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A Peek At The 100 Million Views Club: You Won’t Be Invited Any Time Soon
It’s important to note that the video measurement startup didn’t simply analyze which videos got this total number of views on the 150+ video sharing sites it currently tracks, but also took into account views that were generated on other online properties where the videos were spread, like blogs and social networking services (a measurement method it refers to as True Reach). I won’t bore you with the full list of very viral videos - check out the Visible Measures blog post to see who’s currently on top etc. - but there is a general observation I’d like to share and discuss with you. Here’s what the company concludes after featuring the list:
I wouldn’t call it that diverse, actually. If you break the list down, you’ll note that it counts 8 music videos, 4 movie trailers, 2 TV show clips, and 4 user-generated clips. So out of the 18 online videos that amassed over 100,000,000 views according to Visible Measures, 14 are professionally produced videos that were arguably created for airing on television primarily, and certainly not specifically for online video sharing sites. Furthermore, if you break down the list of 4 clips that were classified under ‘User Generated’, two of them are actually professional artist performances that were simply recorded and/or uploaded by a regular YouTube user (“Jeff Dunham: Achmed the Dead Terrorist” and “The Evolution of Dance”). Another one (“Lezberado: Revenge Fantasies”) features a woman talking about a professionally produced TV show (The L Word), and the video that Visible Measures links to on YouTube is actually one from the official channel of Showtime, where The L Word was aired on from 2004 to 2009. So if you really want to be a pain about it, the only real user-generated video that was viewed over a 100 million times would be “Charlie bit my finger - again!”, a video featuring two cute kids that funnily enough I had never seen before. This isn’t abnormal, of course: mainstream media are called mainstream for a reason, just as celebrities are celebrities for a reason (well, most of the time) and popular music artists, TV series and movies are popular for a reason (well, most of the time). You’d have to be pretty naieve to think YouTube (or any web service originally meant for amateurs to share videos on) isn’t always going to be used to massively spread professional music videos, movie trailers and clips from and about popular TV shows, and that they’ll overtake most if not all videos about dogs riding skateboards and whatnot. This isn’t to say user-generated (amateur) content doesn’t have any value - it always does for at least one person - and could never be on par with professionally produced content, but looking at the list you’ve got to wonder we’re not all mostly craving for the latter on whichever medium we’re using at the moment we’re in the mood for it. Your thoughts? Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.
Source: TechCrunch | 3 May 2009 | 9:43 am When the Cellphone Teaches Sex EducationAccording to Health experts, intimate, private and crucial information can be delivered to teenagers on the device that holds millions captive: their cellphones. The New York Times reports. Programs in...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 3 May 2009 | 9:26 am When the Cellphone Teaches Sex EducationAccording to Health experts, intimate, private and crucial information can be delivered to teenagers on the device that holds millions captive: their cellphones. The New York Times reports. Programs in...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 3 May 2009 | 9:26 am New Neutrino Detector Being Built In Minneostalithis writes "NOvA, a new neutrino detector, is being built in northern Minnesota. MPR has information on the project's funding and the International Falls Daily Journal talks about the environmental issues. This detector will complement the MINOS neutrino detector in the Soudan Underground Laboratory."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 3 May 2009 | 9:11 am Merck and Elsevier publish fake peer-reviewed journalPharmaceutical giant Merck paid science publishing juggernaut Elsevier to publish a fake peer-reviewed scientific journal, Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine.What's wrong with this is so obvious it doesn't have to be argued for. What's sad is that I'm sure many a primary care physician was given literature from Merck that said, "As published in Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine, Fosamax outperforms all other medications...." Said doctor, or even the average researcher wouldn't know that the journal is bogus. In fact, knowing that the journal is published by Elsevier gives it credibility!Merck Makes Phony Peer-Review Journal (via /.) Source: Boing Boing | 3 May 2009 | 7:45 am Apple's censors remove NiN app and Anda's Game from iPhone store, citing "objectionable content"
Trent Reznor's Nine Inch Nails iPhone app, "NIN iPhone," has been removed from the iPhone store. Apple says that they censored it for "objectionable content." I just heard that they've also removed the comic version of my story Anda's Game for the same reason. The publisher says that they believe this beheaded orc is the objectionable content in question. So much for Apple as a benevolent dictator, well-suited to acting as guardian of what sorts of things you should and should not be allowed to run on your devices (remember, the company has also gone to the Copyright Office's DMCA hearing to protest the legalization of jailbreaking, hoping to make it illegal for you to install apps from outside of the App Store on your phone).
Apple Rejects Nine Inch Nails iPhone App
Apple's censors remove NiN app and Anda's Game from iPhone store, citing "objectionable content"Trent Reznor's Nine Inch Nails iPhone app, "NIN iPhone," has been removed from the iPhone store. Apple says that they censored it for "objectionable content." I just heard that they've also removed the...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 3 May 2009 | 7:42 am Viacom uses copyright to censor racism protestMadeline sez, "To protest the casting of white actors in Asian and Inuit roles for the live-action production of 'The Last Airbender,' (based on the animated series 'Avatar: The Last Airbender,' which...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 3 May 2009 | 7:33 am Viacom uses copyright to censor racism protest Madeline sez, "To protest the casting of white actors in Asian and Inuit roles for the live-action production of 'The Last Airbender,' (based on the animated series 'Avatar: The Last Airbender,' which features primarily Asian iconography, calligraphy, and fight choreography), fan Glockgal began making t-shirts that read 'This is not a tan' and "Aang can stay Asian and still save the world.' Viacom, one of the companies which owns a license for the series, has ordered Zazzle.com to take down her storefront. Glockgal has since re-released the designs with the words 'CENSORED BY VIACOM' in large, friendly letters across them."
