politicalbs.com

« Expand/Collapse

Unread items (200)

February 28, 2010
23:16
Hands Of An Artist: Daniel French's Lincoln Memorial
» ‎ NPR Most Emailed: NPR Most Emailed Stories

Daniel Chester French's solemn white marble sculpture of Lincoln has presided over history since its 1922 dedication. A new exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., looks at its creation.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

July 04, 2009
1:41
BT offers holidays for pay cuts
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

BT offers staff the chance of long holidays in return for a big pay cut in a bid to reduce costs during the economic downturn.
1:41
Burma junta leader snubs UN chief
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Burma's military ruler refuses to let visiting UN chief Ban Ki-moon meet jailed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
1:41
Fatal flats blaze inquiry starts
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Investigations begin into the cause of a tower block fire which left six people, including three children, dead.

1:41
Report: N. Korea test-fires missiles
» ‎ MSNBC.com: Most Viewed

North Korea fired three missiles off its eastern coast Saturday, South Korea said, in what was likely to be seen as a message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day holiday. .

1:41
UK forces 'encounter few Taliban'
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

British forces on a major operation in Afghanistan say they have encountered little resistance from the Taliban.

0:54
Events in Palin's political career (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - • 1992-1996 Sarah Palin enters public life in Alaska, serving two terms on the Wasilla City Council.

Permalink for 'Google_News___Online_campaigning/2009/07/04/SARAH_PALIN_INSISTS_YOU_PAY_ATTENTION_TO_THE_INTERNET_ON_HOLIDAY.___Tapped'

0:14

SARAH PALIN INSISTS YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THE INTERNET ON HOLIDAY. - Tapped

» ‎ Google News - Online campaigning

July 03, 2009
23:36
MOUNTAIN OF DEBT: Rising debt may be next crisis (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - The Founding Fathers left one legacy not celebrated on Independence Day but which affects us all. It's the national debt.
23:00
Why Sarah Palin Quit (Time.com)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

Time.com - Although her stated reasons are hard to pin down, insiders say the Alaska governor's decision is unlikely to lead to a presidential run in 2012
22:25
VP Biden urges Iraqis to make political progress (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Vice President Joe Biden pressed Iraqi leaders Friday to do more to foster national reconciliation and offered U.S. assistance in achieving that, as concerns grow that a lack of political progress is fueling violence in Iraq.

21:57
'Serial killer' sought in South Carolina
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office on Friday released a second sketch of a man believed to have fatally shot four people in less than a week near Gaffney, South Carolina.

21:45
Dad on: racism; women and youth in civil rights; nonviolence and boxing
» ‎ Benjamin Melancon

John C. Melançon

Was a member of the NAACP. Thought it was too conservative then.

In the South, most of the racist had a few blacks they new that if you included them they would say “Now wait, they are different.”

Person (minister) he worked with worked in the city slums and as he learned all of these people came from some little spot in the country he thought - we’re in the wrong place. Opened some thing with greek name.

Says it is women who did hardest work in civil rights movement.

read more

21:29
Thoughts on Four Decades of Being Rik
» ‎ Rik Panganiban's Click Heard Round the World

Today marks my 40th year on this planet.
I wish I had some grand epiphany to share at this point in my life. But being a Quaker, I know that revelations don’t necessarily work on a schedule.
People have been asking me what it feels like to turn 40.
On the one hand, not much has changed. I feel as young, energetic and creative as I ever have. I can do things with my body now that I couldn’t do at 25. I am just as frenetic and busy as I have ever been. And I am still making big life changes while others my age are starting to “settle down.”
On the other hand, I feel like I am just starting to feel comfortable in my own skin, to feel integrated within own multi-layered identity. I feel more at ease being the Filipino-American / Quaker / lindy hopper / b-boy / geek / activist / virtual world explorer / blogger / Brooklynite. For once, I feel like I can be all those things, all the time, and have that make sense.

In the past, I have felt like I have had to draw hard lines between my different identities, to try to keep apart my different lives. I couldn’t let my work colleagues know that I was a swing dancer. I couldn’t talk about Quakerism to my family. I found the role-switching often confusing and exhausting.
Now I am just too old to work that hard to keep those roles in their little boxes. I’m just... me.
I’ve had a crazy journey to get to this day -- from the slums of Juarez, Mexico to the stage at the Apollo Theater to a fossil dig in virtual Tanzania. There has been very little that was conventional, or even logical, about the paths that I’ve taken. But somehow, everything has worked out alright.
Here’s what is on my mind, right now.
Right now, I am organizing a virtual summer camp for 20 New York and Chicago teens in Second Life.
Right now, I am working on my breaking swipes and fast lindy skills.
Right now, I am preparing for a camping trip in August with my cousins in Northern California.
Right now, I am dreaming of buying my own place in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
Right now, I feel so fortunate to get to live this life. And I can’t wait to see what comes next.

21:19
Palin prepping for a run for president?
» ‎ MSNBC.com: Most Viewed

Sarah Palin's announcement that she's stepping down as Alaska's governor could be a sign that she's gearing up for a run at the presidency in 2012, Howard Fineman writes.

21:19
North Korea 'tests two missiles'
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

North Korea reportedly fires four short-range missiles amid speculation it may be planning another long-range test.
21:19
Russia 'agrees US troop transit'
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

An Obama administration official says Russia has agreed to let US troops bound for Afghanistan fly through its airspace.
21:19
Japan's fashion rebellion goes West
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

An underground youth culture in Japan that rebels against traditional eastern beauty is spreading to the West, the BBC's Nina Robinson reports.
21:19
Honduran court defiant on Zelaya
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

The Supreme Court of Honduras rejects a demand by the Organisation of American States to reinstate the ousted President, Manuel Zelaya.

21:18
Ex-Iranian president seeks to free detainees
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

Iranians worried about their loved ones detained in the protests that followed the presidential election got the ear of a former president, who wants the detainees released, an Iranian reformist party newspaper reported on Thursday.

20:59
Palin resigns as governor, leaves plans secret (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin abruptly announced Friday she is resigning from office at the end of the month, a shocking move that rattled the Republican party but left open the possibility she would seek a run for the White House in 2012.

20:48
Report: North Korea test-fires more missiles
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

North Korea fired four short-range missiles toward the Sea of Japan, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

20:37
Powerful sedative found in Michael Jackson's home (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - The powerful sedative Diprivan was found in Michael Jackson's home, a law enforcement official said Friday as the city planned for a massive crowd at the singer's memorial service.
20:35
SKorea says NKorea fires 2 missiles off east coast (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - North Korea fired four missiles off its eastern coast Saturday, South Korea said, in what was likely to be seen as a message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day holiday.

20:29
Six killed in tower block fire
» ‎ NEWS.com.au | Most Popular | Most Popular World Stories

SIX people, including a three-week-old baby, have died and 12 have been injured in a huge fire at an apartment block in London.

20:27
Palin to resign as Alaska governor in surprise move (Reuters)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

Reuters - Sarah Palin, the brash, deeply conservative governor of Alaska who crashed onto the U.S. national political scene last year as the Republican candidate for U.S. vice president, announced abruptly on Friday she was resigning as governor.
20:24
Pachyderms outdo people in cross-species chow bout (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - In the fight of pachyderms vs. people the pachyderms now have the upper trunk.
20:21
Serial killer has South Carolina residents on edge (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Terrified residents canceled Fourth of July plans and holed up in their homes Friday as investigators hunted a serial killer believed to have shot four people to death.
20:12
US Marines push deeper into southern Afghan towns (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - NAWA, Afghanistan U.S. Marines pushed deeper into Taliban areas of southern Afghanistan on Friday, seeking to cut insurgent supply lines and win over local elders on the second day of the biggest U.S. military operation here since the American-led invasion of 2001.
20:11
Iranian cleric: British Embassy staff to be tried (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - EDITOR'S NOTE: Iranian authorities have barred journalists for international news organizations from reporting on the streets and ordered them to stay in their offices. This report is based on the accounts of witnesses reached in Iran and official statements carried on Iranian media.

20:08
Diprivan risk well-known to doctors
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

While authorities do not yet know what killed Michael Jackson, the possibility that anesthetics -- particularly the drug Diprivan -- might be involved continues to swell with each new revelation.

19:38
Malt-O-Meal recalls oatmeal made with dry milk (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Malt-O-Meal Co. is voluntarily recalling oatmeal that contains instant nonfat dry milk that may be contaminated with salmonella.

19:02
Amazon Wants Patent For Inserting Ads Into Books
» ‎ Slashdot - Your Rights Online

theodp writes "Three Amazon inventors set out to correct what they felt was a real problem: that 'out-of-print or rare books ... typically do not include advertisements ... the content is fixed and, therefore, has not been adapted to modern marketing.' Their solution is spelled out in newly-disclosed Amazon patent applications for On-Demand Generating E-Book Content with Advertising and Incorporating Advertising in On-Demand Generated Content. From the patent apps, here's what the future of reading may look like: 'For instance, if a restaurant is described on page 12, [then the advertising page], either on page 11 or page 13, may include advertisements about restaurants, wine, food, etc., which are related to restaurants and dining.' So, what would a delightfully-tacky-yet-unrefined Hooters ad do for your Hemingway experience?"
Read more of this story at Slashdot.

18:08
Woman accused of targeting girl, 9, with Craigslist ad
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

A Long Island, New York, social worker is facing two misdemeanor charges after allegedly posting a sexually suggestive ad on Craigslist that gave interested parties the home phone number of a 9-year-old girl.

18:03
Health Tip: Understanding Pre-Diabetes (HealthDay)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Before some people develop full-blown diabetes, their blood sugar is above normal, but not high enough to qualify for a diagnosis of diabetes.

17:57
Alaska Governor Palin to resign
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Republican ex-vice-presidential hopeful Sarah Palin is to quit as Alaska governor amid speculation about a possible presidential bid.
17:57
Six killed in tower block blaze
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Three children and three adults die after a blaze swept through a tower block in London.
17:57
North Korea launches beer advert
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

North Korea launches television adverts for a beer, in a rare commercial move for the resolutely communist nation.
17:57
Jackson tickets via internet draw
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Tickets for a memorial service for Michael Jackson in Los Angeles will be made available via the internet, organisers reveal.
17:57
African Union in rift with court
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

The African Union halts co-operation with the International Criminal Court over its war-crimes charges against Sudan's leader.
17:57
Cuckolds, horns and other explanations
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Just how insulting is the gesture made by the Portuguese finance minister, and what exactly does it mean?
17:57
Jackson custody case: the legal issues
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

USC Law Professor Scott Altman explains the legal issues surrounding the custody battle for Michael Jackson's children.
17:57
Fears grow for Iranian detainees
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Concern grows over the fate of opposition protesters arrested after the demonstrations against the re-election of Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

17:51
Palin resigns as governor, leaves plans secret (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin surprised supporters Friday and announced she is resigning from office at the end of the month, leaving open the possibility she would seek a run for the White House in 2012.
17:42
Madonna to pay tribute to Jackson in concert (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Madonna is paying tribute to Michael Jackson in the same arena where he was to stage his great comeback.

17:18
Hospital worker may have exposed patients to hepatitis
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

A former hospital employee may have exposed hundreds, or even thousands, of surgical patients to hepatitis C after taking their fentanyl injections and replacing them with used syringes filled with saline solution, authorities say.
17:17
Sailor gunned down on sentry duty, Navy says
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

A sailor found dead earlier this week at California's Camp Pendleton was shot while standing sentry, and a fire was set in an attempt to cover up evidence, the U.S. Navy said.

17:15
LA police plan for huge crowd at Jackson memorial (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Los Angeles city officials are preparing for massive crowds downtown during Tuesday's public memorial for Michael Jackson at Staples Center, even though only 17,500 tickets are being offered to the public.

17:13
Jackson memorial set for Tuesday
» ‎ Reuters Video: Most Watched Videos

Jul 03 - Tickets for a public memorial service for Michael Jackson in Los Angeles on Tuesday made available through an online lottery.

17:04
Momsrising Wow. Works for My House.
» ‎ Network-centric Advocacy

CNNBC video

Shared via AddThis

17:02
Sarah Palin resigns as Alaska's governor, raising speculation on 2012 presidential run
» ‎ guardian.co.uk: Most viewed
• Republicans disagree on wisdom of move
• Former McCain running mate hints at political ambition
Sarah Palin, the former Republican vice-presidential candidate who electrified her party's campaign last year, has resigned as Alaska's governor in a dramatic decision that has fuelled speculation she is positioning herself to run for president.
But after an at times rambling speech in which she compared herself to battle wounded American soldiers in Kosovo and said only dead fish go with the flow, Palin's critics accused her of a "flaky" decision and walking away from her post.
Palin, who built strong support among conservative Republicans as John McCain's running mate last year, said she will step down in three weeks because she can contribute more away from politics.
"We know we can effect positive change outside government at this moment in time on another scale and actually make a difference for our priorities," she said.
But Palin also hinted at continuing political ambitions when she repeated a quote she attributed to general Douglas MacArthur: "We are not retreating, we are advancing in another direction."
For someone who is supposedly stepping back from politics, Palin's resignation speech was weighty with policy specifics which prompted speculation that she is positioning herself for a 2012 presidential bid or seeking another office which would move her from distant Alaska to the heart of Washington politics.
But the timing, coming during one of the biggest American holidays of the year, independence day, raised questions among some of Republicans who accused her of attempting to escape falling poll numbers in Alaska as a series of economic problems and ethics investigations take their toll.
A prominent Republican strategist, Ed Rollins, who directed Ronald Reagan's election campaign, said Palin had made a serious mistake.
"She was a shooting star who dimmed in recent months and now she's crashed," he said.
Another Republican strategist, Tony Blankley, disagreed and said Palin appeared to have made a smart move to position herself for a run for president.
"It looks like she's moving down a path toward it," he said. "It frees her up. The normal rules don't seem to apply to her. She's a fascinating character who seems to do things her own way."
Blankley said that it makes sense for Palin to resign as governor if she is seeking higher office.
"This is going to be a pretty tough time for incumbents the next couple of years in America with everything going to tell and this may be a pretty good time not to be in office," he said.
Blankley also said that Palin faced particular difficulties trying to juggle a national campaign with being government of Alaska.
The geography is bad for her because it is several time zones and the better part of a day's travel from Washington. That limits her ability to maintain her profile by dropping in on important campaign states for short visits to whip up backing for a run for president. Quitting as governor will give her an opportunity to travel and court the Republican base among which she retains considerable support. Palin will also need to spend time in the capital developing relationships with key Republican strategists.
Palin remains a front runner among Republicans nationwide as a potential presidential candidate.
But other Republicans were more critical including John Weaver, a long-time confidant of McCain.
"We've seen a lot of nutty behaviour from governors and Republican leaders in the last three months, but this one is at the top of that," Weaver told the Washington Post.
Palin's resignation was swiftly criticised as "flaky" by her Democratic opponents who said it was part of a pattern of "bizarre" behaviour.
The Democratic National Committee said she is "leaving the people of Alaska high and dry ... or she simply can't handle the job now".
The timing of the announcement on the eve of independence day led some critics to accuse her of trying to bury the news of her resignation. But given that almost nothing else was going on it might have been a move to dominate the news bulletins as it forced Michael Jackson's death from the top slot.
"Some are going to question the timing of this, and let me say this decision has been in the works for quite a while," Palin said.
Palin addressed the numerous ethics investigations launched in to her alleged misuse of office by saying that taxpayer money was being wasted and deriding them as part of the "superficial political blood sport" against her since she shot to prominence as McCain's running mate.
Palin will hand power to her deputy, lieutenant governor Sean Parnell. The next election for Alaska governor is in 2010.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

17:00
Sarah Palin To Resign As Alaska Governor
» ‎ Most Popular Stories: CBSNews.com

At Hastily Convened Press Conference Says She Will Not Run for 2nd Term, Mum On Future Plans

16:57
Palin stepping down this month
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

Gov. Sarah Palin announced Friday that she will step down as Alaska's chief executive by the end of the month. She will not seek election to a second gubernatorial term in 2010.

