text:
Tor Exit Nodes in Libraries - Pilot (phase one)
by mrphs | July 28, 2015
Hello Tor Community!
We first introduced you to the Library Freedom Project back in February after we won the Knight News Challenge on Libraries. Since then, we've been hard at work bringing privacy education to libraries across the United States, with stops in the UK and Ireland, virtual trainings in Canada and Australia, and more plans to visit international libraries in the works.
Today, we're excited to announce a new initiative, a collaboration between the Library Freedom Project and Tor Project: Tor exit relays in libraries. Nima Fatemi, the Tor Project member who's already helped Library Freedom Project in a number of ways, is our main partner on this project. This is an idea whose time has come; libraries are our most democratic public spaces, protecting our intellectual freedom, privacy, and unfettered access to information, and Tor Project creates software that allows all people to have these rights on the internet. We're excited to combine our efforts to help libraries protect internet freedom, strengthen the Tor network, and educate the public about how Tor can help protect their right to digital free expression.
Libraries have been committed to intellectual freedom and privacy for decades, outlining these commitments in the ALA Core Values of Librarianship, the Freedom to Read Statement, and the ALA Code of Ethics. They're also centers of education in their local communities, offering free classes on a variety of subjects, including computer instruction. Libraries serve a diverse audience; many of our community members are people who need Tor but don't know that it exists, and require instruction to understand and use it.
Some of these patrons are part of vulnerable groups, like domestic violence survivors, racial and ethnic minorities, student activists, or queer and trans communities. Others belong to local law enforcement or municipal government. All of them could benefit from learning about Tor in a trusted, welcoming environment like the library.
Bringing Tor exit relays into libraries would not only be a powerful symbolic gesture demonstrating our commitment to a free internet, but also a practical way to help the Tor network, and an excellent opportunity to help educate library patrons, staff, boards of trustees, and other stakeholders about the importance of Tor. For libraries that have already installed Tor Browser on library PCs, running a relay is the obvious next step toward supporting free expression in their communities and all over the world.
As public internet service providers, libraries are shielded from some of the legal concerns that an individual exit relay operator might face, such as trying to explain to law enforcement that the traffic leaving her exit is not her own. Furthermore, libraries are protected from DMCA takedowns by safe harbor provisions. Importantly, librarians know their rights and are ready to fight back when those rights are challenged.
In order to begin this new project, we needed a pilot, and we had just the library in mind – Kilton Library in Lebanon, New Hampshire, one of two Lebanon Libraries. Chuck McAndrew is the IT librarian there, and he's done amazing things to the computers on his network, like running them all on GNU/Linux distributions. Why is this significant? Most library environments run Microsoft Windows, and we know that Microsoft participated in the NSA's PRISM surveillance program. By choosing GNU/Linux and installing some privacy-protecting browser extensions too, Chuck's helping his staff and patrons opt-out of pervasive government and corporate surveillance. Pretty awesome.
Kilton Library is not only exemplary because of its GNU/Linux computer environment; it's also beautiful and brand-new, LEED Gold-certified, with an inviting and sunny open floor plan and an outdoor community garden. It's an example of the amazing potential inherent in libraries. We drove up to New Hampshire last week to start phase one.
We decided to set our pilot up as a middle relay to start – we want to ensure that it is stable and doesn't interfere in any way with the library's other network traffic. We nicknamed the new relay LebLibraries, and you can check out how our relay is doing here, on Globe.
After the LebLibraries relay is up for a few months, we'll return for phase two of the project and convert it into an exit node. Our goal is to make exit relay configuration a part of the Library Freedom Project's privacy trainings for librarians; we'll meet with library directors and boards of trustees to talk about how Tor fits into the mission of libraries as beacons of intellectual freedom, and how libraries are perfectly positioned not only to help our patrons use Tor Browser, but are the ideal location to run Tor exit relays to help give back to the Tor community.
We need more libraries to join us in this initiative. Want your local library to be our next exit relay site? Know an awesome librarian who wants to help protect free expression locally and globally? Please have them contact us with the answers to this questionnaire. We're also looking for libraries to host FOSS seedboxes. And as always, we want libraries to install and run the Tor Browser on library computers.
