Previously, I've blogged about environmental justice as a framework of looking at environmental protection and why weshould act. In the past few years, a new form of environmentalethics has been gaining momentum
Foreign insurers have finally been given the green light to enterChina's compulsory transport accident insurance market, accordingto a government ruling effective from yesterday, a move signalingthe nation's full opening-up of its insurance industry. Starting from yesterday, any insurer gaining approval from theChina Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC), the nation'sinsurance watchdog, will be eligible to engage in the compulsorytransport accident insurance business, which was previously openonly to Chinese insurers, according to an amended regulationpromulgated by the State Council Monday. The final announcement came after China had declared itsdetermination to free up its compulsory transport accidentinsurance sector to foreign insurers in February, during ChineseVice President Xi Jinping's visit to the US. Although the move is likely to intensify market competition,experts noted yesterday there is unlikely to be any big change inthe market structure in the near term. Diode Laser Hair Removal Machine
"Foreign insurers, who were only allowed to sell commercialauto insurance products before, would certainly be interested ingetting involved in the compulsory business, as few car ownerswould bother to buy the two types of products separately," LuoQi, an industry analyst with Pingan Securities based in Shenzhen,told the Global Times yesterday. The move should also help foreign insurers gain a bigger footholdin the country's huge auto insurance market, which accounts forroughly 70 percent of the nation's property and casualty insurancemarket in terms of premiums, Luo said. However, "any big expansion in the short term would beunrealistic for foreign insurers, as they remain weak in competingwith their Chinese rivals in terms of sales network and after-salescapacities," Luo noted. "The compulsory auto insurance business, which has long beenmired in the red, would also be a challenge for foreigninsurers," Hao Yansu, dean of the School of Insurance of theBeijing-based Central University of Finance and Economics, told theGlobal Times yesterday. The Chinese government has kept tight controls on pricing in thecompulsory transport accident insurance market since the compulsoryinsurance policies were introduced in 2006. China Cavitation Body Slimming
As a result, Chineseinsurers have been reporting losses in the sector for years, amidrising costs. There are currently 21 foreign firms operating in the country'sproperty and casualty insurance market, recording premiums totaling5.2 billion yuan ($826.41 million) in 2011, equivalent to only 1.1percent of the combined premiums of the 38 Chinese firms in themarket, according to data from the CIRC. IPL Beauty Machine Manufacturer
"Foreign insurers, who were only allowed to sell commercialauto insurance products before, would certainly be interested ingetting involved in the compulsory business, as few car ownerswould bother to buy the two types of products separately," LuoQi, an industry analyst with Pingan Securities based in Shenzhen,told the Global Times yesterday. The move should also help foreign insurers gain a bigger footholdin the country's huge auto insurance market, which accounts forroughly 70 percent of the nation's property and casualty insurancemarket in terms of premiums, Luo said. However, "any big expansion in the short term would beunrealistic for foreign insurers, as they remain weak in competingwith their Chinese rivals in terms of sales network and after-salescapacities," Luo noted. "The compulsory auto insurance business, which has long beenmired in the red, would also be a challenge for foreigninsurers," Hao Yansu, dean of the School of Insurance of theBeijing-based Central University of Finance and Economics, told theGlobal Times yesterday. The Chinese government has kept tight controls on pricing in thecompulsory transport accident insurance market since the compulsoryinsurance policies were introduced in 2006. China Cavitation Body Slimming
As a result, Chineseinsurers have been reporting losses in the sector for years, amidrising costs. There are currently 21 foreign firms operating in the country'sproperty and casualty insurance market, recording premiums totaling5.2 billion yuan ($826.41 million) in 2011, equivalent to only 1.1percent of the combined premiums of the 38 Chinese firms in themarket, according to data from the CIRC. IPL Beauty Machine Manufacturer
The Flashback malware that's infected hundreds of thousands of Macsmay be generating more than $10,000 a day for the hackers who madethe Trojan horse, Symantec said Monday. The malware steals clicks from ads that Google's search enginedisplays alongside search results. [ Also on InfoWorld: Macs more likely to carry Windows malware than Mac malware, studyfinds . | For tips and tools for managing an enterprise Mac fleet,download InfoWorld's free "Business Mac" Deep Dive PDF special report today. Vertical Pressure Leaf Filters
