Microsoft Releases Biggest-ever Security Update

Microsoft released its largest-ever set of security patches Tuesday, fixing a total of 49 bugs in products such as Windows, Internet Explorer and Office.

There are 16 groups of patches (called updates) in total. Microsoft says that two of them -- the Internet Explorer fix numbered MS10-071 and a Windows patch numbered MS10-076 -- should get top priority.

Microsoft thinks attack code is likely to be developed that will target bugs fixed by both of those updates.

NCircle Director of Security Operations Andrew Storms agrees that those two updates should be a top priority as they could be leveraged in a drive-by Internet attack. In this common type of attack, a hacker tricks the victim into visiting a Web page that takes advantage of the bug to install a malicious program on the victim's machine.

The MS10-71 update fixes 10 Internet Explorer bugs. Two are rated critical, meaning they could be used in a drive-by. The MS10-076 update fixes a single critical flaw in the Windows Embedded OpenType (EOT) Font Engine, used by Internet Explorer. The latest versions of Windows include a security technology called ASLR (address space layout randomization) which makes it harder to exploit that type of bug, Microsoft believes attackers are likely to develop attacks for older versions of the operating system such as Windows XP.

The two other top-rated updates are MS10-077, a fix for a bug in Microsoft's .Net Framework that affects 64-bit systems, and MS10-075, which fixes a critical flaw in the Microsoft Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service, used by Windows to share music files and other media over the network. This service is turned on by default with Windows 7 Home Edition, but a hacker would have to first be on the local network to launch an attack, Microsoft said.

Just because the other fixes are not rated critical does not mean they can be ignored. Symantec says 35 of the 49 bugs fixed on Tuesday could give hackers a way to run unauthorized software on a victim's machines, and Microsoft says attacks are likely to be developed that exploit some of the lower-rated issues as well.

In fact, one of Tuesday's updates -- MS10-073; rated important by Microsoft -- fixes a Windows XP bug that was leveraged by the creators of the Stuxent worm. Stuxnet is the first publicly known worm built to attack industrial systems and it has made headlines during the past weeks amidst speculation that it was designed to target nuclear systems in Iran.

Your boss won’t know you’re a pothead! A portable herb vaporizer that offers ‘smokeless freedom’ is flying off the shelves

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREW TOLSON

“It’s a no-brainer,” deadpanned Robin Ellins, owner of Friendly Stranger, a cannabis culture shop in Toronto. Ellins was referring to the runaway success of the Iolite portable herb vaporizer. It’s the hottest new drug paraphernalia to hit the market since . . . since . . . nobody can remember.

Stoners are smitten by this handy little unit that resembles a walkie-talkie. “It’s actually manufactured in Ireland as an aromatherapy device,” clarified Manitoba-based Robert Ritchot, a Canadian distributor of the device. Sure, Robert, whatever your lawyers say.

Iolite’s slogan explains its popularity: “Smokeless freedom.” No cords. No batteries. It runs on butane canisters (around $5 each) and retails for approximately $200 to $300 (less than half the price of the cumbersome plug-in models found in basements across Canada). How does it work? A small amount of your preferred herb is vaporized and accessed through a tube, just like a sippy cup. If this is hard to imagine, watch one of the countless demonstrations on YouTube. Owners explain how it uses less weed and provides a “cleaner” high while vaporizing nearly all of the active ingredients.

“My wife no longer banishes me to the man cave at the back of the house,” said Toronto resident “Doug,” a director of business development in the auto industry. “I can even smoke up in front of my mom because there’s no smoke!” Doug is a parent, just like “Sarah,” an ethics professor spending the summer at her cottage in Muskoka. “It’s guilt-free, with the baby,” she said, concerned that her university colleagues would read this article. “Where I teach, pot is taboo and I’d be fired if they knew.”

The kind of people who need the discretion offered by a smoke-free vaporizer are not interested in being quoted in national magazines. “We get everyone from cops to pilots buying the portables,” said Dominic Jean, the distribution manager for retailer High Times, headquartered in Laval, Que. At Shakedown Street head shop in Kitchener, Ont., they sell portable vaporizers to “businessmen hiding it from their wives” and “outdoorsy people.” Across the country, professors and students are cited as frequent buyers, as are “closet stoners” and patients with chronic pain.

At the Toronto Hemp Co., staff took the portable vaporizer outside to see how people reacted. “It was a dream come true. We went to the movie, to the mall and the subway,” said assistant manager Corey Williams. “Nobody knew.”

It’s all news to commandant Marc St-Cyr, chief of the Montreal police force’s district 20. “It’s the first I’ve heard of it. We haven’t seized one of these devices yet,” he said. “But I’m not overly worried. If people are passing around a walkie-talkie, sipping on it, in a small group of friends, we’ll notice.”
Now you’ll notice. Sorry, everyone. Kevin, a sales executive in Toronto, owns two vaporizers—an old table model with a cord and a new portable he calls his hand-held. “I use it in the car, mostly, and around our pregnant friend,” said Kevin, who bought a knock-off unit for $75 on Yonge Street six months ago.

