Monday, August 20, 2012

Top 10 Most-Stolen Vehicles in America


  1. 1994 Honda Accord
  2. 1998 Honda Civic
  3. 2006 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
  4. 1991 Toyota Camry
  5. 2000 Dodge Caravan
  6. 1994 Acura Integra
  7. 1999 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
  8. 2004 Dodge Pickup (Full Size)
  9. 2002 Ford Explorer
  10. 1994 Nissan Sentra



20 Aug 2012 11:00 Africa/Lagos

NICB Names 10 Most-Stolen Vehicles for 2011
Key Code Thefts a Growing Concern

DES PLAINES, Ill., Aug. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) today released Hot Wheels − its list of the 10 most-stolen vehicles in the United States. The report examines vehicle theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and determines the vehicle make, model and model year most reported stolen in 2011.

To view the multimedia assets, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53841-nicb-names-10-most-stolen-vehicles-2011-key-code-thefts

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120820/MM58907 )

See the full report at www.nicb.org.

For 2011, the most-stolen vehicles* in the nation were:

1994 Honda Accord
1998 Honda Civic
2006 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
1991 Toyota Camry
2000 Dodge Caravan
1994 Acura Integra
1999 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
2004 Dodge Pickup (Full Size)
2002 Ford Explorer
1994 Nissan Sentra

Each year, NICB reviews all NCIC vehicle theft records to produce its national and state lists of the 10 most-stolen vehicles. Hot Wheels is the only report that examines all theft data without regard to a vehicle's insured status − if a vehicle was reported stolen to law enforcement, it is captured in this report.

The top 10 places were evenly split in 2011 with five belonging to foreign brands and five to U.S. automakers. Most popular models among the domestic brands were Ford, Dodge and Chevrolet pickup trucks each holding one spot with the Dodge Caravan and Ford Explorer rounding out the domestic models.

Once again, 2011 is on track to continue the national vehicle theft decline. Preliminary 2011 FBI crime statistics indicate a 3.3 percent reduction from the 737,142 thefts recorded in 2010. Vehicle thefts have not been this low since 1967.

"While overall thefts continue to decline, we are seeing a trend toward increases in the thefts of late model vehicles − ones that are theoretically harder to steal due to sophisticated key code technology," said NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle.

"Today's vehicle thieves are typically professional criminals who have figured out how to get the key code for a specific vehicle, have a replacement key made, and steal the vehicle within a matter of days. We are aware of nearly 300 thefts that took place in the first three months of this year in which we believe replacement keys using illegally obtained key codes were used to steal the vehicle. We are working closely with our member companies, law enforcement, and the vehicle manufacturers to track these illegal key code transactions and stop the thefts or recover the stolen vehicles before they can be resold here or shipped out of the country to be sold overseas."

For more on key code thefts, watch this video.

Even one theft is one too many if it happens to you. NICB urges motorists to follow its "layered approach" to auto theft prevention. By employing these simple, low-cost suggestions, people can make their vehicles less attractive to thieves.

NICB's four layers of protection are:

Common Sense: Lock your car and take your keys. It's simple enough, but many thefts occur because owners make it easy for thieves to steal their cars.

Warning Device: Having and using a visible or audible warning device is another item that can ensure that your car remains where you left it.

Immobilizing Device: Generally speaking, if your vehicle can't be started, it can't be stolen. "Kill" switches, fuel cut-offs and smart keys are among the devices that are extremely effective.

Tracking Device: A tracking device emits a signal to the police or to a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ "telematics," which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.

Considering a used vehicle purchase? Check out VINCheckSM, a free vehicle history service for consumers. Since 2005, NICB has offered this limited service made possible by its participating member companies. Check it out at: www.nicb.org/vincheck.

Anyone with information concerning vehicle theft and insurance fraud can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422), texting keyword "fraud" to TIP411 (847411) or by visiting our website at www.nicb.org.

