Google Toolbar Page Rank for the new Chrome browser

 

 

Google's new Internet browser: Chrome

Google released their new browser named Chrome today at 2:00 P.M. Easter time, I’ve already downloaded it and let me tell you guys, so far so good.  With only a file size of 7 MB, it is pretty fast to download and install. Unfortunately for all the Apple – Mac enthusiasts out there, the new browser is only available for Windows XP and Vista for now.

I checked some of the new features and here are my comments about them: the tab navigation is pretty fun, you can drag a tab and it will transform into a new browser window, it’s much easier to run web applications on Chrome, it have a friendly debugging feature, it’s pretty secure, and have an instant bookmark function that will place the pages you visit more frequently in your homepage. 

You also have the ability to import your favorite bookmarks from Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox in a snap.  Another feature I will use a lot is the new incognito mode, which will allow you to browse the Internet with a 100% privacy.

Some feature that I’m looking for is how to enable Google Toolbar in Chrome, and other SEO plug-ins that I use with Firefox. So far I couldn’t find the toolbar, not even as a download, but I hope Google will let us know soon either how to enable it on Chrome or how to download it from their site.

I will definitely recommend everybody to try the new Google Browser: Chrome, you will notice how fast and easy to use is, trust me you will not regret it. Have fun my friends, see you later.

Lawcontributor

Second DUI Offense

Second DUI offense is a $1000-$5000 mandatory fine, up to 4 years in jail, and revoked license for at least 1 year

Many first time offenders will not serve a jail sentence, though there is a possibility to be sentenced to a jail term of up to one year. Penalties are much stricter for a second DUI offense.

Penalties for alcohol-related and drug-related violations include:

* First DUI offense: $500-$1000 mandatory fine, up to 1 year in jail, and revoked license for at least 6 months
* Second DUI offense: $1000-$5000 mandatory fine, up to 4 years in jail, and revoked license for at least 1 year
* Third DUI offense: $2000-10,000 mandatory fine, up to 7 years in jail, and revoked license for at least 1 year

In some cases, probation may also be a form of punishment. Some conditions of probation include:

* community service
* taking a dui awareness class
* report to your probation officer monthly
* do not drink alcohol or consume other drugs
* maintain a job
* do not break any other laws

In a 2007 study conducted by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies (TRB) and published in the National Transportation Library Integrated Search (TRIS) website, seventy-seven people that had been convicted of driving while under the influence of alcohol were screened for recidivism after twelve years subsequent to their original DWI/DUI offense.

Recidivism is the act of repeating undesirable or detrimental activities or behavior even though the person has experienced a negative outcome because of that behavior. It also applies if the person has been treated for the undesirable or detrimental behavior. That can include being arrested or attending a rehabilitation program.

At the time of their original DWI/DUI conviction, the participants were administered the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory®-2 (MMPI-2) tests. The drinking history and driving history of the participants were reviewed at the time of arrest and at the twelve-year follow-up. The study found that, on average 6 years elapsed between their first and second DWI/DUI offenses. Their driving history prior to the first DWI/DUI offense was predictive of later recidivism.

Open Container Laws

Open Container Laws prohibit both possession of any open alcoholic beverage container and consumption of any alcoholic beverage

Analysis of data from the first four states that enacted Open Container Laws found that measures of alcohol-involvement in crashes appeared to decline during the six-month periods following the beginning of enforcement when compared to the same six-month periods one year earlier. These changes were in the direction expected of whether the laws have an impact or not; however, the differences were not statistically significant.

Open Container Laws:
• Prohibit both possession of any open alcoholic beverage container and consumption of any alcoholic beverage.
• Cover the passenger area of any motor vehicle, including unlocked glove compartments and any other areas of the vehicle that are readily accessible to the driver or passengers while in their seats.
• Apply to all open alcoholic beverage containers and all alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, and spirits that contain one-half of one percent or more of alcohol by volume.
• Apply to all vehicle occupants except for passengers of vehicles designed, maintained, or used primarily for the transportation of people for compensation or the living quarters of motor homes.
• Apply to all vehicles on a public highway or the right-of-way of a public highway.

Comparisons of crash data showed that states that didn’t have Open Container Laws had considerably greater percentages of alcohol-involved fatal and single-vehicle crashes than the states with partially or fully-conforming laws. Although the differences cannot be credited with certainty to the presence or absence of Open Container Laws, the results of the analysis suggest that conformance with some or all of the six elements of the Federal requirements contribute noticeably to traffic safety.

Further, states that enacted conforming laws saw the lowest proportion of alcohol-involved fatal crashes of the four categories of states, suggesting that public consideration and subsequent adoption of proposed laws may increase awareness of the issues and lead to safety benefits. Perhaps equally important when considering whether such laws should be enacted, the national survey found that a significant majority of the driving-age public support Open Container Laws, and thus, appears to recognize their value in contributing to traffic safety.