AVATAR: ZAZZLE/VIACOM FAIL
(Thanks, Madeline!) Cosplayers, manga fans and cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic GardenIan sez, "The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is hosting a two-day celebration of the 'rite of spring,' with a celebration of all Japanese culture -- ancient and modern. It's remarkable to see all the cherry...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 3 May 2009 | 7:30 am Cosplayers, manga fans and cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Ian sez, "The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is hosting a two-day celebration of the 'rite of spring,' with a celebration of all Japanese culture -- ancient and modern. It's remarkable to see all the cherry blossoms in a park in the middle of the city. It's even more remarkable to see hundreds of cosplayers enjoying the gardens and displaying their talents for thousands of fans and mundanes."
Sakura Matsuri--Japan comes to Brooklyn
(Thanks, Ian!) Video of UAE torture prince assaulting 25 others -- who's censoring this news in the UAE?Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan, the prince from the UAE who made a video of himself brutally torturing a businessman with whom he had a dispute, has been implicated in 25 further video-recordings of...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 3 May 2009 | 7:28 am Video of UAE torture prince assaulting 25 others -- who's censoring this news in the UAE? Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan, the prince from the UAE who made a video of himself brutally torturing a businessman with whom he had a dispute, has been implicated in 25 further video-recordings of other assaults. In the leaked video, the prince sets fire to his victim's testicles, sticks a cattle-prod up his anus, beats him with a board with a nail through it, scourges him with a whip, rubs salt into his wounds, and then runs over him repeatedly with a Mecedes SUV (you can hear the bones break). The UAE's national firewall is blocking stories about this (see the screengrab above). I know that a number of US firms have supplied the UAE with firewall services -- I'd be interested in any detail any Boing Boing reader has about the blocking shown above: did it come from a company that also supplies moral guardianship to western kids in their schools? Torture-tape Gulf prince accused of 25 other attacks (via Warren Ellis) Source: Boing Boing | 3 May 2009 | 7:28 am Microwaving a cellphone is surprisingly coolAlthough I won't sacrifice my own microwave to replicate this experiment showing the surprising effects of nuking a mobile phone, I'm glad that one of the web's many amateur scientists did so and recorded...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 3 May 2009 | 7:16 am Microwaving a cellphone is surprisingly coolAlthough I won't sacrifice my own microwave to replicate this experiment showing the surprising effects of nuking a mobile phone, I'm glad that one of the web's many amateur scientists did so and recorded the outcome.
My Cell phone company is evil!
(Thanks, Fipi Lele!) Anthropology: The Art of Building a Successful Social SitePicture if you will, a collaborative site that runs on two servers, is managed by four people, and has attracted a third of its target demographic within six months of launch. A site that has had 800,000...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 3 May 2009 | 6:29 am Merck Created Phony Peer-Review Medical JournalHugh Pickens writes "Don't believe everything you read on the internet is a good rule to follow, but it turns out that you can't even believe a 'peer reviewed scientific journal' as details emerge that drug manufacturer Merck created a phony, but real sounding, peer-review journal titled the 'Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine' to publish data favorable to its products. 'What's sad is that I'm sure many a primary care physician was given literature from Merck that said, "As published in Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine, Fosamax outperforms all other medications...."' writes Summer Johnson in a post on the website of the American Journal of Bioethics. One Australian rheumatologist named Peter Brooks who served as an 'honorary advisory board' to the journal didn't receive a single paper for peer-review in his entire time on the board, but it didn't bother him because he apparently knew the journal did not receive original submissions of research. All this is probably not too surprising in light of Merck's difficulties with Vioxx, the once $2.5 billion a year drug that was pulled from the market in September 2004, after a study showed it doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke in long-term users resulting in payments by Merck of $4.85 billion to settle personal injury claims from former users, but it bears repeating that 'if physicians would not lend their names or pens to these efforts, and publishers would not offer their presses, these publications could not exist.'"Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 3 May 2009 | 6:11 am Apple rejects Nine Inch Nails iPhone app update - CNET News
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 3 May 2009 | 6:05 am UPDATE 1-Hong Kong Disneyland deal could happen soon - govtLOS ANGELES, May 2 (Reuters) - A top Hong Kong government official is pleased with the progress in talks with the Walt Disney Co on expanding the underperforming Hong Kong Disneyland, and a deal could...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 3 May 2009 | 3:27 am It Turns Out That Google Even Has A Competitive Advantage In Scanning Books
Google is serious about scanning books. Throughout the objections raised over the years by authors and publishers and the more recent delays in its settlement with the Authors Guild, Google has been scanning millions of books all along trying to digitize as many as it possibly can. It is so serious about capturing and indexing the knowledge stored in books that it has a patent, which was issued on March 24, 2009, on how to scan books faster than was previously possible. The basic technique it uses involves two infrared cameras which determine how flat or curved each page to be scanned is and then adjusting the optical character recognition software it uses to read the text accordingly. In other words, the infrared cameras help figure out a book’s three-dimensional shape and then back out any resulting distortions. This results in much faster book scanning since each page doesn’t need to be flattened by glass plates and spines don’t need to be broken. There are other book scanning projects besides the Google Book Project. The Internet Archive, for instance, runs 18 scanning centers around the world, which all together digitize only 1,000 books a day. I am not sure what kind fo technology the Internet Archive uses, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Google’s scanning operation is much faster. Those are billions of pages of high-quality information just waiting to be indexed and searched. For Google, the faster it can get those books scanned, the faster it can start to serve ads against those searches. Now, I wonder how it flips the pages. (Hat tip to Buzznewsroom). Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.
