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Official Gmail Blog: New in Labs: Inbox preview

2009-05-22T14:31:00.000+05:30

Whenever I open up my inbox at work, I'm never surprised to find several new messages waiting to be read. The same thing can't always be said about my personal Gmail account. Sometimes I end up checking my mail only to find nothing new there.

No big deal, really. But now imagine that you access Gmail on a super slow connection from a remote place in Ethopia where it might take minutes to completely load your inbox. The disappointment is larger when you find out that there is nothing new to read and you could have saved all that time.

To ease this pain a bit, we created a new feature in Gmail Labs called Inbox Preview. While Gmail is loading, a simple, static preview of your inbox with your ten most recent messages is displayed. Turn it on from the Labs tab under Settings, and if you're on a slow connection you'll know from the start if it's worth the wait.
Official Gmail Blog: New in Labs: Inbox preview

View TIFF and PPT Files Online Directly in Your Browser

2009-04-24T10:16:00.000+05:30

Official Gmail Blog: PowerPoint and TIFF file viewing

Official Google Blog: Click-to-Buy expands to 8 new countries

2009-04-09T18:35:00.000+05:30

Official Google Blog: Click-to-Buy expands to 8 new countries

Essential Social Networks for Entrepreneurs

2009-03-13T10:38:00.006+05:30

Looking for a job? Consider creating your own. There are a number of social resources to help you connect with other entrepreneurs and get your business ideas off the ground.

Here are the top 10 social networks for entrepreneurs. Each helps entrepreneurs succeed by providing them with the guidance, tools and resources they need to setup their company and gain exposure.

Have another social site to add to this list? Tell us about it in the comments

1. Entrepreneur Connect

Entrepreneur Media, the company that produces Entrepreneur Magazine, started a social network over a year ago specifically for entrepreneurs and small business owners called Entrepreneur Connect. Like all social networks, you have the opportunity to create your own profile, explore the community, share ideas with other entrepreneurs and network. Unlike most social networks, this one frowns upon too much self-promotion and applauds idea sharing.

You can use this network to connect to service providers, suppliers, advisers and colleagues. Just like LinkedIn and FacebookFacebook reviews, there are professional groups that you can join or create. Another cool feature is that you’re able to start your own blog and possibly have it appear on the main page. This is similar to what Fast Company has done with their website.

2. PartnerUp

PartnerUp is a social network for entrepreneurs who are searching for people and resources for business opportunities. Anyone can join, but business partners, co-founders, executives and board members will get the most out of this one. In this network, you can ask or offer advice, find commercial real estate and find service providers like accountants and marketers for your business.

The big differentiator with this social network is the commercial real estate “MoveUpSM” program that serves entrepreneurs who have experienced a hard time trying to find office space for their business. They also have a Resource Directory that allows small and mid-sized businesses to advertise their services.

3. StartupNation

Most social networks neglect the content aspect that makes StartupNation so useful. With articles, forums, blogs, on-demand seminars, and podcasts, entrepreneurs will be better prepared for their ventures and have the resources required to make better business decisions.

There are a wide range of topics being discussed on StartupNation right now, including business planning, marketing and web-based business. The site also offers a series of competitions, such as a dorm-based 20 contest and an elevator pitch competition. If you’re an entrepreneur or hope to become one, this site is definitely one you can’t miss out on.

4. LinkedIn

It’s difficult to leave LinkedIn off of any social networking list because it’s so useful for anyone who’s either searching for a job, is trying to network with like-minded individuals, or building a company. LinkedIn offers many resources for entrepreneurs, such as groups, including the very popular “On Startups” group that has over 54,000 members.

Entrepreneurs on LinkedIn should brand themselves properly so they can attract the right kind of business opportunities, and perform searches to find service providers or partners. As an entrepreneur, you should also be looking to participate in LinkedIn Answers, events and applications to spruce up your profile and become a valuable member to your community.

5. Biznik

This isn’t another LinkedIn clone. Instead, Biznik brands itself as a social network that “doesn’t suck.” The Biznik community is composed of freelancers, CEOs, and the self-employed. Like the other networks, this is a place for you to share ideas, instead of posting your resume. It is mandatory for all members to use their real names and provide real data, and Biznik editors actually review all profiles to ensure compliance with that policy. There are three levels of membership, including basic, active ($10 a month for an enhanced profile) and supporting ($24 a month for increased visibility).

6. Perfect Business

If you want to meet thousands of serious entrepreneurs, experts and investors from a variety of industries, then Perfect Business might be the perfect social network for you. The type of people you’ll find are potential business partners, potential clients and advisers. Additionally, the site has leading business partners like Entrepreneur and Virgin Money.

From business networking to a video center where you can learn from successful entrepreneurs, a business plan builder and even an investor center, you’ll have most of the resources you need to create or regenerate your business. There is a free basic membership and a gold membership that costs $29.99 per month.

7. Go BIG Network

The Go BIG Network embraces job seekers, in addition to funding sources, service providers and entrepreneurs. In this social network, you post requests for help, which are then routed to other people in the network that can answer your questions or support you. Members of this social network can search through profiles of other members, contact them or post a request (a classified ad) to talk about what they are looking for (such as a business partner). The profiles on this network are targeted and specific so it’s easy to find an investor in a particular region.

8. Cofoundr

The Cofoundr network is made up of idea makers, entrepreneurs, programmers, web designers, investors, freelancers and executives. The primary purpose of joining this network is to start a new web venture. Unlike most of the social networks already listed here, Cofoundr is a strictly private network, which means that you can’t view member profiles before you register for an account.

Membership requires having a valid university or work email address, which means high schools students and younger aren’t allowed. The first thing you have to do is sign up, then specify your abilities and the people you are trying to network with and finally, post your idea on the bulletin board or in the forum.

9. The Funded

The Funded is an online community of entrepreneurs who research, rate and review funding sources. Entrepreneurs can view and share terms sheets to assist each other in finding good investors, as well as discuss the inner workings of operating a business. General benefits of this site include viewing facts, reviews and commentary on funding resources, and accessing RSS feeds of the most recent public comments by members.

By joining the site, you have access to detailed fund profiles with specialty, reference investments, and investment criteria, in addition to accessing partner vCards that have full contact information of all partners at venture funds. In order to get any value out of this social network, you pretty much have to become a member.

10. Young Entrepreneur

If you’re young, entrepreneurial and socially active or just curious, then Young Entrepreneur is a great starting point for you. This community appears as a discussion forum, with topics such as e-commerce, search engine optimization, marketing, IT & Internet, and franchising. Aside from their main forum and threads, there is a popular blog and some great videos.

Newspapers are Using Social Media to Save the Industry

2009-03-12T11:21:00.006+05:30

These days, everyone knows that one of the hottest stories any newspaper can cover is that of its own demise. The collapse of print advertising and the downturn in sales, at the news stand and through subscriptions, has led to a frantic search for new ways to monetize content that’s often available online for free.

Social media gives any business an interactive channel to communicate with its current and future customers. For newspapers, that channel can increase the chances of survival in a market where commoditized information has diminished the value of individual brands. Here are ten ways newspapers are using social media to save the industry.

1. Twitter headline feeds

With more than 280,000 followers, the New York Times’ main Twitter feed dwarfs the Wall Street Journal (19,000+), the Washington Post (4,800+), and the Chicago Tribune (5,200+). Many metropolitan and small-town dailies have followed suit, creating a TwitterTwitter reviews handle as an extension of their brand, but the Times, like other large dailies, has gone one step further, establishing channels for Books, Arts and Entertainment, and other sections. These are sub-channels that support personalized interaction, a point of interest for advertisers.

2. Acquiring providers of social media services

In November, 2008, Gannett Co., publisher of 85 daily newspapers, acquired Ripple6, Inc., maker of a social networking platform that links marketers to end users. By investing in a company that has already helped Procter & Gamble with its social media initiatives, Gannett will be better able to collaborate with its advertisers. Look for more acquisitions, or partnerships, as legacy publishers broaden their online portfolios.

4. Promoting and monetizing user-generated content

In 2007, the Cincinnati Enquirer created CaptureCincinnati.com, a photo-sharing site where over a thousand local photographers uploaded nearly 12,000 images. The best shots were featured in Capture Cincinnati, a coffee table photo book that included a DVD, selling at a retail price of $39.95. Last year, the numbers continued to improve, and the Enquirer expects strong sales of the 2008 edition as well. Marketers might call this bundling products, but whatever you call it, the Enquirer probably won’t argue.

5. Story-based communities

The Toronto Globe and Mail uses Cover It Live, a live-blogging/discussion tool that provides interactive coverage of breaking news and live events such as conferences and hearings. Real-time comments, audio and video postings, and polls are among the types of content that can be recorded and then embedded in the story, like this piece on a subway shooting in January.

6. Collaborative outsourced news services

While British startup Yoosk bills itself as an “interactive news magazine,” it represents the type of outsourced service many newspapers may wind up using as their own resources dwindle. Yoosk allows its users to put a question to politicians and celebrities, to comment on the publicly viewable answers, and to submit their own ideas for interview features. Its founders hope to collaborate with established news sites, including newspapers willing to outsource parts of their magazine sections.

7. Customized delivery

Denver-based MediaNews Group, publisher of such major dailies as the Denver Post and Oakland Tribune, has announced plans to test a “customized news delivery service called ‘I-News’ or ‘Individuated News” this summer with the LA Daily News. This service would allow subscribers to choose from different categories, including news from other parts of the country. Blending the offerings of regional newspapers into a separate platform may help more of them survive.

8. Branded communities

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has launched MySTLtoday, a branded community featuring areas such as user-created groups, user-posted content, and special interest sections like St. Louis’ BestBridal. Excerpts from shared stories are printed each week in the legacy paper. This might seem old-school, but it strengthens a traditional middle American brand, and it promotes more interaction, which helps advertisers pinpoint their targets.

9. Publishing APIs for third-party developers

The New York Times has taken the lead in an area sure to attract other organizations. By publishing application programming interfaces, or APIs, for third-party software developers, the Times Developer Network has encouraged the creation of a new class of social media applications. Developers have already produced mashups that combine Times content with other resources. Advertisers should see new opportunities to embed messages tailored to the end user, and the Times may partner with those developers it deems worthy, avoiding the incremental cost of creating new applications internally.

UK’s The Guardian has announced similar plans to open up its content with Open Platform.

10. Burning the boat that brought you

Unfortunately, this isn’t the most agreeable method for many, but social media applied to a smaller, virtual organization might be the way of the future. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer may move to an online-only version of its daily newspaper. This is the ultimate way to save a paper through social media: make the Web its only channel of distribution, and leverage the history of the brand. Loyalty won’t be hard to track, and the test of that loyalty will be the price point established by subscriptions, for individual sections or the entire publication. The argument “would you save this paper for the price of a latte?” becomes very cogent, especially in Seattle.

Add Video Narration to Your Presentations : Slidesix

2009-03-12T10:34:00.008+05:30

Slidesix is multimedia enabled presentation sharing. Simply upload, add multimedia, enhance and share!

Slidesix allows users to upload their public or private presentations and share them across all Web browsers. The genius feature, though, has to be that Slidesix supports multimedia creation so that users can record video narration to accompany their presentations and walk viewers through each slide.

Anyone can upload a presentation to the site, but to use Slidesix’s advance feature set, users will need to create an account. Once they do they can start uploading presentations (Keynote file types not supported) to their management console.
In the management console, members can get a global view of all their presentations, tweak them, record video narration using their webcam, attach files or external clips from sites like YouTubeYouTube reviews and VimeoVimeo reviews, add notes, watch the playback, and save presentations for sharing. Public Slidesix presentations can be viewed by all visitors, include video stats, and support viewer comments, so if you want to keep your presentation private and share it with just a few individuals, make sure to indicate that during the upload process.

For a look at how the video narration adds to (or subtracts from) presentations, check out this Slidesix demo:

Alex Rodriguez miss 6-9 weeks due to hip surgery,

2009-03-09T10:47:00.003+05:30

TAMPA, Fla. – Alex Rodriguez's spring training saga took another unexpected turn: He's headed for hip surgery Monday that will sideline him for six to nine weeks — and that's not all.

The New York Yankees slugger will need a second operation after the season, assuming he can play all the way through. Dr. Marc Philippon, who will perform the initial procedure in Colorado, said he's confident Rodriguez will be able to do that once he recovers.

"Well, it's better than him missing the whole year," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "It could have been a lot worse."

The decision Sunday came after Rodriguez and the Yankees spent the week mulling treatment options for his torn labrum, and it was yet another jolt to the three-time MVP during a tumultuous month in which he admitted using steroids from 2001-03 with Texas.

The arthroscopic procedure that was chosen gives Rodriguez a chance to return early this season — general manager Brian Cashman said he expects A-Rod back "sometime in May." But it also means he'll need another, more extensive operation in the fall.

Philippon said Rodriguez ultimately decided (with the team's support) to put off that surgery, which likely would have kept him out until at least July because it could require three to four months of rehabilitation.

Still, his injury not only leaves the Yankees with a huge hole at third base and in the middle of their lineup, it causes major concerns about the health of a player in the second year of a record $275 million, 10-year contract.

A noted hip specialist with the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic, Philippon spoke to reporters from Vail, Colo., on a conference call Sunday with Cashman. Also on the call was team physician Chris Ahmad.

Philippon said he is confident in the "85-90 percent range" that Rodriguez will be able to play through the rest of the regular season after he recuperates from surgery.

"I firmly believe this approach will be successful and allow Alex to return," Philippon said. "We've had very good success with this approach. Short term, we feel the risk is very limited that he will re-tear his labrum during that six-, seven-month period."

The decision eliminates the option of Rodriguez treating the injury with rest and rehab and playing through the season without surgery. But this operation will not completely correct the hip.

"The surgery that will just repair the labrum tear right now would shorten his rehab," Cashman said. "Then, following the conclusion of the season, going in and repair the remaining aspects that need to be repaired."

Now that a treatment plan has been chosen, Cashman said Rodriguez is feeling better.

"When it first happened, he said he was `bummed.' That was the exact word," Cashman said. "Alex texted me and he was really positive. He is excited. This is what he wanted to do."

Rodriguez also has a cyst in his right hip that was drained Wednesday. He had additional tests Friday to test the hip's strength and flexibility.

Once he returns to the lineup, Rodriguez will likely get more days off than usual.

Cashman could not guarantee that A-Rod will be ready for the start of spring training next year following the second surgery this fall.

The Yankees have an insurance policy that will reimburse some of Rodriguez's $32 million salary this year, a baseball official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team doesn't discuss insurance publicly. Typically, insurance on baseball contracts pays back a team a specified percentage of the salary of a player on the disabled list, after a period of days for a deductible.

Rodriguez's hip had been fine until he experienced stiffness during spring training this year. The injury forced the 12-time All-Star to skip the World Baseball Classic, where he was to play for the Dominican Republic.

Philippon attributed the labrum tear to the rotational stress that Rodriguez — "a very strong hitter, strong batter" — places on his hip.

"Because of all the test findings, analysis, the function of Alex, I feel it's in his best interest to have his labrum repaired, remove part of his impingement and therefore stabilize his labrum," he said. "The goal here is to allow Alex to rehab rapidly in a safe manner."

Rodriguez will stay in Colorado for the foreseeable future.

"We'll keep Alex with us certainly for the first few weeks," said Philippon, who has treated several sports stars including golfer Greg Norman and figure skater Tara Lipinski. "The main reason being we're going to put him on the fast track so we will be very aggressive on his rehab. We'll check on Alex twice a day."

Rodriguez could swing a bat as a range-of-motion drill as soon as seven days after surgery.

"It's better news than some of the reports. It's good for him. He can get that out of the way and hopefully get back to us soon," Yankees captain Derek Jeter said at the WBC in Toronto. "We can't sit around and wait for him to come back. You've got to go out there and play. That's what good teams are about. It's more than one person."

On Thursday, Rodriguez's brother, Joe Dunand, told ESPNdeportes.com that the slugger was going to have surgery, with a projected 10-week recovery. But later that day Cashman said A-Rod would be treated conservatively in the hope of avoiding surgery.

Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon, speaking from Lakeland, where New York played the Detroit Tigers, said Rodriguez was doing the "right thing" in addressing the injury now.

"I think it's better to get it out of the way, especially since he's going to be in New York for eight more years after this year. So you might as well take care of it," Damon said.

The leading candidate within the organization to take over at third is Cody Ransom, a 33-year-old who has a .251 average and 24 RBIs in 183 at-bats over six major league seasons.

Since joining the Yankees before the 2004 season, Rodriguez has averaged 42 homers and 123 RBIs, with a .303 average.

Girardi said if the season started today, Ransom would replace Rodriguez at third.

"It's going to create something different for us, so we're going to have to take a look at some of these other guys," Girardi said. "There's still four weeks left in camp, and it opens up an opportunity for someone."

Last year, Rodriguez was sidelined from April 28 to May 20 because of a strained right quadriceps — his fifth career trip to the disabled list. An MRI exam at that time showed what Cashman called an "irregularity" in the right hip.

The labrum is cartilage that lines the hip joint. It can be torn through injury or repetitive wear and tear. When arthroscopic surgery is recommended, the doctor makes small incisions to insert specialized instruments into the joint space and either removes the torn piece of labrum or repairs the cartilage with a suture.

Dr. Kevin Plancher, a top orthopedic and sports medicine specialist in New York who trained and worked at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic, said hip conditions such as A-Rod's are common in sports but are probably most prevalent among hockey players.

Owens' agent predicts deal by end of next week

2009-03-07T14:02:00.002+05:30

IRVING, Texas – Terrell Owens' agent predicts the well-traveled receiver will find a new team by the end of next week.

Owens is back on the market after being released by the Dallas Cowboys.

"There are several teams that are interested in signing Terrell," agent Drew Rosenhaus wrote in a text message Friday to The Associated Press. "I have been in negotiations with these teams. I will not identify these teams at this time. Terrell and I expect to have a deal in place by the end of next week if not sooner."

Owens is among the NFL's career leaders in catches, yards and touchdowns. But the Cowboys are the third team to get rid of him because of his divisiveness. He left after eight seasons with the 49ers and two with the Eagles. There's speculation the Raiders or Redskins, among other teams, might be interested in him.

The Cowboys cut him Thursday after three seasons. While his on-field performances were quite good, his behavior off the field — and sometimes on the sideline and in the huddle — made Owens too much of a distraction for team owner Jerry Jones.

"In the aftermath of the season, we talked about change," Jones said in a statement. "Some of what is changing involves the process and some of it involves people. This is a decision that was made based upon consideration for an entire team.

"We will move on now with a new team — a new attitude — and into a new stadium. The evaluation process and the prospect for change will continue at every level of the organization."

So Owens won't get a chance to thrill crowds in the Cowboys' new home this year. Nor will he get a chance to turn off his teammates with his histrionics.

Owens released a statement on his Web site thanking Jones, coach Wade Phillips and the organization for "the opportunity to be a member of the team for the past three years."

"A big thanks to the fans — you've been awesome! I look forward to the upcoming season and continuing to play in the NFL," Owens added.

Where that will be is anyone's guess. Because many of the headlines T.O. creates are about ego and attitude. Jones wants the focus on winning, something the Cowboys haven't done in the playoffs since 1996.

Owens caught more touchdown passes than any NFL receiver over the last three years and was a big part of Tony Romo's emergence from an unknown backup to a starlet-dating Pro Bowl quarterback with a $67 million contract.

Yet the Cowboys went 0-for-2 in the playoffs with Owens, and didn't even make it this past season. Dallas' late-season collapse — capped by a lackluster effort in a win-and-you're-in finale in Philadelphia — emphasized that a new approach was needed.

Jones was slow to go along. Just a few weeks ago, he indicated Owens wasn't going anywhere and firmly said the idea of locker-room problems were "a figment of the result. You didn't hear about those things when we were winning."

Dallas also released safety Roy Williams on Thursday.

Cutting Owens and Williams will cost the Cowboys about $14 million against the salary cap. There's no telling how much more Dallas will lose in jersey sales and other publicity Owens generated. Then again, the $1.1 billion stadium that's opening next season should generate plenty of interest and souvenir sales.

Owens learned he was being cut Wednesday night and sent text messages to his friends. Cowboys receiver Sam Hurd said Owens' reaction was "more shock than anger."

"He didn't give me an explanation. He just said, `Wow,'" Hurd said Thursday. "I really didn't believe that he seen that coming. ... He said it's tough, but it's a business."

What's next for T.O.?

It remains to be seen what kind of market there is for a 35-year-old with a proven track record — good and bad.

