CeBIT is hoping for Cloud Computing - More Exhibitors

CeBIT is hoping for Cloud Computing - More Exhibitors...


Since the record shows ten years ago, the CeBIT in Hanover, has lost its appeal considerably. With a new concept, the organizers want leave the crisis behind them. The driving force: the trend towards cloud computing, the "IT cloud" on the web.

CeBIT will be the theme of Cloud Computing again perceived as the most important IT fair in the world. From Tuesday to back more than 300 000 visitors come to the Exhibition Grounds in Hanover. On Monday there will be the first press events, including the software giant Microsoft and the IT industry association BITKOM, and officially opened by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

CeBIT has grown through years behind them. Especially in the economic crisis fell exhibitor and visitor numbers. This year again with more exhibitors come to Hanover. A week before the start there were over 4200 companies - a good 50 more than 2010. The number of exhibitors in 2009 was broken by a quarter to 4300th

A central role to play in this year's so-called cloud computing, is available in the software and data from the "IT cloud" on the web. As a consumer, you come into contact so that, for example, if you use a webmail mailbox. The principle has been around for years, companies such as Google or the business software specialist Salesforce.com consistently rely on it. Since some very unfavorable time also wants the big CeBIT exhibitors Microsoft with all their strength in the "cloud". The Germany boss of the Windows giant, Ralph Haupter wants to introduce at the show press conference on Monday, according to company sources 12 Cloud-theses.

The CeBIT this year is to be structured more clearly the division into four areas. The divisions are called for "Pro" (business customers), "Gov" (government), "lab" (research) and "Life" (Home users).

The show organizers are confident that from 1 to 5 March professionals not only from research and industry, but come back soon as more consumers show. 2010, the number of visitors was dramatically decreased from almost 400 000 to 334 000th The fair was compared to 2009, however, shortened by one day. Once again, she goes through five days until Saturday.

A few years ago, large exhibitors were still used for the CeBIT 'profile as a business exhibition "stronger and thin out the crowds. Now the show is back on the other hand attract more consumers. The President of the co-organizer BITKOM, August-Wilhelm Scheer argued, now wanted the CeBIT exhibitors also address themselves more directly to consumers. "It would be bad if you would hold on stubbornly to traditional one and not mitkriegte that the environment has changed."

The success of CeBIT must be measured not by the number of exhibitors and visitors, but to the contracts being made at the fair, said Scheer. The participation of the policy do the special attraction: "CeBIT is the Davos of the IT industry," affirmed the BITKOM President.

In recent years, CeBIT was added to competing high-tech trade shows, such as the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in mobile communications and consumer electronics exhibition in Berlin at IFA consumer electronics. Large exhibitors like Nokia or Panasonic withdrew from Hanover. Fair boss Frank Pörschmann so pleased about some returnees such as the printing specialists Brother, Epson and Xerox. Even radio heavyweights like Telefonica and Motorola are now with the boat. "The big names are back," announced at CeBIT-chief. IBM CEO Sam Palmisano also travels on Monday to open in Hanover.

Partner country of CeBIT this year is Turkey. The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will inaugurate the exhibition on Monday with Merkel (CDU) official.

Monday miscellany

"Pass the Katsup"

laden ladenfam is delighted to discover how many people will be sharing the TIPLO dinner with him this coming Wednesday -- though he thinks there may still be room for a few more. Young and aspiring IP-ers are reminded that there's a special price just for them -- there's also the added attraction of Lord Justice Jacob in the chair. Full details here.

Perhaps of more immediate interest to the Big League is Managing Intellectual Property magazine's first ever International Patent Forum, coming up in London on 5 and 6 April.  This event, when laden ladenfam wrote about the programme here, generated an unprecedented volume of readers' comments for anything he has ever written about conferences.  While it might stretch the pockets of students, trainees and the newly-qualified, the range of topics covered and the credentials of the speakers on display will appeal to the discerning conference connoisseur.  Check out the programme and register here and you will be entitled to enjoy the 20% IPKat readers' registration discount.

If you like
the look, you'll
love the feel!

Look and feel.  laden ladenfam's friend Caroline Ncube, of Cape Town University, South Africa, is currently doing some research into the law that governs the potential which the tort of passing off has to offer for protecting the look and feel of a website.  So far she has only unearthed Lifestyle Management Ltd. v Frater [2010] EWHC 3258 (TCC) (10 December 2010, noted by laden ladenfam here).  She asks: "Would you know of any case law or scholarly publications on this point? Any pointers would be greatly appreciated".   Please post your suggestions as comments below, says laden ladenfam, so we can all enjoy them.