Want to support this project and more like it? You can make a donation to the Library Freedom Project, or donate directly to Tor Project. And stay tuned for phase two of our pilot with Kilton Library.
Alison Macrina and Nima Fatemi
A version of this post also appeared on The Library Freedom Project's blog
Note: This post was drafted by Alison. (Thank you!)
Great initiative, i'm sure
Great initiative, i'm sure everyone is happy to see this
In reply to Great initiative, i'm sure by Anonymous (not verified)
great man !!!!!!
Hats off to you both. This
Hats off to you both. This is a great idea for all involved.
Glad to see people are using
Glad to see people are using macbooks running OSX while simultaneously claiming they care about software freedoms and privacy. It's comical.
In reply to Glad to see people are using by Anonymous (not verified)
Hatters gonna hate
Constructive.
RMS - is that you?!
Anon above makes a valid
Anon above makes a valid point about OSX but nevertheless, this is an awesome concept to leverage libraries in this manner.
In reply to Anon above makes a valid by Anonymous (not verified)
No it's not a valid
No it's not a valid point
This is not a place to start stupid Os flamewars and is beside the main point of people making an effort to actually work on freedom and privacy instead of giving some lazy nihilism critics.
Every individual seeks their own balance in practicing what they stand for, that does not necessarily mean that you have to practice that every inch everywhere. Only when it's a matter of literally saving your back.
But in a way, if you want to, it's possible on a Macbook. You can run Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and even a live system like Tails on that Macbook, and it's just a matter of choosing the system that suits best for the different tasks that you do at different moments.
Every system has their own builtin (plus external) possibilities of finetuning it to protect your privacy. What the owner of that Macbook did to accomplish that is not to see from here.
So, therefor, it was a stupid irrelevant remark in this topic made by that other person.
Give these people credits for what they started and give them credits for that (if you want to).
In reply to No it's not a valid by Anonymous (not verified)
it is not a 'flamewars' but
it is not a 'flamewars' but a fact - closed source OS can't be secured ( w/o putting it in "clean room" environment with qualified IT personal). period.
and you can try to re-read Snowden's Google-Microsoft-Apple+NSA part before crying "flamewar!"
Point to consider: Even if
Point to consider:
Even if Mac OS X is considered safe, or at least safer than Windows, the hardware is something to consider seriously.
Even among the Intel platform variants and manufacturers, Apples scares me the most. Hardware backdoors are the next big thing and we should consider the dangers before a new Snowden has to warn us about it.
It absolutely IS a valid
It absolutely IS a valid point:
The latest version of Mac OS (Yosemite) sends your keystrokes back to Apple by default without your knowledge or permission -- including the files you search for on your own computer through Spotlight, and the internet search terms which you type into Safari. Among other things, OS X also does the following:
- Installs a browser plugin to bother you if you change your default browser to something other than Safari.
- Silently calls home to report which programs are installed on your computer.
- Silently transmits your serial number to Apple (which can be used to monitor your location.)
- Permits the remote installation (or removal) of files on your disk WITHOUT displaying the usual update notification. (This has already been used to avoid bad publicity by invisibly patching serious bugs, but is not limited to upgrades.)
I won't even get into the privacy issues with Apple Mail. If Apple customers are not already outraged, it is because they are asleep. The main problem here is Apple's CALCULATED & CONTINUOUS DECEPTION through lack of unambiguous disclosure. So long as one single customer remains unaware of Apple's secret spying (and its cooperation with oppressive political regimes), we have a right and a duty to tell them, no matter how it offends Apple fanboys with fragile egos.
Of course OS X is a nice operating system. I understand why people use it. I also understand why people who WANT to use it refuse to do so. If there was a 100% compatible open source version, I have no doubt it would be very successful.
In reply to It absolutely IS a valid by Anonymous (not verified)
Another thing to consider
Another thing to consider are the hardware backdoors that various researchers have pointed out.
Of course these backdoors are not entirely made by Apple but many are present in every Intel based firmware.
