Thursday, February 28, 2013

94Fifty smart basketball can tell when you've got game, teaches when you don't

94Fifty smart basketball proves you've got game, teaches when you don't

Everyday street basketball players (and would-be pros) don't have many tools to quantify their progress. InfoMotion Sports thinks they're owed more than just a pat on the back, so it's bringing its 94Fifty smart basketball to everyday hoop fans. Like the existing model for teams, sensors inside the amateur basketball detect the forces involved in a dribble or shot, relaying details such as the throw angle or power through Bluetooth; Android and iOS apps will be available out of the gate. The stats are for more than just bragging rights, too. InfoMotion's custom software centers on training sessions and competitions, including challenges from seasoned veterans. No matter how hard they play, owners will just have to rest the ball on a Qi wireless charging pad at the end of a session. InfoMotion Sports' $295 asking price will be steep when the 94Fifty arrives in the summer -- but it may be one of the better options for amateurs who want to improve the finer points of their game without donning a uniform.

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Source: 94Fifty

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/afVuN1ZadII/

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Apple patent application details magnetic iPad stand for extra-secure mounting

Apple patent application details magnetic iPad stand

A recently published Apple patent reveals the design for a "magnetic tablet configured to rigidly hold a portion of the tablet device in place." You can bet that "tablet device" is the iPad, and judging from the many photos associated with the patent, the stand is meant to mount the slate more securely than your average dock, not to mention the Smart Cover. One scenario, for instance, shows the iPad secured on top of a treadmill, while another depicts the device hanging from the roof of the car. By far the most intriguing example is two iPads connected to each other magnetically, creating a hinge between the two displays. Click through to the source link for a look at Cupertino's other envisioned use cases for this super-strength stand -- though don't get your hopes up on seeing this design hit stores any time soon; the original patent was filed in late 2011.

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Source: USPTO, Free Patents Online

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/9kS6BJsCJsA/

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Power Matters Alliance garners support from BlackBerry, NEC, TI and ZTE

Power Matters Alliance garners support from BlackBerry, NEC, TI and ZTE

Another Mobile World Congress, another round of highfalutin' talk surrounding the concept of wireless power. We already witnessed a consumer approach by PowerbyProxi, and now we're hearing that the Power Matters Alliance is getting a second wind as well. The self-proclaimed "leading ecosystem and standard for wireless power" took to Boston-area Starbucks locations last fall, and now it has notched support from BlackBerry, NEC, Texas Instruments, ZTE and dozens more. There's still no word on whether all of these factions are going to bite the bullet and come together in order to actually make some progress that consumers can appreciate, but hey -- we've got nothing but time, right?

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Source: Power Matters Alliance

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/v3nYyuOEdzQ/

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Bob Woodward hits White House, says they hit back

Veteran journalist Bob Woodward is embroiled in an extraordinary public clash with the White House over his reporting on the sequester.

Woodward has been making the rounds to cable TV and print outlets accusing a "very senior person" in the administration of threatening him last week ahead of an op-ed he later published in the Washington Post attributing the idea for the automatic spending cuts to President Obama.

The blitz drew a harsh rebuke from former senior Obama adviser David Plouffe Wednesday night: "Watching Woodward last 2 days is like imagining my idol Mike Schmidt facing live pitching again. Perfection gained once is rarely repeated," he wrote on Twitter.

Former Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith also opined: "Woodward deserves a lot of credit for taking a macro story about DC dysfunction, competing econ theories & making it all about him," she said.

In the column at the center of the storm, Woodward writes the White House has been deliberately disingenuous about its role in the sequester, and accused Obama of "moving the goal posts" by insisting Republicans agree to new tax revenue as part of any substitute for the sequester. "That was not the deal he made," he says.

Woodward's report has rankled administration officials, particularly since it undermines the narrative the White House has been pushing ahead the March 1 sequester deadline. Democrats claim the automatic cuts were mutually agreed upon and never intended to be enacted, making Obama's demand for new revenue a legitimate one. Republicans claim the sequester was Obama's idea and that any replacement plan was to be entirely cuts.

Now, Woodward alleges that he was bullied even ahead of publishing his report. He told Politico Wednesday that one Obama aide "yelled at me for about a half hour" and in an email message delivered a veiled threat.

"It was said very clearly: 'you will regret doing this,'" Woodward told CNN. "I'm not going to say [who], a very senior person. It makes me very uncomfortable to have the White House telling reporters you're going to regret doing something you believe in."

"I think if Barack Obama knew that was part of the communications strategy, let's hope it's not a strategy, but just a tactic he's employing, he'd say, 'look, we don't go around trying to say to reporters if you in an honest way present something that we don't like, you're going to regret this,'" he said.

BuzzFeed's Ben Smith, citing unnamed sources, says the official with whom Woodward had the tense exchange was the director of the White House Economic Council Gene Sperling.

White House officials have downplayed Woodward's account, saying that no threats were intended and that the original impetus for the email to Woodward was to apologize for an earlier heated phone conversation. And while the administration does not directly dispute Woodward's reporting, officials believe he is focusing on a moot point.

"What does that matter now? Not much," senior Obama adviser Dan Pfeiffer told reporters Sunday of the debate over who concocted the sequester.

"What is true now is that Republicans have decided that the sequester should go into effect," choosing cuts rather than closing loopholes, he said.

UPDATE 8:11 AM: A senior White House official acknowledges that a top aide told Woodward he would regret what he wrote, but insists there was no threat.

"Of course no threat was intended," the White House official tells ABC News. "The note suggested that Mr. Woodward would regret the observation he made regarding the sequester because that observation was inaccurate, nothing more."

Furthermore, the White House adds: "Mr. Woodward responded to this aide's email in a friendly matter."

Woodward's "friendly" response came on Saturday. He didn't come forward and call the initial email a threat until late Wednesday.

This post has been updated. ABC News' Jon Karl contributed reporting.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/journalist-bob-woodward-clashes-white-073806745.html

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I'm Ryan North, Creator of Dinosaur Comics, and This Is How I Work

I'm Ryan North, Creator of Dinosaur Comics, and This Is How I WorkRyan North says he has "basically the best job ever," and we can't help but agree. As the creator of Dinosaur Comics, Ryan has been churning out the beloved webcomic nearly every weekday since 2003. He's also the guy behind the Adventure Time comic series and To Be or Not To Be, a choose-your-own-path version of Hamlet that recently became Kickstarter's most funded publishing project ever. When he's not comic-ing, Ryan uses his professional programming skills to build stuff like Project Wonderful, an online ad service, and Oh No Robot, a searchable text database for comics. We stole a few minutes of Ryan's busy schedule to chat about apps, gadgets, Patrick Stewart, and more. Did we miss something? Ryan is chatting live for the next hour?ask him yourself!