16:48
Problems Campaigns Face: Riffing from PDF
» ‎ Network-centric Advocacy

We are in a unique moment of people organizing. At this time, our culture becomes both increasingly tied together and fragmented (danah boyd). Organizers dreamed for years to be able to reach millions of people (YouTube) and they pined for the day thousands of allies could collaborate in synchronizing efforts (Iranelection ish) to agitate for change of culture, industry or policy.

Now we sit in among vast networks of supporters, allies, friendsters and professionals (1000+ at PDF) as committed to our issues as we are, but working together alludes us. change remains just out of reach.

We know much about campaign planning (spitfire strategies) and communications strategy but the underlying alignment mechanisms for marshalling and managing the power in campaigns have shifted beneath our feet (who is momsrising…go Roz!). We are transitioning from an organizational-centric world dominated by good management, ownership, hierarchies and “the firm” to a network-centric world driven by leadership, transparency, reach and sharing (Ny311, government spending dashboard).

Leaders in broadcasting (newspaper) are being replaced by those focused on creating connections (craigslist). Both will always exist, but there is no doubt networks and network organizing represents a transformative trend.

Today, as movements organize they need a mix of both traditional campaign and communications strategy coupled with network strategy. (Obama)
Common Problems that Many Campaigns Face.
Experience demonstrates that these strategies are less effective without complementing each other. (Gates on education ) The interplay of campaign, communications and network capacities influence the planning implementation and success of each.

Coalitions, collections of groups, and crowds of people often lack the clear vision, campaign objectives and communications plans (PDF…although Sunlight stuff is a nice direction) that help identify the critical networks for further engagement, direction and collaboration. However, even when like minded and allied leaders can agree to connect and collaborate without a unified vision the emergent networks rarely develop the functionally collaborating infrastructure (Green Group) so that the participants can self-organize a clear vision, campaign objectives and subsequently develop campaign and communications plans.

In both scenarios, the coalition without clear objectives and the campaign without the functional network, basic levels of network infrastructure are needed to move forward. However, time after time organizers get stuck with little budget and no plan to solve the fundamental dysfunction in the networks the campaign depends on to achieve success.

The lack of budget and plan stems from a mix of both planning and management issues. There is often an unspoken lack of trust of the base and an unwillingness to trust allies. Yet, there is little investment in the systems that would build performance of far flung collaborative team ( fostering trust in the base).

Organizers that don't trust people to be as committed as themselves therefore design processes to get mild users to support the most committed rather than to actually engage and work effectively with the many-many-many less committed activists. There is a lack of diversity in the "committed base" and most effort is focused on recruiting a more diverse set of people into the same mindset rather than diversifying the agenda and the definition of what the movement is committed to achieve. Many leaders are oddly proud to be disconnected from trends in culture, communication and technology.(not at PDF)

The combined effects of these management biases and systemic gaps create a mess and complete lack of alignment between objectives, organizing, revenue plans, budgets, vision, communications, network organizing and technology plans. The resulting tossed salad of tech tools duct taped onto an organizing effort with no intention of listening, learning, serving and adapting makes a mockery of bottoms-up ownership. (thinking PickensPlan Ning)

On the planning side, many groups have even acknowledged that they are now entering a phase of network building, “taking a network approach” or that they are dependent on networks to create change but when pushed they have no framework for even discussing why, how or what are the elements that make an advocacy network functional.

Unfortunately, groups have no process or limited capacity to identify these conflicts and gaps. As organizers, they have limited experience bridging bottoms up discussions with mangers, funders, planners. Their is not enough circulation of the stories and theories of change that could realign the policy, network and communications activities.

Organizers and tech builders don’t have the materials, work process to help staff better understand organizing in the age connectivity and what is developed by foundations is disregarded and by consultants is trademarked.

We can look at all the pretty tools and see all the activity (online and off) but until the network builders and technologists explain the shift in logic that occurs to more of the organizers embedded across our movement most of us agitating for change will remain as we were only with better websites.

I had a blast in NYC at PDF. It was great to take time to step back and look at the broader trends and the ways those trends influence work at Green Media Toolshed and the training I do with Netcentric Campaigns. These events like PDF make me realize how fast the technology is moving in shifting the logic and thinking of the technology leaders and the gap that is emerging between that edge and traditional organizers and current leaders of organizations.
del.icio.us Tags: pdf09

16:44
Honduras rejects OAS appeal to restore president (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Honduras' Supreme Court rebuffed a personal appeal from the Americas' top international diplomat Friday, refusing to restore ousted President Manuel Zelaya before a Saturday deadline.

16:42
Palin quits amid White House speculation
» ‎ NEWS.com.au | Most Popular | Most Popular World Stories

SARAH Palin will not seek re-election as governor, saying "I am not wired to operate under the same old politics as usual".

16:38
2 die, 16 hurt in London high-rise fire
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

Two children were killed when a fire broke out in a high-rise apartment building in south London on Friday afternoon, officials said. Sixteen people were injured.

16:27
Belarus: President Pardons Emanuel Zeltser
» ‎ Global Voices - Cyber-Activism

On June 30, a U.S. Congress delegation visited Minsk. The Congressmen had a meeting with Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. During this meeting, members of the U.S. delegation asked the president to pardon Emanuel Zeltser, an American lawyer who, in August 2008, was “sentenced to three years in prison on charges of ‘attempted industrial espionage' and the use of fake documents.” Lukashenko said he could do it and signed the pardon later that day.

Adam Goodman of The Being Had Times re-posted a BelTA article about the U.S. delegation's visit on his blog and here is a quote from it:

[…] During the meeting members of the US delegation addressed the President of Belarus with a request to use powers of the head of state to free US citizen Emanuel Zeltser, who had been serving his sentence in Belarus for committing a criminal offence.

Alexander Lukashenko emphasised that the US citizen had violated Belarusian laws. “He was arrested in our country and sentenced in accordance with Belarusian laws. Even US Charge d’Affaires a.i. in Belarus Jonathan Moore does not deny it. I have never thought that this man could become an issue in relations between our countries. Yes, according to Belarusian laws, according to the Constitution I can grant a pardon to Emanuel Zeltser. You have asked this of me, right? If it is very important for America and our relations and contributes to normalising our relations, I will sign the pardon today,” said the head of state. […]

On Wednesday, at 5:30 a.m., Zeltser flew back to the United States.

Belarusian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (LJ user radio_svaboda) invited bloggers to ask Zeltser some questions via the by_politics LJ community [BEL]. Only a few bloggers have responded so far, and LJ user lipkovich was the first one to [RUS]. Below are three of the six questions that he asked:

1. Is it true that you were arrested right after the negotiations at the Presidential Administration?

[…]

3. Would you seek material compensation from our country?

[…]

6. As far as we know, you were released following a pardon decree. Does it mean that all charges against you have been removed? If yes, do you plan to continue working on inheritance cases in Belarus?

So far, Zeltser has not replied to LJ user lipkovich and a few other Belarusian bloggers who are attempting to interact with him via an LJ community focused on Belarusian politics.

Permalink for 'Google_News___Online_campaigning/2009/07/03/China_still_gets_Internet_filtering_software__PC_makers_volunteer_it___Geek.com'

16:16

China still gets Internet filtering software, PC makers volunteer it - Geek.com

» ‎ Google News - Online campaigning

16:05
Jackson memorial tickets available through lottery
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

The odds of winning Saturday's lottery for 17,500 free tickets to Michael Jackson memorial may be long, judging from traffic to the Staples Center Web site Friday.

16:02
MOUNTAIN OF DEBT: Rising debt may be next crisis (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - The Founding Fathers left one legacy not celebrated on Independence Day but which affects us all. It's the national debt.

15:58
Remembering Last Reunion Of Civil War Veterans
» ‎ NPR Most Emailed: NPR Most Emailed Stories

Commentator John McDonough recalls the last great reunion of Civil War veterans from the North and South. It took place July 3-5, 1938, on the 75th anniversary of Gettysburg — at Gettysburg, Pa. At the time, the whole country was almost painfully aware that the last living links to a decisive event were about to slip away.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
15:53
In Defense Of The Flag (Sewn For History Class)
» ‎ NPR Most Emailed: NPR Most Emailed Stories

Bob Heft, who sewed the 50-state flag as a high schooler, received a B- for his project. Heft's history teacher accused him of not knowing how many states were in the union at the time. The teacher changed the grade when the design was accepted by Congress.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

15:41
Facebook Activism: Lots of Clicks, but Little Sticks - washingtonpost.com
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

Facebook Activism: Lots of Clicks, but Little Sticks - washingtonpost.com

15:39
An Enchanting Tour Through A World Of Idioms
» ‎ NPR Most Emailed: NPR Most Emailed Stories

Author Jag Bhalla catalogs the unique turns of phrase that different cultures use in his new book I'm Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

15:38
Professor Gets 4 Years in Prison for Sharing Drone Plans With Students
» ‎ Slashdot - Your Rights Online

Hugh Pickens writes "Retired University of Tennessee Professor Dr. John Reece Roth has been sentenced to four years in prison after he allowed a Chinese graduate student to see sensitive information on Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones. In 2004, the company Roth helped found, Atmospheric Glow Technologies, won a US Air Force contract to develop a plasma actuator that could help reduce drag on the wings of drones, such as the ones the military uses. Under the contract, for which Roth was reportedly paid $6,000, he was prohibited from sharing sensitive data with foreign nationals. Despite warnings from his university's Export Control Officer, in 2006, Roth took a laptop containing sensitive plans with him on a lecture tour in China and also allowed graduate students Xin Dai of China and Sirous Nourgostar of Iran to work on the project. 'The illegal export of restricted military data represents a serious threat to national security,' says David Kris of the US Department of Justice. 'We know that foreign governments are actively seeking this information for their own military development. Today's sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who knowingly discloses restricted military data in violation of our laws.' During his trial, Roth testified that he was unaware that hiring the graduate students was a violation of his contract. 'This whole thing has not helped me, it has not helped the university,' said Roth. 'And it has probably not helped this country, either.'"
Read more of this story at Slashdot.

15:21
Protesters block Paris airport over Yemen crash (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Protesters linked arms across an entrance at Paris' main airport on Friday to keep passengers off a Yemeni flight to Comoros a route that saw a deadly crash this week, after years of complaints about dangerous conditions on the flight path to the Indian Ocean island nation.

15:15
Botched circumcisions leave 31 dead
» ‎ NEWS.com.au | Most Popular | Most Popular World Stories

THIRTY-ONE teenage boys have died from complications after botched traditional circumcision rites in South Africa's rural Eastern Cape region.

Permalink for 'Google_News___Online_campaigning/2009/07/03/_quot_Barack_Obama_is_the_Devil_Incarnate_quot____Daily_Kos'

15:13

"Barack Obama is the Devil Incarnate" - Daily Kos

» ‎ Google News - Online campaigning

15:02

Sarah Palin resigns, almost - Examiner.com

» ‎ Google News - Online campaigning

14:47
Artists Make Money By Forgoing Traditional Galleries
» ‎ NPR Most Emailed: NPR Most Emailed Stories

It isn't easy to make money as an artist these days, but three crafty New Yorkers are managing to sell their work — and make a living — outside the traditional gallery system.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

14:47
Copyright Should Encourage Derivative Works
» ‎ Slashdot - Your Rights Online

Techdirt has an interesting look at copyright and the idea that an author is the originator of a new work. Instead, the piece suggests that all works are in some way based on the works of others (even our own copyright law), and the system should be much more encouraging of "remixing" work into new, unique experiences. "Friedman also points back to another recent post where he discusses the nature of content creation, based on a blog post by Rene Kita. In it, she points out that remixing and creating through collaboration and building on the works of others has always been the norm. It's what we do naturally. It's only in the last century or so, when we reached a means of recording, manufacturing and selling music — which was limited to just those with the machinery and capital to do it, that copyright was suddenly brought out to 'protect' such things."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.

14:46
Sarah Palin Resigning As Alaska Governor
» ‎ NPR Most Emailed: NPR Most Emailed Stories

Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has announced she will resign as governor of Alaska as of July 26. She didn't say why she decided to step down, but the surprise announcement stirred speculation that she would focus on a bid for the 2012 Republican nomination for president.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
14:42
Reading Of The Declaration Of Independence
» ‎ NPR Most Emailed: NPR Most Emailed Stories

Twenty-one years ago, Morning Edition launched what has become an Independence Day tradition: hosts, reporters, newscasters and commentators reading the Declaration of Independence.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

14:40
Much-needed tax refunds delayed from Ga. to Calif. (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Colin Daymude was out of work last year after his business failed and eagerly filed his taxes in mid-January, figuring he'd get his refund sooner. He was wrong.