Since most Tor relays and clients run on Intel hardware, there will be some time when this will have to be dealt with.
I'm a librarian, and i think
I'm a librarian, and i think this is an excellent idea! I want to sign my local public library up, and i think that as a fellow professional i can pitch the benefits very well. who should i talk to? could you please connect me with someone who can help?
mrphs
mrphs said:
In reply to I'm a librarian, and i think by Anonymous (not verified)
Thank you for your support! You can contact us (me and Alison) via email at "exits at libraryfreedomproject org"
This is kickass. Even if you
This is kickass. Even if you don't have the balls to go talk with your library, you could forward them the link to this blog article anonymously over Tor even.
Hornet Browser and Astoria
Hornet Browser and Astoria Browser coming to a computer near you!
MIT researchers can break
MIT researchers can break Tor anonymity without even touching encryption
http://bgr.com/2015/07/30/mit-researchers-can-break-tor-anonymity-witho…
In reply to MIT researchers can break by Anonymous (not verified)
Ok, I wrote up a summary of
Ok, I wrote up a summary of this article, oriented towards researchers and developers:
https://blog.torproject.org/blog/technical-summary-usenix-fingerprintin…
The very short summary is "their paper does not show that the attack would work in practice, but it is still a worthwhile research area to work on."
Is the plan to let regular
Is the plan to let regular library visitors surf the Internet from the same network as a tor exit node?
That's doesn't sound very nice and makes them a secondary citizens on the Internet, as they can not comment on blogs, send email etc. (And this in itself is not a bad thing. Exit nodes are public knowledge for a reason.)
In reply to Is the plan to let regular by Anonymous (not verified)
No. Exit nodes would have a
No. Exit nodes would have a dedicated IP address / network by themselves.
In reply to mrphs
This will cost money on a
This will cost money on a monthly basis. Who is expected to pay?
will be fun to see blogs
will be fun to see blogs based in libraries - so comments can be allowed. the same for public email.
Was it really wise to use
Was it really wise to use the Lebanon Public Library website as contact e-mail on the exit node?
I hope I can get libraries in my country interested in this. It's a really great idea because I believe public libraries operate their own networks here so no worry of government stepping in to monitor network traffic.
alison said:
In reply to Was it really wise to use by Anonymous (not verified)
This sample torrc file has
This sample torrc file has an explanation about why it's important to include contact information for your relay: https://gitweb.torproject.org/tor.git/plain/src/config/torrc.sample.in
If you know your local librarians, feel free to put them in touch with us at exits (at) libraryfreedomproject (dot) org. We'd love to help them see why this is an important initiative.
Regarding another matter. I
Regarding another matter. I could already create my hostname and private_key, now do you set up the hidden service? And how to enter the page created in hostservice file?
Thanks for the answer!
In reply to Regarding another matter. I by Anonymous (not verified)
Hidden Services have nothing
Hidden Services have nothing to do with running a relay. It looks like we confused you there. Sorry about that!
Please take a look at this instruction on how to run a relay. I suggest you run a non-exit relay for a while and switch it to exit if you were comfortable with it.
Add this line to your torrc file to make it a non-exit relay:
reject *:*
How are you funding hardware
How are you funding hardware for this on a larger scale?
Nice write-up by Cyrus
Nice write-up by Cyrus Farivar in Ars Technica:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/07/crypto-activists-announce-vi…
Crypto activists announce vision for Tor exit relay in every library
"Librarians see the value as soon as you say 'privacy protecting technology.'"
Cyrus Farivar
This is a fine idea and I
This is a fine idea and I hope all library systems in North America will quickly adopt it, followed by libraries around the world.
Possibly one could try to recruit academic libraries first. For example, with respect to censorship, the situation in countries like Turkey is muddled, but there are some "Western oriented" universities. If you like this idea, please dialog with academic research enablers such as arxiv.org, JSTOR, etc.
In view of the relentless hacking of university systems worldwide by state and corporate espionage agencies, I wonder whether something like Tor Ramdisk might be suitable for operating Tor routers safely from university networks.
Academic librarians should be warned that some departments may want to "fiddle" with their Tor node to "conduct research". Such blandishments should be routinely denied.
