties from collecting money from corporations and unions. The parties were allowed to solicit donations from wealthy individuals (i.e., corporate CEOs and the lot), but such donations were capped. 527 groups?a reference to a section of the aforementioned law?are allowed to raise unlimited amounts of money for advertising, usually in the form of attack ads. As in the case of John Kerry, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth launched successful ads against him during the 2004 Presidential campaign.
Congress should enact legislation that eliminates donations from so-called Political Action Committees and all but individual campaign contributions (with a cap). The government could issue each candidate 75 million dollars. Each would have to spend wisely, but more important the Presidency would no longer be for sale to corporations and the officeholder would no longer be tied to special interest money.
Astronomical financing costs keep third party candidates out of the loop, unless the ticket is headed by a billionaire who can finance his own campaign, or has a personality so outlandish that the mere announcement of contemplating a run nets them 19 points in the polls. (Read Trump, Donald). Even a third party ticket with well-known candidates (H. Ross Perot, Jesse Ventura, Ralph Nader, Pat Buchanan) stands little chance of raising enough money to be competitive, let alone get a significant number of votes. This means no hope for America First (Buchananites who split with the Reform Party), Green Party (Nader), Independence (Jesse The Body Ventura), Libertarians–with more than 400 elected officials nationwide?including members of school board committees, etc. (even dogcatcher, perhaps), Peace Freedom, Reform Party (formerly Perots boys and temporarily commandeered by Bo Gritz) and the Socialist Party.
Unless Bill Gates bankrolls a celebrity-loaded ticket (such as Oprah and Warren Beatty) third party candidates wont even garner much media attention. Personalities have won major elections before with nothing more than clever sound bites, most recently Arnold Schwarzenegger in California. (Some might argue this about Ronald Reagan in 1980, when he defeated a bumbling Jimmy Carter). This wiill leave the political limelight shining on the Democrats and GOP, which means we will see more of the personal attacks and distortions waged in every election since 1988, when George H.W. Bush slammed Michael Dukakis with the infamous Willie Horton ads.
While the Democrat strategy of working through the Internet has reaped rewards, it will take more than cyber-leeching and campaign spending to regain the White House. It will take a clear, coherent message from the center. The ticket will more than likely have star power at the top of the ticket, but its the Vice-presidential slot that will be key. The central issue will be What does the number two man bring to the ticket? But right behind that will be, How much (cash) can he bring to the ticket?
Timothy N. Stelly, Sr. is the author of the novels, Tempest In The Stone and The Malice of cain. He is a contributor to several e-zines and resides in Pittsburg, California.br
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