Along with knock-offs come more serious competitors. Now, Iolite must share the spotlight with a new, battery-operated vaporizer from Air-2 called NO2, which debuts this weekend at the first Medical Marijuana and Hemp Expo (July 16-18) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Attendees with a federal exemption card can test the NO2 and the Iolite at the vapour lounge. (Seriously, you need the card.)

Not everyone wants one of these high-tech travellers. Purists like Montrealer Martin Labbé says the portable units don’t let him properly “taste” his medical marijuana. Meanwhile, recording artist Errol Blackwood says the portables rob him of the religious ritual. “As a Rasta, it’s part of the sacrament to roll a big joint and rub the smoke on your face,” says Blackwood, who will perform his song Holy Smokes at the expo. Marco Renda prefers his plug-in model. “The Volcano is still the Ferrari of vaporizers,” said Renda, the publisher of Treating Yourself marijuana magazine and co-founder of the expo. “I don’t like butane. It’s a gas. I’m old school.”

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By:Joanne Latimer(7-22-2010)

http://current.com/1bho84c

http://current.com/1bho84c

Technorati Tags: cannabis,high times,lolite,marijuana,portable herb vaborizer,valcano

http://htxt.it/ECLI

http://htxt.it/ECLI

The Lean VC: a Silicon Valley 2.0 Story

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

The Lean VC: a Silicon Valley 2.0 Story

View more presentations from Dave McClure.

7 Reasons to Switch to the Dvorak Keyboard Layout

 

(The Dvorak Keyboard)

“Something’s wrong with your keyboard,” a friend borrowing my laptop would say.
“When I type, all that comes out is gibberish!”
“Nothing’s wrong with my keyboard,” I would reply with a grin. “It’s the layout
on your keyboard that’s wrong!”

Click image to enlarge.
What usually follows is a long lecture on how the Dvorak keyboard layout is
better than QWERTY in every way. My friends usually humor me — this has happened
several times — but I’ll spare you the sermon and make it short. Out of the
hundreds of reasons you should switch to Dr. Dvorak’s layout, here are seven:
1. QWERTY was designed for the typewriter, not the typist.
Christopher Sholes, who invented the typewriter, found that early prototypes of
his invention had a mechanical flaw: When he struck neighboring keys in rapid
succession, the typewriter jammed. He needed to replace the initial alphabetical
layout with one that separated keys often struck successively. Thus the QWERTY
layout was born. This did not solve the problem entirely, but it made the
machine jam a lot less.
Good for the typewriter. But what about the typist? While QWERTY was designed so
that the typewriter could work, Dvorak was designed so that the typist could
work well.
2. Dvorak increases your speed.
Typists base their fingers on the home row of the keyboard. If you want to
increase typing speed, the home row is where you place the most commonly typed
keys . Which is exactly what Dr. Dvorak did in his layout — 70% of keystrokes
are on the home row; 22%, on the top row; 8%, on the bottom.
In QWERTY, only 32% of keystrokes are on the home row. Which means most of the
time, typists’ fingers are either reaching up for the top row (52%) or down for
the bottom row (16%). So not only does QWERTY do nothing for typists, it
actually hinders them.
Dvorak further increases typing speed by placing all vowels on the left side of
the home row, and the most commonly used consonants on the right side. This
guarantees that most of your strokes alternate between a finger on your right
hand (consonant) and a finger on your left (vowel). Alternating between fingers
from either hand is faster — just imagine texting with one hand or drumming with
one stick.
3. Dvorak lessens your mistakes.
Not only is Dvorak faster than QWERTY, it’s also more accurate. Errors occur
more when you type away from the home row, or consecutively with the same
finger. When you combine the two problems (using the same finger to type
consecutive letters not on the home row) you make even more mistakes.
Reaching away from the home row, typing consecutively with the same finger —
these happen more often in QWERTY. And so do mistakes.
4. Dvorak is more comfortable and better for your health.
Although its only your fingers that do the extra reaching in QWERTY, the
distance adds up. A study compared the distance traveled by the fingers of two
typists in performing the same task. In Dvorak, the typists fingers traveled 1.5
km per day; In QWERTY, 30 km per day. This extra distance increases not only the
likelihood of errors but the stress on your fingers.
The discomfort is often temporary. But with the amount of typing we do today —
plus the prevalence of QWERTY keyboards — it is not uncommon for the pain to
progress to repetitive strain injury. Some RSI sufferers have reported some
relief from taking breaks, doing stretches, improving posture, and of course,
switching to Dvorak.
5. Switching to Dvorak is easier than ever.
Studies have shown that Dvorak is easier to learn than QWERTY. If you already
touchtype with QWERTY, it’s even easier, because you already have the finger
coordination needed for touchtyping. There are online resources on learning
Dvorak and a ton of typing games for practice.
But where do you get the keyboards? Today, keyboards with the Dvorak layout (or
that can switch to Dvorak) are available if you wish to buy one. But you won’t
even have to. Most operating systems allow users to make Dvorak their default
keyboard layout. You can also make it easy to switch between layouts, but trust
me — you won’t want to.
6. Dvorak is cool.
Aside from getting friends and coworkers to type gibberish on your computer (a
useful security measure, by the way) Dvorak has other cool benefits. Using
Dvorak puts you in an exclusive club — like having a Mac instead of a PC. But
aside from mere prestige, you can flaunt your productivity and the ease with
which you attain it.
You’ll also be in the company of some cool people, including Bram Cohen,
inventor of BitTorrent; Matt Mullenweg, lead developer of WordPress; and Barbara
Blackburn, world’s fastest typist.
7. Using Dvorak is a noble cause.
Dr. Dvorak created something great, but he died in vain.
“I’m tired of trying to do something worthwhile for the human race,” he said,
realizing his failure to convince people to adopt his layout. “They simply don’t
want to change!”
QWERTY has remained the default keyboard layout for over a century. It has
outlived the purpose for which it was designed, yet its weaknesses still remain.
By switching to Dvorak, you are joining a movement that empowers typists and
honors the legacy of a great man.

