All Blacks Look to Rebound After Loss to Wallabies in Tri-Nations Play

The Tri-Nations tournament returns to New Zealand this Saturday as Australia travels to Auckland's Eden Park. The Wallabies are riding momentum after an impressive 34-19 win last weekend in Sydney.

With the win, Australia extended Robbie Deans' unbeaten start as coach with victory over his native country. Having led at half-time, the Wallabies were forced to come from behind following an early try from the All Blacks five minutes after the interval.

Video Highlights of New Zealand vs. Australia



Victory maintained the Wallabies' unbeaten start to the tournament as they racked up their fifth win in a row overall under Deans, who many New Zealanders felt should have replaced his All Blacks counterpart Graham Henry after the World Cup.

New Zealand has called up scrum-half Piri Weepu ahead of Saturday's Tri-Nations return date with Australia. Weepu will provide cover for injured Andy Ellis who sustained bruised ribs in Sydney last weekend.

Video: Smith Lights Up Ellis



The injury actually occurred in the first half when in form Wallaby flanker George Smith put in a crunching hit on Ellis as he made a little break after some nice play. To make matters worse, big Rocky Elsom sandwiched him from the other side.

The All Blacks are desperate to avoid a third straight Tri-Nations defeat, having lost their five-year unbeaten record against the Springboks and succumbed to the Wallabies in Sydney.

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With Scrabulous Gone, Facebook Gamers in North America Lament

The Twitter posts and Facebook status updates were screaming this week when the end of the Scrabulous application became apparent. "Why..." was the theme of most of the posts. But, we all knew the hatchet was coming and it's just a matter of time.

As many application developers struggle to find ways to make their own applications work in the new Facebook design, other companies are using this opportunity to quash the renegade programs that run rampant across the platform.

Scrabulous is just one of those and Hasbro took control of the situation.

The toy company on last week filed a copyright and trademark lawsuit in New York against the creators of the ad-supported Facebook application, which boasts an astonishing half-million daily users.

Mark Blecher, general manager for Hasbro Digital Media, said in an interview with cnet.com that his employer's goal is to promote its authentic, legitimate Facebook application.

"This is theft of intellectual property. It's really no different from when the recording industry faced the issue of folks posting music on sites like Napster and letting them copy it for free."

Blecher said Hasbro waited, "in deference to the fans," until it launched its official Scrabble Facebook app earlier this month. That was created by Electronic Arts and is used by a mere 8,900 daily users.

As for the obsessed, they can still play the game at www.scrabulous.com. But, for the Facebook-Scrabulous junkies, it's just plain annoying to have to open the application in a new window.

In this battle over intellectual property, Hasbro has scored a win but has managed to alienate so many along the way. Hasbro and Electronic Arts recently released an official Scrabble application for Facebook in the hopes of grabbing the faithful. But, their version is very graphical, slow, clunky and just a poor user experience.

Scrabulous, rest in peace, the U.S. and Canada remember you.

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Military Execution Approved by President Bush

President Bush on Monday upheld the death penalty of Army private Ronald A. Gray, approving the first military execution since 1961. Gray had had been convicted in connection with a spree of four murders and eight rapes in the Fayetteville, N.C., area over eight months in the late 1980s while stationed at Fort Bragg.

Although the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the death penalty in the military in 1996, no one has been executed since President Ronald Reagan reinstated capital punishment in 1984 for military crimes.

The last military execution was ordered by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957, although it was not carried out by hanging until 1961. President John F. Kennedy was the last president to face the question, in 1962, but commuted the sentence to life in prison.

"While approving a sentence of death for a member of our armed services is a serious and difficult decision for a commander in chief, the president believes the facts of this case leave no doubt that the sentence is just and warranted," White House press secretary Dana Perino said in a statement first reported by the Associated Press.

The order approved by President Bush is not the final move in the Gray's case since further litigation is expected that could take years to reach a resolution. Also, it also remains uncertain whether or not if the sentence will be commuted or if any appeal attempts will be successful.

The military death penalty has been dormant for so long that it was also unclear what the method of execution would be.

The Supreme Court ruled in April to uphold the most common method of capital punishment used across the U.S., the three-drug mix of lethal-injection drugs. In Baze v. Rees, the Justices maintained the opinion that death by lethal injection does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment.

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No Bounce for Obama and McCain

In the wake of a 10-day overseas trip, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama said on Sunday he wants to shift the debate to national policy and concentrate on economic issues like the national increases in unemployment, high fuel costs, rising food prices and a crisis in home financing. Meanwhile, Republican Sen. John McCain kept up attacks on his opponent's qualifications to lead the country in a time of war, saying Obama "doesn't understand what's at stake" in Iraq. The back-and-forth trading of foreign-policy issues over the weekend remains a bit confusing but will set the tone for the remaining 100 days heading into the 2008 presidential election.

Barack Obama now leads John McCain among national registered voters by a 49 percent to 40 percent margin in Gallup Poll Daily tracking conducted July 24-26. Rasmussen reports a slimmer margin between the two candidates with the Democrat representing 45 percent of the vote to the Republican's 42 percent.

The condition of the U.S. economy remains the top issue heading into November for American voters. Nationally, 16 percent of adults rate the economy as good or excellent, according to the Rasmussen Consumer Index. The timing of a shift by the candidates from foreign policy to domestic policy comes at a pivotal time. Moreover, as columnists David Broder and Robert Novak point out, Obama has failed to gain the much-needed bounce above 50 percent from his trip overseas.

Despite Obama's much-touted and highly-publicized speech in Berlin, to a crowd of 200,000 enthusiastic supporters, the presumptive Democratic candidate lost significant momentum in an interview with CBS anchor Katie Couric in Jordan last Tuesday.

Couric asked several times whether the troop surge in Iraq, a position Obama opposed publicly several times, was the key to a drop in violence. Since the interview, Obama has been forced to restate the several non-answers given during the interrogation. To be fair, however, McCain also dropped the ball as well and never really seized any momentum.