| See InfoWorld's slideshow tour of Mac OS X Lion's top 20 features and test your Apple smarts with our Apple IQ test: Round 2 . | Keep up with key Apple technologies with the Technology: Apple newsletter . ] In a blog entry posted today, Symantec published an analysis of Flashback'smoney-making capabilities, and concluded -- as others had earlier-- that the gang was turning a profit through click fraud. Flashback.K surfaced in March and by early April had infected more than 600,000 Macs. China Industrial Bag Filters
"Click fraud" describes campaigns where large numbers of people aresilently redirected to online ads not normally served by the sitethe user is viewing. The criminals receive kickbacks from thesometimes-legitimate, sometimes-shady intermediaries for each adclicked. The clicks are "ghost clicks" in that they are not triggered by ahuman, but instead by the botnet. That's exactly what Flashback.K does, said Symantec. China Industrial Oil Separators
After wormingits way onto a Mac via an exploit of a since-patched Javavulnerability, Flashback.K loads an ad-clicking component intoApple's Safari, Google's Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox browsers. "Flashback specifically targets search queries made on Google and,depending on the search query, may redirect users to another pageof the attacker's choosing, where they receive revenue from theclick," said Symantec. "Google never receives the intended adclick." In one code snippet shown by Symantec, a hijacked ad based on theuser searching for "toys" would generate $0.008 per click, meaningthat 1,000 clicks would earn the hackers $8, 10,000 clicks $80, andso on. The Flashback gang is still earning this fraudulent revenue, eventhough much of the botnet has been "sinkholed" by Symantec andother antivirus companies, said Vikram Thakur, principal securityresponse manager at Symantec. By registering as many potentialcommand-and-control (C&C) domains used by the malware toreceive instructions, security researchers prevent orders fromreaching the infected Macs.
The commands fall down a metaphoric"sinkhole" instead. But in an interview today, Thakur confirmed that Flashback-infectedMacs, even those that have been sinkholed by security firms,continue to produce revenue for the hackers. "They're still making money," said Thakur, explaining that thead-clicking component communicates to different C&C serverswhose IP addresses are hard-coded into the malware. Those servershave not been sinkholed. "In fact, they're making a lot of money.
| See InfoWorld's slideshow tour of Mac OS X Lion's top 20 features and test your Apple smarts with our Apple IQ test: Round 2 . | Keep up with key Apple technologies with the Technology: Apple newsletter . ] In a blog entry posted today, Symantec published an analysis of Flashback'smoney-making capabilities, and concluded -- as others had earlier-- that the gang was turning a profit through click fraud. Flashback.K surfaced in March and by early April had infected more than 600,000 Macs. China Industrial Bag Filters
"Click fraud" describes campaigns where large numbers of people aresilently redirected to online ads not normally served by the sitethe user is viewing. The criminals receive kickbacks from thesometimes-legitimate, sometimes-shady intermediaries for each adclicked. The clicks are "ghost clicks" in that they are not triggered by ahuman, but instead by the botnet. That's exactly what Flashback.K does, said Symantec. China Industrial Oil Separators
After wormingits way onto a Mac via an exploit of a since-patched Javavulnerability, Flashback.K loads an ad-clicking component intoApple's Safari, Google's Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox browsers. "Flashback specifically targets search queries made on Google and,depending on the search query, may redirect users to another pageof the attacker's choosing, where they receive revenue from theclick," said Symantec. "Google never receives the intended adclick." In one code snippet shown by Symantec, a hijacked ad based on theuser searching for "toys" would generate $0.008 per click, meaningthat 1,000 clicks would earn the hackers $8, 10,000 clicks $80, andso on. The Flashback gang is still earning this fraudulent revenue, eventhough much of the botnet has been "sinkholed" by Symantec andother antivirus companies, said Vikram Thakur, principal securityresponse manager at Symantec. By registering as many potentialcommand-and-control (C&C) domains used by the malware toreceive instructions, security researchers prevent orders fromreaching the infected Macs.
The commands fall down a metaphoric"sinkhole" instead. But in an interview today, Thakur confirmed that Flashback-infectedMacs, even those that have been sinkholed by security firms,continue to produce revenue for the hackers. "They're still making money," said Thakur, explaining that thead-clicking component communicates to different C&C serverswhose IP addresses are hard-coded into the malware. Those servershave not been sinkholed. "In fact, they're making a lot of money.