Source: TechCrunch | 3 May 2009 | 3:27 am It Turns Out That Google Even Has A Competitive Advantage In Scanning BooksGoogle is serious about scanning books. Throughout the objections raised over the years by authors and publishers and the more recent delays in its settlement with the Authors Guild, Google has been...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 3 May 2009 | 3:27 am Apple Rejects Nine Inch Nails iPhone Appjarrettwold2002 writes "Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails announced via his Twitter account today, 'Apple rejects the NIN iPhone update because it contains objectionable content. The objectionable content referenced is "The Downward Spiral."' The initial NIN Access iPhone app garnered much fanfare (Wired article, Guardian article) and was approved by Apple. The update has been rejected due to an album reference. If Nine Inch Nails is having problems with censorship and approval what kind of problems are you having with the iPhone app approval process?"Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 3 May 2009 | 2:57 am ReadWriteWeb Events Listing: 2 May 2009Hey, folks. Itching to get out of the office and network with your peers? Check out the roundup below of exciting upcoming events, a weekly feature here on ReadWriteWeb. Know of an event taking place...Source: RSS feed - channel BNBlogTech | 3 May 2009 | 1:12 am Like My Parents In 1994, Apple Finds NIN’s The Downward Spiral Objectionable
You see, Apple has apparently rejected an update to Nine Inch Nails’ iPhone app because it found the contents of The Downward Spiral to be “objectionable,” according to Nine Inch Nails’ frontman Trent Reznor. History repeats itself. But what’s odd here — and what continues to be odd about the App Store approval process — is that the first version of the Nine Inch Nails app was already accepted into the store a few weeks ago. In fact, I have it. Guess what’s on it? Content from The Downward Spiral. I’m listening to “Closer” right now. Let me assure everyone, this is not the radio edit version of the song or the album. So what gives, Apple? Well, it appears to be yet another ridiculous case of Apple’s uneven app approval process. I know I’ve written about this a half dozen times already. But you know what? I’m going to keep writing about it until Apple gets its act together with this. I have no problem if Apple wants to pick and choose which apps it accepts in their store — it is their store after all, and they can do what they want with it. But it’s entirely unfair to developers, many of whom are now trying to make a living off of the platform, that the process is a complete and utter crapshoot as to whether an app will get approved or not. We’ve seen dozens of apps that are approved the first time, but later rejected for a seemingly small update. And we’ve seen others that are rejected, make almost no change, yet get in the next time they’re submitted. It would seem the the life or death of an app is entirely in the hands of the App Store inspector who checks it out. Sometimes they catch things that they don’t want in the App Store, sometimes they do (baby shaking app anyone?). But I’m really not convinced that it’s not just a personal decision on those people’s behalf which apps get through and which don’t. I’ve seen way too much evidence telling me that is exactly what happens. So we can debate whether it’s silly for Apple to block the Nine Inch Nails app for content that it already carries in iTunes (I think it is, obviously), but that’s really a secondary issue. The big issue is the whole approval process. And Apple really needs to improve it soon. It still stands high above all other mobile platforms in terms of apps right now, but with the Palm Pre about to launch, and Android getting more phones on the market (and a few other mobile app stores just opened or about to open), Apple won’t be able to coast along with this wonky approval method forever. Eventually, some developers will get pissed off enough and just go to another platform. Reznor himself seems dumbstruck by the rejection, “Not even sure where to start with that one,” he tweeted. Crunch Network: MobileCrunch Mobile Gadgets and Applications, Delivered Daily.
Source: Gizmodo | 3 May 2009 | 12:10 am Options For a Laptop With a Broken Screen?DefenseSupportParty writes "I recently traveled via an unnamed airline, and stupidly checked my laptop. Unfortunately, the screen broke in transit and they refuse to take responsibility for it, claiming that it could have been broken before the flight. I'm not really in the mood to replace the screen if I have to pay for it, as I have other laptops that I can use. At the same time, I don't want to waste computing power that could be put to good use. I've thought about the common stuff: file server, SETI@Home, but I'd like to do something a little more creative. Does anyone have good ideas for a relatively powerful laptop without a display?"Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 3 May 2009 | 12:05 am How To Grow Your Blog Through Customer Development
This is a guest post by Neil Patel, co-founder of KISSmetrics and blogger at QuickSprout.com. He also does consulting work for a number of major Internet properties, including TechCrunch. When you think about growing your blog, whether it is a personal, professional or company blog, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Chances are it is something related to traffic or subscribers. Getting more traffic or subscribers is never a bad thing, but if you really want more sustainable traffic you first have to understand the people coming to your blog. If you can’t make them happy, how can you expect your traffic to grow? Stop Assuming! You have a vision of how you see your blog and where you want it to go. The reality is that your vision may not match up with what your readers are expecting. So instead of assuming things about your readers, start getting feedback from them.