Great will it also block any
Great will it also block any off this ever happening again..Hope so
http://thehackernews.com/2015/08/unmask-tor-network.html
For years, I have urged the
For years, I have urged the public library system in a certain city to be more friendly to Tor, but they always reacted with unreasoning ignorant horror, so I gave up. I hope Tor Project can do a much better job than I could of convincing them that Tor is every library patron's friend.
Is the LebLibraries node
Is the LebLibraries node mentioned in the article still active ?
In reply to Is the LebLibraries node by Anonymous (not verified)
No, every indication
No, every indication suggests that it's offline. Cannot find any word about what happened to this relay or project. None of the Tor node status websites recognize it:
https://globe.torproject.org/#/search/query=LebLibraries
https://globe.torproject.org/#/relay/27A5FD22519F0AF83927CEF1304EE19484…
https://atlas.torproject.org/#details/27A5FD22519F0AF83927CEF1304EE1948…
https://torstatus.blutmagie.de/router_detail.php?FP=27A5FD22519F0AF8392…
But here's an archived copy: https://archive.is/vEG6L
More details on the downing
More details on the downing of the library TOR node.
http://www.metafilter.com/152886/Tor-libraries-and-the-Department-of-Ho…
I would like to see journalism from any perspective on why this is important. I know it is difficult to get big media outlets to cover this, but if Tor as an organization could solicit and provide interviews with library associations, college newspapers, alternative weekly newspapers, or absolutely anyone else even at the entry level of journalism then the resulting publications would add a lot of legitimacy and history of cultural precedent to what the Tor community needs to accomplish.
I need to see more journalism in print which does not originate from Tor and allied activist groups, even if the journalism is not deep.
https://www.propublica.org/ar
https://www.propublica.org/article/library-support-anonymous-internet-b…
First Library to Support Anonymous Internet Browsing Effort Stops After DHS Email
Julia Angwin
Apparently what happened was:
* an OSI (open source intelligence analyst) with some agency or fusion center alerted DHS about the library project, most likely because they are known to monitor this blog
* a DHS agent emailed the library itself warning them that DHS was alerting the Lebanon NH Police Department, which the library interpreted as an implicit threat
* The Lebanon PD says DHS did in fact email them, and they apparently put pressure on the City government to shut down the project
* "After a meeting at which local police and city officials discussed how Tor could be exploited by criminals, the library pulled the plug on the project. "Right now we're on pause," said Fleming. "We really weren't anticipating that there would be any controversy at all.""
New Hampshire has a long tradition of fierce independence-mindedness dating back to revolutionary times, which might help explain why Fleming did not anticipate that the Lebanon PD would object to their Tor node.
The US public library system was one of the last subcultures with strong free speech beliefs. What a tragedy for freedom and democracy world wide that even the American libraries are bowing to the slightest pressure.
https://lists.torproject.org/pipermail/tor-talk/2015-September/038958.h…
[tor-talk] First Library to Support Anonymous Internet Browsing Effort Stops After DHS Email (propublica)
Jonathan D. Proulx jon at csail.mit.edu
Fri Sep 11 14:35:15 UTC 2015
"Anyone directly involved with this Library project let me know if there's anything I can do in support"
Contact the MIT library system and lobby them to join the Tor Library Project and urge them to use their contacts with other university library systems in the US, Canada, EU, etc. to urge academic library systems around the world to join.
Everyone, please contact your local public library and ask them to plan a public event explaining why they are joining the Project. Contact your political representatives to explain why Tor is so important in combating human rights abuses and censorship, and promoting free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, and democratic principles around the world.
I hope ACLU and EFF will consider legal action in Lebanon.
Many thanks to Julian Angwin for her story and to all the operators of Tor nodes, especially exit nodes.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/09/10/tor_library_unplugged/
That's a Tor order: Library gets cop visit for running exit relay in US
Feds not happy with potentially criminal traffic running through public-funded network
Shaun Nichols
"A New England library is calling off its plan to host a Tor exit node after cops, tipped off by the US Department of Homeland Security, paid a visit."