News uControl Announces New Home Security, Monitoring and AutomationPlatform (23/6/2008) SMA Software Platform and TouchScreen Provide Simple, Flexible,Turnkey Digital Home Solutions uControl, a leading provider of next-generation home security andautomation solutions, today announced an industry-changing softwareplatform that allows service providers to deploy cutting edge HomeSecurity, Monitoring and Automation (SMA) services. The uControlSMA Platform and accompanying TouchScreen combine to create anopen, technology-agnostic infrastructure that works equally wellfor all homes whether they have an existing wired alarm system orrequire a new wireless alarm system to be installed. Beyond homesecurity, the uControl SMA Platform delivers the next generation ofdigital home services that customers will demand. The uControl TouchScreen combines an alarm system, communicationgateway, and home automation platform into a single, 7-inch WVGATouchScreen device that is about the size of a traditional alarmkeypad. It can be conveniently placed anywhere within the home -whether mounted on a bedroom wall or placed on a kitchencountertop. API Gate Valve
For homes that don't already have a security system,the TouchScreen acts as a complete stand-alone wireless alarmsystem that communicates directly with wireless peripherals andsensors. For homes that already have a security system, theuControl TouchScreen replaces one of the existing keypads andleverages all of the existing equipment, sensors and wiring in thehome. Both of these deployment scenarios offer the same featureset, user experience and operational management platforms,independent of the manufacturer of the existing security equipment. One out of every four homes currently has a home security systemalready installed (Source: Home Systems: Home Security (C) 2007Parks Associates). According to a March report from ABI Research,"Home Automation and Security," analyst Sam Lucero statesthat, "Telcos and broadband service providers are uniquelypositioned to roll managed home automation and monitoring servicesout on a large scale, to publicize them, and to educate consumersabout their value." The TouchScreen leverages key enabling technologies from uControl'soriginal service including remote control from any Web browser orcell phone, alerts via email or SMS, redundant connectivity(broadband and cellular), cameras, home automation andinteroperability with existing alarm panels from Honeywell, DSC, GEand Bosch. China Adjustable Choke Valves
In addition, it is a lightweight network informationappliance in the home enabling service providers to deliver video,photos, web content and social networking applications via an open,standards-based Widget Platform. The Widget Platform enhancesuControl's ability to control media and entertainment functionswithin the home, and manage thermostat and lighting controls tohelp homeowners manage power usage and costs. "uControl has spent the past year perfecting what we believewill revolutionize the SMA industry," said uControl PresidentJim Johnson. "Our service provider partners encouraged us tocreate a home security solution that could easily be deployed inall home environments and could serve as the launch pad for thedigital home applications that their customers are beginning todemand." uControl will be exhibiting at this year's annual Cable Show '08 inNew Orleans in the Cisco booth, #2811. uControl will be showcasingproof-of-concept integrations with multiple Cisco products,including Cisco's IP Services Gateway, cable modems, access pointsand cameras. High Pressure Needle Valve
uControl and Cisco will also be demonstrating controlof the uControl SMA Platform from a television connected to Cisco'sTru2way(TM) set-top box. Visit our featured links Visit our sponsors and showcases.
For homes that don't already have a security system,the TouchScreen acts as a complete stand-alone wireless alarmsystem that communicates directly with wireless peripherals andsensors. For homes that already have a security system, theuControl TouchScreen replaces one of the existing keypads andleverages all of the existing equipment, sensors and wiring in thehome. Both of these deployment scenarios offer the same featureset, user experience and operational management platforms,independent of the manufacturer of the existing security equipment. One out of every four homes currently has a home security systemalready installed (Source: Home Systems: Home Security (C) 2007Parks Associates). According to a March report from ABI Research,"Home Automation and Security," analyst Sam Lucero statesthat, "Telcos and broadband service providers are uniquelypositioned to roll managed home automation and monitoring servicesout on a large scale, to publicize them, and to educate consumersabout their value." The TouchScreen leverages key enabling technologies from uControl'soriginal service including remote control from any Web browser orcell phone, alerts via email or SMS, redundant connectivity(broadband and cellular), cameras, home automation andinteroperability with existing alarm panels from Honeywell, DSC, GEand Bosch. China Adjustable Choke Valves
In addition, it is a lightweight network informationappliance in the home enabling service providers to deliver video,photos, web content and social networking applications via an open,standards-based Widget Platform. The Widget Platform enhancesuControl's ability to control media and entertainment functionswithin the home, and manage thermostat and lighting controls tohelp homeowners manage power usage and costs. "uControl has spent the past year perfecting what we believewill revolutionize the SMA industry," said uControl PresidentJim Johnson. "Our service provider partners encouraged us tocreate a home security solution that could easily be deployed inall home environments and could serve as the launch pad for thedigital home applications that their customers are beginning todemand." uControl will be exhibiting at this year's annual Cable Show '08 inNew Orleans in the Cisco booth, #2811. uControl will be showcasingproof-of-concept integrations with multiple Cisco products,including Cisco's IP Services Gateway, cable modems, access pointsand cameras. High Pressure Needle Valve
uControl and Cisco will also be demonstrating controlof the uControl SMA Platform from a television connected to Cisco'sTru2way(TM) set-top box. Visit our featured links Visit our sponsors and showcases.