14:11
E-Democracy on Experientia.com
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - e-democracy

Creative ways to increase citizen participation in online public services
13:52
CivicPlus: Next Generation Government Websites
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - e-democracy

CivicPlus: Next Generation Government Websites

13:45
Abortion doc murder suspect advocates via mail (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - A man charged with shooting a prominent Kansas doctor who performed late-term abortions has been advocating through mailings from his jail cell that such killings are justifiable and communicating with individuals on the fringes of the anti-abortion movement, weeks after suggesting others might be planning similar attacks.

13:43
More Information About Too Much Information
» ‎ David Sasaki

At some point in the future my children will ask me what I did during my 20’s and I will tell them that I traveled around the world going from one conference to the next with my laptop. And my children will ask me why I did that. And I will say, you know, that’s a really good question.

My hope is that one day our children will look back at photos like this one and make fun of us in the same way that we look back at photos of our parents from the 60’s and 70’s and shake our heads in sympathy and shame.

13:42
Bang The Table - an independently moderated space for discussing public policy
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - e-democracy

Online community consultation

13:36
Sanford spending holiday weekend with family in Florida
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford left the Governor's Mansion on Friday to visit with his family in Florida, his office said.

13:35
Ministry Of Defence awards 230 million contract for battlefield comms systems
» ‎ PublicTechnology.Net News - UK

Two contracts, together worth £231 million, have been awarded to General Dynamics UK to upgrade the UK Armed Forces Bowman military communications system, the Ministry of Defence announced yesterday.
13:35
Waltham Forest Resident Card sees growth and improved services
» ‎ PublicTechnology.Net News - UK

London Borough of Waltham Forest has entered the third year of operation of their resident card scheme, which continues to grow and help the Council improve services and save money.
13:35
Candidate for Chair at Science and Technology Facilities Council is announced
» ‎ PublicTechnology.Net News - UK

Professor Michael Sterling, until recently Vice Chancellor of Birmingham University, has been selected as the preferred candidate to become Chair of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
13:35
EIB lends 360 million to National Grid to support secure & cleaner energy
» ‎ PublicTechnology.Net News - UK

The European Investment Bank (EIB) yesterday signed a loan of GBP 360 million with National Grid to support the companys investment programme for the upgrade and extension of its four gas distribution networks in the UK.
13:35
EU updates rules for state funding of public broadcasters
» ‎ PublicTechnology.Net News - UK

The European Commission has adopted a new Communication on state aid for the funding of public service broadcasters. The Communication provides a clear framework for the development of public broadcasting services and enhances legal certainty for investment by public and private media alike.
13:35
BCS appoints new Director of Learned Society
» ‎ PublicTechnology.Net News - UK

BCS has appointed Dr Bill Mitchell as its new Director of Learned Society. He will be responsible for developing the BCS Learned Society capabilities in partnership with the computing/computer science and IT communities.
13:35
140 million call for proposals for research into fuel cells for greener laptops
» ‎ PublicTechnology.Net News - UK

With yesterday's publication of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Technology Initiative (JTI)'s second call for proposals for research, Europe stays the course to realise the potential of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies and to create a cleaner energy system for the future.

13:33
Cops hunt serial killer after 4 shootings
» ‎ MSNBC.com: Most Viewed

Authorities in South Carolina are looking for a serial killer they believe has shot four people to death within 10 miles of each other over the past six days.
13:33
26 killed in Pakistan helicopter crash
» ‎ MSNBC.com: Most Viewed

A military helicopter crashed in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing 26 security personnel, a Pakistan military official said.

13:33
Jackson tickets via internet draw
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Tickets for a memorial service for Michael Jackson in Los Angeles will be made available via the internet, organisers reveal.
13:33
Resolution on Stalin riles Russia
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

An Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe resolution equating Nazi and Soviet roles in WWII angers Russia.
13:33
Day in Pictures
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Eye-catching images from around the world on 3 July
13:33
Killer jailed after jeopardy case
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

A man acquitted of killing his ex-girlfriend seven years ago is found guilty after a new trial under double jeopardy laws.

13:30
MinnPost Experiments with Real-time Ads
» ‎ E-Media Tidbits

MinnPost.com is experimenting with an interesting new self-serve ad system to give marketers the ability to change and post ads in real time.
Joel Kramer, MinnPost.com founder, explained the project in an announcement, saying:

"Imagine a restaurant that can post its daily lunch special in the morning and then its dinner special in the afternoon. Or a sports team that can keep you up-to-date on its games and other team news. Or a store that could offer a coupon good only for today. Or a performance venue that can let you know whether tickets are available for tonight. Or a publisher or blogger who gives you his or her latest headline."
Kramer pointed out that the unique benefit to these adds is their automation:

"MinnPost.com Real-Time Ads is easy for marketers to use, because they dont have to create any new messages just for our site. They can automatically feed us the messages theyre already creating on Twitter or their own blogs. If you are publishing content frequently and pushing it out through an RSS feed, you can be up and running on MinnPost.com Real-Time Ads in minutes. (If youre not already doing this kind of pushing out of frequent messages, maybe our Real-Time Ads will inspire you to start.)"
This is an interesting development and a great way to give advertisers more tools to automate and connect with audiences without having to pay dozens of ad sales employees to bring that money in.

So much of the content on newspaper Web sites is automated and streamlined. It's about time someone started making tools for placing ads as simple as placing a Google Adsense Ad.

If tools like this evolve and grow, they could help fill the gap between newspapers struggling to attract and monetize local mom and pop shops looking for affordable local opportunities to reach audiences.

13:26
International Association for Public Participation
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - e-democracy

International Association for Public Participation
13:25
National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - e-democracy

"Fostering a world of conversation, participation and action"
13:24
Intellitics - experiments in civic sensemaking
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - e-democracy

Intellitics - experiments in civic sensemaking

13:24
Regional News of Tuesday, 30 June 2009
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - ict4d - ICTs for Development

Regional News of Tuesday, 30 June 2009

Permalink for 'Google_News___Online_campaigning/2009/07/03/NSA_Tries_To_Protect_Citizen__39_s_Privacy___RedOrbit'

13:20

NSA Tries To Protect Citizen's Privacy - RedOrbit

» ‎ Google News - Online campaigning

12:57
17051IIED.pdf (application/pdf Object)
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - ict4d - ICTs for Development

17051IIED.pdf (application/pdf Object)

12:53
Personal Democracy Forum
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - e-democracy

Personal Democracy Forum

12:51
Poetic License Raises A Star-Spangled Debate
» ‎ NPR Most Emailed: NPR Most Emailed Stories

Rene Marie grew up in the segregated South, and has become one of the few jazz singers today whose talent and devotion to social issues have both won her attention. Case in point: her personal take on the national anthem.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

12:44
Applied Collaboration Studios: Transforming Complex Problems into Systems of Continuous Social Innovation
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

"This paper asserts that the voluntary or social sector plays a pivotal role in generating and disseminating social innovations through collaboration with diverse partners. The authors explore the potential to engender a quantum leap in the sector’s efficiency, reach, and impact through the combined use of open source technologies, social process tools and collaboration platforms. The objective is to contribute to a new generation of intelligent social systems, enabling an evolutionary recalibration of relationships among ourselves, our social and economic institutions, and the planet."

12:42
AmericaSpeaks - engaging citizens in governance
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - e-democracy

AmericaSpeaks - engaging citizens in governance
12:42
The Open Planning Project - empowering civil society
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - e-democracy

The Open Planning Project - empowering civil society

12:42
Social Actions: Making the Web More Philanthropic
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

"This article describes how Social Actions applies open source principles to the organization's products and processes. In its entirety, Social Actions is intentionally designed to contribute to the ongoing and vibrant conversations about open source practices and principles."

Permalink for 'Google_News___Online_campaigning/2009/07/03/Myanmar__39_s_frustrated_generation_looks_abroad___The_Associated_Press'

12:41

Myanmar's frustrated generation looks abroad - The Associated Press

» ‎ Google News - Online campaigning

12:41
E-Democracy.Org - Discussion Forums with Political, Elections, News, and Government Links
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - e-democracy

E-Democracy.Org - Discussion Forums with Political, Elections, News, and Government Links

12:40
Product pitchman Mays remembered as natural seller (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - References to television pitchman Bill Mays' trademark image were everywhere at his funeral Friday near Pittsburgh.

12:40
10 humor sites sure to make you LOL
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

Bored with Pearl, the cursing toddler landlord demanding rent money? Not amused by those cutesy pictures of cats with the baby-speak captions?

12:39
voter info from MyBallot.net
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - e-democracy

voter info from MyBallot.net

12:36
Ethos Roundtable: Social Actions at the Ethos Roundtable on July 21st
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 07/21/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable

12:35
SC serial killer blamed for 4 deaths in 6 days (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Terrified residents canceled Fourth of July plans and holed up in their homes Friday as investigators hunted a serial killer believed to have shot four people to death.

12:35
Social Actions presentation at Google Tech Talk, September 16, 2008
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 07/21/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable
12:34
Christine Egger's Page - Social Actions
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 07/21/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable
12:34
Peter Deitz's Page - Social Actions
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 07/21/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable
12:33
Social Actions: Making the Web More Philanthropic
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 07/21/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable
12:32
You Can't Create Social Good Without Taking Social Actions
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 07/21/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable
12:32
My Social Actions
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 07/21/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable
12:31
Welcome | Social Actions
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 07/21/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable

12:30
Wealth, disability factors in alcohol-longevity tie (Reuters)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

Reuters - Moderate drinkers are wealthier, more educated and less likely to be disabled than teetotalers, which explains some, but not all, of the association between moderate alcohol consumption and longer life, according to a new study.

12:30
Aggregator - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 07/21/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable
12:29
About Us | Social Actions
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 07/21/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable
12:27
Dan MacNeil and Carolyn Thompson of the Community Software Lab at the Ethos Roundtable
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 09/15/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable
12:26
MVHub, a directory of social services in Launchpad
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 09/15/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable
12:25
MVHub: The Merrimack Valley and Greater Lowell, MA Community
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - nptech - Non-Profit Technology

For the 09/15/2009 session of the Ethos Roundtable

12:24
US - Online ad groups release new behavioral ad principles
» ‎ Quick Links

(IDG News Service)
Online consumers should get more information about what information is being tracked and collected for the purposes of behavioral advertising, and they should have more control over what data is being collected, according to new privacy principles released by four advertising trade groups. Online advertising networks should also "maintain appropriate physical, electronic, and administrative safeguards" to protect data collected, and they should retain the data "only as long as necessary to fulfill a legitimate business need, or as required by law," the principles said. see also Self-regulatory principles for behavioral advertising (Google Polciy Blog) by Pablo Chavez. Of course, for any self-regulatory effort to be effective, there has to be some kind of enforcement process.

Permalink for 'Google_News___Online_campaigning/2009/07/03/Iran__39_s_protests_strike_chord_in_US___Drexel_University_The_Triangle_Online'

12:21

Iran's protests strike chord in US - Drexel University The Triangle Online

» ‎ Google News - Online campaigning

12:16
Radio, a meeting place for women farmers in Nigeria | GenARDIS
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - ict4d - ICTs for Development

Radio, a meeting place for women farmers in Nigeria | GenARDIS

12:09
Putin urges Obama to scrap shield
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Russian PM Vladimir Putin urges the US to shelve its missile defence shield, as Barack Obama prepares to visit Moscow.
12:09
Deadly military crash in Pakistan
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Up to 26 Pakistani soldiers are feared dead after an army transport helicopter crashes in a tribal region, officials say.
12:09
Rai star jailed for abortion bid
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Algerian Rai music star Cheb Mami is jailed for five years in France for trying to force his former partner to have an abortion.
12:09
Opus Dei: Separating fact from fiction
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

The BBC's Religious Affairs Correspondent, Christopher Landau, gets exclusive access to the Catholic group Opus Dei, which has a reputation for secrecy.
12:09
MP's cuckold sign shocks Portugal
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Portugal's Economy Minister Manuel Pinho resigns after making a rude cuckold gesture at an opposition MP in parliament.
12:09
Body may have lain for five years
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

The body of pensioner is found in a tenement flat in Edinburgh where it may have lain for up to five years.
12:09
'Iran trial' for UK embassy staff
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Some of the British embassy staff arrested in Iran for "inciting protests" will be put on trial, a top cleric says.

12:09
Bigfoot? Nope, just a big hoax in Conn.
» ‎ MSNBC.com: Most Viewed

A Connecticut woman's close encounter with the mythical beast Sasquatch turned out to be nothing more than a boy in a costume.
12:09
July 4 fireworks shows go up in smoke
» ‎ MSNBC.com: Most Viewed

With the recession eating away at state and local budgets everywhere, it will be a silent Fourth of July across the country for many communities that have canceled their annual fireworks shows.
12:09
Cop nabs robber minutes after graduating
» ‎ MSNBC.com: Most Viewed

One of the NYPD's newest officers made his first arrest just minutes after graduating from the Police Academy in a ceremony at Madison Square Garden.

12:09
Billions stolen in online robbery
» ‎ BBC News | Most Popular Stories | World Edition

Details emerge of why billions in virtual cash disappeared from a virtual bank in Eve Online.

12:07
Many cities celebrating July Fourth without a bang
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

What's a July Fourth celebration without fireworks? Many cities across the United States will find out Saturday.

12:05
Musician jailed in forced abortion case
» ‎ NEWS.com.au | Most Popular | Most Popular World Stories

MUSIC star Cheb Mami has been sentenced to five years in jail for trying to make a former lover undergo a forced abortion, despite pleading for forgiveness at his trial near Paris.