Al Davis and the Raiders might be interested. Or maybe Daniel Snyder will want to add another big-name star to the Washington Redskins, especially to take advantage of the animosity T.O. might bring to his two games a year against the Cowboys and the Eagles.

"I don't think (being released) is going to stop him from playing football," Hurd said. "He's going to be back on somebody's team."

Don't look for him to replace Laveranues Coles on the Jets. The team has no interest in Owens because of the distractions he'd bring, a person familiar with the team's thinking told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The Cowboys signed Owens in March 2006, despite the bitterness some fans had for him having celebrated on the team's midfield star logo while playing for the 49ers. At his introductory news conference, Owens declared, "Getcha popcorn ready" and he certainly kept things interesting.

His first season included an accidental overdose that police initially called a possible suicide attempt and an obviously strained relationship with coach Bill Parcells. Yet it also included the most TD catches in the NFL and the birth of Romo's stardom.

With a new coach and coordinator in 2007, Owens set a club record with 15 TD catches and Dallas tied the best record in franchise history at 13-3, only to lose its first playoff game. He tearfully supported Romo afterward, then a few months later received a $34 million contract extension at a news conference that featured a humongous bowl of popcorn.

The Romo-Owens relationship appeared to fray late this past season, with Owens upset about everything from game plans to pass distribution. He had 213 yards in one game, but cracked 100 yards in only one other game, the otherwise forgettable finale.

Dallas already has a replacement as the top receiver in another Roy Williams, who led the NFC in yards receiving in 2006. The Cowboys gave up a first-, third- and sixth-round pick in the upcoming draft to get him from Detroit midway through last season.

In addition to Williams and Hurd, the Cowboys also have receivers Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin, plus Jason Witten, among the best receiving tight ends in the NFL.

What Romo and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett no longer have are any concerns about is whether No. 81 is happy.

"I know it takes a lot of pressure off Romo," Hurd said. "A guy like him demands the ball and you want to get him the ball. Now he can look at all of us and see which one is open on any given play. ... I don't think that was a problem. That's just what could and might start happening."

Celtics beat Cavs at home to tighten East race

2009-03-07T13:54:00.001+05:30

BOSTON – Paul Pierce scored 29 points, reserve Leon Powe had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics beat Cleveland 105-94 on Friday night to move within percentage points of the Cavaliers in the race for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Cavaliers (48-13) lead Boston (49-14) in winning percentage .787 to .778, though the Celtics took the lead in the head-to-head tiebreaker, 2-1, with an April 12 game in Cleveland remaining.

Mo Williams scored 26 for Cleveland and LeBron James had 21, shooting just 5-of-15 from the field to go with 9-for-12 from the line. He spent the final minutes on the bench after the Cavaliers couldn't narrow a double-digit deficit.

All-Star forward Kevin Garnett missed his seventh straight game for Boston with a strained knee muscle, and backup Glen "Big Baby" Davis was ejected in the third quarter for a flagrant foul. Powe filled in and reached season highs in both points and rebounds, giving the Celtics a spark with a blocked shot and a basket at the other end that opened a 94-83 lead.

After James missed a 3-pointer, Powe grabbed the rebound and Pierce hit a pair of free throws, then Powe dunked to give the Celtics a 98-83 lead — their biggest of the game.

The home team has won the first three matchups of the season series, and home court could prove even more important if they meet again in the playoffs. Boston eliminated the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals last year en route to its NBA-record 17th championship; the home team won all seven games in the series.

The crowd noise at tipoff was reminiscent of last spring's playoffs, but nothing in the first half really excited the fans as much as James' missed dunk with 8 minutes left in the first period. Bringing the ball back with for a tomahawk slam, he instead banged it off the back of the rim — to the delight of the sellout crowd.

The intensity returned in the second when the players went chest-to-chest under the Cavs basket after Davis wrapped up Anderson Varejao to prevent an easy layup. James and Ray Allen began jawing at each other while officials tried to separate them. They were each called for technical fouls, as was Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Davis was called for a flagrant foul and ejected — exacerbating Boston's problem at power forward. (All seemed to be forgiven later in the third, when Allen fouled James to stop him from an easy basket; James helped Allen up and gave him a friendly tap on the behind.)

After the free throws, James hit a 3-pointer and Williams followed with a fadeaway jumper that cut Boston's seven-point lead to 55-54. Cleveland soon made it 57-all, but Pierce hit a jumper before Allen hit a 3-pointer and then scored on a breakaway, losing the handle of the ball only to have it bounce off James and back into Allen's hands for the reverse layup.

Boston led 68-63 when Pierce hit back-to-back 3-pointers to make it an 11-point game.

Notes:@ It was the first time in NBA history that two teams leading their divisions by at least 17 games had met. ... Joe Smith, who was traded last summer in the deal that brought Williams to Cleveland, returned after buying out his contract with Oklahoma City and re-signing with the Cavs on Thursday. ... Cleveland forward Ben Wallace missed his fifth straight game with a broken right fibula. ... Cleveland shot 38 free throws to 12 for Boston. ... James went 13:11 between field goals as the score went from 55-52 to 88-77.

Venus salutes Peer in Dubai victory speech

2009-02-24T10:47:00.000+05:30

DUBAI – Venus Williams raced to her 40th career crown on Saturday, but ensured that the raging Shahar Peer controversy was not forgotten during her Dubai Open title celebrations.

Williams told a packed crowd that it was "a shame that one of our players couldn't be here", in a direct reference to the United Arab Emirates' widely-condemned decision to refuse to grant Israeli player Peer a visa.

"I thought she had to be mentioned and I felt I was going to, whether anyone else did or not," said Wimbledon champion Williams, when it was remarked that she was the only one at the prize-giving ceremony to recall what had happened.

"I had the opportunity because I had the microphone. I thought how brave she (Peer) was to come over here, to play in Doha (last year), and suddenly here not (allowed to).

"I thought of Althea Gibson who was excluded," she continued referring to the woman who overcame discrimination and exclusion to become Wimbledon's first black champion in 1957.

"She played and I thought of people who stood up and played with her when no-one else would.

"My dad grew up in a place where if you spoke too much, it was your life. I had a small opportunity to say something where everyone would listen.

"It also made me think of all the people who gave something for me to be here. I am not hear to rock the boat or upset anyone - I'm just here to try to do what's right, to represent what's right, and I think the right things will happen next week on the men's tour.

"I think a lot of that was because of what Shahar went through, because everyone cared."

"I feel confident everyone will have the opportunity to play next year. If that wasn't the case then we would evaluate but everyone has had the opportunity to do the right thing," she said referring to the visa given to Andy Ram, another Israeli to play in the men's ATP event here next week.

Williams, who eased past France's Virginie Razzano 6-4, 6-2 to win the Dubai title, was also referring to the host of penalties announced by the WTA on Friday to punish the tournament for the Peer affair.

Organisers were hit with a record 300,000-dollar fine and told to post a two-million-dollar guarantee to ensure various conditions of entry were met for the 2010 tournament.

"Some wrong decisions were made but let's hope they were made for the right reasons," said Venus. "Let's hope we will move on."

Despite the women's tournament ending on Saturday, there was no sign of the controversy disappearing.

Dubai Open tournament director Salah Tahlak said that there were doubts over whether or not an apology would be made to 21-year-old Peer.

"We would not say we are sorry. We have done our best. It is not our responsibility to issue a visa. It is other departments' responsibility," said Tahlak.

"We should not mix politics with sport. We are purely sport. We have done a lot for tennis in the region."

Tahlak said he was not sure whether or not an apology would be made by the tournament to Peer. He also denied any errors of judgement had been made.

Commenting on his statement on Tuesday that Peer's visa had been denied for security reasons, he said: "Whatever reason was given last week, we had our reasons. Maybe then it was still fresh what happened in Gaza and we made that very clear in the statement."

Fergie facing defensive headache ahead of Mourinho meeting

2009-02-24T10:44:00.002+05:30

MILAN, Italy – Manchester United face a defensive injury crisis ahead of Tuesday's crucial Champions League round of 16 first-leg clash away to Inter Milan.

Sir Alex Ferguson is already deprived of Serbia centre-back Nemanja Vidic through suspension while veteran Gary Neville and Wes Brown are both definitely out.

Northern Ireland centre-back Jonny Evans also picked up an ankle injury during Saturday's 2-1 Premier League victory over Blackburn, while fellow defender John O'Shea missed that game with a heel problem sustained in the 3-0 win over Fulham last Wednesday.

It means that Ferguson could be left with only one recognised senior centre-half in Rio Ferdinand, while the only other defender at his disposal to have played first-team football before this season is France's Patrice Evra.

It has all left Ferguson a bit worried ahead of the most eagerly anticipated tie of the round.

"We've got some injury issues of course and I just hope we can get two centre-backs out there on Tuesday," he said.

"At this moment in time, it's very doubtful. Jonny Evans is unlikely to be playing, he's looking very doubtful and I'm just hoping to have John O'Shea available because we don't have Gary Neville and we don't have Wes Brown.

"We're having a nightmare with defenders this season. Hopefully we can patch it up for Tuesday because this does leave us very, very short."

It means at least one of twin teenage full-backs Rafael and Fabio Da Silva is sure to play and maybe even both.

Otherwise Ferguson will have to look at the possibility of throwing a midfielder into his backline although there are few feasible options.

Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes have always been attacking players while Darren Fletcher has had the odd run-out at right-back but never in the heart of the defence.

Then there is Michael Carrick but his form in midfield has been one of the main reasons behind United's stunning recent run and his passing would be sorely missed if he had to step back.

It is probably the worst possible part of the team to be depleted ahead of the trip to the San Siro.

In Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Adriano, Inter have one of the best strike pairings in Europe and the two forwards always provide a stern test for any central-defensive partnership, let alone a make-shift one.

United may well have to resort to a dogged defensive display, aiming to hit their hosts on the break.

That is something that Inter coach Jose Mourinho is most concerned about.

"I don't want my players to feel under pressure, I want them to enjoy themselves and the first thing I will tell them is that I have great belief in their ability to win it," said the Portuguese boss.

"I've known Manchester since 2004, they're the best counter-attacking team in the world and can kill their opponents in transition (from defence to attack).

"They have (Dimitar) Berbatov, who has fantastic technical qualities and then (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Wayne) Rooney, (Carlos) Tevez or Park (Ji-sung) who can make the difference, give them width and pace. Our concentration will have to be spot on."

If anyone can instil confidence in his players it is Mourinho himself who has only lost once to Ferguson in 12 previous encounters.

As coach of Porto he earned a win and a draw at the same stage of the competition in 2004 before leading the Portuguese side to the title.

And with Chelsea he only lost once in 10 games against Ferguson, winning four times and drawing five.

However, United have the edge in previous meetings between the two teams as back in the 1998-99 season United eliminated Inter 3-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals on their way to lifting the title.

Three United players, Neville, Giggs and Scholes, survive from that tie as well as Inter's captain Javier Zanetti.

Barkley pleads guilty in Scottsdale to DUI charges

2009-02-24T10:43:00.000+05:30

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Charles Barkley will serve time in jail after pleading guilty Monday to charges of driving drunk.

According to Scottsdale court records, the 45-year-old former NBA star pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges related to the same drunken driving arrest.

Barkley, who works as a TV analyst, is set to begin a five-day jail sentence on March 21. The Hall of Famer must pay more than $2,000 in fines and attend an alcohol treatment program. Under Arizona law, he'll also be forced to install an ignition interlock device on his vehicles.

His attorney was not immediately available for comment.

Barkley was stopped by police Dec. 31 shortly after leaving a Scottsdale nightclub. He was arrested after failing a field sobriety test. He had a blood-alcohol level of .149 percent, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 percent in Arizona when he was pulled over.

After a six-week leave of absence, Barkley resumed his studio analyst role for TNT last week.

"This is just my bad, no excuses," Barkley said in an interview with TNT colleague Ernie Johnson posted on NBA.com before he returned to work.

"I think that a DUI is unacceptable," he added. "That can't happen and I've got to challenge other people, not just celebrities or jocks. You have to really think before getting behind the wheel after you've been drinking."

Barkley conceded at the time he could face jail time.

"I think it's going to be good for me, to be honest. I need to make sure drinking is not a problem for me," he said. "I just want some professionals to talk to me about it."

If they tell him to stop drinking, "then I'll have to stop drinking," he said.

Asked if he could do that, he replied, "I feel I can do anything that I put my mind to."

Colts agree to release WR Marvin Harrison

2009-02-24T10:36:00.000+05:30

INDIANAPOLIS – Marvin Harrison refused to take a pay cut. The Indianapolis Colts couldn't afford to keep him without one.

On Monday, the two sides reached agreement on one thing: Harrison will be a free agent.

Agent Tom Condon told The Associated Press that Indianapolis has agreed to release the franchise's all-time leading receiver, although an official announcement is not expected until Tuesday or Wednesday.

The decision comes one day after team president Bill Polian said he hoped to cut a deal that would keep Harrison in Indy. When Harrison said no, the Colts said farewell.

"Basically, we were not able to come to any kind of agreement, it was not contentious and the Colts have agreed to release him," Condon said in a phone interview.

Team officials declined comment and a message was left by The Associated Press at the office of team owner Jim Irsay.

It's not a surprising move because the Colts would save about $6 million, based on Harrison's base salary. They would still be charged for prorated bonuses from the $66 million deal he signed in December 2004.

The Colts found it too expensive for a 36-year-old receiver coming off one of the least productive seasons of his career.

Harrison ranks second in NFL history with 1,102 receptions, and the move will disappoint many Colts fans, who embraced Harrison as a favorite. They referred to Harrison, Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James as "The Triplets," and Harrison was one of the franchise's most identifiable player in the last decade.

His penchant for toe-tapping catches along the sideline and incredible grabs in the middle of the field helped the Colts build one of the league's most successful franchises in this decade.

But longtime teammates understood why Harrison wanted to become a free agent.

"I think whatever Marvin chooses to do for himself, he has to do," center Jeff Saturday said Sunday night. "I love Marvin as a friend and as a teammate."

Indianapolis took Harrison in the first round of the 1996 draft and when Manning arrived two years later, the tandem began a record-setting journey.

They combined for more completions, yardage and touchdowns than any duo in league history.

Harrison made eight Pro Bowls, won a Super Bowl ring, and his 14,550 yards rank fourth on the NFL's career list. He is No. 5 all-time with 128 TD catches and holds all major single-season and career receiving marks for the Colts.

Over the past two seasons, though, Harrison hasn't been up to his usual standards.

He missed all but five games in 2007 because of injuries, underwent offseason knee surgery and then caught 60 passes in 2008 — far less than half of his NFL record 143 in 2002.

Philadelphia police also believe one of Harrison's guns was used in an April shooting in his hometown. No charges were filed against Harrison, and the man who made the accusation was convicted on a misdemeanor charge of lying to police.

On the field, Manning has looked more frequently for three-time Pro Bowl selection Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez, a first-round pick in 2007.

Yet coaches and Polian insisted Harrison's skills had not deteriorated.

"What I saw is a guy who is as quick as he's been, with the same hands, and he has the ability he's always had," new coach Jim Caldwell said Thursday at the NFL's annual scouting combine.

And Polian insisted he still wanted Harrison back in his familiar No. 88 jersey.

"Hopefully, we'll find a way to work through that (the contract)," Polian said Sunday. "I don't know if we will, but we hope to."

They couldn't.

Now Harrison will look for work elsewhere. Some have speculated that he would like to play with his hometown Eagles and former college teammate Donovan McNabb.

The Colts will have a vastly different look next season.

Former coach Tony Dungy retired in January and was replaced by Caldwell. Caldwell has hired new defensive and special teams coordinators and three of the four longest-tenured players on the roster are heading to free agency, which opens Friday.

Saturday said Sunday night he intended to test the market despite getting an offer from the Colts late last week. Punter Hunter Smith's agent, Thomas Mills, said last week Indy would not try to re-sign Smith before free agency began.

Rare Jaguars Spotted in Arizona and Mexico

2009-02-24T10:27:00.000+05:30

The once-common jaguar has become a rare sight in North America, thanks to hunting and habitat fragmentation.

Now two were spotted in exceedingly rare and unrelated events this month.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department caught and collared a wild jaguar in Arizona for the first time, officials said Thursday. While a handful of the big cats have been photographed by automatic cameras in recent years, the satellite tracking collar will now help biologists learn more about this animal's range.

Meanwhile, a jaguar was spotted in central Mexico for the first time in a century. Scientists photographed the cat with an automatic camera set alongside a trail thought to be frequented by the spotted felines.

Jaguars (Panthera onca) once ranged from southern South America to the southern United States. By the late 1900s, none were thought to exist north of Mexico, but two independent sightings in 1996 confirmed jaguars still reached as far north as Arizona and New Mexico. Remote cameras have also photographed jaguars in the Amazon.

The species has been protected outside of the United States under the Endangered Species Act since 1973. That protection was extended to jaguars in the United States in 1997, the year after their presence here was confirmed.

Details of the sightings below.

The Arizona cat

The male cat in Arizona was captured southwest of Tucson during a study aimed at monitoring habitat connectivity for mountain lions and black bears. The healthy beast weighed in at 118 pounds with a thick and solid build.

Satellite tracking showed the cat traveled more than 3 miles from the capture site in the first day after its release, officials said.

"While we didn't set out to collar a jaguar as part of the mountain lion and bear research project, we took advantage of an important opportunity," said Terry Johnson, endangered species coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "More than 10 years ago, Game and Fish attempted to collar a jaguar with no success. Since then, we've established handling protocols in case we inadvertently captured a jaguar in the course of one of our other wildlife management activities."

Biologists are trying to determine if the collared jaguar is Macho B, a male cat that has been photographed by trail cameras periodically over the past 13 years.

In 1997, a team was established in Arizona and New Mexico to protect and conserve the species. The Jaguar Conservation Team (JCT) began working with Mexico two years later, recognizing that the presence of jaguars in the United States depends on the conservation of the species in Mexico.

Interestingly, the project set up to do all this is funded by Arizona Lottery ticket sales.

The Mexico cat

No jaguars had been spotted in central Mexico since the start of the 20th century.

Scientists trying to find footprints, excrement or any other signs of the jaguars had in recent years interviewed residents, none of whom had ever seen one. Nonetheless, the researchers now report having obtained three photographs of a male jaguar and ten excrement samples that have been attributed to the jaguar, said Octavio Monroy-Vilchis of Autonomous University of the State of Mexico.

In a statement, researchers explained there are 15 areas in Mexico in which it is unknown whether jaguars still exist, whether their populations are stable, and if their habitat is adequate. These areas are important for scientific studies, because they could include crucial zones for the felines' long-term survival.

"The photographs provide information about new recording sites, and allow us to deduce that the area where the animal was observed may be a corridor connecting jaguar populations," Monroy-Vilchis said.

Largest cats

Jaguars are the only cats in North America that roar. They're considered the largest cats in the Western Hemisphere. Adults commonly weigh up to 211 pounds (96 kg), though 300-pounders have been reported. In the northern range they typically weigh between 80-120 pounds, however.

Females breed year-round and have litters of one to four cubs that stay with their mother for nearly two years.

Jaguars can live in several types of forest, grassland and dry habitat. They prey on a variety of animals, including fish, birds and reptiles. The largest contiguous area of habitat now remaining for jaguars centers in the Amazon Basin.

Original Story: Rare Jaguars Spotted in Arizona and Mexico

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Major stock market indexes fall to 1997 levels

2009-02-24T10:20:00.000+05:30

NEW YORK – Wall Street has turned the clock back to 1997. Investors unable to extinguish their worries about a recession that has no end in sight dumped stocks again Monday. Specialist Peter Mazza works at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, Feb. 23

The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 251 points to its lowest close since May 7, 1997, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index logged its lowest finish since April 11, 1997. It's as if the decade's dot-com surge, collapse and subsequent recovery never occurred.

The Dow is just over 100 points from 7,000. Both indexes have lost about half their value since hitting record highs in October 2007.

"People left and right are throwing in the towel," said Keith Springer, president of Capital Financial Advisory Services.

Investors pounded most financial stocks even as government agencies led by the Treasury Department said they would launch a revamped bank rescue program this week. The plan includes the option of increasing government ownership in financial institutions without having to pour more taxpayer money into them.

Although the government has said it doesn't want to nationalize banks, many investors are clearly still concerned that this could be a possibility as banks continue to suffer severe losses because of the recession. They're also worried that banks' losses will keep escalating as the recession sends more borrowers into default.

"The biggest thing I see here is the incredible pessimism," Springer said. "The government is doing a lousy job of alleviating fears."