Update: the q&a is closed?thanks for all the great questions!

Current gig: Writer and programmer! Writing projects include Dinosaur Comics, the Adventure Time comics, and To Be or Not To Be. I'm also a computer programmer, and Project Wonderful is the advertising network I wrote after wishing there was one out there that didn't suck.
Location: Sunny, unseasonably warm Toronto, Canada
Current mobile device: I've got a Samsung Galaxy S III which is the first phone I don't hate. My previous phone was a Motorola abomination and before that an iPhone 3G. I don't really upgrade phones that often, but the past two died and I took the opportunity to upgrade.
Current computer: I have a Lenovo Thinkpad, mainly because they're one of the few laptops that support three monitors via a dock. My other machine is one that I built myself, parts being swapped out and upgraded over the years. It used to have a floppy drive in it that went way back to when I was six, but it never got use and eventually the motherboards didn't have connectors for it anyway.
One word that best describes how you work: Distractedly

I'm Ryan North, Creator of Dinosaur Comics, and This Is How I Work

Above: A Dinosaur Comic.

What's apps/software/tools can't you live without?

There's a few things that have changed how I work. Dropbox is great both for painless, automatic backup but also for keeping data in sync on different machines. I do most of my writing (both words and code) in Textpad?it's a pretty great text editor that supports regular expressions. I'd include my phone as one of the tools?I use it to jot down ideas wherever I have them. I used to email them to myself, but Evernote solved that problem nicely too.

I've been using Winamp for music for years and years, mainly because it supports global hotkeys, so I can pause, skip, rewind, etc. by pressing, say, CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+PAGEDOWN in whatever program I'm in. That sounds dumb but it's great?it means I can control the music without losing focus on what I'm doing. Sometimes I'll skip songs without even noticing it: it's like second nature. I'm all about efficiency. I have the task bar at the top of the screen on my Windows machine, because I mapped it out and if my hand is on the mouse, odds are it'll be closer to the top of the screen than the bottom, so by having the task bar at the top too I save valuable milliseconds.

Basically put me alone in a room with a computer and internet access and I can be happy for days. Weeks? I guess I'd need food and water at some point.

I'm Ryan North, Creator of Dinosaur Comics, and This Is How I Work

Above: Ryan's Winamp.

What's your workspace like?

I work mainly from home in my office, where I've got a desk (I'd love to get a standing desk just so I can move around more) and a fancy office chair that I spent a lot of money on. After my bed, it's the piece of furniture I spend the most time in, so I figured it was worth it. Sometimes I'll go into the Project Wonderful offices?there's a similar desk there, but there's other people too, if I'm craving social interaction. I am the #1 fan of multiple monitors: two is odd because it means you're always turning your head to the side the monitor is on, and three is a really nice sweet spot. Center screen for work, left screen for research/status stuff, and right screen for email and Twitter. If I'm really focused, I'll minimize the email.

I usually work to music, but if something's not working, I'll turn the music off. I've tried coffee shops once or twice but it's not exactly productive times for me. I work best alone, with distractions that I can manage and control.

What do you listen to while you work?

Music! Tons and tons of music. Here's the thing: anything with words or actual content will be distracting, so NPR/CBC/Savage Love podcasts are out if I'm trying to be productive. And music that is super awesome is out too, because it'll be distracting how good it is. I generally listen to "just okay" music when I have to focus, and save the awesome stuff where I don't have to be as productive. I really love mashups because I really love listening to more than one song at the same time I guess!

What's your best time-saving trick?

Multitasking. I have a dog which means at least one to two hours a day is spent outside walking, or standing around at the dog park. I used to think "Oh no, wasted time!" but now I use the time to work out plots, figure out jokes, that sort of thing. It's lower-intensity work and lets me recharge, but I also get to be productive while I'm recharging and playing with all the dogs at the park. I'll talk to myself while I'm walking too, because I like dialogue to sound natural, and saying it out loud helps with that. It makes me look a little crazy, but whatever. Really I guess my greatest life hack is to not care what strangers think about you!

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

I've tried a few, but I always come back to my tried-and-true "todo.txt" that lives on my desktop.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

Glasses! Otherwise I can't easily see my phone and computer and it's so sad.

What's everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

I believe I can state with authority that I have spent more time thinking about the novelization of Back To The Future than any other alive human. My page-by-page review is my proof of this. I know you wanted an "everyday thing" but who among us can truly say they don't think about Back to the Future at least once per day?

I'm Ryan North, Creator of Dinosaur Comics, and This Is How I Work

Above: Part of an Adventure Time script.

What's your sleep routine like?

When I was a kid I had to get up at 6 to catch a 7 AM bus into school, and once I started grad school I relaxed that to 7 AM. So I'm usually up at 7 sharp (alarm set so I can hear the news) and then in bed when I start to get sleepy, which is normally between 11 and midnight. I really value my sleep. And I wish it were somehow super awesome to say "I really value my sleep."

Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?

Oh, total introvert. But I love pals and that slides me more towards extrovert, I guess? I just want all my friends and I to live in a giant house which I call "Pal Mansion." Is that so wrong?

Fill in the blank: I'd kill to see ________ answer these same questions.

Patrick Stewart, but only if I'm the one asking the questions. And he invites me over to his place for the interview. And we start talking and he asks me in his stentorian voice about my hopes and dreams and we talk about our lives and loves and fears, and it's just?it's just so real.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

"Never stop learning." Also "if you find a job you like it won't feel like work." So let's assume at some point in the past my father pulled me aside and said "Never stop learning, also, on another topic, if you find a job you like then it won't feel like work. Randy out, yo."

Anything else you want to add for readers/fans?

I love getting email, but there's only so much time in the day to write back to it, so please don't hate me if I never do. I have such good intentions!


The How I Work series asks heroes, experts, brilliant, and flat-out productive people to share their shortcuts, workspaces, routines, and more. Every Wednesday we'll feature a new guest and the gadgets, apps, tips, and tricks that keep them going. Have someone you'd kill to see featured, or questions you think we should ask? Email Tessa.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/ykRY5Yl4tNg/im-ryan-north-creator-of-dinosaur-comics-and-this-is-how-i-work

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news Art and Entertainment: Photography- Beginner's Methods

Photography can be seen by the beginner as a whole new field ready to be checked out. This is often appealing and very daunting. A couple of photography concepts can help rise above obstructions for the young photographer. Here are several quick concepts photographers encourage-

Click Away- It will not be hardly any cost to you to store images on a digital camera. You will build practical knowledge through getting into it with real practice. That means do it a lot!

Mimic- Look up a few of your more popular pro photographers and then try to emulate them. Decide what makes a beloved picture exceptional and pattern your approach accordingly. Do not get frustrated while you experiment and enjoy gaining knowledge of additional techniques.