Thanks to ProPublica, Ars, and The Register for covering this story.
http://techcrunch.com/2015/09
http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/14/homeland-security-shuts-down-librarys-…
Great news! The Library
Great news! The Library Freedom Project won round two; the citizens have rejected the demands of DHS and local police:
Tempest tempest at bitmessage.ch
"i just want to share the news that all of the hard work that has gone
into the library freedom project paid off today at kilton library.
despite pressure from the us federal government, which pulled out every card to sell fear that they had in their hat, the local community refused to accept it and thought on a global level to support the library's choice to offer a tor relay to the public."
There will be more such battles and we need to help ensure the good guys win them.
https://libraryfreedomproject.org/donate/
The LebLibraries Tor node is
The LebLibraries Tor node is back!
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/09/small-town-library-restores-…
A fine story on the
A fine story on the government's attempt to shut down the Chilton node:
http://www.concordmonitor.com/
Lebanon library at center of internet privacy debate in shutting off its Tor server
(David Brooks the tech reporter, not the blowhard NYT columnist)
At a board meeting, members of the community voiced unanimous support for the Chilton Library Tor node, and the board then voted to restart the node. Further, more libraries are now setting up their own nodes:
https://libraryfreedomproject.org/libraries-tor-freedom-and-resistance/
Libraries, Tor, freedom, and resistance
Alison Macrina
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/09/17/library_freedom_project_dozen_m…
SCREW YOU, FEDS! Dozen or more US libraries line up to run Tor exit nodes
Kieren McCarthy
(Is the Vulture extraditable? It seems you can be jailed in the terribly misnamed town of Liberty for writing "Screw You, Feds!")
Library's Tor relay—which had been pulled after feds noticed—now restored
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/a-dozen-libraries-want-to-host-tor-nod…
A Dozen Libraries Want to Host Tor Nodes to Protest Government Fearmongering
Jason Koebler
There are conflicting
There are conflicting accounts of exactly what happened, but the common denominator is OSI (Open Source Intelligence) plus "information sharing". Here is a version of the story featuring details even uglier than the version in the previous comment. From
> A Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent first learned of the plan after reading Ars' July 30 article and then forwarded it on as a heads-up to a local police officer on the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children task force. That, in turn, led to a meeting between local law enforcement, city officials, and the library. (HSI is the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.)
> "They claimed that they merely sent the link to the article, but that is incredibly baffling to me that they sent a link—the police have a whole narrative about Tor and that it's all about criminal activity," Alison Macrina, one of the leaders of the project, told Ars. "A DHS preemptive strike was not in our threat model."
> However, Sean Fleming, the library's IT director, told Ars before the Tuesday vote that there was "no pressure from the feds at all." He did say that at the local roundtable meeting, the library volunteered to take down the node until the library's board of trustees could officially vote on the issue on September 15. Librarians nationwide have long been advocates for privacy and freedom of information.
If we accept this version of the story, it illustrates how the "information sharing" mandate imposed on "intelligence agencies" like HSI fails when the "intelligence agency" fails to put raw information (the link) in context when "sharing" it with a local police agency lacking (one presumes) any knowledge about Tor other than scare stories in the so-called "mainstream media". But putting information "in context" invites the intelligence analyst to shape the story in a way which would probably not be favorable to free speech, civil liberties, or free access to information.


Chinese Embroidery, China Silk,there are four important embroidery centers in China. They are Hunan, Jiangsu, Guangdong and Sichuan.
There are four important embroidery centers in China. They are Hunan, Jiangsu, Guangdong and Sichuan, each famous for its own particular style. Therefore Xiang (Hunan), Shu (Sichuan), Su (Jiangsu), and Yue (Guangdong) have become the four most famous styles of embroidery.
Xiang embroidery has a history spanning more than 2,500 years. The designs show birds, animals, flowers, and landscapes. Originally Xiang embroidery was done on a single side of a piece of fabric. Later craftsmen adopted the technique of double-sided embroidery in which both sides display the same design in the same color.