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By Red Tani @:

http://workawesome.com/productivity/dvorak-keyboard-layout/

Technorati Tags: BuzzNet Tags: switch,Dvorak Keybord,keyboard,typing,productivity

Six Reasons Guys Love You As Is

Women spend a lot of time doing things or wearing things they think they need to in order to keep their guy happy. Here's a little secret: All he cares about is you!

 

Good News!

You can skip the monthly waxing appointments and faux love of foosball. Our promise to you: After reading this, you'll have hours of your life back — and a guy who's more into you than ever!

It's not your boobs. Or your butt. Or even your bank account. Sure, we men like all of that. Ultimately, though, we're in it for exactly one thing: you. As a sometimes sucker of a boyfriend myself, I'm well aware of how tempting it is to try too hard. But I'm tired, and I'll bet you are as well. So consider this a to-don't list, and chill.

1. You don't have to miss out on crème Brule.
"I kept inviting this woman over for meals, and she'd just pick at what I made. She finally told me she wasn't 'into' food. That kind of ended it." —Alex, 25, Darien, Conn.

No need to inhale a steak on a man's account, but we love women of all shapes — with bodies and legs and soft things to hold on to — and it takes food to get that way. (By the way, your ribs? They're meant to protect your organs — please don't make seeing them a fitness goal. Thanks.)

2. You don't have to make his hobbies your hobbies, and his life your life.
"My ex always dropped little Sports Center references, and her ring tone was the Monday Night Football song. When we broke up, she admitted she never even liked football." —Ted, 32, Telluride, Colo.

Doing everything together is a tried-and-true path to resentment (and breakups). My most recent ex made an effort to be friends with my friends, which I appreciated, but it got to a point where she expected to be invited when we went out. The problem wasn't her interest in my life — your guy probably loves it when you stop by his boxing class or help with work problems — it was that we hadn't figured out how to set limits. That's why my new model couple are my buddies Jasmine and Tyrone. They know totally different people, but instead of one cramming their life into the other's, they go out separately — and catch up over breakfast.

3. You don't have to become Jenna Jameson when the bedroom door shuts.
"Sometimes the best sex is missionary — no chandeliers, no tricks. It's honest and passionate, and it feels like we're really connecting." —Brian, 39, Atlanta

Sex isn't some game you win by constantly pushing yourself and your (or his) boundaries. Says Charles, 28, from Boston: "My girlfriend was really into trying this move from the Kama Sutra. In order to get it done, all of my focus turned to balance, abdominal clenching and other nonsexual, lifesaving things. Not fun." What about all those pony bedroom antics you think we daydream about? They boil down to just that: antics.

4. You don't have to look perfect.
"My girlfriend puts on tons of eyeliner and blush and gloss, and it hides her best features, everything I love." —Luke, 21, Gardnerville, Nev.

I would never pretend that we don't care about the way you look. That said, a couple of things either get totally lost on our radar or completely freak us out (eyelash curlers?!). Exhibit A: beaucoup makeup. No man in history has ever complained that a woman wasn't wearing enough makeup. As for hair, good luck finding a guy who notices "chunky, buttery pro highlights." And perfectly executed blowouts? For us it's not about whether your hair is curly, straight or wavy; all we're concerned about is whether or not we'll be running our hands through it at midnight.

5. You don't have to be the daughter my parents never had.
"After our breakup, my ex sent my mother a birthday present. My mom was like, Whaaaaat?" —Edward, 28, New York City

No use in upsetting a family's delicate balance by going overboard with affection or baked goods. I've made the mistake of playing along with family jokes: It's one thing when they teased her grandma, but when I did, it became "Why does Whatshisname hate Gammy?" Play it safe. Save the grand gestures until after the nuptials.

6. You don't have to spend $$$ on lingerie.
"No-frills cotton underwear says that a woman knows she's hot and she doesn't have to convince me of it." —John, 29, Gainesville, Fla.

I could write this entire article about how much I like boobs. I just like saying the word. Boobs, boobs, boobs, boobs. I like them in a sweater. I like them pressed up against me. I like them just sitting there, all awesome and booblike. Please quit it with the accoutrements, the corsets, the push-ups and definitely the cutlets. And in recessionary times, isn't it nice to know there's no need to break the bank? We're already sold.

 

 

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Source Info:

By John Ortved

http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/article.aspx?cp-documentid=22707453&GT1=32023#atoolb

Google Chrome 6.0.472.11 Beta Google - 19.02MB (Open Source)–Beta

 

oogle Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier.