Remain Determined- All too often novice photographers are way too frustrated with themselves since they don't magically generate spectacular pictures. Focus on a prolonged exploration of the craft and make it enjoyable as far as possible.

Utilize the Tools You Already Have- Inexperienced photographers generally believe the more expensive the gear the more desirable the pictures. It is better to realize which techniques and desires you cultivate previous to investing in the expensive technology.

Never Overlook Necessities- You do not need the more expensive equipment immediately but you will require the vital equipment. A good tripod really mustn't be forgotten. Novice photographers commonly believe a tripod is simply for a particular method of photography. In reality tripods are used continually by professional photographers, not only by family-portrait photographers.

InternetInvestigation- There is quite a lot of tips which is available from a number of photographers which will not cost you at all. Use these zero-cost materials and content that will rise above challenges and stimulate ideas.

Toy With the Tools- Amateurs quite often keep with one or two settings on their gear and don't see what it is able to do. An established photographer can use a basic camera in a multitude of ways. You can't ever play around or experiment too much.

Study the Essential Practices- See what professional photographers say relating to skills like illumination and filtering. Many people make the error of disregarding these kinds of basics.

Keeping Your Equipment With You- Acquire the habit of taking the digital camera along with you whenever you leave the house. It is going to develop your eye in photography to make learning exciting.

Turn the Ordinary Into Art- You don't have to visit a dazzling location to generate remarkable photographs. The handiwork of photography depends on the photographer's skill to think successfully. Also, you don't need to travel to gather a number of subjects to experiment on.

Enjoy Yourself- Engage photography for the long term simply by making it pleasurable. Don't allow anybody else's experience to shape your boundaries a be sure to experience photography for what it is.

Stay With It- Lots of photographers get started well but lose their steam after a short time. To accumulate genuine expertise in photography you require long-term experience. Staying self-disciplined and sustained all through difficult periods and looking for innovative ways to remain motivated will inevitably result with you becoming a master photographer.

Source: http://newsartentertainment.blogspot.com/2013/02/photography-beginners-methods.html

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The Passion of Rand Paul

U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) leaves after a caucus meeting at the Capitol February 14, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., at the Capitol in February

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

Shortly before noon, before the vote on whether to move forward on Chuck Hagel?s nomination for secretary of defense, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul walked onto the floor of the Senate. He stood near the well, where he would have to cast his vote. After Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander cast the first vote?an aye?he and Paul chatted off to the side. When his own name came up in the roll call??Mr. Paul???Paul said nothing.

Nearly half of Paul?s fellow senators voted in the first alphabetical run-through of names. It was clear, almost immediately, that Hagel would have enough votes to break a filibuster. Paul walked over to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, the unofficial whip of the unofficial Dump Hagel campaign, spoke briefly, then returned to the well. He cast his vote.

Hagel was vaulting over this final hurdle, but Paul wasn?t going to help. Two weeks earlier, Paul had cast a decisive vote against cloture, making Hagel the first-ever national security nominee to face a filibuster. ?There's all kinds of rumors all over the Internet about foreign groups that may have provided financing,? explained Paul, ?and I think he needs to reveal that.? Had Paul voted the other way, Hagel wouldn?t have spent those extra days being beat up by hawkish Republicans, Washington Post blogger Jennifer Rubin, and groups like the Emergency Committee for Israel.

Forty other Republicans joined Paul on that first filibuster, and 26 more joined him in the first vote opposing cloture today. But conservative foreign policy ?realists,? the sort of people who backed Rep. Ron Paul?s campaigns for president, were uniquely disappointed in the heir. ?Sen. Paul is aiding and abetting a disgusting McCarthyite campaign against an honorable man,? wrote AntiWar.com?s Justin Raimondo. ?Paul endorsed one of the worst, least credible anti-Hagel arguments of all,? wrote American Conservative columnist Daniel Larison, ?which is essentially the Ted Cruz argument that Hagel needs to ?prove? that he is not in league with foreign governments or sympathetic with terrorists.?

Overcoming that kind of guilt-by-association politics was one of the points of the Hagel nomination. Wasn?t it? Rand Paul, too, had challenged the wisdom of the neoconservatives and been battered for it. If Hagel could be confirmed, it would mean you could name and shame the ?Israel lobby? (or, okay, the ?Jewish lobby?) without being banished to Siberia. If the Senate really debated Hagel?s views, really revisited the wisdom of the Iraq War and whether the 2007 surge worked and whether Iran can?t ever be negotiated with, it would expand the aperture of ?serious? foreign policy debate.

Paul was aware of that. To him, delaying Hagel was in keeping with the actual goals of the realists and libertarians. ?I wanted to get more information not only on Hagel but more information on [CIA nominee John] Brennan,? he said, after leaving the post-vote Republican luncheon. ?That didn?t work because we didn?t stick together on it. Last week?s vote was useless. If you don?t stick together, you won?t have leverage.? And Paul will now turn his attention to the Brennan nomination, to demand and get more answers on the legality of the drone program and whether Americans, on American soil, could be targeted for killing. ?It?s blatantly illegal?we have probably a dozen laws saying the CIA can?t operate in the United States, and neither can the Department of Defense.?

That wasn?t obvious to libertarians and paleo-conservatives. One year ago, Sen. Paul was criss-crossing key Republican primary and caucus states to whip up support for presidential candidate Ron Paul. I remember cranking the speedometer of a rental car, and parking illegally near the University of Northern Iowa, to see the Pauls work a fire-hazard-crowded ballroom. Ron Paul would go on to win that county. Rand Paul would go on to filibuster Chuck Hagel.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=a0f442e3c823e3c66da44d808c6a8ce3

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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

'NCIS': Ducky And Jimmy Find Themselves At The Center Of The Case When They Get Abducted (VIDEO)

  • "666 Park Avenue"

    <strong>"666 Park Ave.," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/666-park-avenue-canceled_n_2147290.html">ABC pulled the plug</a> on this supernatural drama earlier in the season.

  • "The Bachelor"

    <strong>"The Bachelor," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: While ratings may have dropped, "The Bachelor" will likely see another season on ABC as tabloids and viewers still care about the comings and goings of contestants.

  • "Body of Proof"

    <strong>"Body of Proof," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: ABC is keen on this Dana Delany drama, but the ratings for this upcoming third season will be the true test.

  • "Castle"

    <strong>"Castle," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed. <strong>Why</strong>: Strong ratings and a dedicated viewership will keep "Castle" on the schedule.

  • "Dancing With the Stars"

    <strong>"Dancing With the Stars," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The series is hurting in the ratings ... by "DWTS" standards. It's still a strong player for ABC, but the new season hasn't premiered yet.

