Tuesday, 25 May 2010

Twitter Bans Some Advertising (Other Than Its Own) - banning many forms of third-party advertisements from the site -

Twitter’s growing up. And part of that means trying to make some money.

In an announcement Monday (euphemistically named “Enduring Value“) Twitter made changes to its ad policy, a step that included banning many forms of third-party advertisements from the site. “Aside from Promoted Tweets, we will not allow any third party to inject paid tweets into a timeline on any service that leverages the Twitter API,” wrote Dick Costello, Twitter’s chief operating officer.

To translate into English, Twitter doesn’t want companies to be able to clog up your feed of tweets with advertisements. Well, other companies. In April, Twitter released its own form of advertising on the site dubbed Promoted Tweets, which lets companies purchase a spot in your Twitter feed and search results to hype a product. Twitter, of course, gets revenue through this model — it doesn’t if advertisers use one of the third-party advertising sites like Ad.ly.

Twitter’s announcement is probably a good thing for users, but essentially kills some of the businesses that have popped up around the Twitter platform. As Twitter matures, its had to wrest control over pieces of its product back from third-parties who sprung up to fill the gap. (The company’s acquisition of Tweetie being the most notable example.) For the people who build products that depend on Twitter, abrupt changes in policy like this have to be troubling notions indeed.

Monday, 24 May 2010

41% Say Random Selection From Phone Book Would Do A Better Job Than Current Congress

Tuesday's primaries were more proof of the anti-incumbency mood felt in many parts of the nation, and a new Rasmussen Reports poll finds that many voters continue to feel a randomly selected sample of people from the phone book could do a better job than their elected representatives in Congress.

The latest national telephone survey of Likely Voters finds that 41% say a group of people selected at random from the phone book would do a better job addressing the nation’s problems than the current Congress. Almost as many (38%) disagree, however, and another 20% are undecided.

These findings show little change from early January and early September 2009. However, the number of voters who feel a random selection could do better is up eight points from early October 2008, just before the presidential election.

Yet while 57% of Mainstream voters think a random selection from the phone book would do a better job than the current Congress, 90% of the Political Classdisagree.

Only 32% of all voters are at least somewhat confident that their representatives in Congress have the voters' best interests in mind. Sixty-six percent (66%) don't share the confidence, down 10 points from October 2008.

Again, while 79% of the Political Class are confident that their members of Congress do have their best interests at heart, 84% of Mainstream voters don't see it that way.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on May 18-19, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Fifty-one percent (51%) of voters think most members of Congress get reelected because the election rules are rigged to benefit incumbents. Only 20% say they get reelected because they do a good job representing their constituents. But 31% are not sure why most member of Congress are reelected. These findings show little change from early January.

A majority (57%) say members of Congress are paid too much, while just six percent (6%) feel they are paid too little. Twenty-nine percent (29%) feel members of Congress are paid just the right amount. These findings show little change from January and September 2009, but are up eight points from October 2008.

Since Democrats hold a majority in both the House and the Senate, perhaps it’s no surprise that 55% of Republicans say a random selection of people from the phone book would do a better job than Congress, a view shared by just 21% of Democrats. Fifty-two percent (52%) of voters not affiliated with either major party agree.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of Democrats express confidence in their representatives in Congress. An overwhelming majority (81%) of GOP voters and 77% of unaffiliateds have little or no confidence in their congressional representatives.

Just 20% of all voters believe that most members of Congress always get reelected because they do a good job representing their constituents.

Republican candidates now hold a five-point lead over Democrats in the latest edition of the Generic Congressional Ballot, a further narrowing of the gap between the two parties to the smallest margin this year.

Most voters believe it would be better for the country if most of the current members of Congress were not elected this November.

Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it's free) or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.

Venezuelan speeders beware: President Chavez pulls over, scolds lead-footed motorist

Venezuelan speeders beware: President Chavez pulls over, scolds lead-footed motorist -

Hugo Chavez has a new pet peeve: speeding drivers who he says are creating mayhem on Venezuela's highways.

Chavez says he recently was tailgated in the slow lane by a young man in a truck who unknowingly honked at the president and then passed him on the shoulder.

But Chavez didn't let it go at that. He says he chased down the vehicle — probably with the presidential motorcade in tow — and scolded the remorseful motorist.

Chavez, who is known to enjoy driving himself on road trips from time to time, said Sunday on his weekly broadcast show that "there's madness on the highways."

He urged police to crack down on speeding and spread the word that reckless driving won't be tolerated.

Sunday, 23 May 2010

32 States Have Borrowed from the Federal Government to Make Unemployment Payments - total balance May 2010 - $37.8 billion -

32 States Have Borrowed from the Federal Government to Make Unemployment Payments - total balance May 2010 - $37.8 billion -

EconomicPolicyJournal.com has learned that 32 states have run out funds to make unemployment benefit payments and that the federal government has been supplying these states with funds so that they can make their payments to the unemployed. In some cases, states have borrowed billions. As of May 20, the total balance outstanding by 32 states (and the Virgin Islands) is $37.8 billion.