Video: CBS Couric Interviews Obama and McCain on Iraq Surge



Obama, in a questionable attempt to save face with antiwar supporters, would likely never admit that the strategy did work. McCain, on the other hand, decided to take things further by attacking his rival's patriotism and "lack of experience."

Sen. McCain's presidential campaign this weekend released a TV ad aimed at Sen. Obama's record of not calling an oversight hearing on the mission in Afghanistan, not visiting Iraq for over 900 days and not supporting U.S. troops. The new 30-second advertisement accused Obama of making time "to go to the gym" rather than meet with injured U.S. troops in Germany.

Video: McCain's Political Ad "Troops"



"He [Obama] prioritizes throngs of fawning Germans over meeting with wounded combat troops in Germany," McCain Spokesman Tucker Bounds told Fox News on Saturday. "And, you know, it really speaks to the experience that Barack Obama lacks."

The mood from the Republicans has moved from grumpy to bitter. While the Democratic camp continues an attempt to link the foreign issues, like the war against terrorism, directly to the slumping economy, their rhetoric remains confusing.

It seems that the McCain camp will continue to paint Obama's 10-day overseas tour as a "premature victory lap" while the Obama camp will frame the trip as important but of no real value to the American people as far as politics are concerned. After all, according to Obama, Americans are more concerned about their pocketbook issues, like gas prices and home foreclosures, and any boost in poll numbers from that trip is a pyrrhic victory.

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NOVA Rugby Wins Mid-Atlantic Crown, Heads to USA Rugby 7s Championships

NOVA will again compete for the USA National 7s championship this August after bringing home the Mid-Atlantic Rugby premier title. Despite a couple of injuries at key positions, the team from Northern Virginia proved to be too much for the rest of the field and surrendered only one try in five matches.

(Update July 31: Clarification — an earlier version of this article reported that NOVA was scored on twice last weekend. Despite the fact that the official MARFU results report PAC scored five points in their pool match against NOVA, that was actually not true. http://www.marfu.org/marfusevens2008standings.html)

Knowing that the top two teams from the Mid-Atlantic would advance, the key to post-season success came against their rivals from Philadelphia-Whitemarsh who were soundly defeated 31-0. In the finals, NOVA Black ended the Maryland Exiles' hopes of a championship with a 29-0 victory, the third shut-out on the day.

"You can't help but be pleased with the effort against some tough competition," said club president Clarence Williams. "Now, we have to answer the critics and prove to everyone what it takes to play rugby at NOVA."

Heading into the USA Rugby national playoffs on August 9, NOVA joins Pool D at the National Championships along with Boston, Mission and San Francisco Golden Gate. The team is looking to rebound after a fifth-place finish in 2007. The other Mid-Atlantic qualifier, the Maryland Exiles, join Pool C with Denver, Old Blue and the Olympic Club.

USA Rugby National 7s Championships Seedings:
1 Midwest #1: Chicago Lions
2 Southern Cal #1: Belmont Shore
3 West #1: Denver Barbarians
4 Pacific #1: Golden Gate
5 Mid-Atlantic #1: NOVA
6 Northeast #1: Old Blue
7 Midwest #2: Scioto Valley
8 West #2: Gentlemen of Aspen
9 Southern Cal #2: OMBAC
10 South #1: Daytona Beach
11 Pacific #2: Olympic Club
12 Pacific #3: Mission
13 Northeast #2: Boston RFC
14 Mid-Atlantic #2: Maryland Exiles
15 West #3: Austin Elite
16 Midwest #3: Chicago Griffns

Pool Matchups:

Pool A

• Chicago Lions
  
• Chicago Griffins
  
• Old Mission Beach Athletic Club
  
• Gentlemen of Aspen

Pool B

• Scioto Valley
  
• Daytona Beach
  
• Austin Elite
  
• Belmont Shore

Pool C

• Denver Barbarians
  
• Maryland Exiles
  
• Olympic Club
  
• Old Blue

Pool D

• NOVA
  
• Mission
  
• Boston
  
• San Francisco Golden Gate

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NASA Explains Dancing Northern Lights

Scientists have discovered a secret to the Northern Lights, one that exposes some of the mystery behind the aurora borealis for the first time. Using a fleet of satellites, NASA researchers at the Goddard Space Flight Center observed explosions of magnetic energy that cause sudden brightenings and rapid movements that appear as a green-colored hue.

NASA launched THEMIS Aurora Observing Satellites in early 2007 to help scientists learn more about geomagnetic storms that can knock out satellites, harm astronauts in orbit and disrupt power and communications on Earth. Scientists use five satellites and a network of 20 ground observatories located throughout Canada and Alaska to observe and collect data in their ongoing mission.

The new findings show, for the first time, something called magnetic reconnection which triggers the onset of substorms, or auroral flare-ups, to occur every two to three days. This causes the Earth's magnetic field lines to be stretched by solar energy, much like an outstretched rubber band drawn too far. After reaching a point of maximum resistance, these lines eventually snap and throw back the energy to Earth, where the lines finally reconnect. Since every action has an equal and opposite reactions, the result in a short circuit that sends waves back from wence they came.

"As they capture and store energy from the solar wind, the Earth's magnetic field lines stretch far out into space. Magnetic reconnection releases the energy stored within these stretched magnetic field lines, flinging charged particles back toward the Earth's atmosphere," said David Sibeck, THEMIS project scientist in Greenbelt, Md. "They create halos of shimmering aurora circling the northern and southern poles."

It's this stored-up energy that powers the Northern Lights and it's the distribution of that energy which causes amazing shapes and colors. "We discovered what makes the Northern Lights dance," said Dr. Vassilis Angelopoulos of the University of California, Los Angeles. Angelopoulos is the principal investigator for the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms mission, or THEMIS.