The Treasury and other agencies issued a statement after The Wall Street Journal reported Citigroup is in talks for the government to boost its stake in the bank to as much as 40 percent. Analysts said the market, which initially rose on the statement, wanted more details of the government's plans.

"It's only a very partial picture of what we may get," said Quincy Krosby, chief investment strategist at The Hartford. "This proverbial lack of clarity is damaging market psychology."

Meanwhile, technology stocks fell after The Journal reported that Yahoo Inc.'s new chief executive plans to reorganize the company. But the selling came across the market as pessimism about the recession and its toll on companies deepened.

"There's no where to hide anymore," said Jim Herrick, director of equity trading at Baird & Co.

The market's decline extends massive losses from last week when the major stock indexes tumbled more than 6 percent. While falling to their 1997 levels, the major indexes plunged through the lows they reached in late November, at the height of the credit crisis.

"There's no main driver of the down day," said Ryan Detrick, senior technical strategist at Schaeffer's Investment Research. "There's just so much skepticism in the overall market and (the question is) is the government doing proper things to get us out of this problem. Obviously the stock market is voting no."

The Dow dropped 250.89, or 3.41 percent, to 7,114.78. It last closed this low on May 7, 1997 when it finished at 7,085.65. The Dow hasn't traded below the 7,000 mark since October 1997. The index is down 14 percent over the past 10 sessions.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 26.72, or 3.47 percent, to 743.33. It was the lowest close since April 11, 1997, when it ended at 737.65.

When the indexes were last at these levels, they were in their ascendancy, climbing amid the dot-com boom. But 1997 was also the year that saw stock prices later plunge amid a growing financial crisis in Asia. Far away from Wall Street, it was the year that the U.S. first heard the name Monica Lewinsky, whose relationship with President Bill Clinton led to his impeachment and trial. And it was the year that the world was stunned by the death of Britain's Princess Diana, on Aug. 31.

On Monday, the S&P 500 did close above its Nov. 21 trading low of 741.02. But the 14-month recession has decimated the major indexes: The Dow is down 49.8 percent from its record highs of October 2007, while the S&P 500 index is down 52.5 percent.

Detrick warned that a move below the S&P's Nov. 21 low could set off "violent selling" as even more confidence drains from the market.

The technology-laden Nasdaq composite index dropped 53.51, or 3.71 percent, to 1,387.72.

Investors looking for a bottom also dumped smaller stocks. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 16.38 or 3.99 percent, to 394.58.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers by more than 6 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange, where consolidated volume came to 6.35 billion shares compared with heavy volume of 8.12 billion shares on Friday.

Morgan Smith, investment counselor for Burns Advisory Group, said investors are now pushing out their expectations for a recovery in the industry until after this year.

"Everyone is trying to grasp at some type of bottom," Smith said. "The market is just trying to figure out if it has priced in a worst-case scenario."

Among tech stocks, Hewlett-Packard Co. fell $1.96, or 6.3 percent, to $29.28, and Intel Corp. dove 70 cents, or 5.5 percent, to $12.08.

Other big losers included General Electric Co., which dropped to a 14-year low of $8.80, but ended down 53 cents, or 5.7 percent, at $8.85. Aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. tumbled 48 cents, or 7.6 percent, to $5.81.

Some financial stocks managed to gain, including Citigroup, which rose 19 cents, or 9.7 percent, to $2.14, and Bank of America Corp., which gained 12 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $3.91.

Bond prices were mixed. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, fell to 2.77 percent from 2.79 percent late Friday. The yield on the three-month T-bill, considered one of the safest investments, rose to 0.28 percent from 0.26 percent Friday.

The dollar was mixed against other major currencies, while gold prices fell.

Light, sweet crude fell $1.59 to settle at $38.44 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Overseas, Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.99 percent, Germany's DAX index fell 1.95 percent, and France's CAC-40 slipped 0.82 percent. Earlier, Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 0.54 percent.

McCain questions Obama about helicopter at summit

2009-02-24T10:16:00.000+05:30

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama never had a helicopter, which he says might explain why he's perfectly happy with the current White House fleet and doesn't need a more costly one. At the conclusion of a fiscal summit Monday, Obama faced questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers, including his former presidential rival, Sen. John McCain. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. listens during remarks of the Fiscal Responsibility Summit, hosted by President

McCain bemoaned cost overruns in military procurement. The new fleet of 28 Marine One helicopters being built by Lockheed Martin Corp. — now over budget at $11.2 billion — will cost more than Air Force One.

Obama said the helicopter he has now seems adequate, adding that he never had a helicopter before and "maybe I've been deprived and I didn't know it."

Obama said he has already talked to Defense Secretary Robert Gates about reviewing the program and its ballooning costs.

"It is an example of the procurement process gone amok, and we're going to have to fix it," Obama said.

The Navy — which is in charge of overseeing the helicopter program — reported to Congress in January that its price tag had nearly doubled. That notification triggered a formal process mandating the program be re-certified as a national security requirement by senior Pentagon leadership.

The Navy waited nearly a year before formally disclosing the information to lawmakers as it sought to find ways to keep the program within budget. Those efforts failed.

Gates already has warned of tough cuts in the upcoming fiscal 2010 budget as the Pentagon faces the pressure of paying for two wars during a recession.

Lockheed Martin spokesman Troy Scully said in a statement, "We are committed to the program's success and are confident we can deliver the required number of helicopters compliant with the specifications that emerge from the ongoing review."

A Navy spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment Monday evening.

The helicopter, which will be outfitted with communications equipment, anti-missile defenses and hardened hulls, is dubbed Marine One whenever the president is on board. The aircraft is expected to be similar to Air Force One, unlike the 30-year-old helicopters they would replace.

Obama pledges to slash deficit — after increase

2009-02-24T10:07:00.001+05:30

WASHINGTON – Urging strict future restraint even as current spending soars, President Barack Obama pledged on Monday to dramatically slash the skyrocketing annual budget deficit as he started to dole out the record $787 billion economic stimulus package he signed last week.

AP – President Barack Obama pause as he speaks at the close of the Fiscal Responsibility Summit

"If we confront this crisis without also confronting the deficits that helped cause it, we risk sinking into another crisis down the road," the president warned, promising to cut the yearly deficit in half by the end of his four-year term. "We cannot simply spend as we please and defer the consequences."

He said he would reinstitute a pay-as-you-go rule that calls for spending reductions to match increases and would shun what he said were the past few years' "casual dishonesty of hiding irresponsible spending with clever accounting tricks." He called the long-term solvency of Social Security "the single most pressing fiscal challenge we face by far" and said reforming health care, including burgeoning entitlement programs, was a huge priority.

Wall Street seemed unimpressed by all the talk. The Dow Jones industrials dropped 251 points for the day.

Obama goes before Congress and the nation Tuesday night to make the case for his agenda and his budget plans, which the White House is to release in more detail on Thursday.

On Monday, he sought to prepare people for tough choices ahead.

He summoned allies, adversaries and outside experts to what the White House characterized as a summit on the nation's future financial health one week after triumphantly putting his signature on the gargantuan spending-and-tax-cut measure designed to stop the country's economic free fall and, ultimately, reverse the recession now months into its second year.

At the same time, federal regulators announced a revamped program to shore up the nation's banks that could give the government increasing ownership. It was the administration's latest attempt to bolster the severely weakened banking system without nationalizing any institutions, which the White House has said it does not intend to do.

Obama said there would be another summit next week on health care reform. "It's not that I've got summititis here," he added wryly.

By the president's account, the administration inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit for the current fiscal year from the Bush administration — that's the figure Obama says he'll cut in half — and the stimulus law, coupled with rescue efforts for ailing automakers, the financial industry and beleaguered homeowners will raise this year's red ink to $1.5 trillion.

The administration hopes to trim the deficit by scaling back Iraq war spending, raising taxes on the wealthiest and streamlining government.

"We are paying the price for these deficits right now," Obama said, estimating the country spends $250 billion — one in every ten dollars of taxpayer money — in interest on the national debt. "I refuse to leave our children with a debt that they cannot repay."

As an example of a purchasing process "gone amok," the president said he had ordered a thorough review of his new fleet of Marine One helicopters, now far over budget. He was asked about the fleet by former presidential rival John McCain at the end of the White House meeting.

"The helicopter I have now seems perfectly adequate to me," Obama said, to laughter. "Of course, I've never had a helicopter before. So, you know, maybe I've been deprived and I didn't know it."

Earlier, Obama met with Republican and Democratic governors who are poised to benefit from his unprecedented emergency economic package. He told the chief executives, attending a three-day National Governors Association meeting in Washington, that he would begin distributing $15 billion to their states within two days to help them with Medicaid payments to the poor.

The recession has strapped state budgets, in particular in regard to the Medicaid program that is jointly underwritten by states and the federal government. In total, states will eventually receive $90 billion for Medicaid from the new law.

One month into office as the economy continues its downward spiral, Obama is seeking to balance twin priorities: turning around dismal conditions with a huge injection of spending while lowering huge budget deficits. With his re-election race just a few years away, he also has an interest in avoiding being labeled as a big-government, big-spending Democrat.

The White House meetings opened a jam-packed White House week that includes a State-of-the-Union-style address to Congress Tuesday night and the president's first budget proposal on Thursday. A common thread: addressing current economic turmoil while controlling the country's long-term costs.

"This will not be easy," Obama told his White House audience, which included congressional leaders, 2008 GOP presidential nominee McCain, and Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, who recently backed out as Obama's commerce secretary.

After Obama spoke, attendees broke into five groups to brainstorm how to address costly areas including military weapons, Social Security, health care and tax reform.

During one, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said, "Our deficit really cannot be controlled until we figure out how to deal with health care costs." At another, House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio proposed raising the Social Security retirement age to 70 over a number of years.

Afterward, Obama emphasized areas where he said there was agreement and consensus on moving forward in a bipartisan way, including that the country must ensure people have retirement security, that the tax process must be simplified and that the existing budgeting process isn't working. He also directed his team to pull together a final report from the sessions in 30 days.

Charges Against The Pirate Bay Partly Dropped

2009-02-17T18:32:00.000+05:30

It’s only their second day in court, and The Pirate Bay already seems to be winning the legal battle against the plaintiffs - Universal, Warner Bros, MGM, EMI, 20th Century Fox, Colombia Pictures, and Sony BMG.

According to TorrentFreak, half of the charges against The Pirate Bay have already been dropped due to lack of evidence. Therefore, the prosecutor has dropped all charges related to “assisting copyright infringement,” with the remaining charges being related to “assisting making available.”

It seems that the prosecutor was simply unable to prove that the .torrent files - which are important evidence in this case - are in any way related to The Pirate Bay’s torrent tracker.

So, the Swedish court seems to have recognized that a torrent search engine, which doesn’t store actual copyrighted files, cannot be guilty of copyright infringement. This is already a huge victory for The Pirate Bay, even if they lose on other charges - which now seems unlikely. What seemed to be a long legal battle might turn into a short (and sweet, for The Pirate Bay) affair.

20+ Great Twitter Tools for Firefox

2009-02-17T10:07:00.001+05:30

People love Twitter, and they love Firefox, so it only seems natural that there would be quite a few tools to merge these two items.

Whether you want to have a full Twitter client inside of your browser, or just the ability to share parts of a site, a whole Web page or just the URL of the site you are reading, there is a tool for you. Take a look through these 20+ tools and there is sure to be something that appeals to you.

As with all Firefox tool lists, we do recommend you don’t install all of these unless you want your browser to slow down considerably.

What is your favorite Twitter tool for Firefox?

Clients

Friendbar - See your incoming tweets right in the toolbar as well as post updates of your own. Also works with Facebook friends.

Twitter Line - Displays incoming tweets from your friends timeline in a toolbar, and allows you to post updates to your own account.

Twitter StatusBar - A discrete tool that collapses into your status bar when not in use. Just click on the “T” symbol to bring it up and send out your latest update.

Twitter Toolbar - A toolbar that allows you to post updates any time you want as you browse. Also includes pre-written messages for common sayings on the service.

TwitBin - Opens up a Twitter client in your sidebar so you can send and read tweets no matter where you are on the Web without changing tabs or windows.

TwitKit - A sidebar Twitter client that breaks down into tabs for @replies, account stats, public timeline, sending tweets, your friends’ latest tweets and a list of all your followers.

TwitterBar - Type your tweets in the address bar and press the icon at the end to send them. Also allows you to easily tweet about the page you are currently looking at by leaving it in the address bar when you type out your message.

TwitterFox - A Twitter client for Firefox that will allow you to see your friend updates, add your own, retweet, delete read tweets from your stream and more.

Utilities

BlogRovR - While mainly a tool to help you see linked blog posts as you surf the Web, you can also send out tweets about what you are reading and share them with your followers.

Clipmarks - Clip parts of a Web page that you specifically want to share, and then share them with all of your Twitter followers amongst other services.

DashBlog - DashBlog lets you easily tweet about items you find on the web such as videos, text, quotes, images and more. Also works with Tumblr, WordPress and Blogger.

Feedly - A magazine style feed reader that allows you to tweet about any post you read and find interesting.

Mahalo Share - Share sites you find interesting across multiple services including Twitter.

Power Twitter - Power Twitter adds several features such as revealing the URL behind TinyURLs, embedding of YouTube videos, showing Flickr streams and a whole lot more.

StockTwits - A Firefox add-on that works with the StockTwits site. It will turn any StockTwits tagged tweets on the site into a link back to the StockTwits site so you can follow the conversation.

Tw-autocomplete - Allows for autocomplete of Twitter usernames for @ and D messages as you are typing them on the Twitter site.

TweetStalk - Adds a “Stalk” button next to the “Follow” button on Twitter so you can follow someone without them knowing it. Can also create an RSS feed of their tweets so you can read them in your favorite reader.

TwitThat - A bookmarklet that lets you tweet about the current Web page you are reading.

TwitterEyes - An extension to be used specifically on the Twitter site that will keep track of your characters entered and assist you in shortening your message when necessary.

Twitter Search - The name says it all for this handy tool that gives you access to the real-time Twitter search.

TwittyTunes - Works with FoxyTunes to submit the songs you listen to that you wish to share with the Twitter community. If you choose not to use it with FoxyTunes, you can also post about sites and videos you are viewing.

Twitzer - Allows you to tweet messages longer than 140 characters by adding a link to the overflow text, you can also de-Twitzer text and have it displayed directly on the Twitter site

Yoono - Yoono allows you to combine various social networks, instant messengers and other tools into your sidebar, and allows you to send tweets no matter where you are on the World Wide Web at the time.

GroupieGuide: Free Website-In-a-Box for Groups [Invites]

2009-02-17T10:01:00.001+05:30

Chances are you either organize your own group or consider yourself a member of one. There’s a variety of existing options available for setting up an online presence for your group, but one new service aims to give groupies a free way to rally around each other with an instant website.

GroupieGuide, which has launched in private alpha, offers a neatly organized home for your group, complete with compartments for news, pictures, discussions, and events.

The site pretty much takes all of the hassle out of creating a fully-functional website to connect group members, promote events, facilitate discussions, and share photos. Essentially, it’s a website-in-a-box tailored just for groups. Administrative users just need to add a few group details, tweak the appearance, schedule an event, and they’ll have a nice looking group site they can call their own.

Right now you’ve got some limitations when it comes to modifying the group’s appearance, though you can add a logo and banner picture, customize the color, or upload a background picture, and theme options are planned for the near future. Domain customization will also be offered in the future as a paid feature.

With GroupieGuide adding events is super simple, but if you’re looking for event management, the site might disappoint. GroupieGuide does support event additions, and even adds them to the home page, but there’s no clear way for group members to RSVP for events, so you’ll need to rely on other sites like Eventbrite to coordinate and manage your events.

Since groups tend to be social and have at least one aspiring photog among their ranks, GroupieGuide would also be wise to beef up their pictures page. The site currently supports photo uploads, but an easy way to import group photos across popular social sites would definitely encourage more group members to add their photos to the fray.

All in all, GroupieGuide offers group a fantastic package deal and online home, and it’s completely free - for now - though premium options will be made available for a fee. If your group needs a home, we can take you behind the curtains of the private alpha site. The first 50 people to sign up here will get full access to GroupieGuide.

Twitter Professors: 18 People to Follow for a Real Time Education

2009-02-17T09:59:00.001+05:30

Never before in history has it been easier to glean from the knowledge of others who will give it away to you for free. It’s equivalent to getting higher education. I’m talking about Masters level stuff. And it’s all available right there on Twitter. I call the people I follow who contribute above and beyond the basic answer to “what are you doing?” my professors of Twitter.

Many of them don’t even know it and that’s the beauty. There is no course outline, no costly tuition (yet anyway), no declared major, and you can take as many electives as you want. There’s also no hard and fast list of required experience to be my personal Twitter Professor and tenure is non-existent. I do have very simple guidelines I keep in my head when designating my Twitter Professors:

1) RT really smart stuff from the people they follow saving me from sifting through even more of a stream of Tweets.

2) Have insightful Tweets in and of themselves (not just links).

3) Inspire me to engage in conversation with them or with others.

4) Write really great articles/blog posts on subjects I want to learn about or point to interesting articles I would never have read otherwise.

5) Expand my world experience through their stream of Tweets.

Usually, it’s a combination of many things and there is no way to quantify it, there’s no real formula and there’s no one particular Tweet that I can pull from to summarize their contributions. I just feel out the people I like to follow most.

Below are 18 people I follow for a real time education. Please suggest your own Twitter professors in the comments.

Christopher Penn

@cspenn
Why he’s my Prof: Like many of the Twitter Professors, he gives information freely for which others might charge an arm and a leg. He provides a daily heads up on what to look out for by analyzing real financial indicators. Because of @cspenn, I know to track the TED spread and the BDI and why. He also gives advice about online marketing. Oh, and he co-founded Podcamp.
Courses offered: Finance, Online Marketing
Required Reading: christopherspenn.com, The Twitter Power Guide

JOHNABYRNE

@JOHNABYRNE
Why he’s my Prof: He really engages people on Twitter, which is admirable for an Editor-in-Chief at a national business magazine’s website. Sure he could have assigned some lackey intern to Twitter all day, but he didn’t. I’d expect nothing less from a self-professed “Digital Journalism Advocate.” I even know the important people he’s HAVING lunch with and what they are going to talk about. He asks for suggestions on questions to ask them. He doesn’t just tell you afterward that they ordered the bisque and it was a little cold. He also gave us a list of all the other BusinessWeek writers that Twitter, which is where I found @shirleybrady and @stevebaker.
Courses offered: Business, Finance, Journalism
Required Reading: BusinessWeek.com

Jeremiah Owyang

@jowyang
Why he’s my Prof: As the Senior Analyst in Social Computing at Forrester Research, @jowyang provides an endless stream of information about that voodoo that we do. Then he tried an experiment and purposely stopped Twittering for 20 days to refocus. Boy did I miss him. I learned that the world won’t blow up if I leave Twitter for 3 weeks, but if it did, I’d have to find out about it with everyone else in the world. He also cuts a mean run as a Salsa dancer.
Course Offered: Social Media Web Strategy
Required Reading: web-strategist.com/blog

Beth Kanter

@Kanter
Why she’s my Prof: When I got my job at a nonprofit (@ALSofGNY) I dove right into Social Media as the primary way to connect with patients, families, caregivers and potential donors. I sought out others to learn how to do it better and @Kanter’s name came up. @Kanter imparts all her wisdom about how nonprofits can benefit from Social Media.
Course Offered: Nonprofits 2.0
Required Reading: beth.typepad.com

Ann Handley

@MarketingProfs
Why she’s my Prof: Chris Brogan says about Ann: “She’s connected to LOTS of great people, so when I see who she’s talking about, I pursue and learn more.” Agreed. Ann has the coolest job title in the world as Chief Content Officer. She uses social media to share marketing resources with the crowds, and I’m here picking up the tidbits.
Course Offered: Content Marketing
Required Reading: annhandley.com, mpdailyfix.com

Chris Brogan

@chrisbrogan
Why he’s my Prof: If I left him off the list, I’d get phone calls. The man is always pushing a boundary of New Media whether it’s doing a paid post for Kmart as a trusted blogger and lighting up the blogosphere or telling you why you’re micro-famous, dammit and you’re special so go out and conquer the world, no charge for the moxie. He’s one of the biggest proponents of giving away value to get value that I know.
Course Offered: Online Business Communications
Required Reading: chrisbrogan.com

