Internet companies use “cookies,” an imprint from a person’s computer, to keep track of online activity that would telegraph such information as the user’s shopping habits, sexual orientation or employment information.

Some Internet firms then use this information to sell advertisements — so-called behavioral advertising — on that person’s browser or they sell that information to others.

Consumers are often unaware that their online activity can be tracked, a problem that was described last week at a Senate hearing that delved into online privacy.

Christopher Calabrese, legislative counsel to the American Civil Liberties Union, told a Senate panel that these practices invade a person’s privacy.

“Should anyone have the right to know and sell to others the fact that you are overweight, or depressed, or gay?” he said.

“If this collection of data is allowed to continue unchecked, then capitalism will build what the government never could — a complete surveillance state online,” he said. “Without government intervention, we may soon find the Internet has been transformed from a library and playground to a fishbowl, and that we have unwittingly ceded core values of privacy and autonomy.”

Lawrence Strickling, assistant secretary in the Commerce Department, told the panel the Obama administration wants Congress to enact legislation that would protect online privacy and empower the Federal Trade Commission to police those rules.

Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the FTC, told the panel that Microsoft and Mozilla have recently reported the development of “do not track devices,” which give people the option to opt out of tracked browsing.

Such a device is “no longer just a concept, it is becoming a reality,”…

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Los Angeles, CA, United States (CNS) – From the late Alexander McQueen to Zac Posen, the women voted the Best Dressed Celebrities of 2010 are the vessels for the biggest names in fashion to have their latest and greatest looks in the magazines, on fashion blogs, or even skewered by Joan Rivers and Kelly Osbourne on that E! show.

After hundreds of votes, these are the A-listers who always make the grade when it comes to fashion and voted by CNS readers as the Top 10 Best Dressed Celebrities of 2010.

Top 10 Best Dressed Celebrities of 2010

10. Kate Middleton

A name that’s just getting known around the world, Middleton is already a fashion icon. Already featured on best-dressed lists from Vanity Fair and People, the soon-to-be princess spurred a fashion frenzy recently when her navy Issa London dress sold out within hours of her engagement appearance. Meanwhile, the Reiss dress in her recently released engagement photos will be available as part of their Spring/Summer ’11 collection.

9. Lea Michele

Beyond the attention the “Glee” star has gotten for her acting and vocal chops, she’s never hit the red carpet looking anything but pitch perfect. Among her best looks are her bright green Malandrino gown early at this year’s SAG Awards and her ivory Jose Duran gown she wore to PETA’s 30th Anniversary gala.

8. Cheryl Cole

The British singer shows she’s got the “X Factor” when it comes to fashion, sporting dresses by Roberto Cavalli and J. Mendel, and Stéphane Rolland among others. But she really shined in a gold gown by Gianfranco Ferré during a November results show.

7. Rihanna

The “What’s My Name” singer likes to sport names like Ellie Saab, Marchesa, Stella McCartney, and even Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. line. But a gorgeous electric blue Emilio Pucci dress she wore after the EMAs had us wishing she’d chosen that look for the show instead.

6. Miley Cyrus

While the Disney star says she “Can’t Be Tamed,” she does manage to look more demure and mature when she’s all dolled up on the red carpet in looks by designers like Marchesa, Ina Soltani, and D&G. But it’s when she’s wearing body-hugging looks by Herve Leger that shows they’re a better match than that Liam Hemsworth guy.

5. Lady Gaga

The controversy-courting pop star had fashion hounds asking “Where’s the Beef?” following her MTV VMAs appearance. Okay, luckily she didn’t start a trend with that awful looking, probably worse-smelling meat dress. But she did turn heads the right way this year in gowns by Giorgio Armani, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander McQueen.

4. Reese Witherspoon

The “How Do You Know” star had a relatively quiet year away from the red carpet until it came time to promote her new James L. Brooks comedy, and when you’re still voted near the top of the best dressed list, that’s how you know you’re a real fashion icon. Witherspoon stepped out in her favorite designers like Zac Posen, Dolce & Gabbana, and our favorite, a strapless nude Jason Wu Spring 2011 dress with black tulle overlay.

3. Anne Hathaway

The “Alice in Wonderland” star might have played the White Queen, but she looked nothing less than a princess at most red carpet events this year, sporting Valentino couture, Antonio Berardi, and J. Mendel. But when she wears Oscar de la Renta, she’s basically guaranteed a best-dressed spot, including a one shoulder red-heart print gown with silk chiffon and a gold sequin dress, both from his spring 2011 collection.