THEMIS is the fifth medium-class mission under NASA's Explorer Program and is being by Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory. The program, managed by the Explorers Program Office at Goddard, provides frequent flight opportunities for world-class space investigations in heliophysics and astrophysics.

Related Links: Video: The Story of THEMIS Satellites
NASA THEMIS Mission Site

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While the GOP Fears Europe, Obama Wallows in Presumptive Bid

Stuck here in the middle of the silly season for news, it's not alarming to find morning headlines that are shocking. Granted there are the various developing stories that tell of tragedy, poor weather or drama. After all, this is summertime and folks are in vacation mode.

News of the presidential election has even taken a break after a weekend full of barbs and lashes. Things are likely to heat up again when, on Thursday, presumptive Democratic candidate Barak Obama will address Germans in Berlin.

Here comes the mud-slinging.

The folks at GOP.com, a product of the RNC Research Department and paid for by the Republican National Committee, released on Wednesday a statement about a statement. That is, they quoted from an article in Politico, that kinda says Obama is "Designed By a Committee of Europeans."

Really?

There are several things that matter here, but we only need to focus on one main point. And what matters has nothing to do with any European lobby supported by the DNC to get Obama elected.

Here's the quote from GOP.com, under the headline "They Said It!: U.S. Editor Of The Daily Telegraph [UK] On Obama" :

"Toby Harnden, U.S. editor of the Daily Telegraph, told Politico that it's almost as if the overwhelmingly popular Obama had been 'designed by a committee of Europeans' with the goal of creating their ideal American presidential candidate."

There is nothing wrong with this quote, which actually is featured in an article by Politico writer Michael Calderone from July 22.

In "All Obama, All the Time," Calderone spins a comparison/contrast that is framed by a largely held belief across several European cities: the presumptive Democratic candidate equals the next president of the U.S. But, where context misses its mark comes from the next paragraph:

"As a result of the electorate’s disapproval of Bush, Europeans largely view Obama as a shoo-in. Wishful thinking has become conventional wisdom."

OK, OK, so even Flingjore has now fallen into the trap and gone and read something that is mere propaganda. Although this may be a verity, the trouble with the presentation still exists.

The message, if taken as a whole, misses the point. From this seat, what GOP.com is alluding to: while the Obama camp is setting the table for a speech in Berlin as epic as those by former presidents Reagan and John F. Kennedy, Europeans as a whole may not like what they hear on Thursday. It seems raising this point actually helps the RNC's cause and remains something that the GOP propagandists could really make work in their favor. But, why use a misleading headline drawn from a quote that doesn't say this?

Now, in the design of pulling quotes to help represent a position, one usually pulls the most relevant material. This can be done with a certain value of shock as well. The third paragraph of the Politico article makes the point very clear:

"[That said,] Obama’s policy positions actually put him to the right of mainstream opinion in the European capitals of Berlin, Paris and London. Indeed, Obama’s positions on hot-button issues like gun ownership, the death penalty and increased troops in Afghanistan could slightly tarnish the nearly perfect media persona."

Remind me again where the editor of the Daily Telegraph (the U.S. edition) falls into this story? It has to be the value, and the sexiness, of such a quote to pull and play so big.

Enough mud-slinging from this corner for now. It's just really hard to imagine how a great perspective by Michael Calderone, drawn from a nice scene-setter piece in Politico, could be ruined instead of being used more effectively. Why not just send out a press release that says "read today's Politico story" to find out more about our position on Obama's trip through Europe?

Keep in mind that quoted material must to be set up and then put into context. Otherwise, the intended message could have unintended consequences, thereby leading to speculation, like various news outlets, who might potentially put out an inaccurate message.

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Facebook Redesign Beta Is Ready for Breaking

Facebook released on Sunday a new "beta" design of their popular social media site. Part of the move comes from previous efforts to achieve a cleaner look, simpler feel and added usability. In addition, Facebook is billing the re-launch is an "opportunity for users to preview and test the next-generation features and functionality."

Access to the new site design, www.new.facebook.com , will be limited over the next couple days but then gradually become available to all of Facebook’s users. The company is encouraging folks to use both sites and to try out the newer features by navigating back and forth between versions. Regardless, all of Facebook’s more than 80 million users will automatically default to the new site design in the coming weeks.

Much of the new design seems to be focused on improved security around third-party applications and privacy controls. In recent months, the company has come under harsh reviews for allowing third-party developers such easy access to users' private information. Also, Facebook has sought to ease usability issues by providing more simple navigation through a tabbed approach.

Two others modifications will likely cause a bit of a positive stir among its users: new types of stories and the publisher.

With new types of "stories," users keep complete control over the stories published on their profile but also have the ability to adjust the size and prominence of stories. The publisher, now featured on the Wall in the redesign, gives users the ability to upload content in one place. Althoug this is a nice bit of simplicity, the best benefit is not having to navigate to another application screen for differenet actions.

How about those ads in the redesign? Basically, advertisements will now appear on the right side of Facebook pages instead of on the left. The new placement of advertisements, according to Facebook, aims to integrate the ads into the new site design in a meaningful way.

Having the possibility of as many as two ads at one time on any given page leaves a little to ponder. Lastly, a new home page ad (located just to the right of the News Feed) will initially run a limited set of advertisers. Facebook looks to evolve and imnprove this space but will not share any information at this time.

For good or bad, I vote for change. In this instance, the new design is nice and wide, visually, which makes the site more simple to navigate. If what the company claims is true about privacy settings and further limiting the access of third-party applications, then this redesign should simply be called an upgrade and lauded as an improvement.

More information and your chance to play, visit: www.new.facebook.com

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Bot Evolution and Political Campaigns Top List of 2008 Cybercrime Trends

Bot networks will continue to diversify and evolve while the increasing reliance of political campaigns on Web sites for fundraising and organizing opens the door to serious security risks, according to an article from Norton's ClubSymantec.