Sarah Evans

@PRsarahevans
Why she’s my Prof: Founding #journchat alone is enough to make this list, IMHO. She has created a community, fostered it and is committed to making it grow, but brave enough to let it grow on its own. It’s a lesson that, if you love something, set it free – well, you know the rest. No wonder her bio says that philanthropy and volunteerism rank high on her priority list.
Courses Offered: Communications, New Media, Community Building.
Required Reading: prsarahevans.com, #journchat

Tara “missrogue” Hunt

@missrogue
Why she’s my Prof: I didn’t know what a “whuffie” was until I met her. It’s what she calls “the store of social capital that is the currency of the digital world.” This professor has me sitting up straight in the front row and paying attention. I like her sincere style. Hunt specializes in marketing to existing communities but admits that she’s somewhat of a marketing whore (her words) and dedicated consumer. When she’s “handing out whuffie like it’s growin’ on trees,” you know I’ll be first in line.
Courses Offered: Online Community Marketing, Personal Branding
Required Reading: horsepigcow.com, Whuffie Factor

Jennifer Leggio

@mediaphyter
Why she’s my Prof: Is there ever a time of day that I’m on Twitter and @mediaphyter is not imparting her opinion and knowledge? She blogs and tweets about the crossroads of technology and social media. Whether she’s fighting for or against the media, she usually comes out on top.
Courses Offered: Social Media, Technology, Communications
Required Reading: blogs.zdnet.com/feeds

Jay Rosen

@jayrosen_nyu
Why he’s my Prof: A real life professor at NYU J-School who spends a good amount of time offering his commentary and advice. His linkouts always follow a theme from one side of an argument to another until he’s sure you’ve got the best of what is being said on a subject, then gives a little more. What I really like is that he doesn’t “do lifecasting but mindcasting on Twitter.”
Courses Offered: Journalism, New Media.
Required Reading: journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink

Laurel Touby

@laureltouby
Why she’s my Prof: I don’t think any of my other Twitter Profs go out and live Tweet from conferences and meetings more than @laureltouby. As co-creator of mediabistro.com, she’s the one who gets me all the info on media, PR and journalism (when it’s not a Monday evening and I’m on #journchat). Her entrepreneurial energy comes through in her feed as she treks around the country attending conferences, meeting people, and making connections.
Courses Offered: Media, Media, Media, Networking
Required Reading: mediabistro.com

Meryl at Beanstalk

@Meryl333
Why she’s my Prof: What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding? Nothing according to @Meryl333. I look to her for reaction to just about everything in current events, which is usually positive and calming. She even shares her Jewish cooking. Sometimes I think I can smell the latkes frying on the stove while she Tweets. Yummy. Good food, good advice and just enough guilt.
Courses Offered: Peace, Love and Understanding
Required Reading: @Meryl1333

Shel Israel

@shelisrael
Why he’s my Prof: His breadth of interest and knowledge may make him the Dean of Twitter. He and I may not see eye to eye on brands on Twitter, but at least he respects my opinion on the matter. I also notice that he’s not immune to chasing an idea down a rat hole just in case there’s something under there, which is why he’s spending his days interviewing the people behind the brands on Twitter for a section in his new book, Twitterville, set to be published this fall. But while you wait you can get a ton of info by following his links to his interviews, which he’s posting on his website.
Courses Offered: Social Media, Journalism.
Required Reading: redcouch.typepad.com, Twitterville, Naked Conversations

Andrew Maynard

@2020science
Why he’s my Prof: Maynard is a “scientist gone over to the dark side” according to his profile, and I am glad he did. He communicates all the good stuff on his blog that you really don’t get everywhere else. Then he adds in his bio, as if it’s a minor thing” “Oh, and am the Science Advisor to the Project on Emerging Nanotech.” Super smart guy on Twitter alert.
Course Offered: Science
Required Reading: 2020science.org

Jeffrey Levy

@levyj413
Why he’s my Prof: He’s a Government 2.0 pro and with a long resume just on his Twitter profile. Watching his Tweets, I learn about Government on the Web, get info on how Government 2.0 is shaping up, and specific links to government websites for a ton of other information.
Course Offered: Government 2.0
Required Reading: @levyj413

Chris Heuer

@chrisheuer
Why he’s my Prof: Do I need another Social Media professor? Probably not, but I make an exception for Heuer. He promotes a way to bring legitimacy to and awareness of Social Media to the public. He co-founded Social Media Club to bring together like-minded people: You and me.
Course Offered: Social Media
Required Reading: chrisheuer.com

Brian Stelter

@brianstelter
Why he’s my Prof: Stelter offers a smart, critical view of television and media. And if you didn’t guess by now, I likes me some media. He intersperses his Tweets with TV factoids, comments about his workday at the New York Times and links to his articles – a 360 degree view of what it’s like to be a media journalist and blogger with The Gray Lady. Ok I’ll admit it; I’m living vicariously through his Tweets.
Course Offered: Media, Journalism
Required Reading: tvdecoder.blogs.nytimes.com

Fern Ellen Cohen

@fec139
Why she’s my Prof: Cohen (no relation) hasn’t posted much yet, but who else is letting you know the interests and experiences of someone with a fatal neurological disease that robs you of your ability to move, breathe and speak and has no treatment and no cure? Yeah. Makes you think, right? Puts things into perspective? That’s what a good Professor does. She’s a former teacher, who used to talk a lot but according to her bio, ALS has forced her to “sit down and shut up.” That did not stop her from communicating and what better way to communicate to the world when you can’t travel far from home or speak aloud than the World Wide Web?
Course Offered: How to be both earnest and funny in the face of tragedy
Required Reading: fernals.blogspot.com

Help me find more professors

As you can see from my list, there is no lack of people out there Twittering about media, public relations, social networking and journalism. (In fact, there are a tremendous number of Twitter profiles claiming to be Social Media experts, ninjas or demigods.) My regret is that none of the Twitter Profs on my list are in the arts. Plenty are writers, but none are writing fiction. I’m looking for artists that Twitter about their craft while opening other’s eyes to the world of their chosen profession. Or even better, a real university professor twittering about art history, literature, performing or dramatic arts, etc. Are you out there? I’d like to take your class next semester.

Flash On Most Smartphones: Not Yet. Flash on the iPhone: Maybe Never

2009-02-17T09:57:00.000+05:30

Reading between the lines and past the Adobe Flash Lite Distributable Player, Adobe’s announcement prior to this year’s Mobile World Congress isn’t all that exciting.

In short, the full version of Flash is coming to most smartphones - Android, Symbian, Windows Mobile devices, as well as Palm Pre - in early 2010. Which pretty much means they’ll really be announcing it at the next year’s MWC.

As far as Flash on the iPhone goes, the neverending saga continues. But the news is not good. From the mouth of Anup Murarka, director of Technology Strategy and Partner Development for Adobe: “We would love to see it on the iPhone, too, but it’s Apple’s decision on when and how they support any new technology. So we will continue to work on it.”

In other words, Adobe’s got absolutely nothing to announce, and we’re not only talking about an official release; they haven’t even decided whether they’re doing it or not. I guess we’ll just have to wait some more, maybe even until the next version of iPhone - preferably packing some faster hardware - is out.

Facebook Responds to Concerns Over Terms of Service

2009-02-17T09:55:00.000+05:30

Today’s hoopla over changes to the Facebook Terms of Service have prompted a rare blog post from Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. In the post, Zuckerberg falls short of apologizing for the changes, but rather, uses the opportunity to explain why Facebook more or less keeps your content indefinitely.

He writes, “When a person shares information on Facebook, they first need to grant Facebook a license to use that information so that we can show it to the other people they’ve asked us to share it with. Without this license, we couldn’t help people share that information.” This is true – without making this part of the Terms of Service, someone could technically claim they didn’t know anyone would see their Status Updates, as silly as that may sound.

Continuing, Zuckerberg explains why the site keeps content indefinitely. “When a person shares something like a message with a friend, two copies of that information are created—one in the person’s sent messages box and the other in their friend’s inbox. Even if the person deactivates their account, their friend still has a copy of that message. We think this is the right way for Facebook to work, and it is consistent with how other services like email work.”

That makes sense as well, but I don’t think it gets to the heart of the issue that has people so concerned about Facebook’s terms of service, as the company fails to answer the question of why this piece of the TOS was removed: “You may remove your User Content from the Site at any time. If you choose to remove your User Content, the license granted above will automatically expire, however you acknowledge that the Company may retain archived copies of your User Content.”

Ultimately, Facebook’s stance can be summarized as “trust us, we won’t do anything bad.” Zuckerberg writes, “In reality, we wouldn’t share your information in a way you wouldn’t want. The trust you place in us as a safe place to share information is the most important part of what makes Facebook work.”

In the end, this fiasco isn’t going to change the way I use Facebook, and I imagine it won’t do much to alter other user’s plans either. Their terms of service, like those of any other company operating on the Web, are designed to put their interests first, and eliminate just about any potential legal risk that their lawyers can think up.

Once again though - like with Beacon and the Facebook re-design revolt - Facebook has done a poor job of communicating the changes, leaving Zuckerberg on the defense instead of proactively keeping users informed on potentially controversial moves the company is making.

Chances are Facebook won’t abuse the privileges they are granted under their TOS. The backlash over doing something insane like using member photos without permission would be enormous and Facebook is smart enough not to do it. But as a user, it’s another reminder that what you do on the Internet is probably permanent, and much of it, probably outside your control.

Facebook: All Your Stuff is Ours, Even if You Quit

2009-02-17T09:53:00.000+05:30

The Consumerist has noticed a seemingly slight but very important (and disturbing) change in Facebook’s terms of service, regarding user-generated content.

In short, all of the content you’ve ever uploaded on Facebook can be used, modified or even sublicensed by Facebook in every possible way - even if you quit the service.

The TOS says the following:

You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof.

It also used to contain another bit that is now missing.

You may remove your User Content from the Site at any time. If you choose to remove your User Content, the license granted above will automatically expire, however you acknowledge that the Company may retain archived copies of your User Content.

This is also reinforced by the “Termination” section:

The following sections will survive any termination of your use of the Facebook Service: Prohibited Conduct, User Content, Your Privacy Practices, Gift Credits, Ownership; Proprietary Rights, Licenses, Submissions, User Disputes; Complaints, Indemnity, General Disclaimers, Limitation on Liability, Termination and Changes to the Facebook Service, Arbitration, Governing Law; Venue and Jurisdiction and Other.

Sure, most users don’t really care (or think they don’t care) about all this, but the idea that you now cannot stop Facebook from using your content should you ever want to is frightening to say the least.

Is Facebook Connect the reason?

Commenter OrtensiaCadmium on Consumerist finds a probable reason for this change in Facebook TOS.

“That’s fairly common language in terms for various sites such as Facebook. While it gives Facebook some far-reaching and scary possibilities, the basic idea is that things you upload may end up residing on servers outside of Facebook’s direct control. These broad rights make it so that you can’t sue Facebook for some cached content on some other server…”

Yes, with Facebook Connect in place, it’s likely that Facebook simply must do this in order to avoid possible lawsuits over content that isn’t even stored by them anymore. However, the same commenter rightfully notices that “…yes, it also means they can sell your photos or use them in advertising with no recompense to you.”

It’s not just your stuff, it’s everyone’s stuff

The possible implications of this TOS change go beyond these concerns. Sure, you can choose not to use Facebook at all, but that doesn’t mean a thing. Someone can still take your photo, slap it on Facebook, and now neither you nor the author of the photo can stop Facebook from using the photo in whichever way they please.

Looking at it globally, millions of people are uploading bits of information on everyone and everything, to a huge online database, and by doing so they’re automatically giving away the rights to use or modify this information to a private corporation. And not only that; they now also waiver the right to ever take it back from it.

Facebook should take a long, deep look into how it treats its users. Until now, users had options with regards to how the data they generated on Facebook was used. Now, they have no options whatsoever, rather than quit the service altogether. It’s a major difference; I’m not going to take it lightly, and neither should you.

HOW TO: Create Groups for Twitter

2009-02-16T15:21:00.001+05:30

One of the most demanded features for Twitter has been the ability to create groups, allowing members to focus on different sets of people they’re following. For example, you could create groups for all of your fantasy league friends, colleagues at work, friends in real life, family members, and so on.

Because Twitter still does not provide any group feature, it has opened the floodgates for countless third party solutions. There are many different ways Twitter members can create virtual groups. Here is a roundup of some of the most popular methods employed today.

Have another method to tell us about? Let us know more in the comments.

Third Party Services

TweetWorks - My favorite of the bunch because it’s so quick and easy to setup a group. Here’s one that I created called Writers for people interested in writing. Groups can be public or private, which is a plus. Another good option is the ability to post messages just to your group or to the group and the public Twitter timeline at the same time. Currently there is a limit to the number of private groups you can create or join but eventually there will be a premium account with an unlimited option. You don’t need to join the service, but you do need to login with your Twitter account (If you’re concerned with security, you can view their privacy policy here).

TwitTangle - You don’t just create groups on this service but also tag and rate your friends which helps you filter your timeline any way you want. The best feature is batch grouping which lets you drag and drop many friends easily into the groups you’ve created. You’ll need to use your Twitter name and password to login to this service.

TwitTag - This isn’t really a group tweeting service, but a tag searching service that you can use to filter tweets according to whatever unique hashtag you’ve established for your group. For example, you could include a hashtag like #MyNewGroup in any message you post on Twitter and TwitTag will group all of those messages together on its service.

Filttr - A new service that provides the ability to establish groups according to filters (hence its name) that you apply to your own Twitter stream. You create your groups by simply clicking each name you want to add to that group.

Twitter Clients

TweetDeck - This has become one of the most popular Twitter clients because of the way you can create groups with all of your contacts and filter messages the way you want them. It requires Adobe Air and sports a slick black interface.

twhirl - Another wildly popular Twitter client that also includes support for Friendfeed. While there’s no inherent way to create groups for Twitter (as you can with TweetDeck), you can use its Friendfeed connection to access Friendfeed’s Rooms feature which acts like a grouping tool.

Twitter - You can use Twitter’s powerful search tool to create an adhoc group similar to the method explained in TwitTag which involves using unique hashtags for your groups.

Your Own Twitter Service

If none of these floats your boat then why not roll your own Twitter-like service for your group? Many solutions offer free ways to do so with little effort on your part.

Yammer - Most likely the most popular Twitter-Clone service around today. The biggest complaint is that all members must have the same domain in their email address.

Twingr - The members are not restricted to using the same domain in email addresses here. Every group gets their own URL such as http://GroupName.twingr.com.

QikCom - Similar to Yammer except Qikcom offers several premium accounts that include more administrative functions and tools. You can customize the free accounts with your own logo and add as many employees as you want.

Laconi.ca - You can host your own Twitter-like service on your own server inside your firewall if you want thanks to this open source solution that continues to gain traction. This is the technology that Identi.ca runs on so you can test it out without installing it.

Personal Branding 102: How to Communicate & Maintain Your Brand

2009-02-13T10:21:00.001+05:30

In my previous post, Personal Branding 101, we discussed the importance of branding in this web 2.0 world, as well as how to discover and create your brand. In Personal Branding 102 we’ll discuss how you’ll communicate your personal brand, using social media tools and proven marketing tactics, and then how to sustain your future growth by performing brand maintenance.

Communicating your brand

This is the exciting and challenging part of the process. You’ve figured out what you want to do and have created content around it. Although the content can serve as a communication engine, such as a blog that pumps out content and ranks high in search engines, you have a better chance of getting the word out by being proactive.

Put on your personal PR hat and start to promote your materials. Before you go crazy with self-promotion, realize that the most successful people are able and trained to promote the work of others as well. Here are some proven personal PR tactics:

Evangelize: Although you are the chief marketing officer for the brand called you, what others say about your brand (especially if they are respected and well-known) is more impactful than what you say about yourself. This means that you should try and find people who will help promote you when you aren’t even in the same room. You want people to blog about you, your products or your company without pitching. A fan base for your brand can really help you get the word out at the least possible cost and time commitment, but it takes time. There are people out there who are already interested in what you have to say, but you might not yet realize it. By starting a Ning network, for example, you have the infrastructure to support your own following and then communicate updates as you progress throughout your career.

Pitch media: Instead of spamming reporters, do some homework and figure out who covers what. Almost all newspapers and magazines have online versions and blogs now, which are easier to get into. It’s easier to pitch when there is actually news, but reporters are always looking for expert sources such as yourself. After you target the right reporter, email them your pitch and follow up after a week. If you still don’t hear anything, move on. Always use the journalist/blogger’s preference when communicating with them, such as Twitter, email, skype, phone, etc.

If you set Google alerts for terms in your industry or perform Twitter searches, you’ll end up finding reporters that cover your area. You can also go on Alltop.com to search for the top blogs in your industry and on mainstream websites such as the NYTimes.com to a section that makes the most sense for you. For more great tools check out Sarah Evans‘ post, “10 of the Best Tools for PR Professionals and Journalists.”

SEO: Ranking high for your expertise is extremely important. It takes time, patience and determination. It also helps to have evangelists that will link to your website. Reporters, conference organizers and customers are constantly using search engines to find expert sources, cool stories, speakers and solutions to their problems. If you’re at the top, they will contact you. It’s that simple, yet that challenging! Here are 55 SEO tips to help you rank as high as possible in search engines.

Attend events: Getting out into an area where people are already interested in what you have to say (an industry event), is where you can do some real networking. Remember that people don’t know about you until they hear about you from your mouth or from a 3rd party. Tell them what you’re up to AFTER asking them about what they do. Try some live video feeds using Qik or record video interviews during the event, so you can provide special content to your audience.

Speak at events: When attending events isn’t enough, speaking at events can satisfy your personal PR craving. It will be hard for you to speak without becoming known first though, which is why this falls after attending an event. When you speak, people automatically perceive you as an expert (unless you flop and prove them otherwise), so you’re bound to get attention, fans and new blog subscribers if you play your cards right. Make sure you have a recording of your speaking engagement, so you can use it in your marketing kit to promote to get your next gig. Try uploading it to YouTube for some added exposure.

Create your own event: The only thing bigger than being a speaker is actually starting your own event or event series. When you do this, you are perceived as a leader and a go-to-person at the event. Try using a wiki to get people to register for your event or create a blog around the event, so that you can get the attendees involved in the conversation before, during and afterward.

Comment on blogs: Bloggers love comments. Don’t even deny it! When you comment on someone else’s blog it’s like a kudos or a pat on the back. A blogger is more apt to comment back on your blog, subscribe and link to your blog if you’re a part of their community. If you comment on every blog in your industry on a consistent basis, people will get to know you based on your avatar (go to gravatar.com) and your brand will flourish.

Write articles: Article writing is a great marketing tactic. Depending on your writing portfolio and the strength of your brand, you can write for magazines, online sources or blogs (like Mashable!). There are also online article directories that you can submit your work to, such as ezinearticles.com. By contributing to these sources, you’re able to get your brand into new places, while marketing your current web properties.

The communication process never ends, unless you want to go out of business or stop growing. It can happen within a company, where you convince your manager to work on the next big project, or as an entrepreneur, where you’ll want to convince venture capitalists to invest in your company because of your brand. Either route you take in life, your brand will shift over time, as you accumulate more experience. This is where brand maintenance comes in.

Maintain your brand

There are two main parts to brand maintenance that matter: online “spring cleaning” and careful listening.

Online “spring cleaning”: As your brand grows, you must ensure that all the online assets that you have control of grow in the same respect. This means that you need to constantly update your LinkedIn profile so it contains your latest contacts, experience information, and summary. It also means that your physical resume has to be updated, in addition to your video resume and so on.

I know this is a painful task, but the reasoning is simple: first impressions on the web tell you that someone’s entry point into your brand can be a variety of sources. If one of these sources isn’t current, then you may lose an opportunity. Update your picture if you look different and your interests have changed.

Careful listening: People are going to be talking about you in various places, such as Twitter, blogs, social networks and more. You need to keep track of what they are saying, so that you can respond accordingly. There are many tools out there to help you such as Twitter search, Google alerts, and more. By listening to your industry, you’re able to react and better position yourself, as the economy changes and your niche isn’t as relevant anymore.

It all starts with you. You can make anything happen and now, with these social tools, it’s easier to accomplish more in less time. People that can help you accomplish your dreams are at your fingertips. It’s up to you to figure out what you want to do and surround yourself with the people that can help in your personal branding conquest.

Remember that right now these social tools pose as a differentiator, but soon they will be so standard that they will be a qualifier. Take advantage of what’s here before it’s too late and good luck on your personal branding journey!

