E-reader News Edition 21/12/09 - 22/12/09 http://www.LibertyNewsprint.

com

Ho Ho Healthcare New York a hell of a

By Deborah Zabarenko (Front
Row Washington) place, survey finds
Submitted at 12/22/2009 7:51:32 AM
(World news and comment recently ravaged by hurricane
from the Guardian | Katrina.
Nothing says Christmas in guardian.co.uk)
Washington like a cloture vote! Then come Hawaii and Florida –
Keep those fir trees, ornaments, Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:23:37 AM no surprises there – and the sun-
the city blanketed in white — rich states of Tennessee, Arizona
though of course the U.S. capital Survey finds state is the least and Mississippi.
has all of those this year too. happy place in America, with And there, right at the bottom,
What real Washingtonians are hurricane-ravaged Louisiana even beneath Connecticut and
looking for is a getaway by coming in as happiest that much-maligned state New
December 25. And with an early N o w N e w Y o r k e r s h a v e Jersey, comes New York.
morning vote today to cut off something real to complain Asked whether he was surprised
Senate debate on healthcare about. A study of statistical by New York's apparently deeply
reform legislation, it could information about the 50 US miserable condition, Oswald said
actually happen. states (or in this case 51 — the only a little.
the week leading up to Christmas town while senators hang around survey includes Washington DC) "Many people think these states
It’s all about cloture. And don’t is pushing the envelope.
for a series of healthcare votes.
feel bad if you’ve never seen that Veteran Washington-watchers The first cloture vote was early has concluded that New York is would be marvellous places to
word before. It’s an inside-the- r e c a l l t h e d a y s w h e n U . S . on Monday, the second was this the least happy place in America. live in," he said. "The problem is
B e l t w a y t e r m t h a t m e a n s lawmakers came back for a week morning and a third one is To add insult to injury, one of that if too many individuals think
agreeing to limit legislative or two after Thanksgiving and expected on Wednesday. the two economics professors that way, they move into those
debate. Cloture requires a 60- then headed home to their For more Reuters political news, who pulled together the study is a s t a t e s , a n d t h e r e s u l t i n g
vote majority of the 100-member districts for a long holiday break. click here. Brit, Andrew Oswald from congestion and house prices
Senate, rather than a simple That tradition was broken, Warwick University. make it a non-fulfilling
P h o t o c r e d i t : Oswald and his New York p r o p h e c y . "
majority. It’s going to take three definitively, in 1998, when they REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (A
cloture votes to get to the final stayed in session until December snowy Capitol Hill during the colleague Stephen Wu pooled • United States
vote on the bill, expected late on 19 to impeach President Bill S e n a t e h e a l t h c a r e d e b a t e , information from public sources
Christmas Eve. to estimate the happiness levels guardian.co.uk© Guardian News
Clinton. This year, the House of D e c e m b e r 1 9 , 2 0 0 9 ) across the states. & Media Limited 2009 | Use of
The mere fact that members of Representatives has already left
Congress are still working during Top of the list comes Louisiana, this content is subject to our
which is in itself an eyecatching Terms & Conditions| More Feeds
finding given that it was only
2 Top News/ E-reader News Edition

McCain vows to press fight against Democratic deal-making

on health reform
By David Alexander (Front where they could grab control of He vowed to travel the country, healthcare reform bill and more won a deal providing extra
Row Washington) the floor and talk the measure to visiting town halls, senior centers would balk at the measure once Medicaid funds for his state and
Submitted at 12/21/2009 12:54:12 PM
death. and Rotary Clubs to rally “they find out about this ensuring federal funds would not
The move prompted Republicans opposition to the healthcare unsavory process.” be used for abortions.
A Senate healthcare vote in the to cry foul. War hero McCain reform bill. McCain cited “the Cornhusker Senator Mary Landrieu got a
wee hours Monday morning got gave notice that he wasn’t letting “We have just begun to fight,” he kickback, the Louisiana $300 million increase in
Senator John McCain riled up go. He invoked war hero and said. purchase, the Florida flim-flam” Medicaid for her state of
and quoting Revolutionary War naval Captain John Paul Jones, The battle lines of McCain’s — Republican names for various Louisiana in exchange for her
hero John Paul Jones. who famously rejected fight were taking shape by deals the Democratic leadership backing.
The 60-40 procedural vote let suggestions of surrender and told Monday morning talk show time. made with senators to win their And Florida Senator Bill Nelson
Democrats limit debate on the his British opponent, “I have not He told ABC’s “Good Morning backing. got a deal that to protect
healthcare bill and quashed any yet begun to fight.” America” program that 60 Senator Ben Nelson of
MCCAIN page 3
Republican hopes for a filibuster, McCain was rather less pithy. percent of the public opposed the Nebraska, the Cornhusker state,
E-reader News Edition
Traffic complaint? You travel by motorcade!
By Patricia Zengerle (Front
Row Washington)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:50:33 AM
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
was surprised on his “Ask the
Governor” monthly radio show
on Tuesday when caller “Barry
from DC” turned out to be a
particularly well-known “Barry”
from Washington, D.C. — U.S.
President Barack Obama, not a
listener he was told was
telephoning to complain about
traffic, a laughable suggestion
given the president cuts through
Washington’s notorious gridlock
with the assistance of a multi-
vehicle motorcade and heavily
armed security detail.
The president’s call to Kaine had
been arranged in advance as a
MCCAIN
continued from page 2
Medicare Advantage benefits for
voters in his state.
It wasn’t just the wheeling and
dealing that had McCain upset.
“If the bill were signed by the
president on the first of January,
the taxes would kick in and the
Medicare cuts and other cuts kick
in, and it wouldn’t be (until) four
years later that any of the benefits
begin to accrue,” McCain told
“Good Morning America. ”
Vaporware 2009: Inhale the Fail
By Michael Calore (Wired Top
Stories)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 5:15:00 PM
Wired.com's 12th annual
surprise to the governor, who is
also chairman of the Democratic
National Committee, to mark his
last time on the show, which
airs on Washington radio station
WTOP. Virginia’s constitution
limits its governors to one four-
“What is that?” he said. “That’s
nutty stuff.”
For more Reuters political news,
click here.
Photo credit: Reuters/Joshua (BloggingStocks)
Roberts (McCain in his office
during interview)
roundup of the tech industry's tens of millions of dollars from
most promised, hyped and Citibank by computer hackers.
anticipated products that never
actually shipped.
year term in office and Kaine will
be succeeded next month by
Republican Bob McDonnell.
“Governor Kaine, this is actually
the president of the United States
calling,” Obama said and
congratulated Kaine on his
Citibank Loses Millions Thanks to a
Cyber Security Breach
By Mark Fightmaster
Submitted at 12/22/2009 12:20:00 PM
Filed under: Other issues,
Rumors, Citigroup Inc. (C)
The Wall Street
Journal(subscription required)
reports that the FBI is looking
into a potential computer-security
breach that resulted in the theft of
These hackers appear to be
linked to a Russian cyber gang
Top News/ Finance/ Gadgets/ Tech News/
service as governor. With
Kaine’s help, Obama won the
state of Virginia in the 2008
presidential election, becoming
the first Democratic presidential
candidate to take the state since
1964.
“OK, get back to your calls,”
Obama instructed Kaine as their
chat ended, delaying by two
minutes the station’s trademark
“traffic and weather on the
eights,” which promises listeners
those reports at 8, 18, 28, 38, 48
and 58 minutes after each hour.
Then-Senator Barack Obama (R)
applauds on stage with Virginia
Governor Tim Kaine (L) during
an election rally in Bristol,
Virginia, on June 5, 2008.
REUTERS/Jason Reed
who targeted Citigroup's ( C)
Citibank subsidiary, including its
North American retail bank and
other businesses. This attack was
detected over the summer, but
there is a chance that it could
3
The Galactic Empire
Has Taken Over Wall
Street [Star Wars]
By Rosa Golijan (Gizmodo)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:59:37 AM
It seems that Wall Street is
finally an official part of a dark
empire. Or at least that's the
impression I'm getting from
seeing Darth Vader himself
ringing the opening bell at the
New York Stock Exchange
earlier.
Wonder if that long awkward
silence is because everyone's
trying to think of a non-obvious
joke about this whole thing. [
Thanks, OMG! Ponies!]
have happened as much as a year
earlier.
Continue reading Citibank Loses
Millions Thanks to a Cyber
Security Breach
Citibank Loses Millions Thanks
to a Cyber Security Breach
originally appeared on
BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Dec
2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see
our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink| Email this| Comments
4 World/
How do I know China wrecked the Copenhagen deal? I was in
the room | Mark Lynas
By Mark Lynas (World news
and comment from the
Guardian | guardian.co.uk)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:54:46 AM
As recriminations fly post-
Copenhagen, one writer offers a
fly-on-the-wall account of how
talks failed
Copenhagen was a disaster. That
much is agreed. But the truth
about what actually happened is
in danger of being lost amid the
spin and inevitable mutual
recriminations. The truth is this:
China wrecked the talks,
intentionally humiliated Barack
Obama, and insisted on an awful
"deal" so western leaders would
walk away carrying the blame.
How do I know this? Because I
was in the room and saw it
happen.
China's strategy was simple:
block the open negotiations for
two weeks, and then ensure that
the closed-door deal made it look
as if the west had failed the
world's poor once again. And
sure enough, the aid agencies,
civil society movements and
environmental groups all took the
bait. The failure was "the
inevitable result of rich countries
refusing adequately and fairly to
shoulder their overwhelming
responsibility", said Christian
Aid. "Rich countries have bullied
developing nations," fumed
Friends of the Earth
International.
All very predictable, but the
complete opposite of the truth.
Even George Monbiot, writing in
yesterday's Guardian, made the
mistake of singly blaming
Obama. But I saw Obama
fighting desperately to salvage a
deal, and the Chinese delegate
saying "no", over and over again.
Monbiot even approvingly
quoted the Sudanese delegate
Lumumba Di-Aping, who
denounced the Copenhagen
accord as "a suicide pact, an
incineration pact, in order to
maintain the economic
dominance of a few countries".
Sudan behaves at the talks as a
puppet of China; one of a number
of countries that relieves the
Chinese delegation of having to
fight its battles in open sessions.
It was a perfect stitch-up. China
gutted the deal behind the scenes,
and then left its proxies to savage
it in public.
Here's what actually went on late
last Friday night, as heads of
state from two dozen countries
met behind closed doors. Obama
was at the table for several hours,
sitting between Gordon Brown
and the Ethiopian prime minister,
Meles Zenawi. The Danish prime
minister chaired, and on his right
sat Ban Ki-moon, secretary-
general of the UN. Probably only
about 50 or 60 people, including
the heads of state, were in the
room. I was attached to one of
the delegations, whose head of
state was also present for most of
the time.
What I saw was profoundly
shocking. The Chinese premier,
Wen Jinbao, did not deign to
attend the meetings personally,
instead sending a second-tier
official in the country's foreign
ministry to sit opposite Obama
himself. The diplomatic snub was
obvious and brutal, as was the
practical implication: several
times during the session, the
world's most powerful heads of
state were forced to wait around
as the Chinese delegate went off
to make telephone calls to his
"superiors".
Shifting the blame
To those who would blame
Obama and rich countries in
general, know this: it was China's
representative who insisted that
industrialised country targets,
previously agreed as an 80% cut
by 2050, be taken out of the deal.
"Why can't we even mention our
own targets?" demanded a
furious Angela Merkel.
Australia's prime minister, Kevin
Rudd, was annoyed enough to
bang his microphone. Brazil's
representative too pointed out the
illogicality of China's position.
Why should rich countries not
announce even this unilateral
cut? The Chinese delegate said
no, and I watched, aghast, as
Merkel threw up her hands in
despair and conceded the point.
Now we know why – because
China bet, correctly, that Obama
would get the blame for the
Copenhagen accord's lack of
ambition.
China, backed at times by India,
then proceeded to take out all the
numbers that mattered. A 2020
peaking year in global emissions,
essential to restrain temperatures
to 2C, was removed and replaced
by woolly language suggesting
that emissions should peak "as
soon as possible". The long-term
target, of global 50% cuts by
2050, was also excised. No one
else, perhaps with the exceptions
of India and Saudi Arabia,
wanted this to happen. I am
certain that had the Chinese not
been in the room, we would have
left Copenhagen with a deal that
had environmentalists popping
champagne corks popping in
every corner of the world.
Strong position
So how did China manage to
pull off this coup? First, it was in
an extremely strong negotiating
position. China didn't need a
deal. As one developing country
foreign minister said to me: "The
Athenians had nothing to offer to
the Spartans." On the other hand,
western leaders in particular –
but also presidents Lula of Brazil,
Zuma of South Africa, Calderón
of Mexico and many others –
were desperate for a positive
outcome. Obama needed a strong
deal perhaps more than anyone.
The US had confirmed the offer
E-reader News Edition
of $100bn to developing
countries for adaptation, put
serious cuts on the table for the
first time (17% below 2005
levels by 2020), and was
obviously prepared to up its
offer.
Above all, Obama needed to be
able to demonstrate to the Senate
that he could deliver China in any
global climate regulation
framework, so conservative
senators could not argue that US
carbon cuts would further
advantage Chinese industry. With
midterm elections looming,
Obama and his staff also knew
that Copenhagen would be
probably their only opportunity
to go to climate change talks with
a strong mandate. This further
strengthened China's negotiating
hand, as did the complete lack of
civil society political pressure on
either China or India. Campaign
groups never blame developing
countries for failure; this is an
iron rule that is never broken.
The Indians, in particular, have
become past masters at co-opting
the language of equity ("equal
rights to the atmosphere") in the
service of planetary suicide – and
leftish campaigners and
commentators are hoist with their
own petard.
With the deal gutted, the heads
of state session concluded with a
final battle as the Chinese
HOW page 8
E-reader News Edition World/ 5

We do: Mexico City blazes trail with legalisation of same-sex

marriage
By Rory Carroll (World news emerge from the closet and and whites or Indians and proportion who said they would itself "heterosexual friendly".
and comment from the challenge traditional macho Europeans. Today all barriers not like to have homosexuals as Buenos Aires legalised same-sex
Guardian | guardian.co.uk) stereotypes. The trend contrasts have disappeared." neighbours plunged from 59% in civil unions in 2002 but
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:29:10 AM with recent votes against same- Conservatives condemned the 1995 to 29% this year, according conflicting judicial rulings
sex marriage in the United States, change as an affront to those who to a Latinobarómetro poll taken recently stymied same-sex
Move marks region-wide shift notably California, Maine and lived outside the capital's liberal in 18 countries across the region. marriages. Several other
towards greater tolerance for New York, which have dismayed bubble. Cardinal Norberto Rivera "Tolerance towards homosexuals Argentine cities, as well as
homosexuality activists. Carrera said the law was immoral has been the value dimension that Mexican and Brazilian states,
Gay rights activists across the Mexico's leftist Democratic and that "innocent children" has changed the most in the 15 also permit same-sex unions.
w o r l d c o n s i d e r s a m e - s e x Revolution party (PRD) pushed could be adopted by gay couples. years that we have been Uruguay has become the first
marriage one of their toughest the bill through the capital's President Felipe Calderón's measuring," said Marta Lagos, Latin American country to
goals. Only seven countries assembly 39-20, changing the National Action party said it the Chile-based pollster's recognise such unions and permit
permit it: Belgium, Canada, city's civil code definition of would try to block the law. founding director. "The vast adoption by gay couples.
Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, marriage from the union of a man "They have given Mexicans the majority – 70% – of the Latin Colombia has granted social
South Africa and Sweden. A and a woman to the "free uniting most bitter Christmas," Armando American population tolerates security rights to gay couples; its
handful of US states also allow it. of two people". Martínez, the president of the homosexuals. Fifteen years ago it neighbour Venezuela is
But on Monday night, and The change will permit same-sex College of Catholic Attorneys, was the complete opposite." considering same-sex civil
d e s p i t e o p p o s i t i o n f r o m couples to adopt children, apply told reporters. "They are Lagos attributed the change to unions.
conservatives and the Roman for joint bank loans, inherit permitting adoption [by gay societies becoming more "Before, if you said you were
Catholic church, Mexico City wealth and share insurance couples] and in one stroke of the developed and people becoming gay, you were dead," said
was in the vanguard of a Latin policies. It is a significant pen have erased the term 'mother' more expressive. That did not Alberto Rodriguez, a beautician
America-wide tilt towards greater expansion of rights granted under and 'father'. " mean progressive values were from Venezuela. "But now we're
tolerance for homosexuality. The a 2006 law allowing same-sex Latin American governments prevailing across the board: 36% more accepted. We hold events,
Mexican capital became the first civil unions. have historically persecuted gay said women should stay at home parades and fashion shows." Gay
in Latin America to allow same- The mayor, Marcelo Ebrard, a men and lesbians. Fidel Castro's rather than work, the same rights in Latin America
s e x m a r r i a g e w i t h a crusading leftist from the PRD, Cuba as well as rightwing proportion as in 1997. Opposition Argentina Buenos Aires
groundbreaking law which could was expected to sign the measure dictatorships were openly to abortion also remained high. legalised same-sex civil unions in
set a precedent for gay rights into law, paving the way for the homophobic and punished gays "It doesn't mean Latin American 2002 and was on the verge of
across the region. region's first married gay couple. as deviants from a macho ideal. societies are becoming more permitting the continent's first
The city's assembly passed the Activists inside the chamber Discrimination remains similar to European societies," gay marriage last month when a
legislation, which will also give cheered and waved rainbow widespread, and the minority is said the pollster. court forced it to be suspended.
gay couples the right to adopt banners, scenes repeated outside still vulnerable. Walter Orlando Tolerance is most visible in The couple about to tie the knot
children, in a dramatic vote that as news spread. "We are so Trochez, 27, a prominent gay and capitals, with the likes of Buenos have vowed to fight on for the
triggered celebrations and chants happy," Temistocles Villanueva, anti-coup activist in Honduras, Aires, Bogotá and Mexico City right to be "husband and
of "yes we can" from activists a 23-year-old film student, told was shot dead last week. boasting gay-friendly districts husband".
gathered in the chamber. Associated Press, as he embraced Transgender sex workers across where same-sex couples have no Brazil Famed as the continent's
A r g e n t i n a , C o l o m b i a a n d and kissed his boyfriend. the region often complain of fear of showing affection in most tolerant but now lags
Uruguay have made recent Victor Romo, a member of the violent attacks by police and public. Argentina's capital has behind neighbours on gay rights.
moves towards liberalisation and mayor's party, called it a historic vigilantes. opened Axel, Latin America's A handful of states permit same-
debate is stirring in other day. "For centuries unjust laws But in the last two decades first luxury hotel aimed at gays.
countries, emboldening gays to banned marriage between blacks attitudes have softened. The In a neat twist, it has declared DO: page 7
6 World/ Tech News/ E-reader News Edition

This is no smoking gun, nor Iranian bomb | Norman Dombey

By Norman Dombey (World British foreign secretary, visited urgency. By contrast, the what the Iranians are doing. needs precise timing: this is
news and comment from the Iran in March 1976. The shah Manhattan Project scientists Titanium deuteride is used to difficult using implosion by
Guardian | guardian.co.uk) told him that he was particularly arrived at Los Alamos in early store deuterium gas so that the chemical explosives. Khan is a
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:00:01 AM interested in the UK's fusion 1943, and the Trinity test gas can be generated when it is highly unreliable source. The
programme and "if any occurred in July 1945. heated. It seems to me, therefore, document does not discuss
Nothing in the published opportunity arose whereby Iran Then the documents state that that the function of UD3 is to obtaining neutrons by implosion:
'intelligence documents' shows could come in on the programme, "policy is to develop co- generate deuterium gas so that it it discusses using pulsed neutrons
Iran is close to having nuclear they would be happy to do so". operation with research and can be used in a plasma focus presumably obtained using
weapons That interest has continued for university centres in order to neutron generator. The neutron oscillating magnetic fields.
Seven years ago Condoleezza more than 30 years. In 1993 Iran carry out the projects outside of generator could then produce Perhaps I am wrong. Both fusion
Rice said "there will always be agreed with China to co-operate the centre" and that samples are isotopes for use by other and fission physics involve
some uncertainty" in determining in the study of fusion and there is to be produced "by mutual co- laboratories, hence the reference processes which can be used
how close Iraq may be to an continuing programme of operation … [then presented] to to market samples. UD3 is not either in military or civil
obtaining a nuclear weapon, but work in Tehran. other research centres for known to be used as a neutron applications. But I have read
"we don't want the smoking gun Nuclear fusion is the mechanism marketing purposes". It is initiator in nuclear weapons: it nothing in the documents
to be a mushroom cloud". Now whereby the sun shines and unlikely that nuclear weapon was not used as an initiator in published by the Times to be able
the focus is on Iran, not Iraq. sustains life on earth. Nuclear projects would be distributed American, British or Soviet to conclude that they are
Iran's nuclear projects are in the reactors and atomic bombs rely among several universities, or weapons when those weapons describing an initiator for a
news again. According to the on fission; hydrogen bombs rely weapon parts marketed to were developed. nuclear weapon.
T i m e s l a s t w e e k , a l l e g e d on fusion. There are as yet no research centres. So why the emphasis on UD3 as • Nuclear weapons
" c o n f i d e n t i a l i n t e l l i g e n c e fusion reactors that produce The documents call for two a initiator for a weapon? First, • Iran
documents" show Iran is working energy because, even after 50 physicists with PhDs and two Abdul Qadeer Khan, the • Physics
on testing a key final component years of trying, more energy is with masters degrees to carry out disgraced Pakistani scientist who • Weapons technology
of a nuclear bomb. The notes, the needed to produce fusion than is the work. That doesn't sound like stole centrifuge designs from the • Middle East
newspaper claims, describe "a o b t a i n e d f r o m t h e o u t p u t . a top priority national Dutch uranium enrichment plant • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
four-year plan to test a neutron Nevertheless, industrialised programme. That sounds more at Almelo and began Pakistan's • Nuclear power
initiator, the component of a countries persist in research in like a university research project. weapon project, claimed that • The Times
nuclear bomb that triggers an this field. At present the joint EU Then there is uranium deuteride, UD3 was used as an initiator by • US military
e x p l o s i o n " . P r e s i d e n t -US-Japan-China-India-Korea- or UD3. According to the Times: Pakistan. Second, Chinese • Pakistan
A h m a d i n e j a d y e s t e r d a y Russia Iter project is building a "Critically, while other neutron physicists reported they had • China
denounced the documents as fusion reactor prototype at sources have possible civilian imploded UD3 using chemical • Netherlands
more American forgeries. But Cadarache in France. Research in uses, UD3 has only one explosives and thus obtained a
even if we take them as genuine, this area is allowed by the application – to be the beam of neutrons. So the Norman Dombey
is this a real "smoking gun" – and nuclear non-proliferation treaty. metaphorical match that lights a argument is that China now uses guardian.co.uk© Guardian News
what do the documents show The "intelligence documents" nuclear bomb." That is a UD3 as an initiator, passed the & Media Limited 2009 | Use of
anyway? published by the Times describe surprising statement. In fact the design to Pakistan, which in turn this content is subject to our
In my opinion they should be a four-year project, so if the document's only mention of UD3 passed it to Iran. Terms & Conditions| More Feeds
read recognising the long Iranian Iranians were to build a neutron states that it would prefer not to This is possible, but not
interest in the physics of nuclear initiator for a nuclear weapon it is use it but to replace uranium with demonstrated by the documents.
fusion. Jim Callaghan, then not being treated as a matter of titanium. That gives a clue about A neutron initiator for a weapon

Obama Names Ex-MS Security Chief as Cybersecurity Czar

By Kim Zetter (Wired Top After months of being rejected Obama finally appointed a new
Stories) by other candidates, President cybersecurity coordinator.
E-reader News Edition World/ Tech News/ 7
DO:
Ticketmaster and Live Nation merger given go- continued from page 5

sex unions, and there are thriving

ahead gay scenes in cities such as Rio
de Janeiro and São Paulo, but
By Graeme Wearden, Andrew expressed concern that the deal w o r l d ' s p r e m i e r e l i v e conditions the government might little sign of moves towards gay
Clark (World news and would push up ticket prices or e n t e r t a i n m e n t c o m p a n y " . d e m a n d f r o m t h e m e r g e d marriage.
comment from the Guardian | make it harder for new Chris Edmonds, managing c o m p a n y . " Colombia In 2007 gay couples
guardian.co.uk) companies to break into the box director of Ticketmaster UK, Europe's largest fan-to-fan ticket won the same social security
office market. said: "Today's clearance is an exchange, Seatwave, expressed rights as straight couples, the first
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:16:45 AM
But after lobbying from the two important milestone in the d i s a p p o i n t m e n t w i t h t h e nationwide law of its kind in
• UK green light for world's companies which argued that regulatory review process, and commission's decision, arguing L a t i n A m e r i c a . A l l o w s
biggest concert promoter and critics had overstated their brings the companies a step that the deal will lead to higher homosexuals to include partners
ticket seller influence in the music industry, closer to creating a new kind of ticket prices for concertgoers. in health insurance plans.
• Deal faces US opposition with the commission dropped its live entertainment business." " T h e o n u s i s n o w o n Mexico Mexico City this week
campaign against 'ticketdisaster' opposition. Christopher Clarke, Across the Atlantic, the US Ticketmaster and Live Nation to passed a law permitting same-sex
A contentious merger between deputy chair of the commission, D e p a r t m e n t o f J u s t i c e i s demonstrate tangible, financial, marriage. Builds on a 2006 law
music promoters Ticketmaster admitted it was "unusual" for the considering whether to take c o n s u m e r b e n e f i t , a n d w e permitting same-sex civil unions.
and Live Nation cleared a major competition watchdog to change a c t i o n . A w e b s i t e c a l l e d certainly hope they do," said Uruguay In 2007 it became Latin
hurdle towards completion today its mind in this way. Ticketdisaster.org was launched Seatwave's chief executive, Joe America's first country to legalise
as the Competition Commission A key plank in the commission's last week to put pressure on the C o h e n . " T h e c o m p e t i t i o n same-sex civil unions, granting
executed a surprise U-turn by ruling was the damage that could DoJ and harness grassroots commission have given them an g a y c o u p l e s r i g h t s o v e r
o v e r r i d i n g c o n c e r t f a n s ' be caused to German ticketing opposition, backed by five early Christmas present and now inheritance, pensions and child
scepticism and approving the firm CTS Eventim, which signed Democrat members of Congress we'll wait to see if the US custody. This year it scrapped
deal. a deal with Live Nation to who dislike the merger. department of justice choose to military rules barring gays from
The commission announced that expand into the UK in 2007. The rock star Bruce Springsteen stand up for fans or give them a the armed forces.
it no longer believed that the Now, though, the commission has lent his voice to the merger's lump of coal." • Gay rights
public will suffer if the two has accepted Live Nation's critics, urging his fans to lobby • Music industry • Mexico
companies combine forces. But, argument that CTS will not lose their political representatives to • Ticket prices • Civil partnerships
with opponents in America o u t , a n d t h a t i t w o u l d b e p r e v e n t a " n e a r - m o n o p o l y • United States • United States
campaigning vigorously for the complicated and unfair to force situation in music ticketing". • Madonna
US department of justice to give the merged entity to sell off its Industry experts suggested that • Bruce Springsteen Rory Carroll
a red light to the tie-up, it could UK ticketing arm. the British decision meant the tie- • U2 guardian.co.uk© Guardian News
still be blocked. Ticketmaster, the world's largest up has a good chance of reaching • Rihanna & Media Limited 2009 | Use of
Live Nation is the world's largest ticket seller, sold more than fruition. this content is subject to our
c o n c e r t p r o m o t e r , w h i l e 140m tickets last year, while Live "The UK decision is surprising Graeme Wearden Andrew Clark Terms & Conditions| More Feeds
Ticketmaster sells more tickets to Nation's roster of stars includes but it sets the stage that the deal guardian.co.uk© Guardian News
its events than any other vendor. Pink, Rihanna, Madonna and U2. could clear with US regulators," & Media Limited 2009 | Use of
The pair announced plans to The two firms welcomed today's said Tuna Amobi, equity analyst this content is subject to our
merge in February and Britain's decision, saying it "paved the at Standard & Poor's. "The only Terms & Conditions| More Feeds
competition authority initially way for the creation of the q u e s t i o n m i g h t b e w h a t

Dec. 22, 1882: Looking at Christmas in a New Light

By Tony Long (Wired Top The Christmas tree gets a high- the beginning of a long, tangled tangles.
Stories) tech addition: electric light. It's story, or rather a story about long
8 World/ Tech/ E-reader News Edition
HOW
France may ban burka in public continued from page 4

delegate insisted on removing the striking display in Copenhagen.

By Lizzy Davies (World news been initially envisaged," Copé out in favour of some kind of law 1.5C target so beloved of the Its coal-based economy doubles
and comment from the said at a press conference. banning the burka, a stance
Guardian | guardian.co.uk) small island states and low-lying every decade, and its power
He rebuffed claims that such a which polls have shown has nations who have most to lose increases commensurately. Its
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:03:36 AM step would be an affront to considerable public support. from rising seas. President leadership will not alter this
individual freedoms. France, which is in the middle of Nasheed of the Maldives, magic formula unless they
Nicolas Sarkozy's ruling party Debate about the burka or niqab, an incendiary debate about supported by Brown, fought absolutely have to.
cites concern over women's and its compatibility with the national identity and immigration valiantly to save this crucial Copenhagen was much worse
freedom in taking tough line with republican values of freedom, that has often focused on the number. "How can you ask my than just another bad deal,
legislation secularism and gender equality, integration of the country's 6 country to go extinct?" demanded because it illustrated a profound
French women could be banned has been raging in France since million Muslims, has indicated a Nasheed. The Chinese delegate shift in global geopolitics. This is
from wearing the full Islamic veil S a r k o z y c a l l e d f o r a willingness to crack down on an feigned great offence – and the fast becoming China's century,
in public under legislation to be parliamentary commission to item of clothing deemed by some number stayed, but surrounded yet its leadership has displayed
proposed by Nicolas Sarkozy's investigate it in June. to be misogynistic and alienating. by language which makes it all that multilateral environmental
ruling party next month. That committee, which has been Sarkozy himself, while keeping but meaningless. The deed was governance is not only not a
J e a n - F r a n c o i s C o p é , hearing evidence from a wide- clear of the question of done. priority, but is viewed as a
parliamentary leader of the range of figures including Oxford legislation, declared earlier this China's game hindrance to the new
rightwing majority UMP, said a -based scholar Tariq Ramadan year that burkas were "not All this raises the question: what superpower's freedom of action. I
law banning face-covering in o v e r t h e p a s t s i x m o n t h s , welcome" on French soil. is China's game? Why did China, left Copenhagen more
public places would be submitted wrapped up its work last week However, some members of his in the words of a UK-based despondent than I have felt in a
to parliament early next year. and is due to report back to government, mindful that an analyst who also spent hours in long time. After all the hope and
Citing concerns over women's parliament next month. outright ban is likely to spark heads of state meetings, "not only all the hype, the mobilisation of
freedom and "public order", he But Copé's law will be put accusations of Islamophobia, reject targets for itself, but also thousands, a wave of optimism
said a total ban was justified by forward before those results are have expressed support for a refuse to allow any other country crashed against the rock of global
growing fears over equality in made public. Many accused him more moderate law. to take on binding targets?" The power politics, fell back, and
France, home to Europe's largest of rushing into heavy-handed • France analyst, who has attended climate drained away.
Muslim population. legislation in an area that needed • Islam conferences for more than 15 • Copenhagen climate change
Copé's proposal, which is to be treated with the utmost • Religion years, concludes that China conference 2009
backed by a number of MPs in sensitivity. wants to weaken the climate • Climate change
Sarkozy's party, is considerably "The UMP says that a law is Lizzy Davies regulation regime now "in order • China
more hardline than another essential. I would like to see all guardian.co.uk© Guardian News to avoid the risk that it might be • Carbon emissions
suggested measure that would other possibilities explored first," & Media Limited 2009 | Use of called on to be more ambitious in • Activism
aim to outlaw face-covering in s a i d F r a n ç o i s S a u v a d e t , this content is subject to our a few years' time".
public services such as post parliamentary chief of the centrist Terms & Conditions| More Feeds This does not mean China is not Mark Lynas
offices and town halls. Nouveau Centre party. serious about global warming. It guardian.co.uk© Guardian News
"We are going further than had He has, however, also spoken is strong in both the wind and & Media Limited 2009 | Use of
solar industries. But China's this content is subject to our
Meebo Bar now available for all growth, and growing global
political and economic
Terms & Conditions| More Feeds
By Harrison Hoffman large blogs and businesses, the Originally posted at The Web
(Webware.com) dominance, is based largely on
Meebo Bar, which features a Services Report cheap coal. China knows it is
Submitted at 12/21/2009 2:12:22 PM
variety of sharing and chat becoming an uncontested
options, is now available to superpower; indeed its newfound
Previously only available to everyone. muscular confidence was on
E-reader News Edition World/ Finance/ Gadgets/ 9

Chinese medicine firm Hutchison Where Is Palm Headed

Chi-Med employs Cambridge After the Hype from
University to research remedies Last Summer?
By Richard Wray (World news heart disease, the Shexiang Chi-Med is controlled by By Brian White
and comment from the Baoxin pill, and sold over 400 Hutchison Whampoa, a Hong (BloggingStocks)
Guardian | guardian.co.uk) million doses of the drug in Kong conglomerate that owns Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:00:00 PM
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:11:53 AM China over the first half of this ports and telephone companies in
year. It has been shown to have the UK, and is headed by Asia's Filed under: Bad news,
Manufacturer Hutchison Chi- h e a l i n g p r o p e r t i e s b u t t h e richest man, Li Ka-shing. Competitive strategy, Palm Inc
Med signs three-year deal with research deal announced today Hutchison was also behind the (PALM)
Cambridge pharmacologists to will focus research on the core creation of Orange in the early Palm Inc. ( PALM) seemed like
f i n d a c t i v e i n g r e d i e n t s i n ingredients of the pill. The 1990s. a company with a solid Although Sprint's network, at this
traditional medicines medicine has been shown to The company's key product to comeback plan last summer. time, fares way better than
Hutchison Chi-Med, the Chinese control angiogenesis, the growth date is HMPL-004, a compound After more than a year of AT&T's ( T) network that is
medicine company backed by the of new capillary blood vessels in based on a Chinese remedy for downward spiraling, the constantly being made fun of, the
firm that created mobile phone t h e b o d y . D y s f u n c t i o n a l inflammation of the bowel, company was on the verge of Pre still didn't slow down iPhone
group Orange, has signed up the angiogenesis is associated with which Chi-Med is hoping will releasing its hottest product purchases.
University of Cambridge to more than 80 diseases, from prove a winning treatment for probably ever, the Palm Pre. This Continue reading Where Is Palm
investigate the potential healing cancer and diabetic eye problems ulcerative colitis and Crohn's was supposed to be the wireless Headed After the Hype from Last
and anti-aging properties of a to stroke. disease. Trials are ongoing. handset that would finally Summer?
number of the group's herbal Modulation of angiogenesis in • Pharmaceuticals industry challenge the Apple ( AAPL) Where Is Palm Headed After the
remedies. the skin has also been shown to • Medical research iPhone with it's slick user Hype from Last Summer?
Aim-listed Chi-Med sells affect skin aging and over the • University of Cambridge interface and svelte design. originally appeared on
traditional medicines in China three years of the Cambridge tie- • China Sales of the Pre in recent BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Dec
and also has a research and up, which will be run by Dr Tai- quarters were indeed decent, 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see
d e v e l o p m e n t l a b o r a t o r y i n ping Fan of the university's Richard Wray although Palm's decision to our terms for use of feeds. Read|
Shanghai where its scientists department of pharmacology, guardian.co.uk© Guardian News choose Sprint Nextel ( S) as its Permalink| Email this| Comments
analyse herbal remedies, some scientists will try to identify & Media Limited 2009 | Use of exclusive launch partner may
dating back 2,000 years, to ingredients that could be used in this content is subject to our have dampened things a bit.
establish their active ingredients. skin care products to be marketed Terms & Conditions| More Feeds
The company already has a under Chi-Med's Sen consumer
proprietary patent medicine for products brand.

The camera blast shield is a one tough cookie

By Matt Burns (CrunchGear)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:30:48 AM
This is just cool. The pic is of a
camera blast shield that’s used to make. That is, of course, if
capture those spectacular but you’re interested in building a
deadly explosion videos. The camera to record all the shit you
best part is that this is homemade device seems somewhat easy to blow up. Video after the jump.
10 Finance/ Gadgets/ Tech News/ E-reader News Edition

Jabil Circuit Q1
Yelp rival,
Earnings Beat Estimates ReachLocal,
By Brent Archer could be a good time to look at a
(BloggingStocks) bullish hedged trade on JBL.
JBL opened this morning at
Files for an IPO
Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:20:00 PM
$16.01. So far today the stock By Tom Taulli
Filed under: Major movement, has hit a low of $15.76 and a (BloggingStocks)
Earnings reports, Good news, high of $16.49. As of 11:55, JBL Submitted at 12/22/2009 2:00:00 PM
Options, Technical Analysis Jabil is trading at $16.46 up $1.44
Circuit ( JBL- option chain) (9.6%). The chart for JBL looks Filed under: Google (GOOG),
shares are rising today after the bullish and S&P gives JBL a Initial public offerings Lately, the
company reported earnings last positive 4 STARS (out of 5) buy market for local online
night, posting a first-quarter ranking.
profit of $28.3 million, or 13 Continue reading Jabil Circuit
Heartland Publications advertising has heated up. Based
on various reports, it looks like
cents per share. JBL's core Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates
earnings came in at 32 cents per Jabil Circuit Q1 Earnings Beat Files for Bankruptcy
share on revenue of $3.1 billion, Estimates originally appeared on By Zac Bissonnette
Google ( GOOG) was ready to
pay $550 million for Yelp, which
is a leader in the space. But the
operating results" for the filing. deal fell to pieces -- probably
topping analysts' forecasts of 29 BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Dec (BloggingStocks) Increases in the minimum wage because of a disagreement on the
cents per share on revenue of 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see have also been a problem.
$3.1 billion. If you think that the our terms for use of feeds. Submitted at 12/22/2009 12:40:00 PM valuation.
T h e c o m p a n y r e a c h e d a This definitely bodes well for
stock won't fall by too much in Permalink| Email this| Comments Filed under: Newspapers Even restructuring deal with its first- another player, ReachLocal. In
the coming months, then now the week of Christmas isn't lien lenders, and will continue to fact, this week the company filed
enough to provide a reprieve for operate.
What "Open" Means to the ongoing rout in the
newspaper industry.
to go public.
Continue reading Heartland Continue reading Yelp rival,
Publications Files for Bankruptcy ReachLocal, Files for an IPO

Google [Google] Heartland Publications, which

publishes around 50 community
newspapers in nine states, filed
Heartland Publications Files for Yelp rival, ReachLocal, Files for
Bankruptcy originally appeared an IPO originally appeared on
on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Dec
By matt buchanan (Gizmodo) (meaning they know a lot of stuff for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Dec 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:48:08 AM
about you), you probably wanna protection on Monday. The see our terms for use of feeds. our terms for use of feeds.
know how they're thinking, right? company is looking to restructure Read| Permalink| Email this| Permalink| Email this| Comments
This treatise was an email sent to The short version: open standards $156 million in secured debt, and
Comments
Googlers about the meaning of and open information, whatever blamed "significant liquidity
"open" for Google. It's long, but that means. [ Google] challenges" and "weakened
if you use Google products

Accept Defeat: The Neuroscience of Screwing Up

By Jonah Lehrer (Wired Top If we can train our brains to ourselves to new discoveries.
Stories) embrace failure, we open
E-reader News Edition
Central Garden Is
Trying Investors'
Patience
By Joseph Lazzaro
(BloggingStocks)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:40:00 PM
Filed under: Stocks to Buy
Central Garden & Pet Company's
( CENT) stock continues to
meander, but I'm reiterating my
buy rating for the shares, first
recommended on June 22, 2009
at a price of $10.16. Here's why:
Central posted Q3 EPS of 12
cents, in-line with the First Call
Q3 EPS estimate of 12 cents, and
that's good enough to keep the
company's recovery narrative in-
place. Namely -- that CENT,
which receives about 50% of its
revenue from pet products/care,
will not suffer the fate of other
retail plays, under the thesis that
the now 'frugal consumer'
Americans will give up a lot
before giving up their pets.
Continue reading Central Garden
Last Minute Shopping: Gift Guide Roundup
By Doug Aamoth
(CrunchGear)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:00:00 AM
Still haven’t gotten all those
holiday gifts? You still have a
wee bit o’ time left. Whether
you’re planning to run out to a
brick and mortar store or you’re
Finance/ Gadgets/ 11
Existing home sales
surge 7.4% in
November Samurai Sword
By Connie Madon
(BloggingStocks) Chopsticks Let You
Submitted at 12/22/2009 2:30:00 PM
Seppuku Your Sashimi
[Chopsticks]
Filed under: Good news,
By Brian Barrett (Gizmodo)
Economic data, Housing By all
measures the housing market is Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:40:00 AM
improving. Last month we saw a
If you love sushi but hate
7.4% surge in existing home
sharing, these chopsticks should
sales in November. 6.54 million
help fend off any potential unagi
units were sold, compared with
poachers.
6.09 million in October. Analysts
There are three sets of
had expected sales to come in at
chopsticks and holders, in all,
6.25 million.
named after actual 17th century
Much of the increase came from
samurai. Those who can't wait
government incentives for first
until May can pre-order here.
time home buyers. A tax credit of Existing home sales surge 7.4% Don't be fooled: they may call it
Is Trying Investors' Patience $8,000.00 was extended into next in November originally appeared a toy, but you and I both know
Central Garden Is Trying year. A second incentive of
on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 that in the right hands it's a tool
Investors' Patience originally $ 6 , 5 0 0 . 0 0 w a s a d d e d f o r
Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please for righteousness. Or at least for
appeared on BloggingStocks on homeowners who lived in their
see our terms for use of feeds. fatty tuna. [ Nerd Approved]
Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:40:00 EST. homes for five years and are
Read| Permalink| Email this|
Please see our terms for use of willing to relocate.
Comments
feeds. Permalink| Email this| Continue reading Existing home
Comments
sales surge 7.4% in November
willing to test the limits of Peripherals• Gift Guide 2009: rules of HDTV buying• Bag
expedited shipping, here’s a Smartphones• Gift Guide 2009: Week Review Round-up
quick rundown of ideas and info Pocket Camcorders• Gift Guide
from our gift guide. 2009: Headphones• Gift Guide
• Public Service Announcement: 2009: Gaming Consoles• Gift
Holiday Shipping Deadlines• Guide 2009: Wireless E-book
Gift Guide 2009: Netbooks• Gift Readers• Gift Guide 2009: Toys• CrunchGear 2009 Holiday Gift
Guide 2009: Portable Media Gift Guide 2009: Gifts for the Guide
Players• Gift Guide 2009: Technologically Impaired• The 5
12 Gadgets/
Microsoft loses patent appeal; Word and Office to
be barred from sale starting January 11
By Nilay Patel (Engadget)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:35:00 PM
It's getting closer and closer to
check-writing time for Steve
Ballmer, as the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Federal Circuit
has just upheld a decision that
would see Microsoft Word and
Office banned from sale starting
January 11. If you'll recall,
Microsoft lost a patent
infringement suit against XML
specialists i4i back in May when
it was found that Word's handling
of .xml, .docx, and .docm files
infringed upon i4i's patented
XML handling algorithms, but
the injunction against further
Word sales was put on hold
pending the results of this appeal.
Now that Microsoft has lost once
again, we'd expect either another
appeal and request for the
injunction to be stayed, this time
to the Supreme Court, or for a
settlement between these two that
would end this whole mess right
New Bada UI screens look new-agey yet familiar
By Tim Stevens (Engadget)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:47:00 AM
Okay, so HTC doesn't own
exclusive rights to create a flip-
clock displays on phones, but the
style is something of a hallmark
of Sense UI and now here one is
in Samsung's Bada platform --
though seemingly tucked away in
now. We'll see what happens --
stay tuned.
P.S.- Just to be clear on this, i4i
isn't a patent troll -- it's a a 30
person database design company
that shipped one of the first XML
plugins for Office and was
actually responsible for
revamping the entire USPTO
database around XML to make it
the date setting window. That's
just one of a set of new screens
uncovered at Samsung Hub
showing off a media player that
loves to show off album art and
to truncate artist names, a photo
browser full of delicious stock
imagery, and that very familiar
looking home screen to the left
above. Things really don't look
compatible with Word back in
2000. What's more, the patents
involved here don't cover XML
itself, but rather the specific
algorithms used to read and write
custom XML -- so OpenOffice
users can breathe easy, as i4i has
said the suite doesn't infringe.
Existing Office users should also
be fine, as only future sales of
bad at all, but we're still having a
hard time getting excited about
Word are affected by the ruling,
not any already-sold products.
Engadget: Helping you flame
with accuracy.
Update: Microsoft says it's
moving quickly to prepare
versions of Office 2007 and
Word 2007 that don't have the
"little-used" XML features for
sale by January 11, and that the
Office 2010 beta "does not
contain the technology covered
by the injunction." It's also
considering an appeal, so we'll
see what happens there.
Microsoft loses patent appeal;
Word and Office to be barred
from sale starting January 11
originally appeared on Engadget
on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:35:00
EST. Please see our terms for
use of feeds. Permalink| Wall
Street Journal| Email this|
Comments
this one.
New Bada UI screens look new-
agey yet familiar originally
appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22
Dec 2009 11:47:00 EST. Please
see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink MobileTechWorld|
Samsung Hub| Email this|
Comments
E-reader News Edition
Mom Calls Cops For
Help With Son's Gaming
Addiction [Video
Games]
By CNET (Gizmodo)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:58:17 AM
A 14-year-old boy's mother had
enough with her son's gaming
over the weekend. After turning
off the console hoping he would
stop gaming, she called police to
ask for their help in solving her
son's "addiction."
According to the story first
reported in the Boston Herald,
Angela Mejia had enough with
her son's gaming when she found
him playing Grand Theft Auto at
2:30 a.m. She told him to go to
sleep, but he refused.
"Sometimes I want to run away,
too," Mejia told the Boston
Herald. "I have support from my
church, but I'm alone. I want to
help my son, but I can't find a
way."
After unplugging her son's game
console, she decided to call 911.
Police came to Mejia's home and
coaxed the boy into going to
sleep.
"[The police] were just like,
'Chill out. Go to bed,'" Mejia's
son told the Herald.
What Mejia's son did when he
woke up is unknown. My guess:
he played a video game. Yours?
This story originally appeared on
CNET
E-reader News Edition Gadgets/ 13

USB Hourglass flips itself, America the beautiful: Mother

calls 911 because her kid was
generating random numbers in the playing GTA past bedtime. Yeah.
process By Nicholas Deleon
(CrunchGear)
By Joseph L. Flatley Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:30:29 AM
(Engadget)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 12:52:00 PM
Gotta love cops. A woman in
Boston got mad at her 14-year-
This is such a bizarre old son for being up at 2:30am
combination of the old and the playing Grand Theft Auto. (At
new that at least a few of our least the kid wasn’t smoking dust
geekiest readers are sure to get a in the street at that hour.) In fact,
kick out of it. The USB she got so mad that she called
Hourglass is essentially an egg 911 for help. You know, “You
timer equipped with an optical have to help me. My son is up in
beam for keeping an eye on sand the middle of the night playing
levels and a rotating mechanism video games! I don’t know what
for flipping the thing when all the to do!” The cops responded, no And who knows: maybe this kid
sand has landed at the bottom. doubt aggravated that they had to is absolutely miserable, and the
But that ain't all! The observed little beyond us this morning, Hourglass flips itself, generating deal with this garbage, by saying, time he spends playing video
light levels are sent to a host PC although we're sure that this will random numbers in the process “Calm down, ma’am. Just put games represents his only outlet.
(via USB, which also supplies produce a lively and intelligent USB Hourglass flips itself, your dumb kid to bed.” That’s That certainly sounds familiar.
power) where any of your discussion in the comments generating random numbers in not an exact quote, but you know It’s like, I could see the mother
favorite open source tools can ( w h e r e m a n y a l i v e l y a n d the process originally appeared that’s what they were thinking. being upset if her son ran with
u s e i t t o g e n e r a t e r a n d o m intelligent discussion has taken on Engadget on Tue, 22 Dec The woman, Angela Mejia, gang-bangers, but staying up past
numbers. The rest of this -- place over the years). Just make 2009 12:52:00 EST. Please see feared that her son was addicted his bedtime to get in a little
"entropy," "random" versus sure you peep the video after the our terms for use of feeds. to video games. Rather than GTA? Doesn’t sound like too big
" p s e u d o r a n d o m " n u m b e r break first -- it's a blast. Permalink Hack-A-Day| USB throwing the kid’s PlayStation a problem to me, and certainly
generators, etc. -- is simply a C o n t i n u e r e a d i n g U S B Hourglass| Email this| Comments into the Charles like a normal not worthy of harassing the 911
parent would do, she waffles, operators. As if they don’t have
baffled that her son is acting out actual emergencies to respond to!
by having the audacity to stay up
late and play games.

