Are Google's Behavior-Based Ads a New Privacy Concern?

Search Engines
Are Google's Behavior-Based Ads a New Privacy Concern?
By Nicholas Kolakowski
2009-03-12

Google Adsense

Google’s new interest-based advertising may lead to increased revenues for the search company, but privacy advocates have a list of new concerns for Google. Yahoo and other search-engine companies already use a variant of this sort of advertising, called “behavioral targeting,” in order to increase their advertisers’ chances of success. However, now that Google has entered the mix, privacy advocates fear they have more to worry about.

Google has raised privacy concerns with its newly launched interest-based advertising, which displays ads based on users' previous searches and page views. Also known as "behavioral targeting" or "online behavioral targeting," the method has privacy advocates up in arms over Google collecting massive amounts of user data.

While search engines use this type of technology, the fact that Google is now testing it has raised additional privacy concerns from those that see the search engine giant as already collecting too much personal information on its users. However, some others are defending Google, saying the company already has controls in place to control how personal data is used and collected.

The new Google advertising system, currently in beta, links "categories of interest" to the user’s browser, allowing targeted ads to appear even when the user is looking at a page totally unrelated to the ad’s subject matter. For example, someone who has spent months looking at pages about mini-notebooks will find ads for mini-notebooks appearing even when they’re on a site unrelated to PCs.

Google’s search rival Yahoo has already introduced its own application based on behavioral targeting, called Search Retargeting, which focuses display advertising based on users’ search histories. Search Retargeting, announced on Feb. 24, was anticipated by analysts as having the potential to draw massive privacy protests, but pushback from privacy advocates so far seems minimal.

For years, search engine companies have struggled to reassure the public that whatever information they collect is not being abused. This has led to much hand wringing about how long they should retain user data.

On Dec. 17, Yahoo announced that it could cleanse its system of user log data within 90 days. By contrast, Google has publicly stated that its data retention time is nine months.
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Nicole Wong, deputy general counsel for Google, argued in a blog posting on March 11 that the privacy policy behind the company’s interest-based ads provided "meaningful transparency and choice," with the company drawing a line at data-mining potentially sensitive categories for ad revenue.

"To provide greater privacy protections to users, we will not serve interest-based ads based on sensitive interest categories," she wrote. "For example, we don’t have health status interest categories or interest categories designed for children."

Users will be able access the individual interest categories associated with their browser via a tool called Ad Preferences Manager and add or delete specific ones.

"Access to the profile is something we’ve been promoting for years, and what we’ve been hearing from companies is that it would be too difficult for consumers; Google has essentially disproved that," Alissa Cooper, chief computer scientist for the Center for Democracy and Technology, said in an interview. "On the ad profile and ad access front, they’ve moved the ball forward."

Cooper also believes, though, that Google could stand to buttress its privacy protection in other areas – particularly with regard to its cookies. At the moment, Google users have the ability to delete their interest-based advertising cookie for the AdSense partner network, curtailing Google’s tracking; but there’s a catch.

"The cookie is only specific to the ads that Google is serving," Cooper said, which still leaves users potentially open to other search engines that utilize cookies for behavioral tracking.

And even though there are plans to label the ads provided by Google on the AdSense partner network and YouTube with information on how those ads are served, Cooper feels those labels could be more intensive.

"They talked about labeling the ads, which is something we’ve been talking about for a long time, and a link on the ad is a good idea," Cooper adds. "But it’s unclear about whether having an ad with a link that says, 'Ad by Google' will be effective for people wanting to see how they can defend their privacy."

Some analysts believe that Google is doing an effective job of being cautious with users' privacy.

Berin Szoka, a fellow at The Progress & Freedom Foundation and director of the Center for Internet Freedom, suggests that Google’s piling-on by some privacy advocates could be somewhat unwarranted, and that the company gives "consumers more granular control over their own privacy preferences by developing better tools."

"Because these services [and their competitors] are all free, Google has to compete in what economists call 'non-price terms'—such as privacy," Szoka wrote in a research report distributed on March 11. "So, Google has a lot to lose by alienating its users and a lot to gain by being seen as a leader in privacy protection."

"It’s no accident that Google was a late-comer to the OBA [Online Behavioral Advertising] market, lagging behind Yahoo in particular," Szoka added in the paper. "The most likely reason Google has taken its time in rolling out an OBA product is that Google is subject to a unique level of scrutiny by privacy advocates by virtue of its size. Being the 'big kid on the block,' Google has to be especially careful not to appear to be 'Big Brother.'"

Even if Google has no interest in becoming Big Brother, it still seems focused on becoming truly big.

Despite CEO Eric Schmidt’s announcement, at Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in San Francisco on March 3, that Google was "not immune" from "very, very tough" economic conditions, the company seems determined to push into new and untested areas.

Schmidt also decided to push Google to the forefront of the U.S. renewable energy debate, arguing that his company has a clean energy plan that will cut greenhouse-gas emissions in half by 2030.