About the National Insurance Crime Bureau: headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness. The NICB is supported by more than 1,100 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote over $339 billion in insurance premiums in 2011, or approximately 80 percent of the nation's property/casualty insurance. That includes more than 94 percent ($156 billion) of the nation's personal auto insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.

* This report reflects stolen vehicle data reported to NCIC in 2011. No further filtering of information is conducted (i.e., determining the total number of a particular make and model currently registered in the U.S. for comparison purposes). For purposes of this report, full size pickups include half ton and larger capacity models for all makes.

SOURCE National Insurance Crime Bureau

CONTACT: Frank Scafidi, +1-916-979-1510, fscafidi@nicb.org

Web Site: http://www.nicb.org








Sunday, August 5, 2012

Journalist Lisa Ling Honored for Reporting on Homelessness & Poverty


Journalist Lisa Ling Honored for Reporting on Homelessness & Poverty

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Shelter Partnership, a nonprofit organization working to end homelessness, honored journalist Lisa Ling at its 23rd Annual Dinner on July 31st. Over 400 supporters and civic leaders gathered at the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles for the occasion. The evening fundraiser raised $390,000 to support Shelter Partnership's work. Ling is the executive producer and host of the popular documentary series "Our America with Lisa Ling" on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

Ling was honored for her insightful and compassionate reporting on the toughest issues confronting America, including the plight of people who are homeless. In "The Lost American Dream" episode of her "Our America" series, Ling reports on how America's middle class has emerged as the face of new poverty in the wake of the "Great Recession." Ling effectively captures the pain felt by a struggling middle class and the widening population of Americans living on the edge. Poverty, unemployment or a lost job and the lack of affordable housing are primary causes of families experiencing homelessness.

"Lisa's reporting puts a human face to poverty and the related challenges that lead families or individuals to homelessness. It is easy to dismiss poverty or homeless statistics as just numbers when in fact every number represents a mother, son or daughter, a veteran or a senior citizen," shared Ruth Schwartz, executive director of Shelter Partnership.

For 27 years Shelter Partnership, Inc. has contributed technical assistance, public policy and resources toward ending homelessness. The organization also operates the S. Mark Taper Foundation Shelter Resource Bank, which distributed $8.2 million in donated new goods and materials to 230 agencies serving the homeless and very poor in the last year.

"I am so honored and humbled to have been chosen by Shelter Partnership for this award," remarked Ling. "Shelter Partnership supports over 200 agencies and organizations serving the homeless in Los Angeles. Their work addresses the immediate needs of homeless shelters and the longer-term housing polices needed to end homelessness. There is no organization like it in L.A."

About Lisa Ling
Lisa Ling got her start in journalism as a correspondent for "Channel One News" where she covered the civil war in Afghanistan at 21 years of age. She later went on to become a co-host of ABC Daytime's hit show "The View," which won its first daytime Emmy during her time at the show.

Ling was a special correspondent for CNN's "Planet in Peril" series and a field correspondent for "The Oprah Winfrey Show." She is the co-author of "Somewhere Inside: One Sister's Captivity in North Korea and the Other's Fight to Bring Her Home," which she penned with her sister, Laura.

For photos of the event, including Lisa Ling, please visit http://www.shelterpartnership.org/dinner/default.aspx

SOURCE Shelter Partnership

CONTACT: Ruth Schwartz, Shelter Partnership, +1-213-446-4538, rschwartz@shelterpartnership.org, or Domenic Morea, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, +1-323-602-5516, domenic_morea@own.tv

Web Site: http://www.shelterpartnership.org



Rep. Gutierrez to address UNITY Journalists Convention on behalf of Obama for America

Rep. Gutierrez to address UNITY Journalists Convention on behalf of Obama for America. (PRNewsFoto/UNITY: Journalists of Color).

Rep. Gutierrez to address UNITY Journalists Convention on behalf of Obama for America

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), a leading advocate in Congress for immigration reform and Latino communities, will address the UNITY '12 Convention in Las Vegas Saturday on behalf of President Obama's campaign for reelection.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120803/DC51941-a)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120803/DC51941LOGO-b)

The convention's Candidates' Forum featuring "A Conversation with Rep. Luis Gutierrez" is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, August 4, at the Mandalay Ballroom IJ in the Mandalay Bay South Convention Center in Las Vegas.