One box for everything

Type in the address bar and get suggestions for both search and web pages.

Thumbnails of your top sites

Access your favorite pages instantly with lightning speed from any new tab.

Incognito mode

Don't want pages you visit to show up in your web history? Choose incognito mode for private browsing.

Safe browsing

Google Chrome warns you if you're about to visit a suspected phishing, malware or otherwise unsafe website.

For information about alpha and developer builds, check out the Chrome dev channel here.

 

Source/Download WEbpage:

oogle Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier.

One box for everything

Type in the address bar and get suggestions for both search and web pages.

Thumbnails of your top sites

Access your favorite pages instantly with lightning speed from any new tab.

Incognito mode

Don't want pages you visit to show up in your web history? Choose incognito mode for private browsing.

Safe browsing:

Copy & FOlloe This URL.<a href=\

Assassins Creed Brotherhood Official Trailer PLUS Assassin Creed Brotherhood: 2010 Awards Trailer

 

Game Available: November 16, 2010

Game Overview
Live and breathe as Ezio, a legendary Master Assassin, in his enduring struggle against the powerful Templar Order. He must journey into Italy’s greatest city, Rome, center of power, greed and corruption to strike at the heart of the enemy.

Defeating the corrupt tyrants entrenched there will require not only strength, but leadership, as Ezio commands an entire Brotherhood who will rally to his side. Only by working together can the Assassins defeat their mortal enemies.

And for the first time, introducing a never-before-seen multiplayer layer that allows you to choose from a wide range of unique characters, each with their own signature weapons and assassination techniques, and match your skills against other players from around the world.

It’s time to join the Brotherhood!

Features and Benefits

MASTER THE POSSIBILITIES – As Ezio, a legendary Master Assassin, experience over 15 hours of single-player gameplay set in the living, breathing, unpredictable city of Rome.

LEAD A LEGENDARY BROTHERHOOD – Recruit and train promising young Assassins. Deploy them across the city as you see fit, or call upon them to aid you in your quests.

EXPERIENCE A RICH HISTORICAL TAPESTRY – Collaborate with real historical characters such as Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolo Machiavelli and Caterina Sforza.

WIN THE HEART OF A CITY – Use your hard-won currency to revitalize the crumbling capital city. Rally the citizens to your cause and unlock extra factions and missions.

DEPLOY SECRET WEAPONS – Swiftly eliminate your enemies using tools such as poison darts, parachutes, double hidden blades, hidden guns, and an advanced flying machine at your disposal.

MEMORABLE MULTIPLAYER – Choose from multiple authentic character classes, each with their own signature weapons and killing moves. With richly-detailed maps and a wide variety of unique multiplayer modes, you’ll never fight the same way twice.

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Assassin Creed Brotherhood: 2010 Awards Trailer

 

Game Available: November 16, 2010

Ubisoft revealed this New trailer for Assassins Creed: Brotherhood at Comic-Con 2010.

Winner of the Best Multiplayer By: Game Critics  & Winner of the Comic-Con  Award for 2010

SOE & DC Universe Online Present:The Comic-Con 2010

 

Cinematic Trailer Backstory Revealed! Learn why the fate of Earth is in your hands!

DC Universe™ Online is the only next-generation massively multiplayer online action game that delivers unparalleled physics-powered combat set in the DC Universe™. This genre-defining game puts the power of the DC Super Heroes and villains into the palm of your hands.
The Next Legend is YOU!

Game Features:

• Experience the power of visceral combat where you control every blow your character strikes, delivering a level of action that is unparalleled in the MMO segment.
• Choose your side -- superhero or villain -- as you battle to save or conquer the universe.
• Fight alongside or against your favorite DC heroes and villains including Batman, The Joker, Superman, Wonder Woman and others…The next legend is YOU!
• Experience the intensity of a world created in the artistic vision of legendary comic book artist Jim Lee.
• Take advantage of the state-of-the-art physics engine and use objects in the world around you as weapons, including even your enemies!
• Players will create their own custom DC-style hero or villain, each with a unique look and combination of superpowers.
• Embark on heroic or villainous story-driven adventures penned by famous DC writers including Geoff Johns and Marv Wolfman.
• Game play is optimized for both the PS3 computer entertainment system and PC.
• Explore the DC Universe; walk the darkened streets of Gotham City, investigate the mysteries of the futuristic cityscape of Metropolis and travel to legendary locations including Arkham Asylum and the Justice League of America Watchtower.

A tad bit more information on the game….incase you were wondering!

Title: DC Universe™ Online

Developer: Sony Online Entertainment LLC

Genre: MMO

Rating: RP

Street date: Nov 2010

Also available on PC

How The Recipient Of The First Full Face Transplant Looks

The operation took 24 hours and 30 doctors, but the first full face transplant appears to be a success. Here's how Oscar, the patient, looks with his new face:

This image was taken during a press conference which marked the first time Oscar appeared in public since the face transplant took place about four months ago. Prior to the transplant, the patient could only breathe and be fed through tubes, but now he has "a new nose, lips, cheekbone, lower and upper jawbone, palate, teeth, skin and muscles." As a result of those new parts, he is able to speak again—though still requires speech therapy—and is beginning to consume liquids and soft food without the aid of a tube.
Along with happiness about the success of this operation, there appear to be plenty of concerns and jokes regarding the potential dangers of full face transplants, but they're not necessary:

The 30-strong medical team, led by doctor Joan Pere Barret, was at pains to stress that Oscar's face does not look like the face of his donor, but rather is an amalgam of the two. "He absolutely does not look like the donor patient, and I think that's important for society to know. In terms of future donations of faces there is no such danger of this."