  • "Don't Trust The B---- In Apt. 23"

    <strong>"Don't Trust The B---- In Apt. 23," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/apartment-23-canceled-dont-trust-the-b_n_2528858.html">ABC pulled the low-rated comedy</a> from it schedule and the stars took to Twitter to announce the cancellation.

  • "Family Tools"

    <strong>"Family Tools," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: This ABC comedy has yet to debut, but a May 1 premiere date doesn't look great.

  • "Grey's Anatomy"

    <strong>"Grey's Anatomy," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: America still loves McDreamy and the goings on at Seattle Grace. Expect "Grey's" to return.

  • "Happy Endings"

    <strong>"Happy Endings," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Always the bubble show, never the surefire renewal hit. "Happy Endings" has suffered from many ratings ailments, including bad scheduling (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/happy-endings-friday-abc_n_2683091.html">it's moving to Friday night</a>) and lack of promo. But this ahmahzing show has some serious fans that could keep it afloat for another season ... maybe on another network (a la "Cougar Town.")

  • "How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life)"

    <strong>"How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life)," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The ABC comedy starring Sarah Chalke has yet to debut, but its late season bow doesn't exactly bode well for its future.

  • "Last Man Standing"

    <strong>"Last Man Standing," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Viewers still love Tim Allen! Paired with "Malibu Country," "Last Man Standing" has been performing well on Friday nights and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/jonathan-taylor-thomas-last-man-standing-home-improvement_n_2686307.html">will soon see Allen's "Home Improvement" co-star Jonathan Tyler Thomas</a>.

  • "Last Resort"

    <strong>"Last Resort," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/last-resort-canceled-abc_n_2147316.html">ABC killed the Shawn Ryan drama</a> in late 2012.

  • "Malibu Country"

    <strong>"Malibu Country," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: "Malibu Country" has been performing well on Friday nights. Lesson: Never underestimate the star power of Reba.

  • "The Middle"

    <strong>"The Middle," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Now in its fourth season, "The Middle" is still pulling in more than 8 million viewers an episode as the anchor of ABC's Wednesday comedies.

  • "Mistresses"

    <strong>"Mistresses," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: ABC sent out the pilot with its 2012-2013 offerings, but the drama, which is based on the UK series of the same name, has yet to premiere despite having Alyssa Milano and "Lost" alum Yunjin Kim.

  • "Modern Family"

    <strong>"Modern Family," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A fan favorite and Emmy darling, "Modern Family" will be back and will make ABC lots of money in syndication.

  • "Nashville"

    <strong>"Nashville," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Critical acclaim doesn't always equate to rating success. The show has stabilized in Nielsen ratings, but its future really depends on the strength of ABC's drama pilots.

  • "The Neighbors"

    <strong>"The Neighbors," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: One of the few "hits" of the season, "The Neighbors" has found an audience and kept it pretty steadily week after week (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/abc-shows-fall-tv-2012-2013_n_1581796.html">much to our dismay</a>).

  • "Once Upon a Time"

    <strong>"Once Upon a Time," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A ratings hit in its second season, "Once Upon a Time" is almost sure to be back for a third season full of fairytale adventures.

  • "Private Practice"

    <strong>"Private Practice," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Ended <strong>Why</strong>: The "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff said goodbye in January 2013.

  • "Red Widow"

    <strong>"Red Widow," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The show has a late February debut on ABC.

  • "Revenge"

    <strong>"Revenge," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: "Revenge" has fallen out of critical favor and seen lower ratings in its new Sunday night home. But none of ABC's freshman dramas are doing well, so that works in the show's favor.

  • "Rookie Blue"

    <strong>"Rookie Blue," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The Canadian co-production will return for a fourth season on ABC during the summer of 2013.

  • "Scandal"

    <strong>"Scandal," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Shonda Rhimes has another hit on her hands. Now in its second season, "Scandal" has benefited from word-of-mouth and has been rising in the ratings (even recently beating out its lead in "Grey's Anatomy"). A likable star -- Kerry Washington -- and continued buzz will keep "Scandal" on the schedule.

  • "Suburgatory"

    <strong>"Suburgatory," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: The series started Season 2 off strong in the ratings, but its audience has slowly eroded. Its not the worst-performing ABC sitcom, but its buzziness has died down as well.

  • "Zero Hour"

    <strong>"Zero Hour," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The Anthony Edwards vehicle debuted to 6.3 million viewers with a 1.3 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, making it <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/zero-hour-ratings_n_2695800.html">the least-watched premiere for a scripted series in ABC's history</a>. Obviously, things aren't looking good for the "ER" star's comeback, but maybe the ratings will improve.

  • "2 Broke Girls"

    <strong>"2 Broke Girls," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: It's not doing "The Big Bang Theory" numbers, but "2 Broke Girls" has maintained a viewership over its two seasons.

  • "The Amazing Race"

    <strong>"The Amazing Race," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: As an Emmy and fan favorite, "The Amazing Race" has been a strong player for CBS.

  • "The Big Bang Theory"

    <strong>"The Big Bang Theory," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Now in its sixth season, "Big Bang" is reaching series-high ratings. Even up against reality powerhouse "American Idol," "The Big Bang Theory" has been delivering with crazy high numbers in the 18-49 demographic, beating out what was once Fox's juggernaut.

  • "Blue Bloods"

    <strong>"Blue Bloods," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The Tom Selleck-fronted police drama is a strong ratings performer for CBS on Fridays. It will likely be back to help launch new Friday shows and produce enough episodes to enter syndication.

  • "Criminal Minds"

    <strong>"Criminal Minds," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: As one of CBS's strong procedural players, the series has been steady in the ratings and will likely be renewed to help anchor a night and launch a new drama.

  • "CSI"

    <strong>"CSI," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Of the two "CSI" shows on the air, "CSI" is the stronger player in the TV landscape. The show is nowhere near its earlier ratings, but after such a successful run, CBS would be smart to bring the show -- and some old faces back -- for an abbreviated farewell season.

  • "CSI: NY"

    <strong>"CSI: NY," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: The spinoff series will be entering Season 10 in the 2013-2014 season. The ratings have faded over the years, but they're still pretty stable, especially for Fridays. It's a toss up, depending on how well CBS's development slate goes.

  • "Elementary"

    <strong>"Elementary," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: One of the very few freshman series hits during the 2012-2013 TV season, CBS is very keen on this modern-day take on Sherlock Holmes. The audience has been steady and the network even gave it the post-Super Bowl timeslot.

  • "Golden Boy"

    <strong>"Golden Boy," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: CBS certainly has a handsome star at the front of this cop drama, but its late season entry and Friday timeslot could be a hint toward CBS's confidence in the show.