According to a fact-sheet published by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• Alcohol involvement remains the leading factor in motor vehicle deaths.
• Impaired driving is the most frequently committed violent crime in the United States.
• While only six percent of all police reported crashes involve alcohol use, 41 percent of all fatal accidents involve the use of alcohol.
• Every 30 minutes, someone is killed in the United States in an alcohol-related accident.
• It is estimated that alcohol-related accidents in the United States have an annual cost of more than $50 billion.

Public Intoxication

Being intoxicated in public is not enough for an arrest to be made

Public intoxication is the appearance of a person who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol in a place open to the general public. In most American jurisdictions, public intoxication is considered a misdemeanor, and in some states, alcoholism is a defense if the offender agrees to attend a treatment program. Seek help if you or someone you know may be an alcoholic.

Also known as ‘drunk and disorderly conduct‘, public intoxication is hazardous to the both the offender and those in his environment. However, being intoxicated in public is not enough for an arrest to be made. The offender must fulfill one of three criteria to be arrested for ‘drunk and disorderly conduct’.

Criteria for a Public Intoxication Arrest:

• Causing a public disturbance
• Being dangerous to those around
• Being a threat to the well being of oneself

Most people arrested for public intoxication are taken to jail until their sober up. A fine is usually issued the following morning when they are let out. More severe punishments will be issued if violence, damage, or injury to others occurred.

Public intoxication, drunk and disorderly conduct, or public nuisance crimes do not fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The Constitution of the United States relegates this judicial responsibility to the individual states. Each state has their own set of laws designed to deal with this issue and consequently the laws and punishments vary broadly from one state to the other. If you have been charged with public intoxication, drunk and disorderly conduct, or a public nuisance crime you need professional local legal advice and counsel.

Teen Drunk Driving

Alcohol and Speed a Fatal Combination

On average, it is estimated that more than 3,000 teenagers die every year as a result of injuries obtained during vehicular accidents attributed to driving under the influence. Why does this occur? Oftentimes, teens pressure each other into drinking and driving. Responsible parents would not allow their children to drink at home, so teens resort to drinking in neighborhood hangouts and parties. Inexperienced with alcohol, they consume more than they should and intoxicate themselves before driving home

Alcohol is the most abused drug among teenagers. Nearly 70% of teenagers at one point or another have consumed an alcoholic beverage, whether it is a beer, glass of wine, or hard liquor. It is also one of the easiest to obtain. Nearly every supermarket in the country carries one kind of alcoholic beverage. While it is illegal to sell alcoholic beverages to minors, there are irresponsible people who do just so.

Who are the most dangerous drivers? Apparently, 18 year olds have the highest crash rate in the nation. Teenagers feel like they are indestructible. Mix that with alcohol and they make up ingredients for disaster. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number one cause of death among 15-20 year olds is car accidents. Twenty-eight percent of teens killed in car accidents had been consuming alcohol while driving an automobile. It does not take super intelligence to know that teen drinking and driving accidents are very serious and often result in fatalities.

While the blood alcohol limit on most states is .08, this does not apply to teenagers. Many, if not all, states have zero-tolerance laws when it comes to teen drivers. This means that if a teen is caught driving with any percentage of alcohol in his or her blood, he or she will be placed in police custody and charged with DUI.

The Visual Detection of DUI Motorists

Explanations of the 24 driving cues

1. Problems in Maintaining Proper Lane Position
2. Speed and Braking Problems
3. Vigilance Problems
4. Judgment Problems

1) Problems in Maintaining Proper Lane Position

• Weaving
• Drifting
• Swerving
• Turning with a Wide Radius

Weaving

Weaving

Maintaining proper lane position can be a difficult task for an impaired driver. For example, we have all seen vehicles weaving before. Weaving is when the vehicle alternately moves toward one side of the lane and then the other. The pattern of lateral movement can be fairly regular, as one steering correction is closely followed by another. In extreme cases, the vehicle’s wheels even cross the lane lines before a correction is made. You might even observe a vehicle straddling a center or lane line. That is, the vehicle is moving straight ahead with either the right or left tires on the wrong side of the lane line or markers.

Drifting

Drifting

Drifting is when a vehicle is moving in a generally straight line, but at a slight angle to the lane. The driver might correct his or her course as the vehicle approaches a lane line or other boundary, or fail to correct until after a boundary has been crossed. In extreme cases, the driver fails to correct in time to avoid a collision.

Swerving

Swerving

A related DWI cue is almost striking a vehicle or other object. You might observe a vehicle, either at slow speeds or moving with traffic, to pass unusually close to a sign, barrier, building, or other object. This cue also includes almost striking another vehicle, either moving or parked, and causing another vehicle to maneuver to avoid a collision.