Google Can’t Do Old Media; Pulls the Plug on Radio Ads

2009-02-13T10:20:00.000+05:30

Google’s plans to extend its AdWords platform to traditional media appears to be going up in smoke as the economy falters. The company has announced that it’s discontinuing its radio advertising program, a business it got into back in 2006 with the acquisition of dMarc Broadcasting. The news follows word that Google would be pulling out of print advertising as well, which was announced less than a month ago.

The project was not all in vain, however. In a blog post, Google writes, “we will use our technology to develop Internet-based solutions that will deliver relevant ads for online streaming audio. We are dedicating a team of people at Google to explore how we can best add value for advertisers, broadcasters and listeners in this emerging advertising space.” In other words, a potential competitor to the podcast ad networks, which have experienced plenty of struggles of their own.

As for TV advertising, the last remaining arm of Google’s plans to move into the traditional media, the company claims it’s not going away. They write, “we will continue to invest in our growing TV advertising business, where we can measure audience response and help advertisers understand how effective their ads are.”

Meanwhile, the loss on the dMarc buy probably wasn’t huge by Google standards. The deal for dMarc was initially for $102 million, with incentives that could’ve pushed the total value of the acquisition to more than $1 billion. With the shutdown of Google’s broadcast advertising program, it’s safe to say that those incentives weren’t reached.

Get Your Favorite Tweets as T-Shirts

2009-02-13T10:18:00.002+05:30

Have you ever made or seen a Tweet so memorable that you thought it should be printed on a t-shirt? Well, now you can do that, with a new service called TWItoShirt. From the same folks that brought us the service to turn your Tumblr blog into a merchandise store, TWItoShirt simply lets you plugin the URL for a favorite tweet and order it on a shirt.

The tweet appears on the shirt exactly as it does on the Web. The message, the username, the user picture, and the time (4 minutes ago, 2 hours ago, etc.) are printed on the front. You can also customize the size and colors before placing your order, which is fulfilled by a company called Printfection. There are also a few community features, like being able to see the latest shirts people have created and the most popular ones.

Much like Status King, which turns Facebook status updates into t-shirts, TWItoShirt is a simple, no-overhead concept that should be a nice small business for the owners. Meanwhile, the t-shirts seem like a must-have for Tweetups and other Web industry events, as other attendees will surely get the humor. For a night out on the town with non-Tweeting friends though, you may want to leave your TWItoShirt at home.

What tweet would you put on a t-shirt? Let us know in the comments.

TMI? TrueScoop Offers Free Public Record Search on Facebook

2009-02-13T10:18:00.001+05:30

If you already think social networks give you a bit more information than you want about some people, TrueScoop’s new Facebook application might make you cringe. It’s completely free public records search, a service that lots of websites charge for, usually so potential employers can do background checks. But now, that information is in everyone’s hands, ready to expose your embarrassing run-ins with the law and financial missteps.

The application itself is essentially just a search tool – enter someone’s name and see a listing of their traffic stops, places lived, and rulings against them – like owing money to someone. There is also a listing of the most popular searches conducted with the application, which, not surprisingly, includes lots of celebrities like Anderson Cooper and Kobe Bryant. When you do a search, it’s broadcast to Facebook’s News Feed.

How accurate are the results? It’s hard to say, though the application did a good job of identifying my numerous traffic violations in the Commonwealth of Virginia (though it missed a few from other states!). Perhaps someone with a bit more of an exotic criminal record can let us know anonymously how well the application does at finding dirt in the comments.

In any event, there’s certainly nothing unfair about public records search – after all, the information is public, and companies like TrueScoop are just using the Web to make it more accessible. And, I can totally see the point when it’s used for screening job applicants, babysitters, government employees, etc. But the fact it’s completely free and so easy to use gives me pause. Just because we can do something with technology, should we?

5 Facebook Features We’d Like to See Integrated Into Mobiles

2009-02-13T10:16:00.000+05:30

The Wall Street Journal claims that Facebook is talking to Nokia, but also Palm and other mobile phone manufacturers, trying to get a deal to better integrate Facebook’s services into mobile phones.

True, there’s a Facebook application for most smartphones out there today, but there are ways to make the entire mobile Facebook experience smoother, more intuitive, and better overall. Let’s go through some examples of what we’d like to see on our phones as far as Facebook integration goes.

Contact Merging

This one is a no-brainer; when you browse through your phone contacts, wouldn’t it be nice if you could choose whether you can send them an SMS, call them, or send them a message on Facebook? It definitely beats having to fire up a Facebook app and then going through your Facebook contacts.

Photos and Videos

Facebook’s current mobile apps already lead you instantly upload a photo to Facebook right after taking it. But, when you check out the photos on your mobile phone, provided you have an internet connection, it’d be nice if you were able to see the photos on your Facebook account right there in one integrated album. The same should also be true for video.

Music

Nokia is trying very hard to integrate various music features with their phones; their “Comes With Music” program lets you buy a Nokia phone with access to millions of audio tracks. There are a couple of ways your mobile music experience could be integrated with Facebook: sharing playlists with your friends is one example, Last.FM-style tracking of your listening habits is another.

Status Updates

Facebook offers a world of possibilities to its users, but most of them (that includes me) spend most of their time there reading people’s status updates. Which is not bad at all, with the ability to like or comment on them, Facebook has turned them into a FriendFeed-style feed of useful info. I’d love to have the ability to receive status updates directly to my smartphone, push-style, especially if I were able to filter them to come only from certain persons or only if they have a certain amount of “likes.” Then again, I’d like to have this for FriendFeed also, but unfortunately FriendFeed isn’t big enough to negotiate a direct deal with Nokia or Palm.

Posted Items

So, you’re browsing on your mobile and you’ve found an interesting link, a photo or video you’d like to share on Facebook. Why not have the option to do that directly from the mobile browser with one click? Similar to that, if you’re writing a note, it’d be nice to have the option to save it to Facebook as a new note in addition to saving it to the phone’s memory?

Your Thoughts?

There’s plenty more that can be done, GPS-related features and events come to mind, for example. What Facebook features would you like to see integrated in your phone? Please share your opinions in the comments.

Shakespeare and Twitter Make an Odd Couple

2009-02-13T10:15:00.001+05:30

One of the benefits of creating an open, simple, highly adaptable service like Twitter is the fact that once it takes off, people will try to do a lot of interesting things with it.

Sometimes, people take it too far.

Or not, depending if you think that Twitter of the Shrew - a Twitter adaptation of Shakespeare’s play Taming of the Shrew - is a good idea. Let’s leave the business of describing the project to the creators:

“Spanning 19 Twitter accounts and presented over 12 days (one scene daily), Twitter of the Shrew attempts to live up to Shakespeare’s “Brevity is the soul of wit” proverb, by condensing the play’s iambic pentameter dialogue down to updates of 140 characters or less.“

You can find the main Twitter account for the project here, with 19 additional character accounts:

ShrewKate / Katherine Minola / http://twitter.com/ShrewKate
PetruccioV / Petruccio / http://twitter.com/PetruccioV
Grumio / Grumio / http://twitter.com/Grumio
VeronaCurtis / Curtis / http://twitter.com/VeronaCurtis
Hdasher / Haberdasher / http://twitter.com/Hdasher
Tailor4Petruc / Petruccio’s Tailor / http://twitter.com/Tailor4Petruc
BiancaMinola / Bianca Minola / http://twitter.com/BiancaMinola
BaptistaMinola / Baptista Minola / http://twitter.com/BaptistaMinola
Lucenti0 / Lucentio / http://twitter.com/Lucenti0
Cambi0 / Cambio / http://twitter.com/Cambi0
Trani0 / Tranio / http://twitter.com/Trani0
Biondell0 / Biondello / http://twitter.com/Biondell0
MrVincentio / Vincentio / http://twitter.com/MrVincentio
ThePendant / The Pendant / http://twitter.com/ThePendant
Hortensio / Hortensio / http://twitter.com/Hortensio
LitioH / Litio / http://twitter.com/LitioH
PaduaWidow / The Widow of Padua / http://twitter.com/PaduaWidow
OldGremio / Gremio / http://twitter.com/OldGremio
UPadua / University of Padua / http://twitter.com/UPadua

I don’t see a classic play (or any play, really) functioning too well in this form. Twitter is good for a lot of things, but is it good for drama, where (usually) you have actors sharing the same stage…and, you know, acting? It’s definitely interesting in an odd-experiment sort of way, though. If you want to check it out, it will play out from the 14th till the 25th of February 2009 (GMT-5), one scene every day.

Facebook Values Itself at $3.7 Billion (Or Less)

2009-02-13T10:14:00.000+05:30

When Microsoft bought a 1.6 percent stake in Facebook back in October 2007, it paid 240 million dollars for the preferred stock, which meant that the company was valued at roughly 15 billion dollars. A big discussion broke out over whether Facebook was really worth that much, or 15 billion was an unrealistic number.

It turns out that it was, since Facebook values itself at somewhere around 3.7 billion dollars. We know this, because the Associated Press was able to retrieve some details from the transcript of a June court hearing held over a legal settlement between Facebook and ConnectU.

How the AP did that is interesting in itself; they copied and pasted the blacked-out portions of the document into another document. I’d be surprised, but here at Mashable we were also once able to retrieve information in a similar way, due to a sloppy conversion of a Joost-related Powerpoint presentation to a PDF document. It’s hard to believe that things like this happen in multi-million dollar deals, but they obviously do.

The most interesting bit of information that AP was able to retrieve is Facebook’s own assessment of its worth: $8.88 per share, which gives the company a market value of around $3.7 billion.

This puts Facebook into a very uncomfortable situation for several reasons. First, it’s never good when the value of your company is suddenly perceived as being 4-5 times less than before. Secondly, although preferred stock may (but that’s debatable and depends on the nature of the stock) be worth more than common stock, I doubt that Microsoft is happy to realize they’ve severely overpaid their share in Facebook. And thirdly, the fact that the economic situation has been steadily worsening after June 2008 doesn’t help matters at all, and one can argue that Facebook is probably worth far less - by their own standards - than the aforementioned 3.7 billion. That’s the danger of being overvalued and overhyped; if presented with evidence to the contrary, you might soon find yourself sinking far lower than you realistically should.

Spain cut England down to size

2009-02-12T11:05:00.000+05:30

SEVILLE, Spain – Spain handed England a sharp reminder of the limits of the progress they have made under Fabio Capello by strolling to a 2-0 friendly victory here on Wednesday.

Goals from David Villa and second-half substitute Fernando Llorente delivered the victory and the margin was a fair reflection of their comfortable superiority.

On a night that saw David Beckham equal the late Bobby Moore's mark of 108 caps -- the record for an outfield player -- England were given an indication of how far they still have to go if they are to mix it with the best at next year's World Cup finals in South Africa.

Fabio Capello's men were never completely over-run but it was hard to resist the feeling that the Euro 2008 champions had another gear in reserve that they were never required to find.

The confidence engendered by a 28-match unbeaten run that had featured 26 victories was apparent as Spain began pinging their passes around from the kick-off.

It was England, however, who conjured up the first moments of real menace in what was to prove their most encouraging phase of the match.

Released by Ashley Cole's fine pass, Gareth Barry found Gabriel Agbonlahor with a cross that the Aston Villa star volleyed fractionally wide of Iker Casillas's right-hand post on five minutes, and John Terry went almost as close with an unchallenged header from Stewart Downing's corner soon afterwards.

Spain's first shot on goal, from Fernando Torres, looped over the bar via Glen Johnson's shin and David James was equally untroubled by a tame long-range effort from Marcos Senna.

England endured a real scare midway through the half, however, when Villa latched on to Andres Iniesta's threaded pass and side-footed past James, only for his effort to be chalked off because of a debatable offside flag.

Shaun Wright-Phillips trickery earned England a freekick on the edge of the area but Downing's strike failed to clear the wall and the visitors found themselves behind shortly afterwards.

Having turned Everton centreback Phil Jagielka inside out just inside the 18-yard line, Villa was once again left with only James to beat and this time there was no linesman's flag to curtail the celebrations in the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium.

Buoyed by the goal, Spain gradually began to assert their superiority and James breathed a sigh of relief as Xavi Alonso's drive whistled past his post before being tested by a ferocious half-volley from Sergio Ramos.

Beckham's entry to the fray came at the interval with Downing making way and Wright-Phillips switching to the left flank to allow the 33-year-old to slot into his familiar berth on the right of midfield.

A dangerous, dipping freekick soon provided evidence of the added value Capello sees in him but Beckham's inability to get up and down the pitch as he did in his peak years was also painfully apparent.

England did muster a few threatening moves after the interval with Wright-Phillips cutting in from the left to test Jose Reina before Frank Lampard nodded Agbonlahor's cross into the Liverpool goalkeeper's arms.

Another substitute, Carlton Cole, also had a half-chance at an equaliser but the West Ham striker snatched at Johnson's cross and the ball flew high over the bar.

Spain quickly ended any doubt about the outcome, Llorente nodding in a Xavi freekick although England came desperately close to pulling a late goal back when Beckham released Cole, who rounded Reina but saw his attempted finish blocked on the line.

Jets QB Brett Favre retires after 18 seasons

2009-02-12T11:01:00.000+05:30

NEW YORK – Brett Favre swears this is the real deal — no more last-minute comebacks.

The 39-year-old quarterback retired again Wednesday and insisted he won't look back. Well, at least for now.

"I have no reason to wonder why you would be so skeptical," Favre said Wednesday with a slight chuckle after announcing he was leaving the game after 18 record-setting seasons.

Favre, who retired last March only to return a few months later, kept this goodbye simple — no tearful farewell or jam-packed news conference. He spoke to the New York Jets on Wednesday morning, telling owner Woody Johnson, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and coach Rex Ryan that he was calling it a career.

"I have family and friends who are like, 'All right, Brett. Is this the real deal?'" Favre said during a conference call. "To me, it is. It is. Believe me. It's been a wonderful career, I couldn't ask for anything more. It was worth a shot for me to go to New York. I wish I could've played better down the stretch. I didn't.

"It's time to leave."

The Jets placed Favre on the reserve-retired list, meaning the quarterback's retirement paperwork had been filed with the NFL — something he didn't do last winter with the Packers.

"Emotionally, I'm OK with it," said Favre, who spent the day on his bulldozer and doing yard work on the grounds at his home in Kiln, Miss. "I really felt like it was time. Obviously, the circumstances last year were a lot different. Physically, if I felt better, we may not be having this conversation, but I think that's more than anything the writing on the wall."

His decision came six weeks after his only season with the Jets ended in disappointment as New York went 1-4 down the stretch and failed to make the playoffs.

A major reason for the collapse was Favre, who threw nine interceptions in those five games. He said he played with a torn biceps tendon in his right shoulder that got worse later in the season and needed a cortisone injection after the team's game at San Francisco in Week 14.

"It's something that obviously I was able to play with," he said. "I don't think I was nearly as productive as the season progressed, but it very well could be fine next year. I'm well aware of that. But then again, it could linger and bother me throughout the year and I just felt like it was time. I think that, to me more than anything, was a wakeup call."

Favre insisted that even if his shoulder felt better next season, he's still done with playing.

"It's nothing I would second-guess, no," he said.

If this is indeed it for Favre, he leaves the game with a slew of records, including career touchdown passes (464), completions (5,720), yards passing (65,127), regular-season victories (169) and interceptions (310).

"With Brett, there was always the possibility that he wouldn't play the second year," Johnson said. "We were hoping to get one good year out of Brett Favre. We picked him based on, in our opinion, his giving us the best chance to win last season. We were disappointed not to have made the Super Bowl, but we did some very good things with Brett."

The team improved from 4-12 in 2007 to 9-7, but the late-season woes cost Eric Mangini his job — and perhaps tarnished Favre's legacy a bit.

"I honestly believe I did everything I could do," he said. "I'm proud of everything I've done."

New York hired Ryan to replace Mangini, and he, along with Johnson and Tannenbaum, repeatedly said they wanted Favre to return. Instead, Favre spent several weeks after the season at home — at the suggestion of Tannenbaum — away from football before deciding to retire.

"It would've been fantastic to be coaching Brett," Ryan said. "It's a sad day to see him leave, to see him retiring."

New York now will move forward with a new quarterback, whether that will be Kellen Clemens, Brett Ratliff or Erik Ainge.

"I think it's going to be a great competition between those three," Ryan said. "And if something else comes along, so be it."

The Jets could look to sign a veteran free agent such as Jeff Garcia, Kerry Collins, Byron Leftwich or Rex Grossman, or target a quarterback with their first pick — No. 17 overall — in the draft in April.

Clemens was competing with Chad Pennington for the starting job last summer before Favre came to town.

"Jets fans, the Jets coaches and my teammates, even, have not seen the best of what I have to offer yet," said Clemens, who started eight games in 2007.

Favre had two years left on his contract and was due $13 million for next season, clearing a chunk of salary cap space for the Jets.

The three-time NFL MVP holds the mark among quarterbacks with 291 consecutive starts, including the playoffs, despite playing through several injuries throughout his career.

"The longevity of his career and his love for the game is truly inspiring," All-Pro kick returner-running back Leon Washington told The Associated Press. "I'm privileged to have played with not only a Hall of Fame QB, but also a great role model."

After the Jets' season-ending 24-17 loss to Miami, Favre said he felt discomfort in his arm "for quite a while." It turned out to be a torn biceps tendon, and he opted not to have surgery.

Favre said he began to realize the end might be near when he consistently underthrew his receivers at Seattle in Week 16.

"I threw it, and it didn't end up where I wanted it to," he said. "That, to me, was an eye-opener."

It wasn't all bad with the Jets for Favre. He threw a career-high six touchdown passes, tying Joe Namath's team record, in a 56-35 victory over Arizona in Week 4. Favre also helped rejuvenate the franchise, drawing thousands of fans to training camp practices.

He finished with 3,472 yards passing and 22 touchdowns, but the 22 interceptions were his most in three seasons.

Drafted by Atlanta in the second round of the 1991 draft, Favre was traded after the season to Green Bay for a first-round pick. During his 16 seasons with Green Bay, he helped lead the Packers to consecutive Super Bowls, including a victory over New England in 1997.

"Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career," the Packers said in a statement. "The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future."

Ex-girlfriend files lawsuit against Alomar

2009-02-12T10:59:00.000+05:30

NEW YORK – An ex-girlfriend of Roberto Alomar filed an explosive lawsuit alleging the former baseball star insisted on unprotected sex for four years despite having AIDS.

The lawsuit, filed Jan. 30 and transferred to U.S. District Court on Wednesday, contains accusations that could not be corroborated but portray Alomar as someone who demanded sex without a condom despite showing obvious signs of HIV.

Ilya Dall is seeking at least $15 million in punitive damages from the 41-year-old former infielder. Alomar, who was once engaged to tennis star Mary Pierce, spent 17 years in the majors and was one of the game's great second basemen.

"This is a very private, personal matter and I greatly appreciate all the support I have received in the past few days from my family, friends and colleagues in baseball," Alomar said in a statement. "I am in very good health and I ask that you respect my privacy during this time.

"As for the lawsuit, it is filled with lies and I am deeply saddened that someone I cared for would make such terrible accusations and try to hurt me in this way."

Calls seeking comment to lawyers for Alomar and Dall were not immediately returned. Alomar lawyer Charles Bach told the New York Daily News the allegations are "frivolous and baseless."

News of the lawsuit was "something out of the blue," Alomar's father, Sandy Alomar Sr., told El Nuevo Dia newspaper in Puerto Rico. "We've never talked about something like this."

Dall said the two began dating in spring 2002 and had unprotected sex for the next four years. She said that on several occasions during that time, Alomar refused to get tested for HIV, despite severe fatigue, sores on his mouth and throat, a constant cough and an infection of the esophagus that is associated with AIDS.

She said Alomar finally relented and tested positive for HIV in February 2006.

Dall said she was angered by the disclosure and was tested herself; the result was negative. She said follow-up exams determined that Alomar had full-blown AIDS.

By then, she said Alomar had purple skin, was foaming at the mouth and was too sick to walk, forcing him to need a wheelchair to get around at an airport.

Alomar was honored before the Toronto Blue Jays home opener in April and showed no obvious signs of health problems.

Dall said the ordeal caused her severe emotional and mental distress and fear she may one day test positive for HIV herself.

She called the conduct of Alomar "outrageous with wanton reckless disregard of the health, safety and well-being" of Dall.

The lawsuit does not say why Dall continued to have unprotected sex with Alomar. Dall said the couple lived together until last year.

Alomar was one of baseball's best players in the 1990s, making 12 straight All-Star appearances and winning two World Series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

A career .300 hitter with 10 Gold Gloves, Alomar broke in with the San Diego Padres in 1988 and also played for the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox. He was out of baseball by 2005.