You Mess With Nature, Nature Will Mess With

You Right Back [Nature]
By Adam Frucci (Gizmodo)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:20:42 AM
Here is a photo of a
videographer getting taken down million. [ Reddit via The Daily
by an eagle. This is basically the What]
plot of Avatar completely
summed up, made for considerably less than $250
14 Gadgets/ Tech/ E-reader News Edition

Panasonic officially owns

Sanyo and boasts the world’s
largest plasma panel plant now
By Serkan Toto (CrunchGear) located in Amagasaki in Southern
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:20:15 AM
Japan and is ready to produce the
largest PDPs in the industry
Good news for Panasonic in the (Panasonic says panels sized at
last 48 hours. The company 330 centimeters by 190 cm can
announced yesterday that it now now be mass-produced).
officially turned Sanyo into a The company seems to believe
subsidiary after acquiring a there’s still a lot of room for flat
50.27% stake in its smaller rival. TV sales and has big plans for
The merger was in the making the near future. Its new plasma
f o r s e v e r a l m o n t h s , a n d panel plant will begin full-scale
Panasonic paid a whopping $4.4 operation next month, producing
billion to make it happen. So we 120,000 42-inch plasma panels
now have Japan’s second largest per month.
electronics maker in terms of Panasonic aims at offering a
sales (Hitachi is still the biggest). total of 30 million plasma and
Epic shows off Unreal Engine 3
And one day later, Tuesday LCD TVs in fiscal 2012, double
m o r n i n g J a p a n e s e t i m e , the amount for fiscal 2009.
Panasonic announced another Another new plant is scheduled By Donald Melanson
running on iPhone / iPod touch
hasn't also announced any games link for the full scoop.
accomplishment: The company to begin producing LCD TVs in (Engadget) or licensees that will be using the Continue reading Epic shows off
has completed the world’s largest July 2010. engine, but it seems like it has at Unreal Engine 3 running on
Submitted at 12/22/2009 12:21:00 PM
plant for plasma panels. It’s least managed to get it running iPhone / iPod touch
There's certainly plenty of good remarkably well on the hardware Epic shows off Unreal Engine 3
Marvell launches worldwide looking iPhone games available
these days, but things could be
-- albeit in a somewhat limited
demo, as you can see in the video
running on iPhone / iPod touch
originally appeared on Engadget
Plug Computer competition about to get quite a bit more
interesting, as Epic has now
after the break. What's more,
Epic also reportedly said that it
on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:21:00
EST. Please see our terms for
By Dong Ngo (Webware.com) based unit and launches the demonstrated its Unreal Engine 3 would be showing off the engine use of feeds. Permalink|
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:30:00 AM
w o r l d w i d e P l u g C o m p u t e r (the same one used for games running on "another mobile AnandTech| Email this|
developer competition. like Gears of War 2) running on platform entirely" at CES next Comments
Marvell celebrates the shipping Originally posted at News - the iPhone 3GS and 3rd gen iPod month, but didn't drop any
of the 10,000th SheevaPlug- Digital Media touch to our friend Anand Shimpi further hints besides that. Video
of AnandTech. Unfortunately, it after the break, and hit the read
E-reader News Edition
Modder mods new
fangled wireless keyboard Art Lebedev introduces
to look like old timey one 'Fleximus' camera
By Laura June (Engadget)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:23:00 PM
Before you laugh awkwardly at
the weird sense of nostalgia this
keyboard dredges up in your
mind, let us introduce you to its
wonders. Apparently modded by
a Dutch man or woman
courageous enough to admit that
(like us) they prefer the pretty
much extinct, giant, tactile-as-all-
get out keyboards to newer, more
streamlined models, this mod
takes away the only gripe we
ever had with such peripherals --
namely, their wiredness. The
enterprising DIYer's taken a
Logitech wireless Wii keyboard
apart, mapping all the key codes
along the way, thrown in a little
basic soldering, wedged
everything into the old keyboard
and voila! Pretty magical, right?
Well, okay -- not really, but still -
- we sort of dig it. There's a
before shot after the break, and
hit the source link for the poorly
machine translated how-to.
Continue reading Modder mods
new fangled wireless keyboard to
look like old timey one
Modder mods new fangled
wireless keyboard to look like
old timey one originally appeared
on Engadget on Tue, 22 Dec
2009 13:23:00 EST. Please see
our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink| Tweakers| Email this|
Comments
concept
By Donald Melanson
(Engadget)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 2:43:00 PM
Well, it looks like Art Lebedev
has more than the rather
ingenious Transparentius concept
in store for us today -- it's also
introduced this so-called
Fleximus concept for a flexible
digital camera. Not exactly
anything new there, per se, but
Art Lebedev seems to be pitching
this one specifically to
photographers, not just folks that
want to peek in hard-to-see
places. To that end, the Fleximus
comes equipped with a proper
viewfinder on one end of camera,
which can also be detached and
replaced with a 3-inch LCD
module (check it out after the
break). Of course, this is still just
a concept so there's nothing in
the way of specs, but you can get
an exhaustive look at the design
process at the link below.
Continue reading Art Lebedev
introduces 'Fleximus' camera
concept
Art Lebedev introduces
'Fleximus' camera concept
originally appeared on Engadget
on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:43:00
EST. Please see our terms for
use of feeds. Permalink
Electronista| Art Lebedev| Email
this| Comments
Gadgets/ 15
Comcast settles
bandwidth throttling
lawsuit for $16 million.
That’s 4 hours of
revenue.
By Nicholas Deleon
(CrunchGear)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:00:28 AM
Whoever says the legal system
in this country is broken, well,
you’re right. Comcast was caught
tampering with its customers’
packets two years ago. It bitched
and moaned like nobody’s
business, earning itself no
friends. The Federal
Communications Commission
sanctioned the gigantic
corporation in what amounted to
a slap on the wrist. Big deal. A
class action lawsuit was filed,
which was just settled for $16
million. Comcast raked in$34.3
billion in revenue in 2008,
meaning that this settlement
amounts to four hours of
revenue. That’s right: four hours.
Take that, corporate America!
If Comcast screwed with your
packets between April 1, 2006
and December 31, 2008, you may
be entitled to a piece of that $16
million pot.
I write this happy as a clam with
my Internet Service Provider,
Optimum Online. Nothing wrong
with totally uncapped 101/15
megabits per second.
16 Gadgets/ E-reader News Edition

Hello Kitty gets another 12.1

meowgapixel camera to
celebrate her 35th anniversary
By Laura June (Engadget) "Intelligent" autofocus -- plus
Submitted at 12/22/2009 2:11:00 PM
those megapixels we already
mentioned. Really, the biggest
Can you believe that Hello selling point here is the blinged
Why Even Clumsy People Like You Kitty's turning 35? She sure does
look great for her age!
up branding, and we'd assume
that makes it worth the KRW
Surprisingly this is not the first 350,000 (around $300) price tag.
Would Have Trouble Breaking The 12.1 megapixeled Casio digicam
we've seen outed to
Hello Kitty gets another 12.1
meowgapixel camera to celebrate
Display On a Motorola Droid [Science] commemorate this most special
of occasions -- but it certainly
comes in some of the hottest
her 35th anniversary originally
appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22
By Sean Fallon (Gizmodo) Apparently, Gorilla Glass differs of its strength. Dec 2009 14:11:00 EST. Please
from the product you might find Corning, the company behind pinks we've seen thus far. This see our terms for use of feeds.
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:58:00 AM
in a typical smartphone because the glass, is hoping to expand the limited edition, Korea-only Casio Permalink Popgadget| Aving|
If you were cursed with buttery it allows "larger ions to penetrate reach of their product to other EX-Z90 boasts all the same Email this| Comments
fingers, you might want to the surface more deeply to consumer electronics and even features as the regular one -- 3X
consider what kind of display i n c r e a s e t h e c o m p r e s s i o n vehicles—anything that needs to optical zoom, auto-detect and
glass your gadgets are sporting. tolerance and tolerate deeper withstand the elements. And by
Devices like the Motorola Droid, scratches." This is achieved "elements" I mean clumsy,
Dell Adamo laptop and Cowon though a aluminum-composite uncoordinated types... Adam? [
S9 PMP have added strength composition that can be made Smartplanet and Gorilla Glass]
because of Gorilla Glass. extremely thin and light because
E-reader News Edition
Of course there should be a digital
picture frame and alarm clock
By Matt Burns (CrunchGear)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:30:53 AM
I’ll just say it. Everything is
better with a digital picture
frame. If someone put a digital
picture frame in a toaster, I
would buy three. So with that in
mind, imagine my excitement
when I saw this Insignia alarm
This SNES controller
has a flash drive loaded
with ROMs inside
By Matt Burns (CrunchGear)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 12:00:56 PM
Step 1: Be a huge nerd.
Step 2: Deconstruct a SNES
controller and a flash drive.
Step 3: Solder shit.
Step 4: Become an even bigger
nerd.
[ Ben Heck Forums via
hackaday]
World's Highest Glacier Ski Run is Nearly Gone
(Little Green Footballs)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 8:38:47 PM
The Chacaltaya glacier in
Bolivia was once the highest
clock with built-in digital picture dog, Ferrari. Oh, and it comes We've heard so many stories of
frame. I know, right? Awesome. with a remote for some reason. copyfraud that many of us have
14 Christmas Wishes
Left Unspoken for
Obvious Reasons
[Photoshop Contest]
By Adam Frucci (Gizmodo)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:00:00 AM
There's a reason that people ask Originally posted at Relevant
for realistic stuff like the Star Results
Trek Blu-ray for Christmas
instead of what they really want
in their heart of hearts. Because
their heart of hearts are fucking
crazy.
glacier ski run in the world — scientists.[Video]
and in the next few months it’s (Hat tip: KT.)
going to disappear completely,
five years ahead of the most
pessimistic prediction by climate
Gadgets/ Tech/ Politics/
Lord Lucas Wants UK Digital
The NS-DPFC01 is $50 at Best
Buy and does the standard duties
of a clock. The 320 x 240 3.5-
Economy Bill To Include Remedy
inch screen is backed with For Bogus Copyright Threats
128MB of memory, which is By Mike Masnick (Techdirt)
more than enough for about a
million and a half pics of my Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:11:00 AM
ubergizmo>
been wondering why there aren't
Yahoo shutting greater penalties for making
bogus copyright claims. It
appears at least someone over in
down for the the UK is asking the same
question. We already noted how
holidays Lord Lucas, a technology aware
By Tom Krazit member of the House of Lords
(Webware.com) who can program and has run
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:49:00 AM
some digital businesses, was
speaking out against Peter
Employees have known since Mandelson's Digital Economy
April that they'll have to take Bill, noting that the entertainment
unpaid leave or vacation days for industry is to blame for not
the week between Christmas and adapting.
New Year's as a cost-saving Now, via Michael Scott, we
measure at Yahoo. learn that Lord Lucas has
introduced an addition to the
Digital Economy Bill adding
remedies against those who bring
"groundless" copyright claims:"
169A. Remedy for groundless
threats of infringement
proceedings
(1) Where a person threatens
another person with proceedings
for infringement of copyright, a
person aggrieved by the threats
may bring an action against him
claiming--
(a) a declaration to the effect that
the threats are unjustifiable;
17
(b) an injunction against the
continuance of the threats;
(c) damages in respect of any loss
which he has sustained by the
threats.
(2) If the claimant proves that the
threats were made and that he is a
person aggrieved by them, he is
entitled to the relief claimed
unless the defendant shows that
the acts in respect of which
proceedings were threatened did
constitute, or if done would have
constituted, an infringement of
the copyright concerned.
(3) Mere notification that work is
protected by copyright does not
constitute a threat of proceedings
for the purposes of this section.
(4) A copyright infringement
report within the meaning of
section 124A(3) of the
Communications Act 2003, if
notified to a subscriber under
section 124A(4) of the
Communications Act 2003, does
constitute a threat of proceedings
for the purposes of this section."
While it would be nice to see
those who are falsely accused of
copyright infringement have at
least some stronger legal rights, it
seems unlikely that this gets
anywhere.
Permalink| Comments| Email
This Story
18 Tech/ E-reader News Edition

AT&T strategist learns lessons of battlefield

(CNET News.com) precisely the type of outing that unnecessary. biggest rival in the Net neutrality
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:15:00 AM
Cicconi finds valuable. Cicconi, On the opposite side of the battle, of violating the very
who has served in the White debate are consumer groups, such principles it has been fighting to
This is the last in a series of House under two U.S. presidents, as Public Knowledge and Free make regulation. In its letter to
profiles that look at how the tech is a huge history buff. Press, as well as Internet the FCC, AT&T accused Google
industry is working with the But as a student of history, the companies, namely Google. of hypocrisy for blocking some
federal government. point of the trip to Gettysburg These groups are united in their phone calls on its free Google
W A S H I N G T O N , D . C . - - I n was not just a history lesson, but quest to bring official regulation Voice product.
October 2006 Jim Cicconi, a it was a lesson in strategic and rules of the road to the Google has argued that Net
senior executive vice president at thinking, a lesson that could be Internet to ensure that Internet neutrality principles don't apply
AT&T who heads up legislative applied to the regulatory and service providers don't favor to its service because it doesn't
affairs, took his team of top legislative battles that are going certain players at the expense of own the underlying
regulatory lawyers to Gettysburg on in Washington, D.C., today. others. infrastructure.
to teach them battlefield strategy. "It was a very instructive exercise The debate has heated up and "We were careful to choose an
For two days, 15 senior AT&T for understanding how Jim cooled down over the past couple example where we could talk
managers stood on the very spot approaches things," said Bob of years. But with a Democratic about how the Net neutrality
where more than 50,000 men had Quinn, a senior vice president at FCC now in power, it's almost principles and network openness
died during one of the greatest AT&T who works on Cicconi's certain that some regulation will should apply throughout the
battles in the Civil War, and they regulatory affairs team, and who
that Cicconi wanted to emphasize be drafted by the FCC in the entire Internet ecosystem rather
listened to a former West Point attended the Gettysburg trip. "Jim
to his management team was that c o m i n g m o n t h s . C i c c o n i than focusing simply on certain
history professor dissect the three is very good at figuring out the
if you are going to engage in any recognizes this, and he has network providers," Quinn said
-day battle, paying particular right context in which to have a
kind of battle, it is crucial to pick shifted his strategy to reshaping "The goal was to find a situation
attention to the decisions made particular regulatory argument to
the terrain on which that fight is the fight to ensure regulations where Google would have a
by the Confederate and Union achieve victory."
fought. At the end of the day, the don't go too far. difficult time defending its
generals. Cicconi's political prowess and Union army won the battle of "Net neutrality is an important decision to block calls."
Jim Cicconi, senior executive ability to understand what
Gettysburg because it was better issue to us but not in the sense Politics and public service
vice president of legislative motivates his opponents has
situated on the battlefield. The you might think," Cicconi said. One of the things that you notice
affairs, AT&T(Credit: AT&T) helped put AT&T ahead of many
Union picked the good ground " T h e F C C ' s o p e n I n t e r n e t when you walk into Cicconi's
They discussed General Sickles companies on the regulatory and
and forced the Confederate army principles have done a good job office on the 10th floor of the old
and his move toward Peach legislative front when it comes to
to attack them from a much less preserving Net neutrality. There's AT&T building on 20th Street,
Orchard. They heard about Lee's technology issues. And to know been one complaint in four or NW in Washington, D.C., are the
desirable position.
attack on Cemetery Ridge and something about Cicconi is to
It is this same strategy that five years and it was handled. So pictures behind his desk of him
Pickett's Charge, which resulted better understand how AT&T
AT&T is employing in its fight the question going forward is can shaking hands with Presidents
in severe casualties. And they approaches important issues,
against Net neutrality regulation. the FCC find a sweet spot where George H.W. Bush and George
analyzed the Union's defense of such as Net neutrality, wireless
A T & T a n d o t h e r n e t w o r k they can provide the reassurance W. Bush. There are also a few
Little Roundtop, a strategic spectrum reallocation, and
providers have opposed the that some groups need that U.S. Navy Aircraft carrier hats
position that the federals held reforming the universal service
adoption of official regulation abuses won't occur, while making lined up on another table.
during the battle and a battle that fund.
that will establish rules against certain it doesn't prohibit us from Cicconi, who has served two
helped seal the North's victory in Applying histories lessons in the
blocking or discriminating managing our networks or presidents during his career, says
Gettysburg. present against Internet traffic on their offering certain services." that the years spent in public
W h i l e a " f i e l d t r i p " t o Cicconi has tried to instill his
network. AT&T, which has been Using this idea of choosing the service were very fulfilling, but
Gettysburg may seem like a strategic thought process in the
at the forefront of the battle, terrain for the battle, AT&T also very stressful and taxing.
strange choice for a corporate rest of his staff. And the key
believes that no new rules are earlier this year sent a letter to AT&T page 20
team-building exercise, it is theme from the Gettysburg trip
needed and official regulation is the FCC accusing Google, its
E-reader News Edition
The Top 2009 Social Media Trends for Moms
By Noa Gafni (Mashable!)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:51:59 AM
Noa Gafni is a social media
consultant with a focus on
women and Gen Y. She authors
Webutantes, a blog about Internet
trends impacting women.
2009 was the year of the social
media mom. So-called “mommy
bloggers” broke away from their
niche audiences and went
mainstream, and social marketers
took notice. Here are some
highlights from 2009, and some
thoughts on what lies ahead for
social media moms.
Twitter
Twitter was the social media
success of 2009, one that
particularly impacted moms.
Twitter garnered rave reviews as
the “perfect” social media outlet
for mothers: easy to use and
access, and the 140 character
limit ensured minimal
networking effort.
As the microblogging site drew
mainstream attention, moms
moved from following friends
and family to following the
updates of brands and celebrities.
Household names began tweeting
multiple times per day. Martha
Stewart made headlines when she
publicly declared her preference
for Twitter over Facebook. Kathy
Ireland quickly followed suit.
Oprah has over 2.8 million
followers, and Ellen DeGeneres
has nearly 4 million following
her@TheEllenShow account.
Facebook
As marketers became more
comfortable using Facebook,
they began targeting moms in
more unique and engaging ways.
In June, diaper brand Huggies
teamed up with Circle of Moms
to create a Huggies Zone on
Circle of Moms’ Facebook
application with parenting
information, advice, quizzes, and
offers from Huggies’ Enjoy the
Ride rewards site. Chains like
Outback Steakhouse and Papa
John’s Pizza grabbed moms’
attention (and hundreds of
thousands of fans) by enticing
new fans with coupons.
More recently, Clorox Clean Up
and Toys “R” Us reached out to
moms through charitable
programs. Although these
companies have traditionally
been involved in sponsoring
clothing drives and donating to
children’s programs, particularly
around the holidays, this is the
first year that they promoted
these activities and incorporated
moms’ support on their Facebook
pages. It will be interesting to see
how Facebook’s new
promotional guidelines will
impact these campaigns going
forward. Blogs
Mommy bloggers became
legitimate outlets for PR agencies
this year. In 2008, the major
mommy blogger issue was
whether companies could contact
mommy bloggers to test out
products and run contests. In
2009, the issue was not if but
how to approach bloggers in a
respectful, mutually beneficial
way. Mom bloggers were
Tech/ 19
Justice Department
PoshMama, dubbed “The Hip
Hangout for Haute Mamas” is a May Unwind Diebold E
Ning-operated social network -voting Sale To ES&S
that screens members prior to
approving them. The site also By Mike Masnick (Techdirt)
features an online magazine with Submitted at 12/22/2009 3:42:46 AM
tips on fashion, fitness, and
inspirational and informational After getting hammered publicly
features like “words to live by” for having e-voting machines that
credited with fueling a variety of and “gifts that don’t cost a cent.” didn't work well and had serious
trends, including the Zhu Zhu Looking Forward security problems, Diebold tried
hamster toy fad. Cool Mom 2010 should bring even more sell off its e-voting division for
Picks, Mamaista, GuruMommy, exciting updates for moms and years with no luck. It then tried
and many others have created social media. The increasing to change its name to Premier,
successful businesses off of their penetration of smart phones will hoping people wouldn't realize it
product reviews. The prevalence create opportunities for forward- was Diebold. In the end, Diebold
of product reviews and product thinking brands. Expect more finally found a buyer in ES&S,
endorsement spurred such a mobile applications and ad the other large player in the
controversy that the FTC revised campaigns targeting moms. market. Between them they own
i t s g u i d e l i n e s . C u r r e n t l y , Women are catching up to men in 70% of the US market,
bloggers must provide disclosure o n l i n e v i d e o v i e w i n g a n d apparently. And that's leading to
statements on their endorsements gaming, tools that marketers some concern. The Justice
in order to avoid hefty fines that have, until now, stayed away Department is apparently looking
could be assessed for each from when reaching out to into the deal to see if it should be
offending post. Niche Social moms. unwound, out of fear that ES&S
Networks As Facebook tightens its rules will jack up prices.
Niche social networks for around what companies can and Honestly, I don't see what the
mothers are not new. Major cannot do on its site, brands will value is in unwinding the deal.
players like Café Mom and likely move to more flexible Then you'll have two awful e-
Circle of Moms have been platforms, like Twitter and voting companies with terrible
around for years. However, the YouTube, for contests. Also, track records with security and
l a t e s t s i t e s h a v e a m o r e watch out for more multi- accuracy, rather than one.
sophisticated appeal, enabling platform campaigns, encouraging Instead, why aren't we focusing
mothers to connect on topics moms to engage with brands on on requiring truly open solutions
beyond parenting. CityMommy multiple channels. so that we actually verify that an
is a location-based social network Image courtesy of iStockphoto, e-voting system is both secure
for moms in major metropolitan netris and accurate?
areas across the US. In addition Tags: Circle of Moms, facebook, Permalink| Comments| Email
to parenting groups and photo List, Lists, mommy bloggers, This Story
sharing, moms can also discover Moms, social media, twitter
local events (such as yoga classes
and running clubs), up-to-date
neighborhood information, and
an exhaustive local directory.
20 Tech/
AT&T
continued from page 18
Still, he said the experience has
made him sympathetic to those
now serving in the FCC or in
Congress.
"Working in the White House
was the hardest job I ever had,"
he said. "Making important
decisions in a constant sleep-
deprived state was a sobering
experience. So I understand that
these are hard jobs. I know what
it's like to serve in public office
with the pressure and demands."
Cicconi got his start in
Washington, D.C., at the behest
of James Baker, the former chief
of staff for President Ronald
Reagan. Cicconi, who met Baker
while he was still in law school at
the University of Texas, joined
the White House as special
assistant to Reagan in 1981. And
he kept the position for four
years.
He then went to work at the
Washington, D.C., law practice
of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer &
Feld. When President George
H.W. Bush was elected in 1988,
Cicconi left the private sector to
return to the White House for
two more years, this time as
deputy chief of staff.
He went back to his law firm as
a partner and worked with
AT&T. In 1998, Cicconi went to
work for AT&T as the executive
vice president of law and
government affairs. A few
months later he was named
general counsel.
The early years that Cicconi
spent with AT&T were mainly
dealing with fallout from the
breakup of the monopoly Bell
phone system in 1984 and the
s u b s e q u e n t 1 9 9 6
Telecommunications Act, which
was supposed to force
competition into the market.
As the market evolved, AT&T a
long-distance phone company,
saw opportunity in competing in
the local phone market. And local
phone providers, such as SBC
which had been prevented from
operating a long-distance
network, wanted to get into that
that business, too.
For eight years, Cicconi fought
SBC and other former local
phone companies at the FCC and
in court over sharing elements of
their voice networks to allow
AT&T to compete with them. In
retrospect, Cicconi says that he
and everyone else at AT&T knew
that forcing competition in this
market was not a viable long-
term strategy. But at the time it
was the only option AT&T had,
since building its own local
phone network would have been
expensive.
"Network sharing is very
counterproductive," Cicconi said.
"What I didn't see at the time was
that capital investment in
building new infrastructure
dropped dramatically during that
period. But the clarification from
the FCC on regulations, helped
unleash a lot of growth in
broadband deployment. Verizon
launched Fios. And AT&T
started our U-Verse service. The
cable companies started
upgrading to Docsis 3.0."
In 2004, Cicconi said that the
writing was already on the wall
for AT&T. In March of that year,
AT&T and other companies like
it, were dealt the final blow. The
U.S. Appeals Court for the D.C.
circuit overturned the FCC's
regulations that forced phone
companies to share their voice
infrastructure with companies
such as AT&T.
Quinn said: "Those were some
tough times. We were fighting
for the future of the company.
And it all happened pretty
suddenly and people were really
dragging for a while. But Jim
said, 'Look, we have lost the
battle, but we haven't lost the war
yet.'"
AT&T decided to get out of the
local phone business. It cut its
workforce and began
concentrating its efforts on its
business customers. Within
months, AT&T had struck a deal
with local phone company SBC
Communications, and AT&T
was sold in 2005 for about $16
billion.
After nearly a decade of intense
legal battles, Cicconi switched
sides. His ability to out-maneuver
his opponents is a major reason
he was asked to stay with the
new AT&T.
According to corporate folklore,
then SBC CEO and Chairman Ed
Whitacre said of Jim Cicconi that
he needed to have the guy on his
team who cost him $4 billion in
legal bills. And so he offered
Cicconi the opportunity to
continue running the show for the
new AT&T in Washington, D.C.
Sitting in his sound-proof office,
a relic left over from the old
AT&T, which was paranoid that
"spies" from MCI were
eavesdropping from their offices
literally across the street, Cicconi
acknowledges the old battles are
over. The competitors are
different. And the issues have
changed.
"The industry has changed pretty
dramatically since the days of the
old AT&T," he said. "And the
issues the industry fought over in
the past are not the fights of the
future."
But for Cicconi the strategy of
fighting the new battles remains
the same.
Five Filters featured article:
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Term Extraction.
E-reader News Edition
HTC Sends Cease &
Desist To Developer
Who Made Similar
Android Widgets
By Mike Masnick (Techdirt)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:38:00 AM
Tim K alerts us to the news that
phone maker HTC has sent a
cease & desist nastygram to the
developers of an Android widget
that certainly had a similar look
and feel to HTC's own Sense UI.
Except, many people claim that
this newer widget, from LevelUp
Studios, was actually better.
LevelUp apparently has no
interest in fighting this, and are
ditching the widget, but it seems
that they could have a decent
argument here. The bigger
question, though, is why HTC is
bothering? I'm actually a big
HTC fan. My last two mobile
phones have both been from
HTC, and I had been expecting
my next one to be from HTC as
well. But this sort of bullying for
no good reason makes me
wonder why I'd want to support a
company like that. Honestly,
what was HTC "losing" by
letting this widget be created?
This seems like bullying just for
the sake of bullying.
Permalink| Comments| Email
This Story
E-reader News Edition
Tethering for the holiday traveler
By Josh Carr (The Unofficial
Apple Weblog (TUAW))
Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:00:00 AM
Filed under: Hacks, How-tos,
Internet, iPhone,
Jailbreak/pwnage I know that
many of our readers will be
traveling during the holiday
season, so I wanted to share a
walk-through that will help keep
your MacBook of choice
connected on the go. This is an
article intended for those using
iPhones on carriers that do not
officially support tethering.
TUAW would like to remind you
that this is unsupported and is
enabled at the user's own risk.
This does require jailbreaking
your iPhone, so the
unadventurous in the audience
may want to pass this up. If
you're not already jailbroken, you
can download the necessary
software, like blackra1n from
George Hotz or Pwnage from the
iPhone Dev Team.
Once you've jailbroken your
iPhone, install or open Cydia and
navigate to the "Featured
Packages" section. Find and
install the package named
"Modem." That's it on the iPhone
side of things, on your computer,
navigate to iphonemodem.com
and download the helper
Tax prep preview: Which DIY app is right for you?
By Jessica Dolcourt
(Webware.com)
application or register the
application for $9.99 to disable
the registration reminder in the
iPhone app (As far as we know,
the free version is fully
functional). Drag iPhoneModem
to your Applications folder.
The setup is really that simple.
Now all you have to do is open
the application on your computer,
click connect, then launch the
companion app on your iPhone.
In anticipation of the 2009 tax
season, we've gathered some
preliminary information about
The iPhone application will find
the network your computer
creates and share the Wi-Fi
connection between the two
devices so you can use your
iPhone data plan on your laptop
for better browsing. Here's how
the developers say it works:
On the computer, the helper
application creates a new
computer-to-computer (or ad-
hoc) Wi-Fi network and
tax prep software for the DIY tax
-doers among you.
Originally posted at The
configures the system
preferences to use the iPhone as
an Internet gateway and proxy.
On the iPhone, the application
opens a routing engine, DHCP,
DNS, HTTP, HTTPS and
SOCKS proxies and connects to
the helper on the computer. I've
had pretty good success with this
application in my time with it.
I've been using it on and off for
over a year -- it's been a great app
in clutch situations. I'd
recommend it as a virtual
stocking stuffer if you have a
friend or family member who's
jailbroken their iPhone. Let us
know your thoughts or your
experiences with the app in the
comments.
Update
As several commenters have
pointed out, there are several
other free solutions that seem to
be just as easy as iPhoneModem.
Please read through the
comments to see if any of those
solutions suit you better.
TUAW Tethering for the holiday
traveler originally appeared on
The Unofficial Apple Weblog
(TUAW) on Tue, 22 Dec 2009
08:00:00 EST. Please see our
terms for use of feeds.
Read| Permalink| Email this|
Comments
Download Blog
Tech/ Tech News/ 21
Google's
creed: 'Open
will win'
By Tom Krazit
(Webware.com)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 4:04:00 PM
In a 4,000-word manifesto
recently penned by Google's
Jonathan Rosenberg on the
importance of being open, the
company once again swears it is
a force for good.
Originally posted at Relevant
Results
Reactor Drawings
Make Nuclear
History Beautiful
By Alexis Madrigal (Wired Top
Stories)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:15:00 AM
Gorgeously drawn, colored and
detailed, this collection of
nuclear reactor designs shows the
history of nuclear power like
you've never seen before.
Salvaged from one scientist's
collection of magazine inserts,
the drawings are now digitized
for all to admire.
22 Tech/ Tech News/ E-reader News Edition

NES emulator on the App Store? Not Dozen Daily Deals for
anymore. December 22, 2009
By Kelly Guimont (The By Victor Agreda, Jr. (The Studio Debut 6 for PC or Mac for
Unofficial Apple Weblog Unofficial Apple Weblog $20 + free shipping
(TUAW)) (TUAW)) • Meritline: [iPod Accessories]
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:00:00 AM Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:30:00 PM USB-Powered Beer Barrel
Speaker for $8 + free shipping
Filed under: Gaming, iPhone, Filed under: Deals'Tis the season • Shop4Tech: [Store Events]
A p p S t o r e , i P o d t o u c h , Apple as to why. I predict they've I would like to think this is the shop until your brains melt (or Shop4tech.com coupon: 15% off
Jailbreak/pwnage TUAW loves either proven to be a pushover to issue Apple saw with Nescaline skip it all entirely, depending on no minimum
our iPhones and we love our Nintendo, who has no valid claim and that's why it vanished, since your interpretation of the term • Buy.com: [Shipping] Buy.com:
N E S g a m e s . W e ' v e b e e n against Nescaline, or decided the "Nintendo's knickers are in a holiday). In that spirit, for the Free shipping via next-day on
convinced for some time now they really didn't want the ability twist" reason seems more heavy- next few weeks we'll be rounding select items via PayPal
they are two great tastes that to play NES games in the handed. Then again, there's also up a dozen daily deals courtesy • BuyDig: [Secure Digital Cards]
would no doubt taste great AppStore. NESv3 continues to be the"no un-vetted code running in our friends at DealNews.com. SanDisk and Lexar Memory
together. Tonight I settled in to available in Cydia. Apple's emulation" rule that the C64 Each afternoon tune in to TUAW Cards: 4GB MicroSDHC for $7
write a post about how exciting it draconian and anti-competitive emulator ran afoul of previously, for this handy summary. Keep in + free shipping, more
was that you could play old AppStore practices is [sic] sadly which might well be the issue. mind that while our posts will • OfficeMax: [Office Furniture]
s c h o o l p u b l i c - d o m a i n a n d why jailbreaking will always Either way I'm disappointed: live on, the deals won't. Each is OfficeMax Folding Polyethylene
freeware Nintendo games on remain a necessity. I was all set since my phone is not jailbroken lovingly generated by the deal- Tables from $30 + $8 s&h
your iPhone now, thanks to to be indignant about this, but I can't just get it from Cydia now bot every day, so get 'em while • OfficeDepot: [Office
J o n a t h a n Z d z i a r s k i a n d then I read the update again. Is it that it's gone from the App Store. they're hot. Enjoy! Furniture] Office Depot Furniture
Nescaline, the app he built to do possible that Apple yanked it I do have a couple of long Clearance: Knollwood Corner L-
just that. Ah, Kid Icarus and simply for being available on weekends coming though, and • iTunes Music Store: [iPhone / Hutch for $65 + free shipping,
Ninja Gaiden and Zelda and Cydia? Not being the person at Google says it's pretty easy... iPod Apps] Wild West Pinball more
Mario, all my old friends back my house who runs a jailbroken TUAW NES emulator on the f o r i P h o n e / i P o d t o u c h • HandHeldItems: [iPhone]
again (if I had legal licenses to i P h o n e , I d o n ' t h a v e a n y A p p S t o r e ? N o t a n y m o r e . d o w n l o a d s f o r f r e e , m o r e HandHeldItems.com: Up to 80%
the ROM images, of course). I experience with anything being originally appeared on The • iTunes Music Store: [iPhone / off iPhone cases + extra 20% off
w a s e x c i t e d t o r e l i v e m y available through Cydia that is U n o f f i c i a l A p p l e W e b l o g iPod Apps] App Store Price coupon
pixelated past, but it was not to also available on the App Store. I (TUAW) on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 Drops: I Am T-Pain, DOOM,
be. Jason updated his site this know there are those who have 09:00:00 EST. Please see our Tetris, Rock Band, more TUAW Dozen Daily Deals for
evening saying Nescaline had been pulled from the App Store terms for use of feeds. • Apple Store: [Shipping] The December 22, 2009 originally
been pulled: Nescaline was for one reason or another and Read| Permalink| Email this| Apple Store: Free shipping via appeared on The Unofficial
removed from the AppStore by made their way to Cydia, but I Comments next-day no minimum Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue,
Apple at 22:19 PST tonight. I can't find any apps that seem to • Sony Style: [32" LCD TVs] 22 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST.
haven't received anything from be available in both places. Refurbished Sony BRAVIA 32" Please see our terms for use of
1080p LCD HDTV for $380 + feeds.
Best of the Geek Decade: Let the Kids Decide free shipping, more Permalink| Email this|
By Corrina Lawson (Wired Kids weigh in on what they We know some of them haven't • B u y . c o m : [ G r a p h i c s & C o m m e n t s
Top Stories) think are the best movies, games, been alive long enough to know, Publishing Software] Anime
Submitted at 12/22/2009 3:00:00 AM
books, toys, TV shows and but hey, they have opinions!
computer sites of the last decade.
E-reader News Edition Tech/ 23

Steve Jobs, Best CEO in

the World?
By Christina Warren
Point Out A Potential Photoshopping Of (Mashable!)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:08:07 AM