12:05
Wimbledon 2009: Andy Murray v Andy Roddick - live!
» ‎ guardian.co.uk: Most viewed
Can Andy Murray progress to the final? Follow the match live here and why not send barney.ronay@guardian.co.uk your thoughts while he's at it?
.
.
3.17pm Hello. I've hopped channels from the day's live blog - and now I'm in the Murray seat. Stay here for live coverage, game by game, of Murray v Roddick for the chance to lose to Federer in the final on Sunday! Sorry... to play Federer in the final on Sunday!
You can send me your thoughts, inaccuracies, lies and searing insights on barney.ronay@guardian.co.uk
3.21pm It's absolutely steaming cram-packed on the hill where are the freaks gather. They're spilling over the walkways. It's Murray 'flu out there.
Caroline Holden writes: "I've dropped any pretence of work and am keeping my finger on the F5. What time does the final start on Sunday?" The final, I think, starts at 2.00pm. Alternatively look it up on the internet. What am I? Google?
Incidentally I have also given up any pretence of work. Six years ago now.
Murray and Roddick have just stepped out of the locker room (do they really need lockers in there? Who's going to nick your stuff?).
Interviewer asks "What;s it going to hinge on?" Roddick: "Er, we'll see. that's why you play 'em."
Great stuff.
Murray looks more calm and collected. Roddick looked quite fierce and tense. But what does it mean?
The court looks brilliantly worn and brown now. Love that wear and tear. It's so 1976. And they're out! Murray waves blithely.
By the way if you need to go out or have to pretend to be listening in a meeting, you can follow all this on your phone using this link to our mobile service.
They're knocking up. Roddick in his usual white hat and black armband T-shirt. Murray is bareheaded again and quite under-stated in his Fred Perrys. He does look very cool out there. Looking at the pair of them now Murray does fill you with some confidence. Not too much "Go on Andy!" waffle yet, despite the best efforts of the frankly embarrassing BBC vox pop wonks in attendance everywhere.
Stu Urch asks: "Okay, I've asked this question around the office and my friends, and now I'm throwing it out to a wider audience… Does anybody other than me actually like Murray and want him to win? I'm yet to find one person who agrees with me…"
Well, I like him. He's a good tennis player. He doesn't bother anyone. What' not to like?
Max from Guildford says: "Come on T... Oh yeah, that's not right any more; I think you ought to spend the current period of inactivity coming up with some form of encouraging phrase for Murray. "Go Murray Go!"
How about not really having any phrase at all, just sitting politely and sometimes clapping?
Murray has won the toss and will receive.
First set: Roddick 1-0 Murray Roddick kicks off with an unreturnable bullet that Murray wunks into the net. Then a long rally that Murray wins with a choice backhand into the postage stamp. Ace from Roddick. My god that thing is terrifying. Then a rally that ends with Rodders backhanding into the net. See a pattern already? Have to say his backhand is a very awkward wooden looking thing. But he aces to take the game to 30.
First set: Roddick 1-1 Murray Roddick attacks a Murray second serve, as he must, but hits long. That's a big part of today for him I guess. Another second serve but Roddick runs around his forehand and dumps it into the net. Murray nets a backhand to go to 30-30 and you can see what Roddick is doing, playing slow, giving Murray no pace to counter-punch. Murray nets a forehand to go to deuce. Murray wangs down successive aces to take the game. That was class. 130mph the last one.
First set: Roddick 2-1 Murray Roddick bludgeons himself to 40-15, then tries to come into the net on a Murray forehand and misses a woeful half-volley. Not to worry though. Ace. Game.
Jamie Watson seems cross and confused about something: "Why is it now just "the hill?' Henman Hill too full of faded not-so-glory past? Can't poor old Timmy even get his name attached to the hill for life? Murray Hill doesn't have the same ring to it? You can get a good curry in Murray Hill in Manhattan......" I think they called it Murray Mound for a bit, or Murray Field. Blah. I'm, like, whatever.
First set: Roddick 2-2 Murray Murray in a good serving groove here. Gets to 30-0 quickly then plays one of those really annoying backspun drop-shots that usually never work. But A-Rod comes lumbering in like a pregnant gigantosaurus and wafts a forehand miles out. Then Roddick frames a wild forehand about 30 metres over the baseline.
Jonathan Butler has made his mind up at last: "I find the sight of Murray loping around the court like a teen werewolf looking for a basketball to be most disturbing. And as Roddick is quite witty and an all-round good egg (and less likely to start howling at the moon) I'm going to break ranks and cheer for the ex-colonial Andy". I like Roddick too. He's wry and witty. And his eyes bulge endearingly.
First set: Roddick 3-2 Murray More caveman-style forehands from Roddick. This match already looks like the club v the rapier. But he puts away a volley well. Then wallops down a couple more big first serves and there's another game.
Nick Pettigrew asks: "Given his reputation as a strop-merchant, couldn't they rename Henman Hill as 'Murray's Hump'?"
First set: Roddick 3-3 Murray Classic Murray, shifting the elephantine Roddick about from side to side with his sneaky backhand, then putting it away. But the A-Rod is game. He's up to the net a lot here, shortening the points. Murray plays another juvenile and silly drop-shot, Roddick drop shots him back and Murray bangs a winner past his nose. Don't get into that stuff, Rodders. You can't win it. Some superb approach and volley stuff from Murray wins the game. That was dreamy, the forehand volley fading away cross court. And the sun is suddenly beating down out there.
First set: Roddick 4-3 Murray The chair umpire for this game has a small and totally inappropriate "soul patch" beard. With a stripy blazer? Roddick not losing out too much in the longer rallies here. Murray nets another backhand, as he has done quite a lot here the last ten days. Then Roddick charges into the net like a demented rhino and Murray passes him easily. He's complaingin about people in the crowd making noise when he's serving. Get a grip. But he wallops a forehand winner to take the game. I smell a tie-break coming.
First set: Roddick 4-4 Murray Roddick really whipping his forehand, often clumping around to get on to it. He doesn't so much have "foot work" as "foot hard labour". Murray plays a flying kung-fu-style double-handed backhand put-away to go to 40-15. Then Roddick wins another rally on the Murray backhand. But it's game Murray after an absolute peach of a winner down the line off the backhand.
First set: Roddick 5-4 Murray A lightening service hold for Roddick. Three first serves fired down in a row. But can he tell us a joke? Dean Kelshall muses: "I think everyone likes Roddick because he looks like Stiffler from "American Pie" … so you keep expecting him to make you laugh." And "can I be the first of 1,057 pedants to point out that there'd be no
such thing as a pregnant gigantosaurus, cos they were reptiles and
laid eggs," asks Niall Harden (and no one else)
Roddick wins the first set 6-4
Murray still going for broke on his first serve. Aces to go 30-0 up, then forced right out wide by a lovely whipped Roddick forehand. He's hitting to the Murray forehand all the time. With some success too. Roddick then plays a perfectly timed rally, attacking at just the right moment to go to 30-30. Huge point on the Murray serve. And Roddick drop shots his way to a set-point! Brilliant stuff. And Murray nets a forehand. What a great set of smart tennis from Roddick. He's got a plan here.
Well, that's not what most people expected to see. Credit to Roddick - that was classy stuff in the end. He waited for his moment and took it. He's got a plan - taking the pace off, working the Murray forehand and hammering down those first serves. This set is now huge. You feel Murray has to win it.
Second set: Roddick 0–1 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 1-0) Murray breaks in the first game. Gets to 0-30 with a brilliant running forehand winner. Then takes the game to love as Roddick nets a forehand.
Murray went off for a "comfort break" after that first set. He's come back looking pumped. No idea what he did in there. But it worked. The crowd are now bang up for this.
Second set: Roddick 0–2 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 1-0) Murray goes 0-15 but wins a rally with three successive whipped forehands. He's looking much more loose now. Three aces to win the game and there's the first "CAAAMANN!!!" He's buzzing.
And meanwhile [cue serious twiddling music] Richard Lindley points out: "Gigantasauruses (Gigantasaurusi?) might well have laid legs, but I believe that they still had to be pregnant in order to do so, surely? Although I think you're supposed to call pregnant reptiles 'gravid'."
Yep. What he said.
Second set: Roddick 1–2 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 1-0) Lovely stuff from Roddick as he whips a forehand out wide, then comes into the net and pinches his volley away to go 30-15. But a really aggressive shoelace-bound serve return pegs him back to 30-30. Harrrumphs his way out of trouble with two really big first serves, the second an almost invisible ace.
A rather catty Alex Warwick adds: "Murray looks like Screech from Saved by the Bell, but he's never going to make anyone laugh. Murray that is."
I don't know. Rather like his wry style. What do you want? Clown feet?
Second set: Roddick 1–3 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 1-0) Murray still serving very well. Gets to 30-0 with some feisty first-serving, then a second serve ace and another bullet to the wind-up Roddick forehand and it's game to love. If he doesn't win this set I'll eat the Aussie radio bloke next to me's hat.
Second set: Roddick 2–3 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 1-0) Roddick keeps wanging them down. He's like a great hammering piston-arm that you just wheel out and plug in. It occasionally wobbles about the court. But best if you just leave it in one place. Gets to 40-15 with a serve and volley overhead. Then an unanswerable howitzer to take the game.
Alan Ryan has a serious point: "I've noticed Murray's service grunt sounds like someone who's dry wretching after a night on the snake-bites. Not very Wimbledon."
Second set: Roddick 2–4 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 1-0) Lovely disguise on a Murray forehand takes him to 40-0. Feigned a drop shot there. That was a bit cheeky. An ace takes the game. Murray is really humming here.
Keith Rennie's in the house: "I'm a 67 year old tennis fan, a Murray watcher for years and saw this coming from way back. He did everything right in preparation and he deserves to win. He will, in four sets, and Roddick will lose heart in the fourth."
Second set: Roddick 3–4 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 1-0) Roddick second-serve aces to go to 40-0, then serve and volleys to win the game. This is flying by. They are both really nailing their service games.
Julian Menz says: "Regarding Richard Lindley's contribution, "gravid" is the Swedish word for pregnant. This is distressing for me, as I am marrying a Swede. Does this mean it will resemble "V" in the delivery room?" In my experience, it always does. Ugh. Really.
Second set: Roddick 3–5 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 1-0) Long rally that Roddick is unlucky to lose after a nice fading cross-court backhand takes Murray to 30-0. Then Roddick pounds him into the back of the court and Murray swipes long. Some pressure on Murray here at last in this set. He nets a forehand and it's deuce. Roddick sensing a moment. Another missed first serve by Murray, but Roddick wumps an absolute brick of a forehand wide. That was like a man swiping at a bumble bee with a dustbin lid. Murray holds with a brave second serve and lets out a massive "AAAAAAAAAARRRRGGH!" And why not.
Second set: Roddick 4–5 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 1-0)
Roddick hammers out a five-second service game. He has only lost seven points on serve in this set. But still been broken. All about taking your moments Murray will say. This is a huge game for Murray's hopes in this tournament coming up.
Ron Coyle has a tragic story: "In response to Julian Menz, I was supposed to marry a swede once, then at the alter, she didn't turnip."
Murray wins the second set 6-4 (Sets: Roddick 1-1 Murray) Strong first serve followed by a chassis in and a flipped backhand winner makes it 15-0. Then an absolute beauty of a backhand winner down the line after shifting Roddick wide. That was pure class for 30-0. Roddick comes in and does enough at the net to make it 30-15. Murray bosses a backhand rally for set point. Big serve is clunked miles out off the Roddick frame and that's it. Murray in double fist-pumping mood. "WWAAAAAGGH!" he says. And quite right too. Another well-paced and very close set of tennis.
Third set: Roddick 1–0 Murray (One set all) Murray is suddenly all over the Roddick serve again at the start of a set and gets to 0-40. Roddick attacks and saves one break point with an overhead. Then another with a full-stretched sliced volley. Great stuff from the big reptilian. Another serve and volley and an ace and he's saved it. Well played.
Meanwhile, on Swedes, Matthew Horsham cracks: "Let me guess Ron Coyle was so upset he had to go and get mashed?"
Third set: Roddick 1–1 Murray (One set all)
Roddick is attacking quite vigorously here, really hammering his forehand. Murray serves two very precise first serves to go to 30-15. But Roddick is hanging in there, making Murray run a lot too. 30-30 as Murray nets a forehand. Then... Ugh. horrible Roddick drop shot halfway up the net after a 17 stroke rally. Got to be more patient than that. Murray takes the game with another backhand winner.
And Debbie Stitt points out: "Chassis is what holds a machine together, chasse is a dancing step - I 'spose both are equally relevant". Yeah. Meant the first one.
Third set: Roddick 2–1 Murray* (One set all) Right in the meat of this match now. Any slips here could be decisive. Roddick is still looking totally focused though as he absolutely leathers his way through another service game. Thrilling stuff. If a little one-note.
Third set: Roddick* 3–1 Murray (One set all)
Massive game this one as Roddick breaks. Fantastic stuff. Roddick gets to 15-30 with some aggressive forehanding against the second serve. Then 15-40 as Murray sends a forehand long. Roddick is looking very strong here still. But Murray saves one break point with an incredible curling, whipped lob from an unpromising angle. That was very brave. Then he punches a beauty of a backhand winner down the line to save the other. Really great play at a massive point in the match. But Roddick's back, rushing the net to bully another break point. Murray thumps his racket. Ace to save the break point. But Roddick will not die in this game. Drop shot to get another break point. Murray hits a forehand long and Roddick has the break!
On fist-pumps and the like Gary Naylor muses: "I can think of no other sports' players who do that absurd fist pump thing, yet almost all tennis players affect it. So why do they do it? It's hardly charming or aesthetically pleasing. In the past Rod Laver or Bjorn Borg would barely bite a lip in acknowledgement of a clean winner (then again, Jimmy Connors would pump both arms simultaneously)." Love the fist pump. People should do them all the time. In every walk of life. I'm doing one now.
Third set: Roddick 4–1 Murray* (One set all) Murray's rattled - gets a warning for swearing, God knows why (he didn't) but it's upset him. And Roddick simply runs away with the game and takes it in about 40 seconds. Murray still arguing over what he was supposed to have said. Blah. Forget it. Roddick really nailing his ground strokes here. That's the problem. not the umpire.
Third set: Roddick 4–2 Murray (One set all)
Murray holds serve convincingly. He needed that. This match is kind of running away from him a bit right now. Roddick has his tactics spot on.
Third set: Roddick 5–2 Murray (One set all)
At last some pressure on the Roddick serve. Murray gets to 40-30 with a backhand winner, then makes it deuce with another. That's what he needs to do. Attack and force the pace a bit. Roddick pulls out his get out of jail ace, but Murray forces him to forehand long. Deuce again. This is a vital game for the Murray hopes. But Roddick bullies his way out of it with two power serves. Rock solid stuff.
Ian Copestake has a beef: "Fistpumps have replaced passing shots. Where are the passing shots? It's the only real reason for watching tennis."
I love a pass too. Ideally a running one from an impossible angle that clips the net and hits the line.
Third set: Roddick 5–3 Murray (One set all) Roddick wins a long rally with great whipped power forehand to get to 30-30. He is playing wonderfully well. A 79mph second serve is pinged right back past Murray. Murray is sulking, hobbling a bit, looking stretched all over. In the end he holds with some difficulty. Sorry, the BBC. Sorry, the people on the Hill. Sorry Jackie Stewart. Sorry The Proclaimers. Sorry Supergran. But your boy is going out if he can't get it together out here and stop looking sorry for himself.
Third set: Roddick 5–4 Murray (One set all)
But wait! Murray is at 0-40 in an instant! What returning! He's not dead in this set after all! Roddick saves the first break point with a brave charge to the net. Then he sends a forehand long and out of nowhere Murray has broken back That all took about a minute and was most unexpected. I happily eat all of my words.
Third set: Roddick 5–5 Murray (One set all)
There's a massive chant of "MURREYMURREYMURREY!!" from the crowd. They're kicking off here. Murray gets to 30-15 with a massive first serve and fist-pumps hungrily. Then an ace for 40-15. Another takes the game. Well, that is a proper momentum shift right before our eyes. He's lifted his game brilliantly there.
Third set: Roddick 6–5 Murray (One set all) Roddick dragged back to 30-30 by some deep Murray slugging on the forehand. The big serve digs him out again and an ace takes the game. Murray keeps feeling his knee in some pain. Uh-oh.
Srini Gopal on the pumps: "The only thing that is more irritating than Murray's yells and fist pumps after every point is his mom doing the same thing. Surprisingly, Roddick's been pretty damn cool all through this match." Yes Roddick has been cool. He held his nerve there too. Not freaked out by the Murray serve. You have to admire him in this match. A real pro.
Third set: Roddick 6–6 Murray (One set all)
Murray goes 30-0 with an ace but his knee does look slightly knacked here. He's grimacing and not moving his feet well on some of his ground strokes. Still puts away a lovely forehand punched winner for 40-15. Huge, wild double fault pegs him back to 40-30. Ace seals the game. Tie break time.
Third set tie-break: Roddick 1–1 Murray (One set all)
Wonderful point. Murray charges in to put away a Roddick drop shot.
Third set tie-break: Roddick 2–1 Murray (One set all)
Mini-break for Roddick. Charges in and forces the error.
Third set tie-break: Roddick 2–2 Murray (One set all)
Mini-break back for Murray. A wonderful running cross-court forehand pass.
Third set tie-break: Roddick 4–3 Murray (One set all) Roddick coming strong here. Has another mini-break.
Third set tie-break: Roddick 4–4 Murray (One set all)
Murray mini-breaks back
Third set tie-break: Roddick 5–6 Murray (One set all)
Ace to make it 5-5. And Murray in the lead for the first time with another. Set point.
Third set tie-break: Roddick 6–6 Murray (One set all)
Roddick saves it with a lucky shanked volley off the frame.
Third set tie-break: Roddick 7–6 Murray (One set all) Awesome Roddick ace. He has a set point.
Third set tie-break: Roddick 8–7 Murray (One set all)
Fantastic stuff. Murray saves it with forehand winner. But set point again as he walllops a forehand out.
Roddick wins the third set 7-6 and leads two sets to one
Murray nets an attempted passing shot. Roddick played that like a champion. He's not let up here. Very well played.
Fourth set: Murray* 1–0 Roddick (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1)
Can Murray come back from this? I'm not so sure. Roddick is playing really well. His tactics are spot on, his ground strokes really solid. Murray feeling that knee. Right now there;s a clear favourite. Murray makes Roddick run to go to 30-15, putting away a cross-court forehand. Big serve takes him to 40-15 and an ace wins it. A break here would be handy.
Fourth set: Murray 1–1 Roddick* (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1) Murray hoists a feeble, limp lob that Roddick sledgehammers away to go 40-15 up. Then a great second serve at 114mph and that's the game. Roddick in really good rhythm here. Murray has to shake him up somehow.
Fourth set: Murray* 2–1 Roddick (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1)
Murray fires in a couple of heavy first serves to go 30-0 up. Eventually he wins a spectacular long rally, both players at the net in the end, but Murray bunts one past Roddick to take the point.
Steve Smorrell has other things on his mind: "Just realised that A. Murray v. A. Roddick is confusing, but Al Murray playing BodyShop founder Anita Roddick is something I'd pay to see."
Fourth set: Murray 2–2 Roddick* (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1)
Murray takes the first point, but has no answer to the pounding serve of the Roddick mobile bicep. 30-15 as Roddick charges in and Murray nets. Some "AAAAAAGH!" from Murray as he nets another return. Roddick easily puts away a backhand winner for the game. He looks in control.
Fourth set: Murray* 3–2 Roddick (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1)
Murray is being made to work for his points. He actually seems to be slowing things down from the baseline. Roddick nets an attempted smart-arse dink to make it 40-15. Steady. Stick with the big booming stuff. Murray thashes a wild forehand miles out off the frame. And suddenly it's an ominous deuce. But Roddick nets a rather stiff backhand and it's game Murray.
Ian Copestake is already jumping on the anti-bandwagon bandwagon. "I'm starting the Murray backlash early. Why hasn't he got a plan? There's more to winning semis than japes with a bunch of ex-pro funsters." Yes. He needs more coaches. And he needs to fist-pump more an also he should fire his mum.
Fourth set: Murray 3–3 Roddick* (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1)
Murray forces a long forehand to get to 15-15. Desperate for a break here. But Roddick's too strong: great volleyed winner off his shoelaces takes him to 40-15. A beautiful forehand return winner makes it 40-30. Then some really weird slow slice forces an error from Roddick, hitting long and it's a deuce at last. Lovely point as Roddick chases in to kill it at the net. And champion forehanding from side to side takes the game. Well played Roddick. Murray is chasing like a maniac but to be honest he looks quite knackered out there now.
Fourth set: Murray* 4–3 Roddick (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1)
Murray still pulling out some wondrous shots: here a forehand pass from deep with Roddick leering right over the net. He holds serve to love with a cheeky drop shot.
Fourth set: Murray 4–4 Roddick* (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1)
Roddick's serve just will not waver. He's been pounding them down for over two hours. Here he's 30-0 in a blink of an eye. He's like the Terminator. But Murray drags it back to 30-30 as Roddick nets, and then gets a break point as Roddick puts a volley out, bending stiffly to send it over the baseline. Roddick saves the break, making Murray charge from side to side before nailing the forehand winner. Roddick playing some champion stuff, not fazed. And he wins the game with a lovely punched backhand cross-court.
Fourth set: Murray* 5–4 Roddick (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1)
Murray again holds serve quite easily to 15. Now Roddick has to serve to stay in this set. This is a huge game for him here. He's not getting much out of the A-Rod.
Mariko Kato writes: "It's 2.15 am in Japan and I'm reading your witty updates, as the telly's only showing a replay of the Federer-Haas match. It seems Murray has yet to win Japanese hearts and airtime. I'm trying to visualise Murray's fist-pumps and sending him the inevitable samurai vibes."
He needs it. Right now would be best
Fourth set: Murray 5–5 Roddick* (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1)
Murray shouts "hit the return!" at himself. But before he knows it he's 0-30 down. He's too passive here. I know it's his way to counter-punch, but it's not working right now. Roddick goes to 40-0 and aces for the game. It's all over if he doesn't hold this game.
Fourth set: Murray* 6–5 Roddick (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1)
Ace takes Murray to 30-0. Another strong serve and it's 40-0. They're thinking abut the tie-break already out there. Going to be a zinger.
Fourth set: Murray 6–6 Roddick* (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1)
Murray pegs it back to 15-15 with a blocked return at the feet. The crowd wibbles. Roddick replies with a clean ace. Murray nets a chase in to get a drop shot. And a Murray backhand pass is wide. We're into the tie-break.
Lee Calvert wonders: "When did it become the norm for the director to cut away to a shot of a player's parents/coach/girlfriend/pimp/financial advisor after EVERY SINGLE POINT! They even had Roddick's other half clapping in super slow-mo earlier, all floppy forearm skin and oddly wobbling fingers."
[GBG cuts-away to Lee Calvert's half-brother applauding wildly and frothing at the mouth]
Fourth set tie-break: Roddick 2–1 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1) No mini-breaks yet.
Fourth set tie-break: Roddick 3–1 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1) But there is now. Murray nets a tired looking backhand. And that is a massive error right now.
Fourth set tie-break: Roddick 4–2 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1) Big serving just keeps coming from Roddick.
Fourth set tie-break: Roddick 5–2 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1) The serve is too good. Murray can't get near it.
Fourth set tie-break: Roddick 5–4 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1) Murray holds two mini-serves. One with an incredible cross court backhand pass.
Fourth set tie-break: Roddick 6–5 Murray (Sets: Roddick leads 2-1) Murray backhand just out to give match point. And Roddick charges to the net but is passed. Top shot. Mini break back.
Roddick wins 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6
That's it. He takes it on Murray's serve, another rally that Roddick bosses with big forehands. And Murray is out of Wimbledon. Very well played Andy Roddick. Great tactics and rock solid serving.
And that's all from me for now. Thanks for all your emails and thanks for reading. Well played Murray on reaching the semis. But good luck to Roddick in the final. Time for a drink, I think.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