Su embroidery is famous for its delicate workmanship, beautiful designs, and tasteful colors. Suzhou's double-sided embroidery has a distinct pattern on either side. The two sides bear different patterns with different stitches and colors.
Yue embroidery, which is usually done in bright colors, includes the woolen needlepoint, cotton embroidery, and embroidery with gold and silver thread. The superb workmanship of the Yue embroidery enables it to win prizes at international fairs in Panama and London in 1915 and 1923.
The typical example of the Shu embroidery is " Hibiscus and Carp". Smooth, beautiful and exquisitely stitched, it shows a hibiscus tree growing on the river band and carps swimming in the clear water.
With a history of 5,000 years, China was the earliest producer of silk in the world. Silk cocoons and bits of silk have been found among relics from 4,700 B.C. Silk fabrics traveled to Europe and the Middle East along the "Silk Road" 2,000 years ago.
Today, silk technology is much advanced and silk fabric come in several hundred varieties; the best known include georgette crepe, damask, satin, silk gauze, crepe silk, raw silk, velvet, tough silk, embroidered silk and painted silk.
The traditional silk centers of Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces are still the two major producers of raw silk and silk fabrics in China with a combined output that makes up more than half of the national total.
China's three best known brocades are: the Song brocade made in Hangzhou of Zhejiang Province, the Nanjing brocade made in Nanjing of Jiangsu Province and the Sichuan brocade made in Chengdu of Sichuan Province.


Short and sweet. Two of my favorite blog posts that I read this week can be found here and here. They are a good reminder during this season and any season about how blessed we are. I have been thinking lately about the fact that someone else wants what I have. It really helps me to be grateful for my blessings even when they may not feel like blessings.


text:
VCs To Establish National Information System For Varsities
Ict/Telecom
The Committee of Vice Chancellors on Thursday said that it would establish a national information repository system in all universities in the country.
Prof. Michael Faborode, the Secretary-General of the committee disclosed this to newsmen at the end of a two-day National Repository Seminar in Abuja.
Faborode said that the programme sought to improve access to African scholarly work and it was the initiative of the Association of African Universities (AAU).
According to him, AAU's Database of African Theses and Dissertations (DATAD) programme is aimed at improving access to African scholarly work.
"The establishment of the database system will create accessibility for all African universities in terms of collection, management and dissemination of information.
"Basically, we want to have a comprehensive information system for the Nigerian universities which is what the national repository system is all about.
"At the lower level, each institution will also have a national repository system, a sort of warehouse for information, whereby all the necessary information and anything published will be properly catalogued by the e-Library.''
He said that the programme would also provide necessary information about staff publications, staff biodata and list of principal officers of the universities, among others.
"Universities can implement the programme almost immediately as the facilities are available in our office.''
He urged librarians and the ICT officers to ensure that the programme was properly installed in each university.
Faborode said that vice-chancellors would provide the necessary facilities to make good use of the project.
Dr Hoba Pascal, Programme Coordinator of AAU corroborated the views of executive secretary on the programme.
Pascal told The Tide that the aim of the programme was to build capacity of African Universities for the collection, management and dissemination of thesis and dissertations of information electronically.
Pascal said that the programme would benefit all universities in the country.
He said that the DATAD programme would provide access to online database for the dissemination of information among universities within and outside the country.
Pascal said that one of the objectives of the programme was to reduce plagiarism among students.
In his speech, Mr George Eromosele, a System Analyst from the University of Ilorin, described the idea as a good one.
PSC Gets Nod To Recruit ICT Experts
ICT Training Will Reposition Civil Service -Sali
Firm Calls For Partnership With FG On Bridge In Real Estate
A Nigerian Tech Firm, PX PropertyHub, has called for partnership with the Federal Government in order to showcase its efforts to bridge the gap in the real estate sector.
The General Manager, Operations/Legal of the company, Barr. Nonye Nwabueze, made the remark during the official unveiling of the firm's innovative online real estate platform in Abuja, recently.
Nwabueze said there was a need for collaboration with the Federal Government to help Nigerians build long lasting wealth through Real Estate, leveraging on technology and experience.
"The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing is doing so much in this regard, trying to create several mortgage financing activities.