On March 11, Google announced the release of Google Voice, an application that not only consolidates all of a user’s phones onto a single number, but also transcribes voicemail and makes it available for download.

Google Voice is an updated version of GrandCentral, a service that Google acquired in July 2007.

Earlier in March, Google unveiled new features for its Google Health solution, which now allows users to share their public medical profiles with trusted contacts.

大象中伏 恒指霎時大跌

大象中伏 恒指霎時大跌
(星島)3月10日 星期二

Hong Kong Mortgage Loan Services

(星島日報報道)恒生指數重磅股滙控（005），昨天在競價時段慘被「質」低，直接拖低整體大市表現；恒指「插水式」在市後交易，進一步跌至一一三四四點收市，下跌點數由下午四時的三百二十九點，在短短十分鐘後擴大至跌五百七十六點，全日跌幅近百分之五，單是滙控的跌幅，已令恒指跌四百零九點。

　　滙控昨天急跌對恒指的影響，原本可以較小，但由於恒指成分股比重剛於上周五收市後大「執位」，滙控比重由原來僅逾百分之九，重新提升至一成半的上限，遂令該股對恒指變動的影響力突然被放大。滙控股價昨天「插水」逾兩成四後，在恒指比重已由一成半急回至不足一成二，比重排名再度屈居於中移動（941）之後；滙控在本周三收市後為除供股權的因素作調整，粗略估計，屆時其比重應可增加約三個百分點，只要滙控股價不再急挫，仍有望於本周四重拾最重磅藍籌的地位。

　　昨天滙控遭大戶顯着「競」低前，股價在正常交易時段已受壓，還「累街坊」連帶影響其他本地金融股捱沽，被摩根大通唱好、料股價在六十二元應有支持的恒生（011），便跌近百分之九，報六十七元，東亞（023）與中銀香港（2388）分別跌百分之七點二六與百分之四點五五，齊登上藍籌跌幅榜十大；宏利金融（945）也再跌百分之八點五，報五十七元。

　　相反，中資股表現相對「硬淨」，國企指數僅回五十九點，報六七二五點，主板成交僅三百五十八億元。

　　金融股弱勢，雖然影響整體大市表現，但證券界人士對短期後市暫未看得太淡。新鴻基金融策略師彭偉新認為，滙控昨天是遭大戶刻意「質」低，受此影響的恒指收市價也不能作準，認為只要恒指今日能重返一一六○○點，即下跌走勢底部支持位，大市短期內尚未至要下試去年十月造出的低位，一○六七六點。

　　泓福資產管理研究部主管鄧聲興也樂觀地相信，滙控昨天收市價三十三元，應是短期底部，儘管以現時市場氣氛，難以排除恒指短期或要失守萬一點的可能性，但應毋須再試一○六七六點的低位。

　　從資金流向分析，情況則不太樂觀。花旗引述市場統計指出，離岸亞洲股票基金在截至上周三止的一周，資金流走達十一億美元 ，國際股票基金贖回大增八倍，新興股市基金由兩周前有一億三千二百萬美元流入，變成流出三億一千四百萬美元，整體贖回是自去年十月中以來的高位。花旗相信，由現在至第二季的三個多月內，有很大機會重現資金以數以十億美元計的速度流走。

U盤噩夢 滙控33元

U盤噩夢 滙控33元
(星島)3月10日 星期二

Hong Kong Bank

(星島日報報道)近期股價積弱的滙豐控股，昨天在競價時段出現跳崖式下挫，在最後一刻由三十七元急墮，以三十三元震撼價收市，跌幅逾兩成四，是有紀綠以來滙控最大的單日跌幅。值得留意的是，三十三元的超低競價盤，早在上周五已經出現，但當日未能成交，昨天卻巧合地以三十三元收市，掀起造市疑雲。一向不評論個別事件的證監會，昨天亦罕有地表示，會就滙控事件向有關人士查詢。

　　雖然滙控在香港急挫，但昨天在外圍卻稍稍回升，滙控在倫敦早段稍為回升報三十七點六元，在美國 的預託證券則報三十七點四六元，升四點四六元。

　　滙控昨天下挫十元五角，而自從本月二日公布業績及宣布供股以來，滙控已經累積下跌接近二十四元，即是在一個星期之內蒸發了逾二千九百億元的市值。在滙控股東當中，有兩成至三成是來自香港，換言之港人財富在過去一周亦蒸發了五百八十億元至八百七十億元。

　　滙控上周五在美國預託證券已率先跌穿四十元大關，昨天開市後不足半小時，便跌破四十元關口，大部分時間都在三十七元至三十八元之間上落，至四時的正常交易時段收市，仍報三十七元七角。到了競價時段，本來都在三十七元浮沉，但在最後時刻，股價卻突然狂瀉至三十三元，令全日跌幅擴大至二成四，共跌去十元五角。根據港交所 的資料，滙控在競價時段成交活躍達三億九千萬元，相當於滙控昨天全日總成交的百分之八點三。以三十三元收市價來說，如果計及供股除權因素，除權價將會調整為三十一元五角，與二十八元供股價愈來愈接近。證券界認為隨着滙控股價貼近供股價，供股變得不划算。