  • "The Good Wife"

    <strong>"The Good Wife," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: A former ratings champ, "The Good Wife" has slipped to series low ratings on Sunday nights. Blame football overrun, fan-detested storylines or too many guest stars, but "The Good Wife" is certainly in the danger zone. What it has going for it: star power and critical praise, plus its nearing a good syndication sweet spot.

  • "Hawaii Five-0"

    <strong>"Hawaii Five-0," CBS</strong <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Its ratings -- bouncing around 8-10 million viewers an episode, are great ... if you're a show on NBC. By CBS standards, they're kind of meh, but this show has stars with very active fan followings. CBS could axe the drama to make room for new procedurals, or stick with it to get the show close to syndication gold.

  • "How I Met Your Mother"

    <strong>"How I Met Your Mother," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS handed out a ninth and final season to this comedy with the entire cast returning. Expect to meet the mother, finally.

  • "Made In Jersey"

    <strong>"Made In Jersey," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: CBS pulled the plug on this legal drama very early on in the season because of low ratings.

  • "The Mentalist"

    <strong>"The Mentalist," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: "The Mentalist" has fallen to mediocre ratings -- by CBS standards -- and could be axed in favor of making room for a new drama.

  • "Mike & Molly"

    <strong>"Mike & Molly," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The ratings are down a little bit from last year, but Melissa McCarthy's star continues to rise. CBS will likely bring the show back for another season.

  • "NCIS"

    <strong>"NCIS," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS reached a deal with series star Mark Harmon in early 2013, keeping the No. 1 show in America around for a Season 11.

  • "NCIS: LA"

    <strong>"NCIS: LA," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Viewers love their "NCIS," in any form. The ratings have been strong and the network is producing a backdoor spinoff pilot for this spinoff show. A full night of "NCIS" could be in CBS's future.

  • "Partners"

    <strong>"Partners," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: Low ratings and unfavorable reviews led to the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/partners-canceled-cbs_n_2145832.html">early demise</a> of this CBS comedy.

  • "Person of Interest"

    <strong>"Person of Interest," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The series has developed a nice-sized audience, bigger than its first season.

  • "Rules of Engagement"

    <strong>"Rules of Engagement," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Honestly, who knows <strong>Why</strong>: This comedy has been on the bubble since it premiered ... yet is now in its seventh season. It's too soon to look at the numbers for this season, but the show has been a midseason success for CBS in the past. However, series co-star <a href="http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/02/07/cbs-orders-comedy-pilot-starring-patrick-warburton/">Patrick Warburton is attached to star in a new pilot</a> ... for CBS.

  • "Survivor"

    <strong>"Survivor," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A strong player for the last 13 years, "Survivor" will likely be back. But due to its <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/survivor-ratings-lowest-premiere-ever_n_2687591.html">most recent premiere ratings</a>, we might not see it during the fall season, though a midseason or summer return -- with some new gimmick -- is definitely in the cards for the reality series.

  • "Two and a Half Men"

    <strong>"Two and a Half Men," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS wants another season of this bawdy hit, it's just a matter of getting its stars to sign back on.

  • "Undercover Boss"

    <strong>"Undercover Boss," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The show is enjoying life in syndication and its Season 4 numbers are better than most of its third season.

  • "Unforgettable"

    <strong>"Unforgettable," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Uncanceled <strong>Why</strong>: CBS canceled the Poppy Montgomery drama last season ... and then revived it! Season 2 premieres Sunday, July 28.

  • "Vegas"

    <strong>"Vegas," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Despite star power, the series hasn't been a breakout hit in the ratings. CBS previously canceled "Unforgettable" (then uncanceled it) last season when it was doing about the same as "Vegas."

  • Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/ncis-ducky-jimmy-kidnapped-video_n_2771627.html

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    Video: Kerry on Syria: ?We want a peaceful resolution?

    Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

    Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50964838/

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    UK judge to hold secret hearing in Litvinenko case

    LONDON (AP) ? A British judge said Wednesday that he will hold a secret hearing to assess whether some evidence about the death of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko should be kept from the public.

    Litvinenko, a Russian intelligence officer turned Kremlin critic, died in London in November 2006 after drinking tea spiked with the radioactive isotope polonium-210. His family says he was working for Britain's intelligence services, and believes the Russian state was behind his death.

    Moscow authorities deny the claim, and refuse to extradite for trial two Russians identified by British authorities as the prime suspects in the killing.

    Judge Robert Owen is due to oversee a coroner's inquest. Such inquests are held to determine the facts about violent or unexplained deaths.

    Britain's government wants some evidence kept secret for national security reasons, a move opposed by Litvinenko's family and several media outlets.

    A lawyer for Litvinenko's widow, Marina, complained Tuesday that the family and legal team do not even know what material the government wants to restrict.

    "We are dancing in the dark," attorney Ben Emmerson said, accusing the British and Russian governments of conspiring to stop the truth from coming out.

    Owen said Wednesday that he would examine that evidence behind closed doors, but promised to give the government request the "most stringent and critical examination." He said he could make the evidence public if he was not convinced of the government's case.

    "It is my duty to carry out a full, fearless and independent investigation into the circumstances of the death of Mr. Litvinenko," the judge said. "That, I intend to do."

    The inquest had been due to start May 1, but Owen conceded Tuesday that it would likely be postponed.

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-judge-hold-secret-hearing-litvinenko-case-172235098.html

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    Police and firefighters at higher risk for mental disorders following traumatic events

    Police and firefighters at higher risk for mental disorders following traumatic events [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 26-Feb-2013
    [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

    Contact: Natalie Wood-Wright
    nwoodwri@jhsph.edu
    410-614-6029
    Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

    Police, firefighters and other protective services workers who are repeatedly exposed to traumatic events and are new to their profession are at greater risk of developing a psychiatric disorder, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The researchers also found that protective services workers do not appear to have a higher prevalence of mental health problems than workers in other occupations. The study results are featured in the February 2013 issue of Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness.

    "Our findings suggest that exposure to diverse types of traumatic events among protective services workers is a risk factor for new onset of psychopathology and alcohol use disorders," said Christopher N. Kaufmann, MHS, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in the Bloomberg School's Department of Mental Health. "When we examined the relationship of exposure to common traumas with the development of mood, anxiety and alcohol use disorders among protective services workers, we found that these workers were at greater risk for developing a mood or alcohol use disorder. Interestingly, this relationship was not seen in those who had been in these jobs for a longer period, but was strong and statistically significant in workers who recently joined the profession. Developing curricula in coping skills and providing timely interventions for early career protective services workers may help reduce future psychiatric morbidity in these workers."