Turning with a Wide Radius

Turning with a Wide Radius

Turning with a wide radius, or drifting during a curve, is the final cue in this category of driver behaviors. A vehicle appears to drift to the outside of the lane, or into another lane, through the curve or while turning a corner. Watch for this cue and stop the driver when you see it. Many alcohol-involved crashes are caused by an expanding turn radius, or drifting out of lane position during a curve.

Learn more about DUI

Speed and Braking Problems

Stopping Beyond a Limit Line

The research showed that braking properly can be a difficult task for an impaired driver. For example, there is a good chance the driver is DWI if you observe any type of stopping problem. Stopping problems include,

• Stopping too far from a curb or at an inappropriate angle,
• Stopping too short or beyond a limit line, and
• Jerky or abrupt stops.

Impaired drivers also can experience difficulty maintaining an appropriate speed. There is a good chance the driver is DWI if you observe a vehicle to,

• Accelerate or decelerate rapidly for no apparent reason,
• Vary its speed, alternating between speeding up and slowing down, or be
• Driven at a speed that is ten miles per hour or more under the limit.

Learn more about DUI

Vigilance Problems

Vigilance concerns a person’s ability to pay attention to a task or notice changes in surroundings. A driver whose vigilance has been impaired by alcohol might forget to turn his or her headlights on when required. Similarly, impaired drivers often forget to signal a turn or lane change, or their signal is inconsistent with their maneuver, for example, signaling left, but turning right.

Signaling Inconsistent with Driving Actions

Signaling Inconsistent with Driving Actions

Alcohol-impaired vigilance also results in motorists driving into opposing or crossing traffic, and turning in front of oncoming vehicles with insufficient headway.

Driving into Opposing or Crossing Traffic

Driving into Opposing or Crossing Traffic

Driving is a complex task that requires accurate information about surrounding traffic conditions. Failing to yield the right of way and driving the wrong way on a one way street are dangerous examples of vigilance problems.

A driver whose vigilance has been impaired by alcohol also might respond more slowly than normal to a change in a traffic signal. For example, the vehicle might remain stopped for an unusually long period of time after the signal has turned green. Similarly, an impaired driver might be unusually slow to respond to an officer’s lights, siren, or hand signals.

The most extreme DWI cue in the category of vigilance problems is to find a vehicle stopped in a lane for no apparent reason. Sometimes when you observe this behavior the driver will be just lost or confused, but more than half of the time the driver will be DWI-maybe even asleep at the wheel.

Learn More about DUI – DWI

Judgment Problems

Operating a motor vehicle requires continuous decision-making by the driver. Unfortunately, judgment abilities can be affected by even small amounts of alcohol. For example, alcohol-impaired judgment can cause a driver to follow another vehicle too closely, providing an unsafe stopping distance.

Alcohol-impaired judgment also can result in a driver taking risks or endangering others. If you observe a vehicle to make improper or unsafe lane changes, either frequently or abruptly, or with apparent disregard for other vehicles, there is a good chance the driver’s judgment has been impaired by alcohol.

Similarly, impaired judgment can cause a driver to turn improperly. For example, misjudgments about speed and the roadway can cause a driver to take a turn too fast, or to make sudden corrections during the maneuver. These corrections can appear to the observer as jerky or sharp vehicle movements during the turn.

Alcohol-impaired judgment can affect the full range of driver behaviors. For example, the research found that impaired drivers are less inhibited about making illegal turns than unimpaired drivers.

Turning Illegally

Turning Illegally

Driving on other than the designated roadway is another cue exhibited by alcohol-impaired drivers. Examples include driving at the edge of the roadway, on the shoulder, off the roadway entirely, and straight through turn-only lanes.

In some cases, impaired drivers stop inappropriately in response to an officer, either abruptly as if they had been startled, or in an illegal or dangerous manner.

In fact, the research has shown that there is a good chance a driver is DWI if you observe the person to exhibit any inappropriate or unusual behavior. Unusual behavior includes throwing something from the vehicle, drinking in the vehicle, urinating at the roadside, arguing with another motorist, or otherwise being disorderly. If you observe inappropriate or unusual behavior, there is a good probability that the driver is DWI.

Driving on Other than the Designated Roadway

Driving on Other than the Designated Roadway

The final cue is actually one or more of a set of indicators related to the personal behavior or appearance of a driver. These indicators include, gripping the steering wheel tightly, driving with one’s face close to the windshield, slouching in the seat, and staring straight ahead with eyes fixed. Some officers routinely scrutinize the faces of drivers in oncoming traffic, looking for the indicators of impairment. If you observe a driver who appears to be impaired, the research showed that there is an excellent probability that you are correct in your judgment.

Appearing to be Impaired

More about Driving Under the Influence