As shown above, there are many ways to get feedback from readers. Another example of getting feedback was when Michael Arrington first started TechCrunch. He began having meet ups at his house just months after starting the blog. The face-to-face feedback that he must have received proved to be valuable and effective in helping TechCrunch grow. As a result, the content on TechCrunch, which started with primarily basic company profiles, has also been expanded on and improved from there. Track, Analyze, and Execute! Analytics solutions like Google Analytics, Feedburner, and Lijit are great, but what’s the point of having them if you aren’t really using them? You probably log into your Google Analytics account every once in a while and look to see if your traffic is up or down, but do you ever get down into the nitty-gritty details to try and understand your readers? Do you know what changes you need to make to increase your readership and engagement levels?
After you analyze the data provided by your web analytics solutions you need to take action. Whether it’s modifying your design to decrease your bounce rate or figuring out what new content topics you should be writing after looking through your Feedburner/Lijit stats, you have to take action. If you don’t, you shouldn’t even waste time tracking your stats. Engage, Engage, and Engage! Blogging is a two way street, you can’t expect to understand your readers if you don’t interact with them. Polls, surveys, and feedback tools are great, but that is only half the battle when it comes to engagement. Here are few ways you can engage with your audience: Conclusion If you want to grow your blog, you need to first understand your readers. Without understanding your audience you won’t know what they like and dislike. Take the next few hours and start analyzing your blog and create a game plan on how you can grow your blog. If you find yourself getting stuck, just leave a comment and I’ll do my best to help you out. J Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0
Source: TechCrunch | 2 May 2009 | 11:53 pm Hong Kong Disneyland deal could happen soon - govtLOS ANGELES, May 2 (Reuters) - A top Hong Kong government official is pleased with the progress in talks with the Walt Disney Co on expanding the underperforming Hong Kong Disneyland, and a deal could...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 2 May 2009 | 11:38 pm Chicago Tribune Reporters Don't Want Readers' Pre-Approvaltheodp writes "Irked by the Marketing department's solicitation of subscribers' opinions on stories before they were published, 55 reporters and editors at the Chicago Tribune signed an e-mail demanding the practice be stopped. 'It is a fundamental principle of journalism that we do not give people outside the newspaper the option of deciding whether or not we should publish a story, whether they be advertisers, politicians or just regular readers,' the e-mail read."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 2 May 2009 | 10:54 pm The Latest On ShoeMoney’s AdWords Lawsuit Against A Google Employee
Last month we reported on an interesting trademark case between online marketing guru Jeremy ‘ShoeMoney‘ Schoemaker and a Google employee named Keyen Farrell, who works as an AdWords Account Strategist. Schoemaker is accusing Farrell of violating his trademark by using the word ’shoemoney’ in the ad copy for Farrell’s own site - something that Google prohibits. AdWords disputes aren’t anything new, but the case is interesting because it involves a Google AdWords employee, who obviously should have been aware of the program’s Terms of Service. And there’s also the possibility that Farrell could have used his administrative access to bypass Google’s filters (which should have caught the trademark). In the latest developments, Farrell has filed an affadavit stating that he did not know that the word ’shoemoney’ was trademarked, and that he was working through Google’s standard system when he placed his ads, which failed to prevent him from registering the word. In effect, he’s saying that the blame lies with Google, which should have prevented this from happening in the first place. It’s worth noting that when Danny Sullivan attempted to use the word ’shoemoney’ in an ad last month the system rejected it, though it is possible that it was added to the filter database in the time since Farrell began using it. Farrell’s affadavit also denies any sinister action on his part through administrative access, stating that he never accessed the Google account for Jeremy Schoemaker and/or Shoemoney Media Group, Inc. Farrell and his father, who is also named in the case, are seeking the case’s dismissal for lack of personal jurisdiction (the suit was filed in Nebraska, where neither of them live). The full documents are embedded below. We’ll be keeping an eye on this one. If Google does admit fault, Schoemaker could potentially name them in the suit, and the discovery process in this case could turn up some interesting details on the way the AdWords program is run, and how much data employees have access to. Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.
Source: Gizmodo | 2 May 2009 | 10:00 pm Italy May Hold Its Own Pirate Bay Trialhyanakin writes with an excerpt from TorrentFreak: "Following the Swedish verdict, Italy is now considering starting its own trial against the people involved with The Pirate Bay. This would be the first criminal prosecution against the Pirate Bay 'founders' outside their home country." Funny thing: almost 20 years ago, CD stores in Germany all seemed to be full of bootleg concert CDs pressed in Italy.Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 2 May 2009 | 9:50 pm Russian Roulette, balloon style Here's a clever Russian Roulette toy from a Korean shop -- take turns pulling the trigger until one of you drops the hammer on the chamber that pops the balloon.
Russian Roulette 2 - 자! 당신 차례입니다.