So let's not fret about an old John Travolta and Nicolas Cage movie and instead be happy that this man has been given a chance at a somewhat better life than what he had before.
Source:http://gizmodo.com/5596915/how-the-recipient-of-the-first-full-face-transplant-looks

Apps rubber-stamped for use by US Gov, Data center segregation

Google has introduced a version of Google Apps certified for use by the US government.

Announced today during a press event at the company's Mountain View headquarters, Google Apps for Government offers the same applications as the existing Premiere Edition of the online application suite, and it carries the same price tag: $50 per user per year. The company says it's the first outfit to offer a "cloud computing suite" with FISMA (Federal Information Management Security Act) certification.

The web-based service is currently certified to operate at the FISMA "moderate" level, which covers "sensitive but unclassified" data, according to Google.

"We're quite committed to the enterprise. We're quite committed to cloud computing," Google CEO Eric Schmidt told reporters. "If you think about government services, almost all of them are suited to simple web apps...[but] it's taken a long time to get the necessary scale and security."

The new service segregates Gmail and Google Calendar data in a section of Google's back-end infrastructure that's separate from services used by non-government users, and all the data centers housing these segregated applications are located in the continental United States. Google says that in the future, it will segregate other applications in this way.

With the service, government organizations can use multiple Google applications from a custom domain, including Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Talk, and Google Sites.

Last fall, when federal CIO Vivek Kundek came to Silicon Valley to unveil Apps.gov, a portal where government agencies can shop for online applications, Google announced its intention to offer a version of Google Apps specifically certified for use by the US government. After updating the service, the company received its FISMA certification last Thursday.

FISMA is, yes, a federal certification. But Google is pitching the service to state and local government agencies as well. The new Google Apps for Government is available now.

Many government agencies have already adopted the existing version of Google Apps. According to Google, over 100 government agencies use a Google service or some sort.

One of the company's most high-profile customers is the City of Los Angeles. Some City of LA employees have been moved to the online suite, but MarketWatch reports that Google has missed a deadline to complete the City's move to the suite, in part because of police concerns over security. ®

Source:http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/07/26/google_apps_announcement/

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What is Google Punch? A New Google Docs Format

 

A Google staff member posted a video on YouTube demonstrating a particular Google Spreadsheet function today, but when she selected a file format to launch - there was a new option on the drop down menu. Called Punch, the video made no mention of the file type and we've been unable to find any mention of it elsewhere. Internally, at least, it appears that something very new is in the works at Google Docs.

Alex Chitu of independent watchdog blog Google Operating System caught the very fuzzy image in the video and takes a stab at what it might be.

"One of the definitions of the word 'punch,'" Chitu writes, "is 'an iced mixed drink usually containing alcohol and prepared for multiple servings; normally served in a punch bowl'. Maybe Google Punch is a free-form document that lets you combine data from other documents, spreadsheets, presentations and forms. What do you think?"

That sounds like a viable guess to us. Perhaps a Punch is a mix of functions and content intended for collaboration, more than for posting publishing like Google Pages is. That could prove very useful. A multi-media document space, with real-time information flow, Wave, voice and Unicorns? That's probably what it is.

It's possible that Google Punch is being tested internally and will never see the light of day, but it's also very possible that we'll find out soon what it does. We've asked Google for comment, but we don't expect the company to tell us much yet.

Source:http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/what_is_google_punch_a_new_google_docs_format.php

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A Modern History of Communication Including The New Google Voice…

We’re proud of the progress we’ve made with Google Voice over the last few years, and we’re still just scratching the surface of what’s possible when you combine your regular phone service with the latest web technology. It’s even more amazing to think about how far communication has come over the last couple hundred years. To put things in context, we created this infographic to visualize some recent history of human communication and how Google Voice uses the web to help people communicate in more ways than ever before (click the image for a larger version)

 

 

SOURCE:http://googlevoiceblog.blogspot.com/

Social Media Defies a Fifteen-Minute Fame

The whole notion of Andy Warhol's statement that everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes seems to be true in the 21st century. It plays out everyday on reality television shows as well as talk television, shows featuring judges and of course a variety of news magazine programs.

This obsession with popularity has expanded to the Internet. Today social media can offer the potential of fame in a new arena. You can sign up for multiple social media sites like Facebook and MySpace and then compliment the attention you might be receiving by adding Twitter. This last resource allows you to keep your adoring masses up to date with everything you feel like sharing.

"I'm going to the grocery store..."
"I'm going in to ask for a raise..."
"Just kidding..."
"I'm going to buy my kids new shoes..."
"It's 12 degrees and I forgot my gloves..."