World Trademark Review's latest Global Trademark Benchmarking Survey  is now open and awaits your response.  As WTR's Adam Smith explains:

"We have conducted this survey two years previously and it has always collected insightful results. The first year it revealed how the trade mark industry was coping with the economic downturn, while last year the results showed how many in-house counsel still find it hard to foster cross-company understanding for trade marks. The uniqueness of the survey is that it looks at both sides of the profession: for example, how in-house counsel believe fee structures are changing, and how much of a shift away from hourly rates external counsel are willing to admit to. 

On behalf of each survey participant, WTR will make a donation to a charity chosen by the participant – either the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation or WaterAid. The results of the survey, together with full analysis based on interviews with trademark industry insiders, will be published in Issue 31 of WTR magazine, the issue we’ll take with us to INTA in May".

To complete the in-house survey, click here. To complete the private practice survey, click here.
Article:

Before charity fatigue kicks in, let's not forget laden ladenfam's friend and JIPLP contributor Bratin Roy.  Despite being of apparently sane mind, Bratin is running the London Marathon on 17 April.  Since he will no doubt be shedding many pounds, he would like you to do likewise, donating some cash for two charities that are close to his heart.  To find out more, and indeed to sponsor Bratin's worthy causes, click here.

HTC Merge: from spring on the market in the USA.

HTC Merge: from spring on the market in the USA...

A few months after its launch, HTC is preparing to market its Merge, mid-range device with technical interest and a pleasing design.

The HTC Merge arriving in the U.S. market from next spring, for the moment no detail about the possible price. For those who do not know it yet, here's some information about its technical features:

* 3.7-inch diagonal display
* Google Android Operating System
* Qualcomm MSM7630 800 MHz processor
* 512 MB of RAM
* 4 GB of internal memory
* 5 megapixel camera with LED flash
* Video recording at 720p
* microSD slot, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, A-GPS

Turkey's modern Islamist PM Erbakan dies - Hamas chief to attend funeral - Video

But Welfare [Erbakan's Party] moves to raise the profile of Islam in social life and seek closer ties with Islamic states such as Iran and Libya quickly irked the staunchly secularist and then-omnipotent military.

A harsh army-led secularist campaign forced Erbakan to step down in 1997, after about a year in power.

The following year, the constitutional court outlawed Welfare and banned Erbakan from politics for five years, which eventually led to a split in his movement as moderates, led by Erdogan, broke ranks with their mentor.

PM Erdogan too, was nearly ousted by the court, for his Islamist tinkerings with the country's constitution [which he had described as being like a rag with holes in it].

ANKARA (AFP)— The head of Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, will attend the funeral of Turkey's first Islamist leader Necmettin Erbakan in Istanbul on Tuesday, a former aide to Erbakan said.

"Khaled Meshaal is to arrive in Istanbul to take part in the funeral with other dignitaries from the Muslim world," the aide, Mustafa Kamalak, told reporters on Monday.

Erbakan, the mentor of political Islam in secular Turkey and its first Islamist prime minister, died Sunday, aged 84, after a tumultuous four-decade career marred by feuds with the army.

President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- both Erbakan disciples who would later turn against him -- expressed sorrow after the death, with Erdogan shortening a visit to Germany in order to attend his mentor's funeral.

Erbakan became Turkey's first Islamist prime minister in 1996 in a coalition with a centre-right partner after his Welfare Party won 21 percent of the vote and became the largest parliamentary group.

But Welfare moves to raise the profile of Islam in social life and seek closer ties with Islamic states such as Iran and Libya quickly irked the staunchly secularist and then-omnipotent military.

A harsh army-led secularist campaign forced Erbakan to step down in 1997, after about a year in power.

The following year, the constitutional court outlawed Welfare and banned Erbakan from politics for five years, which eventually led to a split in his movement as moderates, led by Erdogan, broke ranks with their mentor.

Israel, which considers Hamas a terrorist organisation, has reacted angrily to previous contacts between Turkish officials and the militant group.

Erdogan has rejected the "terrorist" label for Hamas and insists that peace cannot be achieved in the Middle East if Hamas is excluded from the process.

Turkey has stated diplomatically that it hopes to be a part of the 'final solution' for the Palestinian - Israeli problem.

Obama to face Shariah court? ~ Anjem Choudary to lead Washington Shari'a for the US protest

Sharia 4 the UK ~ shifts focus to US

Cleric says president 'must embrace Islam' or be tried when Muslims take over U.S.

President Obama must embrace Islam as a way of life or face the consequences of a trial under the Shariah Islamic court system, declared British extremist cleric Anjem Choudary.

Choudary, founder and former chief of two Islamic groups disbanded by the British authorities under anti-terror legislation, is planning a Washington protest later this week in which he says he will call on American Muslims to revolt against the country and implement Shariah law.