One of the most memorable moments of Alomar's career came in 1996, when he became enraged after a third strike and spit on umpire John Hirschbeck. He drew a five-game suspension that was later overturned.

Messi steals show as Argentina beat France

2009-02-12T10:56:00.002+05:30

MARSEILLE, France – Diego Maradona milked the adulation of the home fans beforehand but it was Lionel Messi who stole the show, capping a virtuoso performance with a goal as Argentina beat France 2-0 at Marseille's Stade Velodrome on Wednesday.

Having reminisced earlier in the week about how he almost joined Marseille from Napoli in 1989, Maradona was given a rapturous reception from the French fans, who were far less cordial towards their own handler Raymond Domenech, architect of their first-round exit at Euro 2008.

And the majority of the sellout 60,000 crowd will have recognised that the French were deservedly beaten as the 'albiceleste' won with an opener four minutes before half-time from Jonas Gutierrez and then a Messi special eight minutes before the end.

"My lads played really well," Maradona told French television as he commiserated with Domenech.

"I am really happy with their performance.

"The record is now very positive," he beamed, having seen off Scotland in his debut as coach in November.

"I think this group are (playing) at a very high level. After 20 minutes they found their feet, getting a good grip on possession which enabled us to develop our game."

Domenech, told TF1 television that the French would learn from their experience.

"It was a good match. The players will have picked up some experience and that's what counts for us along with qualification for the World Cup.

"We lacked a little conviction and effectiveness up front but I think this team has a fine future ahead of it," Domenech insisted, while noting the need to "iron out a few imperfections."

Despite the presence of Messi, who Maradona rates as the best player in the world, it was France who began brightly, his Barcelona colleague Thierry Henry firing high over the bar after Nicolas Anelka had failed to connect properly with a teasing Franck Ribery cross in the tenth minute.

At the other end Messi showed his dribbling abilities with a mazy burst into the box - but William Gallas got back in the nick of time to block his low effort.

Les Bleus were still in the early ascendancy as Argentine shot-stopper Juan Pablo Carrizo rushed out smartly to close down the advancing Anelka before parrying a Henry snapshot on the half-hour. He then smothered a half-hit shot on the turn from the industrious Ribery.

Messi tried to lift the South Americans with another probing run which ended with Gallas dragging him down to earn a caution.

The French had had the lion's share of the chances but Gutierrez broke the deadlock four minutes before the interval, sweeping in right-footed through the hands of Steve Mandanda for his eighth international goal in 25 appearances.

Marseille keeper Mandanda was more alert moments later when he held a Javier Zanetti drive to keep the deficit at just one goal.

The pace of the match dropped markedly after the break but Philippe Mexes might easily have levelled as he headed over Ribery's corner six minutes after the restart.

Messi and attacking partner Sergio Aguero were still giving cause for occasional palpitations in the French backline while Ribery was still harrying the visiting defence - Maxi Rodriguez earning a yellow card for trying to curb the Bayern Munich star's enthusiasm with a crunching tackle.

Defender Bacary Sagna did his best to galvanise a French revival with a fine run midway through the second period but neither Anelka nor Henry were able to get on the end of his cross from the right as the Arsenal ppast-and-present move fizzled out.

Domenech withdrew the disappointing Anelka at that point, sending on Lyon starlet Karim Benzema while Maradona also switched things around, sending on debutant Marcos Alberto Angeleri for Rodriguez and Carlos Tevez for Aguero, the 1986 world champion embracing both of the men he had taken off.

The move immediately paid dividends as Messi latched onto a Tevez flick, then stepped on the accelerator to smash a meaty drive past the despairing Mandanda.

3 Ways to Harness the Social

2009-02-12T10:33:00.002+05:30

Social media allows for an immediate way to interact and engage with people and companies online. There are the obvious sites that allow for social networking, but social media done right can aspire to be so much more. We thought we’d highlight three notable Twiistup showoffs who are doing big things with social media.

For those unfamiliar with the event, Twiistup features 10 companies chosen to show off their products and services, competing to win top honors. Even though we think all the competitors are worthy of the honor of showing off at tomorrow night’s big event in Los Angeles, we think each of the three featured startups are game changers when it comes to social change, social tech support, or social tagging. And, should you wish to make a prediction, you can cast your vote for who will win Twiistup 5.

Social Change

Causecast focuses on bringing together all walks of life to better our world. The community-focused site attracts high-profile thought leaders and savvy world-changing types to support non-profits, charities, and causes.

Users can browse categories to view new videos, related news, leaders (think celebrities and cause advocates), and search for specific organizations. Since each benevolent business has its own mini-community, it’s easy to find out more information about a cause, see who else supports it, view funds raised, get up close and personal with photos and videos, and opt to donate if feeling extra generous (donations are tax deductible with all funds going to the charities).

Causecast is a fantastic platform that offers users a myriad of ways to engage with causes or leaders, all the while serving up great original content that can be shared across the web.

Social Tech Support

Operating under the philosophy that users know best, FixYa has been providing do-it-yourself tech support, manuals, and troubleshooting tools for whiz kids and beginners alike since 2006.

The site, which is like an online user-driven Geek Squad or LinkedIn Answers for trouble-shooting, aims to harness the genius within, as well as help you make the most of your technology purchases either by learning how to repair or tweak products for enhanced performance. Members can also reference FixYa’s recommended top service repair providers by zip code and category for offline support.

Of course, if reputation matters, you can turn to FixYa’s best experts — site vetted specialists on a variety of topics — for a reasonable fee. Since solutions can be rated, and members are scored you can still get quality advice free of charge. FixYa also offers custom partnerships with business services and manufacturers, so businesses of all sizes can leverage FixYa for help with their support initiatives.

We also really love that new problems dynamically appear at the bottom of your screen, making it quick and painless to troubleshoot on areas of expertise as you browse.

All in all, FixYa massively improves upon the bulletin board style of other fix-it help sites, with a highly interactive, convenient, easy to use, and affordable solution to tech needs for over 1 million products.

Social Tagging

Viewdle is a digital media platform specializing in facial-recognition for enhancing indexing, search, and monetization of video assets. It boils down to smart video tagging of people for better meta data and search.

Viewdle’s system works by analyzing videos frame by frame (55 frames per second) for real-time results with on-screen appearances of your search queries, essentially making sifting through massive amounts of media pretty painless.

The company, which was originally targeting internal media departments, is now expanding into advertising services, developer tools, and end-user search. To see an example of Viewdle in the field, check out Reuters, which is currently offering Search-in-Video of their media, powered by Viewdle.

Viewdle’s social offering takes the shape of a consumer-facing Facebook app, VideoFriends. The handy tool lets you tag your friends in uploaded videos, and learns to recognize people automatically over time. We think this a big step forward, and will definitely help socialize your video content in the same way as your photos.

Make Your Site More Social With Google Friend Connect’s Social Bar

2009-02-12T10:30:00.002+05:30

The battle over your website’s community wages on. Not to be outdone by Facebook Connect and its many great implementations, Google Friend Connect, which previously tacked on Twitter integration, is now getting a bit more social.

Google’s new Social Web Blog introduces us to the the social bar, a new gadget that “concentrates many of the basic social functions into a small strip at the top or bottom of your webpage.”

The social bar, which is a small strip that will appear atop web pages with the inserted code, highlights recent site activity in a global fashion, and displays an expanded view of your site’s activity feed, comment wall, and member list. Site owners can opt to enable the bar solo or in conjunction with other Friend Connect gadgets (like the one we have in our sidebar), and deploy it site-wide or keep it page-specific.

To add the social bar to your site, just head over to Google Friend Connect, log in, select your site, click on “social bar,” customize your options, and generate your code. The HTML code can be then placed anywhere within the body of your site’s HTML.

With the social bar, you’ll have an immediate way to bake community and social activity into your site without adding more clutter to your side bar.

5 Ways to Help Twestival Raise $1 Million

2009-02-12T10:27:00.000+05:30

Mashable has partnered with Twestival to promote the world’s largest Twitter fundraising drive. Here, New York Twestival co-organizer Paull Young promotes a call to action on the eve of the event.

Tomorrow, February 12, over 175 cities around the globe will celebrate Twestival and attempt to raise $1 million for innovative non-profit charity:water.

Mashable has covered Twestival in-depth in its role as a media partner but on the eve of the event it’s important to put forward five ways you can help by raising funds to support some of the 1.1 billion people in desperate need of access to clean water:

#1: Attend your local event

The most important way to support Twestival is by buying a ticket to your local event. Amiando will funnel every cent of the ticket price direct to charity:water, who in turn will ensure 100% of the donation reaches well building projects.

With events in over 175 cities anticipating attendance of over 20,000 Twitter users and their friends, you’ve got no excuse not to be there!

The events each have their own organizing team and individual flavor, such as the NYC event which is aiming for over 1000 attendees at a flash Manhattan club joining the charity:water team in grooving along to the deeply cool Eclectic Method. Big or small, every event will feature many old and new friends connecting in person through the power of Twitter.

#2: Donate via TipJoy or charity:water

If you can’t attend a local event, make a donation via Tipjoy or at charity:water’s Twestival page. Better yet, reach out to your network to see if they’ll donate to the cause.

My earlier Twestival post highlighted the NYC Twestival’s ‘20/20/20 Vision’, a call to action to: Donate $20 by attending the event, Raise $20 from your network and to tell 20 people in order to spread the word.

Every $20 donated to charity:water gives one person access to clean water for 20 years. Just updating your Facebook status with a link to the donation page is a valuable piece of support.

#3 Add your name to the Water Cloud – or encourage your favorite Twitter brand to

The beauty of Twestival is the pure innovation coming from over 1000 volunteers supporting the project. As a result of this crowdsourcing new mini-projects such as the ‘Water Cloud‘ are quickly built from the ground up at no cost to the charity effort.

The ‘Water Cloud’ is a tag cloud made up of Twitter user names, with the size of the names reflecting the size of their donation. The top 100 donors will have their names appear on the official Twestival Tshirt.

This is a great opportunity for individuals to play a role in raising money for the cause. Have a favorite brand on Twitter? Know an influential Twitterer? Encourage them to make a public donation via the Water Cloud.

For example, my employer, social media agency Converseon, donated $340 today to the Water Cloud by matching the donations of our NYC staff so far – as a result, we’re currently one of the larger names in the cloud.

The Water Cloud is a great opportunity for some of the many brands on Twitter to get on board and get some exposure from Twestival, so Twitter users be sure to send an @ to your favorite corporate brand and ask them to help.

#4 Twestival T-shirt

A limited edition Twestival T-shirt has been created (again sourced from the crowd) and is on sale for $20 with all profits going to the charity. Every geek loves a funky Twitter shirt, and this could quite possibly be the perfect Valentines Gift for the special Tweetheart in your life.

#5 Twestival.FM

Twestival.fm is a global online music project in association with Twestival aiming to raise an additional $20,000 USD for charity.

So far tracks have been donated by artists including the likes of Imogen Heap, Bloc Party, Mystery Jets and Ben Westbeech. All the donated tracks are available to stream or download for free at Twestival.fm up to 19 February – with a simple request that listeners make a voluntary donation to help the cause.

TwitterRemote Recreates MyBlogLog Using Twitter Accounts

2009-02-12T10:25:00.000+05:30

From the creators of TwitterCounter – the popular chiclet that displays your Twitter follower count (see our sidebar) – comes TwitterRemote, a very simple widget that functions much like MyBlogLog, except it shows you recent visitors to your site that are also Twitter users.

When you first encounter a TwitterRemote in the wild, you do need to sign in with your Twitter credentials in order to get your picture to show up, though the creators note that this won’t be necessary once Twitter implements OAuth, which is expected soon. For each Twitter user that shows up in the widget, you can see their username, picture, and click on them to get their TwitterCounter page, from which you can see their follower trend over time and click a button to follow them.

If you want to create your own TwitterRemote widget, there are a few custom options like how many Tweeters to display, the size, and the color. From there, it’s simple copy and paste code that you can add to your blog. I’ve pasted a live implementation below:

Frankly, this is a fantastic creation. While MyBlogLog is already incredibly popular and offers a much fuller feature set for serving the same purpose, I’m far more likely to interact with someone that uses Twitter than MBL on a regular basis.

Being able to see which Twitter users visit the same blogs as me is a great way to find new people to follow, and you have to assume if TwitterRemote takes off, they’ll begin to add some of the more robust features of MBL, like “communities” so you can see all of the Twitter users who visit a specific problem.

Gmail Now Tells You Where Your Email Comes From

2009-02-12T10:23:00.000+05:30

Google has been on fire lately, releasing new features almost daily. The latest is a new Gmail Labs option which lets you add your location to the signature.

For those of us who sit in front of the same desk all year long, it’s not that exciting; but if you’re traveling a lot, you might find it to be nice to let people know where you are. Of course, if for any reason you don’t want everyone to know where you are at any given time, you’d probably do well to forget about this option altogether.

Your location is determined by your public IP address, which means it won’t always work perfectly. If you want more precise location detection, install a version of Google Gears that supports the location module.

Help Raise $30,000 for Cancer Research by Sending a Free Virtual Cupcake

2009-02-11T10:09:00.001+05:30

Appliance manufacturer Electrolux is heating things up this Valentine’s Day - in a virtual oven that is. The brand is using their Facebook application to create a little buzz and do some good in return.

The Electrolux Cupcake Maker is a simple way for Facebook users to digitally bake their own cupcakes and post them to their profile or send to friends. As a bonus, Electrolux will donate $1 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund for each cupcake sent - up to a total of $30,000 the $500,000 the company has pledged towards the charity.

Cupcakes couldn’t be easier to make and come with a few cute touches. Just select your frosting type, tin color, topping, candle options, and add a custom message. The end result is a special treat that will not only support a good cause but might serve as a virtual alternative to Valentine’s Day cards.

Of course, the genius and clever brand-appropriate maneuver requires Facebook users to add the application before creating their cupcakes, which is sure to be a huge win for the company if thousands of Facebook users flock to add their app and send cupcakes to friends.

We love the idea, but we’re even crazier about the donations to charity, so go make and share cupcakes!

When You Love WordPress Very Much, You Tattoo It On Your Arm

2009-02-11T10:07:00.002+05:30

This is nice, in a slightly creepy, and yet delightfully geeky kind of way: a fellow named Ed Morita decided to tattoo a WordPress logo on his forearm. It’s not just a plain, boring logo type of tattoo, there’s all sorts of things happening here: skin is peeled off, wires and circuits are shown, and there’s a nice big “W” as the centerpiece.

Of course, the whole event, in all its pain and glory, was twittered and blogged to death, as one geeky tattooing should be. See the picture below for the gory details.

So, what do you think? Tattoos, yes or no? Geek tattoos, yes or no? Twittering the process of getting a geek tattoo live as it unfolds, yes or no? Please share your opinions in the comments.

Massive Mashable Giveaway: Win a $2995 DEMO Pass!

2009-02-11T10:03:00.001+05:30

DEMO, the twice annual “launchpad for emerging technologies” that debuted massively successful technology products and services including TiVo, E*TRADE, Salesforce.com, VMware, Six Apart, OddPost, IronPort, GrandCentral and Glam Media, returns on March 1-3 with a new crop of web startups and products. Seventy new web and tech companies will launch at the event, to be held at The Desert Springs, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, California.

And bearing in mind that 40 DEMO companies were acquired over the last 4 years, it’s likely the attendees will be present at the launch of the next big thing.

Free DEMO Passes for Mashable Readers

If you’d like to attend DEMO 09, you’re in luck: Mashable readers are eligible to win one of 3 free passes to the entire conference, each with a value of $2995! We’ll be giving away these passes over the next three days - that’s $8,985 worth of DEMO goodness this week.

For a chance to win the first of these passes, simply leave a comment on this post answering the following question:

“I’d like to attend the DEMO 09 emerging technology conference because….”

We’ll notify the first winner in 24 hours - get commenting!

Don’t want to wait? Sign up to DEMO now through Mashable’s exclusive discount page and get $600 off the price.

Passes are non-transferable and travel and accommodation are not included (but heck, we’re giving you a $2995 ticket for free!). Mashable is a DEMO media partner.

Add Google Search and AdSense to Your Mobile Website

2009-02-11T10:02:00.000+05:30

Google search can be found integrated on tons of sites across the Web, including this one. Now, Google is extending that functionality to the mobile Web, where publishers can now integrate Google search and earn money on the revenue generated from clicks on mobile ads.

Much like Google’s custom search for websites, the mobile version can be branded with your own logo and design to make it feel for like your property. From there, users can search the Web as well as Google’s local, image, and news content.

Just as it does on the Web, Google dominates mobile search in terms of market share. Their mobile search experience is sparse and quick-loading, just like Web search. Extending this functionality to publishers, who can also generate revenue from adding Google mobile search, is simply a slam dunk.

As for how profitable this could be for publishers, the ads are naturally powered by AdSense for Mobile, which has already been in use for selling contextual ads on third-party mobile sites. Though the ad market might currently be weak, search typically performs better than contextual, so there is certainly money to be made here, both for Google and publishers.

AdSense for Mobile Search isn’t yet up-and-running for everyone to test, however. The company is currently looking for beta testers – the application can be found here.

Oregon Trail to Journey into the iPhone App Store

2009-02-11T09:59:00.001+05:30

Remember when you were young and you were tasked with the role of wagon leader and solely responsible for the fate of your fellow pioneers as you traversed the dangerous trail connecting Independence, Missouri to Oregon’s Willamette Valley? If you’re anything like me, you failed miserably at your duties, with settlers dying off faster than you could hunt and catch food. But very soon, you’ll be able to redeem yourself.

Yep, you guessed it, we’re talking about the legendary game, Oregon Trail. The Los Angeles Times technology blog is reporting that the nostalgic educational computer game is coming to the iPhone later this month.

Based on screen shots from the IGN website, we can assume the limited graphics and old school green and black color scheme are being traded in for a fresher, iPhone-ready, Oregon Trail experience.

We think this upcoming addition to the app store will do quite fine, especially given that popular nostalgic games like Monopoly, Tetris, and Scrabble are all currently top paid apps.

Oregon Trail reportedly hits the app store on February 28, and we’re anxiously awaiting its arrival. Are you as excited as we are? Let us know in the comments.

HOW TO: Live Inside Twitter and Still Stay Productive

2009-02-10T10:06:00.003+05:30

It’s an addictive little habit, that Twitter. But what if there were ways for you to still keep your ugly tweeting habit while staying productive at the same time? Since I can’t fully support the total indulgence in the tool that has the tech-world (and beyond) glued to their favorite Twitter client, I thought I would share a few very useful ways to make the service much more productive while you’re living inside of it.

Here are 10 things you can accomplish while never leaving your TweetDeck:

1. Manage to do lists

This one is my favorite, simply because the two sites here make it so easy to never forget - even when your brain is lost inside the Twitterverse. Both Remember The Milk, and Toodledo have commands you can use to add to do items. Next time you’re telling your followers what you ate for lunch, you can also make a note to call the cute waitress you met while you were there.

Read: RTM’s Twitter instructions | Toodledo’s Twitter Instructions

2. Set a timer

If the best place for you to get an event reminder is inside Twitter, I need to write a whole different post just for you. Kidding aside - for those occasions where you’d like to set a quick alarm/timer - just direct message @timer with the details.

3. Add a Google Calendar item

I actually love this. By following @gcal and authorizing your Twitter account with Google Calendar, you can add calendar items directly into your Google Calendar. Sweet.

Read: Twitter Calendar

4. Get your flight information

Easy. All you need to do is follow @myflightinfo and direct message them with your flight number.

5. Track your expenses

I have not personally used this, but they do have a free version right now with paid versions to come. Free or paid, the service looks really slick (Read Mashable’s previous coverage here). You can IM, SMS, Email or Twitter your expenses to be recorded into your account.

Read: Xpenser

6. Get news alerts

This is a very flexible tool that allows you to send news alert requests to @daylife_feed with the details and they’ll tweet over notices to you when news matches your requests.

Read: Daylife Twitter Tools

7. Track packages

If you’re like me and spend too much time tracking your latest Amazon order, TrackThis allows you to send them your tracking number, and they’ll message you back each time the package changes location.

8. Freelancers: track job time

Managing several projects at once and still trying to keep up with your Twitter feed? Tempo has free and paid versions of its time tracking software that allow you to send in time via Twitter. Now you have a (better) excuse for billing clients while Tweeting.

9. Keep track of gas mileage

With MyMileMarker, you can tell them whenever you fill up, answer a few simple questions, and they’ll keep track of your mileage with charts and everything. You can send them your info via Twitter and mobile phone.

