Cyber War: Facebook's Google smear campaign outed

Cyber wars spill over into the mainstream media more often than ever these days. Now Facebook, working hard to shore up its own reputation as a company that plays loose with users' privacy, admits to using a PR firm to spread malicious information about Google's privacy practices to the media.

The social networking giant has been trying to get newspapers and websites to run stories saying that the search giant is invading users' privacy. Those bad boys and girls. What will they do next? It’s really a nasty little battle they have going, complete with people defecting from one company and going to the other one.

Dan Lyons, of The Daily Beast, said that when "confronted with evidence, a Facebook spokesman last night confirmed" that the company hired PR giant Burson-Marsteller to do the dirty work. USA Today, which was pitched as well by the PR firm, looked into the story, and found it meritless, that "the claims were exaggerated," said Lyons.     Photo source

Thursday Morning musings…

Good Morning Humboldt County! What a crazy world we live in. Pull up a chair and have a cup of coffee with me as you look over the news of the day:

A man dressed as Batman was arrested on Wednesday after police in a small Michigan town found him hanging off the side of a building and carrying concealed weapons including a baton and a can of chemical irritant spray.

Andy Warhol's very first self-portrait was sold Wednesday when it soared to $38.44 million at Christie's post-war and contemporary art auction.

I never could appreciate Andy’s work. Campbell Soup cans aren’t my idea of art. I’m trying to wrap my mind around the person who bought this self-portrait. My guess is it’s King Midas, or a Wall Street stock trader.

 Musicians' memories really sing, according to study.All those years of playing an instrument, practicing scales, and rehearsing regularly can payoff in midlife and beyond, new research finds. The advantage musicians have may well be between their ears.

This study found that people with four or more decades of musical training appear to have sharper thinking and hearing skills than their less musically inclined peers. Better yet, these benefits seem to buffer against some age-related memory and auditory declines later in life.

A glowing mystery surrounds the first American in orbit Suddenly John Glenn was no longer alone.

Surrounding Friendship 7, like tiny light motes from some fable of fairyland, were thousands of tiny creatures.  Some came right to his window, and he stared in wonder at the tiny specks.  Then he saw they were frost and ice. Some were shaped like curlicues. Others were spangled and starry, like snowflakes sailing and dancing and swirling in an incredible swarm about the spacecraft.Glenn was beside himself with awe and curiosity and fascination.  He had no idea where this stunning phenomenon had originated.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I never heard this story of the colorful fireflies in space before.

Southwest tells woman, mother they are 'too fat to fly'

Kenlie Tiggeman is impressive, to say the least. She's a budding gardener at her mother's home in Galliano, a political strategist working in New York City, a blogger, and in the last two years — she's lost 120 pounds. But unfortunately, some people only look skin deep.

"It doesn't matter how far I have come. I have a long way to go, but no one sees that. All they see is my exterior — someone who is fat," explained Tiggeman.

She said that's what happened during a layover in Dallas on Easter Sunday, when she and her mother were singled out by a Southwest employee for their weight.

Southwest's "Customers of Size" policy states passengers are required to buy a second seat if they cannot fit between the armrests, which measure 17 inches across.

That’s about all this morning. Time for me to head on down the road…

 

Cops To Attend Candlelight Vigil and Say "Legalize Drugs" to Honor Fallen Colleagues

In conjunction with Peace Officers Memorial Day, some police are pointing out how too many law enforcers are killed in the line of duty enforcing a senseless and unwinnable "war on drugs."  The group, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), is calling for the legalization and regulation off all drugs, and they're telling stories about their fallen friends and colleagues to back up their case.

"When one of my best friends was killed doing an undercover drug purchase, it opened my eyes to the fact that not only are these drug laws ineffective, but they lead to brave and dedicated law enforcers losing their lives," said Neill Franklin, a 34-year veteran of the Maryland State Police and the Baltimore Police Department, now LEAP's executive director. "Ed Toatley was one of the best narcotics agents the state of Maryland ever had, but this failed drug war wasn't worth him losing his life over."

See http://copssaylegalize.blogspot.com/2011/05/remembering-our-fallen-comrades.html for more information about Ed Toatley's story.

Here's a piece we have on Huffington Post today on this topic: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/neill-franklin/lets-legalize-drugs-to-sa_b_860473.html

WHO: Former police officers who support legalizing drugs

WHAT: Candlelight vigil in remembrance of fallen colleagues

WHEN: Friday, May 13 @ 7:30 PM EST

WHERE: National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial; on E St. between 4th and 5th Sts., NW, Washington, DC

The candlelight vigil, which officially begins at 8:00 PM, is sponsored by the National Law Enforcers Memorial Fund and is part of National Police Week. 25,000 to 40,000 police officers and family members are expected to attend official events over the course of the week. The group of pro-legalization police officers will be available for on-site press interviews around 7:30 PM, before the start of the vigil.

CONTACTS: Tom Angell - 202-557-4979 or media@leap.cc or Neill Franklin - 443-286-6737 or neill.franklin@leap.cc

A cowardly act of treason? Tea Party members call out House Speaker John Boehner

'Tea party' members have accused House Speaker John Boehner and his lieutenants of preparing to sell them out to the White House in 'a cowardly act of treason against coming generations.' Story Here.