Bots are programs that download and install themselves on a host computer — unknown to the victim. The machine can then be controlled remotely and used such criminal activities as sending spam or launching denial-of-service attacks. Bot networks will continue to diversify and evolve, according to the article. For example, criminals may use infected machines to host phishing sites.

As the November elections approach, Norton has seen increasing activity among cybercrooks to take advantage of the new rise in online political activity. The gathering of key donor information like name, address and phone numbers, along with the deposit of funds through donation portals, represent a new horizon in online security.

Norton also projects that cybercrooks, or other nefarious idividuals, will use Web site hacking to present misinformation about candidates’ positions and conduct. For example, at a key moment, a hacker could hijack the control of a candidates site and cause it to crash at a key moment, if the Web site is compromsied.

Other areas of concern include the proliferation of Java-based Web applications, exploiting mobile platforms and the evolution of Internet spamming techniques. The growing popularity of virtual worlds, where users live and interact in multiplayer games or communities like Second Life, is just another place for hackers to nab passwords or other personal information.

As the Web continues to grow with the popularity of various social networking and other Web 2.0 techniques, so will the threat to important and private information. Users are advised to use reasonable precautions online and keep security software current and updating with the latest available patches and such.

Related topics from ClubSymantec:

• Tips and Tricks From Norton
  
• Online Social Networks Go Mainstream
  
• Cybercrime Trends in 2008

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Jesse Jackson Blunders Towards a Legacy

Off-air comments by the Rev. Jesse Jackson about the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama have drawn a firestorm of social and media attention in the last week.

Most of us know the backstory of the event: Jackson muttered comments during the taping of a "Fox & Friends" news show that allegedly included the use of the N-word. What's shocking is the use of such an ethnic slur by a man who has championed a fight against anyone using the word in public, or private, often describing the hateful and degrading aspects of such a slur.

Since then, Jackson has offerd an apology to Obama but did not offer a full disclosure of the words used during off-air comments.. Jackson's apology is as follows:

"I am deeply saddened and distressed by the pain and sorrow that I have caused as a result of my hurtful words. I apologize again to Senator Barrack Obama, Michelle Obama, their children as well as to the American public," Jackson said in a written statement. "There really is no justification for my comments and I hope that the Obama family and the American public will forgive me. I also pray that we, as a nation, can move on to address the real issues that affect the American people."

The full trascripts that include the on- and off-air remarks were not released, according to the Associated Press. Instead, FoxNews published a video earlier this week that analyzes the body language of Jesse Jackson in his public aplogy to Barack Obama.

Video: Body language maven analyzes Jesse Jackson's apology to Obama



What is said and the manner of the delivery are what seems to resonate through public opinion. While the use of this particular word is still common in many situations, in conversations between African-Americans about African-Americans, many believe that it's wrong for someone of Rev. Jackson's stature to ever use it in any setting.

The question remains whether the use of the N-word by an African-American to another African-American, talking about African-Americans is offensive. But it's the body language that is so very telling. Being quoted is much different than allowing people to see your face and other's faces as they react to comments.

A good example of such body language comes from "The View" on Thursday. (Video) During a discussion of "hateful words" and the use of racial slurs. During the debate, if you will, Elisabeth Hasselbeck attempted to rail against the use of the N-word, which led to an emotional breaking point. Then, while Whoopi and Sherri each engage in some interesting body language of their own during an emotional retort, Barbara Walters made a funny face.

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Suspensions Mar Springbok Historic Win Over All Blacks

The Springbocks are are taking a huge amount of momentum after delivering a staggering defeat to the All Blacks at the legendary "House of Pain" last weekend. The win, however, came at a cost and one incident has sparked a debate over wicked play on the pitch that often crosses the lines of tough competition and becomes violent.

Carisbrook spectators, arm-chair scrumhalves and match commentators were quick to cry "sink the Bismarck" when South African hooker Bismarck Du Plessis stuck his pudgy paws in All Blacks flanker Adam Thomson's eye socket. As a result, the Boks will be without Du Plessis the rest of the Tri Nations with a three-game suspension.

Video of the incident:



The match today in Perth between Australia and South Africa will likely be another back-and-forth battle between two powerful foes. A Matt Giteau-inspired Australia produced a devastating performance to crush an impotent France in Brisbane by 30 points two weeks ago. The South Africans are limping into a crucial match with controversy on their sleeves, with a new captain and a shortage at the hooker position.

Match preview available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7509377.stm

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Sony Scrambles to Counter XBox 360 Netflix Offerings

An e-mail blast late Thursday night from PlayStation Underground to members signals a push at relevancy with the announcement of all-new TV and movie downloads at the PlayStation Store.

Microsoft added another capability to the Xbox 360's stable of entertainment functions Monday by announcing a partnership with Netflix at the E3 Media & Business Summit. Sony's launch of their own multimedia site this week, with over 300 movies and 1,200 TV shows, comes at a per-rental price of between $3-4 dollars.

XBox users who are existing Netflix members will not have to pay additional fees. Although this is not the first time that Microsoft has offered users videos through the console, the move to seemingly abandon existing marketplace options for a much more robust movie library is a huge development.

The battle of the entertainent consoles is likely to heat up in coming months. The new services allow users to watch streaming movies and TV shows through the Internet-connected video game console.

Nintendo's Wii continues to attract the masses, old and young, with the highly interactive console that allows players to seemingly play virtual games in their living room. The rest, those who are not seeking entertainment through their PC, are best described as loyal users.

SonyPlaystion3, with its Blu-Ray DVD offering, will likely try to find its base by September and research what a partnership with Netflix or Blockbuster would really mean for business. Until then, consumers have yet another choice to make: rent via snail mail, watch On-Demand or download after conquering the universe.

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Radiohead Steps Into the Future With Camera-Free Music Video

Radiohead’s recent song, "House of Cards," features a music video that employs groundbreaking visual innovation without the use of lights or cameras. In order to create this unique imagery, the team used scanning systems to produce structured light that produced 3D images while multiple lasers captured large environments.