For whatever reason it seems that there are those who are interested in following your daily moves. That may sound like a perfect breeding ground for a stalker, but then again you can limit who can actually read your Twitter. You can also limit who can read your social media page. You don't have to accept every friend invitation that comes along.

These social media sites have an incredible volume of online traffic and an impressive list of new signups on a daily basis. New applications are being designed all the time for these sites and users are addicted to the way these sites allow them to keep in contact with people they may have once known as well as new friends.

Social media can be a great place for Pay Per Click advertising. The blog or comment posts can result in the discovery of motivated buyers.

Yes, it's true that there may be spammers who will ask you to be their friend and then load up your comment box with marketing links you don't want, but the best way to deal with that is to simply remove them as friends and then delete their posts. Then, I suppose, you could become a bit more discriminating in whom you accept as friends.

People enjoy using these sites because they are free. They are only free because they are supported by advertising. Without the advertising there would be no way for the service to remain free of charge.

As long as there are people who want to connect with friends around the globe there will remain a place for social media. There will also be a sense of being important because we have friends who comment or post on our wall. We return the favor and new friends find us. We develop a highly personalized community where we get to choose who will be accepted. It may be the ultimate form of discrimination, but it creates the sense of safety we may need when engaging other 'friends' about our day or the things we are looking to accomplish.

Advertising will join us on the journey allowing our star status to remain strong, and our fifteen minutes of fame to be renewed on a daily basis.

 

Source:http://social-media-chimp.co.uk/2010/07/social-media-defies-a-fifteen-minute-fame/

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5 Reasons Friends in Your Social Media Networks Do Matter

To those of us who use social networks frequently, or are familiar with the way the social web works, this post will seem self-evident.

What you need to know is that by adding friends or accepting friend requests, you are taking one more step to building your authority and visibility in your industry, which WILL lead to ROI (in the form of traffic, sales conversions or whatever your goal) as people recognize you as a leader in your field and choose you over possible competitors for services and products they need.

Here are 5 general, point-by-point reasons friends matter on social networks:

1. Relationship building.
The whole reason social networking is successful is because its very foundation is built on creating and maintaining relationships with people.

Start conversations, introduce yourself, do everything you can to put yourself out there and meet as many people as possible.

If you like the person or company you've built a relationship with, you'll probably recommend them to your friends, and vice versa.

If you make friends with someone in a related industry, you'll benefit from recommending their services to your clients, and they'll benefit from recommending you to theirs (e.g. a web designer recommends a social media marketer they like, a Realtor recommends a mortgage provider they know is honest and effective, and vice versa).

2. Referrals and recommendations.
You matter to me, and I matter to you, because if I like that really cool video you sent me, I'll visit the site its from to look for more.

If I digg that awesome article and send it to my friends, or they see I dugg it, they might check it out too. If I get an awesome deal on this website's service, I'm going to send you there.

Or if I hear from you about it, I'm going to go there. If I find a fan page for a product I love, I might stop by, create a profile, and add myself as a fan, then tell all my friends about it.

You do the calculations.

3. Access to more user info.
Many sites hide people's profiles until you add them as a friend. Thus, adding someone as a friend is a good way to communicate with them in a more personal setting.

4. UGC, or User-Generated Content.
The more friends you have and interact with, the more content is produced on your site or page, and the more visible it becomes.

If you have a ton of people talking on your Facebook fan page, for example, all that content is adding to your area's ability to be ranked on the search engines AND attract more users.

5. A large social community.
The more people you add as friends and the more you get to know them, and they you, the more popular you or your social networking profile becomes.

Soon, you have a large community of supporters that further reinforces your authority and leader status in your industry.

What better way to brand your company and communicate a specific message to a mass of people?

Source:http://social-media-chimp.co.uk/2010/07/5-reasons-friends-in-your-social-media-networks-do-matter/

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Wow just more FINE examples of how Social Media is changing our lives and working in positve ways with us as a society as a whole, and our inate human nature to be SOCIAL!Just more reasons why I am a firm believer of Social Media/Socialnomics…the facts don’t lie!And honestly, no matter how NON computer savvy we think we aren’t or are….lets face it…from the information presented here I think almost every one in the WORLD who has access to a computer is pretty Social Media savvy and they/you may not even know it!  Its such an easy concept when you think about it,its human nature “Techie-fied!” LOL!! Hehe!

Brandi C.~Geek,Mom,Wife,Socialnomics Enthusiast~

16 Techi-rific Google Logo Doodles !

 

When Google founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, wanted to do something creative with their logo back in 1999 to signify their attendance at the Burning Man Festival in the Nevada Desert, things were simple for the Google logo; just a stick figure stuck in the middle of the second ‘o’. Since that seemingly spontaneous burst of creativity, changes in the look of the logo have become as regular as Pink’s hair color changes.

While the story of the “Google Guys” and their nerdy acknowledgment of their Burning Man attendance may be what originally sowed the seeds to the doodle concept, it is only a prelude to the yarn; the real story starts with Dennis Hwang.

The founders approached Dennis Hwang, now the current Webmaster for Google, while he was only an intern to design the Google logo in a way that celebrated Bastille Day. The Larry and Sergey were so impressed with Hwang’s doodle that they appointed him Google’s Chief Doodler. Once popularity and demand grew for these doodles, the responsibility of merging corporate logos and national holidays has been expanded to a team of designers with Hwang still at the helm.