10. Get the weather forecast

I’m in Wisconsin and there’s one thing that I know for sure: if you want the weather to change - just wait 10 minutes. Now I can get my changing forecast anytime by direct messaging @forecast.

Add your own productivity tools

This is an interesting, but far from exhaustive list of tools you can use from right inside of Twitter. What tools would you have added? Requirements are simply that you must be able to enter information into the tool from your Twitter interface!

Should Twitter Verify Celebrity Accounts?

2009-02-10T10:04:00.002+05:30

The Dalai Lama joined Twitter this weekend, or so it seemed. At least, the Office of His Holiness The Dalai Lama was apparently making use of the messaging service under the username @ohhdl. Or was it?

The account was promoting the official Dalai Lama website, and responding respectfully to inquiries. The story spread rapidly on blogs and - of course - on Twitter. At its peak, the account surpassed 16,000 followers. The news was not limited to “new media” outlets, however: the story was syndicated by the AFP today, one of the three largest newswires in the world (a retraction was later sent out).

Seeking Verification

Seeing the potential for an interesting story, we mailed the official Dalai Lama website this weekend to no response. But we also spotted mention of “Deven Hk” in the account: “The OHHDL would like to graciously thank our Twitter mediator, Deven Hk, for providing insight and logistical information”. (Incidentally, at the time of writing, Google’s cached version of the OHHDL account is still viewable.)

We found Deven Hk on Twitter (@HkDeven) and spotted that he was a Dalai Lama expert and enthusiast. When asked whether he was responsible for the account, he replied:

If the account was a fake, we wondered, why did it publicly credit this man, a self-professed “Buddhist geek” according to our correspondence, who claimed to have promoted social media usage to the OHHDL a few weeks earlier? If this user truly had no direct involvement with the account, would it not make sense that the OHHDL was responding to his suggestions?

With limited information, we didn’t run the story here, but we did, regrettably, Tweet about it.

Twitter Account Suspended

Today, Twitter suspended the OHHDL account, and sent us the following message:

Just wanted to let you know that the Dalai Lama’s account was suspended because it was created by an impersonator. We were contacted by a representative of the OHHDL in Dharamsala, India, and after investigating the account it was determined that the account was indeed a fake.

Further correspondence with Twitter simply repeated that the account had been suspended.

With no further responses from Deven Hk at the time of writing, we’ll leave you to conclude why the account credits this self-professed “Buddhism geek”, and yet he claims no direct involvement. It’s likely, however, that he is the key to the faker’s identity.

Should Twitter Have “Verified Accounts”?

This “fake accounts” question is by no means new, although it is perhaps the most visible incident to date. Which leads us to ask: with increasing numbers of celebrities joining the site, and a potential bounty of tens of thousands of new followers for anyone who impersonates a top personality, could Twitter seek to verify celebrity accounts?

The answer is not as simple as it may seem. The volume of resources required to perform such a task could be costly - and while Twitter could charge top brands and celebrities to initiate this approval process, such a revenue stream would not be core to Twitter’s business.

Or would it? With brands increasingly signing up to Twitter to market to their customers, Twitter may look to these brands to create revenue - this model is proposed in Mark Drapeau’s recent article “What is Twitter’s Vision?“. Would a top brand willingly pay to have a “verified account” sticker on a Twitter account? It seems possible.

Twitter Considering Account Verification For Brands

In fact, the signs would suggest that Twitter is considering this option for brands at least: shortly before the publishing of this article, the LA Times blog paraphrased Twitter co-founder Biz Stone as having stated: “Twitter is interested in adding account verification in the future (to avoid pages like Burger King posers Whopper Virgins and the BKlounge)”.

Should celebrities and famous figures also be able to verify their accounts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Qapacity: A More Social Home for Your Small Business

2009-02-10T10:01:00.001+05:30

If you’re a small business or a one man/woman show, how are you promoting your business online? On the flip side, if you’re looking for a consultant, photographer, or a web design company, where do you start your search?

That’s where Qapacity jumps in; they’re hoping to be the middle-man for professionals and service seekers, adding a few unique touches to make the process painless on both sides.

If you’re a service provider, you can sign up with Qapacity to add your services, and get a customizable website for showcasing your skills and portfolio. You’ll can also make it easy for prospective clients to contact you via Qapacity, or the social networks you add to your profile. Ultimately, Qapacity aims to help professionals combine their Web presence with their services offerings in a social marketplace.

Since professionals can be rated and reviewed by their clients on Qapacity, clients looking for a trusted professional can reference these ratings for added insight before they buy.

With Qapacity’s main focus in mind - to help you promote your own business - there seems to be a few missing pieces. Currently there are no advance search features, so if you’re looking just for professionals with ratings in a specific location, you’re out of luck, though you can refine your search results by country and category. Qapacity also has very few professionals with ratings, and a limited selection, though we can assume that this is just the result of being relatively new.

The site offers a freemium model, so users can take advantage of the marketplace without paying, or upgrade for a fee to get additional features. In the future, Qapacity hopes to add more social elements into the mix, with Facebook Connect and Open Social immediate priorities.

We think Qapacity’s clean interface, quick setup for professionals, and social integration make it a fresh face in this landscape. If they can build up their user base, they have the potential to serve two expanding online audiences in a meaningful way.

Facebook Clones Friendfeed’s “Like” Feature

2009-02-10T09:59:00.000+05:30

Facebook seems to get more similar to FriendFeed every day. The latest, the addition of an “I like this” link on News Feed items, is one of the more significant challenges to the lifestreaming service yet, as it essentially duplicates a major component of what makes FriendFeed tick - a simple, one-click display of indicating your liking of a specific item in a stream of activities and a view of all of the other people that have also liked it.

Much like FriendFeed, you can already import activities from third-party services like Google Reader, YouTube, and Flickr into your Facebook News Feed. And, you can already comment on those and other items too. With the addition of “I like this,” Facebook would seem to have all of the core components of FriendFeed nailed, save a few dozen niche services and some of the options that more advanced users enjoy like Rooms.

How does Facebook plan to use “I like this” data? The answer isn’t all too clear at the moment, with Facebook simply indicating that it’s a nice option that compliments user comments. But Facebook clearly already uses attention data – like whose profiles you check out most often and how many comments different items are receiving – to determine what makes it to the News Feed when you login. It’s safe to assume “I like this” votes will be used in a similar fashion, as they are on FriendFeed.

Die-hard FriendFeed users will likely argue that this feature is no FriendFeed killer – and, they’re right – FriendFeed already has a large enough audience to sustain community, and a devoted set of users that aren’t likely to jump ship for Facebook on a full-time basis. But Facebook’s “FriendFeed lite” could be enough to retain Facebook users that might otherwise consider FriendFeed, because on the surface, there isn’t that big of a difference – other than all of your friends are already on Facebook.

Coming Soon: Google Chrome Extensions

2009-02-09T10:46:00.005+05:30

Google has already indicated that it plans to offer a platform for Chrome browser extensions, but now we finally have what looks like a firm date on when that will arrive. Apparently, a Google developer conference scheduled for May 27th will include a session on developing extensions for Chrome, which leads Google Operating System to conclude that we’ll see the extensions platform go live on or before that date.

The Chrome team has already published documentation outlining general goals and principles for how they believe the extension system should operate. High on the list of reasons that adding extensions to Chrome is important is that it will make the browser more attractive to “users coming from other browsers who are used to certain extensions that they can’t live without.”

While extensions will certainly make the browser more attractive to a certain subset of users, the bigger fish to fry for Google is adding a Mac version. That too is in the works (see documentation here), but if Chrome wants to draw in a lot more users of its browser, Mac support will be key, as these users have so far been completely shutout of experiencing the benefits of Chrome.

As for how Chrome is doing so far, in addition to their self-reported 10 million downloads, our internal numbers show that Chrome is currently used by 4.50% of our visitors, up from 4.00% in the previous 30 days. Those numbers are no doubt higher than the general population given our tech focus, but point to a slight uptick in Chrome adoption.

7 Productivity Tips, Plus Tools for Freelancers and Web Workers

2009-02-09T10:45:00.000+05:30

You know you can be better. We all can. It’s the reason productivity and personal development has made such a surge in recent years. The time of freelancers, writers, designers and other web workers has exploded, and the need for tools and methods to make them more productive has aligned naturally with that explosion.

Competition is higher than ever for these freelancers, so how do you begin to rise to the top? The filling is thick, but becoming more productive can help give you the edge to rise to the top-crust - and still have time for the rest of your life.

Big Problems, Small Solutions

The repercussions of our productivity problems are huge. Hours of wasted time, less clients and billable hours, not enough time for family and friends - and the list goes on. These are issues that deserve your full attention and action. But as big as the problems are, the solutions can start very small. Find the area you’re lacking in most and implement one solution at a time.

1. Get it all out

Many freelancers tend to try and plan in their heads. Thoughts, to-dos, marketing ideas, goals and dreams end up in a big storm of greatness that almost never gets translated to action. There are so many online tools available today, you really have no reason not to have everything written down, out of your head, so you can become focused on the task at hand.

Mindmeister, my favorite online mind-mapping software, can be easily used to organize all levels of thought and action. Mind-mapping doesn’t work for everyone, but if you haven’t at least tried it, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

Evernote, the leader in portable notes, can allow you to record thoughts, plans and even images from anywhere. Available for all operating systems, the web, and iPhone - you no longer have an excuse for forgetting that great idea you had this morning.

A to-do list can be essential for you to stay on task, if you decide to make it part of your method. My two favorites are Remember The Milk (RTM) and Toodledoo. For something very simple (but also very customizable if you choose) try RTM. For something very powerful out of the box, with several levels of items (goals, folders, tasks and sub-tasks), try Toodledoo. Both have free versions that are very capable of getting you organized right out of the gate.

2. Look at each email only once

If you’re one of the many who has hundreds of emails in their inbox, you’re probably losing hours of productive time each week. Our email-obsessed minds tend to look back over each email in the box every time we check email. Each glance adds up to wasted seconds, minutes and hours each week.

Every email system, whether it’s Outlook or a webmail system, has tools you can use to become more productive. I, like many of you, use Gmail. When you check email (hopefully not more than once per hour), make sure you filter or sort each mail immediately. Setup tags or folders for email you need to keep or respond to later. Respond to every email you can right away, then delete or archive it!

If we can reduce the amount of times our eyes and mind need to process a message, your positive productivity will directly be affected.

Setting up automatic filters and sorting can increase your productivity ten-fold. You can make the experience even more productive by adding some Firefox extensions to manage your email.

3. Let calls go to voicemail

Some days, the phone seems to ring endlessly - a constant distraction from the work at hand. I’ve found that people really don’t mind leaving a message, as long as you get back to them in a reasonable amount of time. I’ll typically check and respond to voice mail every 2 hours on a busy day. This gives me good chunks of work-time in between interruptions.

I am currently using Grandcentral for my phone system and voice mail, though I long for the day Google finally updates and improves the system.

4. Focus and organization for writers

Many of us are bloggers or writers on some level. Whether it’s the main part of what we do, or a supplement to our other work, staying focused while writing is key. To block out everything else on my computer while I’m writing I use WriteRoom for Mac, or Q10 (free) for Windows. These programs give you a full-screen text editor to do nothing but write!

For full or part-time writers-for-hire, there are many resources out there to make you more productive. For instance, how do you estimate the words you can write for a project? Are you factoring in research time, etc.? Having a solid method of time/cost calculating can be invaluable for your long-term writing productivity.

5. Go offline

You can’t count on web-apps for everything (yet). If you’re anything like me, writing things in a notebook to review can make productivity go way up. Get yourself a nice Moleskine notebook and spend some time each day exporting your mind. This doesn’t have to be all business - the point here is to clear your head for more great ideas.

6. Keep files and resources at arms-reach

There are dozens of resource files that I refer to every day. Whether it’s a product manual, logo image, or a PHP cheat-sheet, having those files everywhere I work is invaluable. File-syncing apps like Dropbox or Sugarsync, can keep all of your necessary documents current on every computer you use during the day! Microsoft’s Live Mesh is another tool to try, and who knows what might come of Google’s GDrive this year…

Delicious or Diigo bookmarks make a great research treasure chest. We all should be using a social bookmarking service to keep track of useful links. Every computer you’re on can have access to a tagged and searchable list of every website, article, or application you ever found useful.

7. Reflection, then refraction

Most people are able to reflect on the past week and think about the good and bad… but how we refract that (alter slightly) into change for the next week is important as well. During your weekly review, don’t spend too much time fretting over what you could have done differently - slingshot those thoughts into what you are able to change for the week ahead.

It’s YOUR Solution That Matters

Whatever your system ends up being, get it in place and stick with it. If it changes, fine, but try to pick methods and tools that work for you right now and try those with full-commitment for at least 30 days before you change something up. Keep what sticks and lose what doesn’t. You’ll soon have a productivity system that is perfect for you, and only you.

What other productivity problems or solutions do you have? This article is by no means exhaustive, so if you feel strongly about a topic or tool that should’ve been included please let me know in the comments!

Elliott Kosmicki is a web developer and marketing specialist for an Internet Retailer Hot 100 company in Madison, WI. When he’s not absorbing marketing strategy and personal development material, you can find him writing for Good Plum - a productivity and personal development blog focused on the thoughts of home business owners, freelancers, and dreamers.

15 Great Flickr Extensions for Firefox

2009-02-09T10:44:00.000+05:30

No matter how good a service is it can always use a few tweaks, and Flickr is no different.

The 15 add-ons we’ve gathered below for Firefox will help with everything from navigation to uploading, accessing Flickr in countries that block the service, and much more. Take a look and you’re bound to find an extension to enhance your Flickr experience.

What Flickr extensions do you use in Firefox? Tell us about your favorites in the comments.

Access Flickr! - A tool built specifically to help users bypass firewalls in countries that block Flickr such as Iran, the UAE, China and more.

Better Flickr - Better Flickr combines several Greasemonkey scripts such as photo magnifier, thumbnail enhancer, rich edit and more into one convenient extension. Simply check the boxes for the portions of the add-on you wish to use.

Fireflix - A sidebar extension that works with Flickr to upload images from local files, generate HTML for linking, search photostreams and more.

Flickr - A simple extension that adds the ability to search Flickr photos directly from your browser.

Flickr Auto Page - This extension removes the “Next” button from Flickr and will autoload the next picture so you can just scroll through them in a much easier fashion.

Flickr Buddy - Adds an icon to your status bar in Firefox that will pull Flickr RSS feeds and notify you when the people you are following have updated.

Flickr Gallery Plus! - Flickr Gallery Plus! allows you to see one large image next to the smaller thumbnails on the page. You can then move amongst the thumbnails to view all of the images as a larger version.

Flickr Original - Adds an option upon right clicking on a Flickr image to just directly download the original image at full size.

Flickr Themr - Tired of Flickr being white everywhere you look? Flickr Themr will add a blue & gray theme to the site as you browse it.

Flickrfox - With Flickrfox you get a sidebar for your browser that allows you to search Flickr photostreams while other web pages load.

FlickrSpaceBall - This extension removes the spaceball.gif that sits atop some images on Flickr.

FlickrTrans - Right click on any image on any site, and you can load it to your Flickr account and then use it

Fotofox - A photo upload manager that allows you to drag and drop images from your system into the extension, add tags, set privacy and more; then you can upload them to over 40 different photo sites including Flickr.

Lockr - Share content from Flickr with users on Facebook without them having to log into Flickr.

Uploadr for Flickr - Gives you the ability to upload images you find on various websites directly to your Flickr account.

Social Music: Top 5 Music Recommendation Services

2009-02-09T10:40:00.000+05:30

Finding great new music can be the most rewarding experience, but sometimes the effort that goes into music discovery often thwarts even the most determined of us. Pandora is great for listening to music online, but without having any foresight or direct say over upcoming tracks, it’s certainly not the best there is if you’re looking to achieve playlist perfection.

So we’ve put together a list of the top music recommendation services available to help you hone in on new numbers, old favorites, perfect playlist partners, and visual matches. These 5 stellar services will transform your music listening experiences into music learning courses, and help you expand your auditory horizons.

1. MyStrands

The MyStrands website isn’t a great solution for actually listening to music, but if music discovery is your goal then the recommendation engine is top notch. Based on songs or artists you either upload from your iTunes playlists or add as favorites on the site, MyStrands will recommend similar songs, albums, and artists that you can add or exile as you go.

But it’s the MyStrands desktop app that really rocks our socks off — you can pretty much skip the web experience entirely. The application works similar to Last.fm’s scrobbling software, reworking your iTunes experience and synchronizing with the MyStrands recommendation engine.

With the app, you can start managing your library of music with tags, keep track of the music your friends are listening to, and get multiple recommendations per song played. Plus, if you start messing around with some of the buttons, you’ll find that you can sync iPod play counts with MyStrands, filter recommendations by decade, genre, and popularity, as well as build fabulous playlists.

The Playlist Builder is MyStrands’ take on iTunes Genius-like functionality, except it’s actually a little better. Instead of building smart playlists based on a single song, you can fine tune your playlists based on several selections, and even add in additional advanced filters. New playlists are ported over to iTunes with a click of the button and can also be shared with MyStrands.com.

MyStrands isn’t accepting new members, but if you have a Strands account, then you’re good to go and you’ll definitely want to reap the rewards of the robust recommendation engine.

2. iTunes Genius

Genius’ playlist and sidebar combo pack a nice one two punch when it comes to song recommendations within iTunes. In fact, given the portability of iTunes via iPods and iPhones, my personal experience with Genuis’ super intelligent formula has proven that this is the best way to remaster your library into the perfect gym mix and keep you from entering into a music coma.

You’re probably already using Genius (automatically available via iTunes v.8.0 or higher) and loving it, but if you’re not you should take a closer look at what iTunes can do for you.

Some key features that make Genius rock our world include the ability to select any song in your library and have Genius create a custom playlist based on the musical elements of that song (click the icon in the lower right hand corner to get started). You can then save that playlist, adjust the number of songs displayed, or start all over with a new song. What Genius is great at is not just finding songs you’ll like, but playing them in an order that is complimentary to each other, hence the ability to create workout worthy playlists.

Of course the other component to Genius is the sidebar, which suggests relevant songs and artists, based on your iTunes behavior (rating, play count etc), that you can then purchase from the iTunes store. And if sharing your Genius playlists with Twitter is a must, there are scripts available to help you do just that.

3. iLike

With an incredibly user-friendly website and even more impressive iTunes and Windows Media Player add-ons, iLike is a definite must try for music aficionados looking to discover new music, keep track of friends’ listening habits, and find free downloads. iLike uses a wisdom of the crowds philosophy to display related artists and songs based on the listening behaviors of other iLike members, which means that the more people who use iLike the more precise their formulas will be.

The iLike software piece is the real deal. Just download the iTunes or Windows Media Player software to get started, and you’ll notice a new addition to your media player. Now each time you play a song, the iLike sidebar will let you add the song to your iLike profile, view related songs, find and grab free downloads, and see what your friends are playing.

iLike also offers a boatload of other features and tools, including the ability to sync your playlists with the website, and a pretty popular Facebook app, which makes sharing your music preferences with your friends even easier then updating your Facebook status.

4. Last.fm

The incredibly popular Last.fm is a favorite with social media and music lovers everywhere — the on-demand listening options, iPhone app, and social sharing features make it universally loved.

Even though the website has some fantastic music discovery tools, if you want to get the most out of the music recommendation features, you’ll need to download the Last.fm Scrobbler which works with Mac, Windows, and Linux media players. The desktop software compliments your media player of choice and lets you choose between streaming Last.fm songs or playing songs directly from your library.

With the desktop tool you can create and manage playlists, view related artists and songs, plus love, share, and tag tracks. Playlist creation is not quite as perfect as MyStrands or iTunes Genius, which is why it’s number 4 on our list, but when combined with the mobile app, website features, and social sharing options, Last.fm is an awesome way to find and share new music.

5. Musicovery

Musicovery, which takes a visual approach to recommending new music, offers a really fun and unique way to listen and interact with you your custom playlists.

It’s pretty basic to get started, just select your mood or tempo, eliminate genres that you’re not interested in, and you’re off. Musicovery populates a musical road map with songs that match your interests. You can add favorites, block songs, and narrow in on specific songs to repopulate the map. Of course you can also purchase songs from eBay, Amazon, and iTunes.

Some of the profile features are a little hidden, but clicking on the heart icon at the top left of the page will take you to your profile where you can view and manage your history, favorites, and excluded songs. The free Musicovery account gets you lower sound quality, but it’s definitely not bad for streaming music, and a free account just may be the perfect supplement to your other online music sites.