Speaking in an interview with investigative reporter Aaron Klein on his program on New York's WABC Radio, Choudary claimed Obama was waging a war against Islam.

"[Obama] has promised all Muslims to be released from Guantanamo Bay. They are still languishing there even though he knows they are completely innocent," Choudary claimed.

"On top of that, he's increased the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, so he is a warmonger just as his predecessor was. And thirdly and more importantly," Choudary said, "the Muslims don't want democracy and freedom. Democracy and freedom are anathema to Islam and the Shariah."

Audio of the first part of the interview can be heard below:

Listen here

Choudary said that at his protest, scheduled to take place Thursday in front of the White House, he will call on Obama and all Americans to "embrace Islam, not only as a religion but as a way of life."

Choudary continued: "And at the same time, we will be issuing a warning that the presence of U.S. forces and U.S. personnel in Muslim countries, looking out for their interests, at the moment is very, very insecure. I think the Muslims are boiling angry around the world. This is something [Americans] should take very seriously."

Choudary turned his ire back to Obama, claiming the president was committing "crimes" against Muslims in Iraq and in Afghanistan.

He warned Obama: "I do believe that the only way for him to save himself in this life and in the hereafter is to embrace Islam. Islam will eradicate all his sins; he will be like the day his mother gave birth to him. Otherwise, when we do implement the Shariah, obviously he will face the consequences of a trial under the Shariah court."

Choudary has publicly stated he believes the flag of Islam will fly over White House. He repeated that contention in his interview with Klein today.

"I do believe that as a Muslim every part of the world will be governed by the Shariah," he said. "So symbolically the flag of Islam will fly from every single country, every single nation."

Audio of the second part of the interview can be heard below:

Listen here

Choudary says he expect thousands to come out to this week's protest, which he said is being organized with the Islamic Thinkers Society, an extremist group based in New York.

It was not immediately clear whether Choudary will be allowed to enter the U.S.

He currently presents himself as an Islamic lecturer and a leader of Britain's Shariah Islamic court. He is a founder and former chief of Al Muhajiroun, a British group that sought to impose an Islamic state on the U.K. and that was allied with the goals of al-Qaida.

Al Muhajiroun, officially disbanded by the British government citing anti-terrorism laws in 2004, and its main leader, Omar Bakri Muhammad, were banned from the U.K. in 2005. Choudary then became a leader of Al Ghurabaa, which was reportedly a continuation of Al Muhajiroun. Al Ghurabaa was banned in 2006 by the U.K. for reportedly supporting terrorism.

Former Al Muhajiroun members led by Choudary reportedly continue their activism at public protests and on Internet forums under a new banner group called Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah.

Choudary in 2007 led a protest outside London's Central Mosque attended by WND. The protest called for the downfall of the British government for offering knighthood to novelist and essayist Salman Rushdie, who was accused by Muslims of defaming Islam and Muhammad in his 1988 book "The Satanic Verses."

Depictions of British flags were burned at Choudary's protest. Ralliers chanted, "Down with Britain, down with the Queen."

WND

Tehran: Conference on Islamic awakening: Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood leader makes pilgrimage to kiss the ring of the Supreme Ayatollah

He also said that Imam Khomeini’s views have played a key role in the political changes currently taking place in the region, because he taught people to rise up against the oppressors.

They must be wounded in that they know the revolt in the Islamic world has nothing to do with the west ~ and that the empty promises of Islam have not filled the gap ~ between the reality of the western living standard and their own.

The democracy and human rights promoted by the Western countries are false slogans and the perfect version of the human rights can be found in the Islamic principles, he added.

Obviously if the MB gain control of Egypt there would be even a further erosion of human rights in favor of Islam.

TEHRAN – The conference of the Islamic Awakening in Arab World was held on Sunday in the Faculty of World Studies at the University of Tehran.

Political analysts, pundits, journalists, politicians, and lecturers gave talks at the conference on the ongoing developments and uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa which led to major political changes in countries like Tunisia and Egypt.

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has described the Islamic nations’ movements against their autocratic rulers as Islamic awakening.

Kamal al-Halbawi, a senior member of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, was one of the prominent figures who gave a speech at the conference.

“The Westerners have always tried to present Egypt as a close friend of Israel. But there is evidence that all Egyptians hate the Zionists regime and wish for the downfall of this dictatorial government,” he said.

Many people in the region are against the Zionist regime and the hegemony of the United States, he stated.

He also said that Imam Khomeini’s views have played a key role in the political changes currently taking place in the region, because he taught people to rise up against the oppressors.

Elsewhere in his remarks, al-Halbawi highlighted the importance of Islamic unity, saying Muslims should maintain their unity and solidarity because the Westerners are seeking to undermine the unity among Muslims.