12:04
US - DOJ officially opens investigation into Google Book Search
» ‎ Quick Links

(IDG News Service)
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating a settlement involving Google Book Search for possible antitrust violations, following months of speculation that the agency had its eye on the service. In a filing to the judge overseeing the settlement of a lawsuit filed by The Authors Guild against Google, the DOJ informed the court that it has opened an investigation into the proposed settlement after reviewing public comments of concern. Those comments suggest that the agreement might violate the Sherman Act, a U.S. antitrust law, the DOJ said.

12:00
Fun Fourth of July Facts: A Pop Quiz!
» ‎ Most Popular Stories: CBSNews.com

Author Ken Davis Tests "The Early Show" Anchors' Knowledge of Independence Day

12:00
Celebrate July 4th With Backyard Science
» ‎ NPR Most Emailed: NPR Most Emailed Stories

In case you forgot to pick up some sparklers for the holiday weekend, don't despair. Ira Flatow and a team of backyard science experts explain how to (safely) make firecrackers, smoke bombs and even an Oreo-fueled rocket, all while learning some basic scientific principles.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

11:58
Russia to allow US arms shipments to Afghanistan (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Russia said Friday it will allow the United States to ship weapons across its territory to Afghanistan, a long-sought move that bolsters U.S. military operations but potentially gives the Kremlin leverage over critical American supplies.
11:58
Powerful sedative found in Michael Jackson's home (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - The powerful sedative Diprivan was found in Michael Jackson's home, a law enforcement official said Friday as the city planned for a massive crowd at the singer's memorial service.

11:54
US -Suit over China's Web filter to target Lenovo, Acer, Sony
» ‎ Quick Links

(IDG News Service)
A U.S. company will seek legal action against Lenovo, Acer and Sony next week over their shipment in China of controversial software that the company says stole its programming code. Solid Oak Software may also take action against other PC makers that have started shipping the software. The software, an Internet filtering tool that blocks pornographic and political content, copied files from Solid Oak's own Internet content control product, according to the company. In recent weeks China ordered domestic and foreign PC makers to bundle the software, called Green Dam Youth Escort, with all computers sold in the country. It postponed the requirement just hours before the original deadline this week, but said it did so only because PC makers needed more time to ship the program.

11:47
Mellencamp Muses About Mortality, 'Love'
» ‎ NPR Most Emailed: NPR Most Emailed Stories

John Mellencamp joins Terry Gross to talk religion, politics and his album Life, Death, Love and Freedom. And he performs solo acoustic versions of four songs from the album from his Indiana home studio.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

11:40
UN chief in Myanmar meeting
» ‎ Reuters Video: Most Watched Videos

Jul 03 - Ban Ki-moon meets Myanmar's junta supremo but is still waiting to find out if he will be allowed to visit detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
11:36
Comoros mourning air crash victims
» ‎ Reuters Video: Most Watched Videos

Jul 03 - Relatives of the sole survivor of the Yemeni plane crash, en route to the Comoros Islands from Paris, mourn those lost at sea, as hopes of finding more survivors fade.

11:32
Michael Owen arrives at Manchester United for medical
» ‎ guardian.co.uk: Most viewed
• Owen expected to join United if he comes through medical
• Striker has left Carrington for more tests at a hospital
Michael Owen is expected to complete his shock move to Manchester United this evening once final medical checks have been conducted. The former Newcastle and England striker spent the day at the club's Carrington training complex but left early in the afternoon in a black Audi 4x4 to attend a south Manchester hospital for more tests.
Owen, whose contract with the Magpies expired at the end of June, had a medical examination yesterday to assess the troublesome knee which has troubled him since suffering the injury at the 2006 World Cup. However, it is anticipated the ex-Liverpool forward will return to Carrington this evening when he will officially be confirmed as a United player.
Owen scored 30 times in 65 starts for Newcastle but did not find the net after January. He will be extremely motivated to prove his critics wrong but would nevertheless represent a major gamble for United and their manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. United have sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for £80m while Carlos Tevez has also left the club after his loan deal expired.
United have already signed Luis Antonio Valencia from Wigan for £16m in what promises to be a busy summer at Old Trafford. They did, however, miss out on signing the Lyon striker Karim Benzema, who joined Real Madrid this week for £30m.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

11:29
How Terry Gilliam saved Heath Ledger's final movie
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

Is there a filmmaker in the world with worse luck than Terry Gilliam? He was directing Heath Ledger in "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," when the actor died -- and it's not the first time he has lost a leading man.