A Demi Moore Picture, And She Has Last month, Fortune Magazine
named Apple’s Steve Jobs CEO
Her Lawyers Send Out The Nastygrams of the Decade. Today, the
Harvard Business Review has
By Mike Masnick (Techdirt) debate over it, but either way, more attention to the question of released its list of the best-
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:47:00 AM
people moved on and it was whether or not the image was performing CEOs in the world
forgotten. Not so fast! While altered. And, in fact, the guy and unsurprisingly, Jobs tops the
Sometimes you just shake your there was some discussion about who apparently first noticed the list.
head and wonder. It's truly it -- and Moore herself chimed in supposed retouching -- and a Looking at just the strict was later.
amazing that people don't realize on Twitter to claim that the photo recipient of the legal nastygram - financial results, Jobs’s influence HBR then calculated the daily
what will happen when they send was not altered -- she's now had - has responded by presenting on Apple is astounding. Since company returns for the entire
out ridiculous legal nastygrams. her lawyers threaten at least two some pretty compelling evidence 1997, Jobs has delivered an length of a CEO’s tenure, using
Take, for example, the situation publications over the original that the image was, in fact, industry-adjusted return of 3,188 country-adjusted and industry-
from a few months back where story. Their claim is that the retouched. At the same time, he percent (which is 34 percent adjusted returns, as well as
the company Ralph Lauren got posts are defamatory. Even if also reiterates that even if this is c o m p o u n d e d a n n u a l l y ) f o r market capitalization changes.
itself into a lot more hot water by there was no retouching of the true, there's nothing wrong with shareholders and increased CEOs were then ranked based on
s e n d i n g a b o g u s D M C A photo, it's hard to see what is t h a t a n d c e r t a i n l y n o t h i n g Apple’s market value by $150 each metric and those rankings
takedown, rather than just possibly "defamatory" in the defamatory about it. So what billion. were averaged for the final
'fessing up to the fact that it s t o r y . D i g i t a l r e t o u c h i n g was the purpose of the legal How the List Was Created number.
photoshopped a model's image h a p p e n s a l l t h e t i m e , a n d nastygram? The Harvard Business Review Looking at the final list, you can
(badly). But in sending the claiming that a photo was And, in the end, what makes has included a rundown of all of see that Jeff Bezos from Amazon
DMCA takedown, Ralph Lauren retouched, if anything, would Demi Moore look worse? The the factors that influenced their has actually achieved a higher
called a hell of a lot more implicate the photographers or fact that some a cover shoot rankings. First, it identified the country- and industry-adjusted
attention to a situation that most graphic artists at W, not Moore. photo of her may have been CEOs of all publicly traded TSR than Steve Jobs, but his
people would have forgotten There's simply nothing even slightly altered... or the fact that companies listed on the S&P market cap is more than $100
otherwise. close to defamatory in regards to lawyers on her behalf sent out Global 1200 or BRIC 40 since billion less. Other High Ranking
Apparently Demi Moore and her Moore herself. ridiculous legal nastygrams 1997. Tech CEOs
lawyers missed that whole story. Either way, the really bizarre against those discussing this Additionally, CEOs had to have In addition to El Jobso, other
Back in November some folks part is why sic the legal dogs on story? assumed the job no earlier than high-profile tech CEOs on the list
noticed what appeared to be a this? Any lawyer should know Permalink| Comments| Email 1995 and no later than December included John T. Chambers from
photoshopping of Demi Moore's that this has zero chance of This Story 2007. That’s why luminaries like Cisco (#4), Bezos from
left hip on the cover of W actually working and a very high Warren Buffett and Jack Welch Amazon(#7), Meg Whitman
magazine. There was some likelihood of simply calling a lot aren’t on the list. Performance from eBay (#8) and Eric Schmidt
was then tracked until the end of from Google(#9).
the CEOs’ tenure at the company Tags: apple, Harvard Business
or September 2009, whichever Review, steve jobs
24 Tech/ Tech News/
Are Warner Music and Hulu cozying up?
(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:45:00 AM
Concert footage and other music
videos from Brit band, Muse was
available at Hulu on Tuesday. Is
there a partnership in the
works?(Credit: Hulu)
Hulu's foray into music videos
may have taken another small
step on Tuesday as it was hosting
concert footage from Muse, the
alternative band represented by
Warner Music Group.
Muse is the only Warner act
with videos on Hulu that I could
find. So what's happening?
A Hulu representative was not
immediately available. A Warner
spokeswoman declined to
comment, which likely means
there's something up. Look for
some kind of Warner-Hulu
announcement soon.
To be sure, Hulu's music-video
library is modest at best. In
addition to Muse, Hulu cut a deal
last month with EMI to get
access to select concert footage
and music videos from some of
And Here We Go Again: Argentina Extends Copyright
By Mike Masnick (Techdirt)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 5:27:55 AM
It's nearly impossible to keep
track of the recording industry's
efforts to extend copyright
around the globe, using its usual
"leapfrog" means of claiming that
copyright lengths need to be
"harmonized," and thus ratcheted
up and up and up on a rotating
the label's artists. That agreement
was believed to be Hulu's first
label deal.
YouTube is supposed to be the
digital era's version of MTV.
Google's video site has penned
agreements with Universal Music
Group, Sony Music
Entertainment, Warner and EMI
but that doesn't appear to be
basis. Apparently, while
everyone was focused on places
like Europe and Japan, the
industry has successfully been
able to get Argentina to extend
the length of copyright on
performances from 50 years to 70
years. Amusingly, all those
quoted in favor of it, make
bizarre claims that retroactively
extending copyrights on content
stopping Hulu from striking
smallish deals with some of the
labels.
Warner is a likely candidate to
test the waters with a new music-
video outlet. The company has
always said it seeks wide
distribution of content and
doesn't want any one distributor
to have exclusive access. Now,
already created 50 years ago will
somehow promote the creation of
new music.
And, of course, as this news
comes out, it's worth pointing out
that a commenter last week
reminded us of economist Rufus
Pollock's paper from June of this
year, which tried to calculate the
optimal length of copyright and
found that it is likely in the 10 to
throw in a nine-month long feud
between Warner and Google over
the terms of their music-licensing
agreement and what you have is
an open door, however small, for
Hulu to squiggle into.
Clips from a handful of bands
aren't enough to make Hulu a
power in music videos, which
incidentally, are the most
watched fare at YouTube. But at
the very least, the labels do
appear to be looking for more
control of their content.
Earlier this month, Universal and
Sony launched Vevo, a
standalone music site that was
launched with technological help
from Google.
Warner is also exploring its own
music area at Youtube. Certainly,
for the labels, competition
between YouTube and Hulu is
good.
Five Filters featured article:
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Term Extraction.
15 year range. So why are
governments moving
progressively further away from
that rate based on nothing other
than demands from the record
labels who know that lengthier
copyrights are nothing more than
a monopoly rent for them?
What's truly amazing is that
pretty much the entire history of
the copyright debate has been
E-reader News Edition
Who's the Best
Batman of All
Time?
By Scott Thill (Wired Top
Stories)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 9:36:00 PM
William Baldwin will be the new
voice of Batman in Justice
League: Crisis on Two Earths, an
animated film due out next year.
We rank historic Caped
Crusaders from best to worst.
Firefox 4.0: New
Design Changes
Revealed [IMAGES]
By
TheBen Parr of
release (Mashable!)
FIREFOX Firefox
page 254.0 may
based on claims without any
evidence that "more" must be
"better." But these days, we have
plenty of evidence that shows
that's not true. So why do
politicians keep extending
copyright?
Permalink| Comments| Email
This Story
E-reader News Edition
FIREFOX
continued from page 24
still be nearly a year away, but
the excitement for the new
version is already growing. In
July, we revealed the first images
of Firefox 4.0. Now one of the
designers behind the browser has
shared on his blog updated mock-
ups of the new design.
While a lot of the original
concepts from the July images
are still intact (e.g. a combo
stop/refresh/go button, color
changes based on your actions),
there are some new details
revealed by designer and Mozilla
contributor Stephen Horlander.
Here are the new mock-ups of
Firefox 4.0, along with an
explanation of what’s new in this
iteration: The New Design
Changes
As we’ve previously noted, the
Menu Bar has changed from
version 3.5 to 4.0. The biggest
change was that the stop, refresh
and go buttons have been
Huckabee: Sen. Ben Nelson is Judas
Iscariot
(Little Green Footballs)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:15:19 AM
Yesterday, in another sign of the
deranged, irrational state of
Republican “criticism” of health
care reform, “aw shucks”
theocrat Mike Huckabee
compared Democratic Sen. Ben
Nelson to Judas Iscariot.
combined into one color-
changing button. But in these
new mock-ups, there is a new
button: the App Button.
According to Stephen, the app
button works a lot like the
Windows 7 and Office 2010
menu button, which condenses a
lot of those options into a single
location. Instead of having File,
Edit and all of those options take
up space at the time, there would
only be a single “Firefox” button
at the top of the browser.
The look of this button, though,
is still up for debate. In fact,
there are multiple proposals for
how it should look. See for
yourself:
While the App Button may be
the biggest change, it’s not the
only one: the toolbar button is
getting touched up to be more
visible on multiple backgrounds,
and the location bar is now
recessed (rather than floating).
But during his comments at the
Omaha rally, Huckabee - a 2008
presidential candidate and
potential White House hopeful in
2012 - likened Nelson’s deal to
the biblical story in which Judas
agreed to betray Jesus for 30
pieces of silver.
“I don’t want [senators] to go up
there…and then somehow go
Finally, the bookmarks toolbar is
getting some new functionality
— if it hasn’t been modified by
the user, it will not appear by
default.
Here are some more images for
you to gawk at. Let us know
what you think of the new
changes in the comments: Firefox
4.0: Even More Images
Firefox 4.0 with bookmarks
toolbar:
Firefox 4.0 with tabs under the
navigation bar:
Firefox 4.0 with bookmark bar
between tabs and navigation bar:
Comparison of Firefox 4.0 and
Firefox 3.5
[via Chromatic Pixel]
Tags: Firefox, Firefox 4.0,
mozilla
back and boast, ‘Here’s some
money that I got for you.’ The
last time we saw that kind of
historic moment it was 30 pieces
of silver and that didn’t work out
too well for us either,” Huckabee
said.
Oh Look, People Are Already Looking
At Expanding How Selectable Output
Control Will Be Abused
By Mike Masnick (Techdirt)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:32:21 AM
For quite some time we've been
covering how the MPAA has
been pushing to get the FCC to
allow them to use "Selectable
Output Control" (SOC) to stop
you from being able to record
certain movies. In theory, the
Hollywood studios claim that this
will let them put movies out on
video-on-demand offerings
earlier than they do now. In
actuality, there's nothing stopping
them from putting these VoD
offerings out now (and some do
already). The studios' claim that
this is needed to stop "piracy" of
these movies also makes little
sense, since even the studios
admit that all of their movies are
quickly available through
unauthorized means around the
time they're released in the
theaters (i.e., well before they
would be available on TV).
The real issue, of course, is that
Hollywood wants more control
over your TV and what you can
do with it. But when people
suggest this, the MPAA and the
Tech/ Politics/ 25
studios scoff and say that's
ridiculous. They just want this
one tiny exemption and nothing
else. Except, that's not true at all.
Remember that recent
Congressional hearing about live
streaming and sporting events?
Well, the folks at Public
Knowledge noticed that one of
the speakers there was already
noting how the FCC exemption
on SOC could be useful in
stopping "piracy" of sports
broadcasting-- which of course is
totally outside the realm of what
the MPAA is asking for. But, of
course, once the FCC allows
someone to break your DVR or
other consumer electronics
device, it's not hard to see
everyone else asking for their
own "exception" as well... How
about rather than breaking the
devices that everyone purchased
for a reason, the content
providers stop freaking out about
technology, and start learning
how to use it to their advantage?
Permalink| Comments| Email
This Story
26 Tech/ Sports/
Microsoft loses Word patent appeal, Opera 10.5 Pre-Alpha
will change code
(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:27:00 AM Support
Updated 11:55 a.m. PST with
additional information and
background.
Microsoft has lost an appeal in a
patent case that will force it to
alter Microsoft Word to avoid an
injunction on sales of the
product.
I4i Chairman Loudon
Owen(Credit: McLean Watson)
Microsoft lost a patent case
involving a company called I4i in
May, after a jury ruled that
Microsoft infringed one of i4i's
patents with a custom XML
feature found in Word. In August
an injunction was placed on sales
of Word pending the appeal,
which did not go in Microsoft's
favor Tuesday.
"We couldn't be more pleased
with the ruling from the appeals
court which upheld the lower
court's decision in its entirety.
This is both a vindication for I4i
and a war cry for talented
inventors whose patents are
infringed," said Loudon Owen,
Panthers Get Some Revenge In Philadelphia
By Adam Gretz (Fanhouse
Main)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:40:00 AM
Filed under: Flyers, Panthers, the lineup with a concussion. He
NHL Fights, NHL Videos The hasn't played since.
last time the Florida Panthers and On Monday night, the two teams
Adds Speed and CSS3
copies of Microsoft Word 2007
that will be sold on or after
January 11, 2010. Prior copies of
Word 2007 are not affected by
the injunction, and Word 2010 is
being designed without the
infringing technology, the
company said.
"While we are moving quickly to
address the injunction issue, we
are also considering our legal
options, which could include a
request for a rehearing by the
Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
en banc or a request for a writ of
chairman of I4i, in a statement.
The technology in question certiorari from the U.S. Supreme
involves "any Microsoft Word C o u r t , " s a i d K e v i n K u r t z ,
products that have the capability director of public affairs for
of opening .XML, .DOCX or Microsoft, in a statement.
The ruling also means that
DOCM files (XML files)
Microsoft is on the hook for $200
containing custom XML,"
million in damages awarded by
according to a copy of the
injunction released in August. the jury as well as additional fees
I4i's Owen said at the time that and interest. Reuters reported the
his company wasn't out to force a total would reach $290 million.
halt in sales of one of Microsoft's Five Filters featured article:
most profitable products, and it Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
doesn't appear that will happen. PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Microsoft said it planned to Term Extraction.
remove the feature from all
Philadelphia Flyers met on the faced off again, and Florida not
ice, Mike Richards crushed only picked up a 4-1 win in
David Booth with a devastating Philadelphia, but Panthers
open-ice hit, knocking him out of captain Bryan McCabe
challenged Richards to a fight
early in the first period.
By Christina Warren
(Mashable!)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:19:21 AM
Hot on the heels of last month’s
10.10 release, the web browser
Opera has just issued a pre-alpha
Opera Labs release of the
upcoming Opera 10.5. The build
is available for Windows and
Mac users — with a Linux
version coming later.
The big news is that the Opera
10.5 pre-alpha offers users a taste
of Opera’s new JavaScript
engine, known as Carakan. The
next generation of browser wars
will be all about JavaScript
speed. Carakan for Windows is
seven times faster at JavaScript
than the Futhark engine used in
Opera 10.10.
CSS3 and HTML5 Support
Enhanced
Although speed is clearly the big
focus with the 10.5 pre-alpha, the
Opera Desktop team has also
added support for CSS3
transitions and transforms, as
well as more HTML5 support for
stuff like persistent storage.
Opera’s CSS3 support is actually
more advanced that what is
currently being used in Safari 4
and in Google’s Chrome (I
E-reader News Edition
haven’t tested it against the
WebKit nightlies). Namely,
rounded corners with border-
radius and the variations in box
shadows are far more complex.
Even CSS3 Transforms and
Transitions — something that has
been part of Google Chrome and
Safari 4 for quite some time — is
more advanced in Opera 10.5.
You can check out all the new
features here.
Opera will likely never be able
to compete against the bigger
names in the desktop browsing
space, but by continuing to
evolve and innovate, the browser
and the team prove that they are
worth keeping an eye on. Are
you an Opera user? What do you
think about the future of the
desktop browser?
Tags: css3, opera, opera 10.5,
web browsers
E-reader News Edition
CBS and Disney to Join Apple’s TV WSJ: Apple likely to
Subscription Plan?
By Jennifer Van Grove
(Mashable!)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:42:11 AM
Rumors that Apple would launch
TV subscription plans via Apple
TV and iTunes originated from
All Things Digital in early
November. Now The Wall Street
Journal is giving even more
credence to early reports,
claiming that both CBS Corp.
and Walt Disney Co. are
interested in a partnership.
Although company
spokespeople are keeping mum,
CBS — Hulu’s lone big holdout
— and Disney would make for
two influential gets that Apple
could use in negotiations to lure
in other networks. From the
looks of it, Apple is poised to
shake up the television business
after all.
The current guess is that Apple
would offer consumers
subscriptions to ad-free TV
content for $30 a month and give
a per subscriber cut to content
A Marriage in Pics: Brittany Murphy
& Simon Monjack
(ETonline - Breaking News)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 5:12:00 AM
Actress Brittany Murphy passed
away on Sunday, December 20 at
Tech/ Entertainment/ 27
push TV subscription
option in 2010 familiar with the matter. Disney
has in the past been among the
first to jump into online video,
including on iTunes. Apple Chief By Michael Rose (The
Unofficial Apple Weblog
Executive Steve Jobs is Disney’s (TUAW))
largest individual shareholder
and sits on the company’s Submitted at 12/22/2009 12:30:00 PM
board.”
While the deal could be quite Filed under: Apple Corporate,
contributors. Adding to that, The lucrative for some networks, this iTS, Video, iTunes The WSJ and
Wall Street Journal speculates is still uncharted waters for the New York Times, among
that “Apple would pay media Apple, and they’re bound to face other outlets, are reporting that CBS has few cable assets to
companies about $2 to $4 a stark opposition from cable Apple is in preliminary protect, and ABC/Disney have a
month per subscriber for a providers (Comcast has their own discussions with ABC and CBS powerful vote in favor of
broadcast network like CBS or online offering in xfinity), and (at a minimum) about a possible collaboration with Apple, the
ABC, and about $1 to $2 a month the networks that work with them subscription plan arrangement for other companies may have more
per subscriber for a basic-cable to sell their cable-network broadcast and cable TV channels. to lose by throwing in their lot
network.” subsidiaries in bundled deals. This idea was noted by All with the iTunes juggernaut.
The Wall Street Journal also Should Apple yoke a few strong Things D in November, which NBC, in particular, has a hit on
writes: deals, however, they will be in cited a target price of $30 a its hands with the ad-supported
“As part of the Apple service, prime position to compete month for subscription access via Hulu site, now the second-
CBS is considering offering directly against cable providers. iTunes. If the company can get biggest programming provider
programs from both the CBS and Given the widespread nature and content providers signed up, the according to comScore. If only
CW networks, according to appeal of digital content available service would be likely to launch there were some kind of portable
people familiar with the matter.” in iTunes already, it’s a battle next year, say both papers. viewing device that could play
“Disney is considering including they have a chance to win. It's also possible that Apple's back your videos...
programs from its ABC, Disney Tags: apple, Apple TV, cbs, Lala purchase could play into this TUAW WSJ: Apple likely to
C h a n n e l a n d A B C F a m i l y disney new model, with 'shows in the push TV subscription option in
networks, according to a person cloud' and micropayment options 2010 originally appeared on The
that would improve the user Unofficial Apple Weblog
experience for TV-watching.
Meanwhile, the NBC-Comcast
deal might throw a wrench into
(TUAW) on Tue, 22 Dec 2009
12:30:00 EST. Please see our
terms for use of feeds.
the works for Apple, and it's not
clear that the other broadcast and
cable networks are inclined to
Read| Permalink| Email this|
Comments
the age of 32. In May 2007, the affectionate couple at their many
gorgeous, 'Clueless' star married star-studded events. make a deal at this point; while
British screenwriter Simon
Monjack, her constant red-carpet
companion. Take a look at the
28 Tech/ Economy/ E-reader News Edition

Digsby to Add In-Stream Ads Based Jobs chosen as best

on Twitter Trending Topics performing CEO
By Mike Schramm (The
[IMAGES] Unofficial Apple Weblog
(TUAW))
By Jennifer Van Grove — most of whom charge nominal
(Mashable!) fees or include ads in mobile Submitted at 12/22/2009 7:00:00 AM

Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:59:45 AM

apps — but a large majority of Filed under: Apple Corporate,
web and desktop applications Odds and ends, Steve Jobs,
Twitter has yet to pull the trigger have avoided advertisements for Apple Congrats to Steve Jobs,
on their purported advertising fear of alienating Twitter users. who's got another award to put
initiatives (though they are With the release of Trending on all the mantles he must have
profitable), and today OneRiot is Ads comes the promise of to hold all of the awards he's
beating the microblogging site to Twitter application monetization, picked up: he's been chosen as
the punch and releasing RiotWise with an advertiser’s message which means you’re bound to see the best performing CEO in the
Trending Ads as part of its API appearing before you only after it the real-time ads in some of your world by the Harvard Business
and Mobile Ad Unit. passes a match check against favorite Twitter clients soon technically make that list, though
Review. They cite AAPL's he's not worrying about money,
RiotWise Trending Ads is c u r r e n t l y t r e n d i n g t o p i c s . enough. In some cases this could "whopping 3,188% industry-
essentially a real-time stream of Whether their algorithm works as be a win-win situation for we're sure), but rather individuals
adjusted return (34% who've really driven a company
ads — associated with trending promised remains to be seen, but developers and users, especially compounded annually)" as well
t o p i c s o n T w i t t e r — t h a t since Digsby is a launch partner, if your Twitter app already forward over their entire tenure
as an increased market value of in the position. And even with
application developers can toss users of that service should i n c l u d e s l e s s c o n t e x t u a l $150 billion under Jobs'
into the Twitter mix to monetize notice the new real-time ads advertisements. Of course, there that criteria in place, they agree
oversight. Oh, and they also that "it may come as no shock
their desktop, web, iPhone or integrated into the News Feed in is the flip side, where Twitter mention his kickass index of
other mobile Twitter apps. January. You can see an early users could easily be turned off that Steve Jobs of Apple tops the
5,000% when adjusted for the list." You're ruining the curve for
Launch partner Digsby, a mockup of the new look below. by in-stream advertisements. globonational economy, as well
popular IM and Twitter client, is Obviously, contextual ads How would you feel about the rest of them, Steve! Great job.
as his black turtleneck market [ via AppleInsider]
about to flip the switch on the integrated into Twitter streams Trending Ads as a part of your factor of 3.1 year-over-year.
new ads, integrating the trending fill a much needed void for favorite Twitter app? Let us TUAW Jobs chosen as best
Ok, so we made those last two performing CEO originally
ads right into users’ News Feeds. application developers who want know in the comments. stats up. But yes, as if you
The service, which is an quick revenue returns. As it Tags: digsby, OneRiot, social appeared on The Unofficial
needed to be told, Jobs is an Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue,
extension of OneRiot’s RiotWise stands, some Twitter application media, twitter amazing CEO, and it's in large
initiative, touts ads that are developers have already figured 22 Dec 2009 07:00:00 EST.
part because of him and his work Please see our terms for use of
highly relevant to trending topics, out how to monetize their apps that Apple is the company it is feeds.
today. The Business Review says
Stem cells help restore sight to blind that they didn't want to just
Read| Permalink| Email this|
Comments
(Financial Times - US lost sight in one eye. years ago. “I’m working, I can go choose most-admired or highest-
homepage) ”This has transformed my life,” jet skiing and also ride horses.” paid CEOs (Jobs wouldn't
Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:50:31 AM
said one of the patients, Russell Five Filters featured article:
Turnbull, whose right eye was Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
A stem cell treatment developed burned and scarred in an PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
in Newcastle has restored good ammonia attack after intervening Term Extraction.
vision to eight people who had in a fight on a Newcastle bus 15
E-reader News Edition
Marvell launches worldwide Plug
Computer competition
(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:30:00 AM
The original SheevaPlug
computer(Credit: Dong
Ngo/CNET)
Six month ago, I had an
exclusive First Look at Marvell's
prototype plug-in computer, the
SheevaPlug. Ever since, dozen of
companies have contacted me
about their applications. Most
recently, CNET reviewed the
Pogoplug from Cloud Engines.
That said, it didn't surprise me
when Marvell announced
Tuesday that 10,000 SheevaPlug
units featuring Marvell CPU
technology have shipped.
To celebrate this milestone,
Marvell also announced today the
launch of its worldwide Plug
Computer developer competition,
called "Free Your Imagination,"
to award the most innovative
Plug Computing concept
submitted.
You can participate or find out
more about this competition at
plugcomputer.org. This Web site
is also the main Web resource for
the plug application development
community, where members can
access software that facilitates
the development of the
Next Stop, Holiday Travel Horror Stories! [Christmas Crash]
By Brian Moylan (Gawker)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:50:42 AM
SheevaPlug. Developers can also
exchange ideas for free.
While the applications differ
from one vendor to another, in a
nutshell, Marvell's Plug computer
is a tiny unit, about a size of a
small wall-plug power adapter.
The little computer, despite its
physical size, is equipped with
Marvell's 1Ghz processor and
some 256MB of RAM. The
computer also comes with a USB
port and an Ethernet port to be
best used as a network storage or
Commenters are leaving great
tales of airport woe and torturous
car trips. If you want to try to win
an Internet-based cloud storage
server.
One of the biggest selling points
of the Plug Computer is the fact
that it uses very little energy and
therefore is the cheapest solution
to offer users high performance,
always on, always connected, and
environmentally friendly
computing.
Five Filters featured article:
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Term Extraction.
a $50 MetroCard, go leave your
Tech/ Entertainment/ 29
Can Rolling Stone Sell T-
Shirts Of Its Covers? It's Not
That Simple, Apparently...
By Mike Masnick (Techdirt) they have exclusive licensing
Submitted at 12/22/2009 7:20:00 AM
deals to sell products with those
musicians. Rolling Stone is
Well, here's an interesting arguing both that it has a First
lawsuit. Apparently, Rolling Amendment right to do this, and
Stone magazine decided it a f a i r u s e d e f e n s e t o a n y
wanted to try selling t-shirts of intellectual property claim. I'm
some of its covers. Considering reminded of a recent case
the market for t-shirts, that might involving magazine covers,
not be a bad idea (especially where the use of those magazine
when compared to the market for covers in a book (by someone
m a g a z i n e s t h e s e d a y s ) . else) was deemed fair use, though
Obviously, the magazine and its the details are obviously quite
publisher Wenner Media own the different. Still, it probably won't
copyright on their own covers, so surprise many people that I tend
there shouldn't be any problem, to think Rolling Stone should
right? Not so fast. Since the prevail here. The key aspect of
covers usually include musicians, what they're selling is that the
and those musicians have vast designs are Rolling Stone covers
m e r c h a n d i s i n g b u s i n e s s e s -- not specifically which band is
t h e m s e l v e s , s o m e o f t h e on the cover.
companies who handle the Permalink| Comments| Email
merchandising for some top This Story
artists have sued, claiming that
worst Christmas commute story
in the comments of the original
post. Happy trails! [ Image via]
30 Tech/ Entertainment/ E-reader News Edition

Yelp for Android now uploading O2 network issues

photos
(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 12:00:00 PM
A small update to version 1.2
lets you upload photos from your
phone and share favorite
businesses with friends.(Credit:
Yelp)
Yelp's first foray on Google's
Android phones wasn't much to
look at.
The initial feature set of Yelp's
business review app for Android,
which debuted December 7, was
minimalist. It contained enough
features--read-only access to
Yelp.com, click-to-call, and a
hyperlink to get directions from
the browser or Google Maps--to
avoid a user riot, but one would
hardly call it the answer to Yelp's
iPhone app.
On Tuesday, Yelp is making
good on its promise to quickly
pad the app's features. Version
1.2, an update available through
the Android Market app on your
smartphone, now lets you upload
pictures from your Android
phone to Yelp's site.
If you're meeting someone at a
restaurant, bar, or museum, you
can now share Yelp's business
listing with others over SMS, e-
mail, Facebook, and other third-
party apps you may have
installed on your phone, like a
Twitter service. As a third
addition, you're also free to sign
in to your Yelp profile from the
smartphone.
These changes may seem like
small potatoes at first--you still
can't add your own rating, write
tips, or review a place from the
hinder iPhone users
By Dave Caolo (The Unofficial
Apple Weblog (TUAW))
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:05:00 AM
Filed under: Internet Tools,
iPhone iPhone customers using
O2 in the UK are three days into
connectivity issues, according to
Sky News. Many have been
seeing the error message, "could
not activate cellular data affected customers."
network." It's bound to happen Some Twitter users have noted a
once and a while, but such return of service, while others
widespread outages ... and for so wait. We've got our fingers
long ... have users rather cranky. crossed for you all. Good luck!
Today it seems that O2 has [Via MacDailyNews]
identified the issue and is TUAW O2 network issues
working on a fix: "We are aware hinder iPhone users originally
of an issue currently impacting appeared on The Unofficial
phone--but they reverse two of data access for some of our Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue,
our complaints. Yelp tells us we customers," they told Sky News 22 Dec 2009 11:05:00 EST.
should expect to see more Online. "We have identified a Please see our terms for use of
interactive features in early 2010, fault with the allocation of IP feeds.
like drafting a review for later addresses and are working to Read| Permalink| Email this|
publishing, and bookmarking a r e s o l v e t h i s a s q u i c k l y a s Comments
business. possible. We apologise to any
Five Filters featured article:
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Term Extraction.

Just Released: Michael Jackson FBI Documents

(ETonline - Breaking News)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:56:00 AM
ET has the latest...
ET has just obtained the newly
released FBI documents
regarding the late Michael
Jackson.
Between 1994 and 1995 and
then again between 2004 and
2005, Jackson was investigated
by California law enforcement
agencies for possible child
molestation – which he was later
acquitted of. The papers are in
regards to the aforementioned
molestation as well as an
extortion threats against the
singer. Customs Service as part of a
Five of the files are in regards to child pornography investigation.
child molestation and one file,
opened in 1995, details a request
made to the FBI to analyze a
videotape provided by U.S.
E-reader News Edition
Unreal Engine 3 running on the iPod touch
By Mike Schramm (The
Unofficial Apple Weblog
(TUAW))
Submitted at 12/22/2009 2:00:00 PM
Filed under: Gaming, Hardware,
Software, Odds and ends,
Developer, iPhone, SDK, iPod
touch
Whenever you talk about games
on a mobile platform, you
usually have to also mention that
while things like high-end 3D
graphics are certainly possible,
there are usually some
concessions that have to be made.
But in the case of the iPhone,
perhaps not: Epic Games has
apparently been showing
Anandtech their Unreal Engine 3
on Apple's handheld, the same
graphical engine that runs
iPhone OS 4.0: Already in the Wild?
By Jennifer Van Grove
(Mashable!)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:33:29 AM
Last week, BoyGenius claimed
to have found browser logs that
suggest that new versions (3.1.3
and 4.0) of Apple’s iPhone OS
are being tested. It’s not solid
evidence, but today there’s a little
more fuel to add to that fire.
MacRumors was tipped off to
another sighting of iPhone OS
4.0 in the wild. One iPhone
developer noticed a single
instance of the version 4.0
operating system being used. The
modern console hits like Gears of
War 2 and Batman: Arkham
Asylum. There's even video, and
the thing looks pretty darn
incredible. It's possible that in the
hands of a skilled developer, you
could have a very impressive
new version was discovered via
the developer’s application
analytics data.
While these discoveries are by
no means concrete proof, we
have every reason to suspect that
Apple is testing a new version of
the iPhone(they’ve released a
Tech/ Tech Tips/ Picture/ 31
Fill Every Last
(and the OpenGL ES 2.0) to pull
this off. But it's impressive Megabyte of Your
nevertheless. Epic hasn't licensed iPod’s Free Space
this version of the engine yet as [IPods]
far as we know, but they promise
to show off more in the future, so By Gina Trapani (Lifehacker)
we'll be keeping an eye out. One Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:30:00 AM
more version of the iPhone, and
we might be looking at games When you sync your
that can compete graphically with iPod/iPhone in iTunes 9 and
even modern consoles. you've got space left, check off
[via Engadget] the "Automatically fill free space
TUAW Unreal Engine 3 running with songs" box on the Music tab
on the iPod touch originally to use every last free megabyte.
As David Chartier at The Finer
realistic graphical game running appeared on The Unofficial Things in Mac site notes, there's
on the iPhone hardware. Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue,
no way to see what songs iTunes
Some of the iPhone hardware, 22 Dec 2009 14:00:00 EST. pulls and adds there for you. I'd
that is -- the engine was shown Please see our terms for use of
like to think it uses some sort of
off on the 3GS and the 3rd feeds. smarts to determine what songs
generation iPod touch, so only Read| Permalink| Email this|
you haven't synced that you
those have the speed and power Comments should have. Either way, nifty
feature for quickly filling up your
Snowball fight! player without having to check
off playlists manually.
By Heather Champ (Flickr Note: As Smarterware reader
new model annually since its Blog) Fran points out, iPhone and iPod
original debut), and new
Submitted at 12/21/2009 4:26:24 PM touch users may want to skip this
hardware would most certainly if they're apt to install a lot of
be accompanied by a new version • About Flickr apps on the go, since it could
of the OS. It’s completely logical Flickr is a revolution in photo mean there's no space left over
t h e n t h a t A p p l e w o u l d b e storage, sharing and organization, for a new app. Fill Every Last
p r e p p i n g a n d t e s t i n g n e w making photo management an Megabyte of Your iPod's Free
versions of the iPhone software. easy, natural and collaborative Space[Smarterware]
Our guess is that should 3.1.3 process. Get comments, notes,
exist, it will be released early and tags on your photos, post to
next year, with 4.0 coming on to any blog, share and more!
the scene at the same time as the Five Filters featured article:
anticipated new hardware in Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
summer 2010. PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Tags: apple, iphone, iphone os Term Extraction.
32 Politics/ Tech Tips/ E-reader News Edition

Why I Left the Right, Exhibit P for Pawlenty

(Little Green Footballs) scientific suit. from cross-dressing elementary over again I would have changed
Submitted at 12/21/2009 12:41:02 PM
And it’s become a plank of the school teachers, whether they some things.
GOP platform in many states — actually exist or not. And he Overbaked?
Newsweek has an interview with including Minnesota(PDF link). wants to make sure that gay That statute is not worded the
M i n n e s o t a G o v e r n o r T i m Quote: couples don’t receive medical way it should be. I said I
Pawlenty, the very model of a P. Protecting educators from benefits — a position he’s regretted the vote later because it VLC Gets Dressed
m o d e r n G O P c a n d i d a t e , disciplinary action for including reversed as the GOP has moved included things like cross-
considered by many as a possible discussion of creation science, farther and farther to the right. dressing, and a variety of other Up for Christmas
front runner for the Presidency in and adopting science standards
2012: Anti-science and anti-gay. that acknowledge the scientific
I know you are opposed to gay
marriage, but what about medical
people involved in behaviors that
weren’t based on sexual
[Easter Eggs]
Let me ask you about social controversies pertaining to the benefits for same-sex couples? orientation, just a preference for By Jason Fitzpatrick
issues your party has been theory of evolution. I have not supported that. the way they dressed and (Lifehacker)
dealing with. In her book, Palin When a Republican governor is Why not? behaved. So it was overly broad. Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:45:00 AM
claims that McCain’s handlers openly in favor of teaching this My general view on all of this is So if you are a third-grade
wanted her to be silent about her nonsense to children — and that marriage is to be defined as teacher and you are a man and If you're a fan of VLC—the
belief in creationism. How would notice he says it “doesn’t have to being a union of a man and a you show up on Monday as Mr. open-source and awesome media
you describe your view? be” in science class, not that he’s woman. Marriage should be Johnson and you show up on player that had made appearances
I can tell you how we handle it opposed to teaching it in science elevated in our society at a Tuesday as Mrs. Johnson, that is in our Hive Fives for best video
in Minnesota. We leave it to the class — it’s appalling. special level. I don’t think all a little confusing to the kids. So I players, best portable
local school districts. We don’t And Pawlenty’s personal views domestic relationships are the don’t like that. applications, and best desktop
mandate a curriculum or an are even more anti-scientific: equivalent of traditional Has the law been changed? media players—you may have
a p p r o a c h . W e a l l o w f o r Where are you personally? marriage. Early on we decided as No. It should be, though. noticed a little change in your
something called “intelligent Well, you know I’m an a country and as a state that there So you want to protect kids VLC icon this week. Hidden in
design” to be discussed as a evangelical Christian. I believe was value in a man and a woman against cross-dressing elementary the VLC code is an easter
comparative theory. It doesn’t that God created everything and being married in terms of impact -school teachers. Do you have egg—as of Christmas last
have to be in science class. that he is who he says he was. on children and the like, and we any in Minnesota? year—where the little orange
Is this a kind of “moderate” The Bible says that he created want to encourage that. Probably. We’ve had a few VLC construction cone wears a
creationism? man and woman; it doesn’t say To borrow a phrase, have your instances, not exactly like that, Santa hat for the week of
Well, Pawlenty is clearly trying that he created an amoeba and views evolved over time? but similar. Christmas.
to soft-pedal it, but no, there’s then they evolved into man and In 1993 I voted for a bill Yikes. Love a fun software Easter egg?
nothing “moderate” about this. woman. But there are a lot of prohibiting discrimination based So what happens if a cross- Make sure to check out our list of
The fact is that “intelligent theologians who say that the on sexual orientation in public dressing elementary school top 10 software Easter eggs, and
design” has no validity ideas of evolution and accommodation, housing, and teacher wants to teach visit previously reviewed Easter
whatsoever, as a “comparative creationism aren’t necessarily employment. That was 16 years “intelligent design” creationism? Egg Archive to find Easter eggs
theory” or any other kind of inconsistent; that he could have ago. Imagine, if you will, the massive in everything from software to
theory. ID is not a “theory” at all “created” human beings over Yes, gay-rights activists cognitive dissonance that would DVDs and video games. Have a
in the scientific sense — it’s a time. regarded you as a pretty cool guy ensue. favorite? Let's hear about it in the
marketing ploy to repackage Pawlenty has no problem with at the time. comments.
f u n d a m e n t a l i s t C h r i s t i a n teaching creationism as science, We overbaked that statute, for a
creationism in a cheap pseudo- but he wants to protect children couple of reasons. If I had to do it
E-reader News Edition Politics/ Tech Tips/ Entertainment/ 33

Monday Night Music: Bruce

Hornsby, 'Prairie Dog Town' Learn to Toss Pizza Dough,
(Little Green Footballs) They lay in wait neath the dog
Submitted at 12/21/2009 4:58:54 PM
Dakota moon
For the chance to make you their
Theyll rob you back and steal
your drawers
Impress Your Friends
Here’s a great live performance next victim soon
of “Prairie Dog Town,” by Bruce Poppin up, poppin down
Stay in your car behind the glass
Or you might get some big sharp [Video Demonstration]
Hornsby and the Noisemakers, Burrowing, making their funny teeth in that ass By Lisa Hoover (Lifehacker) pie nice and round. Hit up the
from their latest album Levitate. little sounds Disregard the great ethical truths video for a play-by-play visual
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:00:00 AM
Like all of Bruce’s recent work, Guarding the ground and rooting Its the collective life of the herd on how to stretch and twirl the
this one goes in unexpected and all around for you Getting good at making your dough while keeping it from
musically intriguing directions — Watch your dry bones in the Closed society, no open door own pizza dough is a skill well landing on your head.
and the lyrics are a hoot. (Here it prairie dog town policy worth the time you put into it. Don't be surprised if you don't
is at the iTunes Store.)[Video] Went to a party at the Prairie Collectivist secretive ideology Impress friends with your mad get it right the first fifty times
Poppin up, poppin down Dog Town Utilitarian pizza-throwing skills with this you try dough-tossing. The
Burrowing, making their funny Hills and holes and manicured Sublimation of individual v i d e o f r o m t h e C a l i f o r n i a smarties at science blog Physorg
little sounds grounds identities Culinary Academy. say there's a lot more to it than
Guarding the ground and rooting Gaiety and chattering was in the Suppression of dissidents Michael Kalanty, a chef from the just throwing the crust in the air a
all around air Communal living country club California Culinary Academy, few times and hoping a pizza
Watch your dry bones in the While grinning teeth waited to victory put together a snazzy video drops in your hands. In fact,
prairie dog town bite you there For him and her and she and he tutorial on how to toss pizza apparently the physics behind
Teddy Roosevelt said come Small of mind better watch your Poppin up, poppin down dough in the air like a pro. He pizza dough-tossing could help
quick back Burrowing, making their funny uses sourdough in this lesson, but r e s e a r c h e r s d e v e l o p b e t t e r
Theres a phenomenon and Im in Need rapid-moving eyes just to little sounds any stiff pizza dough will do. technology (who knew?).
the thick of it keep track Guarding the ground and rooting To get started, you'll need a big If you consider yourself a pizza-
Riding around the badlands Behind the bush he makes the all around batch of flour to keep the dough flinging ace, let's hear your best
range gut strings wail Watch your dry bones in the from sticking (be prepared to tips in the comments. How to
They came upon those creatures You cant judge a dog by the wag prairie dog town flour your arms), and a rolling Throw Pizza Dough[Wonder
so strange of its tail The rose grows sick from the pin to get the initial shape of the How To]
Theyre so small they couldnt Poppin up, poppin down dark love of the worm
hurt you Burrowing, making their funny That finds its way to her crimson
Just like they said about little sounds bed
Napoleon too Guarding the ground and rooting And twists and turns
Oh so cute theyre sneaking all around And burrows and burns
around Watch your dry bones in the
Hiding the crimes round the prairie dog town
Prairie Dog Town Dont put your trust in a prairie

Michael Jackson's FBI File [Document Dump]

By John Cook (Gawker) The FBI has released 333 pages if you want to take a look as well,
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:32:16 AM
of files on Michael Jackson. please let us know what you find.
We're reading them now and will do a post later this afternoon. But
34 Politics/ Tech News/ E-reader News Edition