These doodles have now become regular occurrence on the search engines’ page, celebrating events all over the world. So let’s pay tribute to the clever and creative work done by Hwang and his team by giving a Techi-style shout out to all the tech themed doodles that have graced Google’s homepage over the past 10 years; a history lesson through Google logos, if you will.

1. Pac-Man – May 21st, 2010

In honor of the 30 year anniversary of the game release, Google’s logo was converted into a fully playable version of the game. Just for the record, it was as addicting as ever.

2. Pi Day – March 14th, 2010

A day to celebrate the mathematical term and give everyone an excuse to eat monstrous amounts of pie.

3. Invention of the Bar Code – October 7th, 2009

This one is pretty self-explanatory; Bernard Silver and Norman Joseph Woodland invented the bar code on this day.

4. 25th Anniversary of Tetris – June 6th, 2009

Arguably one of the most recognized and widespread games out there, this doodle was made to offer respect to the game that changed gaming almost 26 years ago.

5. Alexander Popov’s Invention of the Radio – May 7th, 2009

The radio, a precursor to the Internet in a way, was invented this day allowing broadcasts to reach a distance of six miles (a distance our parents/grandparents walked uphill both ways daily to get to school).

6. Samuel Morse’s Birthday – April 27th, 2009

After being late for his wife’s funeral, Morse made it his mission to find a way to make long-range communication possible. And in May 1837 the telegraph was born alongside, three years later, Morse code.

7. Large Hadron Collider – September 10th, 2008

Particle accelerators are cool. Spinning atoms around the room with the intent of making molecules synthetically, and allowing Tony Stark (Iron Man) to make a new metal for his… Chest-thingy. To explain what this is and does will take 1000 more words, so here is a link. Educate yourself on the awesomeness.

8. 50th Anniversary of NASA – July 29th, 2008

50 years of NASA and their space exploration campaigns were celebrated on this day.

9. Invention of the First Laser – May 16th, 2008

On this day in 1960, Theodore Maiman demonstrated the first functional laser at Hughes Research Laboratories, capable of producing short pulses.

10. Parametron Computer 1 – March 26th, 2008 (Japan)

These computers were made in Japan from 1950 through the early 1960s, using a Parametron (a logic circuit) rather than a transistor.

11. Sputnik Anniversary – October 4th, 2007

The robotic spacecraft missions began on this day in 1957 with Sputnik 1. Russia – 1, America – 0.

12. Anniversary of Lunar Landing – July 20th, 2005

The manned lunar mission landed (or didn’t land according to conspiracy theorists) this day in 1969.

13. SpaceShipOne Wins the X Prize – October 4th, 2004

SpaceShipOne, the non-governmental reusable manned spacecraft, took home the Ansari X Prize this day in 2004 (Google was right on top of this one).

14. Spirit on Mars – January 15th, 2004

Spirit, the Mars Explorations Rover, lands on Mars this day after its five day travel time to the red planet.

15. 100th Anniversary of Flight – December 17th, 2003

The Wright Brothers took off this day in 1903, paving the way for jumbo jets and, a daredevil favorite, wingsuits.

16. 50th Anniversary of Understanding DNA – April 25th, 2003

Whether we really understand DNA is debatable, but Francis Crick and James D. Watson published the first of many papers describing the double helix structure on this day in 1953.

Source/ Story Originally By:Ransler Dier, July 23, 2010

http://www.techi.com/2010/07/16-techi-rific-google-logo-doodles/

!!Murderous Mel? Celebrity Scandals And the ever-escalating Mel Gibson drama continues, this time adding TMZ's own Harvey Levin to the sordid mix. !!!!

The latest from Oksana Grigerieva's camp is that Mel plotted to kidnap TMZ's Managing Editor Levin, drag him to the desert and break his kneecaps, leaving him to die.

TMZ reports that earlier this week, Oksana's rep, Steve Jaffe, told Levin of the alleged scheme, saying Gibson was still furious at TMZ for breaking the anti-Semitic rant story following the actor's 2006 DUI arrest. Jaffe said Oksana told him Mel had said he wanted the "blood of Jews" on his hands and that he was having Levin tailed.

Check out seven things you don't know about Oksana

TMZ and Levin, however, have found several holes in the story and are not taking it seriously, mostly due to the fact that authorities never contacted Levin to warn him, despite Oksana's claim she relayed the plot to police.

UPDATE: Sheriff's Department spokesperson Steve Whitmore told TMZ, "We categorically deny that any such information was ever given to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

Read More/Source: http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2010/07/tmz_harvey_levin_not_plotzing_over_alleged_mel_gibson_murder_plot.php##ixzz0un5kMUFi

These Pictures Give New Meaning To Learning Your ABC's!

  
New Age Kids Alphabet:

There were the days when A stood for Apple, the fruit. Now it stands for Apple, the company that makes widely used iPods and Mac. If you are a kid these days,you will most probably learn the alphabet this way.

I have personally taking the time to give the answers to each letter.