"We are calling for partnership to showcase what the Federal Government is equally doing in the sector to provide affordable housing for Nigerians and checkmate the activities of fraudsters in the sector", she said.
She noted that the new technological-driven option by PX PropertyHub stands out, saying that it was a massive and fast-growing digital platform.
"The platform showcases available property to everyone resident in and anywhere in the world. It is a global platform and we are not stopping at this.
"We also have what we call 'PX Stay', where we equally showcase hotel owners, apartments, car rentals and others. Jt is actually a listing platform for anyone who wants to buy, sell or rent genuine properties," she said.
Chief Charles Ndudim, a beneficiary of the platform, said the issue of housing must be treated as a fundamental basic right of every citizen in the country.
He said the Federal Government and the corporate world must collaborate to deal with the issues and challenges in the real estate sector just as is being done in other climes.
"In other developing countries such as Nigeria, to deal with the issue of housing, we have to see it as a fundamental human basic right of every Nigerian.
"Every man under the sun needs a roof over his head, but there are economic implications and challenges in the sector as not everybody can afford it.
"However, what other developing countries have done is to find ways of creating intervention programmes for the poor people, especially in the rural areas", he said.
"So, government and the corporate world must come together and collaborate in such a way as what PX PropertyHub is doing to aggregate all these houses and make them visible to meet the needs of all Nigerians.
"I, therefore, encourage everyone to take advantage of this revolutionary platform that is making life easier like Amazon and the likes," he said.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Chuka Okafor, said he is a young entrepreneur who saw a gap in the real estate sector and decided to proffer solutions to the issues and challenges in the sector.
He stressed the need for investors to take advantage of the hassle-free and convenient platform to rent and purchase their house dreams.
Okafor said the platform can also connect holiday makers with preferred hotel and any tourist destination.
"PX PropertyHub is a modern Real Estate Platform, connecting buyers, sellers and owners with the industry's top professionals through technology that empowers you by making all things Real Estate simple, intelligent and seamless.
"We have built our Real Estate Hub to serve as a platform that streamlines the tedious process of selling, buying, renting, managing, and financing property", he said.
Delta Poly Invents Smart Campus, Solicits For Funds
Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku (DSPG), has developed a prototype of a "Smart Campus" expected to operate with technological systems, regulate movement and ensure digitisation.
The Rector of the institution, Prof. Emmanel Achuenu, while elaborating on how the smart campus works, said the institution was technologically-driven with research results and development in Abuja during the week.
Using their campus as a case study, Achuenu said they deployed solar energy to power the model campus.
"We decided to deploy solar energy in increasing the provision of energy to a model campus like this. In our campus, we have a solar laboratory where students are supposed to be trained on how solar functions and the installation, but we have gone ahead to run an institution like this with solar generators", he said.
Achuenu added that they also tried to put a security system in place to monitor movement within the campus using smart Identity cards configured for each student and staff at the entry point of the institution.
"For you to be able to secure this system, every student and staff in the environment is supposed to have a smart ID card we configured according to the need.
"To enter the gate, all you need to do is swipe your card in the smart system provided there and you gain access", he said.
He, however, solicited funding from agencies of the government to support the institution to be able to move all their ideas and technologies beyond prototype.
"We are asking for any funding agency to come to our support so that we can mass produce the majority of what we have here. If we can have our automatic detectors in every environment, it will help check on our security challenges", he said.
The Tide's Source recalled that DSPG participated at the just-concluded Science, Technology and Innovation expo and had other products on display.
The other products included: Juice extractor, peanut coating machine, ice block making machine, automatic hand washing machine, ventilator and melon shelling machine.
Unclaimed 5000 Digital International Passports Bothers NIS
The Passport Control officer of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Rivers State Command, DCI Bala Dangana, has expressed worry over a large number of unclaimed passports at the Passport office in Port Harcourt.
Dangana said this when he received the Comptroller General of Immigration in charge of zone G, Mr. Dominic Asogwa, in Port Harcourt, recently.
He said about 5000 passports were ready for collection, but the applicants are yet to show up.