After some brief opening remarks, Gutierrez will be interviewed by veteran journalist Willie Lora, news and political director of CNN en Espanol. The forum, sponsored by Time Warner, will be streamed live online and the audience in and outside of the room will be able to submit questions via Twitter, #UNITY12elect.

"I am honored to represent President Barack Obama before the nation's most diverse journalism organization. The President and I believe we prosper when we recognize that diversity is a singular strength of America and that as a nation we are all in it together and stand strongest when we stand united. We are on the verge of a key turning point as young immigrants eligible for the DREAM Act begin coming forward in two weeks for temporary protection from deportation under deferred action. While the Congress just adjourned debating English-only laws and delaying tax-cuts or any serious help to the economy, the Democrats and the President are committed to strengthening our economy, helping middle class and working class families make it, and building an economy that's built to last. The gathering in Nevada of Asian American, Native American, LGBT and Latino journalists just underscores the fact that everyone, no matter where you come from, has the opportunity to succeed and contribute to our democracy" said Representative Luis Gutierrez.

The candidates' forum at UNITY '12, the most diverse journalism convention in the United States, is an opportunity for the presidential candidates to address the 2,300 journalists, media executives, and community members gathering in Las Vegas this week.

"We are pleased that the Obama campaign will be answering questions from such a diverse group of journalists from all across the country as we enter the height of this year's presidential campaign," said Onica Makwakwa, executive director of UNITY Journalists, based in McLean, Virginia.

Makwakwa said that repeated invitations were made to both the Obama for America campaign and the Mitt Romney for America campaign for their respective presidential candidates to attend.

The Romney campaign declined the invitation and offered no surrogate. Obama campaign officials said the President was not available and tapped Rep. Gutierrez to represent him before the convention of journalists.

In 2008, then-Sen. Barack Obama addressed the Unity convention in Chicago. Sen. John McCain declined repeated invitations to attend. At the 2004 Unity convention in Washington, D.C., both President George W. Bush and presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry addressed the gathering of journalists.

Now in his tenth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Gutierrez is the Democratic Party's leading strategist and spokesperson on immigration issues. He is chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force and had previously served as Chair of the Democratic Caucus Immigration Task Force.

Among his extensive congressional work, Gutierrez was at the forefront to achieve comprehensive immigration reform and to pass the DREAM Act in 2010, which would offer a work permit and a path to citizenship to certain undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and who are now college students or recent graduates.

He has been a critic of the government's deportation of immigrants that has resulted in breaking families apart in many regions of the country. Immigration reform is just one of several key topics debated by both presidential candidates on the campaign trail. In a free-flowing conversation format, journalists are expected to inquire about many of these issues at Saturday's Candidates' Forum.

UNITY '12 is a quadrennial gathering of the journalists and diversity advocates who comprise the member alliance organizations – the Asian American Journalists Association, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the Native American
Journalists Association, and its newest member, the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.

About UNITY: Journalists of Color
UNITY Journalists, an alliance of four journalism organizations representing more than 4,000 journalists, is the nation's most diverse journalism organization. It is a strategic alliance advocating fair and accurate news coverage about people of color and LGBT issues and aggressively challenges news organizations to increase diversity in whom they employ at all levels of their companies.

Media Contact:
Jeneene Butler, Special Projects Assistant
UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc.
Tel: (703) 854-3591
assistant@unityjournalists.org

SOURCE UNITY: Journalists of Color

Web Site: http://www.unityjournalists.org



Thursday, August 2, 2012

Americans Vote Italy First For Best Overall Foods In The World

Hot dogs are the least recommended dish by Americans, as discovered by the Hotels.com global food survey.



Americans Guide the Way to the World’s Best Food

Hotels.com® culinary survey reveals top countries for best cheap chow, extravagant eats and overall authentic local fare


56% of American participants in the Hotels.com culinary survey would recommend Barbeque as the “must try” dish of the United States.