The Social Music series is supported by Bacardi BLive Share Beta, a platform for online music sharing. BLive Share members get access to exclusive tracks from the Groove Armada mini album free of charge. Learn more about BLive Share Beta.

Personal Branding 101: How to Discover and Create Your Brand

2009-02-09T10:36:00.001+05:30

In the past few years personal branding has been discussed exhaustively throughout the Net. The difference between today and over ten years ago when it was first mentioned by Tom Peters, is the rise of social technologies that have made branding not only more personal, but within reach.

From the corporate brand (BMW), to the product brand (BMW M3 Coupe) and down to the personal brand (car salesman), branding is a critical component to a customer’s purchasing decision. These days, customer complaints and opinions are online and viewable through a simple search, on either Google or through social networks. There is no hiding anymore and transparency and authenticity are the only means to survive and thrive in this new digital kingdom.

Many people think that personal branding is just for celebrities such as Paris Hilton or Britney Spears, yet each and every one of us is a brand. Personal branding, by definition, is the process by which we market ourselves to others. As a brand, we can leverage the same strategies that make these celebrities or corporate brands appeal to others. We can build brand equity just like them.

We can also have just as much presence as most startups and mid-size companies and products. Social media tools have leveled the playing ground and have enabled us to reach incredible heights, at the cost of our time. Today, I want to share the personal branding process, so you can start to think about what face you want to show to the world and how you want to position yourself for success!

1. Discover your brand

The single biggest mistake people make is that they either brand themselves just for the sake of doing it or that they fail to invest time in learning about what’s in their best interests. The key to success, and this isn’t revolutionary, is to be compensated based on your passion. In order to find your passion, you need a lot of time to think, some luck and you need to do some research online to figure out what’s out there.

Brand discovery is about figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life, setting goals, writing down a mission, vision and personal brand statement (what you do and who you serve), as well as creating a development plan. Have you ever been called intelligent or humorous by your peers or coworkers? That description is part of your brand, especially if you feel those attributed pertain to you. To know if you’ve discovered your brand, you need to make this equation equal:

Your self-impression = How people perceive you

Before you enter the next step in the personal branding process, you’ll want to select a niche, whereby you can be the master of your domain. For example, Joel Comm has mastered the Google Adsense niche and brands himself using his name, and Brian Solis owns the social media PR niche with his PR 2.0 blog (under his name). When I say domain, I mean an area where there aren’t many competitors and literally, your online domain name. Once you sort this all out, now it’s time to create your brand.

2. Create your brand

Now that you know what you want to do and have claimed a niche, at least in your mind, it’s time to get it on paper and online. The sum of all the marketing material you should develop for your brand is called a Personal Branding Toolkit. This kit consists of the following elements that you can use to highlight your brand and allow people to easily view what you’re about:

1. Business card: It doesn’t matter if you’re a college student, CEO, or a consultant, everyone should have their own business card. The card should contain your picture, your personal brand statement (such as Boston Financial Expert), as well as your *preferred* contact information and corporate logo if necessary.

You can create your own business card and share it through your mobile phone using mydropcard.com or rmbrme.com. On the web, BusinessCard2.com is a great social network for creating and distributing your person business card.

2. Resume/cover letter/references document: These are typical documents that you need for applying for jobs and when you go on interviews (something over 2 million job seekers will be doing as we speak). Be sure to prioritize each document with information custom to the target position. Take your resume online and add social features to it to make the ultimate social media resume, promoting your personal brand to the world and making it shareable.

3. Portfolio: Whether you use a CD, web or print portfolio, it’s a great way to showcase the work you’ve done in the past, which can convince someone of your ability to accomplish the same results for the future. Figdig.com and carbonmade.com are social networks for people who want to show off their creative skills to the world.

4. Blog/website: You need to own yourname.com or a website that aligns with your name in some fashion. Depending on who you are, how much time you have on your hands and if you can accept criticism, you should either start a blog or stick with a static homepage. Those who blog will have a stronger asset than those who don’t because blogs rank higher in search engines and lend more to your expertise and interest areas over time.

5. LinkedIn profile: A LinkedIn profile is a combination of a resume, cover letter, references document and a moving and living database of your network. Use it to create your own personal advertising, to search for jobs or meet new people.

6. Facebook profile: Over 160 million people have profiles, but almost none of them have branded themselves properly using this medium. Be sure to include a Facebook picture of just you, without any obscene gestures or unnecessary vodka bottles. Also, input your work experience and fill out your profile, while turning on the privacy options that disable the ability for people to tag you in pictures and videos (allowing people to see the ones tagged of you).

7. Twitter profile: Your Twitter profile should have an avatar that is carved out of your Facebook picture and used in your LinkedIn profile. You need to use a distinct background, fill out your profile and include a link to either your blog or LinkedIn profile. Twitterbacks.com, developed by internet mogul Jim Kukral, has templates you can use to sculpt your very own Twitter background (Photoshop skills not included). Twitbacks.com is another solution that also lets you promote your Twitter profile.

8. Video resume: A video resume is a short video of you talking about why you are the best for a specific job opportunity. You get about a minute or so to communicate your brand and are able to send the link, once you upload it to YouTube, to hiring managers.

9. Wardrobe: Your personal style is tangible and is extremely important for standing out from the crowd. Select clothing that best represents you because it will be viewable through your pictures/avatars online, as well as when you meet people in reality.

10. Email address: Don’t overlook your email address as not being a significant part of your toolkit. Most people use email over all social networks and when you connect with someone on a social network, you are notified via email, so get used to it. Your email address poses a great opportunity for your brand. I recommend using gmail because of the acceptance of Google and since GTalk allows you to form tighter relationships with others. For your address, use “firstname.lastname@gmail.com.”

What’s next?

After you spend the time on these parts of your personal branding toolkit, it’s time to showcase it to the world, especially your target audience. Don’t be fooled by the myth that if you build it, they will come. Unless you’re the luckiest person on earth, you’ll have to actually communicate everything you’ve created to others.

In the next post, I will discuss how you can take the personal branding toolkit you’ve developed and communicate it to your audience. I’ll give you tips on how to market your personal brand to become known in your niche. Then, I’ll finish by explaining how you should monitor and update your brand over your lifetime.

Hornets defeat Raptors, 101-92

2009-02-07T10:43:00.000+05:30

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Hornets figured out a way to win without All-Star guard Chris Paul, though the formula they used may not work every game.

Peja Stojakovic scored a season-high 28 points and the Hornets tied a franchise record with 15 3-pointers, snapping their four-game losing streak with a 101-92 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.

"CP's out, we've got to have better ball movement and that's what we did, particularly in the fourth quarter," Stojakovic said. "When you move the ball, you get good looks."

Toronto led most of the second half — by as much as 11 at one point — and held an 83-75 lead after Jermaine O'Neal's jumper with 6:52 to go.

The Hornets called timeout to regroup, and they did. Devin Brown's driving layup ignited a 17-0 run highlighted by five consecutive 3s — two each by James Posey and Rasual Butler and one by Stojakovic, who had seven 3s in all.

The spurt put the Hornets up 92-83 with 3:31 to go, and Toronto got no closer than five points after that.

"When those 3s start dropping, there isn't much you can do," Raptors forward Jamario Moon said. "A lot of them were contested and they were still knocking them down. I think they just got into a rhythm and they were feeling good."

David West, Butler and Posey each finished with 17 points for New Orleans. West also had 10 rebounds.

O'Neal scored 24 points for Toronto, which lost its fifth straight.

The Hornets were without Paul for a second straight game, but Toronto was missing an All-Star of its own, with Chris Bosh missing his first full game since spraining his knee against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

Stojakovic and West had been productive in the Hornets' recent losses, but they needed help and got it from Posey, who played an important sixth-man role in the Boston Celtics' championship last season but had been in an offensive slump lately.

Posey finished with four 3s against Toronto after going 0-for-11 from long range during his previous five games.

"The only thing I could do is just continue to work, keep getting shots up at practice, stay in my routine and keep shooting the ball with confidence," Posey said. "I just believe in my routine and I just stick to it."

Posey also played his typical tough defense, drawing a charge and forcing O'Neal into a traveling violation in the final minutes.

"He is such a competitor, the last thing I worry about with Posey is making shots because he does so much more than that," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "He defends. He rebounds. He does all the other things that don't show up in the stats."

Butler had three 3s and Brown added another with 1:01 left to put the Hornets up 97-89.

Andrea Bargnani scored 19 for Toronto, while Jose Calderon returned from a sore hamstring to score 16. Anthony Parker added 12 points and Moon had 10.

Before the game, Scott shook up the lineup by giving reserve Ryan Bowen his first start of the season. Scott wasn't counting on much from Bowen statistically and didn't get it. Bowen had three points and two rebounds. But he hoped Bowen's hustle, especially on defense, would be contagious and help New Orleans play with more aggression.

Posey hit two 3s in the first half and a long jumper that gave the Hornets a 33-19 lead early in the second quarter.

After that, however, New Orleans went through a minislump from outside and made matters worse by turning the ball over nine times in the second quarter.

Toronto took advantage on all the long rebounds or steals, scoring 14 fast-break points in the second quarter. Calderon scored 11 points during a 22-5 run, including a jumper that put Toronto ahead 39-38 with 2:22 left in the period.

The Raptors then closed the half on a 7-2 run that included Moon's dunk, Bargnani's 3 and Calderon's driving layup with just over a second left, giving Toronto a 48-42 halftime lead.

Notes:@ Stojakovic's seven 3s gave him 68 career games with at least five. ... New Orleans shot 31.3 percent (5-of-16) in the second quarter. ... New Orleans won the only other meeting between these teams this season in Toronto on Dec. 14. ... The Raptors have two games remaining on their current three-game road trip, at Memphis on Saturday and Minnesota on Tuesday.

Benitez tells Reds to forgot Cup trauma

2009-02-07T10:39:00.001+05:30

PORTSMOUTH, England – Rafael Benitez has challenged his Liverpool players to make up for their premature FA Cup exit by bringing the league championship back to Anfield for the first time in 19 years.

Liverpool travel to struggling Portsmouth on Saturday looking to make amends for Wednesday?s heartbreaking 1-0 extra-time fourth round defeat at the hands of Merseyside rivals Everton.

Benitez says cup elimination leaves his side free to concentrate on wrestling the Premier League title from Manchester United's grasp.

"I don't think our confidence will take a blow by what happened on Wednesday," he said. "The players showed great character and when you lose in this way it won?t affect the confidence of the team.

"It's very disappointing to be out of the cup but now we have to concentrate on the league and the Champions League so there is still a lot to play for.

"They are two massive competitions and we are in a very good position."

Liverpool?s Goodison Park misery was compounded by Steven Gerard hobbling off with a hamstring tear after only 16 minutes.

The Reds skipper is out for a minimum of three weeks and will miss this weekend?s trip to Fratton Park, which is particularly worrying for Liverpool because Fernando Torres is struggling with his match fitness after missing most of the early months of the season with his own hamstring problem.

"Torres was really tired on Wednesday and that is why I took him off," Benitez said. "Clearly he has to keep playing games and keep training because his match fitness is not at its best."

Benitez will receive little sympathy from Portsmouth counterpart Tony Adams, who is battling to save his job.

Last weekend?s 3-1 defeat at Fulham left Adams with only two wins from 15 Premier League games in charge and he had to suffer the abuse of his own supporters for the first time in a career spanning 25 years.

Former Arsenal and England captain Adams said: "I received verbal abuse getting on the bus after the game on Saturday and that hurt.

"There were a couple of fans who were not happy over the way the team is playing and the results. They shouted they did not want me at the club again. To be honest it was put stronger than that.

"I tried to explain myself to them but they were not listening. I have had stick from opposing fans of course. I played a lot of games in my career and you don?t expect to be liked by rival supporters but I have never experienced that before in my career.

"It was only a couple of guys angry at me but it did not stop me feeling bad about it.

"We had another bad result and I understand people?s reaction but the club has changed and I am doing my utmost to scrap away and improve things."

With Gerrard sidelined, Dirk Kuyt could be in line for a more central attacking role after spending most of his time at Anfield playing wide on the right.

The Dutchman warned that his team-mates that they they cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves in the wake of the cup defeat.

"Obviously we are all really disappointed to lose a game so late on because it did not look like they were going to score," Kuyt said. "That is football though and now we just have to keep going and look forward.

"The key now is how we react to this defeat. The positive thing from our point of view is that on the two other occasions we have lost games this season we managed to come back in the weeks that followed. That is what we must do now."

NBA corrects stats, LeBron loses triple-double

2009-02-07T10:38:00.000+05:30

CLEVELAND – LeBron James never saw this steal coming.

Two days after Cleveland's superstar recorded an apparent historic triple-double in a 107-102 win against the New York Knicks, the NBA stripped James of one of his 10 rebounds after reviewing game tape. The league said the rebound with 39.3 seconds left should have been credited to Cavaliers center Ben Wallace, who tapped a loose ball that James grabbed.

Wallace finished with two rebounds but probably should have had more as several tip-outs were not scored as rebounds by the stats crew at Madison Square Garden.

A release from the league said: "All NBA games are reviewed to ensure the accuracy of the game statistics." Wallace benefited from a review in a game at Charlotte on Dec. 6, when a blocked shot originally credited to Zydrunas Ilgauskas was changed to Wallace.

James finished with 52 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds.

If his triple-double had stood, it would have been the first 50-point game in a triple-double since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975. Instead, James lost it and the Cavaliers were dealt a second slap from the league as point guard Mo Williams was not picked — for the second time — as an All-Star reserve on Thursday.

With Orlando guard Jameer Nelson out with a shoulder injury, commissioner David Stern selected Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen over Williams, a slight that drew criticism from Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert and several Cavaliers. Williams, who is averaging 17.1 points for the Central-leading Cavs, was also left off the team in a vote by Eastern Conference coaches.

"Ben Wallace was right when he called Mo originally being passed over for the All-Star game a shamockery," Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said in a tongue-in-cheek e-mail to The Associated Press. "But not naming him as the natural and obvious replacement for the unfortunately injured Jameer Nelson is stupidiculous, idillogical and preposterageous."

Earlier this week, James called Williams' initial snub as "a total smack in the face."

The Cavaliers, who will put their 23-game home winning streak on the line Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers, are using Williams' omission as motivation.

"He has played so well all year long and we've played great," forward Wally Szczerbiak said. "Obviously LeBron is what makes our team tick, but there are other guys out there on the floor, especially Mo, who are contributing a lot. It's a real injustice that Mo didn't make it. I don't know, maybe the coaches haven't seen him enough. I can't understand why.

"He's made big shots and made big plays for us. What are you going to do? We'll just move forward and use it as motivation."

Cleveland will be represented in Phoenix by James as well as coach Mike Brown and his staff. Brown, though, feels the Cavaliers deserved more.

"It's unfortunate that at the end of the day Boston has three guys and Orlando has three guys and we have one," he said after practice on Friday. "LeBron is a hell of a player, but I wonder in people's minds, what does that say about the rest of our team? Defensively we're No. 1. I think our points per game differential is No. 1 Obviously, our record is what it is.

"There are a lot of things stat-wise that show we're a pretty good team. For us not to be represented by multiple guys is disappointing."

Michael Phelps says 3-month suspension is fair

2009-02-07T10:35:00.000+05:30

BALTIMORE – Michael Phelps says it's fair for USA Swimming to suspend him for three months, the latest fallout from a photo showing the Olympic great inhaling from a marijuana pipe. Phelps was back training at his regular pool Friday, a day after his suspension.

"It's not my decision. It's theirs," Phelps said of USA Swimming's decision. "I have nothing to say, but if that's they want to do, that's their choice. It's something that USA Swimming came up with. It's fair. Obviously, for a mistake you should get punished."

Phelps won a record eight gold medals in Beijing and returned to America as one of the world's most acclaimed athletes. He made headlines of a different kind, however, in the wake of the photo, published Sunday by News of the World, a British tabloid.

"It was bad and stupid judgment, and something I'll always live with," Phelps said, minutes before diving into the pool at the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center, where he has trained since he was 7.

Although the fallout cost Phelps his Kellogg Co. sponsorship, Subway announced Friday it still supports him.

"Like most Americans, and like Michael Phelps himself, we were disappointed in his behavior," the statement said. "Also like most Americans, we accept his apology. Moving forward, he remains in our plans."

The fallout from the picture has been much greater than in 2004, when an underage Phelps was arrested for drunken driving three months after the Athens Olympics. He pleaded guilty and apologized to his fans, saying he wouldn't make the same mistake.

Phelps wasn't sure how the negative publicity might influence his decision to compete in the 2012 London Olympics.

"I'm taking it step by step, day by day. There's still a long way between now and then," he said. "But I'm back here, I'm training for who knows what yet. But I'm back in the water, doing the thing I love."

That's a welcome diversion from the attention he's getting outside the pool.

"From waking up to megaphones outside your house at 7:30 in the morning to still photographers out there every day for the last four days from 7:30 to when I left for a workout, I can just do what's normal for me," he said. "And right now that's me coming to the pool every day."

His coach, Bob Bowman, said the suspension will alter his plans for Phelps, who recently resumed serious training with the goal of qualifying for this summer's world championships in Rome.

"It takes away some options from our planning. You know, we had a plan of meets to kind of get us ready for the end of the summer and now we'll have to adjust that," Bowman said. "That kind of comes with this territory."

With the three-month suspension he won't be able to take on any rivals until early May, which would give him a little more than two months of competition before July's world championships in Rome.

The U.S. team for Rome will be chosen at the national championships July 7-11 in Indianapolis.

USA Swimming's decision to suspend Phelps didn't surprise Bowman.

"As a member of USA Swimming, I expected them to take action," Bowman said. "I think that we'll abide by it. I think it sends a very strong message to Michael and to others. I understand the disciplinary action."

And Phelps was thankful for those who have supported him.

"I've been getting messages on Facebook, both good and bad. E-mails, both good and bad. Text messages, all good," he said. "This is time when you need support. To have support from the majority of my sponsors, probably 90 percent, it means a lot. And it's something I'm very thankful for."

And what about his mother, Debbie Phelps?

"Mom wasn't happy," Phelps said. "She's been supportive through it, but wasn't happy."

Bill Gates playfully frees swarm of mosquitoes

2009-02-07T10:32:00.001+05:30

LONG BEACH, California – Microsoft founder turned disease-battling philanthropist Bill Gates loosed mosquitoes at an elite Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) Conference to make a point about the deadly sting of malaria.

"Malaria is spread by mosquitoes," Gates said while opening a jar onstage at a gathering known to attract technology kings, politicians, and Hollywood stars.

"I brought some. Here I'll let them roam around. There is no reason only poor people should be infected."

Gates waited a minute or so before assuring the audience the liberated insects were malaria-free.

TED curator Chris Anderson fired back at the legendary computer software maker, joking that the headline for the video of his talk to be posted online at Ted.com would be "Gates releases more bugs into the world."

As he has in travels on behalf of his eponymous charitable foundation, Gates detailed the strides made in dealing with malaria in affluent countries and the need to fight the disease in impoverished nations.

"There is more money put into baldness drugs than into malaria," Gates quipped, triggering laughter. "Now, baldness is a terrible thing and rich men are afflicted. That is why that priority has been set."

Gates called for aggressive distribution of insect netting and other gear proven to protect people from disease-transmitting stings.

He also shared that a malaria vaccine backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation should start Phase Three testing in a few months.

"I am an optimist; I think any tough problem can be solved," Gates said.

"The market does not drive scientists, thinkers, or governments to do the right things. Only by paying attention and making people care can we make as much progress as we need to."

Gates' clever candor continued as he filed a question from Anderson about the pall he felt shrouding the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month.

"I think it is good that the mood in Davos was bleak," Gates said.

"It was a great meeting where people really had to say 'Hi, how is your economy falling apart ... Gee that is different than how mine is ... What is your solution?'"

Gates said he is confident the economy will recover, with new technologies playing vital roles, but that the financial meltdown was "a great checkpoint" compelling people to think realistically about money and business.

"For me, it was a chance to make sure aid for the poorest doesn't get cut," Gates said of his time at Davos.

His foundation plans to increase annual spending this year to 3.8 billion dollars despite its investment portfolio's value sinking.

In a TED session titled "Reboot," Gates also called for vastly improving the quality of teachers at US schools because it will take "brilliant people" to solve the world's woes.

"I hope I'm not in the Reboot session because you have to reboot your computers and associate that with me," Gates joked. "That might be fair, but don't think about it."