(via OhGizmo) Source: Gizmodo | 2 May 2009 | 9:00 pm Basic Linux Boot On Open Graphics CardDavid Vuorio writes "The Open Graphics Project aims to develop a fully open-source graphics card; all specs, designs, and source code are released under Free licenses. Right now, FPGAs (large-scale reprogrammable chips) are used to build a development platform called OGD1. They've just completed an alpha version of legacy VGA emulation, apparently not an easy feat. This YouTube clip shows Gentoo booting up in text mode, with OGD1 acting as the primary display. The Linux Fund is receiving donations, so that ten OGD1 boards can be bought (at cost) for developers. Also, the FSF shows their interest by asking volunteers to help with the OGP wiki."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 2 May 2009 | 8:37 pm CrunchDeals: iPod car dock with remote for $13
Here’s an inexpensive iPod car kit from Meritline. Normally almost $20, it’s being sold at $12.99 with free shipping. The “6-in-1 Car Kit w/Remote Control for iPod” features an LED display for FM channel selection, cigarette lighter power plug, and remote control. I’m not huge on FM transmitters, but mostly because they always seem more expensive than they’re worth. Thirteen bucks seems about right, though. 6-in-1 Car Kit w/Remote Control for iPod [Meritline via dealspl.us]
Source: Gizmodo | 2 May 2009 | 8:00 pm Hot gaming news for the week of 4-26-2009Section:  No need to scour the interwebs for hot gaming news, Gamertell‘s already done that for you! Here’s a look at this week’s top stories…
Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 2 May 2009 | 7:42 pm Microsoft Office 2007 SP2 Released, Supports ODF Out of the Boxshutdown -p now writes "On April 28, Microsoft released service pack 2 for Microsoft Office 2007. Among other changes, it includes the earlier-promised support for ODF text documents and spreadsheets, featured prominently on the 'Save As' menu alongside Office Open XML and the legacy Office 97-2007 formats. It is also possible to configure Office applications to use ODF as the default format for new documents. In addition, the service pack also includes 'Save as PDF' out of the box, and better Firefox support by SharePoint."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 2 May 2009 | 7:33 pm Sap Cap offers self defense at the drop of a hat
After finally figuring out what “sap” and “blackjack” mean — they’re used interchangeably to describe a police baton — this Sap Cap is a bit scary in its simplicity but might make for a good always-with-you self defense tool. That’s if you’re down with logo-less black hats and don’t mind shelling out $30 for something like this. According to the product description:
Ah yes, the all-important velcro adjustment. You don’t want to rely on those plastic knob-hole snappy things when you’re wearing a weighted billy club on your head. Sap Cap [BudK via Nerd Approved]
Source: Gizmodo | 2 May 2009 | 7:15 pm Wildlife Habitat Threatened By Grazing CattleAccording to conservationists, livestock grazing poses a threat to a variety of fish and other wildlife across over three-fourths of their dwindling habitats on federal land in the Western U.S.WildEarth Guardians began a study last year, using satellite mapping and federal records, matching wildlife habitat and U.S.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 2 May 2009 | 7:05 pm Roche deploys rapid response stockpile of TamifluZURICH, May 2 (Reuters) - The World Health Organisation has asked Roche Holding AG to deploy its so-called rapid response stockpiles of antiviral drug Tamiflu, the Swiss drugmaker said on Saturday.Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 2 May 2009 | 7:03 pm Crane reintroduction effort strugglesScientists are considering how best to reintroduce whooping cranes to the eastern United States, experts say. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Saturday that a $10 million-plus effort to reintroduce the birds was dealt a blow recently when all but one pair of 12 cranes abandoned their nests. Experts say they are using minnow nets, electronic monitoring, crane feces and dry ice to help them study the birds' behavior. The International Crane Foundation said the rare cranes in inexplicably left their nests. It's definitely disappointing, said the foundation's Joan Garland. The newspaper noted that cranes have had poor reproduction since 2001.The current crane population in the eastern United States is 81, the newspaper reported. The public-private reintroduction effort involves young cranes from Wisconsin being led to Florida by ultralight planes each fall.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 2 May 2009 | 7:01 pm DIY: Brick pizza oven for under $50
Since the dawn of time, the quest for perfect homemade pizza has broken many a soul. Can roughly $50 worth of materials and a DIY brick oven-like housing change all that? I honestly don’t know. But if you’ve got a little extra time on your hands and fancy yourself a decently-talented pizza enthusiast then by all means, chase the dream. Boing Boing Gadgets details an inexpensive home pizza oven setup consisting of less than $50 worth of materials. The bulk of the costs stems from a $30 pizza stone, while the rest is made up of locally-purchased firebricks. Everything fits into your existing oven, so you don’t actually have to build a big brick oven in your kitchen. Although if you have the space and the means to build your own gigantic wood-fired brick pizza oven, do it! The basic process involves building a brick housing around your pizza stone and then waiting what’d probably feel like forever for your standard oven to heat up to almost 500 degrees. Apparently the added bricks mean added time, as it takes longer for everything to heat up. Plan for an additional 30 minutes of pre-heating. BBG suggests using an infrared thermometer to keep tabs on the heat, though it’ll add $45 to your costs. I’d probably just “give it maybe 30-60 minutes and hope for the best,” as is suggested should you opt to skip the thermometer. Once everything’s all heated up, you’ll be subject to about 11 minutes of cooking time and “a more concentrated bake” since “the additional stones clearly refract heat from all directions.” Here’s the entire process in detail, plus a couple of taste tests and additional ideas.