White Supremacist Robert Stacy OneRiot Launches New

McCain Refuses to Debate with Real-Time Ads to
Barrett Brown Monetize Trending Topics
By Frederic Lardinois
(Little Green Footballs) getting him to at least act in your life, and by (ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 9:10:06 PM
acknowledge that I had pretending otherwise, you
challenged him to an e-mail undermine your own credibility. Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:00:00 AM Tobias Peggs told us earlier this
Imagine my surprise to discover exchange whereby he would have Better to be honestly selfish than month, "2010 will be all about
OneRiot, one of the leading real-
that white supremacist blogger the chance to shoot down the to be falsely charitable. monetizing the real-time Web."
time search engines, just
R o b e r t S t a c y M c C a i n h a s various accusations that have To which I responded in turn: Real-time advertising, however,
announced the launch of a new
cravenly refused Barrett Brown’s been made against him by The word “offer” does not comes with its own set of
advertising product for real-time
challenge: Stacy McCain Finally Charles Johnson and myself necessarily entail anything challenges. While Google
apps. RiotWise Trending Ads
Acknowledges, Declines My before they go into my soon-to- positive at all, much less AdSense, for example, can take
will give OneRiot's partners a
Offer to Debate. be-completed book on the anything along the lines of its time to learn about what
feed of ads related to currently
And in classic Stacy McCain American punditry. As I wrote: “charity” or “generosity.” Notice works best for a certain keyword,
trending topics on the Web.
style, he throws in an ugly smear Regarding your most recent that I have used the term advertising systems for the real-
These ads can, for example, be
while running away. mention of me, I knew Avatar interchangeably with “challenge” time web have to work with a
integrated in a user's stream of
McCain uses his post as an was going to suck as soon as I and that I originally compared it different set of signals and react
updates in Twitter apps or
opportunity to deploy – for the saw the first preview. to a duel, for instance. I am not to an environment that is always
displayed as regular mobile ad
third time, by my count – a jokey If you have the time to write extending this offer as any sort of in flux. In this context, it makes
units. Digsby, for example, plans
jibe in reference to the fact that blog posts about how poorly my good deed, although to the extent sense for OneRiot to launch a
to place these ads directly in its
my upcoming book singles out book is going to do and how that you are actually in the right, product that focuses on trending
users' streams, but because the
f o r c r i t i c i s m s e v e r a l much I dislike the Jews, then such an offer as this would topics and not on trying to match
units are delivered as a feed
c o m m e n t a t o r s o f J e w i s h surely you have the time to indeed be to your benefit. I am an individual user's stream to the
through OneRiot's API,
background: Speaking of which, respond to my offer, even if only extending it to you for the same right advertiser.
developers are free to use them in
I’m told that Barrett Brown loved to decline it. reason that you are declining it – Initially, OneRiot will work
whatever way the see fit.
Avatar. Not that he’s a racist. But McCain responded as because I would win any such closely with developers to ensure
Sponsor
he does suck. Be sure to look for follows:“Offer”? As if you were exchange. that the initial implementations of
OneRiot's ad network, RiotWise,
his book, People That Barrett the soul of generosity, and I in I’ve yet to hear back. the RiotWise Trending Ads work
launched about 2 months ago as a
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closed beta with roughly 20
J e w s ) , c o m i n g s o o n t o a your work, do it well, collect Regarding Barrett Brown’s Offer developers will have to get
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Fair enough. I e-mailed McCain the humanitarian posturing. Robert Stacy McCain applying through the OneRiot
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2010: It's all About Monetizing
next year. Discuss
the Real-Time Web
As OneRiot's general manager
E-reader News Edition
Five Wishes for Better Webapps [Lifehacker Wishlist]
By Kevin Purdy (Lifehacker)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:00:00 AM
As we look ahead to 2010, we're
hoping it's the year the web
becomes a truly great platform
for working and connecting
online. Here are five things we'd
like to see fixed for that to
happen.
Photo by Morten Lund. Over-
aggressive Flash and widgets
One week after your first time
ever opening a web browser, you
knew how it worked. Text that
was differently-colored and
turned your cursor into a little
pointing hand was a link. Images
could also be links, and content
and advertising usually have
distinct barriers on the page.
When sites get annoying, they
blur the lines.
Festering squarely at the bottom
of the barrel are "search" and
"preview" bubbles that
automatically pop up when your
mouse glances past certain
topical words on blogs and news
sites. Sometimes they're double-
underlined, sometimes they're
not. Sometimes they simply offer
a graphical thumbnail of the page
you'd travel to if you clicked, and
sometimes they promise
"explainers" that are nothing but
ad-infested, self-linking
nightmares. In any case, they
break and cheapen the web's
promise as a reasonable, if
loosely organized, center for
information. It's akin to walking
through a library, glancing at the
Young Adult fiction section a
few rows over, and then being
startled by a sales representative
for the Twilight books, leaping
up from beneath a counter and
screaming "LEARN MORE
ABOUT TEAM JACOB!"
That's just one example from a
different corner of the web, but
it's something you can see in a
sadly large number of interactive
sites. "Share this" buttons that
expand to take over text space
when you cursor barely taps
them, screen-covering slide-outs
asking readers to "Subscribe to
our newsletter!" or "Take our
survey!", videos that
automatically play when you
mouse over them (or simply
arrive on the page)—they all
come from a desire to fudge how
interested a reader is in the
supplemental stuff around the
content. We know our own site
isn't entirely void of sometimes
aggressive Flash-based
advertising, but on the editorial
side just over the business wall,
we envision a future in which
readers can expect a consistent,
calm reading experience on most
any site on the web—and
browser add-ons like AdBlock
Plus, FlashBlock, and their ilk
aren't crucially necessary.
Contact miners
If we think a webapp is a crucial
convenience, and one that our
friend and family need to get in
on, we'll tell them. I know I've
pushed a number of grudging
friends, and a patient spouse, into
Google Voice, Brizz.ly, and
Evernote, but I did it when the
thought occurred to me, not
while signing up.
Too many webapps offer to
make it "easy" to "find contacts
who are already on X," and then
ask for your Gmail, Hotmail,
Tech Tips/ 35
of getting hundreds of people
every day to do what their
contacts are doing. If you've got a
good product, it will get noticed,
people will use it, and the people
who respect those early adopters
will follow suit. If you play a
numbers game based on little
white webapp lies, you're
MySpace. Webapps without
mobile versions
A well-made, thought-out
iPhone app is a great thing, and
there are great device-specific
apps for Android phones,
BlackBerry units, and other
platforms. But having a mobile
site and service that's fast,
functional, and universally
Facebook, or other sign-in accessible is the most powerful
credentials. You already know tool of all.
who you want to "connect" with Google could, by all means,
on most sites, but if it's somehow make a killer Gmail app for the
convenient to pull in everybody iPhone, and already has an
from your massive contacts list, Android app that many users
and then un-check the folks you swear is worth the price of
don't need ties to, it's up to you to admission alone. But nobody
decide whether it's worth handing knows what the future brings,
over a sensitive password (and and having a platform that's
then, maybe, immediately change accessible to just about any web-
it). capable phone, while being fast
But most eager webapps don't and feature-packed, is the smart
stop there. For all the contacts investment. Intern Whitson is, for
that aren't on XYZNet, they'd example, planning on getting a
like to email all of them, let them Droid phone very soon, which
know that you've joined up, and means having to give up on
ask them to connect with you, be accessing uber-helpful personal
your friend, share your reading finance site Mint.com on the go,
list, etc. No webapp has any since there's nothing in the way
reason to do this. It's spam, pure of an Android app, or usable
and simple, and it preys on those mobile site, at the moment. For
w h o a r e t o o h u r r i e d o r every great webapp out there, this
overwhelmed to look before they
FIVE page 37
click "Next," and the bulk odds
36 Tech Tips/
Gadget and Gear Deals of the Day [Dealhacker]
By Jason Fitzpatrick
(Lifehacker)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:00:00 AM
Cheap HDTVs, computer gear,
and a dash of free goodies await
in today's dealhacker roundup.
Today and tomorrow are the last
days to score in-time-for-
Christmas shipping, so check
your list twice!
Computer Gear!
• 15.6" HP G60-530US Laptop
for $459.99 + Free
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• 13.3" HP DM3-1030US LED
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use this form)
• 10" Dell Inspiron Mini 1011
8hr Netbook for $308.98 + Free 2
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$350)
• Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 for
$64.40 + Free 2-Day
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use this form)
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• HP Pavilion Slimline s5220f
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• Epson Workforce 610 Wireless
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• Verbatim 500GB USB 2.0
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Home Entertainment Gear!
• 58" Samsung PN58B560
E-reader News Edition
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Portable Gear!
• Sennheiser PXC450 Noise-
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1 0 8 0 p P l a s m a H D T V f o r • Aiptek PJV11X PocketCinema
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• 10.2" Viore PLCD10V59 Price: $299.99).
Portable LCD TV w/ Built-In • Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-
DVD Player for $148 + Free Inch Portable GPS Navigator
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• 6 0 " L G 6 0 P S 6 0 H i g h - Canada & Puerto Rico for
definition 1080p Plasma TV for $219.99 + Free Shipping(Regular
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Price: $1699). • Viore PLCD10V59 10.2-Inch
• 55" Vizio VF550M120Hz Portable Widescreen LCD TV
1080p LCD HDTV + Extras for with Built-In DVD Player for
$1499 with free shipping(Regular $148 + Free Shipping(Regular
Price: $1708). Price: $198.65).
• 47" LG 47LH30 1080p LCD • Garmin nüvi 855 4.3-Inch
TV for $769.00 + Free Widescreen Portable GPS
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• Insignia Blu-Ray Player w/ Recognition for $159.99 + Free
Wireless Networking for Netflix S h i p p i n g ( R e g u l a r P r i c e :
Streaming $119.99(Regular $ 1 8 8 . 8 6 ) .
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• LG BD 370 Network Blu-ray Digital Camcorder for $160 with
Player for $149.99 + Free free shipping(Regular Price:
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• Sony STR-DN1000 7.1- • Samsung TL320 12MP 3-inch
Channel A/V Receiver for $297 AMOLED Digital Camera for
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• Samsung BD-P1600 Netflix- • Fujifilm FinePix Z30 10MP
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GADGET page 37
$20 Gift Card for
E-reader News Edition
FIVE
continued from page 35
will be an endless problem going
forward as new mobile
browsers—tablets, e-readers,
heck, even in-dash car
screens—come along, but it's a
straight-forward fix. Sites that
don't remember, block password
saving
Pushing a button that does
nothing is a universal route to
madness. Likewise, offering
"Remember me" check boxes,
and denying a browser's built-in
ability to save passwords, is
becoming the newest way to
make your webapp unliked and,
in fact, kind of hated.
Most modern operating systems
have a username/password login,
and offer encryption controls for
applications and data. Firefox,
among other browsers, offers a
Master Password that prevents
unauthorized use of saved
passwords. If a webapp thinks it
can protect your data by
regularly—or, worse, completely
randomly—signing you out, it is
sorely mistaken. Focus should be
put instead on preventing DNS
hijackings, improving password
recovery protocols, cutting off
brute-force password attacks, and
similarly back-alley methods.
Twelve Days of Festivus: Two series finales
By Annie Wu (TV Squad)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 2:02:00 PM
On the second day of Festivus, unexpectedly get axed. Some
TV gave to me... two series pack a punch in their short lives,
finales.
S h o w s e n d a l l t h e t i m e . decades and end amidst a chorus of "Finally!" Seriously. Shows
Online banking sites, sure, we
can understand the
skittishness—but come up with
better non-text solutions instead
of forcing customers to install
extensions for easy JavaScript
hacks to fix the problem. Walled
gardens
This is the simplest, but most
dire, demand of any application
that allows you to—and, in fact,
encourages you to—create data,
connections, contacts, and more:
let us take it all out.
Google's Data Liberation Front
is an initiative by the search firm
to force discussion on the topic
of data portability. Before you
use a webapp, and before a
webapp designer starts offering
sign-ups, a few questions should
be asked:
• Can I get my data out at all?
• How much is it going to cost to
get my data out?
• How much of my time is it
going to take to get my data out?
And the ideal answers are:
• Yes.
• Nothing more than I'm already
paying.
• As little as possible.
Sometimes shows purposefully
bow out to end on a high note,
and sometimes shows
some get drawn out over several
Webapps vary greatly on how
they adhere to these ideal data
provisions. Looking at Gina's
roundup of free tools to back up
online accounts, it's plain to see
that there are apps that offer
simple, universally useful data
(WordPress, Tumblr, most
Google apps), apps that offer data
if you know where to look
(Twitter), and apps that make you
hunt down backup solutions that
aren't officially supported
(Facebook). As such, many
people remain non-committal
about working in the web,
because it's hard to say just how
long-term some platforms can be,
given their closed-off nature.
What webapp annoyances make
you question the web as the place
where you'll work in the future?
What would you change about
your favorite webapps if you had
a team of programmers and a
week off to work on it? Let's hear
what's on your web wishlist in
the comments.
GADGET
continued from page 36
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Headphones for $29.99 + Free
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$89.99(Regular Price: $99)
• Magellan RoadMate 1470 GPS
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• Altec Lansing UHP326
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technology for $29.01 + Free
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• Amazon Video On Demand $4
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• Quadrum:colors (iPhone) for
$0(Regular Price: $1.99).
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(iPhone/iPod Touch) for
$0(Regular Price: $2.99).
end all the time.
Which is why it's absolutely of Festivus: Two series finales
cruel that I was assigned to pick Filed under: OpEd, Festivus,
only two 2009 series finales to Reality-Free
write about. Come on! Two.
That's a lot of pressure to put on C o m m e n t s
a girl.
TV/ 37
• MP3 Download-Night Before
Christmas/The Smithereens(use
this form).
• Have Yourself A Merry Little
Christmas by Keyshia Cole
(MP3) for $0(download here).
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- A Very Monkey Christmas
(MP3) for $0(download here).
• It Really is (a Wonderful Life)
by Mindy Smith (MP3) for
$0(download here).
• Free Nyquil T-Shirt (upload
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get 5 friend's votes)(use this
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Santa, Frosty or Tony
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Thanks Dealzon,
TechDealDigger, Slickdeals,
Fatwallet, TechBargains,
CheapStingyBargains,
CheapCollegeGamers, and
GamerHotline!
Continue reading Twelve Days
Permalink| Email this| |
38 Tech Tips/ TV/
Opera 10.5 Pre-Alpha is All About Speed (and
Private Browsing) [Downloads]
By Kevin Purdy (Lifehacker)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:00:00 AM
Windows/Mac: Opera's
developers have released a very
unstable but promising version of
their web browser into the open.
What does Opera 10.5 have to
offer? If a quick test is any
indication, faster JavaScript
speed than any browser out there.
Based on Opera's reports of their
new JavaScript engine, Caraken,
being "7x faster" than the
standard Futhark engine built
into Opera 10.10, we ran it
through Mozilla's Dromaeo
JavaScript tests, which combine
Apple's SunSpider and Google's
V8 JavaScript benchmarks. Pure
runs-per-second speed isn't
everything, of course, and
engines can be built specifically
to max out in these kinds of tests.
That said, the results of Opera
10.5, rolled into our last round of
browser speed tests, were more
than a little impressive, using
Dromaeo as a measuring stick:
The chart up top is pulled from
Review: Men of a Certain Age - Mind's Eye
By Jason Hughes (TV Squad)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 12:43:00 PM
(S01E03) If there was any doubt
that this show's goal was too be
completely authentic and
realistic, I think a discussion
about how many creams Owen
our most recent speed tests, with
Opera 10.5 pre-alpha results
rolled in. It shows some, shall we
say, notable improvement. The
gHacks blog put 10.5 against
Firefox 3.6 beta and Chrome's
development build in the
SunSpider and V8 tests and
found that Opera either beat, or
came very close to, Chrome, in
those separate runs, and usually
left Firefox in the dust. We'll
have to put Opera 10.5 through
uses on his ass just about seals
the deal. I can only imagine what
the waitress thinks of the bits and
pieces she overhears of the boys'
various conversations. But it does
make it perfectly clear why that
diner table has become the
symbol of the show.
its full paces when it's out of its
very unstable build.
If you're the adventurous type
and do want to give the pre-alpha
a try, you'll also find
improvements to the page
rendering engine, new Private
Browsing tabs and windows that
don't track any history, and some
interface and visual design
tweaks, detailed in the post
below. The big JavaScript
improvements aren't as
These boys have been a part of
pronounced on the Mac build as
on Windows, according to the
development team, but are still
there.
Opera 10.5 pre-alpha is a free
download for Windows and Mac
systems. Tell us if you think
there's some real speed-ups in
this build, and what else you like,
in the comments. Opera 10.5 pre-
alpha for Labs[Opera via ]
each other's lives for so long now
that they're family. The fact that
they're able to have conversations
like we see each week, that
certainly go deeper and more
intimate than most "guy"
friendships would ever be
allowed, is a testament to that.
E-reader News Edition
What You Missed Last
Night: Jimmy, Martha,
and the Croquembouche
By Bob Sassone (TV Squad)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 3:04:00 PM
No, that's not something dirty,
it's a holiday dish that Martha
Stewart cooked last night on Late
Night with Jimmy Fallon. You
might know it as "that cookie
thing that's shaped like a tree and
has sticky stuff on it."
[Watch clips and episodes of
Late Night and other shows at
SlashControl.]
Filed under: Late Night, Video,
Watercooler Talk, Celebrities,
Talk Show, Reality-Free
Permalink| Email this| |
Comments
Continue reading Review: Men
of a Certain Age - Mind's Eye
Filed under: Other Drama
Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews,
Reality-Free
Permalink| Email this| |
Comments
E-reader News Edition
Would You Ditch Cable for Online
Television Subscriptions? [Reader
Poll]
By Adam Pash (Lifehacker)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:30:00 AM
According to the Wall Street
Journal, CBS and Disney may
soon partner with Apple to let
users subscribe to television over
the internet using iTunes. So let's
say every network jumps on
board: Would you ditch cable for
an internet alternative?
Photo by dailyinvention.
The article is a little vague on
details, but it sounds like you'd
pay a flat rate for access to a
selection of shows from the
participating networks. The
shows would also likely be ad-
free. I think most people would
agree that collapsing all of your
entertainment into a single
internet pipe is inevitable
somewhere down the line, but
whether or not we're ready for it
is another question.
A lot goes into this kind of a
decision from a consumer
standpoint. For one, dollars-to-
donuts that those videos will be
weighed down by iTunes DRM
that would severely limit how
you could enjoy what you're
paying for—that is, if you're not
planning to watch your television
through iTunes, an Apple TV,
your iPod/iPhone, or QuickTime,
you'd probably be in a bit of a
pinch. On the other hand, having
the choice to watch anything
from a network you want, at any
time, rather than dealing with an
out-of-your-control firehose of
mostly crap and commercials
seems nice.
Just to get a better gauge of the
viability of this sort of model,
let's strip away the iTunes part of
the equation altogether and
assume that if it starts with
iTunes, eventually several
providers may offer a service like
this. We want to know:
Would You Ditch Cable for
Online Subscriptions?( polling)
Share more specifics on how a
plan like this may (or may not)
meld with your TV-watching
habits in the comments. Apple
TV-Service Proposal Gets Some
Nibbles(Google Link) [WSJ]
Tech Tips/ Tech News/ 39
Can Text to Speech
iPhone Apps Improve
Tech Blogging?
By Dana Oshiro
(ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 4:10:00 PM
In the competitive world of tech
journalism and blogging, quality
can sometimes take a backseat to
speed. While most bloggers
double check their drafts before
having their work scrutinized by
editors and audience members,
mistakes do slip through the
cracks. With text-to-speech
programs, errors become
glaringly apparent. iPhone app demo for FeedMe
Sponsor Tech. from 8Interactive on
Eight Interactive just launched Vimeo.
its FeedMe Tech iPhone app. The Bloggers should take note that
service lets us listen to top tech FeedMe Tech reveals every
news while running errands, grammatical error and misplaced
walking the dog or cooking our comma. Couple this with the fact
holiday feasts. It's a free that the program's default voice is
application with feeds from 10 set to depressed British robot and
popular tech sites including you'll realize that a poorly written
Lifehacker, TechCrunch and article offers an experience a bit
ReadWriteWeb. At the moment like being in Douglas Adams'
users cannot add additional feeds; Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
however, the application does In the spirit of spending more
record what you've read, where time with family members, I, for
you've stopped reading and the one, welcome our depressed
posts you'd like to save. For now robot overlords.
it's a barebones application that To create a custom-branded
displays how online content FeedMe application contact Eight
providers can better reach their Interactive. To try FeedMe Tech
audiences. However, because it download it here. Discuss
transcribes every character, the
service can sometimes offer
comedic results.
40 Tech News/ E-reader News Edition

2010 Predictions
By Richard MacManus consumer complaints about for it. will be entrusted to a discrete
(ReadWriteWeb) content farms polluting Google 10. The netbook craze dies handful of online properties.
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:00:00 AM
search results. down. People start buying new Users will pitch a hissyfit if ever
4. A price war will erupt in the "in-between" devices that are they’re asked to create a
Every year the ReadWriteWeb eBook market and Amazon.com slightly larger and more powerful username and password and
team tries its hand at predicting will offer the lowest prices, than today's netbooks - but upload an avatar. After all,
the future. Looking back at our leading to it gaining a dominant smaller, more lightweight and doesn’t the Internet know they
2009 predictions, we got some position in the market with its cheaper than regular notebooks. have a Facebook?
wrong (I predicted that Facebook Kindle eBook Reader. Features like better processors, 6. File-sharing will continue to
would sign up to OpenSocial) but 5. Google will partner with a separate GPUs, and SSD HD be shut down around the world;
others turned out to be on the large PC manufacturer from options set these new "ultra by 2011, we’ll all be
money. I correctly guessed that A s i a , w h o w i l l l a u n c h a n portable" devices apart from the downloading via Tor and the
the usual suspects would remain inexpensive netbook powered by growth on the site but the traditional netbook, but they're U.S. will have instituted a lame 3
unacquired in '09 - Digg, Twitter, Chrome OS in the U.S. market. It n e t w o r k ' s o v e r a l l n u m b e r s still often called "netbooks" -strikes-no-Internet policy.
Technorati - but that FriendFeed will become a hot consumer item continue to decline. because of their size. Market 7. Cybercrime will be more of an
would get bought. OK, so I among school kids and university 2. Twitter launches ads. confusion ensues. issue than ever. Expect to see a
guessed that Google would be the students. 3. TweetDeck finally launches a Jolie O'Dell, Writer & major governmental security
buyer. But close enough! Marshall Kirkpatrick, Lead web version and becomes the C ommunity Manager breach in 2010, as the
Without further ado, here are our Writer & VP Content Dev number 1 Twitter client other 1. MySpace relaunches as a government continues to adopt
predictions for 2010. We'd love 1. Google Wave will win some than twitter.com. content network, leveraging the 2.0 tech without strong and
to read your predictions in the respect back as people discover 4. Cloud computing heats up. bands and filmmakers they permanent infosec personnel and
comments. valuable uses for it and get used AWS, Google, Microsoft and already have on board and procedures in place.
Sponsor to the user experience. others begin price wars to dropping the emphasis on social Dana Oshiro, ReadWriteStart
Richard MacManus, Founder & 2. Facebook will open aggregate compete for customers. networking. Writer
CEO user profile and social graph data 5. The iPhone still rules and 2. Twitter will find a 1. AR: Geo-locational games
1. There will be a breakthrough for outside analysis. grabs more mobile market share monetization model and launch and AR will come together in
consumer application for Internet 3. Some serious user interface than ever before. things like ads and pro features. 2010. We’re going to see strange
of Things - involving the iPhone, innovations will blow our minds. 6. Meanwhile, Android becomes 3. Facebook will become the behavior from those playing
RFID tags and a major consumer 4. Data portability will become the #2 mobile platform by year- Borg. Its number of users will zombie shooter games on their
p r o d u c t s u c h a s b o o k s o r more real, standard, expected and end. continue to climb until the commutes.
groceries. In general Internet of viable. 7. iPhone App backlash begins. network is as ubiquitous as 2. Agree with Sarah: Netbooks
Things will ramp up in 2010, 5. A new social network will rise There are too many worthless Google and lay people confuse and gadgets like the PsiXpda are
with thousands more everyday to join the big ones. It may offer apps and no decent way to find Facebook with “the Internet.” going to gain ground.
objects becoming connected to the privacy that Facebook is the good ones. Then Apple They’ll make more money and 3. Mobile Music: Offline music
the Internet. moving away from, it may be surprises us with a brand-new control more data than ever caching will be expected of all
2. Google will acquire PostRank mobile and location-centric, it feature that improves greatly before. streaming music apps.
and promptly consign it to the may focus on personal content upon their "genius" offering to 4. iPhone’s exclusivity with 4. The browser really will be the
same graveyard Feedburner went recommendations. help us find new and useful apps AT&T will come to a breaking new OS.
to. Sarah Perez, Feature Writer via iTunes. point and we’ll see network- 5. Payment Systems: Between
3. Microsoft will acquire 1. MySpace doesn't quite make a 8. iTunes announces a web agnostic iPhones. Square, PayPal X and advances
Wolfram|Alpha and Bing will comeback, but gets a fresh start service, thanks to the Lala 5. On the bright side, 2010 will in internet TV, we’re going to see
continue to make small gains in of sorts with their music and acquisition. signal the death of the login. payment options integrated in
the search market. Google will be entertainment offerings. The Gen 9. Spotify finally gets the green Third-party authentications will
d i s t r a c t e d b y i n c r e a s i n g Y/Gen Z demographic sees 2010 page 42
light in U.S. and people go nuts become the norm, and user data
E-reader News Edition Tech News/ 41

Sponsor Post: MyDomain Shows How to Take Your Business

Online in 2010
By RWW Sponsor you can use to reach potential names to find a great fit. Your freelancer. But if you're serious
(ReadWriteWeb) customers online. domain name will be your about your online business, your
From an economic perspective,
you can take to get started. 9 website's permanent address on
Submitted at 12/22/2009 5:45:00 AM
website design and usability
now is also a good time to
Steps to Getting Your Business the web, so it's important to get it
should be a top priority.
Editor's note: we offer our long- consider starting or growing your right the first time. Create an e-commerce strategy:
Online
term sponsors the opportunity to business. The global economy is Get Web hosting: You'd be Now comes the fun part: figuring
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millions of dollars in venture
support our sponsors by trying however, which makes an online
capital funding featured on solution such as a virtual private
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out their products. business an even better choice
ReadWriteWeb or other tech server- both of which we offer at
way to sell online, and a simpler
Over the past decade, the due to low start-up costs. In
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Internet has evolved at a rapid recent history, a great deal of
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businesses were started out of a self-hosting on your own server.
started. A great place to start is
the bandwagon in years past you massive growth in large social
h o m e o f f i c e o r g a r a g e There's a decent chance you
simply integrating services such
may be feeling like it's a bit too networks, but now the Internet
workspace. The Internet is know these basics already, so if
as Paypal or Google Checkout
late to establish an online appears to be shifting towards a
massive, and if you can find a that's the case, make sure to share into your website to accept
business. That's not the case, more local or hyperlocal focus
good niche, you don't have to be your knowledge with others who
payments. Another viable
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e v e r y w h e r e a t o n c e t o b e are looking to get started online.
alternative is to use a website as
time to start doing business bigger networks becoming more
successful. Costs for getting Build a website: There are a
an informational source for your
o n l i n e . T h e u n d e r l y i n g common. As a result, small
started with a domain name, huge number of options when it
business, but sell through another
technologies of Internet businesses offering local
hosting, basic website creation comes to creating a website in online vendor like Amazon,
architecture are well-established products or services can find a
and online marketing can easily 2010. Most hosting packages
eBay, or Etsy. A final option is to
and are more affordable now than targeted audience of potential
be kept under $1,000 in your first come with some a website
choose to not sell online, but
ever to end-users. customers to engage with.
year of business if you plan well. builder that will create a decent,
instead establish a website to
Sponsor All these factors make now a
Get a strong domain name: If if not slightly dated looking
promote and market your
The last several years have also great time to start your business
you're in the early planning website from a template. If you're physical business.
seen a huge increase in the online. Follow through on a 2010
stages of your business, always not experienced in web design
Secure your site: If you're
number of available social tools, resolution to make money from
keep potential domain names in but want to create a good-looking
planning to sell through your
web utilities and online services what you enjoy doing by starting
mind when choosing a business site yourself, look into content
website or will even be collecting
t h a t m a k e p r o m o t i n g y o u r a complete business from the
name. If you move forward with management systems such as
sensitive information from
business and being visible online ground up, adding an online
a great business name only to D r u p a l , J o o m l a , o r e v e n visitors, you'll want to look into
easier and more affordable. The component to your existing
find the domain name is taken, it WordPress as viable options that
getting an SSL certificate for
n u m b e r o f I n t e r n e t u s e r s physical business, or just using a are easy to keep updated. The your website. SSL encrypts data
could mean back to square one
continues to grow substantially website to supplement other best - and not-surprisingly most transmissions to and from your
on name planning. Instead, keep
across the globe, and there are an income and test the water for
a domain search handy as you costly option - still remains to SPONSOR page 44
expansive number of channels your idea. Below are a few steps
brainstorm and get creative with hire a Web design company or
42 Entertainment/
2010
continued from page 40
unlikely places.
Alex Williams,
ReadWriteEnterprise Writer
1. Cloud computing will go
through a shake-out. There are
just too many companies out
there for the market to sustain.
The big players will go on a
buying spree. The consolidation
will deeply affect users. Some
companies will fold overnight.
Users will lose access to their
data, leading to a whole new
wave of skepticism about cloud
computing. But it won’t be
enough to slow down the move
to cloud computing. More
companies will consider the
security risks as less of a factor,
compared to the cost benefits and
potential for innovation. Cloud
computing technology will
become more of a commodity.
The business applications for
cloud computing will take center
stage.
2. The big players will come
back strong. IBM, SAP and
Microsoft will innovate just
enough to show big gains with
customers.
3. Consumer based social
networks will make big efforts to
gain wider access to the
enterprise, as more companies
seek to open up to the social
Web. The information
architecture of social networks
will change to accommodate the
greater degrees of control that the
enterprise requires. This will
bring on the rise of “social
middleware,” services that act as
a layer between social networks
and the enterprise.
4. A new breed of social
networks will emerge that act as
one-stop shops for applications
and services. These will look
more like marketplaces than
social hubs for conversations
around the proverbial virtual
water cooler. SaaS leaders will
face off for this growing market.
5. iPhone, Android or the
Blackberry? I expect the Android
to be the talk of the enterprise,
especially if the Google Phone
does make it to market. Such a
phone would eliminate carrier
costs and break down walled
gardens that have limited
application development.
Sean Ammirati, COO
1. Facebook will go public & the
IPO will be a huge financial
success.
2. Hyperlocal advertising will
heat up, delivering another nail in
the traditional newspaper
industry’s coffin. (Very similar to
one of my 2008 predictions, but
this time focused on the
advertising aspects.)
Specifically, it will be more
common for a local establishment
to pay marketing dollars to Yelp
or FourSquare, for example, then
their local newspaper.
3. Apple will release an
“iTablet” and the world will be a
better place for it. Ok, more
accurately we’ll all think the
world is a better place for it.
4. Agree with Jolie regarding
“the death of the login.” I'm
hoping for open distributed
alternatives along with Facebook
and a handful of others.
5. Between Boxee’s continued
development and a new AppleTV
(hopefully synched with their
iTablet), it will become much
more common to enjoy the
Internet on a TV.
Elyssa Pallai, Marketing &
Experience Manager
1. Skype becomes increasingly
pervasive, as the younger
generations force their parents to
get online and consumers find
new and interesting ways to cut
costs and save money.
2. Software as service becomes
ever more popular, as businesses
and governments choose to focus
on their core business and realize
the benefits of lightweight
technologies in the cloud -
including rapid deployment and
the low cost of switching.
3. The online user experience
has a renaissance, as web
browsers and hardware become
more sophisticated and designers
/ developers take advantage of
that.
4. The growth of Internet of
Things continues, RFID tags in
everything. The initial bugs will
E-reader News Edition
Taylor Swift and The
make funny things happen all
Black Eyed Peas
around us. Join Grammy Lineup
5. iPhones and other
(ETonline - Breaking News)
smartphones become the
purchasing tool of choice. Submitted at 12/22/2009 5:04:00 AM
6. Consumers bypass carriers
The Recording Academy has
and create open wifi networks for
announced a stellar lineup of
all (which is already happening
performances for the "52nd
but not en mass).
Annual Grammy Awards." ET
Jared Smith, Webmaster
exclusively revealed on Monday
1. Backlash against the App
that Beyonce would be taking the
Store causes more and more
mic. Taylor Swift, The Black
developers to defect to Android
Eyed Peas, Maxwell, and country
and competing platforms.
act Lady Antebellum will also
2. Google Chrome’s market
have their chance to showcase
share increases at Firefox’s
their music in the spotlight.
expense. Internet Explorer
Each of the performers are
continues to lose ground as more
nominated for multiple awards on
rich, HTML5-aware Web apps
the big night. Leading the
spring up on the scene.
Grammy nominations is Beyonce
3. Opera begins to struggle, as
with 10. Not far behind are
WebKit becomes the rendering
Taylor Swift with eight and The
engine of choice on mobile
Black Eyed Peas and Maxwell,
devices.
with six apiece. Lady Antebellum
4. Social analytics features
is up for two trophies.
explode onto the scene in 2010.
The Black Eyed Peas are
Twitter opens Pro accounts,
creating an interactive forum
including analytics and an API to
with fans for their performance
access them. Google strikes a
of "I Gotta Feeling." Fans can
deal to integrate Twitter analytics
submit a 20 second video singing
with its Google Analytics
along to the Grammy nominated
product. Discuss
song, for the opportunity to have
it stream in the background
during the group's live
performance. The deadline for
entries is January 15.
E-reader News Edition Tech News/ Entertainment/ 43
Inside the 'Dance Your
Opera Feels The Need for Speed: Releases First Ass Off' Auditions and
Past Contestant Alicia
Pre-Alpha of Opera 10.5 Duque on her 110-Pound
Weight Loss
By Frederic Lardinois found at the bottom of this page. JavaScript engine. When we
(ReadWriteWeb) New Features spoke to CEO Jon von Tetzchner (ETonline - Breaking News)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 7:00:19 AM
New Features: about the state of the browser
Submitted at 12/22/2009 7:03:00 AM
• private browsing during LeWeb earlier this month,
Opera just released the first pre- • better integration with native he stressed that the company was It was wrap-up-in-your-warmest
alpha version of Opera 10.5. systems very focused on improving the -outdoor-gear cold in New York
While most users generally only • notification messages are now speed of the browser. He did say, City the day of the "Dance Your
think about Firefox, Internet non-modal however, that the JavaScript Ass Off" auditions, but even so,
Explorer and Chrome as the • improvements to the search engine was only a small part of the hopefuls came from miles to
major players in the current box and the address box gestures like the three-finger this effort and that the company audition for a chance to dance off
browser wars, there can be no • new and improved highlighting swipe and Growl notifications. was also looking at other their pounds on the second
doubt that Opera is working hard • new in-line page search and Other new features include a bottlenecks that are slowing the season of the Oxygen series.
to push browser development password manager new "private tab" and "private browser down. The fact that that "It is frigid and they are lining up
forward as well. This latest alpha window" mode that actually the new image rendering engine around the block," creator/exec
version shows that Opera has Along with the focus on speed - works far better than similar is already pre-wired for hardware producer Lisa Ann Walter tells
worked hard to speed up the an area where Opera used to lead features in other browsers. You acceleration is a good example ET. "They came from Atlanta,
browser. Carakan, the new before WebKit-based browsers just have to right-click on the tab for this (though the feature isn't Toronto and Brooklyn. The show
JavaScript engine in Opera 10.5, like Safari and Chrome became bar and select "private tab" to turned on yet). We will bring you inspired them."
is up to seven times faster than popular - the company also start the private browsing mode more of our interview with von Also on hand was season one
Opera's current engine. The new included a number of other in this new tab, for example. Tetzchner after the holidays. contestant Alicia Duque, who
version of Opera also adds a enhancement in this early version Opera also updated the look and In our own tests, Opera made it to the semi-finals and has
number of new features like an of 10.5. Windows 7 and Vista feel of the browser's in-line page performed remarkably well and lost 110 pounds since her first
enhanced private browsing mode users, for example, will notice search and password manager. this new version clearly shows weigh-in on the show tipped the
and a new graphics engine that that the browser is now closely It's All About Speed that it would be unwise to scales at 257 pounds.
can be hardware accelerated. integrated with the desktop The focus for Opera, however, is underestimate Opera in the
Sponsor environment and makes use of clearly not so much on bringing browser wars. We should note,
The new alpha is currently only features like Aero Glass in Vista new features to the browser (the however, that this is still a very
available for Windows and OSX and Aero Peek and Jump Lists in current Alpha doesn't even early alpha version and that the
users; a Linux version will follow Windows 7. On the Mac, Opera s u p p o r t O p e r a U n i t e , f o r browser is likely to crash
soon. Download links can be can now make use of multi-touch example), but on testing the new occasionally. Discuss

No Place Like 'Home for the Holidays' for Carrie Underwood

(ETonline - Breaking News)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 3:09:00 AM
Fresh off her engagement, Carrie
Underwood will be joining the
stage headlined by Faith Hill for
"The 11th Annual A Home for
the Holidays" television special
to raise awareness for foster care
and adoption.
Faith Hill addressed the
audience and viewers, saying,
"Tonight we're celebrating those
whose lives have been changed
by adoption and reaching out to
those children who are still
waiting. I know how important it
is."
The Grammy Award-winning
singer can sympathize with the
children waiting for a loving
family to take them into their
home. She said, "I was adopted
and it changed my life forever."
44 Tech News/ E-reader News Edition
SPONSOR
Google Voice Competitor Ribbit continued from page 41

website and is most commonly much more. Google provides

Mobile Launches iPhone App (500 used to protect credit card and
financial data. Varying levels of
encryption and visible security
some of the best options
available with Analytics,
Webmaster Tools and Website
Invites) indicators for your website are
available.
Optimizer that all provide
invaluable data for any online
By Frederic Lardinois means that you can't use your Network like crazy: Traditional business.
(ReadWriteWeb) Ribbit phone number to make networking can be crucial to the Grow and organize for the
Submitted at 12/21/2009 5:55:31 PM
calls, and that the caller ID will early success of a business, and future: If you've made it to the
always show your iPhone's social media can enable you to point where you have a website
Ribbit Mobile, which offers a set Your voicemail inbox is the number. In the current version it's network effectively online. Talk set up, sales are coming in and
of VoIP services that is very central focus of the app, and the also not possible to see a list of about social media for business your business is growing, it's the
similar to Google Voice, just way the app handles these is missed calls that didn't result in a use is everywhere, and there are a perfect time to make sure you're
launched its first iPhone app ( exemplary. Once you click on a voicemail. You can, however, huge number of resources and fully organized online. Use
iTunes link). The app allows message in the inbox, the app choose to receive alerts for articles available to help you get custom email addresses for your
users to check their voicemail, switches to a new view that missed calls and new voicemails started. Make sure that above all business, and make use of
read voicemail transcriptions, displays details about the call: by SMS, email and instant e l s e , y o u g o w h e r e y o u r powerful collaboration, calendar
forward voicemails by email and name of caller, number, date and message. You can set your alert customers are. Utilize the tools and task management tools such
create a to-call list based on these time. Here you can also listen to preferences in the app and that will allow you to most as Open Xchange, Microsoft
messages. It uses the iPhone's t h e m e s s a g e a n d r e a d t h e t h r o u g h t h e s e r v i c e ' s w e b effectively communicate with Exchange or Google Apps. Stay
native phone app to make calls transcript. (Ribbit offers both i n t e r f a c e . those customers. on top of the latest Internet trends
and the default SMS app to send a u t o m a t i c a n d m a n u a l We understand that Ribbit Track like crazy, too: Make sure and changes as things will
text messages. transcriptions.) From here, a probably had to remove quite a you're using website analytics to continue to change rapidly for the
Ribbit also gave us 500 invites small bar at the bottom of the app few features to stay on Apple's track your website visitors and foreseeable future. From there,
to hand out to our readers. If you also allows you to respond to the good side, but the result of this is sales. Part of the beauty of the carry your 2010 success long into
would like to get one, just read message by phone, SMS or that the app misses quite a few w e b v e r s u s a t r a d i t i o n a l the future as the Web continues
on to find out how to claim it. recorded voicemail. In addition, essential features. Hopefully - storefront is the ability to easily to expand as a great place to do
Sponsor you can add the caller to your to- now that Ribbit managed to get track, sort and analyze all of the business. Discuss
In terms of features, Ribbit call list and forward transcripts this castrated version of the app data collected from visitors to
Mobile, which launched in and audio by email. Playing it approved - the Ribbit team will your website. Analytics can help
November, compares very well Safe soon be able add more of the y o u i m p r o v e y o u r w e b s i t e
to Google Voice. While the Given that Apple didn't allow missing features into the app. d e s i g n , t r a c k y o u r s a l e s
interface takes some getting used the Google Voice app into the Invites conversion, see where you're
to, the ability to make and store, Ribbit clearly played it safe Ribbit Mobile is still an invite- ranking in search engines and
receive calls from Ribbit's with this app. While it provides only service. If you would like to
website through the Flash-based a c c e s s t o a l l t h e s e r v i c e ' s give it a try, just head over to
interface is extremely useful voicemail features, the app Ribbit's sign-up page and use the
while traveling, for example. For doesn't replicate any of the following invite code: RWW09
a more detailed look at Ribbit phone's calling or SMS features. Discuss
Mobile, have a look at our in- The app also doesn't allow you to
depth review from November. access your Ribbit Mobile
Focus on Voicemail address book. Sadly, this also
E-reader News Edition
YouTube Gets Short(er) Links, Too
By Jolie O'Dell
(ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 8:28:56 PM
Almost in the immediate wake
of Google's announcing short
URLs ( goo.gl) and Facebook
experimenting with fb.me links,
YouTube has made a gesture
toward shorter web addresses, as
well.
Today, the video site announced
it's launching youtu.be links.
They're not as short as the super-
brief URLs users might see from
bit.ly or is.gd because each one
contains a unique ID for the
video it links to. But this extra bit
of information makes the URLs
more useful for developers, too.
Sponsor
While the resulting URLs aren't
Tap Tap Revenge Developer Makes $1M Per Month
By Darrell Etherington
(TheAppleBlog)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 6:00:56 AM
Do you somehow still doubt that
the App Store is a huge money-
making enterprise, at least for a
lucky few? Then consider the
news that Tapulous, the
development studio behind the
wildly popular Tap Tap Revenge
rhythm game franchise, rakes in a
cool million every month. That’s
not EA or Gameloft or someone
similar that came in with a
reputation. That’s an iPhone-
significantly shorter than a
regular YouTube link, users will
have the added benefit of
knowing exactly what kind of
content they're being redirected
to, which isn't always the case
with many shortened URLs.
Also, with the video ID as part
of the short URL, writes
YouTube Engineering Manager
Vijay Karunamurthy, "developers
can do interesting things like
show you thumbnails, embed the
video directly or track how a
video is spreading in real time."
specific development company.
If you’re not familiar with Tap
Tap Revenge (you must not own
an iPhone, or read our site very
carefully), then you probably
don’t know that it’s essentially a
clone of games like Dance Dance
Revolution and Rock Band,
redesigned specifically for the
iPhone’s unique interface. It’s
fun, and incredibly addictive,
which probably has something to
do with its impressive degree of million times(although that isn’t
success.
Tap Tap Revenge has reportedly people have played more than
been installed more than 20
End users can shorten links
manually simply by putting the
video ID (the part of the
YouTube URL that comes after
the equals sign and before the
ampersand, if there is one) after
http://youtu.be/. For example, "
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=1acVM7_rWw4" is the regular
URL of an interview we did over
the summer with a great startup
advisor in Boulder, CO. The
short version of that link would
b e "
http://youtu.be/1acVM7_rWw4".
Or, for those copy-and-paste-
averse folks among us, links will
be automatically shortened when
broadcast thought the site's
sharing mechanisms. Discuss
necessarily unique installs) and
Tech News/ Apple/ Entertainment/ 45
Brittany Murphy's
Husband Simon Monjack:
How Did This Happen?
(ETonline - Breaking News) myself and her family -- we want
Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:21:00 AM
to know why we lost our baby,"
he tells People.com.
ET has the latest... Monjack says he hasn't slept
In an all-new interview, Brittany since his mother-in-law found
M u r p h y ' s h u s b a n d S i m o n Murphy in the bathroom early
Monjack is speaking out just two S u n d a y m o r n i n g a n d t h a t
days after his wife's untimely although he didn't initially like
death. the idea of an autopsy, he knew it
"How did it happen? Her mum, was necessary.
600 million rounds. Rough app purchases available in the
estimates put the total install base latest version, which allow
of the game at one-third of all iPhone users to buy and
iPhones currently operating. download playable, often themed
Considering the iPhone’s tracks from their favorite artists.
success, that represents a hefty Obviously, Tapulous is the
payday indeed. exception, not the rule. The vast
The source of revenue stemming majority of iPhone-only devs
from the Tap Tap Revenge series don’t make anywhere near that
is varied. Most of the apps kind of scratch, but if nothing
themselves cost at least 99 cents, else, this simple rhythm game
though Tap Tap Revenge 2.6 is proves the money’s out there to
free, and artist-specific special be made.
editions cost more. But the real
money is made from ads in the
games, and from a cut of the in-
46 Apple/
How-To: Droid Syncing on the Mac
By Dave Greenbaum
(TheAppleBlog)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 1:00:56 PM
Maybe it’s because you’ve been
watching too many of these ads,
but for whatever reason, the
iPhone isn’t for you. You opted
for an Android-based phone
instead. It may blend, but will it
sync with your Mac? Read on.
There are comprehensive third
party desktop syncing programs
available such as Missing Sync,
but realize that with a “Google-
based” phone, over-the-air
syncing is automatic and built in.
When you purchase your
Android-based phone, you’ll link
it with your Google account (a
free Google account is required
to use the phone’s over-the-air
syncing). Your phone will
generally auto-sync with your
Google account allowing you to
possibly ditch your MobileMe
subscription. The task then is to
get your Mac to sync with the
Google account. 1) Foreplay
While using a Droid isn’t as easy
as using an iPhone, it’s not that
much harder. Here’s a tip, do
NOT allow your mobile phone
company to import your contacts
from your old phone. This has
caused problems with
synchronization for some. It’s
best to start with a clean list of
contacts in your Google account.
If you haven’t synced your
previous phone with your Mac,
go ahead and do it before
switching phones. If you can’t,
you might consider typing the
phone numbers into your Mac
Address Book beforehand. 2)
Safe Syncing
Syncing is only one step above
the SCSI voodoo of previous
generations. It’s always best to
start with a core data set and push
it to other devices. Trying to
merge two data sets can result in
duplication and corruption.
If your Google account already
has contacts, export them from
Google as a vCard file and
import them into your Mac
Address Book.
Once imported, delete the
contacts from Google so the
initial sync pushes all your Mac
info into Gmail. As always, it’s
a good idea to back up your data
before any sync endeavor. From
the Mac Address Book, go to the
File menu, then choose Export,
and then Address Book Archive.
For your calendar, the safe sync
concept is similar but you
actually want to start with a
populated Google calendar and a
clear iCal. From experience, if
you push too much into Google
at once, it can choke. If you
already have a Google calendar,
back it up by clicking “Settings”
under the “My calendars” Then
E-reader News Edition
Now that you have your password for Gmail. Then under
individual iCals exported, go to the disclosure triangle for Server
that same Settings tab in Google O p t i o n s , p u t
under “My Calendars” and now https://www.google.com/calendar
import your individual iCals into /dav/(followed by your
your existing calendars. Note: it googlemail address) and then
won’t give you an option to user. So for example,
create a new calendar from the https://www.google.com/calendar
import, so have your Google /dav/myname@gmail.com/user
calendars ready beforehand. would be what you enter. Your
Finally, delete your iCal calendars will now start
calendars (remember to back up downloading from the cloud.
first) so your iCal is clear of info Alternatively, you can use
choose “Export Calendars”. and all your data is now on BusySync and avoid these
They’ll download as a zip file Google’s servers. 3) Getting
hassles.
that you can double click and get Your Sync On
For photos, iTunes-like picture
t h e i n d i v i d u a l . I C S f i l e s . If you skipped step two, proceed
sync isn’t available, but you can
Similarly, backup your iCal by at your own risk. You have been
mount your Droid like any other
visiting the File Menu and warned. mass-storage device and have it
choose “Backup iCal.”
If you have Snow Leopard, recognized. You’ll need to
Syncing can be buggy under the Google contact syncing is built-
enable USB mounting first. Go
best of circumstances, which is in: go to the Address Book
to the menu at the top of your
why I recommend backups P r e f e r e n c e s a n d c h e c k
phone and then click USB
throughout the whole process. “Synchronize with Google”. Put Connection to mount the SD
Now that both your Google i n y o u r G o o g l e n a m e a n d
card. To move music and other
Calendar and your iCal calender password and let the syncing
multimedia files easily I
are backed up, you’ll then want begin! For Leopard users, you’ll
recommend DoubleTwist.
to export your existing iCal need to own an iPhone or iPod
Having used a Droid for a while
calendars and import then into touch to enable syncing or use I’m pretty darn impressed and
your Google calendar. This isn’t third party apps like Gsync.
you gotta love the advertising. If
the same as backing them up. To sync calendars, you’ll need to
Mac syncing is holding you back
Click on a calendar, and then go be running Leopard or Snow
from buying one, you just
to the File menu and choose Leopard. Go to your iCal
removed one reason not to
“Export This” which will create application and then go to switch!
individual .iCal files for each Preferences and then Accounts.
calender you use. Note that C l i c k t h e + i c o n a n d p u t
Google doesn’t like To Dos so go w h a t e v e r y o u w a n t f o r
a h e a d a n d r e m o v e t h o s e description. For username put
beforehand. your name@gmail.com and your
E-reader News Edition Apple/ Sports/ 47