According to the Hotels.com global food survey of 27,000 travelers, Americans voted Italy as number one for best overall local food across all age groups, genders and geographical regions.

DALLAS — July 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Hotels.com® has long been an authority on lodging around the world, but savvy travelers know that there is more to finding the perfect place than just the hotel property alone. That’s why vacationers rely on the experts at Hotels.com to provide insider information on key trip-planning elements, such as food and activity trends, to make their journey a success. Today, the online booking expert has released the results of a global survey of 27,000 travelers that discovered some core facts about American food preferences internationally and domestically.
Over 1,000 Americans participated in the global survey and 63 percent of the respondents specified food as an important factor when selecting a hotel for various types of leisure travel, from city escapes to romantic rendezvous and family getaways. Below are some key findings from the survey that may help to point future globetrotters in the direction of the world’s best food:
The Best of the Best (according to Americans)
  • Italy was voted number one for best overall local food across all age groups, genders and geographical regions.
  • France came in second place for best overall food in the world, followed by Mexico, and the U.S. following closely behind.
  • The consensus is that the U.S. is the best destination for family dining, followed by Italy and Germany.
Best Local Food
1. Italy
2. France
3. Mexico
Foodie Budgets and Best Values (according to Americans)
  • On average, Americans spend 25-49 percent of their daily budget on food when traveling abroad.
  • With 14 percent of the total response count, the United States emerged as the leading country for a good value when it comes to meals while traveling.
  • The U.S. was also voted number one for street food – unsurprising with the surge of gourmet food trucks in recent years, which likely served as a contributing factor to the country’s budget-friendliness.
  • Mexico came in second for both the best value and street food categories.
  • Other countries that topped the list for cheap (but good) eats include: Italy, China, India, Canada and Spain.
Best Food on a Budget
1. USA
2. Mexico
3. Italy
Best Luxury Menu (according to Americans)
  • All age groups, genders and geographical regions agreed that France is the best country in which to find superior quality dining.
  • Italy came in second for the most posh eating experience, except among respondents in the Northeastern part of the U.S. and those in the 55-64 age group, which each picked the U.S. as second best.
Best Fine Dining
1. France
2. Italy
3. USA
‘Must Try’ American Dishes
  • Most Americans (56 percent) would recommend Barbeque as the “must try” dish of the United States – a decision that was consistent across all geographical regions.
  • Burgers and fries is the second most recommended dish overall, followed by fried chicken.
  • Respondents in the 16-24 age group said burgers and fries are best, even over barbeque.
  • Hot dogs are the least recommended dish.
  • Apple pie is the only dessert item to make the list and it even ranked above other long-time American classics like macaroni and cheese and chili.
Most Recommended Home Favorites
1. Barbeque
2. Burgers and Fries
3. Fried Chicken
4. Apple Pie
5. Buffalo Wings
The U.S. portion of the survey is a regional segment of an even larger global food survey from Hotels.com, which polled more than 27,000 travelers. The global edition of the survey shows that international travelers also favor Italian and French cuisine overall, taking first and second spot in the rankings respectively. However, the global survey differs from the regional U.S. findings in that it indicates that dishes from Japan that are gaining popularity around the world, with favorite dishes such as Sushi, Tempura, Ramen and Japanese Soba helping it to snag the third most favored country for cuisine overall on a global scale.
# # #
About Hotels.com®
Hotels.com is a leading online accommodation booking website with more than 150,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry, negotiating the best rates for its customers, and offers frequent sales, special deals and promotions. There are more than 6.5 million Guest Reviews on the site from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers can make an informed choice when booking. Through its industry-leading loyalty program Welcome Rewards™, customers can earn a free night for every 10 nights stayed at more than 65,000 hotels. Under its Price Match Guarantee, if a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will refund the difference. Travelers can book online or by contacting one of the multilingual call centers. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded at www.hotels.com/deals/mobile_app/ enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals. Hotels.com publishes an award-winning twice-yearly review of international hotel room price trends called the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index™, which is now produced in 31 individual country editions, with North American data available at www.hotel-price-index.com. Follow Hotels.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hotelsdotcom, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hotelsdotcom and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/hotelsdotcom. Hotels.com is part of Expedia, Inc., the largest online travel company in the world with an extensive portfolio that includes some of the world’s best-known brands.
Hotels.com, Finding You The Perfect Place and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. © 2012 Hotels.com, LP. All rights reserved. CST # 2083949-50.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