　　至於滙控股價大跌的原因，市場上有多個說法，包括滙控的供股包銷商可能先沽售手上的貴貨甚至沽空，再以包銷供股的機會低價平倉獲利。有市場人士認為，近期滙控在倫敦的股價持續低於在香港的股價，導致國際投資者進行套戥，即是在香港沽滙控然後在倫敦買，導致滙控在香港沽壓大增。

　　另一個可能性，是大戶以滙控收市價作為賭具，在場外對賭，因此做淡的大戶不惜在競價時段「嘜價」。分析員及學者認為，倘若同時沽空滙控及擔任供股分包銷商，原則上並無不合法，中文大學財務學系副教授蘇偉文認為，最多只是操守出現問題而已，事實上亦難以證明動機。

　　面對股價似全無承托地下跌，滙控在香港的管理層昨日盡出，為供股計畫護航。滙豐亞太區主席鄭海泉表示，據了解供股反應良好，他亦希望股東可繼續支持滙控。雖然滙控在美損手，但鄭重申滙控未來會集中發展新興市場。滙豐亞太區行政總裁霍嘉治亦表示管理層已經就供股計畫作出詳細解釋，而滙控有一班長期擁躉，希望他們可繼續支持滙控。滙豐銀行執行董事王冬勝說供股計畫進展順利，亦不認同昨日股價下跌會影響供股計畫的吸引力。

迪士尼吸本地客推4款酒店套票

迪士尼吸本地客推4款酒店套票
(明報)3月6日 星期五

Travel Agency

【明報專訊】農曆年過後，本港酒店業進入淡季，市區部分四、五星酒店的入住率跌至四成，不少酒店紛紛推出優惠價搶港客市場。迪士尼 樂園兩間酒店昨日起加入搶港客行列，推出4款酒店套票，最高減幅逾三成。據了解，迪士尼兩間酒店入住率維持理想，推出優惠是要吸納減少外遊的港人。

酒店連購物套票省33％

迪士尼樂園酒店和好萊塢酒店昨日起推出4款住宿優惠，套票包括購物、晚餐、門票和水療等，4月30日前入住可享優惠。減幅最大的，應是酒店連購物套票，1420元可享雙人一晚住宿（包括10％服務費）及500元商品消費額，較原價1820元節省33％。

另一款連自助晚餐套票，減幅亦高達兩成。若二人到迪士尼樂園酒店住一晚，並到該酒店的翠樂庭餐廳享用自助晚餐，優惠價2192元，較原本單住酒店要 1700元加10％服務費及約900元的雙人晚餐便宜逾兩成；到好萊塢酒店住宿及到米奇廚師餐廳吃晚餐，更只需1492元，減幅至少15％（見表）。

優惠限周日至周四

本報記者昨日曾致電酒店熱線查詢，上述價錢僅限周日至周四，周五、六及公眾假期價錢普遍貴數百元；目前房間供應較緊張的日子是復活節假期前後及平日。

全年入住率約八成

迪士尼樂園兩間酒店近年全年平均入住率約八成，據了解，此次推出優惠，並非入住率不理想。消息人士指出，兩所酒店的入住率仍較市區酒店佳，周末有不少內地旅客，「但當然無八成啦」。他解釋，現時經濟下滑，不少港人減少外出，會在本地找地方度周末，故推出這些優惠套票，希望吸引他們入住，而購物、水療等套票，相信對女士較具吸引力。

樂園於暑假期間亦會推出以迪士尼公主為主題的活動，吸引小女孩。

樂園早前已推出「星級款待」計劃，5月30日前，賓客在樂園內只要多付數十元起，便可享額外體驗。

人民幣在港結算好事近

人民幣在港結算好事近
(星島)3月6日

Magazines Subscription

(星島日報報道)國務院總理溫家寶昨天在政府工作報告中表示，全力支援香港積極應對國際金融危機，加強合作鞏固香港國際金融中心地位；同時加快推進與港澳地區貨物貿易的人民幣結算試點。曾蔭權 則指在港進行人民幣結算，已到了最後討論階段。

　　溫家寶昨天在全國人大會議上發表政府工作報告時表示，中央政府將堅定不移地貫徹「一國兩制」、「港人治港」、「澳人治澳」、高度自治的方針，全力支持香港、澳門 兩個特別行政區積極應對國際金融危機，保持繁榮穩定。

　　他說，進一步加強內地與港澳的合作，鞏固香港國際金融中心地位，促進澳門經濟適度多元發展。加快推進與港澳地區貨物貿易的人民幣結算試點。不斷拓展粵港澳三地合作的深度和廣度。加快推動港珠澳大橋、港深機場鐵路、廣深港高速鐵路等基礎設施建設。擴大內地服務業對港澳的開放。採取有效措施支持港澳在內地企業特別是中小企業發展，緩解經營困難。