Vodafone UK Announces iPhone Launch Date

By Liam Cassidy and reliability – something our you can get last year’s low-end nothing of the sort.) The trouble
(TheAppleBlog) customers have told us they iPhone for £35 ($56.20) each is that, if our providers start
Submitted at 12/21/2009 4:00:52 PM
really value. month. For your money you’ll behaving like AT&T, their idea
Yeah. We also value more get 600 free minutes and of “acceptable data usage” is
Do you remember the notion we competitive deals, Mr Laurence. unlimited text messages. The going to change, and not in our
used to have that multiple I did a very brief comparison of lifetime cost – £840, or favor.
carriers selling the iPhone in the the three cheapest contract deals $1,348.70. The 3GS, on the other hand, is
same territory seemed like a (not pay-as-you-go) offered by Please don’t forget – and I can’t astonishingly more expensive
golden ticket to more options, the three biggest operators in the stress this enough – this is an than the 3G with little
lower prices and altogether more UK: O2, Orange and Vodafone. the latest and greatest from unusually-long contract for the appreciable difference between
competitive deals for customers? Here’s what I found. Apple. I’m just sayin’, is all. UK, and yet it’s last year’s the providers in terms of handset
Well, forget it. Ain’t gonna The cheapest contracts are all Here’s how it breaks down, phone. Add to that the fact that, costs and tariffs. I wonder if this
happen. Not if the UK’s mobile pretty lengthy –two years, in fact. assuming the recession has hit of course, no one ever stays is because of the already-steep up
market is anything to go by. That doesn’t sound unusual for you as hard as it hit everyone else within the allotted talktime and -front costs they’ve shouldered in
V o d a f o n e U K h a s t o d a y those of you in America, I know, and you’re looking to buy the SMS quotas – everyone has a bill order to offer Apple’s handsets in
announced the launch date of the but here in the UK mobile most affordable iPhone package that costs the monthly fee plus the first place. If that’s the case,
iPhone on their network (it’s contracts are often no longer than with one of the major UK additional talk time and perhaps I should be more
January 14, by the way) but once twelve months. Being locked-in network operators; messages. Frankly, it all adds up disappointed in with Apple’s
you’ve picked your way through for two long years is a ponderous O2 to quite an expensive deal, given aggressive pricing policies that
their online pricing minefield, it’s proposition for many Brits who For £34.26 ($55.22) a month the age and limited storage those of my nationwide cellular
hardly anything to write home m i g h t b e g r a d u a t i n g you’ll get 600 free minutes of capacity of the model on offer. network operators. In any case, at
about. (tentatively) to the exciting world talk time and 500 free text I should add, too, that this point in time, I see no
According to the Financial of modern smartphones from messages. Data is unlimited. “unlimited” doesn’t actually compelling reason to move away
T i m e s , G u y L a u r e n c e o f their old Nokia 3310’s! Assuming you never use more mean “unlimited”. It means from O2 at the end of my current
Vodafone UK said the carrier has In addition, none of the carriers than the free talktime/SMS, this you’re allowed to consume as contract.
b e e n b u s y p r e p a r i n g t h e i r offers a competitive price for the will cost you £822 ($1,324) over much data as the network Was I expecting too much in
network for the iPhone for the latest model, the iPhone 3GS. the course of the contract. provider deems “appropriate” for terms of competitive pricing? Are
last twelve months; The most affordable iPhones Orange normal use. This tends to hover these prices fair, given the
We started preparing our happen to be the elderly 2008 £29.36 ($47.32) each and every between 500 MB and 1 GB per investments which must be made
network over a year ago so that model. The stingy 8 gigabyte month gets you a measly 150 month, which isn’t too bad unless by operators to offer the iPhone
iPhone customers will really feel 2008 model, at that. So if you opt minutes of talktime and 250 text you use your phone for watching ‘experience’? Or is this a shining
the advantage of being with for a two year contract you’re messages. The lifetime cost – YouTube videos eight hours a example of unfettered network
Vodafone. We will offer an getting a model that, in about six £704.64, or 1,131.37 of your day. (Still, I take offense at the operator greed? Share your
outstanding iPhone experience months (barely one quarter into shiny American dollars. way network operators so thoughts in the comments.
wherever our customers live, the lifetime of your new contract) Vodafone casually use the word
work and travel, delivering speed is going to be two models behind For a few pennies more than O2, “unlimited” when it means

Unfortunate Moments in Announcing: Hobey Baker Edition

By Adam Gretz (Fanhouse NHL Videos, NHL Press Box recording the 104th of his have picked up this exchange hard."
Main) During New Jersey's 4-0 win in magnificent career. between announcers Paul
Submitted at 12/22/2009 2:20:00 AM
Pittsburgh on Monday night If you happened to be watching Steigerwald and Bob Errey
Martin Brodeur set the all-time the Fox Sports Pittsburgh regarding a hit along the boards,
Filed under: Devils, Penguins, N H L r e c o r d f o r s h u t o u t s , broadcast of the game you would Hobey Baker and "going down
48 Apple/ TV/ Fashion/
Kiwi: Another Mac Twitter Client
Joins the Fray
By Darrell Etherington
(TheAppleBlog)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:00:29 AM
Perhaps you’ve grown tired of
Tweetie, Twitterific or Socialite.
Before you resort to Adobe AIR
apps like Seesmic and
TweetDeck, give Kiwi, the new
kid on the block, a try. Fans of
customizable third-party clients
for other social services like
Adium will probably find
something to love in this fresh-
faced addition to the Mac’s
Twitter options.
Kiwi comes with a number of
theme customization options pre-
installed, and being primarily
utilitarian in my own tastes when
it comes to Twitter, I’m not sure
what else you could ask for. For
those with more imagination and
a thirst for variety, though, you
can download countless more
themes from the web.
You can also customize the
toolbar that appears above your
time line in the client window,
just like you can with Firefox.
It’s a neat feature, but so far,
there aren’t enough options to
choose from to make this
worthwhile. It could prove useful
Street Chic: Los Angeles
By ELLE.com (ELLE News
Blog)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 4:00:00 AM
E-reader News Edition
TV franchises offer up
last minute Christmas
way Kiwi handles account
switching (click on your own
profile icon and choose from a
gift ideas
drop-down list) but at least By John Scott Lewinski (TV
Squad)
multiple-account support is
present. It seems to take up a bit Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:01:00 PM
more memory than Tweetie, too.
Twitter search is easily accessed NORAD is already tracking
by typing a keyword into the Santa Claus and his airborne
bottom field and pressing enter. reindeer team as it heads south
Once you activate a search, a from the North Pole and ignores
l a t e r , d e p e n d i n g o n h o w Loop icon appears where your boring Canada to give delightful
Twitter’s growth plays out account picture is usually found, Christmas presents to all the
feature-wise. and the results are displayed in good American boys and girls.
Kiwi is simple, in terms of the main time line. Going back to Fortunately, the U.S. Air Force
functions, which makes it an your accounts is as simple as apologized for that anti-aircraft
appealing choice for the casual c l i c k i n g o n t h e L o o p a n d missile that almost nicked
Twitter user. You get one switching back, or using the Dasher. They sent a fruit basket
and everything. girls would turn one down --
window, with your basic time m e n u o r K i w i ’ s k e y b o a r d even if it features Lucy Ricardo
line, and icons across the top shortcuts. It’s a clean and The point is that you don't have
much time to snag holiday toys auditioning for a part in Ricky's
allow you to switch the view to efficient way of managing many show at the Copa.
@ mentions or DMs. Clicking on f u n c t i o n s f r o m a s i n g l e , for your TV fan friends and those
few kids you actually like. Continue reading TV franchises
a tweet brings up a conversation c o n v e n i e n t l o c a t i o n . offer up last minute Christmas
view, and clicking on a user’s Kiwi is free to try, but it’ll cost Fortunately, there still some
popular toys out there that can gift ideas
icon shows that person’s time you $14.95 to unlock the full Filed under: Other Comedy
line. version. Check it out if you’re serve multiple gift giving
purposes. Shows, Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural
Retweeting uses the new API, looking for something simple, yet Shows, Animation, Festivus,
and there’s no option to switch to customizable and unique. I’d The I Love Lucy Barbie from
Mattel(right) sells for $45, so it Children, Reality-Free
old-school RT or “via” style definitely recommend it for new Permalink| Email this| |
quotes. Users new to the service, users looking to transition might be more appropriate for an
adult toy collector (an adult who Comments
or those who like Twitter’s smoothly from the web interface
official implementation, might to a desktop solution. collects TV-related toys, I mean).
enjoy this, but it’s a deal-breaker But, a Barbie is a Barbie, and few
for me. Nor am I crazy about the
A whimsical red print adds appear in ELLE.com's Street
character to basic blue and black. Chic Daily.
Photo: Anne Ziegler Follow ELLE on Twitter.
Think you are Street Chic? E- mail us your photo and you could Become our Facebook fan!
E-reader News Edition
Firmware Update Could Maybe Resolve One of
iMac’s Problems, At Least
By Darrell Etherington
(TheAppleBlog)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:00:54 AM
If you’re having problems with
your new 27-inch iMac, you’ll be
interested to know that Apple
released a fix via Software
Update for the machines that’s
said to resolve screen flicker
issues. Now your expensive new
purchase will only disappoint
you in two or three other ways.
Many users are also reporting
issues with cracked screens and
yellow tinting on the displays,
with a gradient from cool to
warm as you move from top to
bottom down the monitor. I had
the latter issue on two
replacement iPhone 3GSes, too,
so I can’t help but wonder if
Apple’s increased ability to move
product isn’t affecting quality
control.
Apple’s also passing the buck in
the description of what the new
fix for the software-based flicker
Comcast launches new online video service today
By Bob Sassone (TV Squad)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:30:00 PM
Buying NBC isn't the only big
news from Comcast happening at
the end of the 2009. Today
they're launching a new online on
-demand service. It's only for
Comcast customers, but I'm a
problem actually does. To wit:
The 27-inch iMac Graphics
Firmware Update applies to the
graphics firmware on ATI
Radeon HD 4670 and 4850
graphics cards to address issues
that may cause image corruption
or the display to flicker.
Elsewhere, the company notes
that the firmware update isn’t a
Comcast customer, so I'll be able
to watch it!
It's called XFinity, which sounds
like that name for the next
Stargate spinoff but is actually a
new part of the Fancast site
where you can watch TV shows
from channels like HBO, AMC, Channel, and Cinemax. That
A&E, STARZ, The History
cure-all:
If your screen remains black
after applying the updater or if
you continue to experience image
corruption or display flickering
after successfully completing this
update, contact AppleCare or an
Apple Authorized Service
Provider.
So not only does Cupertino seem
Apple/ TV/ Entertainment/
to be blaming ATI for the issue,
it’s not actually promising to
necessarily fix anything with this
update, either. Whether Apple
goes with ATI or NVIDIA, it just
can’t seem to avoid graphics card
-related issues. At least this time
around it didn’t take two or three
years for Apple to acknowledge
the problem. Still, sales of the 27-
inch iMac have been halted,
which probably isn’t making
consumers or Apple very happy.
Let us know if you’ve tried out
the update, and whether your
problems have been resolved
following its installation. I’ve
heard from at least one or two
people that they haven’t noticed
any improvements. One thing’s
for sure: Apple has to nip iMac-
gate in the bud before further
damaging its quality and
reliability reputation.
means you can watch shows like
True Blood, Entourage, Mad
Men, The Colbert Report, Big
Love, and many other shows. (By
the way, right now Fancast is
running a marathon of Friends
Christmas episodes.)
Now that Comcast owns a big
chunk of NBC, I wonder how
49
Brittany Murphy's Half-
Brother Calls Actress a
'Casualty' of Hollywood
(ETonline - Breaking News)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 7:13:00 AM
ET has the latest...
The late Brittany Murphy's half-
brother Jeff Bertolotti calls the
actress' death "heartbreaking"
and says the people around her
should have "taken care of her
better."
In a new interview with
People.com, Bertolotti says he
hadn't seen his sister in eight
years because "the Hollywood
walls went up" and that none of
his calls to her were returned.
Despite their estrangement,
Bertolotti says the news of her
death is shocking.
this service could someday be
combined with Hulu in some
way, or if launching this service
will affect Hulu in other ways.
Filed under: Programming, Web,
Reality-Free
Permalink| Email this| |
Comments
50 Tech Blog/ Entertainment/ E-reader News Edition

Open is in the eye of the beholder

(Scripting News) 3. The new way is never better I've said all along, as I said with
Submitted at 12/22/2009 3:08:17 AM
because the deliberative process Netscape in 1994 -- Twitter
yields a design by committee. desperately needs competition to
When I say the Twitter API may SOAP failed to be a source of toughen them up and make them Hipster of the Decade
be an open standard, I mean interop for just this reason. The more responsive to market
something different than when working group had hundreds of opportunities. To give them a
Update: Is
Jonathan Rosenberg says Google members and pleasing even some sense of urgency they lack. But Grifting/Blogging Truly
likes open standards. of them meant creating a spec what they and we don't need is 'Authentic'? [Polls]
I mean it's open in that anyone that was so vague and rambling Google and other big companies
can implement it now. By Pareene (Gawker)
as to be pointless as a standard. It to stall the market in the name of
A s m a r t d e v e l o p e r c a n provided almost no interop. being open. Their process is open Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:24:00 AM

implement the Twitter API in a (BTW, I am an author of the first only if you're a BigCo, and shuts
matter of weeks. Dov Charney, Carles, and Kari
version of SOAP, so I got to Microsoft welcomed the W3C to out exactly the people we want in
Rosenberg means that the watch the deconstruction of a Farrell are locked in essentially a
the standards process when there. The gutsy bright-eyed
process of defining the standard standard by a working group three-way tie for Gawker's
Netscape threatened the young entrepreneurial minds at
is open. He would start a process from the inside.) Coveted Old-Tymey Mustache
dominance of the Windows rising stars like WordPress and
to define a standard that in two or Dare Obasanjo of Microsoft asks Trophy (awarded, for pretend, to
desktop in the mid-90s. The Tumblr. They are ready for a
t h r e e y e a r s a t e a m o f 2 0 us to look at the process by the Hipster of the Decade.) And
W3C gave them a greater-than- standard now, not someday in the
programmers could implement in which RSS begat Atom as a that is lame!
equal voice to Netscape, even future, after a huge working
another two or three years. Those cautionary tale. He says the Because, come on—Carles and
though they had nowhere near group is finished with it. Not two
are the kind of results that his designers of Atom had "no Kari are totally hipsters-come-
Netscape's market presence in the years after that when everyone
version of "open" delivers. lately. Gavin McInnes gave them
choice" but to be totally dawning market of the web. has forgotten the Open
In an ideal world I prefer defacto incompatible with RSS, but that's an ethos, and Dov sold that ethos
In 2009, Google is just Microblogging Intitiative or
standards that are ratified by not true. They could have started back to them while touching
beginning to be a presence in whatever it ends up being called.
unanimous consent by standards with RSS, and only deviated many of them inappropriately
realtime. It's fairly thrilling to see They're ready now, and so is the
bodies. The deliberative process where absolutely necessary. I and unwelcomely. Carles just
realtime search results show up market.
yields bad results for several urged them to do this. makes fun of them and Kari just
in Google searches. They should So Google, Microsoft,
reasons: stole from them.
All this talk about open keep going but hold back some Facebook, et al should step back
1. The defacto standard doesn't standards processes is surfacing We should also seek to celebrate
of their power to let the little and consider how they can help
just shrivel up and die, despite now because WordPress and the semi-anonymous ones who
companies have a chance to do now, and not throw obstacles in
the best efforts of the latecomers Tumblr implemented the Twitter truly represent what it meant to
what they do better -- drive the path of a surging market.
to force it to. Twitter isn't going A P I , t h e r e b y p u t t i n g t h e be young and trust-funded on
innovation. If Google does what My argument to Microsoft 15
to shut off its API and kill its "defacto" ball in play. The Driggs in 2003! A vote for Truck
Microsoft did, and unleashes all years ago was that they would get
d e v e l o p e r b a s e b e c a u s e a BigCo's don't like it because, like Guy or the Williamsburg Hair
their destructive power, they will the lion's share of any growth
working group formed. Man is a vote for the common
WordPress and Tumblr, they're destroy the market. And we will that is achieved by the upstarts,
2. You end up with two ways of late to the game and don't want to hipster!
be left with a scorched battlefield so it worked against their
doing something, and two ways play on the same field as the little And before you start your
instead of the growth that's interests to slow them down.
are worse than one, no matter companies. They want to force preaching, let me ask you this my
promised by the blossoming That still is true today, but there
how much better the new way is. Twitter into a standards process, I friend: Have you forgotten
prototype of the news system of are new players who own a large
As Anil Dash says, the Twitter assume. It's something Twitter Princess Cold Stare?
the future that I believe Twitter share of the future, no matter
API is now, for all practical might consider, but they should Please vote again, lamestains.
is. what. Don't screw it up.
purposes, finished. Who Is the Hipster of the
be cautious.
Decade?( polls)
E-reader News Edition TV/ 51

Disney Channel Sets New Viewing Records in 2009

By Robert Seidman
(TVbytheNumbers)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:44:33 AM
via press release:
December 22, 2009
Disney Channel Highlights For
2009
Disney Channel Sets New
Viewing Records in 2009
TV’s No. 1 Network in Total
Day in Tweens 9-14, and Scores
its 7th
Consecutive Win in Prime in
Kids 6-11 and 9th Straight Win
in Tweens 9-14
Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly
Place The Movie” is 2009’s No.
1 TV Telecast in Kids 6-11,
TV/Cable’s No. 1 Scripted
Telecast in Tweens 9-14 and
Total Viewers
For the 2nd Consecutive Year,
“Phineas and Ferb” Stands as
TV’s No. 1 Animated Series in
Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14
Crossover Event “Wizards On
Deck with Hannah Montana” is
Cable/TV’s No. 2 Scripted
Telecast in Total Viewers and
Tweens 9-14
“Wizards of Waverly Place” and
“The Suite Life on Deck” Are
TV’s Top 2 Series/Scripted
Series in Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9
-14, Marking Disney Channel’s
4th Consecutive Year with the
No. 1 TV Series in the Core Kid
Demos
Playhouse Disney’s “Mickey
Mouse Clubhouse” Ranks as
TV’s No. 4 Series in Kids 2-5,
with 2009 the Block’s Most-
Watched Year With Viewers and
Preschoolers
Disney Channel — 2009
In another banner year, Disney
Channel delivered TV’s Top 2
scripted telecasts with“Wizards
of Waverly Place The Movie”
and crossover special“Wizards
On Deck with Hannah Montana,”
and the Top 2 scripted TV series
with“Wizards of Waverly Place”
and“The Suite Life on Deck,”
ranking as TV’s No. 1 network in
Total Day in Tweens 9-14.
In addition, 2009 was Disney
Channel’s most-watched year on
record in Total Day in Total
Viewers and Kids 6-11, and tied
2007 as the net’s highest-rated
year in Tweens 9-14.
In Prime, Disney Channel was
TV’s No. 1 network for the 7th
straight year in Kids 6-11 and for
the 9th consecutive year in
Tweens 9-14. In Total Viewers,
Disney Channel ranked as cable’s
No. 2 network, marking the
channel’s 4th straight year
ranking among the Top 2 cable
networks.
Paul DeBenedittis, Senior Vice
President, Programming,
Scheduling, Multiplatform,
Acquisitions, Disney Channels
Worldwide, Disney Channel,
said, “Throughout the year, we
had a robust program schedule
with exciting new stories and
characters, all of which resonated
with kids, tweens and
families. We’re gratified that our
Disney Channel viewers connect
so deeply with our content and
look forward to delivering more
entertainment made just for them
-11(1.05 million/4.3 rating; 2003-
2009) and for the 9th straight
year in Tweens 9-14(870,000/3.6
rating; 2001-2009).
• The net’s Playhouse Disney
block(M-F, 8:00 a.m.-12:00
p.m./SS, 6:00-11:00 a.m.)
enjoyed another banner year,
delivering all-time highs in
the daypart in Total Viewers(1.40
million), Kids 2-5(490,000),
Girls 2-5(247,000), Boys 2-
5(242,000) and Women 18-
49(256,000).
2009 Program Highlights
• The premiere of Disney’s
in the coming year including the d o u b l e - d i g i t p e r c e n t a g e s , “Wizards of Waverly Place
new series “Good Luck Charlie” increasing by 11% in Total The Movie”(8/28/09) ranked as
and the new Disney Channel Viewers(1.65 million vs. 1.48 TV’s No. 1 telecast in Kids 6-
Original Movies “StarStruck” million), by 11% in Kids 6- 11(5.32 million/21.8 rating),
and “Camp Rock The Final Jam.” 11(615,000 vs. 553,000) and by TV’s No. 1 scripted telecast in
2009 Total Day, Prime and 12% in Tweens 9-14(516,000 vs. Tweens 9-14(4.64 million/19.0
Playhouse 461,000). rating) and cable’s No. 1
scripted telecast of 2009 in
• Disney Channel was TV’s Total Viewers(13.50 million).
No. 1 network in Total Day in
Tweens 9-14(516,000/2.1 rating). • Disney Channel was cable’s
No. 2 network in Prime in Total •
Viewers(2.53 million), • Impressively, this year
• In 2009, Disney Channel surpassing No. 3 TNT by marked the 8th straight year
recorded its largest annual 1 2 % ( 2 . 2 5 m i l l i o n ) a n d that Disney Channel has
Total Viewer(1.65 million) and representing the 4th consecutive delivered the No. 1 original
Kid 6-11(615,000) audiences year the network has ranked movie telecast in Tweens 9-
in the net’s history, and tied among the Top 2 networks on all 14, and 8th time in the previous 9
2007 as the net’s top-rated year cable. years in Kids 6-11.
in Tweens 9-14(2.1 rating).
• Among its target demos,
• Disney Channel captured •
• Year-to-year, Disney Channel TV’s annual Prime trophy for the
DISNEY page 52
grew its delivery by robust 7th consecutive year in Kids 6
52 E-reader News Edition
DISNEY
continued from page 51

• In Total Viewers, 2009 as TV’s No. 1 animated series in Day in Tweens 9-14, and Scores Total Day in Tweens 9-14. • In 2009, Disney Channel
represented the 3rd Kids 6-11(1.61 million/6.6 its 7th In addition, 2009 was Disney recorded its largest annual
consecutive year that Disney rating) and Tweens 9-14(1.26 Consecutive Win in Prime in Channel’s most-watched year on Total Viewer(1.65 million) and
Channel delivered the year’s No. million/5.2 rating). Kids 6-11 and 9th Straight Win record in Total Day in Total Kid 6-11(615,000) audiences
1 scripted telecast on all in Tweens 9-14 Viewers and Kids 6-11, and tied in the net’s history, and tied
cable: 2009: “Wizards of Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly 2007 as the net’s highest-rated 2007 as the net’s top-rated year
Waverly Place The Movie“ • In Tweens 9-14, Disney Place The Movie” is 2009’s No. year in Tweens 9-14. in Tweens 9-14(2.1 rating).
(13.50 million); 2008: “Camp Channel delivered TV’s Top 2 1 TV Telecast in Kids 6-11, In Prime, Disney Channel was
Rock” (10.11 million); 2007: scripted series, and 4 of cable’s TV/Cable’s No. 1 Scripted TV’s No. 1 network for the 7th
“High School Musical 2” Top 5: Telecast in Tweens 9-14 and straight year in Kids 6-11 and for •
(18.64 million). Total Viewers the 9th consecutive year in • Year-to-year, Disney Channel
For the 2nd Consecutive Year, Tweens 9-14. In Total Viewers, grew its delivery by robust
• In Kids 6-11, Disney “Phineas and Ferb” Stands as Disney Channel ranked as cable’s double-digit percentages,
Channel held TV’s Top 2 TV’s No. 1 Animated Series in No. 2 network, marking the increasing by 11% in Total
• Crossover event “ Wizards series, and 4 of the Top 5 on all Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14 channel’s 4th straight year Viewers(1.65 million vs. 1.48
O n D e c k w i t h H a n n a h television: Crossover Event “Wizards On ranking among the Top 2 cable million), by 11% in Kids 6-
Montana” (7/17/09) was cable’s Deck with Hannah Montana” is networks. 11(615,000 vs. 553,000) and by
No. 2 scripted telecast in Cable/TV’s No. 2 Scripted Paul DeBenedittis, Senior Vice 12% in Tweens 9-14(516,000 vs.
Viewers(10.64 million), TV’s • A key competitive player Telecast in Total Viewers and President, Programming, 461,000).
No. 2 scripted telecast in Tweens e a c h w e e k d u r i n g 2 0 0 9 , Tweens 9-14 Scheduling, Multiplatform,
9-14(4.19 million/17.2 rating), Playhouse Disney’s “Mickey “Wizards of Waverly Place” and Acquisitions, Disney Channels
and TV’s No. 3 scripted telecast Mouse Clubhouse” ranked as “The Suite Life on Deck” Are Worldwide, Disney Channel,
in Kids 6-11(4.28 million/17.5 TV’s No. 4 series for the year TV’s Top 2 Series/Scripted said, “Throughout the year, we • Disney Channel was cable’s
rating). in Kids 2-5(699,000/4.3 rating). Series in Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9 had a robust program schedule No. 2 network in Prime in Total
-14, Marking Disney Channel’s with exciting new stories and Viewers(2.53 million),
S o u r c e : N i e l s e n M e d i a 4th Consecutive Year with the characters, all of which resonated surpassing No. 3 TNT by
• In Tweens 9-14, “ Wizards R e s e a r c h , 2 0 0 9 : 1 2 / 2 9 / 0 8 - No. 1 TV Series in the Core Kid with kids, tweens and 12%(2.25 million) and
of Waverly Place” (1.63 12/20/09 – Live + Same Day Demos families. We’re gratified that our representing the 4th consecutive
million/6.7 rating) and “ The blended with Live+7; Ratings Playhouse Disney’s “Mickey Disney Channel viewers connect year the network has ranked
Suite Life on Deck” (1.60 based on national rating unless Mouse Clubhouse” Ranks as so deeply with our content and among the Top 2 networks on all
million/6.6 rating) qualified as o t h e r w i s e n o t e d ] . S c r i p t e d TV’s No. 4 Series in Kids 2-5, look forward to delivering more cable.
TV’s Top 2 scripted series of telecast excludes Sports/News. with 2009 the Block’s Most- entertainment made just for them
the year. K6-11/TW9-14 Program ranks Watched Year With Viewers and in the coming year including the
based on 000s then rating with a Preschoolers new series “Good Luck Charlie” • Among its target demos,
minimum 10 telecasts (trackage Disney Channel — 2009 and the new Disney Channel Disney Channel captured
• In Kids 6-11, “ The Suite data, excludes specials, breakouts In another banner year, Disney Original Movies “StarStruck” TV’s annual Prime trophy for the
Life on Deck” (1.82 and programs under 5 minutes). Channel delivered TV’s Top 2 and “Camp Rock The Final Jam.” 7th consecutive year in Kids 6
million/7.4 rating) and “ Wizards K2-5 program ranks based on all scripted telecasts with“Wizards 2009 Total Day, Prime and -11(1.05 million/4.3 rating; 2003-
o f W a v e r l y P l a c e ” ( 1 . 8 1 play average. of Waverly Place The Movie” Playhouse 2009) and for the 9th straight
million/7.4 rating) were TV’s December 22, 2009 and crossover special“Wizards year in Tweens 9-14(870,000/3.6
Top 2 series of 2009. Disney Channel Highlights For On Deck with Hannah Montana,” • Disney Channel was TV’s rating; 2001-2009).
2009 and the Top 2 scripted TV series No. 1 network in Total Day in
Disney Channel Sets New with“Wizards of Waverly Place” Tweens 9-14(516,000/2.1 rating).
• For the second straight year, Viewing Records in 2009 and“The Suite Life on Deck,” DISNEY page 54
“Phineas and Ferb” qualified TV’s No. 1 Network in Total ranking as TV’s No. 1 network in
E-reader News Edition
Little Genius Premiere Gets A Little Smaller as American Idol
Super-Sizes
By Robert Seidman
(TVbytheNumbers)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:40:21 AM
Note the 75 minute Idol airing
on 1/13, Little Genius will get a
45 minute premiere.
via FOX press release:
THEY ALL START
SOMEWHERE…
“AMERICAN IDOL”
RETURNS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 12
AND WEDNESDAY,
JANUARY 13, ON FOX
Ellen DeGeneres Joins the
Judges in Hollywood
Top 24 Semifinalists Revealed
Wednesday, February 17
Voting Begins Tuesday,
February 23
Finalists Revealed Thursday,
March 11
Finalists Perform for First Time
Tuesday, March 16
The wait is almost over for the
return of television’s No. 1 show!
AMERICAN IDOL is set to
return for its much-anticipated
ninth season with a two-night
premiere featuring extraordinary
talent and outrageous new
auditions from Boston Tuesday,
Jan. 12(8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT)
and Atlanta Wednesday, Jan.
13(8:00-9:15 PM ET/PT) on
FOX.
After the two-night premiere,
auditions will continue for three
weeks starting with the Chicago
auditions on Tuesday, Jan.
19(8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and
continuing from Orlando on
Wednesday, Jan. 20(8:00-9:00
PM ET/PT). Then, Dallas
auditions will air Tuesday, Jan.
26(8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT); Los
Angeles on Wednesday, Jan.
27(9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT);
Denver on Tuesday, Feb. 2(8:00-
9:00 PM ET/PT); and “The Road
to Hollywood” auditions on
Wednesday, Feb. 3(9:00-10:00
PM ET/PT).
This season on AMERICAN
IDOL, the good, the bad and the
awful audition for their shot at
stardom. In the audition cities,
Ryan Seacrest hosts, and Simon
Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara
DioGuardi will be joined by
rotating guest judges Victoria
Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Kristin
Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris,
Joe Jonas, Avril Lavigne, Katy
Perry and Shania Twain who will
help select the hopefuls worthy
of the “Golden Ticket” to
Hollywood.
The lucky auditioners who get
the judges’ approval then move
on to the “Hollywood Round”
where contestants vie for a
semifinalist position during the
next phase of the auditions. Once
in Hollywood, Ellen joins Simon,
Randy and Kara as they continue
to winnow down the competitors
to a select group of performers
who will get to sing their hearts
out each week in front of a studio
audience and television viewers.
The “Hollywood Round”
episodes will air Tuesday, Feb.
9(8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT);
Wednesday, Feb. 10(9:00-10:00
PM ET/PT); and Tuesday, Feb.
16(8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). On
Wednesday, Feb. 17(9:00-10:00
PM ET/PT), dreams come true
for 24 contestants, as Simon,
Randy, Kara and Ellen announce
the Top 12 male and Top 12
female semifinalists.
It will then be up to America to
decide who moves forward in the
competition. The first
performance show featuring the
Top 12 female semifinalists will
air Tuesday, Feb. 23(8:00-10:00
PM ET/PT). The following night,
Wednesday, Feb. 24(8:00-10:00
PM ET/PT), the Top 12 male
semifinalists will perform. The
results show revealing America’s
first vote of the season will air
Thursday, Feb. 25(8:00-9:00 PM
ET live/PT tape-delayed), when
the two male and two female
contestants with the fewest votes
will be sent home.
For the next two weeks, the girls
will perform on Tuesdays, the
guys will perform on
Wednesdays and the results
shows will air on Thursdays. The
Top 10 female semifinalists will
perform on Tuesday, March
2(8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), and
the Top 10 male semifinalists
will take the stage on
Wednesday, March 3(8:00-10:00
PM ET/PT). On Thursday,
TV/ 53
March 4(8:00-9:00 PM ET Episode
live/PT tape-delayed), four Tuesday, Jan. 26 (8:00-9:00
contestants – two girls and two PM) Dallas Auditions
guys – will be eliminated from Episode
the competition. The following Wednesday, Jan. 27 (9:00-10:00
week, the Top 8 female PM) Los Angeles Auditions
semifinalists will compete on Episode
Tuesday, March 9(8:00-9:00 PM Tuesday, Feb. 2 (8:00-9:00
ET/PT), and the Top 8 male PM) Denver Auditions
semifinalists will perform on Episode
Wednesday, March 10(9:00- Wednesday, Feb. 3 (9:00-10:00
10:00 PM ET/PT). Then, on PM) “The Road to
Thursday, March 11(8:00-9:00 Hollywood” Auditions Episode
PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), the Tuesday, Feb. 9 (8:00-9:00
finalists will be revealed after PM) Hollywood
four more contestants are Round, Part 1
eliminated. Wednesday, Feb. 10 (9:00-10:00
The competition heats up when PM) Hollywood Round, Part
the finalists take the stage LIVE 2
and for the first time together on Tuesday, Feb. 16 (8:00-9:00
Tuesday, March 16(8:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round,
PM ET live/PT tape-delayed). Part 3
One contestant’s journey will end Wednesday, Feb. 17 (9:00-10:00
when America’s vote is revealed PM) Hollywood Round, Part
Wednesday, March 17(9:00- 4
10:00 PM ET live/PT tape- Top 24 Semifinalists Announced
delayed). Tuesday, Feb. 23 (8:00-10:00
RECAP(All times ET/PT) PM) Top 12 Female
Tuesday, Jan. 12 (8:00-10:00 Semifinalists Perform
PM) Season Premiere, Wednesday, Feb. 24 (8:00-10:00
Part 1 PM) Top 12 Male
Boston Auditions Episode Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:15 Thursday, Feb. 25 (8:00-9:00
PM) Season Premiere, Part PM) First Results Show
2 (ET live/PT tape-delayed)
Atlanta Auditions Episode Two Male and Two Female
Tuesday, Jan. 19 (8:00-9:00 Contestants Eliminated
PM) Chicago Auditions Tuesday, March 2 (8:00-10:00
Episode PM) Top 10 Female
Wednesday, Jan. 20 (8:00-9:00
PM) Orlando Auditions LITTLE page 56
54 Sports/ Fashion/ E-reader News Edition
DISNEY
continued from page 52

• The net’s Playhouse Disney Suite Life on Deck” (1.60

block(M-F, 8:00 a.m.-12:00
p.m./SS, 6:00-11:00 a.m.)
million/6.6 rating) qualified as
TV’s Top 2 scripted series of
• A key competitive player
each week during 2009,
Makeover
enjoyed another
delivering
banner year,
all-time highs in
•
• In Total Viewers, 2009
the year. Playhouse Disney’s “Mickey
Mouse Clubhouse” ranked as
Fridays at Ted
the daypart in Total Viewers(1.40
million), Kids 2-5(490,000),
represented the 3rd
consecutive year that Disney • In Kids 6-11, “ The Suite
TV’s No. 4 series for the year
in Kids 2-5(699,000/4.3 rating).
Gibson Salon
Girls 2-5(247,000), Boys 2- Channel delivered the year’s No. Life on Deck” (1.82 By ELLE.com (ELLE News
5(242,000) and Women 18- 1 scripted telecast on all million/7.4 rating) and “ Wizards Source: Nielsen Media Blog)
49(256,000). cable: 2009: “Wizards of of Waverly Place” (1.81 Research, 2009: 12/29/08- Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:00:00 AM
Waverly Place The Movie“ million/7.4 rating) were TV’s 12/20/09 – Live + Same Day
2009 Program Highlights (13.50 million); 2008: “Camp Top 2 series of 2009. blended with Live+7; Ratings To celebrate the start of another
Rock” (10.11 million); 2007: based on national rating unless season as TLC's resident hair
• The premiere of Disney’s “High School Musical 2” otherwise noted]. Scripted guru on What Not To Wear,
“Wizards of Waverly Place (18.64 million). • For the second straight year, telecast excludes Sports/News. stylist Ted Gibson will be hosting
The Movie”(8/28/09) ranked as “Phineas and Ferb” qualified K6-11/TW9-14 Program ranks "Makeover Fridays" at his New
TV’s No. 1 telecast in Kids 6- as TV’s No. 1 animated series in based on 000s then rating with a York salon. For 20 percent off
11(5.32 million/21.8 rating), Kids 6-11(1.61 million/6.6 minimum 10 telecasts (trackage any cut or color session in
TV’s No. 1 scripted telecast in • Crossover event “ Wizards rating) and Tweens 9-14(1.26 data, excludes specials, breakouts January, simply mention
Tweens 9-14(4.64 million/19.0 O n D e c k w i t h H a n n a h million/5.2 rating). and programs under 5 minutes). "Makeover Fridays" when
rating) and cable’s No. 1 Montana” (7/17/09) was cable’s K2-5 program ranks based on all booking your appointment (212-
scripted telecast of 2009 in N o . 2 s c r i p t e d t e l e c a s t i n play average. 633-6333). P.S. Don't think you
Total Viewers(13.50 million). Viewers(10.64 million), TV’s • In Tweens 9-14, Disney Five Filters featured article: have to get a drastic change for
No. 2 scripted telecast in Tweens Channel delivered TV’s Top 2 Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: 2010; a high-shine glaze with a
9-14(4.19 million/17.2 rating), scripted series, and 4 of cable’s PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, hint of color could give you just
• and TV’s No. 3 scripted telecast Top 5: Term Extraction. the boost you're looking for!
• Impressively, this year in Kids 6-11(4.28 million/17.5 —Emily Hebert
marked the 8th straight year rating). Photo: Courtesy of Ted Gibson
that Disney Channel has • In Kids 6-11, Disney Salon
delivered the No. 1 original Channel held TV’s Top 2 Follow ELLE on Twitter
movie telecast in Tweens 9- • In Tweens 9-14, “ Wizards series, and 4 of the Top 5 on all
14, and 8th time in the previous 9 of Waverly Place” (1.63 television:
years in Kids 6-11. million/6.7 rating) and “ The

Predicting the Playoffs: the AFC Race Is All Scrambled Up

By JJ Cooper (Fanhouse Denver Broncos could have held There are only four teams in the teams sitting at 8-6 or 7-7 there's
Main) on to beat the Raiders on Sunday AFC with losing records while just no logical expectation that
Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:40:00 AM
afternoon, the AFC playoff 12 teams are either in playoff two of those teams won't go 9-7.
picture would be pretty clear by contention.
Filed under: Broncos, Colts, now. But when JaMarcus Russell In looking at the upcoming
Dolphins, Jaguars, Jets, Ravens, turned into Jim Plunkett for a scenarios, it's safe to assume that
Steelers, Texans, Titans, NFL couple of moments Sunday the AFC wild card race into a it will take at least a 9-7 record to
Playoffs, NFL Analysis If the afternoon, he managed to throw free-for-all. earn a wild card spot. With eight
E-reader News Edition TV/ Entertainment/ 55

Ratings Notes for TNT, Adult Swim, truTV and

TBS’ Lopez Tonight
By Robert Seidman adults 18-34.
(TVbytheNumbers) TBS
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:26:54 AM
TBS’s late-night hit Lopez
Tonight enjoyed a strong week,
via Turner for the week ending averaging 1.3 million viewers, up
Barack Obama Wants to
December 20, 2009. 7% when compared to the prior Be at Work Today Just
TNT week. In addition, it delivered as Much as You Do,
Last Monday’s episode of The 845,000 adults 18-49, up 9%
Closer ranked as ad-supported when compared to the prior
America [Bored In The
cable’s #1 entertainment program week. The show continues to be U.s.a.]
for the week among viewers (5.5 tremendous hit with multicultural By John Cook (Gawker)
million) and households (4.1 viewers, with Hispanic viewers
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:43:55 AM
million). It also scored 1.6 accounting for 32% of its
million adults 18-49 and 2.1 audience, while African- So he's prank-calling local news-
million adults 25-54. American viewers account for talk radio shows as "Barry From
TNT’s Men of a Certain Age 27% of its audience. D.C." Is it five yet? Anyone up
continued its successful run last truTV for lunch?
Monday night at 10 p.m., with truTV, which is scoring its Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine was a
the series’ second episode biggest year ever in ratings, guest today on a WTOP radio
delivering 4.4 million viewers, (57%) when compared to last 1,001,000 vs. 877,000 enjoyed strong performances show in Washington, D.C., so
3.2 million households, 1.8 year. • Adults 25-54: +16 % 899,000 from its original series last week, Obama called in to wish him a
million adults 18-49 and 2.3 The 2009-10 NBA regular vs. 777,000 led by Operation Repo. The Merry Christmas. He's got plenty
million adults 25-54. It grew season on TNT continues to • Men 18-34: +26 % 443,000 Monday, Dec. 14, 10 p.m. of time to kill—according to the
from its lead-in, The Closer, by experience tremendous growth, vs. 352,000 episode ranked among cable’s latest White House pool report,
10% among adults 18-49 and by a v e r a g i n g a 1 . 2 n a t i o n a l • Men 18-49: +18% 721,000 Top 5 entertainment programs in Obama just announced in the
6% among adults 25-54. household rating, up 20% over vs. 609,000 its time period in delivery of Roosevelt Room that he's not
TNT’s Sunday 8 p.m. premiere the first 18 games of the 2008-09 • Men 25-54: +22% 647,000 adults 18-34 (583,000); adults 18 leaving for his Hawaiian holiday
of Christmas in Washington, N B A s e a s o n ( 1 . 0 n a t i o n a l vs. 530,000 -49 (1,035,000); men 18-34 until the Senate passes a
which featured performances by household rating). In addition, (331,000); and men 18-49 healthcare bill on Christmas Eve.
Justin Bieber, Mary J. Blige, Neil t o t a l viewers are S o u r c e : N i e l s e n M e d i a (587,000). "My attitude is if they are making
D i a m o n d , S u g a r l a n d , R o b up 19%(1,813,000 vs. 1,518,000) Research, Live + Same Day data. Five Filters featured article: these sacrifices to provide health
Thomas and Usher, was watched a n d h o u s e h o l d s a r e NBA Regular Season on TNT Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: care to all Americans, the least I
by 1.9 million viewers and 1.3 u p 1 8 % ( 1 , 3 8 0 , 0 0 0 through 18 games, 10/27/09 – PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, can do is be around." Which
million households, up 32% and v s . 1 , 1 6 8 , 0 0 0 ) . 1 2 / 2 0 / 0 9 v s . 1 0 / 2 8 / 0 8 – Term Extraction. means plenty of time to kill til
22%, respectively, over last The network has also seen 1 2 / 2 1 / 0 8 . then. Also, contrary to our report
year’s concert. Hosted by significant increases in key Adult Swim yesterday, the White House press
G e o r g e L o p e z , t h i s y e a r ’ s demos including: Adult Swim continued its corps won't have it any better
p r e s e n t a t i o n a l s o s c o r e d • Adults 18-34: + 23% 594,000 successful year, ranking as ad- than their counterparts on the Hill
tremendous growth among adults in 2009 vs. 482,000 in 2008 supported cable’s #1 network for after all.
18-49 (78%) and adults 25-54 • A d u l t s 1 8 - 4 9 : + 1 4 % the week in total-day delivery of
56 TV/ Popular News/ E-reader News Edition
LITTLE
FOX Sunday Afternoon National continued from page 53