New Digital Platform from AARP Helps Experienced Workers Find Jobs


1 Aug 2012 16:44 Africa/Lagos

New Digital Platform from AARP Helps Experienced Workers Find Jobs

Experienced Workers Offered Tailored Online Job Listings, Guidance, and Community With AARP's New "Work Reimagined"

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Memo to Experienced Workers:

AARP is offering a unique new way to advance yourself in today's tight job market with Work Reimagined, a social network based experienced worker jobs program that connects employers seeking experienced workers with qualified professionals searching for new or more satisfying careers. The site (www.workreimagined.org) will leverage the platform of professional networking site, LinkedIn.

AARP President Rob Romasco announced the multi-pronged Work Reimagined online initiative today, outlining some of the key elements, which include:

original and curated content with advice and insights relevant to experienced workers in today's job market, and
access to current job openings with the nearly 120 employers who have taken the Work Reimagined pledge, publicly committing to treat all employees equally regardless of age.

"Work Reimagined enables experienced workers to come together in a vibrant online community to share your views and help move through 'what's next' career moments," said Romasco. "It opens the way for access to workforce resources, as well as the opportunity to connect with other experienced workers in a peer-to-peer environment."

The dynamic nature of Work Reimagined is demonstrated by the decision by dozens of forward-looking employers with at least some immediate hiring needs to sign a pledge to recruit across a level playing field when considering experienced workers. These firms are looking for the strong work ethic, maturity, and customer orientation that experienced workers bring to their jobs.

Employers who sign the pledge agree that they have:

Openness to the value of experienced workers;
Nondiscriminatory HR policies;
At least some immediate hiring needs at the time of pledge signing.

With the integration of LinkedIn information, qualified workers are put together in the same space with employers who value those workers.

"Over the past decade, the digital world has transformed how most people look for a job," said Romasco. "Today, Work Reimagined harnesses the power of social media to offer great opportunities for experienced professionals to connect, to access information and resources, and to leverage their professional network in their pursuit of more fulfilling work and career."

Work Reimagined also offers job listings independent of LinkedIn, as well as articles, columns, tips and tools to help people navigate today's workplace.

"This service is especially valuable in the face of a difficult economy that has found many professionals unemployed for, in many cases, a year or more," Romasco added.

Among the employers who have taken the Work Reimagined pledge are Scripps Health, the top finisher last year in AARP's Best Employers for Workers Over 50 program; Toys R Us, Inc.; Dollar General; United Health Group; Lowe's and AT&T.

Work Reimagined is featured in the August-September issue of AARP The Magazine.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for Americans 50+ and the world's largest-circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for the 50+ audience; AARP VIVA, a bilingual lifestyle multimedia platform addressing the interests and needs of Hispanic Americans; and national television and radio programming including My Generation and Inside E Street. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org .

SOURCE AARP Illinois

CONTACT: AARP Media Relations, +1-202-434-2560

Web Site: http://www.aarp.org



Internet Bloggers, Reporters, Rumor Mongers and the Zombies

An Internet Addict. Photo Credit: Mind Disorders.

Internet Bloggers, Reporters, Rumor Mongers and the Zombies

Who is not caught and entangled in the world wide web of the internet?
Almost everyone is caught in it, whether you are using the internet or not, your existence today is affected by it, because in this Information Age, even those who are still stuck in the Stone Age cannot escape from the tentacles of the matrix controlling the stream of consciousness of humans in every nook and cranny of the earth. No matter how you pretend and try to avoid the internet, you will one day be faced with its inevitability when you have to use the computer that comes in the form of the mobile phone that has become the most irresistible gadget in the world today, because it is now imperative for everyone to use it in daily communication. It is an oddity or rarity to see anyone who does not use a mobile phone today and once you use the mobile phone, you are soon caught in the World Wide Web and soon join in the communication hub of the earth.