Making of "House of Cards" by Radiohead:




The results are truly amazing and the technology is there for anyone to have a go at producing similar videos. Or, you can simply view the video, watch a short documentary about how it was made, interact with the video in 3D or download some of the data at http://code.google.com/radiohead .

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Video Highlights: South Africa Stops New Zealand in Thriller

The Springboks on Saturday reversed a losing streak on the road had plauged the team since 1998: a victory at the "House of Pain," Carisbrook stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Video from RugbyDump.com:



With a 30-28 victory, South Africa now travels to Perth for another test against the Wallabies on July 19.

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Google Pet Lively Stumbles After a Quiet Launch

Last week, Google launched Lively, a web-based program that aims to move away from the static nature of online interactives. So far, the program has gained some momentum but continues to confuse some of the new users while attracting an interesting social element.

In reality, the program allows people to embody an avatar, or a three-dimensional "Tune" character, and have conversations with other users. The conversations take place in rooms, which can be added to any blog or Web site, and the creator of these virtual spaces can add furniture or decorate the space according to personal style. (Video: Lively by Google)

Much of the recent feedback from new users questions why the program looks and feels like IMVU, another 3D avatar and dress-up game, or lacks features already contained in Second Life, the virtual "world" created in 2003 by Linden Lab.

Several people have taken on the new program and tried to share their first moments installing and using Google Lively. This video offers an interesting viewpoint along with even more user feedback in the comments section.



The goal of the Lively team is to "help people experience another dimension of the Web," , according to lead engineer Niniane Wang. "We hope you will use the product to express yourself with and without words, and to do this in the places you already visit on the web."

Wang also reveals that Lively was developed as a "20 percent project," a concept in which Google employees are encouraged to spend one day a week working on projects outside of day-to-day responsibilities.

Pet project aside, Lively may have a lot of potential in the future but doesn't really offer anything revolutionary just yet. Until then, the team will have to find a way to squash the bug that keeps users stuck at "joining room."

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Entertainment Jobs Decline With New Unemployment Data

As the nation's unemployment level continues to grow, several professions see an unlikely decline, especially in he entertainment industry.

While the top jobs forecast sees a rise in producers and directors for film and other multimedia ventures, the following list shows a decline in the number of acting professions since 2007.

Sure, we've all heard about all of the starving actors, but this trend shows a serious push from entertainment in the traditional sense to a more Web-based approach. That is, more firms are seeking to bolster their online presence outside traditional printed-word mediums and reaching out to those with the experience to produce and edit multimedia segments.

And, with all of this bad news comes an even more grim economic outlook. Much of the data involves blue-collar workers although Forbes conducted the research before the onset of the credit crisis.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics Data, June shows an increase of 21.5 percent, a substantially large rise in U.S. jobless numbers since 2007. In addition, the unemployment rate has seen a climb from 4.6 percent in June of 2007 to 5.5 last month, the highest number since July 2004. These numbers reflect more accurately the recent job losses in the housing and financial services industries.

Using the same numbers from the U.S. government's National, State and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Forbes.com recently compiled a list of America's Top Growing and Disappearing Jobs.

Listed below are the job titles and descriptions. Additional information about Mean wage, number of jobs the last two years and the percent or decline is found at Disappearing Jobs or through the photo galleries available below.

In Pictures: America's Top 20 Growing Jobs (Forbes.com)

1. Sewing Machine Operators: Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or non-garment products.
   
2. Home Appliance Repairers: Repair, adjust or install all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers and ovens.
   
3. Engine and Other Machine Assemblers: Construct, assemble or rebuild machines like engines, turbines and similar equipment used in industries like construction, extraction, textiles and paper manufacturing.
   
4. Conveyor Operators and Tenders: Control or tend conveyors or conveyor systems that move materials or products to and from stockpiles, processing stations, departments or vehicles. May control speed and routing of materials or products.
   
5. Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Set up, operate or tend milling or planing machines to mill, plane, shape, groove or profile metal or plastic work pieces.
   
6. Cutters and Trimmers, Hand: Use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass or rubber.
   
7. Word Processors and Typists: Use word processor/computer or typewriter to type letters, reports, forms or other material from rough draft, corrected copy or voice recording. May perform other clerical duties as assigned. Excludes data enterers, secretaries and administrative assistants, court reporters and medical transcriptionists.
   
8. Chemical Plant and System Operators: Control or operate an entire chemical process or system of machines.
   
9. Farm workers, Farm and Ranch Animals: Attend to live farm, ranch or aqua-cultural animals. Attend to animals produced for animal products like meat, fur, skins, feathers, eggs, milk and honey. May maintain records on animals, examine animals to detect diseases and injuries, assist in birth deliveries and administer medications, vaccinations or insecticides as appropriate. May clean and maintain animal housing areas.
   
10. Compensation and Benefits Managers: Plan, direct or coordinate compensation and benefits activities and staff of an organization. Include job analysis and position description managers.
    
11. Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products: Grade, sort or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color or condition. Excludes "Agricultural Inspectors."
    
12. Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators and Tenders, Metal and Plastic: Set up, operate or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill or countersink metal or plastic work pieces.
    
13. Semiconductor Processors: Perform any or all of the following functions in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors: load semiconductor material into furnace; saw formed ingots into segments; load individual segments into crystal growing chamber and monitor controls; locate crystal axis in ingot using X-ray equipment and saw ingots into wafers; clean, polish and load wafers into equipment used to form circuitry and change conductive properties.
    
14. Forest and Conservation Technicians: Compile data pertaining to size, content, condition and other characteristics of forest tracts under direction of foresters; train and lead forest workers in forest propagation, fire prevention and suppression. May assist conservation scientists in managing, improving and protecting rangelands and wildlife habitats and help provide technical assistance regarding the conservation of soil, water and related natural resources.
    
15. Tax Examiners, Collectors and Revenue Agents: Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.
    
16. Actors: Play parts in stage, television, radio, video or motion picture productions for entertainment, information or instruction. Interpret serious or comic role by speech, gesture and body movement to entertain or inform audience. May dance and sing.
    
17. Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators and Tenders: Set up, operate or tend machines that knit, loop, weave or draw in textiles. Excludes sewing machine operators.
    
18. Material Moving Workers, Miscellaneous (Non-specialist)
    
19. Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners, Miscellaneous (Non-specialist)
    
20. Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, Miscellaneous
    

Source: Forbes.com Details America's Top 20 Disappearing Jobs

The results from Forbes.com are based on 2007 data that use a U.S. survey of 800 occupations in all industry sectors. All employers were reviewed, regardless of size, but occupations where total employment was less than 25,000 were excluded. The Forbes survey covers full- and part-time workers who are paid a wage or salary but does not include the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers and unpaid family workers.

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Energy-Related Jobs Show Growth Despite Rising Oil Prices

As the nation's unemployment level continues to grow, several professions see unexpected growth, especially in certain energy-related industries. Occupations involving the removal or discovery of petroleum products and several transportation jobs, from building planes to attending to airline passengers, are the hottest items.

All of this good news, however, comes on the heels of a grim economic outlook for most Americans.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics Data, June shows an increase of 21.5 percent, a substantially large rise in U.S. jobless numbers since 2007. In addition, the unemployment rate has seen a climb from 4.6 percent in June of 2007 to 5.5 last month, the highest number since July 2004.

Using the same numbers from the U.S. government's National, State and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Forbes.com recently compiled a list of America's Top Growing and Disappearing Jobs.

Listed below are the job titles and descriptions. Additional information about Mean wage, number of jobs the last two years and the percent gain (or decline) is found at http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/02/employement-careers-jobs-leadership-careers-cx_pm_0702topjobs.html or through the photo galleries available below.

In Pictures: America's Top 20 Growing Jobs (Forbes.com)

1. Roustabouts, Oil and Gas: Assemble or repair oil field equipment using hand and power tools. Perform other tasks as needed.
   
2. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging and Systems Assemblers: Assemble, fit, fasten and install parts of airplanes, space vehicles or missiles like tails, wings, rigging and control equipment or heating and ventilating systems.
   
3. Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas and Mining: Set up or operate a variety of drills to remove petroleum products from the earth and to find and remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.
   
4. Counselors, Miscellaneous: All counselors; not substance abuse, educational, family, mental health or rehabilitation counselors.
   
5. Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers: Install, program, maintain and repair security and fire alarm wiring and equipment. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. Excludes electricians who do a broad range of electrical wiring.
   
6. Non-specialist Education, Training and Library Workers: All non-specialist education, training and library workers.
   
7. Financial Analysts: : Conduct quantitative analyses of information affecting investment programs of public or private institutions.
   
8. Assemblers and Fabricators, Miscellaneous (Non-specialist)
   
9. Physicians and Surgeons, Miscellaneous (Non-specialist)
   
10. Logisticians: Analyze and coordinate the logistical functions of a firm or organization. Responsible for the life cycle of a product, including acquisition, distribution, internal allocation and delivery.
    
11. Producers and Directors: Produce or direct stage, television, radio, video or motion picture productions for entertainment, information or instruction. Responsible for creative decisions like the interpretation of script, choice of guests, set design, sound, special effects and choreography.
    
12. Locomotive Engineers: Drive electric, diesel-electric, steam or gas-turbine-electric locomotives to transport passengers or freight. Interpret train orders, electronic or manual signals and railroad rules and regulations.
    
13. Financial Specialists, Miscellaneous: Occupations outside the mainstream.
    
14. Multimedia Artists and Animators: Create special effects, animation or other visual images using film, video, computers or other electronic tools and media for use in products or creations like computer games, movies, music videos and commercials.
    
15. Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists: Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. Engage in clinical investigation or other research, production, technical writing or related activities. Excludes microbiologists and practitioners who provide medical or dental care or dispense drugs.
    
16. Manicurists and Pedicurists: Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.
    
17. Home Health Aides: Provide routine, personal healthcare like bathing, dressing or grooming, to elderly, convalescent or disabled persons in the home of patients or in a residential care facility.
    
18. Non-specialist Transportation Workers: like airline flight and customer service workers.
    
19. Non-specialist Service Industry Sales Representatives like telemarketers.
    
20. Personal Financial Advisors: Advise clients on financial plans utilizing knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans and real estate. Duties include assessing clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status and financial objectives in order to establish investment strategies.

Source: Forbes.com America's Top 20 Growing Jobs

The Forbes.com results are based on 2007 data that use a U.S. survey of 800 occupations in all industry sectors. All employers were reviewed, regardless of size, but occupations where total employment was less than 25,000 were excluded. The Forbes survey covers full- and part-time workers who are paid a wage or salary but does not include the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers and unpaid family workers.

Coming next: an analysis of U.S. jobs on the decline, which reflects a downward trend among manufacturing jobs.

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Tall Ships Invade the Victoria Harbor

In June of 2008, the Inner Harbour in Victoria provided the backdrop of four unforgettable days of revelry and celebration to commemorate Canada's Pacific maritime heritage with the visit of over two dozen throwbacks from around the world.

The complete photo gallery by Flingjore is available at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/flingjore/sets/72157606074220486/

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In Dogtown Premier, Michael Vick's Dogs Get a Second Chance

National Geographic Channel's popular series Dogtown begins the new season with "Saving the Michael Vick Dogs," a two-hour special that will likely draw a huge reception on the heels of a scandal that continues to draw heated debate.

In the season's first episode, viewers follow efforts to rehabilitate four dogs that were once kept at Bad Newz Kennels, an illegal dogfighting venture once operated by the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback and three other men. The show highlights efforts to help these trouble canines overcome a violent past and towards happier, healthier lives.