Semifinalists Perform 10:00 PM) Results Show (ET

Game Averages 25.8 million Over Wednesday, March 3 (8:00-
10:00 PM)
Semifinalists Perform
Top 10 Male
live/PT tape-delayed)
One Contestant Eliminated
AMERICAN IDOL is created
Four Games Thursday, March 4 (8:00-9:00
PM) Results Show (ET
and executive-produced by
Simon Fuller, founder of 19
By Robert Seidman live/PT tape-delayed) Entertainment; and executive-
(TVbytheNumbers) Two Male and Two Female produced by Cecile Frot-Coutaz,
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:11:28 AM Contestants Eliminated CEO, FremantleMedia North
Tuesday, March 9 (8:00-9:00 America; and Ken Warwick,
via FOX Sports release: PM) Top 8 Female executive producer,
EIGHT IS ENOUGH Semifinalists Perform FremantleMedia North America.
ALREADY Wednesday, March 10 (9:00- Visit americanidol.com for
NFL ON FOX NATIONAL IS 10:00 PM) Top 8 Male exclusive videos, interviews and
WEEK’S HIGHEST-RATED, Semifinalists Perform photos, as well as special behind-
MOST-WATCHED PROGRAM Thursday, March 11 (8:00-9:00 the-scenes information and all of
… AGAIN PM) Results Show (ET your AMERICAN IDOL news
Saturday night’s big snowstorm live/PT tape-delayed) Five Filters featured article:
on the East Coast caused 1:00 Two Male and Two Female Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
PM games in Philadelphia (vs. Contestants Eliminated; Finalists PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
SF) and Baltimore (vs. Chicago) last year’s comparable 24.4 (vs. 22.9 mill). It is also pacing Revealed Term Extraction.
to be rescheduled for 4:15 PM, million, 14.7/28 doubleheader on + 1 7 % a n d + 2 0 % b e t t e r , Tuesday, March 16 (8:00-10:00
reversing the NFL on FOX CBS. Besides its perch as r e s p e c t i v e l y , t h a n C B S ’ s PM) Finalists Perform (ET
schedule from four games early television’s No. 1 show among National Game (13.2/25, 21.8 live/PT tape-delayed)
and two games late to the key male and adult demos for the mill), +30% and +34% better, Wednesday, March 17 (9:00-
opposite. The result was a solid week, it was also No. 1 in women respectively, than NBC’s Sunday
15.1/28 national household 1 8 - 3 4 a n d w o m e n 1 8 - 4 9 . Night Football (11.9/19, 19.6
rating/share, with 25.8 million Sunday’s 15.1/28 marks the fifth mill) and ranks as the highest- Arizona Dust Storm Leads to
viewers on Sunday (12/20) for a time this year an NFL on FOX rated and most-watched program
four-game National Window. game exceeded a 15.0 rating in all of television across all key Highway Fatalities
All markets eventually folded nationally, which has never male and adult demos for the (FOXNews.com) severe burns and traumatic
into the end of a thrilling Packers happened in 15 prior NFL on season. injuries. The highway patrol says
Submitted at 12/21/2009 11:10:35 PM
-Steelers game, and for the eighth FOX seasons. Five Filters featured article: a commercial vehicle exploded,
time in as many tries, the NFL on Through eight broadcasts the Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PHOENIX Officials say a dust so a hazardous materials team is
FOX National Game was the NFL on FOX National Game is PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, storm has led to 20 or more being being sent to the scene.
highest-rated and most-watched averaging an impressive 15.5/29 Term Extraction. collisions on Interstate 10 in The crash occurred near Casa
program of the week in all of and 26.2 million viewers, up central Arizona, with several Grande, about 10 miles north of
television. +9% in rating over last year’s vehicles catching fire. the junction with Interstate 8.
The audience is +6% and rating 14.2/27 and +14% in audience The Arizona Department of Five Filters featured article:
+3% better, respectively, than Public Safety says at least one Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
person has died and an unknown PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
number of others have suffered Term Extraction.
E-reader News Edition TV/ 57

Survivor runner-up
Russell has a new web
site
By Bob Sassone (TV Squad) Survivor." You can also make
Submitted at 12/22/2009 2:29:00 PM
donations or buy shirts and other
things in his store. Proceeds go to
What's On Tonight: Carrie If you watched the season finale
of Survivor the other night, you
St. Jude's Hospital, which is a
great thing, though I'm not sure
probably noticed that, unlike a lot exactly what he wants to
Underwood, Scrubs, ECW of runner-ups in the past, Russell
Hantz was openly bitter and
accomplish with the whole "vote
for me" thing. Maybe he wants a
By Bob Sassone (TV Squad) Lab. Check your local TV listings for angry about not winning. He recount.
Submitted at 12/22/2009 12:13:00 PM
• History Channel has two new more. didn't try to hide it, which He even told Natalie on the
episodes of How The Earth Was After the jump, the late night probably proved to the jury that finale that if she asked Jeff to
Made. talk shows. they were right in voting for proclaim him the best player
• At 7, ReelzChannel has a new • BBC America has a new Continue reading What's On Natalie in the first place. (though not the official winner)
Hollywood Dailies with new Britain's Missing Top Model at 9. Tonight: Carrie Underwood, But Russell still thinks he should he would give her $10,000. She
contributor Richard Roeper. • Comedy Central has four Scrubs, ECW have won and he has just didn't take the offer.
• 8, FOX has Carrie Underwood: Christmas episodes of South Park F i l e d u n d e r : L a t e N i g h t , launched a new web site called Filed under: Survivor, Web
An All-Star Holiday Special. starting at 9. Programming, Celebrities, Talk RussellGotScrewed.com, where Permalink| Email this| |
• ESPN has the MAACO Bowl, • At 10, Syfy has a new ECW. Show, What To Watch Tonight, he asks you to vote for him if you Comments
BYU vs. Oregon State. • A&E has two new episodes of Reality-Free think he's "America's Top
• At 9, ABC has a new Scrubs, Paranormal State at 10. Permalink| Email this| |
then a new Better Off Ted. • Also at 10: HBO has a new C o m m e n t s
• Discovery has a new Dirty Jobs Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.
at 9, followed by a new Ghost
58 TV/ Sports/
Diane Sawyer’s Premiere On “World
News” Lifts Ratings ~6% Based On
Early Numbers
By Robert Seidman
(TVbytheNumbers)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:04:41 AM
It looks like Diane Sawyer’s
debut on “World News” lifted
ratings above average based on
the preliminary Nielsen results
where 8.934 million people
watched ABC from 6:30p to 7p
on Monday night.
Disclaimer: that’s much more
preliminary than typical
overnight numbers for primetime
because all its doing is measuring
every ABC affiliate for that time
period, and not every ABC
affiliate carries “World News”
from 6:30p-7p. Official final
numbers will not be available
Serena Williams voted
AP Female Athlete of
the Year in landslide
By Associated Press
(ESPN.com)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:16:51 AM
Playing her best at the most
important events, Serena
Williams re-established herself as
the top player in women's tennis
in 2009 and was a landslide
choice as Female Athlete of the
Year by members of The
Associated Press.
Williams received 66 of 158
votes cast by editors at U.S.
newspapers that are members of
the AP. No other candidate got
more than 18 votes in the tally,
which was announced Tuesday.
Clearly, Williams' most
infamous on-court episode -- a
tirade directed at a line judge
after a foot-fault call near the end
of her U.S. Open semifinal loss
in September -- didn't hurt her
standing in the eyes of the voters.
"People realize that I'm a great
player, and one moment doesn't
define a person's career,"
until next week. Williams told the AP. "And I was
This season ‘World News” is right, for the most part: It wasn't
averaging around 8 million right the way I reacted -- I never
viewers and its Monday average said it was -- but I was right
is 8.4 million. about the call."
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a lot more people excited about
tennis."
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The 28-year-old American tends
to do that, thanks to her
powerful, athletic play and her
outgoing personality.
"We can attribute the strength
and the growth of women's tennis
a great deal to her," WTA
chairman and CEO Stacey
Allaster said in a telephone
interview. "She is a superstar."
Williams, who is based in
Florida, also won the AP award
in 2002, a seven-year gap that is
the longest between AP Female
Athlete of the Year honors since
golf's Patty Berg won in 1943
and 1955.
"I'm just happy and blessed to
even be playing seven years later.
All this is a bonus, really,"
Williams said. "In 2002, I just
was really dominant, and I think
in 2009, I just brought that back.
I kind of became that player
again."
Runner-up in the AP voting was
Zenyatta, who capped a 14-0
career by becoming the first
female horse to win the Breeders'
Cup Classic.
Tennis' Kim Clijsters finished
third with 16 votes.
Copyright 2009 by The
Associated Press
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Malcolm Gladwell's Stickiness Problem [Op-ed]
By Jeff Wise (Gawker)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:20:42 AM
It's tough out there for science
writers following in Malcolm
Gladwell's footsteps. Not because
he's so good, but because he's so
wrong. Here's a rant by author
Jeff Wise, republished from
Psychology Today, on undoing
Gladwell's damage to the facts.
The aughts been a good decade
for Malcolm Gladwell. The
reigning king of urban
intellectuals has never not had a
book among the New York
Times's top 10 bestsellers since
his first book, Tipping Point,
debuted in 2000. (Currently, he
has four.) With so much success,
of course, invariably come
brickbats. The latest volley of
slings and arrows has arrived
from the direction of Steven
Pinker, the Harvard psychology
professor who, reviewing
Gladwell's book What the Dog
Saw in the New York Times
Book Review last month,
declared that the author
"unwittingly demonstrates the
hazards of statistical reasoning
and... occasionally blunders into
spectacular failures."
As someone who has just
published a somewhat
Gladwellian tome myself, I have
a somewhat different perspective.
The problem, I've discovered,
isn't just that Gladwell is wrong.
It's that his formulations are so
darn sticky.
I stumbled upon this realization
when, last year, I began writing
my book, Extreme Fear: The
Science of Your Mind in Danger.
In the course of my research I
delved into all the major
manifestations of the emotion,
including the phenomenon of
athletes choking on the playing
field. Gladwell, I already knew,
had famously dealt with the
subject in a 2000 New Yorker
article entitled " The Art of
Failure." He summed up the topic
with breathtaking concision.
Choking, he declared, is the
opposite of panic. "Choking is
about thinking too much," he
wrote. "Panic is about thinking
too little."
It was the epitome of a
Gladwellian idea:
Entertainment/ 59
with the erroneous notion that
they are in possession of a really
nifty insight into the nature of
choking, so be it. No harm, no
foul. But some bogus memes are
less innocent.
One of the chapters in
Gladwell's second book, Blink,
concerns the work of the
University of California
psychologist Paul Ekman, a man
who, according to Gladwell, has
mastered the secret of lie
detection. Thanks to a
combination of innate skill and
scientific savvy, Ekman has
supposedly trained himself to
detect fleeting "micro-
expressions" on a liar's face and
so can determine their true
emotional state with stunning
accuracy.
It was the best chapter of the
book, maybe the best chapter
counterintuitive, startling, yet opposite of panic" doesn't make Gladwell has ever written. When
immediately graspable. In other any sense. It's like saying "dogs Universal Studios paid $1 million
words, sticky — the supreme are the opposite of cats" — a for the movie rights to Blink, this
attribute for a successful meme. stimulating proposition, perhaps, was the part they really wanted;
A n d t h u s i t s p r e a d . R e a d but logically unparsable. when the deal was inked, the
anything about choking in the Meanwhile, as it happens, a studio announced that Steven
popular press these days and great deal of fascinating research Gaghan was attached to the
you'll likely get the Gladwell has gone into figuring out how project to write and direct, and
line. Here's Jonah Lehrer, writing choking actually works. The Leonardo DiCaprio would star as
in his book How We Decide: phenomenon is an expression of an Ekman-like character. That
"Choking is actually triggered by a specifically social kind of fear, film is still gestating, but
a s p e c i f i c m e n t a l m i s t a k e : a variety of performance anxiety meanwhile the Gladwell/Ekman
thinking too much." (Italics his.) related to stage fright, panic j u g g e r n a u t h a s a l r e a d y
And here's John Paul Newport, attacks, and the " shy bladder" steamrollered across the public
writing this February in the Wall syndrome familiar to men at consciousness through the Fox
Street Journal: "Choking... is airport urinals. It has nothing to TV show Lie to Me, currently in
essentially the opposite of panic." d o w i t h a n e g a t i o n o r its second season. In the show,
The only problem is that, from a u n d e r s u p p l y o f p a n i c . Tim Roth stars as Dr. Cal
neuroscientific perspective, Okay, so who cares? If half the
Gladwell's "choking is the United States is walking around MALCOLM page 62
60 Entertainment/ Sports/
Does Tiger Woods Not Sell Magazines Covers
Because He's Black? [Run For Cover]
By Brian Moylan (Gawker)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:28:51 AM
That's the conclusion that Rob
Shuter comes to in the
Huffington Post when he says
that the tabloid covers that
carried his famous face didn't
move at the newsstand. Well,
let's see how Brittany Murphy
fares this week.
Shuter writes:
Sources with access to weekly
sales numbers tell me that figures
for last week's issues of In
Touch, OK! and US Weekly,
which all featured Tiger on their
covers, were well below average.
Only People, whose cover
featured a sad looking Mrs.
Woods, sold well.
Of course that means that people
would rather buy the magazine
with the pretty white woman on
the cover than the one with the
scary, scary black man. He
continues:
Another editor, who asked to
remain anonymous, told me
something much more alarming:
"With the exception of Oprah, no
African-American sells magazine
covers. Period. If Tiger were a
white dude with this crazy
messed-up, never-ending drama,
the tabloids would be in heaven.
They couldn't print magazines
fast enough to keep up with
demand."
Like some of the other experts
of this rotting lemon. We barely
even care that the sitting
president got a BJ from an intern
in the oval office, why should we
spend our $3.99 on a magazine
about a guy who fucked a bunch
of waitresses from
Hooters—especially when we've
already met, picked on, and
forgotten about all the waitresses
thanks to the countless websites
(including this one) that already
covered it?
The true test would have come
this week now that Brittany
Murphy's death takes over the
Celebrity Industrial Complex, but
all the weeklies closed early due
to the holidays, so she didn't
make their covers. If she sold
scads of magazines, that might
just prove that pretty white ladies
can soar where black golfers
bomb. We that would have
happened anway. Her premature
death is sad, don't get us wrong,
Shuter spoke to, I think this is bunch of skanks. but she only had a handful of hit
bullshit. Maybe this is just me A more likely reason that Tiger movies and was never a major
being Pollyanna, but I find it hard isn't selling magazines is because celebrity. We've been bombarded
to believe that when it comes to its sprawling non-narrative of with news about her since
scandal people care about race. meaningless bits about bimbos Sunday, and there's few details
After all OJ Simpson—another and divorce papers isn't suited left to share that people will
black man with a pretty blond well for the magazines. Also, actually care about. We bet her
wife—was once the reigning we're all bored with this scandal. sales figures would be just as
tabloid king, and his skin as just No matter how many stripper poor as Tiger's, no matter how
as dark as Tiger's. The difference mistresses totter forward on their white they make her look.
is, Tiger is no OJ. Simpson Lucite platforms, no matter how
actually killed people and was much money Elin gets in the
the center of a protracted public divorce settlement, there is just
trial. Tiger just had sex with a hardly any news left to wring out
E-reader News Edition
Bobby Bowden of
Florida State
disappointed to be
leaving a year earlier
than planned
By Associated Press
(ESPN.com)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:49:51 AM
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Bobby
Bowden says he wanted to coach
another year at Florida State,
however "that was out" as an
option.
Bowden told The Associated
Press on Tuesday that he wanted
to coach next season. A day after
meeting with university officials,
Bowden announced Dec. 1 that
he would retire following the
Seminoles' bowl game.
The 80-year-old Bowden says
he's getting over the
"disappointment" of leaving
Florida State a year earlier than
he had planned.
He's been cleaning out his
memorabilia-filled office in
addition to trying to get the
Seminoles ready for their New
Years' Day date against West
Virginia in the Gator Bowl.
Bowden, who has coached since
leaving college 56 years ago,
says he's preparing to move on
with other challenges.
Copyright 2009 by The
Associated Press
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Joe Francis: Gawker's Douche of the Decade
[Polls]
By Pareene (Gawker)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:17:00 AM
With, let's say, 140% of the vote
reporting, we are deeply ashamed
to announce that Girls Gone Wild
impresario Joe Francis is
Gawker's Douche of the Decade.
Joe Francis got his start selling
Faces of Death-style cheapo
death-and-violence videos on late
-night TV. After he found that
licensing Mardi Gras footage
proved even more popular, and
perhaps easier to self-produce, he
set about creating an empire of
intoxicated ambiguously
consensual exploitation. Via
Vanessa Grigoriadis' 2002
profile, witness the mind of
Francis at work:
"More than anything else, Girls
Gone Wild started off as a
product of my sexual fantasy."
Meaning? "Girls look really good
from age eighteen to twenty-
five," he says. "It's just a fact that
that's the best time for girls.
Afterward, things start to happen
— bad things."
Dan Sexton Makes a Splash With Improving Ducks
By Susan Slusser (Fanhouse
Main)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 5:00:00 AM
Filed under: Ducks When a
woman approached a group of
lesser-known Ducks players
recently to ask some of the
youngest members of the team
Francis wondered how he could
market such a concept. On a
plane one day, he took out a legal
pad and wrote down titles:
"College Women." "Girls Gone
Crazy." Then he wrote, "College
Girls Gone Wild," thought about
it for a minute and put a big X
through the word college.
And he quickly became a
for autographs, she barely
glanced at Dan Sexton.
She handed her pen to the other
three Ducks and skipped the 22-
year-old forward.
"It wasn't too embarrassing,"
Sexton said with a laugh. "At
least I didn't try to grab the pen
or anything."
terribly rich and successful
douche—which may have given
him a leg up on the douches in
the poll who are kings of the
world only in their own shriveled
minds and blackened hearts.
But this coked-out amoral direct-
marketer (and rapist!) is basically
a zillionaire, various tax leins
against him nothwithstanding.
Sexton is used to being
overlooked. He has had to fight
Entertainment/ Sports/ Game/
Kidnapping and non-penetrative
dildo-menacing were not enough
to stop the man who declared that
he'd been "anally raped over and
over by the media" shortly after
literally assaulting a female
reporter assigned to profile him.
He palled around with our more
tragic and douchey celebs.
We had a shot at putting him in
jail for good, but the hundreds of
hours of underaged porn from his
homes and plane was seized
without proper search warrants.
Problems—both legal and
civil—actually piled up for
Francis as the decade went on,
but the fact remains that he
continues to be rich, famous,
douchey, and ever more
loathsome by the hour.
Joe Francis! You have made the
world a worse place! You have
assaulted and raped! You have
degraded thousands! You are a
terrible human being! You are
Gawker's Douche of the Decade!
Who Is The Douche of the
Decade?( online surveys)
for every bit of recognition he
gets his entire life in hockey -- he
was even cut from his junior
league team three years ago. So
that makes his big, immediate
splash in the NHL this month all
the sweeter.
61
New Aliens vs. Predator
trailer says it's about
story, actually about
gutting
By Ben Gilbert (Joystiq)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:00:00 PM
This is one of those situations
where we wish we could just call
up Mr. Sega (that's who runs
Sega, right?) and ask him what
he was thinking. How could he
have possibly claimed this latest
Aliens vs. Predator trailer has
something to do with "story?"
Here's the entire plot: There are
humans, there are also Aliens, as
well as a Predator. That's it!
What else do you need, folks?
Much like the snake and the
mongoose (or 50 Cent and
helicopters), these factions are
natural enemies of each other. No
story is required for them to
make with the murdalizing --
they just do. Check out the trailer
above for further confirmation of
our position on the subject.
Gallery: Aliens vs Predator
New Aliens vs. Predator trailer
says it's about story, actually
about gutting originally appeared
on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Dec 2009
13:00:00 EST. Please see our
terms for use of feeds.
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62 Sports/
MALCOLM
continued from page 59
Lightman, the protagonist with
Ekman-type powers. The real
Ekman serves as a script adviser
to the show and writes about each
episode on his blog.
The chapter's most profound
impact played out not on the
screen but in the real world,
when the Department of
Homeland Security enlisted
Ekman, soon after Blink's
publication, to help implement a
project to detect would-be
terrorists in airports around the
country. Called "Screening
Passengers by Observation
Technique," or SPOT, the
program debuted in December,
2005. By 2008, TSA officers
were pulling aside nearly
100,000 passengers a year for
screening. (Of those, fewer than
one percent were eventually
arrested, and the TSA won't say
how many were convicted.)
You might think, given Ekman's
Dwyane Wade Fuels Free-Agent Fire
By Matt Moore (Fanhouse
Main)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 5:00:00 AM
Filed under: Bulls, Cavaliers, shattering effects for the players,
H e a t , K n i c k s , N e t s , N B A their teammates, the teams, the
Rumors There's been talk of it league, global athlete marketing
before.
It's an idea that would change free-agency.
cultural ubiquity, that his
discoveries on the subject of
lying have laid the groundwork
for a whole sub-field of research
psychology. On the contrary. In
fact, it has been well established
by peer-reviewed studies that,
Ekman's claims notwithstanding,
no person can reliably tell
whether or not another human
being is lying simply by looking
at them. "It's hokum," says Yale
psychologist Charles A. Morgan
III.
So SPOT, it turns out, was a $3-
million-a-year waste of taxpayer
money. So "Lie to Me" is
scarcely more scientifically
grounded than Ghost Whisperer.
Well, okay. Dumb TV shows and
wasteful government programs
are nothing new. What's really
disturbing, though, is that once
Gladwell had granted Ekman his
intellectual seal of approval, no
one in the popular media was
everything in the National
Basketball Association. A
development that if it were to
come about would have earth-
and the entire construct of player We're about 20,000 leagues into
willing or able to point out that
the good professor's claims were
spurious.
For four years.
That's the problem of Gladwell
in a nutshell. He's masterful at
brewing up memes so potent that
they travel far beyond the realm
of where the mere modest truth
would go. They spread. And they
stick. And having stuck, they
proceed to affect the decisions
that people make, the policies
they implement, the laws that
they pass. A normal person,
when he is wrong, adds a little
drop of erroneousness in the
great sea of human conversation.
Gladwell, when he is wrong,
creates a tsunami of wrong.
And it just goes on and on.
the Ocean of Hype here, but we
E-reader News Edition
Jimmie Johnson Perfect
Pick for Athlete of Year
By Holly Cain (Fanhouse
Main)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 3:00:00 AM
Filed under: Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson's selection
Monday as the Associated Press
Athlete of the Year isn't just a
well-deserved honor for the four-
time NASCAR champ, but
validation for NASCAR's place
in the sporting world and a nice
holiday antidote to all the recent
athletes-gone-wild headlines.
Johnson is the first race driver
ever chosen in the 78-year old
history of the award. And while out of our sport and makes it a
you could argue others before point of discussion -- like, 'Wow,
him -- Michael Schumacher, a race car driver won this thing.' "
John Force, Richard Petty or Not only are his four
Dale Earnhardt -- also deserved consecutive Sprint Cup Series
the honor, Johnson is a perfect titles unprecedented, Johnson
selection to cross that threshold. won them during the most
The good guy at the right time. competitive era in his sport's
"The wave is finally peaking, and history -- posting a series-best 29
we don't know where it's going to wins in his No. 48 Lowe's
take us,'' Johnson said of the Chevrolet during the span.
recognition.
"The fourth straight title takes it
are talking about two of the top option would be available for
three NBA players electing to them to play together, but that
sign with the same team this they would be willing to sign for
summer. And the reality of it just less money to make that happen.
became a whole lot more likely. And lo, the NBA did tremble in
Dwyane Wade has not only their wake.
suggested that he and LeBron
James chose to sign extensions
specifically built so that the
E-reader News Edition Sports/ 63

No One Puts Favre in a Corner

(WSJ.com: The Daily Fix) sacked four times and rushed a shutout champion. “Today, doing became the first college
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:00:32 AM
million more. Julius Peppers all Sawchuk might have benefited basketball program to tally 2,000
but lined up in the Vikings from intervention and wins. Mark Story traces the road
Most NFL teams already will backfield. The offensive line was rehabilitation,” Scanlan writes. to UK2K in the Lexington Herald
have broken down last week’s terrible. Then again, did Brett “The talk-show circuit and -Leader, but anyone who knows
game tape by Tuesday. That task Favre really need to mention it? tabloids would have welcomed Wildcats fans knows that they
will be uglier for some teams — When it goes bad for Tom Brady, his personal story. During the already have the next win (and
the Washington Redskins could he takes the blame and defends 1950s and ’60s, tough hockey the next, and the next) on the
swap in a “Saw” sequel for his teammates’ talent, effort, between Childress and Favre as players were expected to suck it brain.
footage of their Monday night performance.” partially to blame for the whole up and move on, and Sawchuk If Kentucky’s win was
bumble-tacular blowout loss to Brad Childress went all kerfuffle. “Childress’ relationship lived that mantra, playing something of a foregone
the New York Giants without psychoanalytic with the story with Favre is too close to without a mask, in equipment conclusion, it had nothing on
anyone being appreciably less Monday, claiming that his ‘colleague’ and too far from most kids today would be Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s lopsided
grossed out. Getty Images Who discussion about yanking Favre ‘coach-player,’ ” Seifert writes.* embarrassed to use for road road loss to 12th-ranked Kansas
could’ve guessed Brett Favre’s from the game was “stream of ** hockey.”* * * State. The blowout was nothing
success in Minnesota might come c o n s c i o u s n e s s . ” I n t h e Monday’s matchup between Yes, it’s just a regular season new for UAPB, which is one of
with a catch? Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Judd New Jersey and Pittsburgh was NBA game between two the eight remaining winless
But the Minnesota Vikings may Zulgad gets deeper into the affair kind of a big deal, given that the marginal teams, but teams in NCAA Division I
have the most difficult day at the — which apparently was not the Penguins and Devils have looked Sacramento’s comeback from a basketball, and which will play
movies of any NFL club. The f i r s t t i m e C h i l d r e s s w a s like the NHL’s best teams thus 35-point deficit against the 14 consecutive road games —
Vikings will be stuck rewatching dissuaded from yanking the far this season. Thanks to Martin Chicago Bulls is still worth many of them against big-time
their desultory 26-7 loss to the erratic/heroically exuberant Favre Brodeur, New Jersey’s mentioning. Although you programs — before finally
decidedly meh Carolina Panthers. this year — and discovers some transcendent goalie, the game probably shouldn’t mention it to hosting its first home game Jan.
They’ll also have to deal with more unflattering truths. “A few wound up making hockey Yahoo’s Kelly Dwyer, whose 16.
some sideline game tape of Brett more pieces of information about history. Brodeur shut down the heart was broken by the Bulls’ At Fox Sports, Jeff Goodman
Favre and coach Brad Childress what led up to Sunday’s events Pens, 4-0, picking up his 104th history-making collapse. “I’m not feels UAPB players’ pain, but
engaging in a “heated debate.” left legitimate questions about career shutout and breaking Terry going to lie, and pretend that I’m objects to the way the program is
On Monday, what actually where things stand between Sawchuk’s career shutout record bemused by what happened on inflicting such suffering on itself.
happened on the sidelines last Childress and the future Hall of and setting his fourth NHL career Monday night, but I’m also not “I understand the school wants to
Sunday became a bit clearer, and Famer he worked so hard to sign goaltending record of 2009. going to act like I didn’t see it pick up some extra cash and the
what emerged wasn’t terribly this offseason,” Zulgad writes. In “Martin Brodeur could not have coming,” Dwyer writes. best way to do it is to have your
flattering to anyone involved. In the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Sean picked a bigger regular-season At the Kings blog Sactown college basketball team go out
short, Childress wanted to pull Jensen helps pin down part of the game to make history and cement Royalty, Tom Ziller is in an and be the sacrificial lamb and
the ineffective and sloppier-than- problem. his place as the greatest to play altogether better mood. “If play a ton of ‘buy’ games —
usual future Hall of Famer on It all seems somewhat academic, his position,” Tom Gulitti writes there’s any team that could look ones in which you play high-
Sunday. Favre informed his considering that the Vikings are in The Record of North Jersey. completely awful for 27 minutes major programs and are paid in
coach that said move wasn’t 11-3 and clinched the NFC North (Fixer Emeritus Carl Bialik, of basketball but keep plugging the neighborhood of $75,000 just
going to happen. title on Sunday despite their loss. however, pointed out recently and eventually break through, it’s to show up and get the you-know
“From afar, it didn’t look like But there are clearly better ways that the Devils’ defense deserves the Kings,” Ziller marvels. -what beaten out of you,”
you could pin the loss all on to start playoff pushes than with a large share of credit for Which is, Ziller writes, Goodman writes. “But someone
Favre’s surgically-repaired a public spat between a coach Brodeur’s feats.) “amazing, given the status of this needs to put a stop to this. These
shoulder,” Yahoo’s Dan Wetzel and his star quarterback. At In The Vancouver Sun, Wayne franchise last year.”* * * kids are supposed to be student-
w r i t e s . “ A n d , a s B r e t t ESPN, Kevin Seifert sees the Scanlan examines the tormented, Kentucky doubled-up Drexel on
conveniently mentioned, he was l o n g s t a n d i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p ONE page 67
pain-filled life of the deposed Monday night, 88-44, and in so
64 Sports/
Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska Cornhuskers is first defender
named AP College Football Player of the Year
By Associated Press
(ESPN.com)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:38:42 AM
NEW YORK -- Nebraska
Cornhuskers defensive tackle
Ndamukong Suh bulled past the
guys who play the glamour
positions and proved you don't
have to score touchdowns or toss
passes to be the player of the
year.
Spurred by a dominant
performance against Texas in the
Big 12 title game, Suh became
the first defensive player voted
The Associated Press College
Football Player of the Year on
Tuesday.
Suh had already won two
defensive player of the year
awards -- the Nagurski and
Bednarik -- and two for best
lineman -- the Lombardi and
Outland. He also finished fourth
in the Heisman Trophy voting.
"Just being recognized as player
of the year is a huge
accomplishment," Suh said in a
recent phone interview from
Lincoln, Neb.
He received 26 of a possible 59
votes from AP college football
poll voters to edge Stanford
running back Toby Gerhart, who
received 20 votes.
Heisman winner Mark Ingram
finished tied for third with Texas
quarterback Colt McCoy, each
getting six votes. Florida
quarterback Tim Tebow received
one vote.
Since the AP started handing out
a player of the year award in
1998, all the winners have been
quarterbacks or running backs.
"It's a great choice," Nebraska
coach Bo Pelini said. " I give (the
voters) a lot of credit. I'm not
taking anything away from
Ingram or McCoy or any of the
other guys. I just think at his
position, you would be hard-
pressed to say there's a better
player than Suh. He's had a
tremendous year."
It's the fourth time the AP award
went to a player other than the
Heisman winner and first since
Iowa quarterback Brad Banks
beat out USC's Carson Palmer in
2003.
Suh finished behind Ingram,
Gerhart and McCoy in the
Heisman voting, though he did
receive more points than any
fourth-place finisher in the 75-
year history of the award.
Suh, a 6-foot-4, 300-pound
senior, was already having an All
-America-caliber season before
the Cornhuskers played Texas on
Dec. 5 at Dallas Cowboys
Stadium.
He nearly led Nebraska to a
stunning upset, with 12 tackles
and 4½ sacks. The Longhorns
kicked a last-second field goal to
escape with a 13-12 victory, but
Suh was so utterly unblockable
he earned a trip to New York as
one of five finalists for the
Heisman.
He finished the season with 12
sacks and was the pillar of the
ninth-ranked defense in the
country.
"I think I had a good year," he
said. "I definitely got better in a
couple of areas. I won't say I'm
satisfied by any means, because
we still have a big game left to
play against Arizona in the
Holiday Bowl."
He'll tell you he's still learning to
play the game.
"I haven't played a perfect game
yet so let's try and see if I can do
that against Arizona," he said.
Suh got a relatively late start to
football. Soccer and basketball
were his thing growing up in
Portland, Ore., the son of a
Jamaican mother and father from
Cameroon. His name means
"House of Spears" in the
language of the Ngema tribe.
But Suh literally outgrew soccer.
His mother, Bernadette, was
apprehensive about allowing her
son to play football, but
eventually gave her permission.
Ball carriers have been dealing
with the repercussions of that
decision ever since.
Suh went through some tough
times in his first two seasons at
Nebraska, being part of one of
the worst defenses in school
history in 2007. Then Pelini
became the Huskers coach and
Nebraska's defense began to turn
around with Suh leading the
charge.
Physically, Suh is everything an
NFL team could want in a
defensive linemen. Big, strong,
quick and agile, he's projected to
be one of the first players taken
in April's draft.
Suh credits the coaching of
Pelini and defensive coordinator
Carl Pelini, Bo's brother, for his
development.
"Mentally, being able to pick up
on different reads and formations
and what things can be run out of
certain formations and tendencies
of teams," Suh said.
Carl Pelini's first chance to
coach Suh came with the player
unable to play. It was spring
practice of 2008 and Suh was
recovering from surgery. Without
ever putting on pads, Suh
impressed his coach.
"I was coaching the other guys,
and he was just watching," Pelini
E-reader News Edition
said. "He was shoulder to
shoulder with me. He hadn't
practiced a snap but he was a
better football player coming out
of that spring.
"He's a very cerebral guy. He
wants to know why, and it's made
him a great football player."
Academics always came before
sports in Suh's home. That can
happen when your mom is a
teacher.
"They know coming from Third
World countries that education is
the key," he said.
The 22-year-old graduated last
weekend with a degree in
construction management
engineering. He said he plans to
take some postgraduate courses
while he prepares for the NFL
combine.
"The main focus is, now that I'm
done with school, just worry
about football and go from
there," he said.
Suh seems set to go far.
Copyright 2009 by The
Associated Press
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E-reader News Edition Sports/ Game/ 65

New York Yankees acquire Javier Vazquez from

Atlanta Braves for Melky Cabrera, Mike Dunn
By ESPN.com news services rotation that includes CC radar screen is Mark DeRosa, in 20 relief appearances. He held
(ESPN.com) Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy whose $6 million asking price is left-handers to a .231 average and
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:05:39 AM
Pettitte. The Yankees' top four in the dollar area they appear figures to fill the hole created by
starters will combine for $64 willing to allocate. the departure of Phil Coke, who Silent Hill: Shattered
The New York Yankees have million in payroll -- more than The Vazquez deal frees up about was sent to Detroit in a deal that
acquired right-hander Javier four teams paid their entire $9 million for the Braves to brought the Yankees center
Memories recollects
Vazquez from the Atlanta Braves rosters last season. spend on upgrading their offense fielder Curtis Granderson. Feb. 5 UK release
for outfielder Melky Cabrera and With the trade and including the -- Vazquez's $11.5 million salary, Atlanta had a surplus of starting
By Alexander Sliwinski
left-hander Mike Dunn. still-unfinalized signing of free- minus the $3 million or so pitching after giving Tim Hudson (Joystiq)
The move pushes the Yankees' agent designated hitter Nick Cabrera figures to earn via a $28 million, three-year contract
payroll for next season to more Johnson, the Yankees' payroll for arbitration, and getting the in November. The trade left the Submitted at 12/22/2009 2:30:00 PM

than $200 million. next season stands at $200.9 $500,000 in cash from the Braves with a rotation that
The Braves also are sending million for 16 signed players. The " reimagined" first
Yankees. includes Hudson, Jair Jurrjens,
installment of Silent Hill is set to
right-hander Boone Logan to the That includes two not expected to They'll now look to use that Tommy Hanson, Derek Lowe
shatter memories in Europe on
Yankees, and the Yankees are make the opening-day roster: surplus on an outfield bat, a first and Kenshin Kawakami.
February 5, 2010. Konami
sending the Braves right-hander pitcher Andrew Brackman and baseman or possibly both. The 24-year-old Dunn had a
confirmed the survival-horror
Arodys Vizcaino and $500,000 in infielder Juan Miranda. Damon is one possibility, combined 99 strikeouts in 73 1/3
the transaction. title will release on Wii, PS2 and
Cabrera had been the Yankees' particularly because his home in innings at Triple-A Scranton-
PSP on the appointed date. For
Vazquez, with a 15-10 record, starting center fielder for most of Orlando is within minutes of the Wilkes Barre and Double-A
those who can't wait, there's
ranked second in the National the past three seasons. After Braves' spring training complex. Trenton, going 4-3 with a 3.31
always an early Homecoming in
League last season with 238 losing the job to Brett Gardner Another option is free agent ERA in 38 relief appearances. He
anticipation for that return to the
strikeouts and sixth in ERA at during spring training this year, Xavier Nady, who could play made his major league debut on
2.87 as the No. 2 starter in the he quickly regained it and hit cursed town.
first or the outfield and would Sept. 4 and had a 6.75 ERA in
Reviews of the game have been
rotation. This is his second time .274 with 13 homers and 68 come at a relatively low base four appearances.
what Metacritic defines as "
around with the Yankees, having RBIs, helping the Yankees win price because he is recovering Vizcaino, who is 19, was 2-4
generally favorable," with a 76
pitched in New York in 2004, the World Series for the first time from his second Tommy John with a 2.13 ERA at Class A
average. Our own review took
when he went 14-10 with a 4.91 since 2000. He is eligible for free surgery. Staten Island, striking out 52 in
ERA and made his only All-Star agency after the 2012 season. the approach that the game is
Or the Braves could look to deal 42 1/3 innings.
good, but is it still Silent Hill
team. This move opens the door for an outfielder -- either Cabrera or Information from ESPN.com's
with all the changes?
His first stint in New York outfield moves for both teams. possibly Jordan Schafer-- for a Jayson Stark was used in this
Gallery: Silent Hill: Shattered
e n d e d m i s e r a b l y , w h e n h e The Yankees now are expected to bat. They've been linked in trade report. Information from The
Memories (Wii, 8/11/09)
relieved Kevin Brown trailing 2- explore both the free-agent and rumors to Florida Marlins second Associated Press was used in this
0 in Game 7 of the American trade markets for a left fielder. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
baseman Dan Uggla, who could report.
recollects Feb. 5 UK release
League Championship Series But they've continued to portray potentially slide to first base. Five Filters featured article:
originally appeared on Joystiq on
against Boston and allowed a themselves as uninterested in Logan, acquired by the Braves Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST.
first-pitch grand slam to Johnny anyone in the price range of Matt from the White Sox in the PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Please see our terms for use of
Damon. Holliday, Jason Bay or Damon. Vazquez trade in December Term Extraction.
Vazquez, 33, joins a pitching One name that has been on their feeds.
2008, was 1-1 with a 5.19 ERA
Read| Permalink| Email this|
Comments
66 Sports/ Fashion/
Chris Henry: Cincinnati Bengals gather in New
Orleans for teammate's funeral
By Associated Press
(ESPN.com)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:29:43 AM
WESTWEGO, La. -- Chris
Henry's fiancée wept as she
spoke about the Cincinnati
Bengals receiver at his funeral
Tuesday, and she said while she
may have helped steer him out of
trouble, he changed her life.
Henry, 26, was killed after he
fell out of a pickup truck bed
being driven by his fiance Loleini
Tonga during what police
described as a domestic dispute.
Police are investigating, but no
charges have been filed.
"Can't nobody feel what I'm
feeling right now. ... We loved
each other very much. People say
I helped change his life. No. He
changed mine," said Tonga,
wearing sunglasses and pausing
between sentences. "We were
supposed to get married in three
months, but I'm going to wait
until I see him again."
NFL commissioner Roger
Goodell and Henry's teammates
were among the hundreds who
packed the New Orleans Hornets
practice facility for the funeral.
The Bengals wore round lapels
with Henry's No. 15. Many
others wore red ribbons with a
small photo of Henry that read:
"In loving memory" and "Chris
'Slim' Henry."
Goodell said everyone makes
mistakes.
"His future as a husband and a
father were important to him,"
Goodell said. "He was a young
man that struggled, made some
decisions that he regretted, but he
put himself on the right path.
And I'm proud of that. I'm proud
of him."
Cincinnati quarterback Carson
Palmer and coach Marvin Lewis
were expected to deliver
eulogies. Lewis said before the
service that Henry touched a lot
of people in his very short life.
"It's a bright story and one that
didn't get to get all the way to the
end of it which is the most
unfortunate part," the coach said.
"We'll miss Chris' sparkling
smile."
Henry grew up in the small,
suburban community of Belle
Chasse. Shane Shelley, 26, was
Henry's high school QB when
they made it to the state title
game in 2001, their senior year.
"It's a sad day for Belle Chasse.
We really lost a good friend, a
brother, one of my best friends,"
said a watery-eyed Shelley. "It's
hard. We lost one of us. We're
going to miss him. We love him."
Henry died Thursday, a day after
he fell out of the truck in North
Carolina, where he had been
recovering from a broken
forearm that ended his season.
Police said Henry and his fiancee
got into an argument at the Tonga
family home and she drove away
on a curvy residential street near
downtown Charlotte. Henry
jumped into the truck's bed.
A witness has said he heard
Henry say, "If you take off, I'm
going to jump off the truck and
kill myself." A 911 caller told a
dispatcher she saw a shirtless
man wearing a cast "beating on
the back of this truck window."
Police said Tonga stopped to
assist Henry when he fell about a
half-mile from the home.
Tonga was flanked by family at
the visitation and received hugs
by those filing by Henry's open
casket. Tonga and Henry had
been raising three kids.
Henry's football career had been
marred by off-the-field problems,
beginning when he played
college ball at West Virginia. His
troubles continued during a five-
year NFL career. He was
suspended five times for arrests
ranging from weapons charges to
drugs.
The Bengals said Henry had
turned his life around this season
and showed a renewed focus on
E-reader News Edition
his football career. A thigh injury
slowed him early in the season,
but he had 12 catches for 236
yards. His 19.7-yard average per
catch led the team before he
broke his left forearm during a
win last month over Baltimore.
Henry dreamed of playing in the
NFL, but after he was ejected
from a game and suspended for
another at West Virginia, the
Bengals were the only team to
bring him in for a pre-draft visit
in 2005.
Selected in the third round,
Henry played a vital role as a
BCBG Max
speedy, deep threat as Cincinnati
reached the playoffs in his rookie Azria’s New
season. But in the final month of
the season he was arrested for
marijuana possession.
iPhone App
"The Chris Henry I knew was a By ELLE.com (ELLE News
good quiet young man, wasn't a Blog)
troublemaker," said Shelley, his Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:38:37 AM
high school friend. "That's what
everybody needs to know. He Christmas may be only three
was a good man, a good father." days away, but last-minute
Copyright 2009 by The shoppers can check out friends’
Associated Press fashion wish lists via one of the
Five Filters featured article: features of BCBG Max Azria’s
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: new iPhone App—which also
PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, allows devotees of the brand to
Term Extraction. browse its e-commerce site, mix
and match looks, view runway
photos, locate nearby stores, and
share coveted pieces.
—Erin Clements
Follow ELLE on Twitter.
Become our Facebook fan!
E-reader News Edition Sports/ 67
ONE
The Count: Why Suns Can’t Buy a continued from page 63

athletes, but how can they At Sports Then and Now, Dean
Win on TNT possibly be students when they
are rarely on campus and in
Hybl details the long and
distinguished history of football
(WSJ.com: The Daily Fix) it aired out of a hat. The first classrooms?”* * * at SMU. In the Dallas Morning
game it chose had a 58 in 132 The early days of college News, Kate Hairopolous
Submitted at 12/21/2009 2:35:22 PM
chance of being a loss. The football’s bowl season are as Hairopoulos profiles SMU coach
The Phoenix Suns, losers of six second game, though, had an i n t e r e s t i n g f o r t h e g o o f y June Jones, who re-animated the
of their last 10 games, have their even smaller chance — 57 in 131 compound names of the games program — and ended a stretch
work cut out for them the rest of — because a loss already had themselves as for the second- and between 1989 and 2008 in which
2009, with three of six games been chosen. By the time the third-tier teams in those games. the team logged just one winning
against the Boston Celtics, the network was choosing a 17th But with all due respect to the season — with his signature pass
Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los the Blazers, 105-102, running game, the probability of a loss p a r t i c i p a n t s i n t h i s y e a r ’ s -happy, fun-and-gun offense.
Angeles Lakers, three of the their streak of futility to 17 w a s j u s t 4 2 o u t o f 1 1 6 . AdvoCare V100 Independence “Jones sought out SMU —
NBA’s toughest teams. But straight losses. M u l t i p l y i n g a l l o f t h o s e Bowl and The St. Petersburg downtrodden, but newly
there’s one scheduling factor What are the odds? probabilities yields an estimate of Bowl by Beef O’ Brady’s, the committed SMU — for a mix of
working in the Suns’ favor: If the Suns had a 50-50 shot in 5.4-million-to-one against the teams in Thursday’s Sheraton reasons that he has yet to fully
They’re not scheduled to appear each of those games, there would Suns’ rough patch. Hawaii Bowl are a bit more reveal,” Hairopolous Hairopoulos
on TNT again for nearly a month have been a 1 in 131,072 chance But this isn’t quite as unlikely as interesting than the norm for writes. “What is clear is that
— not until Jan. 18. Associated before the run of futility began it looks. That’s because TNT early bowl games. That’s because Jones arrived on the Hilltop with
Press Brandon Roy and the that the Suns would emerge 0 for wasn’t choosing games out of a Southern Methodist University, a plan.”
Blazers extended the TNT-fueled TNT. But the Suns weren’t an hat, but instead chose games which was given the NCAA’s so- — Tip of the Fix cap to reader
misery of Channing Frye and the ordinary team in that span. pitting the Suns against strong called “death penalty” 23 years Brendan Flynn.
Suns last week. Instead, they were better than opponents. Sports-stats analyst ago, is one of the two teams Found a good column from the
L a s t m o n t h , t h e A r i z o n a average. Counting postseason Wayne Winston, at my request, making the trip to Honolulu. world of sports? Don’t keep it to
Republic’s Paul Coro noted that and preseason games, they went calculated the probability the (Nevada is the other.) The yourself — write to us at
the Suns, otherwise consistently a 74-41 in all games not aired on Suns would win each TNT game Mustangs’ 7-5 record doesn’t dailyfix@wsj.com and we’ll
winning team in recent years, had TNT, winning by an average of by using Sagarin ratings and look like much, but the story of consider your find for inclusion
lost 14 straight games aired on 3.8 points per game. On TNT, the accounting for home-court how the team got from its last in the Daily Fix. You can email
TNT — including preseason and S u n s w e r e 0 - 1 7 a n d w e r e advantage, and found that only bowl game — the now-defunct David at droth11@gmail.com.
postseason games, going back to outscored by an average of 10.6 four times were the Suns the Aloha Bowl, 25 years ago — to
the 2008 playoffs. Since then, as points per game. Suppose their favorites. Just six times did they this one is a good deal more
more losses have accumulated, overall record during that span, have even a 40% chance of interesting.
other media outlets, including 74-58, was a measure of the winning. Overall, that lowers the
Sports Illustrated, have taken Suns’ true ability. Then they had odds against their feat to 16,586-
notice. Last week, before the a 56% chance, on average, of t o - o n e . S t i l l , t h a t ’ s p r e t t y
Suns were scheduled to face winning any of those 132 games. unlikely, though of course the
Portland, TNT analyst Kenny That puts their feat at a 1-in-1.2- probability that any team would
Smith told Coro, “That’s the million long shot. have such a streak at some point
funniest, most interesting fact Look at it slightly differently, on some broadcaster is far higher.
I’ve heard. I hope the curse and the ignominious streak seems
doesn’t continue.” Alas, the Suns even more unlikely. Suppose that
squandered a late lead and lost to TNT were choosing the 17 games
68 Sports/ Game/ Popular News/ Economy/
Carter Slides as Redick
Rises in Orlando
By Tim Povtak (Fanhouse
Main)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 8:30:00 PM
Filed under: Magic ORLANDO
-- J.J. Redick is finding his niche
in the NBA about the same time
that eight-time All-Star Vince
Carter is showing his age.
The Orlando Magic may get
lucky with this one.
Carter, acquired from New
Jersey this summer to replace
Hedo Turkoglu, was supposed to
be the one to put the Magic over
the top -- get them past Boston
and Cleveland again this spring --
but he is going to need help from
his backup.
The Magic (21-7) are tied with
the Celtics for the most wins in
the Eastern Conference, but they
have done it with Carter
struggling through the least-
Beijing rejects UK
Copenhagen criticism
(Financial Times - US
homepage)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 12:07:49 AM
China has hit back at accusations
from the British government that
Beijing blocked the approval of a
stronger agreement at the
Copenhagen climate change
talks.
Jiang Yu, a spokeswoman for
the Chinese foreign ministry, said
productive season of his
decorated career.
His slide has coincided with the
surprising rise of Redick, now in
his fourth NBA season.
"J.J. is playing well,'' Carter said By Griffin McElroy (Joystiq)
after a 104-99 victory over the Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:30:00 PM
Utah Jazz Monday night. "He's a
guy we're going to need.''
that comments made by Ed
Miliband, the UK minister for
climate change and the
environment, were designed to
provoke disagreement between
developing countries.
Five Filters featured article:
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E-reader News Edition
2 Ex-Mass. Youth
Soccer Coaches Plead
Not Guilty to Rape
(FOXNews.com)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 11:24:53 PM
SOMERVILLE, Mass. Two
former Massachusetts youth
soccer coaches have pleaded not
guilty to raping a girl on their
team.
Roger Lau and Thomas Heinz,
both 26, were arraigned in
Somerville District Court on
Valve beta testing AI Tuesday on forcible child rape
charges. Bail for Lau was set at
$8,000, while Heinz was released
opponents in Team on personal recognizance.
Middlesex District Attorney
Gerry Leone says the rapes
Fortress 2 occurred between 2003 and 2004.
At the time, Heinz was the head
Team Fortress 2 Bot Beta Test. coach and Lau was an assistant
No download is required -- all on the alleged victim's under-14
you have to do is enter a simple soccer team in Medford.
If there's going to be a singular line of code into the console Prosecutor Caitelyn Draper says
battlefield for the war between command in the koth_viaduct, Lau started a sexual relationship
mankind and a super-advanced koth_sawmill, and koth_nucleus with the girl when she was 13
artificial intelligence hivemind, maps. Check out Valve's blog and the it lasted more than a year.
we think it's going to be Team post to learn more about the AI- The victim says Heinz sexually
Fortress 2. See, the programmers spawning commands available to assaulted her twice during that
and developers over at Valve you. Whatever you do, make sure time.
have repeatedly proven their y o u don't enter " Messages left for defense
technological prowess -- and now haley_joel_osment" into the attorneys weren't immediately
that they're working on AI command line. His love is real, returned.
opponents for TF2, accidental but he is not. Five Filters featured article:
self-awareness can't be too far Valve beta testing AI opponents Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
away. "Spy's sappin' my sentry! in Team Fortress 2 originally PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
But why is it my sentry? Can a appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Term Extraction.
virtual sentry be owned? Who am Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please
I?" see our terms for use of feeds.
You can check out the early Read| Permalink| Email this|
stages of the future destruction of Comments
the world by participating in the
E-reader News Edition Game/ 69