The state of California has borrowed $6.9 billion. Michigan has borrowed $3.9 billion, Illinois $2.2 billion.

Below is the full list of the 32 states (and the Virgin Islands) that have borrowed from the federal government to make unemployment payments, and the amounts that remain borrowed as of May 20 . (Numbers in red are billions)

Alabama $ 283 million

Arkansas 330 million

California 6.9 billion

Colorado 253 million

Connecticut 498 million

Delaware 12 million

Florida 1.6 billion

Georgia 416 million

Idaho 202 million

Illinois 2.2 billion

Indiana 1.7 billion

Kansas 88 million

Kentucky 795 million

Maryland 133 million

Mass. 387 million

Michigan 3.9 billion

Minnesota 477 million

Missouri 722 million

Nevada 397 million

New Jersey 1.7 billion

New York 3.2 billion

N.C. 2.1 billion

Ohio 2.3 billion

Penn. 3.0 billion

R.I. 225 million

S.C. 886 million

S.D. 24 million

Tennessee 21 million

Texas 1.0 billion

Vermont 33 million

Virginia 346 million

Virgin Islands 13 million

Wisconsin 1.4 billion

Total $37.8 billion

Toyota Uses Gangster Music & White Soccer Moms For New TV Ad - Bad, really, really Bad -

Saturday, 22 May 2010

DC High school students complaining that the free condoms are not of good enough quality and are too small -

High school students and college-age adults have been complaining to District officials that the free condoms the city has been offering are not of good enough quality and are too small and that getting them from school nurses is "just like asking grandma or auntie."

So D.C. officials have decided to stock up on Trojan condoms, including the company's super-size Magnum variety, and they have begun to authorize teachers or counselors, preferably male, to distribute condoms to students if the teachers complete a 30-minute online training course called "WrapMC" -- for Master of Condoms.
"If people get what they don't want, they are just going to trash them," said T. Squalls, 30, who attends the University of the District of Columbia. "So why not spend a few extra dollars and get what people want?"
Health officials and consumer advocates say that in terms of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, there's no difference between Trojans and the less-expensive Durex condoms that the city is offering.
But because Trojans are considered the better-known brand, city officials say, they are willing to spend an extra few thousand dollars a year to try to persuade sexually active teenagers to practice safer sex. The Durex condoms will still be offered.
"We thought making condoms available was a good thing, but we never asked the kids what they wanted," said D.C. Council member David A. Catania (I-At Large), chairman of the health committee.
The addition of the more expensive Trojan condoms is the latest move in an effort by officials to flood city streets with latex to battle HIV/AIDS.
The District, where 3 percent of residents have HIV, studies show, recently received a grant to offer free female condoms. And, in what is thought to be a first for a local government, the city is mailing up to 10 free condoms at a time to residents who request them online. Free condoms are also available at more than 100 locations, including barbershops, liquor stores and youth centers.
"We want to support the regularization of condom use citywide," said Shannon L. Hader, director of the city's HIV/AIDS administration. "We are promoting this idea that using condoms is healthy . . . to try to destigmatize condom use, not only for kids, but for grown-ups."
Scientists and D.C. health officials said the appeal of Trojan condoms can be attributed to the company's marketing strategy, including the packaging of Magnums in a shiny, gold wrapper.
"The gold package certainly has a little bit of the bling quality," said Michael Kharfen, a spokesman for the city's HIV/AIDS administration.

Read more -http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/20/AR2010052003980.html

Thursday, 20 May 2010

Bus driver CCTV narrowly avoided plowing into a baby girl as she sat half-naked in the middle of a busy road -

A bus driver has told how he narrowly avoided plowing into a baby girl as she sat half-naked in the middle of a busy road.
Mike Hubbard was on his usual San Antonio bus route just after midnight when he saw a creature in the road ahead of him.
Thinking it was a dog he sounded his horn but then, to his horror, he realised it was a baby in a nappy.
He slammed on the brakes, stopping just inches from the infant.
The incident would almost be unbelievable had it not been caught on a CCTV camera on the front of the bus.
"I was definitely in shock,' Mr Hubbard told local Texas news station WOAI-TV.
"From a distance I can't tell exactly what it is. It looks like a dog, something moving around, I can't really tell what it was.
"I started slowing down and then I noticed it's a baby in the middle of the street."
He continued: "To me he looked like he was eight months old with a pamper, just sitting there.
"I couldn't tell if he was eating something or not. But, his eyes got real big when he saw the big old bus in front of him."
In another strange twist, as the shaken driver rushed out to check the baby, its father appeared and simply grabbed her and ran off without even thanking Mr Hubbard for his quick action.
The infant has since been identified as Destiny Flores, a young girl who, as a result of the near miss, is now the subject of a custody battle.
The bus company VIA reported the incident, last May, to Texas child protection services who have yet to decide whether Destiny and her two sisters can stay with their parents.
Destiny's mother Catherine Gonzalez, 25, and her husband are fighting to keep their children, claiming it was just an unfortunate accident.
Mrs Gonzalez said the youngsters were in the living room watching TV and she had no idea Destiny had escaped until she heard a horn and a screeching sound as the bus braked.
"We had the door open, but there's a screen door. I had the lock on it, but I don't know, maybe I didn't put it all the way and she just snuck out. I really can't even tell you," she told WOAI-TV.
"It was just an accident, that's all it was. It's not like we weren't paying attention, you know. I could have swore all my kids were in the back watching TV and they were doing fine. It was just the biggest accident and it hurts me."