11:25
Freifunk-Firmware Installation - wiki.freifunk.net
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - ict4d - ICTs for Development

Installationsguide Freifunk-Firmware

11:10
Toxic plane air sickens flight attendant, suit says
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

The last time Terry Williams can remember being headache-free was in December. A chronic migraine has plagued her ever since. So have balance and vision problems, a tremor in her left arm, a prickly sensation in her feet and a loss of childhood memories.

11:09
Your Money: A Day Off to Tackle the Financial To-Do List
» ‎ NYT > Most E-Mailed

Taking time, 10 or 12 hours, to tackle ever-postponed money tasks and clear the books can be lucrative.

Permalink for 'Google_News___Online_campaigning/2009/07/03/US_government_Internet_traffic_to_be_screened__report___AFP'

11:02

US government Internet traffic to be screened: report - AFP

» ‎ Google News - Online campaigning

11:00
Iranian cleric: British Embassy staff to be tried (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - EDITOR'S NOTE: Iranian authorities have barred journalists for international news organizations from reporting on the streets and ordered them to stay in their offices. This report is based on the accounts of witnesses reached in Iran and official statements carried on Iranian media.

11:00
Jackson spectacle likely a world event
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

Will Michael Jackson stop the world?

10:56
Police foil radio control zeppelin jailbreak (Reuters)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

Reuters - Spanish police said on Friday they had foiled an Italian drug trafficker's plan to break out of jail in the Canary Islands using climbing equipment and a four-meter-long zeppelin.

10:54
High-ranking British soldier killed in Afghanistan
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

The commander of a British regiment has become the country's highest-ranking soldier to be killed in action since 1982's Falklands War after he was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.
10:53
Disney adds robotic Obama to attraction
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

He looks like President Barack Obama, speaks like him, and even gestures like him, but he is not exactly the president of the United States.

10:53
Would you pledge your soul as loan collateral? (Reuters)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

Reuters - Ready to give your soul for a loan in these difficult economic times? In Latvia, where the crisis has raged more than in the rest of the European Union, you can.
10:50
Federer beats Haas to reach 7th Wimbledon final (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Rising, rising, rising, high above the most famous patch of grass in tennis, Roger Federer channeled Pete Sampras on match point in the Wimbledon semifinals Friday, tucking both feet back beneath his body and uncorking an overhead smash.

10:43
Do we need identity cards, and soon?
» ‎ Ideal Government - UK

We need to be able to authenticate ourselves online. The Government’s Identity Card scheme is in part an attempt to do this, and it’s really bad, but we do need some sort of system that offers more than traditional proofs of identity.

I’ve just read Alan Johnson’s article at Comment Is Free. Other than to say that it’s the same old Home Office nonsense, I shan’t deconstruct it further—Longrider has already done that with characteristic style (NSFW). What I’m more interested in is the sentiment expressed by Johnson’s headline: “We need Identity Cards, and soon”. While it is wrong, it does hint at a real problem, and one which has not been convincingly solved.

10:36
Taxpayers pay for Silicon Valley bloggers' holiday
» ‎ The Register - Internet and Law

They come over here, creating their social media...
A group of wealthy Californian bloggers are taking a holiday in the UK this month - and the taxpayer will help foot the bill.…
Case Study: WhatsUp keeps Legoland turnstyles ringing

10:31
GlobalNews: 03 Jul 09 PM
» ‎ Global News

Trial for Britain's Teheran embassy staff / UN chief meets Burma's military leader / Buzz Aldrin remembers Apollo 11.

10:25
Even Cockroaches Get Fat on Bad Food (LiveScience.com)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

LiveScience.com - Cockroaches may be tiny enough to slip through the smallest of cracks, but just like humans, these eternal pests can get fat on an unhealthy diet.
10:22
SYTYCD Results Show: Cat Deeley, Still Adorable (E! Online)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

E! Online - Is it just us, or have all of the So You Think You Can Dance eliminations this season been perfectly righteous and reasonable? We haven't yet had to face the elimination of a really wonderful dancer (Melissa Sandvig) or a totally endearing personality (Evan Kasprzak). All in all, this season has been pretty copacetic, and tonight brought no change to that standard...

10:20
Marines targeting Taliban in Afghan push
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

U.S. Marines on Friday continued to lead a major push against militants in southern Afghanistan in an attempt to rout the Taliban from their stronghold in Helmand province, Marine Capt. William Pelletier said.

10:19
US Marines push deeper into southern Afghan towns (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - NAWA, Afghanistan U.S. Marines pushed deeper into Taliban areas of southern Afghanistan on Friday, seeking to cut insurgent supply lines and win over local elders on the second day of the biggest U.S. military operation here since the American-led invasion of 2001.

10:13
Obama prepares for Russia trip
» ‎ Reuters Video: Most Watched Videos

Jul 03 - U.S. and Russian negotiators are battling to reach a deal on nuclear weapons cuts before Obama arrives in Moscow next week.

10:13
HiFast Wireless PC USB Sound Card/FM Transmitter HFM7U bei eBay.de: For Laptops Notebooks (endet 13.07.09 20:23:59 MESZ)
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - ict4d - ICTs for Development

RadioAntenne

Permalink for 'Google_News___Online_campaigning/2009/07/03/Onward_to_Firefox_3.5.1_and_Automatic_Updates_to_v3.5___Softpedia'

10:09

Onward to Firefox 3.5.1 and Automatic Updates to v3.5 - Softpedia

» ‎ Google News - Online campaigning

10:09
U.S. Shifts Strategy on Illicit Work by Immigrants
» ‎ NYT > Most E-Mailed

The White House is replacing workplace raids and roundups of workers by immigration authorities with a less confrontational approach to employers such as American Apparel.

10:08
Österreichischer Austauschdienst: STUDIEREN UND FORSCHEN IN ÖSTERREICH
» ‎ Del.icio.us Links - ict4d - ICTs for Development

Stipendien in Österreich

10:07
Bias Suit a Test of Resolve for Hispanic Man
» ‎ NYT > Most E-Mailed

Called a turncoat by some, a New Haven firefighter has held to a view that merit should prevail over affirmative action in governing promotions.

10:00
FTC to Investigate Bloggers Receiving Pay for Posts
» ‎ E-Media Tidbits

The Federal Trade Commission announced plans last week to monitor blogs for payments and claims.

Deborah Yao of the Associated Press reported:

"The practice has grown to the degree that the Federal Trade Commission is paying attention. New guidelines, expected to be approved late this summer with possible modifications, would clarify that the agency can go after bloggers -- as well as the companies that compensate them -- for any false claims or failure to disclose conflicts of interest.

"It would be the first time the FTC tries to patrol systematically what bloggers say and do online. The common practice of posting a graphical ad or a link to an online retailer -- and getting commissions for any sales from it -- would be enough to trigger oversight.

"... Existing FTC rules already ban deceptive and unfair business practices. The proposed guidelines aim to clarify the law and for the first time specifically include bloggers, defined loosely as anyone writing a personal journal online."
Always ahead of the curve, Jeff Jarvis of Buzzmachine.com has long been a vocal advocate against paid blog posts.
Last month, Gawker called out Julia Allison for questionable blog promotion involving a trip to Sea World. The site also pointed to an interesting cartoon how-to, "The Caveman's Guide to Sponsored Conversations," about how to sell out on your blog.
What comes of the FTC's plans will be interesting to watch. Is the FTC just rattling the saber at blogs and social media? There aren't many rules now for faux-bloggers and "social media marketers," but depending on the FTC's plans, that may well change by the end of the summer.

9:58
Demjanjuk pronounced fit to stand trial in Germany (Reuters)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

Reuters - Accused Nazi death camp guard John Demjanjuk has been deemed fit enough by medical experts to stand trial for helping to kill 29,000 Jews in World War Two, the state prosecutors office in Munich said Friday.

Permalink for 'Google_News___Online_campaigning/2009/07/03/Anatomy_Of_A_Coup___Forbes'

9:51

Anatomy Of A Coup - Forbes

» ‎ Google News - Online campaigning

9:50
Ex-wife's custody bid looms over Michael Jackson memorial (Reuters)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

Reuters - Pop star Michael Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe cast a shadow over the unveiling of plans on Friday for the King of Pop's memorial service next week, as a legal battle shapes up over custody of their kids.

9:46
Wimbledon 2009: day 11 - as it happened
» ‎ guardian.co.uk: Most viewed
Roger Federer has booked his place in the Wimbledon men's singles final. Follow Andy Murray v Andy Roddick live to see if the Scot can join him
Morning, today we find out who will go through to the men's final - that nice Roger Federer or Tommy Haas and some Brit/Scot/National Hero/massive anticlimax or Andy Roddick.
Elsewhere, it's all about the doubles with the Williams sisters intent on upping their Wimbledon domination in the women's doubles, while the other Murray is in action in the mixed doubles.
While you wait for Barney, why not read all about Andy Murray's exploits here. Or you can find out all the preview action of the Federer v Haas match here.
If it's Williams on Williams action you're after, though, this is the link to click.
11.05am Hello and welcome to a really muggy, damp, sticky, sweaty, moist, dripping, slate-grey Wimbledon.
Yes. It's the big one today.
A man on the verge of making history.
Roger Federer is just two matches away from beating the all-time Grand Slam record.
But can he really do it?
11.10am Federer is first up on centre court. After which it's Andy Murray v Andy Roddick.
Is it just me, or does everybody seem to be taking this one a bit lightly? There seems to be an assumption that Murray's going to breeze this one. He's beaten Roddick 6 times out of eight they've played and one in one on grass. He can "read" the Roddick serve. He's going to dodder Roddick about the court with his teasing slice. He's the coming man.
I'm not totally convinced it's that easy. Murray hasn't so far beaten anyone he shouldn't be beating here this year. Beating Roddick on grass in a semi is a step up. It's breaking new ground. He should be able to do it. But it's still something new.
Plus Roddick isn't dumb. He has a good coach. He beat a - albeit lesser - scurrying back-court schemer in the last round. It's not going to be easy. It might even be really long and draining and much decorated by squawking cut-away shots of assorted self-publicists claiming to be "Miss Scotland" ands thereby getting on the BBC.
11.20am The Guardian's ace news-sleuth Peter Walker writes:
A real scrum this morning for the best spots on Henman Hill, despite the fact they're showing the men's semis on the big screens in Court Two. At 10.30am, when the stewards pulled back the ropes, there was a mass sprint for the picnic tables. It was like a rush for an empty Tube carriage, but with less decorum. The most dedicated Murray fan I've spoken to so far is a London-based Dundee man who queued up from 11.30pm, straight from a night out with friends, with no tent or sleeping bag. He sheltered in the toilet block when it rained and got no sleep.