    Using data from the U.S National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions researchers compared the prevalence of mental disorders of protective services workers to that of adults in other occupations. In addition, they examined the association of exposure to common traumatic experiences with the development of new mood, anxiety and alcohol use disorders among protective services workers who recently joined the workforce and those who had been in these jobs for a longer period. Lifetime and recent trauma events most commonly reported by protective services workers included: seeing someone badly injured or killed; unexpectedly seeing a dead body; having someone close die unexpectedly and having someone close experience a serious or life-threatening illness, accident or injury.

    "The association between the number of different traumatic event types and incident mood and alcohol-use disorders, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, was virtually confined to the group of early career protective services workers," said Ramin Mojtabai, MD, PhD, MPH, senior author of the study and an associate professor with the Bloomberg School's Department of Mental Health. "Future research should examine the coping skills of protective services workers who have been in these jobs for many years, which might make them less likely to develop psychiatric complications in the face of various potentially traumatic experiences."

    The authors note, "Special support programs and services for these early career workers can potentially help to prevent development of chronic psychopathology and attrition from these critical jobs."

    ###

    "Mental Health of Protective Services Workers: Results From the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions," was written by Christopher N. Kaufmann, Lainie Rutkow, Adam P. Spira and Ramin Mojtabai.


    [ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

    ?


    AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


    Police and firefighters at higher risk for mental disorders following traumatic events [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 26-Feb-2013
    [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

    Contact: Natalie Wood-Wright
    nwoodwri@jhsph.edu
    410-614-6029
    Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

    Police, firefighters and other protective services workers who are repeatedly exposed to traumatic events and are new to their profession are at greater risk of developing a psychiatric disorder, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The researchers also found that protective services workers do not appear to have a higher prevalence of mental health problems than workers in other occupations. The study results are featured in the February 2013 issue of Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness.

    "Our findings suggest that exposure to diverse types of traumatic events among protective services workers is a risk factor for new onset of psychopathology and alcohol use disorders," said Christopher N. Kaufmann, MHS, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in the Bloomberg School's Department of Mental Health. "When we examined the relationship of exposure to common traumas with the development of mood, anxiety and alcohol use disorders among protective services workers, we found that these workers were at greater risk for developing a mood or alcohol use disorder. Interestingly, this relationship was not seen in those who had been in these jobs for a longer period, but was strong and statistically significant in workers who recently joined the profession. Developing curricula in coping skills and providing timely interventions for early career protective services workers may help reduce future psychiatric morbidity in these workers."

    Using data from the U.S National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions researchers compared the prevalence of mental disorders of protective services workers to that of adults in other occupations. In addition, they examined the association of exposure to common traumatic experiences with the development of new mood, anxiety and alcohol use disorders among protective services workers who recently joined the workforce and those who had been in these jobs for a longer period. Lifetime and recent trauma events most commonly reported by protective services workers included: seeing someone badly injured or killed; unexpectedly seeing a dead body; having someone close die unexpectedly and having someone close experience a serious or life-threatening illness, accident or injury.

    "The association between the number of different traumatic event types and incident mood and alcohol-use disorders, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, was virtually confined to the group of early career protective services workers," said Ramin Mojtabai, MD, PhD, MPH, senior author of the study and an associate professor with the Bloomberg School's Department of Mental Health. "Future research should examine the coping skills of protective services workers who have been in these jobs for many years, which might make them less likely to develop psychiatric complications in the face of various potentially traumatic experiences."

    The authors note, "Special support programs and services for these early career workers can potentially help to prevent development of chronic psychopathology and attrition from these critical jobs."

    ###

    "Mental Health of Protective Services Workers: Results From the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions," was written by Christopher N. Kaufmann, Lainie Rutkow, Adam P. Spira and Ramin Mojtabai.


    [ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

    ?


    AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


    Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/jhub-paf022613.php

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    How Facebook Is Using You to Annoy Your Friends (and How to Stop It)

    How Facebook Is Using You to Annoy Your Friends (and How to Stop It) Facebook is using you, whether you know it or not. Sometimes it's obvious: you like a page, you click share, Facebook benefits. Other times, you have no clue until a friend asks you about a photo they saw that you liked. The unfortunate side-effect to all of this is that it can actually make you an unbearable annoyance to your friends, and you probably don't even know it. Here's how it works, and how to stop it.

    When we talk about the ways that Facebook uses your personal information, we're usually talking about why you should care about your privacy, or how Facebook tacks your activity. In this case, we're discussing how your Facebook habits are used?with or without your knowledge?to bother your friends with ads that they associate with you. It's a very different beast, but it can be stopped. Here's what you need to know.

    EdgeRank: The Math Facebook Uses to Pimp Out Your Likes

    How Facebook Is Using You to Annoy Your Friends (and How to Stop It) You've probably seen an increase in posts in your news feed that say "[Your Friend] likes [Random Group]'s photo," with the full photo and text of the group's post right there, as though you liked the group yourself. On your phone or tablet, you've likely seen "Sponsored Posts" that say "[Another Friend] likes [Random Company]" with an invitation to like that page as well. It's annoying to be sure, but you also likely know that your friend didn't choose to advertise the page to you?it's Facebook, using our habits to get likes and shares.

    The logic that Facebook uses to decide what lands in your friends' feeds is called "EdgeRank," and it's purposefully obscure?after all, if everyone understood it clearly (and lots of people claim to, but don't), advertisers wouldn't have to pay to promote posts, and users would be able to easily filter their feeds and block ads they don't want to see. EdgeRank serves two purposes: For people who operate Facebook pages and manage brands, it's the algorithm that decides whether your post gets out to as many of your fans as possible. For users, it's the likelihood you'll see something in your feed liked or shared by someone else. It's also the math that governs why your news feed refuses to stay in real chronological order, even after you set it to "most recent."

    We're not talking about your own status updates, photos, or anything you post to Facebook yourself?just the way you interact with other pages, groups, and people on Facebook. It's one thing if your news feed is full of baby pictures from your old high school friends?it's another thing when every post you like from a group you follow ends up in all of your friends' news feeds without you knowing or being able to control who sees it.

    Facebook Uses You to Help Pages and Brands Find Your Friends and Go Viral

    How Facebook Is Using You to Annoy Your Friends (and How to Stop It)The Problem: When you see a post in your news feed from a group you've never heard of, like a heartwarming photo or a campaign for a cause, you might assume it's because your friend chose to share it with their followers by clicking the "share" button. That's not the case: odds are they thought it was good, clicked Like, and moved on. A quick way to check is to visit their profile directly: if you don't see the post there, then Facebook decided that you might like to see it too, not your friend.