Aborigines using a laptop in Australia. Photo Credit: Educational Cyberground.

The internet is now dictating the way humans communicate from the closet to the street and from the street to the government. The internet has swayed the momentum of human consciousness in billions of conversations going on the internet; helping to sway passions in political thoughts that ignited the Orange Revolution in Eastern Europe and the Arab Spring in the Middle East with the flood of tears and blood of the victims, the casualties of the consequences in different circumstances caused by the legions of sung and unsung heroes and villains And the social media is the most important catalyst of the internet. The social media is the greatest thing that has happened in the evolution of human communication since the caveman discovered how to make cave drawings. All you need to join us is just an access to the internet and it is a roller coaster ride all the way! The social media gives you the space to exercise the freedom of speech as never done before and the only powers that can control and stop you are the gatekeepers and they are the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and their partners, the publishers and owners of the millions of websites in the World Wide Web from Google to Facebook and the rest of us. . They cannot control your thoughts and conversations, but they can either approve them or disapprove them. They are the ones who have unleashed their legions of bloggers, reporters and rumor mongers on the rest of humankind, exchanging and sharing billions of accounts of stories of whatever is happening on earth, both fact and fiction and leave the choices to their audiences who are regular followers and invisible visitors from different locations and backgrounds in the world. The rest of humans who have not joined the viral conversations are more or less becoming zombies in the world.

It is necessary to separate the sheep from the goats, those who report and tell the truth from those who report and tell lies on the internet, because they are heroes and villains of the zombies who are swayed by the information of their masters. Of course, before the emergence of the internet, the world has always been inhabited by the good, the bad and the ugly and their zombies. So, the internet as a product of humans will always be inhabited by the same characters found everywhere among us. The internet has only given us all more freedom to say whatever we want to say and often escape from behind our small or big computers. But we must separate the wheat from the chaff in all things. Therefore, let us know the rumor mongers among bloggers and reporters on the millions of websites on the internet.

Do not accept everything you see on the internet until you are sure of it is a fact. The same internet also helps us to find out the fact as falsehoods are debunked and refuted even before the sunset unlike before when there was no internet and news reporters published both confirmed and unconfirmed news of events and incidents which the ignorant and unsuspecting readers cannot verify until the following day or even longer when the falsehoods would have done damages to reputations, and even caused the loss of lives and properties before the people knew that it was a foolish and unnecessary conflict.

Rumors spread by the mainstream media have even provoked riots and caused wars. But the internet has made it possible for everyone to report or tell what fact is or fiction instantly without censorship of the editors or owners of the press. And in fact, the internet would have averted the catastrophic world wars and other wars if it existed before then as the information for or against the arguments of these human conflicts would have gone viral and diffused before they could explode before our very eyes and millions of the lives lost would have been saved. Would Adolf Hitler have succeeded today?
No! Because, he would not have been able to fool millions of Germans to accept his Final Solution for the extermination of the Jews in Europe and the holocaust would have been averted. The internet has made us all wiser!

The internet has given us all the possibilities of what dialogue can do for humanity and honestly the positives are a million times more than the negatives, because everyone can easily sort out the odds and ends on the internet and life goes on, even the zombies will no longer be fooled and misled by their masters.


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, August 1, 2012, Lagos, Nigeria.
Michael Chima is the most popular African blogger with over 30 blogs and the author of Children of Heaven, Sleepless Night, Scarlet Tears of London, Bye, Bye Mugabe, In the House of Dogs and co-author of Naked Beauty. His new books The Prophet Lied, and Barack Obama and the American Dream will be released before Christmas. He is also a TV/Film producer and Founder of the annual Eko International Film Festival in Lagos, Nigeria.