Dead Space 2 producer confirms Sprawl, doesn't sweat

Schofield departure
By David Hinkle (Joystiq) Papoutsis did more than validate for Activision. Papoutsis said that
Submitted at 12/22/2009 2:00:00 PM
suspicions in his interview, as he most of the team from the first
also pointed out a greater focus game is on board for the sequel,
Dead Space 2 is shaping up to be on action and telekinesis in the and that it " takes a lot more than
quite the sequel, as executive sequel. See, Isaac won't just be 2 people to make a great game."
producer Steve Papoutsis told able to move objects around, but We hope so, because we have
CVG a lot of what we've heard he'll be able to destroy those high aspirations for this sequel.
about the Game Informer cover objects and employ their debris Dead Space 2 producer confirms
story is in fact true: engineer as offensive weaponry. In fact, Sprawl, doesn't sweat Schofield
Isaac Clarke is a lot more vocal Isaac can even use dismembered departure originally appeared on
in the sequel and won't be e n e m y l i m b s t o k i l l m o r e Joystiq on Tue, 22 Dec 2009
confined to the claustrophobic enemies. It's kinda like when that toward you at blue hedgehog-like discussing the sudden departure 14:00:00 EST. Please see our
c o r r i d o r s o f t h e I s h i m u r a . bully at recess used to make you speed. of Glenn Schofield and Michael terms for use of feeds.
Instead, he's now an inhabitant of punch yourself, except he's sliced Of course, an interview about Condry, the two gentlemen now Read| Permalink| Email this|
the space metropolis Sprawl. your arm off first and is firing it Dead Space 2 can't go by without running Sledgehammer Games Comments

Capcom pulls Super Street Fighter IV, Lost Planet 2, Monster

Hunter 3 from Q1 2010
By Richard Mitchell (Joystiq) releases of these games and Holiday Release Migration just
Submitted at 12/22/2009 1:35:00 PM
others, including Dead Rising 2, might be set to repeat itself. If so,
are planned to be "spread across does Yves Guillemot win a
According to an investor all four quarters" of Capcom's prize?
d o c u m e n t ( P D F ) p o s t e d b y fiscal 2011, which begins April Capcom pulls Super Street
Capcom Japan today, several 1, 2010 and ends March 31, Fighter IV, Lost Planet 2,
major titles have been moved 2011. The decision to delay the Monster Hunter 3 from Q1 2010
from the company's fiscal fourth games was made in order to originally appeared on Joystiq on
quarter, which ends March 31, "avoid competing with the major Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:35:00 EST.
2010. The delays, which appear titles that other companies plan to Please see our terms for use of
to be worldwide, include Super introduce." only 600,000 (the split between schedule shuffling, we can't help feeds.
Street Fighter IV and Lost Planet Curiously, Dark Void has not Xbox 360 and PS3 copies was but wonder if other companies Read| Permalink| Email this|
2, in addition to the North been delayed, though Capcom not specified). will follow suit. When all is said Comments
American and European release has drastically reduced its sales Given the reasons for Capcom's and done, the Great 2009
of Monster Hunter 3. The forecast from 1.3 million units to
70 Game/ Economy/ E-reader News Edition

US healthcare
reform battle
not over
(Financial Times - US
homepage)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:07:46 AM

Senate Democrats may be on the

brink of passing a sweeping
healthcare reform bill, but
attention is already starting to
Live in the Past, It's Assassin's Creed II DLC
turn to the next battle: the
negotiations between House and
Senate leaders over the final
Cheaper (2009 Edition) was cut from main game shape of the legislation.
The Senate bill, on track to be
By Ludwig Kietzmann in Joystiq's top ten favorites. passed on Thursday, will have to
(Joystiq) Read on to find the industry's
due to time constraints
Submitted at 12/22/2009 3:00:00 PM
former best, now with a year's
worth of price erosion.
be merged with the House
version in conference committee
– sometimes called Congress’s
Money can buy you a lot of Mirror's Edge| Dead Space| Far By Justin McElroy (Joystiq) say that we owe them, that we
third chamber – and passed again
things, but it can't buy you Cry 2| LittleBigPlanet| Gears of Submitted at 12/22/2009 12:30:00 PM
didn't give them a lot for their 60
before it can be sent to the
patience. You can't really put a War 2 bucks." So, don't think of the
Yes, forthcoming DLC packs, missing chapters as something president’s desk.
price on the ability to abandon Braid| Fallout 3| Left 4 Dead| Five Filters featured article:
that must-have, do-want and day- Metal Gear Solid 4| Fable II " T h e B a t t l e o f F o r l i " a n d torn from your disc of Assassin's
"Bonfire of the Vanities," were Creed II that you paid good Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
one impulse -- and if you could, Continue reading Live in the PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
it would probably cost quite a bit Past, It's Cheaper (2009 Edition) originally intended to be included money for. Think of it as dead
in the main Assassin's Creed II content that's getting a rebirth Term Extraction.
more than what you hope to save Live in the Past, It's Cheaper
by simply taking a deep breath ( 2 0 0 9 E d i t i o n ) o r i g i n a l l y story. But, as the game's creative thanks to the wonders of DLC.
and waiting for the hottest game appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 director Patrice Désilets told Assassin's Creed II DLC was cut
to cool down. Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please Kotaku, "I felt that, 'Okay, there from main game due to time
If this holiday season has see our terms for use of feeds. were too many things to do and constraints originally appeared
granted you a brand new console Permalink| Email this| to finish.' So we said, 'Ok, let's on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Dec 2009
with an old and bloated backlog, C o m m e n t s take a portion of the game that 12:30:00 EST. Please see our
you might find a good selection was planned and we'll give it in terms for use of feeds.
in 2008's best games, particularly DLC.'" Read| Permalink| Email this|
The candid Désilets went on to Comments
point out, "I think we gave them
so much content that they cannot
E-reader News Edition Fashion/ Popular News/ 71

Winter Storm Warning: Weather-Appropriate

Boots Needed
By ELLE.com (ELLE News Sadie sprinted through knee-deep Lauren rubber and fabric boot,
Blog) snow and slivers of ice seeped No. 6 shearling-lined boot
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:30:00 AM
into my cozy shearling-lined Bottom row (L to R): Stella
boots (warm and weather-proof McCartney faux sheepskin-lined
W h e n N e w Y o r k ’ s f i r s t do not go hand-in-hand). Now, rubber boot, UGG Australia
snowstorm of the season hit this the search for the perfect rubber- shearling-lined waterproof boot,
past weekend, I was ill-prepared. leather-shearling boot begins. Sperry Top-Sider shearling-lined
On Saturday I decided to take my Here, a few favorites suitable for waterproof boot
dog for a midnight walk in a range of winter weather—from Rihanna photo: Getty Images
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feel like less of a wonderland as Top row (L to R): Ralph Lauren Middle row (L to R): Ralph

Judge rejects `necessity defense' in abortion case (AP)

(Yahoo! News: U.S. News)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:12:53 AM
WICHITA, Kan. – A judge ruled
Tuesday that Kansas law doesn't
allow a so-called "necessity
defense" in the trial of a man
charged with killing one of the
nation's few late-term abortion
providers.
The decision was another blow
to lawyers for 51-year-old Scott
Roeder, who has confessed to
shooting Dr. George Tiller on
May 31 and says it was necessary
to save unborn children.
In his ruling, Judge Warren
Wilbert cited a 1993 criminal
trespassing case involving an
abortion clinic in which the
Kansas Supreme Court said that
to allow the personal beliefs of a
person to justify criminal activity
to stop a law-abiding citizen from
exercising his rights would "not
only lead to chaos but would be
tantamount to sanctioning
anarchy."
But he noted that that case dealt
only with a property rights issue,
whereas the case involving
Roeder has elevated the argument
to whether it is justified to take
one life for another.
"That is certainly not a position I
want to be in — because I am not
God," Wilbert said.
However, the judge told
attorneys he would "leave the
door open" to consider later
whether to allow specific
evidence on the use of force for
the defense of another person
before letting the jury hear it.
"That doesn't mean it is wide
open ... we can discuss it,"
Wilbert said.
The decision came during a
hearing that mostly dealt setbacks
to Roeder's defense. The judge
rejected a change of venue
request and a motion that would
have kept prosecutors from
making peremptory jury strikes
based on potential jurors' beliefs
about abortion.
While Wilbert denied the motion
to prohibit the strikes, he said he
would deal with such issues on a
person-by-person basis during
the trial, which is scheduled to
begin Jan. 11. He refused to
move the case out of Wichita,
where pre-trial publicity has been
intense.
Roeder, 51, of Kansas City, Mo.,
is charged with one count of
premeditated, first-degree murder
in Tiller's death and two counts
of aggravated assault for
allegedly threatening two ushers
during the May 31 melee in the
foyer of the doctor's Wichita
church.
Roeder, who has pleaded not
guilty, confessed to the shooting
on Nov. 9, telling The Associated
Press he had no regrets about
killing Tiller and suggesting the
necessity defense should be the
only contested issue at his trial.
He declined to say when asked if
he would kill another abortion
provider if he were acquitted.
The "necessity defense" has
rarely been used successfully in
abortion cases. Roeder's
attorneys — while arguing that
their client has a right to present
his theory of defense — have so
far kept their own strategy secret.
Prosecutors have overwhelming
evidence against Roeder, chiefly
the witnesses who identified him
during a July preliminary hearing
as the shooter. Legal experts have
said prosecutors likely will want
to keep the trial limited to a
straightforward murder case and
avoid a discussion of abortion.
Five Filters featured article:
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Term Extraction.
72 Popular News/ E-reader News Edition

AP Enterprise: Feds mull regulating drugs in water (AP)

(Yahoo! News: U.S. News) contains minute concentrations of and potential for occurrence in by mid-2012. streams.
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:55:00 AM
a multitude of drugs. Water public water systems," the EPA "They've made a lot of good first A recently released EPA study
utilities, replying to an AP said. steps, so now were waiting to see found more than 40
F e d e r a l r e g u l a t o r s u n d e r questionnaire, acknowledged the They take a place beside such those carried through," said pharmaceuticals — everything
President Barack Obama have presence of antibiotics, sedatives, better-known contaminants as the Nneka Leiba, a researcher at the from antibiotics to heart medicine
sharply shifted course on long- sex hormones and dozens of metal cobalt, formaldehyde, the Environmental Working Group to antidepressants — at nine
s t a n d i n g p o l i c y t o w a r d other drugs in their supplies. rocket fuel ingredient in Washington. publicly owned wastewater
pharmaceutical residues in the The news reports stirred perchlorate, and the disease germ Water utilities and drug makers treatment plants. The drugs
nation's drinking water, taking a congressional hearings and E. coli. are wary of the federal moves. appeared in concentrations
c r i t i c a l f i r s t s t e p t o w a r d legislation, more water testing "I think this does signal a change Difficult scientific questions measured in parts per billion and
r e g u l a t i n g s o m e o f t h e and more disclosure of test in the regulatory and research remain over the possible threat trillion. Many passed right
contaminants w h i l e results. For example, an Illinois approaches," said Conrad Volz, a posed to humans by minuscule through the plants.
a c k n o w l e d g i n g t h e y c o u l d law goes into effect Jan. 1 University of Pittsburgh scientist concentrations in drinking water, Linda Birnbaum, who is director
threaten human health. banning health care institutions whose research raises questions where drugs are typically found of the National Institute of
A b u r s t o f s i g n i f i c a n t from flushing unused medicine about the risk of eating fish from in parts per billion or trillion. Environmental Health Sciences
announcements in recent weeks into wastewater systems. waters contaminated with sex That's way below medical doses. and also oversees the National
reflects an expanded government The EPA's new study will look hormones. "What's happening is However, some researchers fear Toxicology Program, said some
e f f o r t t o d e a l w i t h for 200 chemical and microbial pretty amazing." that very small daily amounts of program research is focusing on
pharmaceuticals a s contaminants at 50 plants that Several scientists within and unwanted drugs in water could how much environmental
e n v i r o n m e n t a l p o l l u t a n t s : treat drinking water. The list outside government tied the do cumulative harm to people pharmaceuticals can reach animal
• F o r t h e f i r s t t i m e , t h e includes 125 pharmaceuticals or stronger focus on human health over decades, possibly in blood and tissues and how that
E n v i r o n m e n t a l P r o t e c t i o n related chemicals. This research to the Obama administration and combination with other drugs or might compare with humans.
A g e n c y h a s l i s t e d s o m e will help federal water officials the president's appointment of in sensitive populations like Waste pharmaceuticals reach the
pharmaceuticals as candidates for decide if regulations are needed. Lisa Jackson, a highly regarded children or pregnant women. environment when people take
regulation in drinking water. The In the first move toward possible former head of the New Jersey Alan Goldhammer, a vice medicine and excrete the
agency also has launched a drinking-water standards, the Department of Environmental president of the Pharmaceutical unmetabolized portion. Millions
survey to check for scores of EPA has put 13 pharmaceuticals Protection, to run the EPA. Research and Manufacturers of of pounds of waste drugs also
drugs at water treatment plants on what it calls the Contaminant "I think we are trying to be as America, said such trace amounts escape into waterways from
across the nation. Candidate List. They are mostly aggressive as we can. We "really do not pose a human hospitals, drug plants and other
• T h e F o o d a n d D r u g sex hormones, but include the understand it's a major national health issue." factories, farms and the drains of
Administration has updated its antibiotic erythromycin and three issue. We understand it's a major "We do get concerned if we think American homes, the AP has
list of waste drugs that should be chemicals used as drugs but public concern," said Peter Silva, that somebody is going to require reported.
flushed down the toilet, but the better known for other uses. the new water administrator at that the consumers spend money On its new list, the FDA, which
agency has also declared a goal They join a list of 104 chemical the EPA. and not get any health benefit," regulates medicines, says only 10
of working toward the return of and 12 microbial contaminants However, making the candidate added Tom Curtis, a lobbyist for active ingredients in controlled-
all unused medicines. that the EPA is considering as list provides no assurance that a the Denver-based American substance drugs need to be
• The National Toxicology candidates for regulation under chemical will reach full-blown Water Works Association. flushed to keep them away from
Program is conducting research the Safe Drinking Water Act. No regulation. In fact, no chemical The U.S. Geological Survey first children, abusers and pets.
to clarify how human health may pharmaceutical has ever reached on the list has ever been made began taking notice of At the same time, the agency
be harmed by drugs at low the list in its 12-year history, but subject to a national water quality pharmaceutical contamination announced it is working with
environmental levels. medicines now make up 13 standard, EPA officials several years ago. But until now partners to develop programs to
The Associated Press reported percent of the target chemicals on acknowledge. They intend to the federal government has return unused drugs instead of
last year that the drinking water the latest list "based on their make preliminary decisions on focused on the presence of
of at least 51 million Americans potential adverse health effects ENTERPRISE: page 76
some of the latest contaminants pharmaceuticals in rivers and
E-reader News Edition Popular News/ 73

AP ENTERPRISE: Vets wait for GI Bill payments (AP)

(Yahoo! News: U.S. News) Afghanistan, attends Loyola veterans have had to wait for using "brute force" to get claims process this," Baechtold said.
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:46:26 AM
Marymount University in Los funds paid directly to them for processed. The number of staff Last month, Reps. Stephanie
Angeles. He said he and his wife housing and books. To help has increased from 800 to 1,200 Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D.,
WASHINGTON – Universities have racked up about $4,000 in cushion the blow, the VA issued and the VA implemented a chairwoman of the House
and colleges are still waiting for credit card debt because his $3,000 emergency checks to mandatory overtime policy. The Veterans subcommittee on
tuition payments for thousands of university won't release student more than 68,000 veterans, but VA expects to have all claims economic opportunity, and John
Iraq and Afghanistan veterans l o a n s h e n e e d s f o r l i v i n g for some the money's run out. received by Jan. 15 paid by Feb. Boozman, R-Ark., the
who attended school last fall expenses until tuition is fully President Barack Obama rolled 1. subcommittee's ranking member,
under the new GI Bill, leaving paid. Hunt, 27, said under the GI out the post-9/11 GI Bill on Aug. Wilson said the VA is open to wrote Veterans Affairs Secretary
the veterans panicked that they'll Bill the school is still owed about 3, and praised it as an the possibility of doing another Eric Shinseki suggesting ways
be unable to return to class in $6,000 and he personally is owed opportunity to transform the lives round of emergency payments. It the agency could better
January. about $1,700 for housing and of a new generation of veterans. is set to have an automated communicate with veterans so
Veterans Affairs Department books. It's designed to be the most system fully running in there's less confusion.
officials promise to get them "I am disappointed about it," comprehensive education benefit December of next year. Some say the schools also need
back into the classroom. The VA Hunt said. "I'm very disappointed for veterans since World War II. The financial uncertainty of to do a better job of getting
says the number of veterans with a b o u t t h e w a y i t w a s The maximum benefit allows when money will arrive is too paperwork to the VA.
claims unprocessed is now fewer implemented. I feel like the VA eligible veterans to attend a much for some veterans. Veterans service organizations
than 5,000 — down from tens of had ample time to figure out how public college or university for Margaret Baechtold, director of have sought to have the benefit
thousands — and the goal is to they were going to disperse these free for four years, provides a veterans support services at expanded in areas such as
have them all processed by the payments and make sure this monthly housing stipend, and up Indiana University, testified at vocational training and for those
end of the year. transition to the new GI Bill went to $1,000 a year for books. the same hearing that one veteran participating in distance learning
"We continue to work on a daily smoothly, and they definitely Active duty service members can who attended classes last fall at programs.
basis with schools to make sure failed to do that." transfer the benefit to their the university's Indianapolis Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., the
that no student is denied Tom Tarantino, legislative spouse or kids. campus is instead going to be a ranking member of the House
attending class as a result of associate for New York-based It's estimated that $78 billion roofer in January. Veterans' Committee, said the
delayed tuition payments," Katie IAVA, which lobbied for the will be paid and so far the VA "Some have indicated they can't priority should be getting claims
Roberts, a VA spokeswoman, education benefit and is pushing has paid about $1 billion to bear the stress of the financial processed in a timely manner.
said Tuesday. "It's a top priority Congress to simplify the formula almost 150,000 veterans. situation that they are in because "What good are benefits if we
for VA to make sure that students for determining what amount But the complexity of the they don't know what's going to can't deliver them in a timely
can focus on their studies rather veterans receive, said he talked to formula used to establish what happen," Baechtold said. manner?" Buyer said at the
than their bank accounts." one veteran who graduated but the veteran receives, and a clunky On the last day of classes in hearing.
But after being besieged by hasn't been allowed to get his information technology system December at IU, she said 16 _____
delays and financial hardship last diploma because the tuition used by the VA to process veterans certified as eligible for O n t h e N e t :
semester that left them struggling hasn't been paid. Others weren't claims, means that each claim the new GI Bill before November http://www.gibill.va.gov/
to make rent payments and pay allowed to enroll for the spring takes about an hour and a half to hadn't received promised funds, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans
for textbooks, many veterans are semester, he said. process and it has to be manually Baechtold said later in a of America: http://iava.org/
frantically contacting veterans "The next semester is going to be processed in four different IT telephone interview. She said the Five Filters featured article:
service organizations such as the a mess. Straight up," Tarantino systems. school issued more than $27,000 Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of said. "I don't know if it's going to Keith M. Wilson, director of the in emergency loans to help out PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
America for guidance. be as bad as this semester was, VA's Office of Education the veterans in need. Term Extraction.
Clay Hunt, a former Marine but it is going to be ugly." Service, told a congressional "It is a nightmare and I feel sorry
corporal who served in Iraq and Beyond the tuition, many of the panel on Dec. 3 that the agency is for the folks who are trying to
74 Popular News/ Economy/ E-reader News Edition

FBI helped Calif officials in 1993 Jackson probe (AP)

(Yahoo! News: U.S. News) UPDATE. Check back soon for said it had about 600 pages in its was 13 and Jackson was 20. attempt to kill, if he doesn't pay
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:55:10 AM
further information. AP's earlier files but released 333 pages, Aside from asking the me my money." One of the
story is below. citing privacy rules and the desire information be passed on to local documents, written by the L.A.
NEW YORK – Newly released NEW YORK(AP) — Police to protect investigative authorities in Los Angeles, the City Attorney's office, indicated
documents show the FBI helped concerns about a terrorist attack techniques. FBI agent in London noted that on June 22, 1992, that the author
facilitate interviews in the stemming from the 2003 arrest of In March 2004, the Santa no further action was being of the letter "arrives in Calif."
Philippines carried out by Michael Jackson led to a request Barbara County district attorney's taken. and "Threatens to kill." The FBI
C a l i f o r n i a a u t h o r i t i e s for federal help, according to FBI office reached out to the FBI, In October 1995, the U.S. includes an interview with an
investigating Michael Jackson for files kept on the late pop star. seeking help in developing a Customs Service asked the FBI unidentified "victim," whose
the sexual abuse of young boys. The Santa Maria Police strategy to prosecute Jackson for to review a VHS videotape name is redacted but presumably
The files, released Tuesday, Department in California asked molesting a 13-year-old cancer labeled "Michael Jackson's Michael Jackson, who states that
show an investigator from the for FBI "involvement" after survivor in the singer's home. Neverland Favorites An All Boy he was aware of the threats and
Los Angeles Police Department Jackson was arrested for child Jackson was ultimately acquitted Anthology" as part of a child took them seriously.
and another from the Santa molestation. Police, according to in the high-profile case. pornography investigation. The According to a 1992 Associated
Barbara County Sheriff's Office the FBI, said they believed the The FBI reviewed case notes recording was of such poor Press story, Jones was arrested
arrived in Manila in September court case would be a "soft from local authorities and quality that investigators appear June 22 and held on $15,000 bail
1993 to speak to two former target" for terrorism because of examined 16 computers taken to have been unable to determine for investigation of trespassing in
N e v e r l a n d e m p l o y e e s w h o the "worldwide media coverage" from Jackson's home. Nothing what was on it. the driveway of the Jackson
claimed they saw Jackson fondle the trial would attract. notable was described as being The files include death threats family compound in Encino,
young boys. The FBI concluded there were found on the hard drives, though against Jackson, then-President Calif. The following year, he was
Their arrival in the Philippines no threats, but did note the parts of the files are redacted. George H.W. Bush and mob boss sentenced to two years in prison
came after the LAPD had asked presence in an early court The Santa Barbara case was the John Gotti that led to the 1993 for "mailing a threatening
the FBI if it wanted to work a appearance of " The Nation of most recent time the FBI was sentencing of Frank Paul Jones, communication," according to a
possible case against Jackson for Islam, represented by its security asked to investigate Jackson but who allegedly was obsessed with 1993 press report included in the
transporting a minor across state unit Fruits of Islam," and of a records show the agency had Janet Jackson, Michael's sister. FBI files.
lines for immoral purposes. The N e w B l a c k P a n t h e r P a r t y been looking at his alleged A letter obtained by the FBI, ____
FBI checked with the U.S. member whose name was left involvement with younger boys dated July 6, 1992, states: "I Associated Press writers Jake
A t t o r n e y ' s O f f i c e , w h i c h blank in the files. for more than a decade. decided that because nobody is Coyle in New York and Thomas
declined. The documents, dating from In September 1993, an FBI agent taking me serious, and I can't Watkins in Los Angeles
The files say an FBI agent 1992 to 2005, were released in London told colleagues in Los handle my state of mind, that I contributed to this report.
accompanied the California Tuesday through a Freedom of Angeles that the British press am going to Washington D.C. to Five Filters featured article:
officials to the first interview to Information Act request from was reporting that a man was threaten to kill the President of Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
m a k e s u r e t h e r e w e r e n o The Associated Press and other making allegations he had held a the United States, George Bush." PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
problems. media after Jackson's death June sexually charged phone call with The letter also says, "Michael Term Extraction.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS 25, at age 50. The FBI initially Jackson in 1979, when the man (Jackson) I will personally

Stocks assault year highs

(Financial Times - US
homepage)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:37:07 AM
16:35 GMT. Stocks were girding
themselves for an assault on 2009
highs on Tuesday as action in
government bond markets
provided a positive backdrop for
equity bulls.
The FTSE World index was up
0.5 per cent at 341, just shy of a
fresh high for the year, with Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
sentiment also bolstered by PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
further signs that the dollar’s role Term Extraction.
as Pied Piper to global risk
appetite may be on the wane.
Five Filters featured article:
E-reader News Edition Popular News/ 75

Report: Husband Drove Many Miles FBI releases Michael

After Wife Disappeared Jackson file
(FOXNews.com) disappearance. original information that may (BBC News | Americas | through a Freedom of
Submitted at 12/21/2009 10:48:35 PM
Susan Powell, 28, was last seen lead them to Susan Powell. World Edition) Information Act request from
on Dec. 7, when her husband Investigators have grown Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:13:51 AM
The Associated Press news
The husband of a missing Utah says he left their suburban home increasingly suspicious of Josh agency and other media.
woman rented a car two days in West Valley City at about Powell. On Sunday, he attended a The FBI has released more than They show that the FBI assisted
after his wife was reported to 12:30 a.m. to take their two boys, candlelight vigil in Washington, 300 pages of formerly classified local authorities on several
h a v e d i s a p p e a r e d , l o g g i n g ages 2 and 4, camping in freezing although he did not speak to documents relating to pop icon occasions from 1993 to 2005.
hundreds of miles on the vehicle conditions. reporters or Susan Powell's Michael Jackson. The FBI's legal office in London
as police try to determine where She was reported missing on the family. They include information assisted local authorities with the
he traveled, the Deseret News same day when she failed to Susan Powell's father, Charles regarding the singer's 1993 and child molestation probe in 1993
reported. show up for her stockbroker job Cox, wrote on a Facebook page 2004 child molestation cases, as and in 1995 US customs officials
Police in West Valley City, and her children were not for friends and family that he well as an extortion case where asked the FBI to analyse a VHS
Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City, dropped off at day care. didn't understand why Josh was he was a victim. videotape as part of a child
say that Joshua Powell — a Joshua Powell's father says his at the vigil. Despite an application under the pornography investigation.
person of interest in his wife's son is being vilified, telling The "I heard that Joshua (the US Freedom of Information Act, The tape - "a multi-generation
disappearance — rented the car Salt Lake Tribune on Sunday husband) had arrived," he wrote just over half of the file will stay copy of poor quality" - was
for 24 hours while police had his from his home in Puyallup, in the posting. "I saw this (sic) secret. marked in part "Michael
minivan in custody to process it Wash., that the investigation has brother doing an interview, I The pages do not provide any Jackson's Neverland Favourites,
for evidence. turned his son into a scapegoat. couldn't really understand why new information on Jackson's An All Boy Anthology", the FBI
Police are now looking into "The whole thing has just turned Josh was there." sudden death in June, aged 50. documents say.
where Powell drove during that into a vilification of Josh and it Cox and Josh Powell have One document reveals that in In 1993 police in Los Angeles
24-hour period because the car will turn into a vilification of me, barely spoken since Susan 2004, local police in Santa Maria began investigating allegations of
lacked a GPS tracking device but my ex-wife and my other kids," Powell was reported missing, requested FBI involvement child abuse against Michael
had "several hundred" extra miles Steven Powell said through the although Cox has defended Josh believing the court proceedings Jackson made by the father of 13
on it when he returned it to the partially open front door of his Powell as a good father. against the pop star were a "soft -year old Jordie Chandler.
rental car company, the Deseret home. "I'm not making any The Associated Press target for terrorism" due to the Jackson vehemently denied the
News reported. statement because it doesn't contributed to this report. global media coverage. claims and he was never charged.
Police did not hear from the 34- matter how benign it is or how Five Filters featured article: "No intelligence indicating a A civil case was settled out of
year-old Powell during that supportive it is. Somebody will Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: terrorist threat" existed, the FBI court in early 1994 when he paid
p e r i o d o f t i m e , t h e p a p e r twist it around." PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, said, although the bureau did Jordie Chandler a reported $20m
reported. His minivan has since On Monday, West Valley City Term Extraction. provide other technical and (£14m).
been returned to him by police Police Capt. Tom McLachlan investigative assistance into the Print Sponsor
and he has not been named a said an anonymous donor is case. Five Filters featured article:
suspect in his wife Susan's offering up to $10,000 for In June 2005, Jackson was found Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
not guilty of all charges at the PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
end of the four-month trial. Term Extraction.
Video analysed
The documents were released
76 Popular News/ Economy/
CIA used Lithuania 'black sites'
(BBC News | Americas |
World Edition)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 4:28:20 AM
The CIA used at least two secret
detention centres in Lithuania
after the 11 September 2001
terror attacks on the US, a
Lithuanian inquiry has found.
The report by a Lithuanian
parliamentary committee says
that in 2005 and 2006 CIA
chartered planes were allowed to
land in Lithuania.
It says that no Lithuanian
officials were allowed near the
aircraft, nor were they told who
was on board.
Poland and Romania hosted
similar CIA "black sites", media
reports say.
In Lithuania, at least eight terror
suspects were held at one centre
on the outskirts of the capital
Vilnius, the investigation found.
It was formerly a riding school
and the suspects were reportedly
held there between 2004 and
2005.
In August this year, US media
reports claimed that Lithuania,
Poland and Romania all hosted
secret CIA interrogation centres.
But the parliamentary report
US town halls find fresh angles to meet recession
(Financial Times - US
homepage)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:17:04 AM
“Other duties as assigned,” reads
the job description for municipal
appears to absolve Lithuania's
political leaders of responsibility
for any human rights violations
that may have been committed by
the CIA, the BBC's Rupert
Wingfield-Hayes reports from
Moscow.
It says even the president was
unaware of exactly what the US
intelligence service was doing.
Secret flights
The practice of "extraordinary
rendition" and the long-suspected
network of secret US detention
facilities became among the most
controversial aspects of the Bush
administration's response to the
11 September attacks.
"Extraordinary rendition" is the
tactic of capturing militant
suspects in one country and
transporting them to another
without judicial oversight.
The BBC's defence and security
correspondent Nick Childs says
critics of the Bush administration
saw it as a way of avoiding legal
constraints and, in some cases, as
they put it, "contracting out"
torture - although American
officials repeatedly denied the
allegations.
The issue caused considerable
strains between Washington and
workers in Siloam Springs,
Arkansas.
Like the rest of the US, this town
of 14,000 in the north-west of the
state near the Oklahoma border is
grappling with the fallout from a
some of its key allies during
President Bush's administration.
Many governments - not least
the British - have been under
pressure to disclose what they
knew, Nick Childs says, and the
tactics the Americans did or did
not use, and how extensively,
remain murky.
US officials have hinted at
perhaps dozens of prisoners
having been held in secret
detention centres. A controversial
European Parliament report,
however, spoke of hundreds of so
-called "rendition" flights.
So far, only one case has
actually gone to trial. Recently an
Italian court convicted more than
20 American agents in their
absence of being involved in the
abduction of a Muslim cleric
from the streets of Milan in 2003.
US President Barack Obama
announced early on that he was
closing the foreign detention
centre network.
Print Sponsor
Five Filters featured article:
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Term Extraction.
national recession. In response to Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
plummeting revenue, David PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Cameron, the city administrator, Term Extraction.
has redrawn the roles of many
employees.
Five Filters featured article:
ENTERPRISE:
continued from page 72
flushing them down the drain.
The agency wants "to encourage
their development and future use
for all drugs," declared Dr.
Douglas Throckmorton, deputy
director of the FDA's Center for
Drug Evaluation and Research.
Returned drugs are usually
incinerated, which destroys most
active ingredients. Community
drug takeback programs have
increased considerably since the
AP's PharmaWater reports.
The recent announcements have
been striking in their speed and
breadth. Just last year, Ben
Grumbles, Silva's predecessor at
the EPA Office of Water under
President George W. Bush, said
only one pharmaceutical was
under consideration for the list of
candidates for water standards.
And it was the heart medicine
nitroglycerin, better known as an
explosive.
Yet some environmentalists say
the government should take even
bolder action. "Identifying the
nature and scope of the problem
is not the same thing as
addressing the causes of the
problem," said George Mannina,
an environmental lawyer in
Washington.
He said the EPA should do more
to keep drugs out of the nation's
E-reader News Edition
water supplies and not rely on
expensive filtering systems at
water treatment plants.
Jon Holder, a vice president at
Vestara, a seller of equipment to
manage waste drugs, said the
EPA should be more aggressive
about enforcing hazardous waste
laws that already apply to some
drugs used by hospitals.
"We applaud the light that's
being shined on it, but we also
recognize that the simple
enforcement of existing law
would go a long way," he said.
___
On the Net:
EPA Contaminant Candidate
List:
http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/c
cl/ccl3.html
FDA flush list:
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/Resou
rcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingU
singMedicineSafely/EnsuringSaf
eUseofMedicine/SafeDisposalof
Medicines/ucm186187.htm
Five Filters featured article:
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Term Extraction.
E-reader News Edition Popular News/ 77

Accused EMTs' lawyer decries 'rush Man Who Inspired

to judgment' (AP) Movie 'Rain Man' Dies
(Yahoo! News: U.S. News) UPDATE. Check back soon for Jackson, a four-year member, (FOXNews.com) amazing as Hoffman's portrayal
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:59:55 AM
further information. AP's earlier without pay. The department is Submitted at 12/22/2009 5:44:08 AM
of him. And Kim's true character
story is below. investigating, as is the state showed when he toured the
NEW YORK – The lawyer for NEW YORK (AP) — Two Department of Health, which SALT LAKE CITY The man w o r l d , h e l p i n g d i s p e l
two New York City emergency emergency medical technicians oversees the emergency medical who inspired the title character in misconceptions about mental
medical technicians accused of accused of refusing to help a services system. A criminal the Oscar-winning movie "Rain disabilities.
refusing to help a dying pregnant dying pregnant woman are probe is also underway. Man" has died. "It was just unbelievable, all the
woman says his clients are being "inhuman" and shouldn't have Cynthia Rennix said she never Kim Peek was 58. His father, things that he knew," Fran Peek
vilified by a rush to judgment. taken those jobs if they weren't could have imagined that an Fran, says Peek had a major heart said Monday. "He traveled 5,500
Douglas Rosenthal tells The willing to get involved, the emergency services worker attack Saturday morning and was miles short of 3 million air miles
A s s o c i a t e d P r e s s t h a t h e ' s woman's mother said Tuesday. would refuse to help someone. pronounced dead at a hospital in and talked to nearly 60 million
confident the facts will show that "These are people who are "You are very inhuman; you the Salt Lake City suburb of p e o p l e — h a l f h a v e b e e n
Jason Green and Melissa Jackson supposed to take a minute to be don't need to have a job like you Murray. students."
acted "appropriately" at the concerned," Cynthia Rennix told do," she said of the two workers. Peek was a savant with a In his later years, Peek was
Brooklyn cafe on Dec. 9. The Associated Press. Fire Department spokesman remarkable memory and inspired classified as a "mega-savant"
The two were at the eatery when Rennix's daughter, 25-year-old Steve Ritea said that all FDNY writer Barry Morrow when he who was a genius in about 15
employee Eutisha Revee Rennix Eutisha Revee Rennix, died at a members "take an oath to assist wrote "Rain Man," the 1988 different subjects, from history
collapsed. Witnesses have said hospital Dec. 9, shortly after others whenever they're in need movie that won four Academy and literature and geography to
the EMTs told workers to call collapsing in the Au Bon Pain of emergency medical care. It's Awards. numbers, sports, music and dates.
911, then left when they were shop in Brooklyn where she their sworn duty." Fran Peek said his son met But his motor skills were limited;
asked to help the 25-year-old worked. Her baby was too Rennix said she has yet to decide Morrow at a convention in the he couldn't perform some simple
woman. premature to survive. whether she is going to take any early 1980s and the writer was tasks like dressing himself.
Rennix died at a hospital shortly Witnesses said the EMTs were legal action in connection with taken with Peek's knack for NASA scientists had been
afterward. Her baby was too o n t h e i r b r e a k a n d t o l d her daughter's death. She is retaining everything he heard. studying Peek, hoping that
premature to survive. employees to call 911, then left taking care of her daughter's 3- Morrow wrote the script, and the technology used to study the
Green and Jackson have been when they were asked to help the year-old son. movie went on to win Oscars for effects of space travel on the
suspended without pay. The Fire woman. Five Filters featured article: best film and best actor for brain would help explain his
Department is investigating. A The Fire Department on Monday Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: D u s t i n H o f f m a n , w h o s e mental capabilities.
criminal probe is also under way. suspended Jason Green, a six- PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, repetitive rants about being an Fran Peek says the funeral will
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS year member, and Melissa Term Extraction. excellent driver and the "People's be next Tuesday in Taylorsville.
Court" about to start were a hit Details were pending.
with moviegoers. Five Filters featured article:
Although the character was Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
technically fictional, Fran Peek PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
said his son was every bit as Term Extraction.
78 Popular News/ Media/ E-reader News Edition

US Senate votes for health bill MediaDailyNews:

(BBC News | Americas |
World Edition)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 7:42:55 AM
scheduled for Wednesday with a
vote on the bill's final passage
late on Christmas Eve.
a whole".
Under the Senate bill, most
Americans would have to have
MPG, Aegis Link OOH
Mr Obama has said he will delay
US senators have passed the l e a v i n g f o r h i s h o l i d a y i f
second of three procedural votes necessary to ensure he is present
health insurance.
Private insurers would be
banned from refusing to provide
Assets
(MediaPost | Media News) of Chrysalis, becomes CEO of
on a major healthcare reform bill. t o s o l v e a n y l a s t - m i n u t e insurance because applicants had Posterscope U.S., replacing
Submitted at 12/22/2009 7:14:38 AM
Democrats collected the 60 votes p r o b l e m s . pre-existing medical conditions. president Todd Hansen, who has
needed to halt debate on the bill, If approved, the legislation, If passed, the Senate bill would Havas' MPG and Aegis Media left the agency. In addition, Ray
putting the legislation on course which aims to cover 31 million have to be reconciled with a more h a v e f o r m e d a s t r a t e g i c Rotolo, managing director of
to face a final vote on Christmas uninsured Americans, could lead expansive one passed last month partnership with their out-out- Chrysalis, has been named
Eve. to the biggest change in US by the House of Representatives. home assets in the U.S., linking executive vice president of
President Barack Obama has set healthcare in decades. Key differences in the House MPG's Chrysalis and Aegis' Posterscope U.S.
health reform as a key domestic Monday's vote, when senators version include a government-run Posterscope, reports Adweek. Five Filters featured article:
objective for his first term. split 60 to 40 along party lines, health insurance plan, or public Combined billings of surpass Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
Democratic leader Harry Reid was a crucial victory for the option, and how to pay for the $300 million; Posterscope is PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
appealed to senators to avoid president. reform. responsible for most of the total. Term Extraction.
personal attacks, describing the He said the Senate had shown it Print Sponsor Now, Connie Garrido, president
atmosphere as tense. could "stand up to the special Five Filters featured article:
"Let's just all try to get along. interests" and that the bill would
Let's try to work through this," make a "tremendous difference
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, US appoints
Mr Reid said. for families, for seniors, for Term Extraction.
The last 60-vote hurdle is businesses and for the country as cybersecurity
Colombian governor seized in raid chief
(BBC News | Americas | Revolutionary Armed Forces of An operation to rescue the more than 20 police officers and (BBC News | Americas |
World Edition) World Edition)
Colombia (Farc) guerrillas. governor is under way. soldiers, often referred to as high-
Submitted at 12/22/2009 4:18:29 AM
Caqueta, close to the Colombian The Farc is Colombia's oldest profile hostages, who were seized Submitted at 12/22/2009 7:46:16 AM

Amazon, has been a stronghold and largest left-wing rebel group. more than a decade ago.
A C o l o m b i a n p r o v i n c i a l of the Farc for many years. The rurally-based organisation They are also believed to have The White House has appointed
governor has been seized by Edilberto Ramon Endo, was once thought to have some kidnapped hundreds of other its cyber tsar, following a seven
gunmen dressed in military secretary of the government of 16,000 fighters, but reports people, mainly for ransom, over month search.
uniforms, the authorities say. Caqueta province, said Mr suggest it now has about 9,000. the years. Howard Schmidt, a former eBay
Luis Fernando Cuellar, the Cuellar had been forced out of The Farc has suffered several Print Sponsor and Microsoft executive who
governor of Caqueta, was seized his home by the gunmen, who defeats at the hands of Five Filters featured article: advised President Bush, was
from his house in the provincial lobbed a grenade and exchanged conservative President Alvaro Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: appointed after others turned
capital, Florencia. fire with security guards. Uribe's security forces. PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, down the job.
A police officer died in the The attackers were wearing The incidence of attacks and Term Extraction. Mr Schmidt has been set the task
attack, which officials said was army uniforms but were believed kidnappings has lessened. of uniting various disparate
t h e w o r k o f l e f t - w i n g to be Farc rebels, he said. But the rebels are still holding agencies and organisations to
shore up the country's defence
APPOINTS page 79
E-reader News Edition Popular News/ Picture/ Media/ 79
APPOINTS
College Student continued from page 78

against cyber attack. access to the President and serve

TV Board:
Vanishes After Leaving In May this year, President
Obama pledged to personally
appoint someone to the post.
as a key member of his National
Security Staff", he said.
The White House's acting cyber-
Speaking
Chicago Club In a letter posted on the White
House website, John Brennan,
security head, Melissa Hathaway,
stood down in August after
Volumes
(FOXNews.com) at the nightclub. assistant to the President for complaining that the post did not (MediaPost | Media News)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:06:01 AM
"She was very happy. We spent h o m e l a n d s e c u r i t y a n d allow her to implement necessary Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:15:12 AM
the day getting ready for the c o u n t e r t e r r o r i s m s a i d t h a t changes.
Illinois police are searching for a party," said Bernie. protecting the internet was Print Sponsor Dec. 16 & 19 news flashes:
college student who disappeared He said they went shopping for "critical to our national security, Five Filters featured article: Although five major nations,
after leaving a Chicago nightclub clothes and she went tanning on public safety and our personal Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: including the United States, had
Sunday. the day she disappeared. privacy and civil liberties". PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, together forged a climate deal,
Katie O'Connell, 20, was last Police are interviewing her "It's also vital to President Term Extraction. which President Obama called
seen getting into a cab outside of friends who she was last seen Obama's efforts to strengthen our "an unprecedented breakthrough"
the bar Underground, at 56 W. with at the club. Her friends said country, from the modernisation and conceded that the agreement
Illinois, where she had been with Katie had told them she was tired of our health care system to the was merely a political statement
her friends, said her father Bernie and was going to take a cab high-tech job creation central to and not a legally binding treaty,
O'Connell. home, Bernie told Fox News. our economic recovery." back in the States, the House of
Katie is 5' 10'', 135 pounds, with A n y o n e w h o m i g h t h a v e Mr Schmidt would have "regular Representatives (with unanimous
long brown hair and blue eyes. i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t K a t i e ' s bipartisan support) passed the
Her father told Fox News that whereabouts is asked to contact Commercial Advertisement
she was last seen wearing a white t h e O a k B r o o k P o l i c e Loudness Mitigation (CALM)
blouse, black skirt and burgundy Department at 630-368-8744. Act, which will give the FCC
pea coat. Five Filters featured article: rights to develop guidelines to
Bernie said he had spent the Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: prevent a wide gap between the
earlier part of the day with Katie, PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, sound emanating from
helping her get ready for the Term Extraction. advertisements - audio, and video
birthday party she was going to possibly - and programs.
Apparently, lawmakers have

Your Best Shot 2009: Truth in Advertising discovered, unbeknownst to the

By Heather Champ (Flickr
Blog)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 3:10:02 PM
A selection of photos from Your
ad community, that there is often
Best Shot 2009. Five Filters featured article: times a disparity between the
Photos from Samm Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: volume, usually louder, of the
Bennett,..Peter…, Eric Parks, PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, audio in a commercial and the
Grateful Clem, Robert Douglas, Term Extraction. audio housed within program
lynette1208, Steven Scott Taylor, and little ms lex. content.
Hopefully, when the Obama
administration, agency regulators
and elected officials are able to
turn down the volume by
enforcing audio parity between
all forms of media - they will be
BOARD: page 80
80 Media/
BOARD:
continued from page 79
able to focus their full
concentration on what I consider
to be a more serious threat to our
quality of life issues dwarfing
even the audio effect: "pixel
emission." Is the number of
pixels utilized by the ad
community for commercial
creation comparable to those of
other nations and their media
empires and how do they
compare - in what relative
proportion - with program
content pixel creation. Hopefully,
at the appropriate time, the
climate will be right for
regulators to focus on worldwide
pixel reduction goals and accept
responsibility along with global
leaders to take action to confront
the threat of over pixelization in
commercials and programs; and
then, and only at that juncture,
can our administration spend
time focusing on other pressing
issues that might make a
significant contribution to the
freedom of media consumption
and quality of life issues in the
MediaDailyNews: Chris Albrecht Sees Starz
(MediaPost | Media News)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:51:33 AM
Former HBO senior executive
Chris Albrecht has been hired as
president/CEO of pay-cable TV
service Starz LLC.
Albrecht, who was
chairman/CEO of HBO from
2002 to 2007, led the cable
network to some of its most
U.S., such as the following
unresolved biggies (in non-
hierarchical order):
· multiple ownership of TV
stations in the same market
· national television station
ownership (single market and
multiple)
· dual broadcast network
ownership
· broadcast/newspaper/radio
cross ownership
· v-chip utilization/parental
controls
· radio station group
ownership (single market and
multiple)
· cable systems operators
ownership of programming on
their systems
· cable systems operators and
broadcast station cross ownership
· cable systems operators
penetration of national
viewership
· satellite operators ownership
programming on their system
· satellite operators and
broadcast station cross ownership
productive years. He replaces
Robert Clasen, who is retiring,
and has been CEO of Starz since
2006. Most recently, Albrecht
ran Foresee Entertainment.
Under Albrecht, HBO brought
online such hig-profile shows as
"Sex and the City," "The
Sopranos," "Six Feet Under,"
"Real Sports with Bryant
Gumbel," "Deadwood," "Band of
Brothers" and "Entourage." He
· satellite/cable/broadcast
cross ownership
· telco/cable/satellite cross
ownership
· net neutrality
· enforcing cable card
deployment
· must carry broadcast
transmissions for all digital
terrestrial channels
· must carry versus
transmission consent
· program availability via fair
and equitable licensing
arrangements
· the sanctity of copyright
· the efficacy of the Digital
Millennium Copyright Act
· cable subscription pricing: a
la carte vs. package
· internet access pricing by
bandwidth usage and justification
of pricing tiers
· "White Space" exploitation
and interference with broadcast
signals
· personal identifiable
information transgressions both
online and television
left the company in 2007,
following an arrest in Las Vegas
involving an alleged incident
with a woman.
Greg Maffei, Liberty Media
President and CEO, stated: "With
his extensive experience and
success in creating compelling
original content and building a
premium pay channel, Chris is a
recognized visionary in the
creative community and uniquely
· remote programming
storage
· global warming
· universal healthcare
· ballistic shield defense
· nuclear proliferation
· airline passengers
transporting liquids on planes
· budget deficits
· unemployment
· completion of the rebuild of
the World Trade Towers
· weapons of mass destruction
· death panels
· institutionalized financial
avarice
· military surges in less
industrialized nations
· cellphone usage in
automobiles
Five Filters featured article:
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Term Extraction.
qualified to lead Starz into the
future."
Albrecht will take control of all
Starz divisions, Starz
Entertainment, Overture Films,
Anchor Bay Entertainment and
Film Roman, starting Jan. 1. He
had already been in talks with
Starz, developing a drama about
the fashion industry.
A 20-year HBO veteran,
Albrecht also held the post of
E-reader News Edition
MediaDailyNews: TV
Revs: '09 Down 22%,
Rise Predicted in '10
(MediaPost | Media News)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:58:29 AM
TV stations will resume some
advertising growth in 2010 -- but
it will take years to get back to
pre-recession levels.
BIA/Kelsey, a financial advisor
to local media companies,
estimates that TV stations ad
revenues will rise 3% in 2010 --
or $500 million -- to $16.1
billion. BIA estimates by 2013,
stations will only inch forward to
$16.4 billion; however, it notes
TV stations haven't been at such
levels since the mid-1990s.
The media group now says 2009
will end at $15.6 billion, down
22.4% from last year's $20.1
billion mark. TV stations reached
an all-time ad revenue record in
2006, when it was at $22.8
billion.
MEDIADAILYNEWS: page 81
president, HBO Independent
Productions, developing the
broadcast network series
"Martin" and "Everybody Loves
Raymond." Before HBO,
Albrecht spent five years at
International Creative
Management.
Starz offers 16 movie channels,
under its Starz and Encore
MEDIADAILYNEWS: page 81
E-reader News Edition Media/ E-reader News/ 81
MEDIADAILYNEWS
MediaDailyNews: 'PDN,' PhotoExpo continued from page 80

brands, which have

Survive Nielsen Restructure approximately 17 million and 31
million subscribers, respectively.
(MediaPost | Media News) Holdings, a group of investors Though Nielsen also sold off a Five Filters featured article:
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:04:31 AM
led by James Finkelstein of News line of film-industry trade shows Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
Communications Inc., which -- including ShoWest, ShowEast, PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Nielsen Business Media, the publishes The Hill and Who's CinemaExpo International and Term Extraction.
owner of various creative and Who directories. CineAsia -- the company has
advertising industry magazine Alongside a smaller and younger retained ownership of photo-
titles, is selling and shuttering b o o k r e v i e w t i t l e K i r k u s industry news publication Photo
many by year's-end. Adweek is Reviews, Editor & Publisher is District News, the annual New
going to a new owner; Editor & ceasing publication after over a
Publisher is history, but Photo century. The announcement of
York-based trade show
PhotoPlus Expo and the
E-Reader Mania Hits Barnes
District News, its flagship trade the demise of the venerable
show and stock-image business, publication spread through the
Independent Photography
Network, also known as
& Noble in the Pocketbook
remain. Internet, causing an outcry of
A d w e e k , B r a n d w e e k , shock and support so widespread
IPNstock.
Five Filters featured article: (E-Commerce Times)
Mediaweek, Billboard, The t h a t t h e n a m e " E d i t o r & Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: (Yahoo! News Search Results strong it can't keep up with the
Hollywood Reporter, Back Stage, Publisher" reached a top-4 level PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, for e-readers) orders.
Film Journal International and of popularity on Twitter, beating Term Extraction. Meanwhile, archrival
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:25:18 AM
the Clio Awards will now be out celebrity gossip such as Tiger Amazon.com(Nasdaq: AMZN) is
owned by e5 Global Media Woods' sex follies. By Richard Adhikari rubbing salt into B&N's wounds,
MEDIADAILYNEWS E-Commerce Times offering free one-day shipping so
continued from page 80 12/22/09 11:13 AM PT anyone ordering its Kindle e-
BIA says 2011 will see negative advertising revenue for TV Pittsburgh, 5% or higher; Las Barnes & Noble wants its reader on Wednesday will get it
growth again; in part, because it stations will be $518 million this Vegas, 5% gain; and Chicago, St. customers to know that they'll in time for Christmas. It Only
is a non-Olympic, non-political year, a 12% increase over 2008. Louis and Hartford-New Haven, either be getting their pre-ordered Hurts When Customers Order
year. The market will shrink Internet sales for local TV all expected to have 4.5% hikes Nooks by Dec. 24, or they'll be Customers who pre-ordered the
$200 million, landing TV stations stations will steadily rise to over increases in 2010. getting a B&N gift certificate for Nook but might not get it by Dec.
at $15.9 billion. $1 billion in 2013. Five Filters featured article: $100. The apologies are pricey -- 24 will get a $100 gift certificate
The next year, 2012, a big Virtually all TV markets had Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: about 40 percent of the cost of good at Barnes & Noble online
Olympics and political year, will down years in 2009, and many PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, the device -- but B&N claims it stores, spokesperson Mary Ellen
see the market grow a sizable will struggle in 2010. But a Term Extraction. won't have to give out many of Keating told the E-Commerce
$900 million to $16.8 billion. But couple will manage some t h e m . B & N c h a l k s u p t h e Times.
in 2013, another non-Olympic, meaningful improvements, shortfall to demand, but analysts Customers in this group who
non-political year, the market thanks to local political also point to quality problems. ordered a Nook as a gift will also
will again contract to $16.4 advertising. The mad rush for e-readers this get a certificate stating the device
billion. These markets include: holiday season has led Barnes & is on the way. "It's just something
BIA says local Internet Philadelphia, up 6.5%; Noble(NYSE: BKS) to offer in- you can put under the tree,"
store certificates worth US$100 Keating said. "There's no money
to customers who won't get its attached to it."
device, called the "Nook," by Only a few customers will not
Christmas Eve as promised.
B&N has said that demand is so E-READER page 82
82
E-READER
continued from page 81
get their shipments by Christmas
Eve, she added.
"The vast majority of customers
who pre-ordered Nooks and were
given a pre-holiday estimated
shipping date should receive their
devices in time for the holidays.
We are working very hard to
keep up with the demand and to
get all Nook orders out the door
and to customers on or before
Dec. 24."
The Barnes & Noble Web site
now says the Nook has an
expected ship date of Feb. 1 for
new orders. Paying Through the
Nose
With the Nook carrying a retail
price tag of $259, Barnes &
Noble is paying heavily for its
delayed shipments -- $100 is
close to 40 percent of that price.
Keating declined to discuss the
issue.
"Forty percent of the retail price
is quite a hefty sum," remarked
Rob Enderle, principal analyst at
the Enderle Group.
"Still, it's better than alienating a
lot of existing customers who
may end up with Amazon.com's
Kindle instead," he told the E-
Commerce Times. "Right now,
Barnes & Noble are screwed
because folks want the product.
By offering this certificate, it
might win some of these
customers back." Stranger in a
Strange Land
Barnes & Noble is getting
hammered because it's at the
beginning of a steep learning
curve.
"The real underlying challenge
for both Barnes & Noble and
Amazon is that neither of them is
a consumer electronics
company," Carl Howe, director
of anywhere consumer research
at the Yankee Group, told the E-
Commerce Times. "That means
they have to learn about and
suffer through all the processes
needed to create a consumer
electronics device, even though
they are able to outsource the
manufacturing to Chinese
manufacturers like Hai Hon."
Some of the problems are
connected with setting up and
running a supply chain, while
others are learning how many
iterations it takes to get a solid
software image," Howe pointed
out. "Experienced consumer
electronics companies know all
the gotchas in their genes.
Inexperienced ones have to learn
them the hard way."
Amazon has had about two years
to learn the tricks -- it launched
the kindle in December 2007. In
contrast, Barnes & Noble
unveiled the Nook only in
October.
Apart from macro-issues such as
setting up the supply chain,
micro-issues are plaguing Barnes
& Noble.
"Late in the fourth quarter is a
horrid time to ship a new
product. You need lots of
volume, the chance of breakage
is high, and the folks you need to
help fix problems wander off on
vacation," Enderle explained.
"Barnes is just having a typical
fourth-quarter bad launch."
The Nook has two screens -- one
color and one black-and-white.
"The issue with the Nook was, it
was too complex, and they've
been having a lot of breakage
over and above manufacturing
issues," Enderle observed.
"These problems have chewed up
supply. It isn't an e-reader
problem -- it's a Nook problem."
All I Want for Christmas Is an E-
E-reader News Edition
Reader
In fact, the demand for e-readers
is strong, according to vendors.
Barnes & Noble, Amazon and
Sony(NYSE: SNE) all claim
sales are high, though none of
them would release any figures.
Perhaps that's because their
claims may contain some hype.
"My colleague Dmitriy
Molchanov is projecting three
million e-readers sold this year,
which is a little lower than many
are claiming," the Yankee
Group's Howe said.
"The bottom line: It's a
fascinating new category, but it's
still an expensive gadget for
people uncertain about whether
they'll have a job next year. The
prices will have to get lower
before e-readers become
mainstream holiday presents."
Five Filters featured article:
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E-reader News Edition E-reader News/ 83

Assaults on the bookstore: Price wars, e-readers

(Lexington Clipper-Herald)
(Yahoo! News Search Results aren't the Bookworm's bread and and retail analysts' lists of hot Lewis, who reads about three
for e-readers) butter anyway, she said. It gifts in an otherwise lackluster books a week, travels a lot, so he
Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:37:36 AM
specializes in "back list," or older season, although it remains to be likes that he can wirelessly
books, and doesn't try to compete seen how they will perform. download enough books for
Competition for book sales on bestsellers. E-readers are portable, paperless extended trips and avoid carrying
intensified this holiday season as Black said the store has had the electronic devices that let readers around multiple books.
the e-reader emerged as one of same number of shoppers or buy and store multiple books While his wife still buys
the hottest gadgets, and three of slightly more this Christmas, but digitally and then read book hardbacks, Lewis said he hasn't
the country's largest retailers they are spending a bit less. pages on screens ranging from bought one since getting his DRM hacked, Kindle
engaged in a price war that "Not a whole lot less, but $5 or
knocked the price of select $10 -- enough that you see it. Or
about six to 10 inches. While
some upload books wirelessly,
Kindle about four months ago.
"No reason to," he said, "because
becomes an open e-
bestsellers, normally $20 to $30, instead of others require consumers to I can just type in the author, type reader (Geek.com)
to $9 each. buying a hardcover, they'd rather install software on their personal in the book and bang! I've got the (Yahoo! News Search Results
Locally owned bookstores and that you come up with two computers and connect the device book." for e-readers)
t h e A m e r i c a n B o o k s e l l e r s paperbacks." to the computer to upload He said he pays $14 to $16 per e
Submitted at 12/22/2009 7:28:37 AM
Association, the national trade She's less concerned with content. Some versions also read -book, versus $28 or $29 for the
association for independent competitors' price wars and more books aloud. paper versions. We all hoped that companies had
booksellers, said it's too early to with the growing popularity of e- A Borders spokeswoman Lewis said he probably never figured out that DRM and
gauge the effect of this season's books, which she said have cut declined to comment on sales of would have bought an e-reader content do not mix after watching
price wars and wider distribution into profits. the devices but said they are for himself and is surprised by the transition of digital music
of electronic readers. Some companies have developed popular gift items. his avid use of it. from DRM infested files to
Beth Black, owner of the their own e-book readers. For Barnes & Noble told the Wall "I'm 75 years old, and I'm not unaltered tracks. But it looks like
Bookworm at 8702 Pacific St., example, Amazon has the Kindle, Street Journal this month that computer wise at all. I don't do every new platform might have
said sales this year so far have and Barnes & Noble has the demand for its $259 Nook, which gadgets," he said. "But I love it to go through that learning
been flat compared to last year. N o o k . O t h e r c o m p a n i e s , is essentially sold out for the now. I have no problem running process including e-readers.
But in this economy she is happy i n c l u d i n g i n d e p e n d e n t holidays, has been so strong that it." Amazon’s Kindle is a case in
to be flat. booksellers as a group, don't have the retailer had to increase the Five Filters featured article: point, but although Amazon may
"Kind of like 'flat' is the new their own proprietary e-reader, device's production schedule. Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: control the content it cannot
"good,'" Black said. although Dan Cullen of the Jack Lewis, an Omaha PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, control people playing with its
It's hard to tell whether price A m e r i c a n B o o k s e l l e r s physician, received a Kindle e- Term Extraction. Kindle device and trying to break
wars by Walmart, Target and Association said the trade group reader from his son as a gift and the DRM. An Israeli hacker has
Amazon.com will affect the is working on one. now plans to return the favor by managed to do just that and
Bookworm, she said. Bestsellers E-readers topped many retailers' getting his son one for Christmas. hacked the Kindle DRM
effectively turning it into an open
device free to transfer content to
and from it. All content already
on the device can be converted to
PDF files and transferred
elsewhere.
DRM page 84
84 PopSci/
DRM
continued from page 83
The hacker is only known by the
name Labba and had some help
from other users of an Israeli
hacking forum known as
Hacking.org(translated). The
project actually started out as a
challenge on the forums, which
garnered interest and eventually a
workaround for the DRM.
It is expected Amazon will
investigate, close the security
hole used, and automatically
update Kindles to protect against
it. That won’t stop Labba though,
and much like the iPhone and
PSP before it, a new hack will be
released to unlock the patched
device again.
Read more at Boy Genius Report
Matthew’s Opinion
So the Kindle has finally caught
up to other device like the PSP
An Electrifying Christmas Light Display, Courtesy of Nikola
Tesla
By Clay Dillow (Popular
Science - New Technology,
Science News, The Future
Now)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:11:38 AM
A physics fanatic down under is
having a very Tesla Christmas
this year, creating a 30-foot
electrifying display of yuletide
cheer by attaching a rotating rod
to the top of a Tesla coil, making
for quite the colorful Christmas
tree. Using such specialized
science tools as a fishing rod and
and has an active community
breaking the DRM. Amazon will
now attempt to fight a losing
battle to stop the hacks, but we
all know once this starts there is
no real end to it. A patch just
means a new challenge for the
hackers and eventually the device
is opened again.
The music industry seems to be
coping with selling music tracks
that contain no DRM now, so
why not the book publishing
industry too? Do they really need
to be educated as a totally
separate entity to the music
publishers? It certainly seems
that way and all because there is
a fear of lost revenue.
The fact is, if you have a solid
platform like e-book readers,
good e-tailers to back them up,
sinker, household power, and a
Nikon D300, physician and Tesla
buff Peter Terren manipulated
500,000 volts at a time to
produce the images seen here.
Using what he calls
"electrickery," Dr. Terren --
known for a few other Tesla coil
adventures including an electro-
colorful remake of Rodin's
"Thinker" -- used a really long
exposure on his camera, several
manipulating the rod to create
different lens filters and his
different visual effects.
knowledge of physics to create
Nothing in the images is
the high-voltage scene,
E-reader News Edition
and reasonable pricing, then
people will buy the books. If you
don’t want to pay for a book the
means already exist to get it for
free so DRM doesn’t really solve
anything.
No doubt this hack will become
widely available before too long
and, if simple enough, could
become quite popular. Would
you consider using it on your
Kindle?
Five Filters featured article:
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
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Term Extraction.
Photoshopped, but someone captured is the bright white light,
watching Dr. Terren create the filtered into Christmas
images would see something wavelengths.
quite different than the image A Discovery Channel segment
itself. Rather than a fiery display about Dr. Terren's tree is in the
of colorful plumage, a passerby works, but you can catch more
would see two minutes of intense images in our accompanying
sparking at the coil while Dr. gallery, and find pics of his
Terren scrambled about creative process here.
switching filters on the camera [ Tesla Down Under, WA Today]
from green to yellow to red and
so on while gradually raising the
rod atop the Tesla coil. But when
the camera shutter finally snaps
shut 120 seconds later, what's
E-reader News Edition
Gallup Economic Weekly: Consumers Remain Cautious
(All Gallup Headlines)
Submitted at 12/21/2009 8:00:00 PM
PRINCETON, NJ -- Perhaps it
was the big East Coast
snowstorm, the reduced holiday
travel plans, or just a cautious
consumer after a difficult year,
but self-reported consumer
spending continues to run 20%
below last year's depressed
weekly comparables. At the same
time, Gallup's Economic
Confidence Index shows
consumers to be much less
worried about the economy than
they were a year ago, and
Gallup's Job Creation Index
shows that job-market conditions
are much improved from earlier
this year. And hope remains that
a last-minute spending surge will
save Christmas for the nation's
retailers.
What Happened (Week Ending
Dec. 20)
• Consumer Spending continued
to disappoint last week, as self-
reported daily spending in stores,
restaurants, gas stations, and
online averaged $74 -- essentially
the same as the prior two weeks,
and down 20% from last year's
$93-per-day comparable. This
marks the fourth straight week in
which consumer spending has
trailed last year's anemic
spending levels by at least 20%.
It is even more disappointing,
given that last week was a
"paycheck week" and included
"Super Saturday" -- both of
which could have produced a
spending surge. Part of the
explanation may be that
consumers are cutting back on
holiday travel, thereby reducing
their spending this December.
The weather could also be
playing a part. However, it may
be that consumers are merely
being more cautious about their
spending and are less willing to
buy on credit after a difficult
year. On the other hand, while
the data are not seasonally
adjusted, it is still worth noting
that the spending averages in
recent weeks have been among
the highest Gallup has recorded
in 2009. Further, the year-over-
year gap in spending has also
been declining in recent weeks.
Of course, retailers can hope that,
as these positive comparisons
might imply and as Gallup's
Christmas gift survey suggests,
there will be a last-minute
consumer spending splurge as
consumers and would-be
travelers in particular -- who are
traveling and entertaining less --
turn to buying more gifts.
• Economic Confidence was
down slightly last week, as
Gallup's Economic Confidence
Index was -30, versus -27 and -
28, respectively, the prior two
weeks. Still, current consumer
optimism about the state of the
U.S. economy is far better than it
was a year ago, when the Index
stood at -58. Consumers
continued to give the current
economy anemic ratings last
week: 48% said it was "poor" and
only 11% rated it as "excellent"
or "good." While these ratings
Gallup Poll/ 85
Confidence Index suggests spending may change, as two-
consumer sentiment has declined thirds of would-be travelers say
slightly from earlier this month. they are cutting back on or
On Thursday, the government canceling their trips, while
will report jobless claims; they consumers in general say they
are expected to decline after the may spend a little more on
prior two weeks of increases. Of Christmas gifts. In this regard,
course, jobless claims are one can hope for a spending
extremely volatile around the surge during this Christmas week
holidays and thus hard to -- even though last year, just the
estimate, but Gallup's Job opposite was the case. Further,
Creation Index suggests another while spending is down a lot
increase is possible. from last December, Gallup's
Regardless, Gallup's economic weekly spending estimates have
data show that consumers are been running higher than they did
much more optimistic about the earlier this year, suggesting a
prospects for economy than they modest increase in spending
were last Christmas. And while around the holidays -- and the
h a v e s h o w n l i t t l e r e c e n t job-market conditions have nation's retailers really need such
improvement, they are better than improved from their abysmal a holiday gift this year.
the 59% "poor" and the 9% status earlier this year, they are But considering the financial
"excellent" or "good" ratings of a no better this holiday season than strains of the past two years,
year ago. More importantly, they were in 2008. reducing debt and increasing
Americans' expectations for the Still, when 58% of Americans savings may be the best holiday
economy going forward are far say economic conditions are gifts right now. Increased
better now than they were a year getting worse, not better, and job financial security is well worth
ago, with 36% describing the creation remains more anemic celebrating, particularly until job
economy as "getting better," than it was last December, there creation once again begins to
versus 14% last year, and 58% is good reason for the nation's significantly exceed job loss
saying the economy is "getting c o n s u m e r s t o b e c a u t i o u s . across the nation.
worse," compared to 80% just Further, while the stock market Review and export the complete
before Christmas 2008. has surged, many upper-income daily trends on these measures:
• Americans remain "underwater" Economic Indexes; Consumer
in both their investments and Spending; Economic Outlook;
What to Watch For their houses. And many are Economic Conditions; Job
On W e d n e s d a y , uncertain about their future Market
Reuters/University of Michigan healthcare costs, energy prices, Learn more about Gallup's
w i l l r e p o r t i t s c o n s u m e r and federal, state, and local taxes. economic measures.
sentiment index for December. As a result, it is not surprising Sign up for Gallup e-mail alerts
While the consensus suggests that Gallup's behavior-based self- or RSS feeds
that the final result for the month reported consumer discretionary Get Gallup news on Facebook
will be essentially unchanged s p e n d i n g r e m a i n s d o w n and Twitter
from the earlier mid-month significantly from last Christmas.
GALLUP page 86
estimate, Gallup's Economic The composition of consumers'
86 PopSci/ E-reader News Edition
GALLUP
continued from page 85

Survey Methods points. Results for the job

For Gallup Daily tracking,
Gallup interviews approximately
1,000 national adults, aged 18
and older, each day. The Gallup
consumer perceptions of the
economy and consumer spending
results are based on random half-
samples of approximately 500
national adults, aged 18 and
older, each day. The Gallup job
creation and job loss results are
based on a random half sample of
approximately 250 current full-
and part-time employees each
day. Results from the week of
Dec. 14-20, 2009, are based on
telephone interviews with 3,403
adults for the consumer
perceptions and spending
questions. For these results, one
can say with 95% confidence that
the maximum margin of
sampling error is ±2 percentage
ROBOT
continued from page 86
creation and job loss questions
are based on interviews with
1,931 employees, with a
maximum margin of error of ±3
percentage points.
Interviews are conducted with
respondents on land-line
telephones and cellular phones.
In addition to sampling error,
question wording and practical
difficulties in conducting surveys
can introduce error or bias into
the findings of public opinion
polls.
Five Filters featured article:
Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools:
PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS,
Term Extraction.

but Joules easily cruised to the

top of the hill. The bike could
probably do more, even hit 30
mph, but Morgan says he doesn’t
plan to find out: “Abject
cowardice on my part means
we’ll never know for sure.”
How It Works
Time: One year
Cost:$3,000
POWERED-DOWN
With its 14-horsepower electric
motor, Joules “is so powerful, it
could probably climb a tree,”
Morgan jokes. In fact, the motor
would push too hard had he not
added an electronic speed and
current controller that limits it to
28 percent of its total
horsepower. (It maxes out at
2,400 rpm, which is far too fast
for a bike—pro cyclists usually
crank at 100 to 110 rpm.)
Morgan also managed to slow the
rotation of the pedals to a more
manageable maximum of 90 rpm,
or an estimated top speed of 30
mph, by adding several rotating
belts and chains to Joules’s torso.
That increased the torque as well,
giving the robot enough power to
carry the rider up the hill and
beyond.
STABLE AND SAFE
ROBOT page 87
A Robot Buddy for Your Bicycle-
Built-For-Two
By Gregory Mone (Popular Washington, home every day, a series of linked belts and chains
Science - New Technology, asked his dad, a retired electrical that transfer power from one area
Science News, The Future engineer, if he could build of the robot to the next. Each
Now) something that would take care upper leg pivots at the hip,
Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:00:19 AM
of the pedaling for a lazy biker. raising and lowering its knee and
The “yes” arrived about a year forcing the lower legs to turn the
One rider and one robot to do all later—an electric-motor-powered pedals. He also added “bones”
the work tandem bicycle featuring a (rods on the outside) for needed
T h e p r o j e c t b e g a n a s a gleaming robot named Joules. stiffness.
challenge. Carl Morgan’s son Morgan spent months modeling Morgan was nervous when he
Justin, recalling how he used to how to transform a motor’s spin climbed in front for the final test,
have to crank up a nasty hill into pedal-pushing legs. The ROBOT page 86
outside their Bainbridge Island, motor inside Joules’s torso turns
E-reader News Edition PopSci/ 87

White House Names Its Cybersecurity Coordinator At Last

By Stuart Fox (Popular and within government, having have the ability to cause positive
Science - New Technology, advised the FBI and worked on change, primarily through
Science News, The Future former President G. W. Bush's coordinating the government's
Now) cybersecurity team. many regulatory Agencies'
Submitted at 12/22/2009 9:28:51 AM
The position itself has been approach to cybersecurity.
contentious. As originally According to Martin Libicki, the
Just don't call him a "czar" conceived in June, the author of Conquest in
Almost seven months after the cybersecurity chief would report Cyberspace and a senior policy
White House cybersecurity to Larry Summers, head of the analyst at the Rand Corporation,
review recommended creating a National Economic Council. In noted that Schmidt could lead the
position to oversee the nation's its current incarnation, Schmidt way to safer banks and
Internet defense, the President will still work with the National corporations by influencing the
has finally picked Howard Economic Council, but report policy of the FDIC or Federal
Schmidt, a former Microsoft directly to the National Security Trade Commission via his links
executive and consultant to the Council. to the National Economic
FBI, to fill the post. While some Yet, Schmidt won't have much Council.
analysts hail this as the first step ability to influence defense For now, every is waiting to see
towards getting serious about policy, as the job of overseeing if Schmidt can navigate the many
cybersecurity, others believe the military cybersecurity will fall to competing civilian, military, and
position won't have the power to L i e u t e n a n t G e n e r a l K e i t h mud," by O. Sami Saydjari, wars over funding. To that end, commercial interests jockeying to
implement important change. Alexander, pendin his promotion chairman of the Professionals for James Lewis, a senior fellow at mold the Internet to their liking.
However, everyone seems to to four-star General. That leaves Cyber Defense. the Center for Strategic and Said Libicki, "He has all the
agree on Schmidt's qualifications Schmidt to deal primarily with Other analysts echoed Saydjari's International Studies, told the right kind of experience. The rest
to do the job. Schmidt has the civilian and law enforcement concern, noting that Schimdt's Associated Press that Schmidt remains to be seen."
experience with both the private areas, where the overlapping inability to control budgets or would be less a cyber czar than a
sector, having worked as chief cyber-jurisdictions of various policy could leave him impotent "cyber peasant."
security officer for Microsoft and government agencies has been in Washington's bureaucratic turf But some thing Schmidt will
as cybersecurity chief for eBay, described as "drawn as clear as
ROBOT
continued from page 86

Morgan added large custom-
made training wheels to the rear
of the bike, guaranteeing that
Joules won’t topple when
Morgan climbs on or off. Wiring
the motor to the controls in front
was easy for the electrical
engineer. He added a key ignition
and emergency toggle switch to
the left side that cuts the power to
the motor, and a motorcycle-style
throttle in the right handlebar
grip to crank up the speed.
CURB APPEAL
The robot’s sleek aluminum
design and racing-helmet-shaped
head add eye-catching flash,
something Morgan believes is an
important part of any project.
“It’s cool to make a paper
airplane that flies,” he says, “but
it’s just as cool to draw dragon
wings on it.”
PEDAL-FREE
Morgan trimmed down the
tandem bike’s pedals and
machined a pair of cylindrical
aluminum links between Joules’s
feet and the end of the crank arm
(the part that’s attached to the
pedals). If the angles of rotation
of Joules’s legs were off by even
a millimeter, the robot would not
be able to pedal smoothly, so he
added a circle of deformable
urethane foam inside the
cylinder, creating a little bit of
extra leeway. As for Morgan
himself, he keeps his feet on the
pedals but doesn’t have to do any responsibility. Always wear
work. “Why build a helper whose protective gear, take proper
only purpose is to pedal—and safety precautions, and follow all
then get in the way of his sole laws and regulations.
means of expression?” he says.
“Besides, I put months of effort
into this chance for a few minutes
of sloth.”
The H2Whoa Credo: DIY Can
Be Dangerous
We review all our projects
before publishing them, but
ultimately your safety is your
88 PopSci/ E-reader News Edition

Sandia Labs Creates Fashionable Glitter-Sized

Solar Cells
By Clay Dillow (Popular anywhere.
Science - New Technology, What's more, they can be cut
Science News, The Future from silicon wafers of any size; if
Now) one cell proves faulty during the
Submitted at 12/22/2009 8:45:31 AM
fabrication process, the rest of its
tiny cousins can still be
Suburban rave-goers, women of harvested, whereas in larger brick
New DNA Analysis
Jersey Shore, and Elton John, cells a fautly unit could mean the Method Drastically Cuts
take note: your lives just got a entire wafer is unusable. The tiny Time and Cost of
little bit greener. The sartorial glitter cells could have intelligent
risk-takers over at Sandia controls and even storage built
Genome Sequencing
National Labs have created glitter into them at the chip level, By Clay Dillow (Popular
-sized photovoltaic cells that simplifying the process of Science - New Technology,
could revolutionize solar energy transmitting the power, not to Science News, The Future
collection the way Liberace mention the permit and grid Now)
revolutionized the dress code for integration processes, inherent in Submitted at 12/22/2009 6:23:41 AM
concert pianists. larger scale PV arrays.
Made of crystalline silicon and Since existing fabrication DNA genome sequencing has
fabricated using microelectric processes can churn out the the potential to unlock a lot of
and microelectromechanical hexagonal microscale cells, broad secrets of our biology, but the
systems processes commonly application may not be too very process of DNA amplification --
found on electronics far away. While large-scale solar making billions of molecular
manufacturers' production floors, percent efficiency, versus 13-20 tents and shelters turning anyone p r o j e c t s m a y n o t b e c o m e copies of a DNA strand in order
the tiny cells hold great potential percent for brick panels). Also, spending a good deal of time glittering fields of micro-cells to create a large enough sample
f o r b e t t e r p e r f o m a n c e a n d because of their flexibility, they outdoors -- hikers, soldiers, overnight, it's a pretty solid to analyze -- takes a lot of time
efficiency as well as reduced have myriad applications going hunters -- into a walking recharge wager that there's a soldier out and money. So a Boston
c o s t . A t j u s t 1 4 t o 2 0 far beyond fashion that larger, station for small electronic there somewhere with plenty of University team came up with a
micrometers thick (less than a static PV cells just can't compete d e v i c e s . T h e y c o u l d a l s o sun and no working batteries that novel solution: avoid
human hair), they are 10 times with. potentially be used to wrap
could benefit from a little glam. amplification altogether. Their
thinner than normal 6-by-6-inch For starters, the cells could be irregular surfaces on everything new sequencing method analyzes
Turns out Elton John really did
brick cells and use 100 times less integrated into flexible substrates from buildings to seafaring have the electricity all along. DNA faster and more cheaply,
silicon, yet the difference in their and used as textiles in everything vessels to automobiles to create a from samples several orders of
performance is negligible (14.9 from clothing to cargo gear to solar harvesting panel just about magnitude smaller than those
required by traditional methods.
Current DNA sequencing
techniques require a sample that
is both large in molecular size
and short in length -- less than a
thousand base pairs -- and that

NEW page 90
E-reader News Edition PopSci/ 89

Robotic Knee Helps Perfectly Healthy Runners

Run Even Better
By Clay Dillow (Popular
Science - New Technology,
Science News, The Future
Now)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 11:55:51 AM

Attention cyborg wonks and lazy

people: Japanese scientists at
Tsukuba University have created
a motorized knee that you can
attach to your leg to increase
your muscle power and running
speed. The 11-pound kit's weight
is shared by an exoskeleton-like
attachment for your leg and a
power source that's carried in a
small backpack. But here's the
best part: the device is not needed. The team who developed the added 11 pounds cancels out knee because of their previous
designed with any kind of it is enthusiastic about an even the benefit of 30 percent development of the Robot Suit
rehabilitation or handicap- lighter device being reduction in muscular effort. But HAL (Hybrid Assisted Limb),
assisting function in mind; it's commercialized within three unless the NFL declares the leg which is essentially a cyborg suit
simply to make it easier for years. The question is: for what eligible for league play, it's that helps paralyzed people learn
regular folks to run faster! customer? unclear exactly who is going to to get around again. If for every
The knee assistant allows a Most everyone who runs for benefit from this (likely innovation like HAL they want to
runner to jog at a steady 4.7 miles leisure runs to build muscle and expensive) device. create a robotic limb
per hour with 30 percent less endurance in the legs, so its But the Tsukuba U. group isn't enhancement with no obvious
muscle power than they would unclear why runners would want all about superfluous robotic use beyond recreation, we won't
normally need. A sensor in the to increase the efficiency of their augmentations, and we'll forgive hold a grudge.
device detects the degree of flex jogs only to prolong them. There them the apparent lack of [ PhysOrg]
in the knee, informing a small is also no mention of how much constructive uses for the robotic
motor how much assistance is
90 PopSci/
DoD Grants $3.4 Million To Fund Face
Transplant Surgery, Research
By Stuart Fox (Popular
Science - New Technology,
Science News, The Future
Now)
Submitted at 12/22/2009 10:58:43 AM
Thanks to improved body armor,
more US troops survive
encounters with the enemy than
ever before. Unfortunately, the
flip side of that equation means
more soldiers return home with
horrific injuries that would have
killed them in older wars. The
military has placed a lot of
emphasis on developing limb
replacements, but a new funding
push by the Department of
Defense (DoD) focuses on the
emerging field of face
transplants.
The DoD has awarded $3.4
NEW
continued from page 88
requires amplification of short
segments of a sample. But
amplification takes time and, like
any rendering of a rendering, can
produce imperfect copies. The
Boston University team, along
with collaborators from New
York University and Bar-Ilan
University, instead harnessed
electrical fields to feed long
strands of DNA through four-
nanometer-wide pores, analyzing
each DNA molecule as it is
million to Brigham and Women's
Hospital in Boston to in an
attempt to advance face
transplant technology. Earlier in
the year, doctors at Brigham and
Women's Hospital performed
America's second face transplant,
giving James Maki a new face
bottlenecked through the tiny
openings.
The electrical fields pull on the
negatively charged strands of
DNA to coax them through the
nanopores, but before they could
do that they had to garner an
understanding of how DNA
behaves at the nano-level. What
they found surprised them: the
longer the DNA strand, the faster
it found its way toward the nano-
pore, so the new method not only
after a disfiguring subway
accident. With the new grant, the
hospital will be able to perform
six ot eight more operations over
the next year and a half.
The research will focus on
overcoming the vast technical
challenges to transplanting a
can analyze strands without first
amplifying them, but it is
optimized for sequencing longer
strands.
As a result, the new method can
analyze longer strands of DNA in
less time and at less cost, from a
sample 10,000 times smaller than
that needed for conventional
sequencing methods. Not to
mention, it does all that while
eliminating the errors that
generally accompany
E-reader News Edition
face. Besides the difficulty of the
surgery, face transplant recipients
require a complex combination of
immunosuppressant drugs to
keep their bodies from rejecting
the new face. Since veterans are
generally a young group, any
soldier that receives a face
transplant also sets down a
course of drug therapy that will
last many, many decades.
On the trillion-dollar-scale of
military spending, $3.4 million
doesn't seem like a lot. But with a
research field as young as face
transplant surgery, any funding
boost will surely help.
[ The Boston Globe]
amplification. Not bad for a four-
nanometer-wide hole.
[ Eurekalert]