At Bad Newz Kennels, poor-performing dogs were executed, and many of the survivors showed signs of past injuries and psychological trauma. Skeptics believed that these pit bulls were too far gone and should be put down. Of the 47 that were rescued from the Virginia kennel, 22 of the toughest cases were sent to Dogtown.

Dogtown, a shelter for "lost canine souls," is part of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, one of the largest no-kill animal facilities in the country. Located on 33,000 acres of southern Utah canyon country, the facility can accomodate as many as 1,500 animals. Residents include dogs, cats, rabbit and horses, to name a few.

"Saving the Michael Vick Dogs" follows resident canine behaviorists who work closely with the following cases:

• CHERRY: may have been used as bait to train more aggressive fighters, is terrified of people. It will take a lot of love and support to help him gain confidence. When he arrives at Dogtown, Cherry flattens himself to the ground and refuses to walk on a leash.
  
  
• MERYL: is seriously aggressive and was ordered by the court to stay permanently at Dogtown. Trainer Ann Allums believes that Meryl's dangerous impulses can be controlled by gaining trust and by focusing on rewards instead of punishments.
  
  
• DENZEL: arrives with a potentially life-threatening illness, and a medical team must determine whats making him so sick. He is diagnosed with a tick-borne parasite sometimes found in fighting dogs, which may mean the other pit bulls rescued with him are at risk as well.
  
  
• GEORGIA :with a body that tells the story of her hard life, she has the scars of a prize-winning fighter. In addition, Georgia has had all of her teeth pulled in a possible move to force-breed the animal with other males. Even with no teeth, the dog has a powerful jaw that could still do serious damage.

SOURCE: National Geographic Channel

Related:

• Michael Vick Fighting Dogs Get 'Rehab' Care
  
• Video: Vick Dogs at Dogtown
  
• Dogtown From National Geographic Channel

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Ads Snapshot: ROI Is Directly Related to Presentation

No kidding: this is an actual ad that is running on Facebook. Can you find the problem (and see the humor) in the copy?

Bill Gate's IQ is 160

What's your IQ? Take this PhD certified test to find out instantly.
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In any case, it goes to prove that spellcheck isn't 100 percent reliable.

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Tour de France Interactives Hit Their Mark but Miss on Foundation, Brainstorming

There are a lot of arguments for, and against, creating Flash mashups for use on Web pages. After all, these graphics are attractive, sleek and fun for both the author and the audience. They are, however, very time consuming to create and require a specialized talent. In the end, the main objective in creating special online content is to achieve interactivity.

Often times, these types of projects draw a lot of excitement around the final product and create a dream academy, a forum of enthusiasts who want thier own stamp on the project, of innovators. After about 60 minutes of brainstorming and crude drawings on a white board, often times, one or two people are left with a lot of information without any direction. This fact often shows up in the results of the product through diminished clarity, scope and usability.

Taking the time to think through and outline first steps is crucial. Ask some simple questions: What value does this add? Is it original or has it already been created? Can it simply be automated? Does our audience want such a feature?

Often times, online journalists jump feet-first into the fray without considering these very important points and then find themselves getting up every day at 0330 hours to "feed the baby," a move that only adds more work to the day.

The 2008 Tour de France isn't the first year that many of the larger outlets have decided to deploy their resources in the graphics departments and task them with creating one, or more, Flash mashups (that use maps, photos, videos, blogs) to show the various stages of the race. Despite the recent pall over the sport due to various doping scandals, many readers remain extremely interested in the outcome of this grueling race and are starved for reliable information.

The Top 3 Tour de France Interactives (from last to first):

• The 21 Stages of the Tour de France (nytimes.com)
  As far as displays go, this is a sleek design and a great face for a destination. As for usability, the tool is simple to use and easy to navigate through for users who are familiar with flash graphics. Otherwise, the feature is a bit non-intuitive for basic users. On the goal of interactivity: this is a good crossover between graphics and text representation that marries the two by creating the mouover boxes. The Times will likely get some good SEO out of its use by sending readers back to the main site but may send the audience away for good through such trickery. Overall, where this feature lacks interactivity remains a good example of why editors and producers must ask one basic question before starting. The question: what do I intend to do with this graphic. Still, it's fun to click around and keep bookmarked to find at a later time, if you are truly that busy. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/07/07/sports/20080707_TOUR_FEATURE.html
  
  
• Tour de France Tracker (AFP Interactive hosted on ESPN): What puts this feature into the second spot of our countdown is the simplicity. Everything is right there, in front of you, so the audience won't have to go searching. Obviously, ESPN isn't the only host of this feature but likely made huge strides to brand it as their own and bring the graphic into their templates. From the main features page, the graphic launches inside a new window, through javascript, and is sized to the specific dimensions. The problem here is that if you just paste the link into a browser window, the display is pushed left with a lot of "black" space, or noise, on the right. This isn't the deal killer as the practice is still widely used today and is a likely result of a complicated publishing system. Enjoy: http://espn.go.com/afp/tdf2008/isports/flash/index.html
  
  
• Tour de France 2008 (guardian.co.uk)The Guardian has taken things to another level this year, first with their site redesign (and likely move to a new publishing platform), then by learning from past experiences and making their brand of journalism much better. The 2007 feature (more) was a bit dull but did contain enough attractive parts to make it successful. This year's Tour feature highlights the best of the best and connects the tool to other Web 2.0 foundations. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/interactive/2008/jun/10/tourdefrance2008

Honorable mention:

VeloNews Exclusive Tour de France Coverage lacks in the sleek design department but does prove to be a force in usage. What seals the deal is the great deployment of the Google Maps API to aid other riders in their future quest challenge a particular route. In addition, although difficult to find at times, the video briefs that depict various points along the course offer a unique look and feel while adding a unique value.

In summary, the point here is to keep your audience coming back for more. Modern readers and consumers do not like to click through to reach the holy grail, or the key information.

Always remember that Web sites should be created for users and not search engines, spiders or to boost numbers related to adverstising sales. People consume your content, as well as machines, and tricking your readers is a good way to bounce them away for good.