Noting that the Passport Unit usually issues passports unconditionally to owners, he said the success story so far recorded was due to the digital system of the Command which has so far simplified the whole process.
He further noted that the era of delay in passport printing and issuance were over, and urged applicants to not let past experiences deter them from applying for their passports.
"The Command is up-to-date on passport issuance and printing. We are almost done with that of last year. We have printed up to November, and sure that we are top on the business", he said.
Earlier in his speech, Asogwa said he was in the office on the order of the Comptroller- General of Immigration, Idris Jere, to ascertain the position of things as it concerns passport collection.
"I am here to appriase with the directive of the Comptroller-General that all applicants of international passport have collected them without delay", he said.
Asogwa also pleaded with members of the public to reach out to their loved ones who have applied for passports to hurry and claim them.
He lauded Dangana and his team over what he described as the "high level of professionalsm cum creation of additional units in the passport unit which has added colour to the system".
Meanwhile, the Passport Control officer further informed that the Command has, by extension, placed calls and sent Short Message System (SMS) to some of the passport applicants in order to make room for easy collection.
By: King Onunwor
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Growing Liquid Logistics from a humble idea has been an adventure. Fresh out of university Sam Sutton and Rich Pearsall decided to follow their passion rather than their heads and stumbled through their first few years out of an old military hut on Beaulieu River in the New Forest.
Based in the heart of The New Forest, we run coaching, courses and paddling trips throughout the UK. With our support, you'll enjoy feeling safe, whilst learning to paddle. We use a range of stunning locations, suited to your skills and aspirations.
Starting and running Liquid Logistics has been a great adventure. Its a pleasure to meet new people who share a love of the great outdoors. I became hooked on Paddling at university and still find it an exciting and challenging sport. I am very proud of what we have built over our first 10 years and know there will be a lot more excitement over the next 10.
Now on my 8th year with the business, I spend most of my time working with the Liquid Logistics clients! From answering most of the requests the come through to leading most of the courses we offer. Which means I spend most of my summer out on the sea, exploring caves, finding surf areas and enjoying the wildlife!
New Forest Activities & Liquid Logistics has a number of full & part-time activities team members, who'll all go the extra mile, regardless of the weather! Rain or shine, you'll always get a passionate outdoor professional, well qualified and keen to help.
You'll always get a warm welcome for our office. All our bookings are taken by our sister company New Forest Activities. Hayley Payne heads up the office team and they have a lot of fun as they work. This leaves our activity team to focus on you. The office is open 7 days a week so there's no waiting around for a phone call or response to your email.
We are based on Beaulieu River in the heart of The New Forest. The tidal estuary stretches 8km from the beautiful Beaulieu village to the sea. We are 1 hour from the M25 in good traffic and have all the hospitality in the local area for any budget.
In the heart of the New Forest, Beaulieu River has seen its fair share of use. Originally a home for the Cistersion Monks the River and surrounding area is now owned by Lord Montagu. It's a very beautiful place and as such carries the SSSI status. We use the river with the permission of the Montagu Family and Natural England. Liquid Logistics are one of the very few companies in the UK to have permission to operate inside a SSSI area.
There are an abundance of hotels, guest houses, B & B's and camp-sites in our local area. they do book up quickly in the summer months. To find out availability and make a booking we have a great accommodation website run by New Forest Tourism. Find accommodation in the New Forest, Hampshire. If you join in on a course in Dorset we recommend you stay around Corfe Castle and Swanage.
Your course may take place at another venue so it is very important to make sure you read your course pack to arrive in the right place.


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Alexis was born and raised in Corona, CA. She has been dancing since age 3 and dancing competitively since age 10. She was captain of her nationally ranked team at Santiago High School, that won 2 national titles and 3 state titles. She traveled to LA, NY, and San Francisco to take master classes from well-known choreographers and studios. She took her passion and began teaching dance during her travels. Upon return, Alexis was introduced to Pilates by her mother. She immediately fell in love with the movement that strengthened her dance background. She saw the great benefits Pilates brought to her dance foundation and decided she wanted to add Pilates to her teaching career.