Photo - Rev. William Temple spoke during a news conference that coincided with an address by House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio). Temple, dressed in Colonial-era regalia, called Boehner "a wimpy RINO," which stands for "Republican In Name Only." (Mark Wilson / Getty Images / May 9, 2011)

Bob Marley: It’s been 30 years since the music stopped

May 11, 2011 marks the 30th anniversary of iconic reggae singer Bob Marley’s death. To honor the legend’s life, we take a look at how he grew from modest beginnings to one of the world’s most beloved musical icons. Story here.

Skip ahead to read about:

His political influence

His legendary music

His death

Lethal ladies: 7 novels about killer women

• From wronged wives to a psychotic socialite, these fictional femmes are playing for keeps

• You know the expression “dressed to kill”? You might not want to use it around any of the characters in these seven deadly books.

• Spring and summer fiction is packed with women who can do almost anything in cold blood. From wronged wives to a psychotic socialite, they would do well to stay away from anything sharp.

• (But, of course, they don’t.) Superstars like James Patterson and Charlaine Harris return with their latest, but there are also gripping works from newcomers, such as Canadian Holly Luhning, who weaves a story around the legend of sixteenth-century Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory, the most prolific female serial killer of all time. Bathory was bricked up in a castle as punishment for her crimes, and you might want to brick yourself up somewhere quiet to work through this killer reading list.          Photo source

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver split up after 25 years

The former California first lady has moved out after 25 years of marriage. Maria Shriver helped bolster Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign against charges that he groped women during his movie career.

I guess it wasn’t easy living with the Terminator. He could be a cranky bastard when he wanted to. Now that the “Governator” has made his mark on California he’s back to making movies. He’s got one coming out soon according to reports I’ve read.

Meanwhile I’ll eagerly await Maria’s tell-all bio about what it was like living with a barbarian! 

What bugs you? Book uncovers science of what irks us

The way your significant other chews. Your co-worker's ringtone. People who spell "definitely" "definately." Videos that won't stop "buffering." Traffic. "Halfalogues."Farmville.

You know what bugs you. But do you know why? In the new book "Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us," two science journalists attempt to answer exactly that. We spoke to Joe Palca, an NPR science correspondent, and Flora Lichtman, multimedia editor for NPR's Science Friday, to find out why certain things drive us nuts. Story Here.

Image source

Attention Humboldt Bloggers! Dave wants you!

UPDATE: Like an ass, I forgot to mention I’ll be available for interviews on local radio stations only. This is truly a grass roots campaign.

Looking for a lighter side to this upcoming presidential election? I’ve got just the thing for you. My presidential campaign will offer comedic insights into a process that’s really quite a joke these days.

So why the hell am I telling you this? Because I’m running a very austere bid for the presidency, and any publicity is GOOD when I don’t have to pay for it. That’s where your blog comes in:

How can you help me get elected - or rejected-  in my quest?

1.) Carry this link to my Online Presidential Campaign Headquarters on your bloglist. That would be cool.

2.) My “Grass Roots” campaign is ideally suited for Humboldt County blogs and will give you another local subject to blog about.

3.) Who knows? Maybe my campaign will get national attention and I’ll be able to forward a new agenda for America. Can you see it? Humboldt Bloggers promote one of their own and expect kickbacks if Dave is elected. You’re going to have to help me with that new agenda though. Got any ideas? Talking points? Jokes?

In conclusion; I’m looking for a Campaign Manager (the pay is peanuts – I bought some in bulk at Costco) but just imagine the satisfaction you’ll have heading up this campaign! By the way, I’ll need some suggestions for what to call the New Party that I’m going to have to form. I don’t want anything to do with the current political parties.

Blog On!

 

Monday morning musings…

As I delicately slurp my coffee this morning, I’m still trying to get over the shameful exit my Lakers made from the playoffs. It stressed me out. So, this morning I’m looking at places to shed that stress.

There’s places you can de-stress in a brewery, a prison or underwater spas. The world's strangest spas are in the last places you'd look.

Photo –you no longer have to visit Poland to experience salt caves built with crystals from the Black Sea—thanks to the Polish and Ukrainian specialists who came to Chicago to construct the first U.S. salt-iodine caves (opened in 2005). Visitors spend about an hour in the dim caves, listening to calming music, and breathing in the salty air.

After nearly five years as co-anchor of TODAY, Meredith Vieira has decided to leave the show in June. Ann Curry will take her place as co-anchor of America’s No. 1 morning show along side Matt Lauer. Meredith will continue in a new role at NBC News, with an official announcement in the coming months.

Tens of thousands of Mexicans Sunday marched into the capital city to protest the wave of killing that has claimed 38,000 lives since President Felipe Calderon launched his war on drug gangs in late 2006.

Demonstrators, many wearing white and walking in silence, held up placards that read "Not a single more death," "Enough already" and "No more bloodshed."

The march started Thursday about 45 miles from the capital in the tourist city of Cuernavaca, which has been rocked by drug-related violence and where in March suspected hitmen killed the son of writer Javier Sicilia, who is heading the march.

Photo - A demonstrator, his hair cut and his head painted in red, to read in Spanish: 'No More Violence,' protests during a march against gang violence in Mexico City on Sunday