Chief of Protocol of the US slipped on the steps of the White House before the arrival of Mexican President Calderon -

Chief of Protocol of the United States Capricia Penavic Marshall slipped on the steps of the North Portico of the White House before the arrival of Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife Margarita Zavala to the State Dinner. President Obama cautioned photographers "Don't take that picture" and Michelle Obama added "Don't print that picture!"

Read more -http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/19/capricia-penavic-marshall_n_582610.html

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

Hewlett Packard Co. Labs researcher says there's interest in a cow power project - 10,000 cows can power 1,000 servers -

Reducing energy consumption in data centers, particularly with the prospect of a federal carbon tax, is pushing vendors to explore an ever-growing range of ideas.

HP engineers say that biogas may, excuse this, offer a fresh alternative energy approach for IT managers.

Researchers at Hewlett Packard Co.'s HP Labs presented a paper (download PDF) on using cow manure from dairy farms and cattle feedlots and other "digested farm waste" to generate electricity to an American Society of Mechanical Engineers conference held this week.

In the paper, the research team calculates that "a hypothetical farm of 10,000 dairy cows" could power a 1 MW data center -- or on the order of 1,000 servers.

It's just an idea sketched out on paper by a research team; no demonstration project has yet been planned. "I've not yet submitted a purchase order for cows," said Tom Christian, an HP researcher, in an e-mail on early Wednesday,

Later today, as the paper attracted more and more attention, Christian sent a follow-up e-mail noting that HP labs had since received two inquirers about building a demonstration project. "The responses have been quite serious," he said.

Organic matter is already used by farms to generate power through a process called anaerobic digestion that produces a methane rich biogas. HP's paper looks at how the process could be extended to run a data center, starting with the amount of manure produced by your typical dairy cow and working up from there.

Another trend that makes the idea of turning organic waste into usable power for data centers is the moves by several firms to build facilities in rural locations, where high-speed networks allow them to take advantage of the cost advantages of such areas.

But there are some practical problems, not the least of which is connecting a data center to the cows.

"What's the reality of getting 10,000 cows in once place?" said Angie McEliece, an environmental consultant for RCM International in Berkeley, Calif., which makes digester systems. The average size dairy farm in the U.S. includes less than 1,000 cows; farms with 5,000 cows is quite unusual, she said.

McEliece had not seen HP's paper, but said the power estimates seem correct for 10,000 cows, though the process wouldn't be practical. She noted that other organic data center energy sources, such as landfills and waste from food manufacturers, be examined as well.

Farms that now use anaerobic digestion system to generate electricity and heat typically get some funding from federal and state grants. In such cases, a payback of four years or less on the technology is likely. Without grants, the payback can be about 10 years, said McEliece.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to this study, estimates that there are 125 operating digester projects at commercial livestock facilities in the U.S. In 2008 they produced, in total, 290 million kWh, according to HP's research.

Tuesday, 18 May 2010

Children exposed to organophosphates on fruit and veg are more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -

Children exposed to organophosphates on fruit and veg are more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -

Fruit.

Children exposed to higher levels of a type of pesticide found in trace amounts on commercially grown fruit and vegetables are more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than children with less exposure, a nationwide study suggests.
Researchers measured the levels of pesticide byproducts in the urine of 1,139 children from across the United States. Children with above-average levels of one common byproduct had roughly twice the odds of getting a diagnosis of ADHD, according to the study, which appears in the journal Pediatrics.
Exposure to the pesticides, known as organophosphates, has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems in children in the past, but previous studies have focused on communities of farm workers and other high-risk populations. This study is the first to examine the effects of exposure in the population at large.
Organophosphates are "designed" to have toxic effects on the nervous system, says the lead author of the study, Maryse Bouchard, Ph.D., a researcher in the department of environmental and occupational health at the University of Montreal. "That's how they kill pests."
The pesticides act on a set of brain chemicals closely related to those involved in ADHD, Bouchard explains, "so it seems plausible that exposure to organophosphates could be associated with ADHD-like symptoms."
Health.com: Seven stars with ADHD
Environmental Protection Agency regulations have eliminated most residential uses for the pesticides (including lawn care and termite extermination), so the largest source of exposure for children is believed to be food, especially commercially grown produce. Adults are exposed to the pesticides as well, but young children appear to be especially sensitive to them, the researchers say.

Read more -http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/17/pesticides.adhd/index.html?hpt=T2

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