　　溫總說，「偉大祖國永遠是香港、澳門的堅強後盾。我們堅信，香港、澳門同胞一定能够克服面臨的困難，開創更加美好的明天！全力支援香港積極應對國際金融危機，保持繁榮穩定。」

　　特首曾蔭權對於國務院總理溫家寶，昨日在政府工作報告中，再次肯定香港作為國際金融中心的地位，表示歡迎；並對於中央政府表明會採取有效措施，支持香港在內地的企業，感到高興。

　　他說，關於人民幣結算於香港進行一事，已經做到最後討論的階段，「我相信這件事情很快會有結果，特別是利用人民幣結算貿易方面，我相信這件事很快很快會有好消息。」

　　香港中聯辦 主任高祀仁表示，今次的政府工作報告是全力應對金融危機，亦為港澳提出一系列措施幫助香港，有關力度比○三年時更大，希望防止香港出現結構性的金融動盪。而今次政府工作報告對於港澳的字眼較為具體，顯示出中央政府全力支持香港的決心。

　　國務院港澳辦副主任張曉明則指，中央政府在制訂政府工作報告時，原定把有關港澳的部分寫得較為原則性，但溫家寶在看了有關港澳的段落時，就指為了幫助港澳應對金融危機，一定要較為具體展示中央政府對港政策的內涵，讓港澳同胞安心。

　　行政會議召集人梁振英則指，今次的政府工作報告中，提出大量關於擴大消費性內需的措施，而從事零售業的內地港資，如時裝及化裝品，可以有相當大的得益，而香港的服務性的質素較高，本身亦可以有所獲益。

　　身兼全國政協的總商會議員林健鋒指，今次的工作報告給與香港一定的支持，希望香港內部可以團結一致。因此他認為香港本身都需要同舟共濟，應對金融海嘯。

　　他又指，今次的報告中，例如容許企業可以按實質需要調整工時，這與他們提出暫緩勞動合同法的理念一致。

中小企內地貸款 商會盼中央支持

中小企內地貸款 商會盼中央支持
(明報)3月6日 星期五

Credit Loans Lending

【明報專訊】多名港區全國政協委員都對總理溫家寶的報告讚好，全國政協常委戴德豐更形容這是「歷年來最好最振奮」的報告，特別是由中央政府指揮粵港澳的合作。不過，政協委員、香港中華總商會會長蔡冠深表示，希望中央對內地中小企的貸款支持計劃，可令在內地的港資中小企都同樣受惠。

蔡冠深稱，現時很多香港公司在內地銀行借貸的成功率不高，「對方都不認識你，你突然去申請，借錢不容易」。他稱，希望中央能夠在這方面協助到港資中小企渡過難關。

自由黨田北俊則認為，內地的香港中小企在減稅、退稅方面也會受惠。

前政務司長許仕仁形容總理報告非常全面、非常仔細，「亮點最重要看他關於台灣的立場和態度」。長實副主席李澤鉅則形容總理講明支持房地產發展，對醫療改革的支持他亦感到很高興。

財赤9500億力退海嘯

財赤9500億力退海嘯
(星島)3月6日 星期五

Investment

(星島日報報道)全國人民代表大會全體會議昨天上午開幕，溫家寶向兩千多名人大代表發表政府工作報告。受國際金融海嘯打擊，中國面臨內憂外患，去年第四季度GDP增速僅有六點八個百分點。溫家寶警告，國際金融危機還在蔓延、仍未見底，「經濟增速持續下滑已成為影響全局的主要矛盾。」

　　溫家寶重申了今年經濟增長百分之八目標，以及未來兩年四萬億元的政府投資計畫。

　　「在我們這樣一個十三億人口的發展中國家，要擴大城鄉就業，增加居民收入，維護社會穩定， 就必須保持一定的增長速度。只要政策對頭，措施得當，落實有力，就有可能實現這一目標。」溫家寶強調。

　　四萬億元經濟刺激計畫的大規模投資，需要財政赤字和銀行貸款提供資金支援。溫家寶在報告中宣布今年新增貸款五萬億以上，全國財政赤字合計九千五百億元，其中擬安排中央財政赤字七千五百億元，並有財政部代地方發行兩千億元債券。

　　據悉，這一赤字規模比去年擴張了五倍多，創出了新中國六十年的最高紀錄，是歷史高值的二○○三年財政赤字的近三倍。

　　為了保八，溫家寶提出了一攬子措施，包括大規模增加政府投資，大範圍實施調整振興產業規劃，大幅度提高社會保障水平。今年中央政府投資總額九千多億元，其中很大的比重是用於保障性住房、教育、衞生、文化等民生工程建設。

　　中央財政投入農業、農村將高達七千多億，增加農業補貼、提高糧食收購價；制定民工養老保險辦法，提高失業保險金；今後三年將會投入八千五百億元推行醫療改革，解決看病貴、看病難。