Source: Gizmodo | 2 May 2009 | 6:30 pm No Russian Operating System, At Least For NowElektroschock writes "The project by 27 Russian parties to develop a National Operating System for Russia has not taken off, yet (Russian). Ilya Ponomarev, the responsible technology committee chair in the Duma, received a negative response from the government. The government argues that the project and Open Standards would not impact the society and economy. Parliament members regret the setback for Russia's digital independence. Ponomarev wants to find other interested partners in the Government now." The Google translation makes it tough to tell whether this project is actually dead, or just shelved for the moment. Any Russian speakers out there who can parse it with greater clarity?Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Gizmodo | 2 May 2009 | 5:45 pm Despite tough economy, Google hires 200 goats
Google is going super low-tech around its Mountain View, California headquarters, casting aside the modern conveniences of gas-powered lawn mowers for the environmentally-friendly and fascinating world of goat rentals. While some would ask “Why rent when you can buy?” I’d wholeheartedly recommend renting goats instead of buying them, even though Google could probably buy every goat in the entire world and make them all wear three-piece goat suits with bells instead of ties, set up a few thousand adirondack chairs, and provide some hilarious break-time reprieve for its employees. Alas, all Google needs is about 200 goats, which it rents from a company called California Grazing at a price that “costs us about the same as mowing,” according to Google’s official blog. [via Treehugger]
Source: CrunchGear | 2 May 2009 | 5:30 pm A new MP3 player aims to help bicyclistsSection: Audio, Portable Audio, Speakers, Gadgets / Other, Transportation  If you enjoy going on long bike rides, then you probably bring your iPod or MP3 player along for the ride. The problem with that is the headphones could get tangled up and that could become dangerous. Until now, I can’t really think of any MP3 players specifically designed for bicyclists, except for the new Podio. The Podio has two main features that makes it stand out, one being it can attach to any sized handlebars, and the other being a built-in speaker on the device itself. I’m not sure if it has a normal headphone jack, but I’m sure it would. In addition, it comes with a 20 hour battery life, so the Podio won’t die on any bike ride, and it comes with 2GB of storage space. 2GB isn’t a whole lot of space, but it’s decent enough. I wouldn’t purchase this MP3 player to become your main portable music device, but I would purchase it if I biked for long periods of time by myself. Unfortunately, no word on pricing or availability at this time. Via [Oh Gizmo!] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 2 May 2009 | 5:28 pm MN Supreme Court Backs Reasoned Requests For Breathalyzer Source CodeviralMeme writes with news that the Minnesota Supreme Court has upheld the right of drunk-driving defendants to request the source code for the breathalyzer machines used as evidence against them, but only when the defendant provides sufficient arguments to suggest that a review of the code may have an impact on the case. In short: no fishing expeditions. The ruling involves two such requests (PDF), one of which we've been covering for some time. In that case, the defendant, Dale Underdahl simply argued that to challenge the validity of the charges, he had to "go after the testing method itself." The Supreme Court says this was not sufficient. Meanwhile, the other defendant, Timothy Brunner, "submitted a memorandum and nine exhibits to support his request for the source code," which included testimony from a computer science professor about the usefulness of source code in finding voting machine defects, and a report about a similar case in New Jersey where defects were found in the breathalyzer's source code. This was enough for the Supreme Court to acknowledge that an examination of the code could "relate to Brunner's guilt or innocence."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot | 2 May 2009 | 5:27 pm BlackBerry 8520 aka Gemini spotted in the wild The key new features of the Gemini based on these images appears to be the addition of an optical trackpad and a rubberized body. The main function keys are now integrated with the screen for a more streamline look. But it's still an EDGE device despite the optical trackball that will eventually make its way to other RIM devices.
Source: CrunchGear | 2 May 2009 | 5:08 pm BlackBerry Curve 8520 aka Gemini spotted in the wild
The key new features of the Gemini based on these images appears to be the addition of an optical trackpad and a rubberized body. The main function keys are now integrated with the screen for a more streamline look. But it’s still an EDGE device despite the optical trackball that will eventually make its way to other RIM devices. via CrackBerry Crunch Network: TechCrunch obsessively profiling and reviewing new Internet products and companies
Source: Gizmodo | 2 May 2009 | 5:00 pm Review: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX37
Overview In my never-ending search for a high image quality compact digital camera, I came across the Panasonic DMC-FX37. This little compact caught my eye with its long list of premium features and tiny footprint. It’s got a wide-angle Leica lens, image stabilization, 720p HD video recording, and a 4x zoom. That’s a pretty compelling list of features for such a small camera. I’m used to using a Fujifilm F30 because of its great image quality, especially in low light, but it’s getting a bit long in the tooth and I wanted a change. So, I took the little FX37 on a recent trip overseas. Well, to make a long story short, I shot 90 percent of my images on that trip with the little Panny instead of my DSLR. Its unique wide-angle lens with the optional 16:9 shooting mode provided such quick and compelling images that I found myself reaching for it over my trusty SLR. First, the ergonomics and setup are nothing special, but the camera works as expected and the learning curve was shallow. One annoying thing is that I’m used to a shoot-priority camera, so I had to get used to flipping the play/shoot switch. I lost a few shots because I turned the camera ON while in playback mode. Otherwise, the menu buttons are fine, including the Q-menu which puts the most frequently used settings within easy reach (ISO, WB, etc.). Lens The lens is a 25mm (21mm equivalent in 35mm format) with a maximum aperture of f/2.8. This is a wide-angle lens and it may take some time to get used to. Although with its 4x zoom range, I never felt it wasn’t able to get to a more “normal” focal length. I happen to love super wide lenses and took to it right away though it may take others some time and experience to use it well. I coupled this with the 16:9 shooting mode to take some interesting panorama-like shots (like this one of one of the outer buildings near the Japanese imperial palace in Tokyo):