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Opinion: Jesse Helms's Legacy in Review

The passing of Sen. Jesse Helms draws a dark contrast of emotions for many Americans. For me, I grew to strongly oppose the positions that "Senator No" took throughout his political career, many of which were race-based and ultra conservative. After spending years in North Carolina and experiencing the impact of such positions, I also grew to embrace his touch on the population.

My grandfather worked closely with the senator during his many campaigns to help disabled American war veterans. The senator was always strong in his support of helping those who gave so much for their country. For that, it's hard to hate anyone. But hate is a strong conviction, one that I cannot embrace as it takes two positions to strengthen Democracy.

So, without composing a lengthy opinion article about a controversial legacy, Flingjore offers a compilation of a few interesting articles and facts about Jesse Helms.

From NPR's "All Things Considered," on July 4 (Listen to the NPR audio):

"In his three decades in the Senate, Helms battled tirelessly for the conservative cause. He waged high-profile fights against the Panama Canal treaty, AIDS funding, abortion and affirmative action. He was willing to take on his fellow Republicans — criticizing Presidents Reagan and Bush for accepting tax increases in the 1980s and '90s.

"But Helms was best known for his steadfast opinions on social issues. He lambasted Hollywood for sex and violence in movies, criticized artists whose work he considered obscene and berated groups he felt were destroying traditional families."

From the Washington Post's Obituary:

"Helms was extraordinarily effective at highlighting issues that would provoke the media and raise the passions of his constituents. He appealed particularly to white, blue-collar, middle-class Americans who rallied to his championing of what he considered the timeless Main Street values of religion and family...

"To his opponents, Helms was divisive, mean-spirited, race-baiting and manipulative. He was a pioneer of negative TV attack ads, which he used frequently and effectively in his political campaigns. In 1989, he drew wide-ranging national support, and derision, for his attacks on the National Endowment for the Arts after it funded works by artists Robert Mapplethorpe and Andres Serrano, which Helms considered homoerotic and anti-Christian.

"When Helms announced in 2001 that he would retire from the Senate, Washington Post columnist David S. Broder described him as 'the last prominent unabashed white racist politician in this country.' "

Rob Christensen wrote about Helms in an article on Sunday entitled He stood against history's tide:

"I believe a man's strength is also his weakness. One of Helms' strengths was a firmness of purpose and deep convictions. As the old political mantra put it: You may not agree with Jesse, but at least you know where he stands.

"That was also his flaw. Many old segregationists apologized or evolved.

Not Helms."

Quotables

• President Bush
  

  "Jesse Helms was a kind, decent, and humble man and a passionate defender of what he called “the Miracle of America.” So it is fitting that this great patriot left us on the Fourth of July. He was once asked if he had any ambitions beyond the United States Senate. He replied: ‘The only thing I am running for is the Kingdom of Heaven.' Today, Jesse Helms has finished the race, and we pray he finds comfort in the arms of the loving God he strove to serve throughout his life."

  
  
• The Rev. Jesse Jackson
  

  “At the height of his power, he fought for the values of the old Confederacy. He resisted the New South. He resisted the opportunity to fight for a more perfect Union.”

  
  
• Elizabeth Dole
  

  "I knew I could never replace him, but I continue to strive each day to provide the dedicated constituent service he provided the people of our state for 30 years. As my father would say, Jesse was indeed a watchdog for North Carolina and for the nation."

Related Links:

• Helms' own words on his life and career
  
• Timeline of the Helms's Life and Career (charlotte.com)
  
• Editorial cartoons on Jesse Helms

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Upcoming Features on Flingjore's World

A lot has happened recently so Flingjore would like to offer the public a glimpse of what's to come next week at flingore.com:

• Video: Highlights From the French Barbarians vs Canada Match
  
• Video: Full Feature Film of "J" Pod Feeding Off the Coast of Vancouver Island
  
• Video: Nature Up Close — Butterflies Feeding
  
• Q & A With Someone Very Famous

Read you later, on the flip side, when the moon is full and the fields are tall. In other words: see you on July 7, after the break.

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Flay, BBQ and Reasons to Enjoy a Friday July 4th

There's nothing quite like the July 4th grill-down: family and friends gathered around the flame, ready to wolf down something of substance to couple with all of the cold, frosty beverages.

Somewhere out there is a group of who believe they are top dog when it comes to grillin'. The flame masters who own the ultimate knowledge when it comes to cooking over a flame. In this video, Chef Bobby Flay takes a trio of novices to school and helps them to become backyard grillmasters with some simple tips.



I'm not sure about the blue cheese-mayo dressing but, come on, does sound interesting enough to try. In any case, cooking burgers is a great place to begin (if you are just starting out.)

Happy 4th of July, happy grilling and happy birthday America.

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July 4th Travelers Rethink Long-Distance Destinations

As the price of oil climbs above $144 per barrel and U.S. gas price averages hit the $4.08 mark, many travelers are still contemplating the cost of travel during the holiday weekend.

Remeber Memorial Day? Americans were confounding by the same question between driving and flying. The anwer is simple: know before you go.

Many trip calculators exist but, AAA publishes one of the more user-friendly versions. The difference: the ability to enter make and model of the vehicle over lumping certain vehicles in classes like small car, big car and SUV.

AAA Mid-Atlantic is projecting a 1.3 percent decrease in the number of local travelers, compared to the same period one year ago.

"For the first time this decade, we are seeing a decrease in the number of people traveling during the Fourth of July travel holiday," explained Mahlon G. (Lon) Anderson, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Director of Public and Government Affairs. "Although it’s the nation’s birthday, travelers are not in a party mood this Fourth of July."

Even so, just over 670,000 people, or 12.5 percent of the Washington area’s population, will still travel this weekend, according to AAA’s forecasts.

Yet record gasoline prices and the sharp upsurge in airfares will continue to cast a pall over the travel plans of many more Washingtonians.

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