　　全國人大代表王越說，政府釋放的信號十分明顯，希望透過民生工程來保增長、擴內需、促穩定。

　　在教育方面，針對四川地震暴露校舍豆腐渣工程，溫家寶強調，「要把學校建成最安全、家長最放心的地方」。

　　過去一年，廣東官方推行「騰龍換鳥」等產業升級政策，引起包括港商在內的不少廠商不滿，認為操之過急。溫家寶在報告中強調，不能放鬆出口，要「穩步推進加工貿易轉型升級」，採取有效措施，紓緩港資中小企的經營困難。經濟不景、失業率上升，再加上今年是政治敏感年，溫家寶強調，要「健全社會穩定預警機制，積極預防好妥善處理各類群體性事件」，並且重申要堅決查處腐敗案件。

Chinese Drywall Causing Massive Headaches for Homeowners News

Chinese Drywall Causing Massive Headaches for Homeowners News
February 24, 2009. By Heidi Turner

Legal Advice

Weston, FL: If you purchased a newly built home in the past 5 years or so, you may have unknowingly purchased a home that is defective. That is because some new homes were built with Chinese drywall, a product that is allegedly toxic. Issues with the Chinese drywall are now coming to light, with more and more people reporting problems in their homes. Some homeowners are now investigating lawsuits against home developers and drywall manufacturers.

New House"During the recent building boom, from 2004 to 2007, there was a shortage of US- manufactured drywall," Scott Shepherd, partner with Shepherd, Finkelman, Miller & Shah, LLP, says. "Prior to 2004, developers preferred, for economic and logistical reasons, to use drywall manufactured in the US. However, because of building demands during the boom, including the extreme drain on the system caused by Hurricane Katrina, there was a shortage of US drywall and builders began using drywall imported from China. This drywall typically was kept at sea for a few months prior to entering the US.

"It turns out that much of the Chinese drywall included fly ash, a waste material that is a byproduct from power plants using coal. The problem that has developed is that the drywall emits several sulfur gases, including, apparently, hydrogen sulfide. These gases have a strong smell, and have been causing significant damage to items in the home, such as air conditioner coils, electrical and computer wiring, plumbing and even silver picture frames and jewelry. The gases can also be harmful to humans and many reports indicate that the emissions are causing people respiratory discomfort, eye and nose irritation and headaches.

"Most of the drywall that came into the US between 2004 and 2006 arrived at about fifteen ports around the country, including several in Florida, New York, Texas, California and New Orleans. So far, most of the problems that we have seen, and that have been reported in the press, have been in Florida, Louisiana, Arizona and California, although I would expect we will hear more about other areas in the future. Anywhere that there was a problem getting US drywall—which means anywhere there was a high volume of home construction—we will probably hear about problems with Chinese drywall."

If you purchased a newly built home and are not sure whether or not Chinese drywall was used in your home, you may have to have a home inspection done. However, there are a few signs you can watch for that may indicate that Chinese drywall was used in your home. These signs include having to replace components in your air conditioner, plumbing piping that has corroded and turned black, corroded electrical wiring, silver jewelry or picture frames that have turned black and a rotten egg smell. You may also have noticed eye and nose irritations, headaches and respiratory problems.

How quickly these issues present themselves may have a lot to do with the drywall's exposure to moisture.

"People have reported problems for the past year although initially no one was sure what the cause of the problems were," Shepherd says. "A lot of these issues are just starting to manifest now. People may have noticed they were frequently replacing air conditioner parts but not known why, but they knew that they should not have been having these types of problems [such as air conditioner problems] in homes that are new construction."

The lawsuits thus far have been against developers and manufacturers of the drywall. At this stage, it is too soon to tell if there will turn out to be other responsible parties. The principal claim in most of the lawsuits is that the drywall has caused expensive damage to the home, that the drywall itself must be replaced and in some cases that the residents have suffered personal injuries as a result of their exposure. It has yet to be seen if there will be any effect on home values once repairs are made.

Toxic Chinese Drywall: It Stinks in More Ways Than One

Toxic Chinese Drywall: It Stinks in More Ways Than One
February 12, 2009. By Gordon Gibb

Legal Advice

Fort Meyers, FL: You've got to be kidding. Drywall, now. Chinese drywall, that was used during the South Florida building boom starting in 2004 and is now making some people sick. Toxic drywall has been found in many homes, and Chinese drywall problems are affecting copper plumbing and air conditioning coils.

Toxic DrywallToothpaste, pet food, toys, tires, infant formula, heparin, and now drywall. When is all this going to end? Can anyone trust anything that is coming from the great, emerging economy in China?

At issue is drywall that was purchased and used in some homes during the boom building years of 2004 and 2005—especially in places like South Florida. When drywall became hard to come by, apparently some was procured and imported from China.

Drywall is drywall, right? How can you go wrong with drywall?