A-Apple
B-Bluetooth Icon
C-Intel "Core" Processer
D-Digg.com
E-Emule.com
F-Facebook.com
G-Google.com
H-HIT.com
I-"I"Phone
J-Java Application
K-Kazza.com
L-Linux
M-MSN Messenger
N-Napster.com
O-Microsoft "Office"
P-Sony"Playstation" Logo
Q-Quick Time
R-RSS Feed
S-Second Life.com
T-Telecommunications/Technology
U-USB Plug Icon
V-Microsoft "Vista"
W-Wikipedia.com
X-Microsoft "XP"
Y-Youtube.com
Z-Zumma The Online Game
@-An Acronym for AT, Also:The "@" sign goes in a URL.EX:example@gmail.com
:)- A Smiley Face, used in Txt and Messaging. AKA:A Emoticon

Source:http://very-bored.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=147&Itemid=1

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The ABC's Of Gaming

Here is for all you gamers:

A-Triforce (Legends of Zelda)
B-DOOM
C-PAC-MAN
D-Bullet Bill(Super Mario World)
E-X WING (STAR WARS)
F-KEY (LEGENDS OF ZELDA)
G-GAME CUBE LOGO
H-Thorn "Hopper"
I-METROID
J-MUTALISK(STARCRAFT)
K-STAR(KIRBY)
L-Life"1-UP"
M-MARIO CUP
N-NINTENDO 64 LOGO
O-POKEBALL
P-PLAYSTATION X LOGO
Q-QUAKE
R-GOLDEN AXE
S-EARTHBOUND
T-MASTER SWORD(LEGENDS OF ZELDA OCARINA OF TIME)
U-YOSHY EGG(SUPER MARIO WORLD)
V-ASTEROIDS
W-Light Guns(NES)
X-XBOX LOGO
Y-SLINGSHOT(LEGENDS OF ZELDA)
Z-METROID PRIME SERIES LOGO

Source:http://capinaremos.com/2010/07/abc-dos-games

 

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ABC's-Google Maps Typography

 

I couldn't help but add this picture from Google Maps, now here is an educational way to learn your ABC's! Can you guess were all the places are located across the GLOBE!!?

My Source:www.geekoligy.com,www.googlemaps.com

If Internet Sites Were Teenagers

This one is pretty good and probably dead on! Aww I feel for 4chan!

"Teens are cruel. And yet they make such good stand-ins for internet websites."

Original Source:http://theswedishbed.wordpress.com.2)Shared on:http://www.buzzfeed.com/mathieus/if-internet-sites-were-teenagers-8q4#responses.

The Douchebag Anthem By- Casual Mafia

Man this the funniest video I have seen in along time!! You have to give this one a chance, I mean we have all known or maybe still do have an Douchebag in our lives!!  I think everyone will get their laugh for the day!

 

 

The Douchebag Anthem

 

Here is their website were they have 30 more video's that I think a lot of people will enjoy:

Casual Mafia.com

7-ELEVEN DAY IS HERE: FREE Slurpee at participating 7-Eleven Stores on July 11, 2010

7-ELEVEN DAY IS HERE: FREE Slurpee at participating 7-Eleven Stores on July 11, 2010

Newly discovered antibody kills 91% of HIV strains

Newly discovered antibody kills 91% of HIV strains

Just Letting the World See/Hear Some New Wheezy Since is Still Locked Up!

 

 

 

Lil Wayne – Steady Mobbin’ (Feat Gucci Mane)

 

 

Good song, good song and video!! Wheezy is announced that he will be releasing a EP on September 27, 2010, I cant wait for that, as I am sure the rest of the world is too! He has 3 months and 25 days remaining, providing he remains on good behavior. Shout out to yak Lil Wayne! Your doing your thing, taking care of your business...it wont be long now!! 

A inmate drew picture of Lil Wayne while in Jail they were in jail together.this is picture was of a Rolling Stones cover 2010.

This is just such a AWESOME picture!! Much props to the Artist!! The AMAZING amount of detail is off insane...it is beautiful in so many ways!

Well we all know he did wrong and I more then certain that he is regretful and probably wishes he could go back on his bad choices. but he is only human to and I have done a lot of research on about him and just by reading the letter or two that I have, I can tell that he is a probably a changed man and I don't even know before his jail time! His words are so kind and sincere and heartfelt, he as published a few letters to his blog and and almost always names each fans that has written to him in while being incarcerated and had something personal to say to each fan, I think this nice.Ya ya I can already hear the people who are not on his side or care for music saying;well why wouldn't he thank each one personally, he has nothing better to do with his time for a year! My response to that is  I have never heard of any celebrity that has been in jail write and thank their fans and not to mention he posted the his address on his blog to his cell on Rikers Island! Well, I hope you have learned your lesson and I am sure you have, and in 3 1/2 months you will be released and this will soon be behind you. You have an EP due to be released soon...you should be hell busy making that money!!  lol And for those of you who like Weezy, might also send a letter, I mean he still has a few months to go, you never know he might even mention you in a letter!!

The address is:

 

Eric M. Taylor Center (EMTC)
Dwayne Carter NYSID# 02616544L
10-10 Hazen Street
East Elmhurst, NY 11370

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A Picture of Weezy drawn by a fan, this one is at least a little humorous!

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Well folks there you have it! My one and only ode to Lie Wayne!!