2. Blake Lively

Whether on “Gossip Girl” or on the red carpet, Lively is always sporting fresh designer looks. The blonde beauty always manages to look young, sexy and edgy in dresses by Prabal Gurung, Chanel and Christian Dior, but the spring 2011 Lanvin dress complete with tan leather harness and insect brooch she wore to the Spike TV Scream Awards were the talk of the town.

1. Emma Watson

Besides starring as Hermione in the “Harry Potter” films, Watson is magic on the red carpet, wearing looks from designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Carven, and, her favorite, Burberry. But when she cropped off all her hair, she paired her new pixie cut with some playful looks, like the long-sleeved lace playsuit by Alice by Temperley and a lace-and-feathered dress by Rafael Lopez she wore to the London premiere of “Harry Potter.” Watson cast a spell on our readers, who voted her the #1 Best Dressed Celebrity of 2010.

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New York, NY, United States (AHN) – Some treasures from King Tut’s grave will return to Egypt next year.

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art has agreed to return to Egypt objects in the museum that were taken from pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Museum officials agreed to recognize Egypt’s claims to 19 artifacts that have been in the museum’s possession since early last century.

The Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt had sought the return of the relics for a number of years. Unlike some relics that Egypt allows archeologists to keep, the Egyptian government had never meant for any of the objects in King Tut’s tomb to leave the country.

However, the antiquities were illegally exported from the country and entered the Met’s collection in the 1920s and 1940s.

Among the relics are a bronze figurine of a dog with a golden collar, just under 1 inch high and a sphinx that is part of a bracelet made of semi-precious lapis lazuli.

Under the agreement, the objects will remain on display at the Met until June 2011. Then the objects will return to Egypt and go on display in the Tutankhamun galleries at Cairo’s Egyptian Museum until the entire collection is transferred to the Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza when it opens in 2012.

Tut is believed to have died about 3,000 years ago. His tomb, with a gold death mask, was discovered in 1922.

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New York, NY, United States (AHN) – The U.S. government has granted $434 million to the Philippines for investments in roads, community development projects and improvements in the country’s tax collection efforts under a five-year economic compact that aims to fight poverty.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Philippine President Benigno Aquino III presided at the grant signing held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

The grant was signed by Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) CEO Daniel Yohannes and Philippine Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima.

“This compact we were signing was created by and for the people of Philippines. Reflecting the policies articulated by President Obama at Millennium Development Goals Summit, this is a results-focused program promoting sustainable economic growth. This example of country-designed solutions strives to move the poor from poverty to prosperity,” Yohannes said in a statement.

The MCC agreement provides $214.4 million to construct and repair about 140 miles (220 kilometers) of a highway that traverses 15 municipalities to improve access to markets and services for farmers, fishers, and small businesses in some of the poorest provinces in the country.

Another $120 million is allocated to expand Kalahi-CIDSS, a development project that empowers communities by encouraging their participation in poverty-reducing activities. It will provide community grants to support building of critical infrastructure such as water systems, clinics, and schools.

The project allows poor communities to design and manage projects they need to increase their incomes and improve their lives.

A $54.3 million fund seeks to computerize and streamline business processes to bolster the effectiveness of tax collection and reduce opportunities for corruption.

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The book Marley & Me deals with the loss of a tail wagging companion and brings to light many important aspects of a human-canine relationship. For anyone who has ever sat down to read this book, the first chapter is one that creates a real choke hold on dog lovers. Marley so captures the essence of the emotional bonding that takes place between a person and a special canine that for most readers it brings about the experience a joyful-cry. Author, John Grogan’s words captured the hearts of readers in such a way that his first book propelled with ease to the top of the best seller’s list in 2005.

Although written for an adult audience, Grogan’s work quickly became popular among young readers. Along with his latest memoir, The Longest Trip Home, Grogan has since authored several books geared for children. Grogan’s highly acclaimed collection of fully illustrated children’s books includes: Bad Dog Marley, Marley Goes to School, and A Very Marley Christmas. Grogan’s books are ones that help an individual cope with the loss of a tail-wagging companion as his works expresses both the joy and sorrow encountered in the privilege of sharing one’s life with a canine.
Because of the special nature of dogs, many classic books that are composed around canines. Included in canine literature are the books: Old Yeller, Lassie, Beautiful Joe, Big Red, Rin Tin Tin, White Fang and The Incredible Journey. Of course no children’s classic canine-book collection would be complete without the novel, A Dog of Flanders. Most of these books have been adapted for film or TV, but the books serve more as a form of literary art, rather than entertainment.