The problem is what it's made with. And Dave Reid, who represents Intuitive Environmental Solutions of Fort Meyers, Florida, has concluded that at least some of the drywall imported from China was manufactured with waste materials from scrubbers on coal-fired power plants. It has been reported that while Chinese drywall meets ASTM standards, the suspicion is that the water used to mix the gypsum was wastewater that contained chemicals, including sulfur.

The chemicals have been found to leech out of the drywall and is not only a hazard to a homeowner's health, it can also play havoc with plumbing—and in South Florida, given the propensity and need for air conditioning, there is a lot of plumbing. The chemicals imbedded in the toxic Chinese drywall leech out as gasses and combine with the moisture on air conditioning coils to create sulphuric acid.

The acid in turn is suspected of weakening, and dissolving solder joints and copper tubing. The result is water leakage, the blackening of copper coils, and ultimately the failure of the system.

Not to mention the smell. Karen Kuenz is a retiree living in a house at The Legends, a subdivision located in south Lee County. She has smelled sulfur in, and around her home "for years," and while the contractor has made various attempts to locate and deal with the problem, it has never been eradicated entirely. There's still one room in her home where the "stinky sulfur is just nasty."

It's not just the smell. Kuenz has experienced coughing, and other ailments, but she could never explain it until now. The suspect now, is the drywall.

Richard Cesta is another homeowner in Lee County, Florida who has had to put up with the smell of sulfur in his condo. His air conditioning coils keep turning black, and he's had to replace them three times within just months. That kind of thing can get costly, running into the hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

While drywall that smells like rotten eggs has only come to light in the past few months, it apparently is not a new problem. It has been reported that builders have been quietly settling complaints for the past 3 years.

That timeline fits in with the building boom that was prevalent in the overheated South Florida real estate market of 2004 and 2005, and into 2006. Drywall is normally sourced from US manufacturers, but a drywall shortage apparently left many installers scrambling to find alternative sources, including drywall from China. In some homes the toxic Chinese drywall was used exclusively, while in others it was mixed with drywall produced in the US.

So far, the problem appears to be isolated to South Florida and, in particular, Lee County. One prominent builder, Lennar Homes, has launched an action against the German-based Knauf Group, and its subsidiary Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. Ltd. of China. Taishan Gypsum, another drywall manufacturer based in China, has also been implicated.

Lennar is also pursuing a collection of 12 subcontractors for installing substandard Chinese drywall in Lennar homes, allegedly without Lennar's knowledge.

The aforementioned builder has conducted various tests on its homes in South Florida through Environ International, and has found 3 sulfide gasses: carbon disulfide, carbonyl sulfide and dimethyl sulfide. It has been reported that the more dangerous hydrogen sulfide, which gives off a rotten-egg-like odor, was not found by Environ in air tests, but had been found previously in tests of the toxic Chinese drywall itself.

The Florida Health Department is conducting tests, and results should be known in March. Ironically, the Lieutenant Governor for the state of Florida has reportedly revealed that his home, located in Fort Meyers, was constructed with toxic Chinese drywall.

Some have made the point that after drywall is taped, sanded and sealed, the problem in theory should be mitigated. However, as countless South Florida homeowners have discovered, either the drywall has not been properly and consistently sealed—or the trapped chemicals within are too potent for the sealer, and paint to contain.

A class-action lawsuit was filed late last month in US District court in Fort Meyers.

If you are among the countless residents of newer homes in South Florida who have encountered health problems, or strange odors in your home resulting from the use of Chinese drywall, consult an attorney. You should not be made to put up with toxic drywall, and Chinese drywall problems only serve to heighten serious economic problems already prevalent in South Florida. Property values are dropping as it is. You don’t need to be chased from your home by a bad smell that is not of your doing.

Chinese Drywall Legal Help
If you have suffered losses in this case, please send your complaint to a lawyer who will review your possible [Chinese Drywall Lawsuit] at no cost or obligation.

有機酵素及醋的保健喝法

有機酵素及醋的保健喝法

Health Food Vitamins

有 機 << 酵 素 >> 保 健 喝 法 :

早、晚空腹各30cc 加冷開水稀釋成150cc，
酵素空腹吸收較好，飯前喝不會傷腸胃的!

有 機 << 醋 >> 保 健 喝 法 :

早、晚各30cc 飯後一小時喝，加冷開水
稀釋5~10倍，不曾喝醋的人先稀釋10倍
以上，一段時間以後~就能接受醋的酸度。

酵素及醋禁忌碰觸滴到半點水滴，開封後
應儘速喝完。如有怕醋的酸味可加點蜂蜜
，風味更佳!

新生兒則不可餵食蜂蜜，

醋~要稀釋的很淡很淡才行~切記~切記!

剛開始喝醋及酵素會有好轉反應，每個人
的體質不同，反應也不一樣!

例如:會拉肚子、耳屎一直增加、筋骨酸痛......等
以前不舒服的地方，會顯現出來，像生病
一樣，一段時間以後，會慢慢消失，精神
體力更好!! 醋及酵素~可以解化學農藥及
本身無法排除的毒素~是救命的堅持理念!