    This is annoying, but it's especially problematic when you click like on something that may not be work-safe, assuming that "like" is not "share," so "who'll see it, right?" For example, one of my friends is a model: she's attractive, and her photo shoots are often artsy, but it's nothing you'd want your boss asking you about because they peeked over your shoulder at work. By "liking" her posts about her photo shoots, I run the risk of unintentionally sharing her photos with my Facebook friends, and having their bosses scold them for looking at scantily-clad model pics. See the problem? Unfortunately there's no way out of this: Facebook doesn't let you set the privacy level of something you've liked. If the original poster shared publicly, your like is public as well. Remember that if you're a fan of any Facebook groups or pages that like to keep their posts in-group or close to pocket, or it may land in a friend's news feed.

    This is EdgeRank in action: it's not sinister, it's just Facebook deciding that your friends may have similar interests and may like what you like. The downside is that it populates your news feed with photos and updates from pages you may have no interest in, and does the same to your friends. We've shown you how to clean up your own feed, but how do you avoid cluttering up everyone else's feed?

    The Solution: First, think before you click the Like button. There's no way to determine which likes will be posted to which friends, so before you like that photo on one of your favorite pages, assume that it could be broadcast to all of your friends. Here are some other tips:

    • Hide those pages you like from your profile and set their posting rights to "only me." In our tests, doing this hid the things we liked from those groups from other people's feeds?but we can't be 100% sure it'll work for everyone.
    • Check your activity log. This is the only way to know which of your likes are public and which aren't (Go to your profile, then click "Activity Log.") You'll see a history of every status update, photo, and shared item you've liked, along with an icon that'll tell you whether it's public or shared only with friends. Facebook usually doesn't let you change the visibility of those entries, but you can "unlike" something if you don't want it in someone else's feed with your name plastered over it.
    • Use Social Fixer to tame your own feed. You can use Social Fixer to trim down those types of re-liked posts in your own feed, removing the temptation to like them yourself. Still, this doesn't stop Facebook from re-sharing groups you actually do like with your friends that don't.

    Facebook Uses Your Likes to Sponsor Brands, Cluttering Up Your Friends' Feeds

    How Facebook Is Using You to Annoy Your Friends (and How to Stop It)The Problem: You've seen the ads before: Friend A, B, and C Like [Brand], with a Like button next to it. They're right there in the middle of your news feed?sometimes there are two or three of them together in a big "sponsored" box. It's annoying, especially when the brand in question isn't even remotely interesting to you. Save your friends the hassle, and audit the brands and companies you like on Facebook.

    The Solution: Unlike pages and brands that you don't need an active relationship with, and don't like new ones unless you need to. Save your friends the irritation of seeing "So-and-So Likes A Company You Could Care Less About!" every time they log in to Facebook and just remove brands you don't feel like providing free advertising for.

    Don't get us wrong, lots of companies offer great customer service, discounts, and other incentives to like them on Facebook (we'd be lying if we said we didn't want you to like us on Facebook too,) but let's be honest. You probably liked a bunch of companies on Facebook because you shop there and wanted to see what their Facebook page was all about, or because they were running a contest that required you Like them?not because they offer you any tangible benefit today. Alternatively:

    • Follow the same companies on Twitter instead. Twitter doesn't come with the same commitment that Facebook does, or the same access to your friends. You could also use Twitter lists to stay on top of their deals and coupons without having to like or follow them at all.
    • Set up a second Facebook account for "liking" purposes. A second account, one that you only use for things like promotions and discounts, is invaluable?stuff it full of as much or as little information as you choose to provide, and then use it instead of your main account. You can even use it as a way to see what's Facebook is sharing from your primary account without you knowing (although the specifics vary from friend to friend.) Note: Facebook's policy is one person-one account, so you'd likely be violating their TOS by doing this. Just something to keep in mind.
    • Adjust your Facebook Ad Settings. One reader noted that you can also make sure to limit Facebook's ability to use your name and likeness in ads (which they currently don't, but say they may in the future), and how they use your likes and pages to generate ads for others to see. There's even a settings page governing it, even though it's quite buried. Set both options to "No One."

    Facebook Isn't Planning to Stop Anytime Soon

    How Facebook Is Using You to Annoy Your Friends (and How to Stop It) Annoying your friends?by which we mean making sure that Facebook ads your friends see have your name above them (and vice versa) aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Facebook's new Graph Search gives you a great way to find people who share interests with you, but it also gives advertisers a great way to cross-reference people's likes and interests so they can better target who should see their brand or product, and which of their friends they should use to say "See? Your friend already likes us, why don't you?" Image from the always funny Actual Facebook Graph Searches.

    Now, Graph Search is only limited to a small number of people right now and it respects your privacy settings. If you're smart about keeping your privacy settings where they should be, you don't have anything to worry about from Graph Search. Similarly, it's not certain that Graph Search is even open to advertisers right now, so there's no reason to get out the torches and the pitchforks.

    Another example of the same philosophy was Facebook's Social Reader. Graph Search is in the future, but Social Reader is a great example of a Facebook feature that went belly up because people didn't care too much for their activity being shared automatically and without their explicit permission each time it was used. News sites using Social Reader, like The Washington Post and The Guardian (the latter of which has already killed their social reader app) saw tumbling numbers last year as readers ditched them en masse. Whether they left because they didn't care for every story they read being automatically shared with their friends (assuming they didn't change post visibility to "only me,") or because they just didn't like what those apps had to offer is still a matter of debate.

    The Bottom Line: Just Know What You're Getting Into

    How Facebook Is Using You to Annoy Your Friends (and How to Stop It) The truth is that Facebook is a free service to users, and it needs to make money somehow, and that money will be made using your data. The question is whether Facebook uses it or they give it to someone else to use, and how that information is used.

    The moral of the story here is to be careful with the things you like, because it's not just things you share that end up in your friends' news feeds. Since you can't even go to your profile to see what's been shared on your behalf, it's impossible to tell until someone pings you to ask why you've been liking so many posts from one particular Facebook group lately, or why the only thing you seem to share these days are someone else's photos. Of course, stay on top of your privacy settings, the post visibility of apps you use (remember: "Only Me" is your friend,) watch what you click "Share" on. Oh, and of course: Every time Facebook makes an arcane change with nebulous results, make sure to update them accordingly.

    Title photo made using NAS Creatives (Shutterstock).

    Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/nzvghUgG_QA/how-facebook-is-using-you-to-annoy-your-friends-and-how-to-stop-it

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    Virtual Immigration March for Innovation Planned for Spring

    The March for Innovation, an online endeavor underwritten by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and several venture capitalists and paid for by the New American Economy Action Fund, is working to garner support for its virtual march in late spring.

    What is the goal of the group?

    March for Innovation intends to use social media to pressure Congress with respect to "innovation-focused immigration reform." The organizers urge congressional representatives to reform the United States' immigration policy with an eye on entrepreneurship and to "attract and keep the best, the brightest and the hardest-working to fuel innovation and American jobs."