The first London tasting of 2011 right bank wines has confirmedoenologist Denis Dubourdieu's comments that the vintage is asvaried as the bizarre weather patterns that produced it. St Emilion: Merlot on limestone and clay 'delicious' In his annual report the renowned consultant talks about the unpredictable consequences of the incredibly hot spring, coolJuly, rainy August and Indian summer. Winners this year are Merlot-based wines on clay and limestonesoils, Cabernet Sauvignon on gravel and clay-gravel, the botrytisedsweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac, and the whites of Pessac. Cabernet Franc, when it worked, was exceptional, Dubordieu said. Producers from St Emilion and Pomerol and their neighbouringappellations, in London yesterday for the Cercle Rive Droite 2011tasting, agreed. Flashlight Solar Charger
It was the best year ever for Cabernet Franc, Paul Goldschmidt,owner of St Emilion Grand Cru Classe Chateau Le Prieur said. One of the oddest factors in the ripening cycle, across Bordeaux,was the spring, which saw temperatures in the high thirties true summer weather as Dubourdieu calls it. Then came a summer characterised by persistent drought ,including a heat spike of 40C for two days in June which roastedgrapes on the vine. Up to 20% of the Cabernet crop was lost, theMerlot faring better, possibly because its wide leaves providedprotection. China Solar Powered Battery Chargers
August rain then swelled grapes, diluting the flavours in someareas, followed by ferocious hailstorms at the beginning ofSeptember, devastating vines in St Estephe especially. This was followed by an Indian summer, with a spectacularly dry September. On the right bank, in areas where clay and limestone predominates,producers are pleased with their Merlot Dubourdieu recalledtasting delicious Merlot grapes from clay and limestone soils . But, he warned, Merlot grapes from gravel soils were not nearlyas good, and those from sandy or silty soil were downrightdisappointing. Mini Solar Flashlight Manufacturer
Right bank producers say it was a difficult vintage to ripen, andone requiring a good deal of work in the winery, extensive sorting,and the powerful tannins needing particularly gentle extraction. Those that tried to extract more flavour ended up with dry,astringent wines, Alain Raynaud, who consults for some two dozenproperties on the right bank, said. It was a winemakers vintage, Hel旦ise Aubert fromVignobles Aubert, owners of eight properties including St EmilionGrand Cru Classe Chateau La Couspaude, said. The Merlot was verysuccessful but you had to have a very smooth extraction to begentle with the tannins.
Raynaud added, It was a very strange year. At the beginning ofsummer we seemed to be on the verge of disaster, our grapes burntby the sun. But those berries that were left gained in intensity.
It was the best year ever for Cabernet Franc, Paul Goldschmidt,owner of St Emilion Grand Cru Classe Chateau Le Prieur said. One of the oddest factors in the ripening cycle, across Bordeaux,was the spring, which saw temperatures in the high thirties true summer weather as Dubourdieu calls it. Then came a summer characterised by persistent drought ,including a heat spike of 40C for two days in June which roastedgrapes on the vine. Up to 20% of the Cabernet crop was lost, theMerlot faring better, possibly because its wide leaves providedprotection. China Solar Powered Battery Chargers
August rain then swelled grapes, diluting the flavours in someareas, followed by ferocious hailstorms at the beginning ofSeptember, devastating vines in St Estephe especially. This was followed by an Indian summer, with a spectacularly dry September. On the right bank, in areas where clay and limestone predominates,producers are pleased with their Merlot Dubourdieu recalledtasting delicious Merlot grapes from clay and limestone soils . But, he warned, Merlot grapes from gravel soils were not nearlyas good, and those from sandy or silty soil were downrightdisappointing. Mini Solar Flashlight Manufacturer
Right bank producers say it was a difficult vintage to ripen, andone requiring a good deal of work in the winery, extensive sorting,and the powerful tannins needing particularly gentle extraction. Those that tried to extract more flavour ended up with dry,astringent wines, Alain Raynaud, who consults for some two dozenproperties on the right bank, said. It was a winemakers vintage, Hel旦ise Aubert fromVignobles Aubert, owners of eight properties including St EmilionGrand Cru Classe Chateau La Couspaude, said. The Merlot was verysuccessful but you had to have a very smooth extraction to begentle with the tannins.
Raynaud added, It was a very strange year. At the beginning ofsummer we seemed to be on the verge of disaster, our grapes burntby the sun. But those berries that were left gained in intensity.