He said that the Islamic countries should not ask for the West’s assistance, and they should work together to make progress.

The democracy and human rights promoted by the Western countries are false slogans and the perfect version of the human rights can be found in the Islamic principles, he added.

Massoud Shajareh, a member of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, was also one of the speakers at the conference.

He said that the most important tool of the West for controlling the regional countries is the secularization of the Muslim societies.

The Westerners try to control Muslims through dependent rulers like Hosni Mubarak and Muammar Gaddafi and establishment of NGOs which promote secularism.

He added that Muslims should make every effort to neutralize the West’s plans, and the best strategy is promotion of Islam as the best ideology in the world.

The Faculty of World Studies dean, Saeed Ameli, also gave a lecture at the conference.

He said that recent developments in the region and downfall of some regional powers are signs of the end of the U.S. hegemony in the world.

He also opined that regional nations have risen up against secularism and promotion of Western thoughts.

Tehran Times

http://www.tehrantimes.com/Index_view.asp?code=236516

UK: Teacher's face slashed and skull fractured 'for teaching other religions to Muslim girls' - Similarity to Dutch school

There was a similar case in Holland ~ not where the teacher was attacked but suspended from a state funded Islamic school ~ for teaching kids about the three faiths of the Middle East. On her return she was told to teach the kids only that Christianity would be abolished.  The school was dubbed the apartheid school ~ because non-Muslim teachers ~ half the teaching staff ~ were made to eat their lunch separately ~ and the children were instructed not to greet them with the traditional Muslim greeting ~ as non-Muslims were not to know peace.

Metsemakers [teacher] had gone to work at the school full of integration ideals.

Article posted below.

Four men launched a horrific attack on a teacher in which they slashed his face and left him with a fractured skull because they did not approve of him teaching religion to Muslim girls.

Akmol Hussein, 26, Sheikh Rashid, 27, Azad Hussain, 25, and Simon Alam, 19, attacked Gary Smith with a Stanley knife, an iron rod and a block of cement.

Mr Smith, who is head of religious education at Central Foundation Girls' School in Bow, east London, also suffered a fractured skull.

The four now face a jail sentence.

Detectives made secret recordings of the gang's plot to attack Mr Smith prior to the brutal assault.

The covert audio probe captured the gang condemning Mr Smith for 'teaching other religions to our sisters', the court heard.

The RE teacher was targeted as he made his way on foot along Burdett Road in nearby Mile End on July 12 last year, Snaresbrook Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Sarah Whitehouse told the court: 'The evidence from what was said on the probe points overwhelmingly to a religious motive for this attack.'

It is believed the gang had made two earlier attempts to get at the teacher.

They were due to stand trial for the attack at Snaresbrook Crown Court but pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Central Foundation Girls' School in Bow, east London, where Gary Smith was a religious education teacher

A fifth defendant, Badruzzuha Uddin, 23, admitted assisting the thugs by hiding blood-stained clothing.

Judge John Hand QC remanded the defendants in custody until sentence on a date yet to be confirmed.

Hussein, of Bethnal Green, east London; Rashid, of Shadwell, east London; Hussain, of Wapping, east London, and Alam, of Whitechapel, east London; have all admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Uddin, of Shadwell, admitted assisting an offender.

Daily Mail

Only Muslims to know peace.

'Apartheid at Islamic Schools'

AMSTERDAM, 18/08/09 - Orthodox Islamic schools treat Dutch teachers who are not Muslims as inferior beings. They have to have their meals separately and cannot be greeted in the same way as Muslims, says a former teacher at the As Siddieq school in Amsterdam.

Hennie Metsemakers was suspended by the school a year and a half ago because she spoke of religions other than Islam in the lessons. "I had drawn a timeline and shown the most important events of a number of beliefs on it." Not only was that forbidden, but she was also ordered to teach the children that Christianity would be abolished, she told Het Parool newspaper.

A few years ago, a number of teachers had already left the As Siddieq school due to the extremely orthodox attitude of its management. According to Metsemakers, the board has meanwhile succeeded in imposing the orthodox signature on all staff members, even though half the team consists of non-Muslim teachers.

Non-Muslim teachers at As Siddieqschool and other schools are treated kindly, but not as full-value colleagues. Metsemakers had gone to work at the school full of integration ideals. "The leadership was attentive and nice, but turned out to have a hidden agenda. In the breaks, we had to eat separately. We were not allowed to be greeted in the same way as Muslim teachers, not with the word salaam, peace, because non-Muslims cannot know what peace is."

According to Metsemakers, the school wants to teach children that they are not allowed to be friends with non-believers. "Only Muslims can after all be good people."

Metsemakers has meanwhile warned the Education Inspectorate about the school. The As Siddieq is subsidised by the Dutch government.

NIS