HD 720p Video Another feature I was excited to try was its 720p HD video recording mode. I think it’s astonishing for a camera this small to have HD video recording. The format fits perfectly on today’s modern TVs and I’m sure in another year or so even middle-of-the-road digital cameras will have this feature. Video quality came out clear and crisp with a high enough framerate for most casual events. Here’s a short sample: Exposure Modes This camera meters and exposes very well. Even in tricky high-contrast scenes, it does a great job. Sometimes it will blow out some highlights, but only because it’s trying to balance the photo (see that first sample photo, it was a bright day). It has some pro-oriented features like automatic exposure bracketing. This is a very nice feature to have if you want to experiment with amateur HDR shots without having to use a tripod. Just lean against something to steady the camera and fire off several photos using the auto exposure bracketing mode. And of course the FX37 has the usual plethora of scene modes. I generally never use these modes, but I took the time to peruse the huge list of available scene settings and lo and behold I found a couple that were actually useful. Or a useful novelty at least. The first is the Slim Mode. This feature will compress the image horizontally so that people appear slimmer than they actually are. It’s got a couple settings, but if you use the most subtle one it actually works without being overly apparent. The other scene mode I liked was the Nightlife Party mode. Usually you can set a camera like this manually to a higher ISO, rear-sync flash ON and shoot away to achieve good results. But this Nightlife Party mode was better than that. I couldn’t figure out exactly what it was doing, but I think it forced the shutter to stay open longer than it did when in the more manual mode. Anyway, the results were excellent. Various and Sundry Other Cool Features
Conclusion
Source: CrunchGear | 2 May 2009 | 4:42 pm Second Life Prize Goes To Virtual Mobility For DisabledAn organization shared top honors In a first-ever Second Life prize for in-world projects improving real-world lives by developing ways to let people with disabilities virtually climb mountains and hike trails.Virtual Ability and Studio Wikitecture, which designs buildings in the virtual world, were declared co-winners of what is going to be an annual prize at Second Life.The winners also received $10,000 in prize money each.The organization's vice president, David Ludwig, says in a mission statement online that Virtual Ability helps people with disabilities use avatars to skydive, fish, mountain climb, hike and even fly in Second Life."We also do a lot of dancing," wrote Ludwig, whose animated character, or avatar, in Second Life goes by the name Pecos Kidd."It's an amazing experience helping someone who will never walk again in real life to jump on a virtual trampoline."According to group president Alice Krueger, Virtual Ability will use the Linden prize money to work to expand services in Second Life."For many of us, Second Life is not a game -- it is a second chance at life," Krueger said.Wikitecture programs in open-source technology for real and virtual world architecture and urban planning. It's projects in Second Life include creating a "tele-medicine facility" for a village in Nepal."During the past two quarters, I completed assignments for organizations in Alabama, Britain, Germany, and Canada -- all within Second Life," said Wikitecture architect Jon Brouchoud of the US state of Wisconsin."The total sum of those contracts is at least quadruple what we secured for residential work."On Thursday, a Second Life committee declared a tie for the first place prize after going through 230 applications from around the world.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 2 May 2009 | 4:30 pm Caves Close Due To Bat-Killing FungusA fungus, which has reportedly already killed an estimated 500,000 bats, is causing the U.S. Forest Service to close thousands of caves and former mines in national forests in 33 states in an attempt to control the problem.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 2 May 2009 | 4:20 pm Free Comic Book Day!
Source: CrunchGear | 2 May 2009 | 4:12 pm BOOM! Top Apple news for the week of 4-26-2009Section:  We may not cover Apple 24x7… but we know someone who does! Here’s a few of this week’s hottest from Appletell to get you started…
Source: Gizmodo | 2 May 2009 | 4:00 pm Old Japanese maps on Google Earth unveil secrets (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 2 May 2009 | 3:39 pm Trial by fire: New antibody method gets big testCHICAGO (Reuters) - Researchers in two U.S. laboratories are preparing for the arrival of blood samples from Mexican flu victims to make a serum that might offer some protection from a...Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 2 May 2009 | 3:36 pm Dolphins Able To Sleep While AwakeDolphins have an uncanny ability to maintain a constant 24-hour vigilance without sacrificing rest or mental acumen.Because of their need to always be aware of their surroundings and protect themselves from potential predators, dolphins are able to let one side of their brain sleep while the other remains perfectly conscious and acutely aware for days at a time.Sam Ridgway from the US Navy Marine Mammal Program and his colleagues from San Diego and Tel Aviv set out to test two dolphins over a 5-day period to see if their auditory or visual awareness would dull after successive days without respite.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 2 May 2009 | 3:35 pm Fiat CEO to meet German govt on possibly buying Opel* Fiat CEO to meet with German foreign and econ ministersSource: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 2 May 2009 | 3:05 pm FACTBOX-Measures against new flu in EuropeMay 2 (Reuters) - Here is a guide to precautionary steps being taken around Europe to combat a possible flu pandemic:Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsTech | 2 May 2009 | 3:01 pm Sony’s Crackle.com to feature original programs and new movies including Spider-Man 2Section: Web, Websites, Online Music/Video  YouTube may be dabbling in live streaming videos and Hulu may be getting Disney content, but don’t forget about Sony. Sony’s video site, Crackle.com, is turning it up by producing two video shows that will air only on Crackle. Sony looks like it’s putting money behind these new shows. One is a drama about a crook who is trying to become a good person. The other is a comedy created by Kevin James (of Paul Blart fame). Expect