Dogs are such unique creatures that various canine-ality types have been immortalized in cartoonland, with some of our favorites including: Snoopy, Scooby Doo, Blues Clues, Hunckleberry Hound, Underdog, Odie, Droopy Dog, Pluto, Goofy and Quick Draw McGraw. Both the big screen and the little screen have produced its share of celebrity hounds and animated classics such as: Lady and the Tramp, 101 Dalmatians, The Shaggy Dogs, Turner and Hooch, Wishbone and Benji. Clearly, and as exemplified by celebrities like Paris Hilton and Oprah, dogs rule Hollywood.

The emotional bond that develops between humans and canines is like no other human-animal relationship on the planet. In light of the many important roles and services dogs provide, canine attributes deserve special recognition and praise. With all due respect to the other creatures with whom we share this planet, it is the diverse nature, skill set, and intelligence of the canine species that comes into play with so many important aspects of human existence.

With over 400 recognized breeds of dogs around the world, the canine species is the most varied mammal on the planet. The selective breeding of dogs to enhance particular characteristics has created a plethora of new shapes and sizes over the past 150 years. Many of these characteristics were breed for task-orientated purposes, as dogs have historically held positions as herders, guardians and rescue animals. The annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, considered to be America’s most prestigious dog show, judges a wide variety of breeds during the two-day event. More than 2500 dogs, from over 150 breeds are judged closely by eminent American Kennel Club (AKC) judges. One can truly see how varied this species has become during the past century and a half by watching the Westminster.

The dynamic essence of the canine spirit becomes so intertwined with ours that they can be trained as eyes for our blind, ears for our deaf, as well as they can give independence to our physically disabled. Dogs have the natural instincts to become therapists, without obtaining a doctorate’s degree. Where the average pet is not permitted or allowed in our society, service dogs are welcome as they perform a valuable function and duty for their guided human partner.

Dogs have proven to be able to blend their senses with ours on such a profound level that they forget they are a separate entity. Guide dogs act as human extensions rather than just merely a human’s pet. These special creatures have the incredible ability to mirror their partner’s needs, while they give up their individuality to become a reliable source of instincts and survival for humans.

The canine is among the few creatures who serve alongside our police and military officers. The U.S. Military has been using working dogs since World War I. Dogs were used in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afganistan and Iraq. During Vietnam alone it is estimated these courageous canine heroes saved over 10,000 lives. All branches of our Armed Forces utilize Military Patrol Dogs specialized in drug and bomb/explosive detection. Currently in the Middle East there are approximately 600-700 Military Patrol Dogs being used.

Of all of the tributes there are to our canine companions, one that exemplifies their unique capabilities and special role they have in our lives is the book Dog Heroes of September 11th. This book is one that should grace every dog lovers coffee table, as it is the first major publication to salute the dogs who came to the aid of our nation after the terrorists’ strikes on America. Written by award winning canine journalist, Nona Kilgore Bauer, the book pays tribute to the dog and handler teams that were deployed after the attacks. A portion of the proceeds from the book benefit the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation and its mission to produce certified search and rescue teams to protect our whole nation. This book is a must read, the stories are amazing and truly inspirational.

In trying to access how and why dogs impact our lives, it is important to point out their many varied attributes, from being integrated as life saving heroes to a cuddly tea cup pocket pooch, dogs give us so much of themselves to human existence. Perhaps the most extreme example of human-canine relationships is shown in the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska. Even the Tour de France takes second place to this test of human-canine endurance, willpower and survival. Where riders in the Tour ride as a team, the dogs of the Iditarod act as a single unit with their musher. The mushers and their team of typically 16 dogs cover 1,161 miles in eight to fifteen days. During this highly competative race, teams frequently race through blizzards causing whiteout conditions and sub-zero weather, along with gale-force winds that can cause wind-chill factors to reach -100 degrees Fahrenheit. To be able to endure this race takes the will power equivalent to that of cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. It is no wonder that humans bond so closely with these tail wagging creatures and their death can have such an emotional impact on us.

It is easy to become attached to our pets and it is difficult to let go of this attachment. One way of viewing the loss of our tail wagging companion is to realize how intertwined their spirit becomes with our soul. Perhaps it is their loving spirit that ascends to a higher dimension that carries our senses and perceptions to a new level. Letting go is just a matter of realizing how blessed we were to have enjoyed their tail wagging companionship for the time that we were able to. Although the pet that we lost will always have a special place in our hearts, carrying the happiness they gave us benefits much more than carrying grief over our loss. What they gave us were sharper instincts and intuition, that is something that we can give back and pass along in an attempt to keep those tails waggin!

Betty Bulldog has been loving and respecting dogs for 25 years. She offers free dog health information for dog lovers at dogZdogZ.com. Also take a free dog training course. Keep those tails waggin! Betty Bulldog http://dogZdogZ.comArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/putting-a-dog-down-easing-the-emotional-pain-1405984.html