談喝醋的優點

談喝醋的優點

Health Food Vitamins

或許您對醋有敬而遠之的經驗或喝完後會胃痛不舒服，但是當您喝過訊息酵素醋後，將會對醋有不同以往的感受，有人說精神變好、腸胃疏通了、不會特意想吃東西，有人發覺肚子會餓了，也有人覺察變強。由於大家樂意的分享，讓我也好奇地開始翻閱找尋有關醋的相關報導…

醋的緣起

早在幾千年前杜康父子因釀酒過程發現醋，流傳至今。釀造的方式也分為許多種，而酵素訊息醋是屬於天然釀造醋，以有機米、有機水果等做為釀醋的原料，再經自然發酵半年以上，這樣長時間的醞釀使原料中的成分被萃取出來，保留其營養素及原有的風味，喝醋時就會有種神輕氣爽的感覺。

醋含有天然酵素

人體中有超過10兆個細胞，每個細胞的營養、消化代謝過程都需要酵素。若身體缺乏足夠的酵素，就會像一個電燈泡亮不起來，就如有人吃完飯後，會有胃脹、頭昏之感，或吃了多種營養品體力仍然沒改善，其中的原因是缺乏酵素，體內無法消化這些食物。

只要有適當的酵素補充，酵素就像電流，讓電燈泡通電亮起來，所以酵素在人體中所扮演的角色非常重要。我們所需要的消化酵素，部分必須從生食食物而來且占75%，但食物多需經高溫烹調（高於48℃）或再加工過程，其部分營養素與酵素會被破壞，所以不易獲得。

醋的釀造不經高溫或過度加工，可保留完整的營養素與活性酵素，幫助胃腸消化與吸收，讓體內營養素好吸收，加速人體新陳代謝。所以當你喝醋後會發現每個細胞被滿足，腸胃消化也有改善，不易飽脹或昏沉，身體整體能量就會提昇了。

醋為鹼性食物

只要是天然釀造不含冰醋酸的醋都是鹼性食物（還有水果、蔬菜、牛奶、部分堅果等），也許您會覺得很奇怪，醋明明很酸為何是鹼性食物呢？因為醋含有有機酸，包括乳酸、蘋果酸、檸檬酸、琥珀酸等，入人體被吸收經身體代謝留下的礦物質（灰份）鉀、鈉、鈣、鎂等，會讓尿液呈鹼性。反而我們常吃的動物性食物、精緻甜食、澱粉穀類、油類及油炸食物、部分豆類及堅果類包括花生、腰果等，因其中硫、磷等礦物質經過身體代謝作用，會讓尿液呈酸性，屬酸性食物。

正常情況下，健康的人體血液呈弱鹼性（約為pH 7.35-7.45），酸鹼平衡可由呼吸系統-肺與代謝系統-腎臟調控，不過若吃太多酸性食物、工作壓力大、過度疲勞與情緒失調的人，身體及血液的酸鹼值會從弱鹼轉微弱酸，體內的廢物及毒素不能迅速排出體外，易堆積在關節造成酸痛，或沉積在皮膚黏膜，有溼疹、青春痘等症狀，

久而久之易衍生各種疾病。因此健康的飲食方式建議攝取70%鹼性食物及30%酸性食物，醋即為一個非常好的鹼性食物來源，尤其常大魚大肉不健康均衡飲食的人非常適合。

醋可增加飽食感

2005年一篇歐洲臨床營養期刊研究，喝醋可減少飯後血糖與胰島素分泌，並且較有飽食感，這可能是因醋酸等有機酸的作用。1998年另一篇研究也有相同的結果，醋可延緩胃排空速度，減少飢餓感。所以，坊間就有許多人使用醋來減肥，但應小心有些醋含糖量過高，是達不到效果的，當然還要適當飲食控制才有效！

疲憊時可飲用一杯醋

醋含有檸檬酸、醋酸等有機酸，疲勞、運動後飲用醋，可以將堆積的乳酸分解成二氧化碳和水，讓疲勞消除、減輕肩膀、肌肉酸痛。

選擇有機酵素訊息醋的原因

其實醋的妙用仍有許多，包括烹調、養身、美容、泡澡等等，然而選擇品質較好的醋才能達到事半功倍的效果。

天然有機酵素訊息醋，可除去農藥的殘留疑慮，有機栽種也可保留食物較完整的營養素，再者經由光的訊息轉化改善醋的氣味與口感，變得順暢潤喉，讓「食物頻率與身體細胞頻率共振協調」。當醋的作用提昇，有效精準進入細胞，延長酵素在體內細胞停留時間，維持活性，供給營養；另一方面讓氧化作用、新陳代謝更順暢，改善身心健康。