I only live up the road. It rained a lot last night. Dundee man will be reeking strongly of small blue urinal cube this morning.
11.24am Weather today, for what it's worth: 26C, with a "20% chance" of rain. Moderate westerley breezes. Unless you're sitting anywhere near a rampantly self publicising Miss Scotland. In which case expect powerful jets of warm expelled mucus, regular salt water showers and plenty of hot air.
11.30 Murray stands on the verge of history yodels a publicly-funded website with commercial imperative for claiming Murray stands on the verge of history. Nobody from Britain has got to the men's final for 71 years. Does that really qualify as making "history"? By these standards doesn't everything we ever do qualify as "history"? It's all new you know. Doesn't Andy Roddick also "stand on the verge of history"? and Tommy Haas? And how many years before something becomes "history" anyway? 71? How about 60? Or 20? Will people in future generations look back and say "mmm... That was history you know". Or if he loses, will people 100 years from now say, "I believe Andy Murray that day stood on the verge of history"?
11.40am Why not send in your predictions anyway to barney.ronay@guardian.co.uk. Will Andy Murray "make history" by doing something exceptional beyond the reach of most human beings, or in some way significantly influencing the development of human civilization through his actions. Or will he beat Andy Roddick in a tennis match - and by how much? I think it's going to go to four sets, couple of tie-breaks in there maybe a 7-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4. Roddick will suffer a brief bout of cramp in the third set. Murray will celebrate victory by sort of crumpling on the baseline and then standing up and doing a kind of introverted fist-pump. And the Duke of Kent will applaud in a really stilted way with his hands stretched out in front of him like Amanda Holden.
11.45pm By the way, there's also a Williams sisters tag-team act out on Court 1 at 1.00pm. They will be absolutely monstering the No1 seeds Black and Huber, apparently without even really trying.
Also Jamie Murray and Huber will be losing narrowly in three sets to the No9 seeds Knowles and Groenefeld on a court and at a time yet to be decided. After which Murray will go back to the locker room and sellotape a picture of Jelena Jankovic on to one of his old rackets, prop it up at roughly head height, put an old jumper on it and some shoes underneath and then laugh and laugh and laugh and slap it on the buttocks a few times. And then go home and sit around feeling a little bit sad.
12.10pm And spare a thought for Tommy Haas today. Great achievement by him to get this far. This is a man who has spent most of his 20s battling knee-knack, shoulder-gah, groin-hynnng, elbow-rrnnnnff and various other tennis-related entries in the medical dictionary. He plays proper serve and volley tennis too. And he's a nice modest chap too.
I think Haas might even be my secret men's-draw-crush at this year's championships. Never mind your Hewitts and your A-Rods. Haas does it for me. Anyone else out there got a guilty pleasure from this year's championships? And don't just say "Gisela Dulko" or "that one, you know the one, the one with the hair and legs". I'm talking tennis here.
12.40pm David Brown, slightly unnervingly, writes "Good luck with today's blog, we're all right behind you". Thanks.
12.48pm Ben Watson feels like delivering a great-swinging, rib-cracking haymaker to the guts of the BBC: "Do you not find the amount of bizarre and idiosyncratic tennis language used by the BBC commentary team a bit disturbing? I'm referring to terms such as 'A-game' and 'bringing his/her ball' etc. Tells of years spent in a confined environment with little interaction with the normal, outside world."
I'm bringing my C-game today. I had my D-game on yesterday.
12.50pm James Watt has a prediction: "'I'm guessing that it will be a 4 set grinding win from Murray that will result in a trademark "CAAAAAAAAAAHMMMMMOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNN!!" so loud that it will cause his clothes to fall off, Wayne's World style." I don't think his clothes will fall off. I think his head will revolve really quickly several times, making a "boyoing" noise.
By the way, Murry has just strolled in, alone. No bodyguard.
12.52 pm Jason Edwards is a man who knows the cost of everything but the value of nothing. He wears his hat at a rakish angle, affects and ivory cigarette holder and says: "Forget Murray standing on the verge of history, I think he is instead standing on the verge of British Tradition. Come this afternoon he will start well and win the first set before remembering this is a Wimbledon Semi-Final and as a British player it is his duty to fold under the weight of expectation and limply surrender the next three sets to crash out of the tournament."
Nah. Get out.
12.55pm Liz Something [tries to figure out email address/name interaction and gives up] wants to know exactly why Roger Federer never sweats. "Maybe it's the big mother of a sweatband around his forehead? Or other plausible reasons? He's an alien. He's a demigod. Clothes impregnated with anti-perspirant. Or Roger doesn't sweat - he glowsssssssss."
I think he does sweat. But only his feet, really heavily like a small Alpine spring.
12.59pm Alec Cochrane asks: "The radio claimed this morning if Murray wins they are going to invite the Queen along to the final for her first appearance in 30-odd years (sorry, I was still half asleep when they said it, so I can't remember the exact figure). Is this true?"
I think you misheard. If Murray gets to the final they're going to invite power-pop rock Legends Queen along, who haven't been for 30-odd years since they were last here and were ejected after Freddie Mercury wore a vest and really tight white jeans in the royal box and tried to hire a troupe of ballboys to follow him around carrying his special party powder. Queen will come to the final this year, but Bryan May will eventually be forced to sit in one of the gangways to prevent his magnificent bouffant hair from obscuring the view of the Duchess of Kent.
1.04pm By the way I've just been put and about. Still loads of people here. Saw two Americans playing in the boy's singles: big-serving Jordan Cox (who sounds like something you should never type into Google at work) versus Devin Britton (who sounds like he should open the bowling for St Kitts). Liked the look of Jordan. He kept saying "Great shaaart!" when he lost a point. Very sporting.
1.09pm Federer and Haas are knocking up on centre court. It's gloomy out there. Tommy still has his backwards baseball cap on though. No, Tommy, I really think it looks cool too.
1.14pm Haas serves first up. Federer very smooth about the court, takes it to deuce with a lovely composed point, ending with a punched volley. Haas responds well, takes the game with some serve and volley. 1-0 Haas.
And Trevor Sparks is really, really bored at work. And, I'm guessing, his boss isn't in today: "How about using the predictive power of words. I have never once failed using this method of prediction. An anagram of "Murray-Roddick" is Duck dry, or Amir So I am predicting dry weather (for ducks) or a celeb-spot from Amir Khan. On the other-hand, Federer-Haas gives: Deaf Shearer. So the messiah will be in the stands, albeit with an ear-infection." Christ.
1.19pm Federer holds easily to go 1-1, then gets to 0-30 on the Haas serve with two great returns. Haas keeps his nerve and serves deep to take the game. Haas 2-1.
Jack Lee wonders: "Wouldn't it be good if alongside Queen for the final there were progsters King Crimson and purple $ex dwarf* (*may not actually be purple or a dwarf) Prince." And Lady Sovereign. Lord Beginner. And the King of Pop... oh no hang on.
1.21pm Mark Taylor wonders: "Which is your favourite fist based sporting celebration. Is it the '"Come on Tim" second week special anger' fist pump, the Murray 'lost the first four games and acting like its match point' fist pump, or the England batsman 'yeah just scuffed a ball for two runs for the first time in three overs' fist bump." I liked the Henman one where he also waggled his neck like a pigeon at the same time. Just to show he really meant it. That was always very moving.
1.25pm Federer holds his serve to love to go 2-2. He's looking pretty cool out there and really moving well. He kicks off the next game with a an absolute hummer of a pass as Haas rushes in. Haas battles to get to 15-30. Then some more serve and volley - get in there Tommy! And it's 3-2 Haas.
Alex Walker says: "Is it just me or is the coverage for tennis pretty dire? The commentary is always rather droll except McEnroe offending someone. I would rather see a replay of the down-the-line set winner than a close up slow motion of murray's sock, followed by an elbow, then a ball, then a racket. F1, football and rugby all have replays in a second of great shots/over-taking/tackles, but tennis always seems to miss the best bits."
No question cricket and football on Sky at least have bar-raising camera work and direction. But then, they never do anything else.
1.31pm Haas makes Federer fight a bit on his serve for the first time. Gets to 30-30, but Haas loses his rag a bit and seems to waver as R-Fed holds easily in the end. Lovely little disdainfully bunted winner at the net. 3-3 here.
Nick Potter wants to know: "Has Michael Owen called you yet?" Actually, he's coming for a medical later today. We need to find out if he can run downstairs and get some diet Cokes from the free fridge without doing his knee and taking ages and then whinging about it. It's a huge opportunity at this stage in his career.
1.36pm At 3-4 Federer plays the most amazing chipped backspun lob stretching on the baseline to go 15-0 on his serve. That was simply breathtaking. The shot of a tennis god. It's 4-4 in the blink of an eye.
Steve Baldock, who wears a wizard's hat at the weekend and collects "powerful stones", says: "Murray and Federer have no middle names, so they'll both be in the final. Federer is the only player without any double letters in his name, which makes him the obvious title winner. Trust me, nomletterology has a lot of truth in it."
1.41pm Kent strawberries, clotted cream. I'm telling you. It doesn't get much better. Haas is mixing up his serves, with the odd double fault tossed in. But still holds on just about. 5-4 Haas.
Peter Walker has been strolling the grounds here in SW19: "Equal numbers of Swiss flags and Union flags visible on Henman Hill, ie one of each. We're not exactly whipping ourself into a patriotic frenzy ahead of Murray's "historic moment", are we?" Well, I'm already wearing my hand-knitted saltire jester's hat.
1.43pm As predicted right here on this 'blog the Williamses are absolutely beasting The Other Women in the doubles on Court 1. They've just won the first set 6-1. The Other Women are the No1 seeds. Get out of it.
1.46pm It's 5-5 here. No breaks. No real drama yet. Just some fine grass court play from both men.
David Naylor, who weighs 38-stone and has specially made trousers, writes: "To Steve Baldock (1.36pm), I would say that "nomletterology" sounds like the study of how to eat my breakfast while reading the post. Om nom nom
and all that. And yes, I'm American, hence the reference to breakfast
and the automatic connection of everything I read to food."
1.49pm Haas is 5-4 up and he's serving very well. This is going to a tie-break. He's also going out with the woman from 90201, apparently. Which maybe explains the backwards hat.
1.50pm It's 6-6. Tie-break. Stay tuned.
Andrew Lockhart is gabbling incoherently: "Following some heated debate with a certain Kevin Mannerings last time
Haas played (day before yesterday, was it?), I thought it might be of
great interest to know that Tommy (sic) is actually officially listed
under this name with the ATP and the ITF, the two world tennis
authorities. So I hope that ends the discussion as to whether he
legitimately uses his name. And by the way, you don't want to know his
nickname, it's too embarrassing to post here."
Eh? Wha? So what's his real name? And what's his nickname? And it better be good.
1.52pm Federer aces to go 1-1. Then hits a brilliant forehand topspin approach that Haas can only bunt up in the air and into the net on its second bounce. 2-1 Federer. Federer then nets on the backhand after a long-ish rally. 2-2.
1.54pm Mini-break to Federer as Haas hits a backhand narrowly long. 3-2. Haas then wumps another backhand miles out. Lovely deep sliced second serve there from R-Fed. But - wow! Haas chases down an overhead at the net and mishits a great pass down the line on his forehand. Mini-break back. 4-3 Federer.
1.58pm clean serve return backhand winner from Federer to go 5-3 up. Then it's 6-3 in a second and three set points. and Federer wins the first set 7-6 as Haas nets trying to pass him. Not exactly thrilling stuff, but clinical stuff, well-organised stuff, really efficient stuff. Swiss stuff.
2.00pm So all in order for Federer so far, who has just held to love to go 1-0 in the second set. You get the feeling Haas needs a dramatic intervention here of some kind.
S Downie hollers down his wind-up modem: "Being a British tennis fan in Vladivostok is difficult. A 10 hour time difference means no sleep during Wimbledon. There's no hot water in my flat. I'm on the wrong side of my block of flats to get TV, so I'm enjoying Wimbledon through your words. Tantric tennis. I can't wait to tell the grandchildren how it was in my day, watching an auto-refreshing page and boiling water for a wash. BUT I have beer."
2.06pm Federer cruising out there. It's now 2-1 Federer no breaks, but Haas is getting tetchy. "WASS NEIN GOTT HIMMEL BREMEN EFFENBURG WOLFGANG WOLF SCHNELL!!" he shouts.
Hard-core tennis head Mercedes Osma writes: "I'm not very interested in the game, more in the public. Any famous faces?" Well, in the royal box we've got Freddie Windsor. Bjorn Borg. David bleeding Frost. Rod Laver. Michael Parkinson. Maggie "Oooh Maggie darling" Smith. And someone called Lee Styslinger III, who's nowhere near as good as Lee Styslinger II or the classic Lee Styslinger, but just has loads more special effects and no story.
2.11pm Andrew Lockhart has snapped out of it: Haas' nickname is "Hasi". Which more or less means bunny. Hmm." I think it's quite nice.
And T Saiyad is mesmerised: "Have you noticed that Fed seems to have vampire teeth as he tosses up the ball?"
Not really, but he is 3-2 up and rushing through this. No breaks yet. Federer is serving like a machine. Unstoppable.
2.16pm Haas shanks a really horrible volley into the net, but charges to the net and puts his forehand away to take the game. They are both serving beautifully. Going to another tie-break at this rate. It's 3-3.
Mr Lemon says: "I'm getting tired of seeing that picture of Federer on the web page. Can't you change it for something more interesting?" No. I'm at Wimbledon doing the tennis. Sellotape something over it if you don't like it.
2.20pm Ros Francis says on famous faces "You forgot friend of the Federers Gavin Rossdale (Mr Gwen Stefani) sitting next to Mrs Federer in the player's box. I am intrigued by their friendship - when did they become friends? How? Are they friends with any other tennis players? I'm not sure I care enough to find out, though."
They met on the website Celebro-Friend, the leading celebrity friend match service. After three months of text-flirting they decided to get their people to call each other and arrange to sit around looking gloomy together in sunglasses in - possibly - Florida
2.25pm Big moment here as Fed gets to 30-30 on the Haas serve at 4-3. But he nets weakly and then Haas aces him to take the game. Good solid stuff from the German. 4-4. Then Federer rushes through another service game to go 5-4 up.
On vampire teeth Ben Watson says: " think it's more 'white man's overbite' as practised by all white men when dancing to someone like Huey Lewis and the News (for example). 'The heat is on... on the street!'." Hip to be square. Buh. Buh. Hip to be square. Buh. Buh. Doesn't get much better than that.
2.27pm By the way the Williams sisters beat The Other Women 6-1, 6-2. And then popped off for a spot of exercise.
2.31pm Huge moment. Feder has a break point! In fact a set point. The first one of the match. Haas fires down a nerveless first serve to the forehand and saves it. Then holds his nerve to take the game after a couple of deuces. 5-5.
2.33pm Federer holds his serve with contemptuous ease to go 6-5.
Meanwhile Andrew Pascoe is spoiling for a fight after his 16th Fosters of the afternoon: "I love how as soon as there's a serious contender for the crown, everyone in UK actually gets behind him (I say as an antipodean outsider)." Yawn. Is that unusual? Is this not how it works?
2.38pm Haas saves another set point on his serve, but eventually it's all too much as an immaculate Federer raises his game at just the right moment to take the second set 7-5. This match is just going one way now.
And Martin Mombauer laments: "Because of a thunderstorm over Munich (where the German broadcaster sits) people in Germany do not get to see any moving images from Wimbledon." What? Ever?
2.45pm Haas is howling and fretting and burbling. "WAS IST LOS KARTOFFELKOPS JA JA HEIN!!!" he screams. Federer holds easily 1-0. And Louis Clark is on fire: "Lots of people seem to have attended various Blur concerts (is it a concert or a gig? I'm 26, I should know) recently. I think therefore you'd do well to include some form of pun of the 'lives in a Haas, a very big Haas in the country' variety. I feel this would be very popular with your readers…"
Yes, it's absolute gold.
2.46pm And with that I'm due a pre-Murray lasagne-scoffing break. Someone back at Guardian Towers is about to take over for a bit. I really hope you have fun together. No, really. It's fine.
2.59pm Haas appears to be losing it a bit as Federer spanks a couple of aces down the middle to bring about a 4-3 lead in the third set. The Swiss looks to be heading for another Wimbledon final here and he has hardly even broken sweat. In fact does he ever sweat? A Sure advertisement must beckon, surely ...
3.11pm Haas struggles at the beginning of the eighth game as he tries to square the set at 4-4. He drops the ball as he bounces it prior to serve and and proceeds to drop three of the next four points to trail 15-40. But with typical German grit he fights back with a searing backhand down the line to bring about deuce and becomes embroiled in a tit-for-tat exchange in which he saves two more break points before finally double-faulting to bring about a fifth break point for Federer. Haas hits a tame backhand approach to hand the game to Federer and leave him with the simple task of serving out for a place in the final.
3.12pm Federer clinches his place in the final with an athletic leap and smash as Haas struggles to return another thunderbolt service from the World No2. On this evidence Federer looks primed to win his 15th record-breaking grand slam title and his sixth at the All England Club. The final score: 7-6, 7-5, 6-3.
3.16pm Federer does appear to have a little perspiration on his brow in the post-match interview, but it could just be a trick of the light. Soon to enter Centre Court will be Andy Murray and Andy Roddick. You can follow this match live in our minute-by-minute report.
3.24pm You can read about Federer's destruction of Haas in our match report right here. And Barney's already tapping away in his minute-by-minute report of Andy Murray v Andy Roddick. So I'll have to sign him off from this blog. I'm sure he enjoyed it as much as he appears to have enjoyed his lunch. Ahem.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

9:35
Celebrating the Sounds of Appalachian Strings
» ‎ NYT > Most E-Mailed

For 85 years, strummers, pickers and fiddlers have met in the North Carolina hills on a spring weekend to play homage to old-time music.