    Why is this aspect of immigration reform important to America's economy?

    The Associated Press notes that Silicon Valley leaders have gone on record complaining about the difficulties associated with inviting qualified high-tech workers to leave their home countries and come to live and work in the United States. Leaders of the high-tech industry argue that today's economy calls for the employment of the world's most talented workers, which do not necessarily live in the United State. In order to stay competitive in the global market, American companies argue that immigration policies are hindering them from pursuing this talent.

    What would these types of immigration reform measures look like?

    Benefiting foreign students who graduate from American universities with degrees in mathematics, engineering, science and technology, these immigrants would receive permanent resident status. Tech industry leaders are also looking for a new visa category that benefits entrepreneurs. Companies hope to receive more visa slots to hire foreign high-tech workers.

    Who is currently trying to compete with the United States for high-tech workers?

    Renew Our Economy asserts that the UK, Singapore, Ireland, New Zealand and Chile are actively competing for entrepreneurs. With a mix of low minimum investments, liberal grants, generous initial visa periods and a road to permanent residency, these countries are rewarding business success and job creation with a stay in the country. Wired explains that Canada is now trying to woo more talent by offering up a path to citizenship for entrepreneurs. The United States operates the EB-5 visa program that requires up front investments totaling $500,000 to $1 million.

    Why is this type of immigration discussion getting lost in today's contentious debate in Congress?

    Politico references a letter sent to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, by Arizona house Republicans. These politicians are focused on security along the United States border with Mexico. Warning against a spillover of the drug cartel violence currently raging in Mexico, the Republicans want to see the nation's border secured before discussing changes to the immigration law.

    Sylvia Cochran offers an insider's perspective of the American immigration system. Having gone through the steps of becoming a citizen -- and currently living in a border state -- she brings hands-on familiarity with hot-button issues to the table.

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/virtual-immigration-march-innovation-planned-spring-212300721--finance.html

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    The Note's Must-Reads for Tuesday February 26, 2013

    The Note's Must-Reads are a round-up of today's political headlines and stories from ABC News and the top U.S. newspapers. Posted Monday through Friday right here at www.abcnews.com

    Compiled by ABC News' Carrie Halperin, Jayce Henderson Amanda VanAllen and Danielle Genet

    FISCAL BATTLE ABC News' John Parkinson: " Boehner Not Blinking in Budget Deadlock " With sequestration set to strike on Friday, House Speaker John Boehner returned to the Capitol after a nine-day recess with no apparent change in his political posture: If the $85 billion cuts are going to be averted, Boehner insists, it's up to the Senate to act. Some lawmakers had returned to Washington today hoping for a "hail Mary" attempt to avert the looming sequestration cuts. LINK

    USA Today's David Jackson: " Obama enlists governors' help on sequestration fix" President Obama sought to recruit the nation's governors Monday in his sequestration battle with Congress, telling them that $85 billion in automatic budget cuts would cripple economic progress in their states. Set to start Friday, the sequestration cuts will lead to fewer teachers, reduced medical care, idle defense workers and other job-killing reductions in all 50 states, Obama told members of the National Governors Association at the White House. LINK

    The New York Times' Jonathan Weisman and Michael D. Shear: " G.O.P. Drafts Plan to Give Obama Discretion on Cuts" Congressional Republicans are preparing to counter increasingly dire warnings from President Obama about the impact of automatic budget cuts with a plan to give the administration more flexibility in instituting $85 billion in cuts, a proposal they say could protect the most vital programs while shifting more of the political fallout to the White House. The plan is vigorously opposed by the administration, which said Monday that it would do little to soften the blow to military and domestic programs. LINK

    The Washington Post's Michael Laris: " In Newport News shipyard, looming budget cuts create anxiety and anger" As President Obama returned from a Florida golfing trip and Congress was on a Presidents' Day break last week, Tommy Bassett, a nuclear machinist, was applying for a backup job at Lowe's. The carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was supposed to arrive at the massive shipyard here on Valentine's Day for a multibillion-dollar overhaul that would take years and provide Bassett and some of the other 21,000 shipyard employees with steady work. LINK

    Bloomberg's Hans Nichols: " Obama Seeks Pressure on Congress from Governors" President Barack Obama urged the nation's governors to pressure Congress for a deal to avoid automatic spending cuts scheduled to begin March 1, telling them the impact would be felt in every state. With the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, the White House distributed a state-by-state list of programs, including defense, education and public health, that would be affected by the across-the-board reduction of $85 billion in this fiscal year. LINK

    GUN CONTROL Politico's Reid J. Epstein: " Obama's gun strategy falling short in Senate" President Barack Obama's legislative strategy for gun control may be the reason he gets no deal at all. Obama's team has been working a delicate inside game to reach out to otherwise combative Senate Republicans: The White House conveys messages to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who develops strategy with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), the gun-friendly moderate who is tasked with whipping GOP support. LINK

    USA Today's Jackie Kucinich: " Senate to take up assault weapons ban" The Senate on Wednesday will hold the first hearing to consider a revamped assault weapons ban, but despite the emotionally loaded witness list, the ban is unlikely become law this year. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the author of the first ban, will preside over the hearing, which will feature testimony from Neil Heslin, whose 6-year-old son, Jesse Lewis, was one of the 20 schoolchildren shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14. LINK

    IMMIGRATION The Wall Street Journal's Laura Meckler: " The GOP's Immigration Dilemma" Sen. Lindsey Graham had just explained how his immigration overhaul plan would secure the border and crack down on employers who hire illegal residents. But when he asked a luncheon of the Cherokee County Republican Party what should happen to the millions already in the U.S., one woman yelled back, "Send them home!" LINK

    THE WHITE HOUSE The Washington Times' Dave Boyer: " No open door: White House denies selling access to President Obama to wealthy supporters" The White House refuted a report Monday that President Obama's former campaign team is selling access to him for wealthy donors who contribute at least $500,000 to a newly organized advocacy group pushing his liberal agenda. White House press secretary Jay Carney offered a flat "no" when asked by reporters if donors to the group Organizing for Action - a spinoff of Obama for America - would be rewarded with quarterly meetings with Mr. Obama in exchange for their hefty contributions to the tax-exempt group. LINK

    VIDEOS " New York Politician Apologizes for Blackface Costume" LINK

    BOOKMARKS The Note: LINK The Must-Reads Online: LINK Top Line Webcast (12noon EST M-F): LINK ABC News Politics: LINK George's Bottom Line (George Stephanopoulos): LINK Follow ABC News on Twitter: LINK ABC News Mobile: LINK ABC News app on your iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad: LINK

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    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/notes-must-reads-tuesday-february-26-2013-075531854--abc-news-politics.html

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