醋與酵素的不同

醋與酵素的不同

Health Food Vitamins

當然不一樣！醋喝起來是酸的，而酵素並不帶有如此令人酸溜溜的味道。市場上常見到「醋」產品，不管是米醋、果醋或草本醋，幾乎很容易在市場貨架上看見。而「酵素」也常標榜是從水果、蔬菜或草本植物而來，讓許多人以為「醋」與「酵素」是同樣的東西。

其實「醋」與「酵素」的共同點，在於它們都是發酵食品，也就是說它們是利用微生物的特性，來製造不同特點及風味的液體食品。

一般「醋」與「酵素」的生產原料相似，初步的生產條件也相同，就是利用「糖化菌」將原料中的澱粉類切分成較小分子及產生部份酒精，但接下來的生產步驟就很不一樣了。

「醋」是接種醋酸菌，而醋酸菌會將酒精氧化成醋酸，再依生產條件設定酸度，一般醋酸的酸度為pH(酸鹼值)為2.0-3.0左右，當酸度達到此值時，便需利用殺菌工程將醋酸菌殺滅，不然酸度可能會愈來愈酸！因此；「醋」中並不含有活菌哦！(醋酸可以用來消毒殺菌，聽過吧~~)。

而「酵素」則在糖化後，便會進行不同程度的醱酵工程，其中可能會利用有益菌種來進行，讓這些有益菌在醱酵過程中，分泌不同程度的酵素含量，因此；「酵素」產品是有可能含有活菌的喔！

但這也須視不同酵素產品而定，畢竟若要產品中含有活菌成份，則加工過程的困難度絕對會比較高，因為如何讓產品上架壽命達到最久化，是必須在加工流程中全盤考量的問題。

專家陳長濶表示，小麥草、糯米純釀造醋裡含有人體8大必需胺基酸、有機酸、維他命及、鉀、鐵、鋅等礦物質，及高達90%的SOD抗氧化物，還有蛋白質分解酵素、澱粉分解酵素及脂肪分解酵素，可幫助肉類及澱粉消化的作用，這就是純釀造醋和一般合成醋不同之處。

酵素裡頭蘊含許多不同種類的和善菌落，醋是由醋酸菌發酵而成；醋與酵素的分別：酵素活性較強，醋比較穩定；酵素就像活潑的年輕人，醋是沉穩的老年人，各有不同的風味與功效，基本上都有改善體質、提高免疫力、排毒、消炎、抗菌、分解作用、活化細胞、促進新陳代謝、快速恢復疲勞的功用。

何為酵素?

1. 酵素──生命不可或缺的「酶」
酵素存於生物體內，是一種活性蛋白，能在體內自行合成，或經由外來補充。各種酵素在體內各司其職，維繫生理機能，催化各種生化反應和修補組織，協助完成新陳代謝等重大「工程」。因此，生物體內酵素的存量與平衡，攸關自癒能力、環境調適力及免疫力。疾病、壓力、飲食不當、年齡增長、情緒起伏、環境汙染、或生活作息不正常，都會耗損體內酵素，導致生理失調、情緒失控並降低對環境和疾病的應對能力。因此，額外補充酵素，是現代人飲食的必備條件之一。

2. 如何生產好的酵素
生產方法可說既簡單，又深奧。簡單的是：原料品質、發酵環境和季節掌握，缺一不可；深奧的是自然發酵無法以科學純化菌種模仿，或以數理分析，其中的學問非學理能簡化涵蓋，必須藉助傳統發酵經驗的累積，以及對自然環境的細微觀察、敏銳體認。

為什麼我們要吃酵素補充品 Why take Enzyme Supplement

為什麼我們要吃酵素補充品 Why take Enzyme Supplement

Health Food Vitamins

食物攝取所得來的酵素在胃的上半部扮演著一個預先消化的重要角色,但是由于酵素的活性在烹調和加工的過程中被破壞了也因此所有食物消化的重擔都加諸在我們的身上而延發不健全的消化.由于這些連鎖效應而導致食物中人體所需的營養無法充 分被吸收和利用.

增強我們人體內的消化作用．幾乎每一個人都可以在酵素補充品中得到好處．沒有了酵素﹐維他命﹐礦物質和荷爾蒙就無法執行它們在人體內的作用．在食用酵素補充品後﹐你可以感覺到身體內營養物在吸收和利用方面的進步．當然了﹐好處也會因為個人的健康體質和不同的飲食習慣而有所差異．

吃酵素的改變

從小份量開始﹐在吃一頓大餐之前先吞一顆膠囊而您會發現一點排泄的增加, 這是正常的現象, 因為酵素是很穩定的; 並且會在腸道中繼續的作用。換句話說, 更多的食物會在腸壁中被分解和吸收人類所需的能量和靈活力會增加。

胃酸, 是胃裡食物因刺激反應而產生的﹐補充酵素能使得食物快速通過腸胃, 幫助消化, 並減少胃酸的產生。大部份的酵素補充食用者在進食後會有較少的飽脹感並且會覺得比較有體力．在腸方面並會感覺到較少的脹氣並且有比較規律性的通便