9:34
Twilight Cast Reveals Breaking Dawn Details (E! Online)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

E! Online - After Robert Pattinson confirmed he was signed on for the fourth Twilight installment, Breaking Dawn, back in Cannes, we've all been dying for more juicy deets on the hypersexualized film. (More on exactly how much naughtier the flick will be, next week.)
9:31
Obama appeals to skeptical Russians (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - Barack Obama dolls have hit Moscow shelves and a bar is handing out half-price cocktails to anyone who says the magic words "Yes we can" in anticipation of the American president's arrival here Monday for a summit.

9:24
Protests mark start of Biden's Iraq trip
» ‎ NEWS.com.au | Most Popular | Most Popular World Stories

A FIERY protest marked the start of US Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Iraq, three days after a major US troop pullback.

9:17
Daily Mail launches McKinnon campaign
» ‎ The Register - Internet and Law

Wheelie-bin warriors mobilised in support of Pentagon hacker
The Daily Mail has launched a high-profile campaign supporting Gary McKinnon's fight against extradition to the USA.…
Offloading malware protection to the cloud

9:14
Georgia Peaches: A Ripe Legacy
» ‎ NPR Most Emailed: NPR Most Emailed Stories

Some have tried to challenge Georgia as the "Peach State," to no avail. For Duke Lane Jr., who runs a 100-year-old peach orchard in Fort Valley, it's hard to beat the taste of a Georgia peach. People just know to look for Georgia peaches, Lane says.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us

9:09
Drop-In Center: The Work Continues
» ‎ Rising Voices

Pavel Kutsev, leader of the Drop-In Center project, has recently posted an update of what's going on in the community of Ukrainian substitution therapy program patients. Many of the issues he raises have been discussed in previous Rising Voices posts.

Pavel Kutsev and his wife

A few months ago, Rising Voices wrote about the attempts of some Ukrainian cities to ban substitution therapy programs in municipal medical establishments. Their reasoning was that an addiction to one drug cannot be treated with another drug. However, many experts concluded that this decision was aimed mostly at earning the support of voters, rather than solving medical problems.

After the city Sevastopol put the ban in place, a few other cities in Ukraine introduced the ban in municipal hospitals. Pavel Kutsev commented on this. He says:

With the upcoming elections, the situation with substitution therapy is getting worse and worse. All methadone programs are under threat. It started in Crimea, and now we have cases in Donetsk and Dnepropetrovsk…How would you like this newspaper headline: “Methadone Monsters Ruled by the Hand of Evil?” This is from one of the newspapers from the Sumy region…So we are quite concerned about all this…

In his overview Pavel named another opponent of substitution therapy in Ukraine. These opponents are various religious groups working in the field of drugs and HIV/AIDS prevention. These types of organizations receive a great deal of financial support from local governments. Here is what Pavel had to say about this situation:

By the way, most government funding for the social support of drug addicts goes to various religious organizations. These guys' motto is “Say No to Methadone Hell”…Oh yeah, of course, they are the saviors…Well, if you think about it all, you start to doubt whether substitution therapy programs will survive in Ukraine at all.

Pavel also refers to a problem that seems to be of greatest importance to him: whether the drug used for substitution therapy in Ukraine is the right one. He points out that the drug that the Ukrainian government has purchased for substitution therapy is not the best available drug, as it has a fairly short time of excretion from the body.

According to Ukrainian law, participants of substitution therapy programs can receive these medications only once a day and only in certain medical establishments. A drug with a period of excretion of less than 24 hours essentially means that those taking these drugs experience abstinence syndrome (or withdrawal) for a few hours a day. Pavel says:

To tell the truth, I had started feeling better for a while. My daily dose was 180 mg. In a week my old problems returned… tolerance, shortness of breath, insomnia…

It's been almost a year now since my wife and I started “adjusting” to methadone. To tell the truth, we still need to take antidepressants as the medication just does not suit patients like us well. We are not talking now about the side effects. We just feel that there is no reason for us to increase the daily dose more and more…It does not matter how large your dose is if the active substance will be excreted from the body in 12-16 hours. The only alternative that would work in this case is to consume the medication at least twice a day, in the morning and at night.

According to our estimation, almost all 400 people from our methadone site consume other drugs along with the provided medications. Every third person still shoots up. Others take various pills. This is because in the morning you have such a severe feeling of cold turkey that you just need another drug. You cannot call this a treatment! Please understand! If you are a drug addict and every morning you have abstinence syndrome you just do not feel the effect of the therapy.

The idea of substitution therapy is that while taking medications the person is getting used to sober life and forgets about the nightmare of cold turkey syndrome.

I just need to take replacement therapy medications, like vitamins, to get out of the euphoria habit, which is called “psychological dependency.” I just need to take medications that would support my body and let me function without cold turkey syndrome…for at least 30 hours. Only in this case will the therapy be successful…

What happens if in 15 hours you start feeling pain again and start thinking about a new dose? You cannot even complain to medical personnel as they do not take you seriously. They call the medication they give you “a drug.” Naturally if we consume this medication we are under the influence, we are not adequate…so why to listen to us…

Finally, Pavel sums up his thoughts:

The only option for drug addicts to defend their interests is self organization. Only staying united we can be healthy.

9:06
Mom in MySpace case says it was properly dismissed (AP)
» ‎ Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

AP - A Missouri mother said she never should have been prosecuted for her role in a MySpace hoax directed at a 13-year-old girl who ended up committing suicide.

9:06
Article 29 Working Party on online social networking
» ‎ Mikhail Doroshevich's Information Policy

Article 29 Working Party issued on 22 June 2009 an opinion on how European privacy laws affect social networking sites such as Facebook or Myspace.
The opinion states the social networking sites should be responsible for the compliance to European privacy laws and, on the other hand, that users of such sites should upload pictures or information about other individuals only with the consent of the respective individuals.
Presently, social networking users share pictures and tag friends' images without requiring a prior consent and generally, communicate publicly, placing their own and others' private information on shared "walls".
The Data Protection Authorities recommend that users are given the opt out choice and are warned of the privacy risks and on the personal data that is being made available to others. The opinion says that "the homepage should contain a link to a complaint facility covering data protection issues for both members and non-members".
The group also draws attention to the processing of personal data on the Internet for commercial purposes, recommending that before using the collected data aimed for personalised advertisements, the sites should obtain the prior consent of the respective users. Data on sensitive topics such as race, religion or sexual orientation should not be processed or passed on to advertisers and individuals should be allowed to adopt a pseudonym. Special attention should be given to the processing of the minors' personal data. This is an opinion that has been lately supported by the European Commission which has announced future strong measures to regulate online tailored ads.
The opinion also advises imposing limits on retaining the data of inactive users believing that abandoned accounts, together with their accompanying data, should be deleted.
The Article 29 Working Party's opinion is based on the principle that social networking websites must be subject to the EU Data Protection Directive even when their headquarters are outside the European Union space.
The group interprets the definition of "data controller" as covering the service providers who, therefore, must adhere to privacy laws. Although an exception is made for personal or "household" users, when users broadcast or gather information very widely via such sites, they become data controllers themselves which could affect users who organise concerts, human rights letter-writing campaigns or try to sell a homemade product online.
The recommendations are not binding but show the trend in the legislative measures that might be taken in the future at the national as well as EU level. The group has focused lately on privacy issues related to search engines and its initiatives have led to actions in this direction. The big search engines such as Google, Microsoft and Yahoo!, have been pressed to reduce the retention period of data collected from their users.
The opinion has implications on the way the responsibility of social networks themselves is seen in carrying images and information that could breach protecting privacy and security rules.
The European Commission has lately focused more on protecting citizens and consumers' privacy and social networking websites are considered potentially dangerous for inexpert users.
Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding has shown her support to this line of action and has kept pushing the major players in this field in adopting a code of conduct meant to protect young users, threatening to otherwise take further action to protect privacy.
http://www.edri.org/edri-gram/number7.13/article-29-social-networks

Permalink for 'Google_News___Online_campaigning/2009/07/03/China_Learns_Its_Limits_in_Pullback_on_Web_Filter___NewsFactor_Network'

9:05

China Learns Its Limits in Pullback on Web Filter - NewsFactor Network

» ‎ Google News - Online campaigning

9:00
links for 2009-07-03
» ‎ Amy Gahran
- Mobile Media Mergers Jump 46% – BusinessWeek What is going on? Clearly, activity in this sector has nothing to do with distress. Use of mobile content and applications is exploding. And companies large and small are in a land grab mode, acquiring small and promising start-ups in hopes of increasing their mobile presence. IAC and Amazon made investments in iPhone applications recently. Amazon also acquired mobile app maker SnapTell and mobile payments player Boku. “Mobile social networking and mobile content are other key areas of investment,” according to the report. Yes, times are good if you are a mobile entrepreneur. (tags: mobile business deals statistics research)
- AT&T's GPS service for iPhone: Would you pay $9.99 a month? | Technology | Los Angeles Times Turns out the monthly fee is a hassle to some. True, AT&T is simply the conduit for the underlying service from TeleNav in Sunnyvale, Calif. But the carrier still is getting some grief from consumers. One reviewer at ComputerWorld argued that the "free" iPhone app was a "Trojan horse into your wallet." (It's free to install but costs $9.99 a month to use.)
  
  The broader question is whether consumers, who have grown used to free or very inexpensive apps that do a dizzying array of high-tech tasks, will still go for a subscription model. For AT&T and TeleNav, their competitors are TomTom, which showed off its turn-by-turn app last month at the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference but has yet to announce a pricing structure, and Google Maps, which provides directions for free but doesn't have some of the bells and whistles of TeleNav. There are also the traditional GPS devices, which cost as little as $99.99, no monthly fee required.
  (tags: geography mapping navigation services iphone business+models problems GPS)
- iPhone Overtaking Nokia Worldwide | BNET Technology Blog | BNET Nokia has lost its overall market share leadership in the worldwide smartphone segment to Apple, based on browser calls for mobile ads.
  
  Why is mobile ad share important? Because in the smartphone segment, the tail wags the dog — apps drive customer loyalty more than hardware features — and Gartner noted in its most recent report on the smartphone market that “services and applications are now instrumental to smartphones’ success.” That report, reflecting first quarter 2009 figures, had Nokia still firmly in the lead. But according to numbers from mobile ad service vendor AdMob, Apple smartphones received 49 percent of ad traffic in May, compared with 32 percent for Nokia.
  (tags: mobile advertising statistics business iphone Nokia tidbits+fodder)
- Against Intellectual Monopoly: Free e-book "It is common to argue that intellectual property in the form of copyright and patent is necessary for the innovation and creation of ideas and inventions such as machines, drugs, computer software, books, music, literature and movies. In fact intellectual property is a government grant of a costly and dangerous private monopoly over ideas. We show through theory and example that intellectual monopoly is not necessary for innovation and as a practical matter is damaging to growth, prosperity and liberty." (tags: economics intellectual-property content-rights copyright history analysis patent)
- The Coolness Index « Music Machinery "Imagine if there was an objective measure for coolness – a number that could be attached to each artist that indicated how ‘cool’ the artist was. We’d be able to do all sorts of interesting things with such a ‘coolness index’. We could make a ‘music makeover’ playlist that would take you from Miley to Miles in 12 songs (consider it a 12-step taste recovery program) or we could create a music rehab playlist that takes you from Amy Winehouse to Kate Nash. But of course, the concept of cool is too hard to nail down. Is Johnny Cash cool? Michael Jackson? Prince? Context, demographics, locale all play a role." (tags: music metrics culture measuring+success)
- Haptic Feedback, Fingerprint Identification, and RFID Tag Readers in Future iPhones? – Mac Rumors The proposed solution is the adoption of "haptic" display technologies which allow for some tactile feedback from touch screen displays. Apple proposes including a grid of piezoelectronic actuators that can be activated on command. By fluctuating the frequency of these actuators, the user will "feel" different surfaces as their finger moves across it. As an example, a display could include a virtual click wheel which vibrates at a different frequency as the center. Users could easily sense the difference and use the click wheel without having to look at it.
  
  Haptic technology has started gaining adoption in other mobile phones and there had been some talk that Apple might have been looking to adopt it.
  (tags: haptic iphone mobile usability technology innovation)

8:57
Botnets pushing up spam loads
» ‎ Mikhail Doroshevich's Information Policy

Botnet-controlled PCs are responsible for some 83 per cent of all spam messages, according to a recent report. Security firm MessageLabs said in a recent report that despite efforts to shut down service providers notorious for hosting shady operations, spam vendors are continuing to send out huge loads of junk mail through the use of botnet-infected systems.
http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2245041/botnets-pushing-spam-loads
8:56
North Korean 3G network hits 19,000 subscribers
» ‎ Mikhail Doroshevich's Information Policy

North Korea's first and only public cellular telephone network attracted 19,200 subscribers after just over three months in business.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/062909-north-korean-3g-network-hits.html

8:41
Speed eaters gain weight, clog arteries but have few regrets
» ‎ CNN.com - Most Popular

Don Lerman set a record by eating seven sticks of salted butter in five minutes. During six years of competitive eating, he gained 100 pounds.

8:39
Trinidad & Tobago: Now What?
» ‎ Global Voices - Cyber-Activism

As the Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General refuses to resign, diaspora blogger Jumbie's Watch asks: “So what does a vote of no confidence mean, if you can’t get rid of the person in question?”
8:34
Haiti: Mourning Met With Violence
» ‎ Global Voices - Cyber-Activism

Repeating Islands reports that “Haitian police say the demonstrator found slain after the clash with U.N. peacekeepers during the funeral procession for Father Gérard Jean-Juste was killed by a bullet”, while a guest writer at Wadner Pierre's blog calls the situation “an example of a global security apparatus deployed to intimidate and maintain a hegemonic elite project over some of the poorest people in the world. Today, even at funerals, the popular movement in Haiti is not allowed peace. Mourning is met with state violence.”

politicalbs.com

Feeds

Unread items (200)