high production values—with a look similar to television shows. Also, Sony is going to put up movies as well. What films will be showing up on Crackle? Sony movies like Spider-Man 2 and Stripes. Sony does have an advantage that some video sites, like YouTube, doesn’t. Sony has produced a vast number of movies and television programs. Their experience in the field could be quite beneficial to differentiate itself from all the other video sites. Read: [Media Week] Source: Gizmodo | 2 May 2009 | 2:42 pm Atomic Physics Study Sets New Limits On Hypothetical New ParticlesUniversity of Nevada, Reno team findings to be published in Physical Review Letters articleIn a forthcoming Physical Review Letters article, a group of physicists at the University of Nevada, Reno are reporting a refined analysis of experiments on violation of mirror symmetry in atoms that sets new constraints on a hypothesized particle, the extra Z-boson.Andrei Derevianko, an associate professor in the College of Science's Department of Physics, who has conducted groundbreaking research to improve the time-telling capabilities of the world's most accurate atomic clocks, is one of the principals behind what is believed to be the most accurate to-date low-energy determination of the strength of the electroweak coupling between atomic electrons and quarks of the nucleus."It is remarkable that the low-cost atomic precision experiments and theory are capable of constraining new physics at the level competitive to colliders," Derevianko said.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 2 May 2009 | 2:27 pm "The Second Coming of the silos will be abstract mysterious"Maggie Koerth-Baker is a guest blogger on Boing Boing. A freelance science and health journalist, Maggie lives in Minneapolis, brain dumps on Twitter, and writes quite often for mental_floss magazine. If you've never given much thought to all the cool things you could do with an abandoned silo, well...you didn't grow up in Kansas, did you? Personally, I had a great plan for a scuba-through aquarium (with whales!) that really could have gotten off the ground if someone had ponied up the seed money back when I was 5. With a recent architectural design contest to revamp a couple of former sewage treatment plan silos into cultural landmarks, the Amsterdam City Council seems to be going for something a bit more practical than my old grain silo dreams. The ArchiCentral blog has some great renderings of the entry by NL Architects, which includes a "Cultural Silo" (with theaters, gallery space, and a restaurant), and a "Climbing Silo" (with a 40-meter/131-foot-high artificial cave for rock-wall climbing enthusiasts...of which, apparently, Amsterdam has many). BTW: The headline here, a quote from the NL Architects spokesman, roughly translates from architect-speak into English as, "This project is going to be kick-ass!"
What would you do with a retired silo? I still think the aquarium idea would be "abstract mysterious" as all hell. Source: Boing Boing | 2 May 2009 | 1:54 pm Mother’s Day is coming up! 5 gadgets for MomSection: Computers, Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Transportation, Imaging, Peripherals, Displays/Projectors, Features, Gift Guide  You’ve only got a little over a week to shop for Mother’s Day folks. And hint! Moms like gadgets too. Don’t be boring and just hand her a card or a bunch of flowers, get Mom something cool this year. Stay away from a sweeper or anything that cleans. Ditto on anything that implies she doesn’t look good and needs help in that department. So, what to buy? What to buy? Here are some suggestions that might work for all different budgets. 
1. The Tom Tom One 140 GPS There’s also Advanced Lane Guidance. This guidance uses photorealistic images on multi-lane exits so you can actually clearly figure out where you are supposed to be going. MSRP $180, but right now, the official Tom Tom site is offering $30 back for Mother’s Day along with free shipping. 
2. USB Tulip Hub 
3. Kaloric Wine Cooler 
4. My Life Digital Photo Key Chain 
5. Kindle 2 So there ya have it! Five gift suggestions for Mom for this Mother’s Day. Just remember to stay away from the sweeper aisle. Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article » Source: Gadgetell | 2 May 2009 | 1:39 pm Shoulda' Been in PicturesMaggie Koerth-Baker is a guest blogger on Boing Boing. A freelance science and health journalist, Maggie lives in Minneapolis, brain dumps on Twitter, and writes quite often for mental_floss magazine. The CDC released the first photos of H1N1 this morning. FACT: If you tilt the computer screen at just the right angle and slightly cross your eyes, you will see a pig riding a sailboat.
Seriously, though, these are some gorgeous shots. I may spend the next 10 minutes before the coffee kicks in just listening to that amino acid sequence MP3 and staring at these photos. Source: Boing Boing | 2 May 2009 | 1:16 pm Top-rated reviews of the week - CNET News
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 2 May 2009 | 1:06 pm TRAFFIC ALERT: Alley back open after smoke closed it early Saturday - Naples Daily News
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 2 May 2009 | 12:10 pm White House Debuts On Social SitesOn Friday, the White House revealed its membership with the social holy trio: MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter.The White House is utilizing these social networking sites to post content from U.S President Barack Obama’s website WhiteHouse.gov.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 2 May 2009 | 12:00 pm Scottish anglers urged to free salmonScottish anglers are being urged to release all the salmon they catch during this year's spring run. The Association of Salmon Fishery Boards said Friday that numbers of salmon dropped this year after four years of small increases, The Scotsman reported.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 2 May 2009 | 10:09 am
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So I got up this morning, fired up 
"I have more than two hours of video footage showing Sheikh Issa's involvement in the torture of more than 25 people," wrote Texas-based lawyer Anthony Buzbee in a letter obtained by the Observer.
Back in 1994, there was no album I wanted more than Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral. The problem was that I was 12 at the time, and the album carried the dreaded “Parental Advisory” sticker, which meant I couldn’t buy it at the store without my parents — and that wasn’t an option. You see, they (like most other parents) weren’t too fond of songs like “Closer,” on the album. You know the one. “I want to f**k you like an animal.” Yeah, that “Closer.” Well, now it’s 2009, I’m 27, and should be free to buy whatever the hell I want. Except I can’t once again. This time thanks to Apple.
