Category: News

Facebook is known for not looking kindly (and for going legal) on sites that attempt to do pass through logins to do something with a Facebook account. I can understand why they don’t like these other services, but it’s difficult to see what’s illegal about them. The next potential legal battle apparently may be between Facebook and Seppukoo, a fun site that offers users an amusing way to close and delete their Facebook account by having it commit a virtual suicide:

The site, Seppukoo.com, offers ritual suicide for Facebook users’ virtual profiles by deactivating your account. And it doesn’t stop there. If you’re willing to end it all, the site will feature a RIP memorial page on its site and sends the page to all your Facebook friends.

Fun stuff. Except, of course, Facebook doesn’t want people deleting their accounts, and so it blocked Seppukoo. Now, the battle of words is heating up and lawyers are getting involved. Facebook has issued a cease and desist, insinuating that it will take Seppukoo to court for violating Facebook’s “rights and responsibilities” if it doesn’t stop offering the service. I’m still quite confused as to what legal leg Facebook has to stand on here. I can understand why it doesn’t like what Seppukoo is doing… but that doesn’t mean it’s illegal.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, BMW, Ferrari, Racing

Says Jean Todt, newly-appointed president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), “I am convinced that we absolutely must reflect the environment with new technologies.” With that statement, it would appear that at least some of the direction of former FIA president Max Mosley will stay intact.

Mosley had championed a number of green efforts at the top run of the motorsports ladder, not the least of which were hybrid drivetrains in the form of the controversial Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). Though most teams dropped their KERS units in 2009 and none plan to use them in 2010, the technology will likely make the transition to road use within the next few years, probably starting with BMW and Ferrari.

Other changes designed to make F1 racing more accessible to new teams may include spending caps and budget restraints, though it would seem that may clash with the desire to be more environmentally friendly. We’ll be watching.

[Source: Inside Line | Photo: Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty]

Report: FIA President Jean Todt to push forward with green F1 technology originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verne Troyer is hoping to get better acquainted with his fans with the help of a new social networking website. The pint-sized dynamo, who rose to fame as Mini Me in the Austin Powers film franchise, has set up the interactive site Looking Up on VerneTroyer.com to keep in touch with fans. Verne’s already busy uploading personal photos and videos for his followers to check out, and encouraging them to post their own images, he tells Parade Magazine.

“I’ve launched a new website, VerneTroyer.com. It’s linked to a social networking site called Looking Up, which is similar to Facebook. I get to chat with people that like my movies and just stay in touch with fans.”

Diabetics know that keeping on top of the body’s glucose level is vitally important. Bad things happen when the level dips too low, or spikes too high, and constant monitoring is the key to maintaining control. Technology is often leveraged to handle this chore, but nothing I’ve seen to date makes more sense than these color-changing contact lenses.

The lenses use special nanoparticles that change color to reflect the glucose level in tears. They are, in essence, a constant glucose monitor that requires no effort from the diabetic. Just pop them in and go. I hope we see these lenses hit the market, something that unfortunately doesn’t always happen with medical technology.

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We’ve heard that Verizon Wireless will be 100% carrying the Palm Pixi in addition to the Palm Pre, and that the official names will be the Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus. We have also been told that the Palm Pre Plus (codenamed Russell) and Palm Pixi (codenamed Romo) will run the recently released webOS version 1.3.5 and not something newer at launch. Lastly, hardware specifications look to be identical to the original Sprint Pre and Pixi in terms of size.

Thanks, phenomenalone!

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According to a report by German daily Handelsbatt, Daimler AG is talking to Renault SA and other potential partners to forge a partnership for compact cars by mid-2010.

“But it could certainly also go faster than that,” Dieter Zetsche told the publication.

Daimler has been previously reported to be in talks with Renault on a new small car platform. Renault also named Daimler as a potential partner earlier this month. The German company is seeking a partnership that will help it expand its Smart brand and jointly produce engines for the Mercedes-Benz B-Class.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

The Global War on Stealth Underwear
There is no “war” against terrorism. What George W. Bush launched and Barack Obama insists on perpetuating does not qualify. Not if by war one means doing the obvious and checking a highly suspicious air traveler’s underwear to see if explosives have been sewn in.

By Robert Scheer

There is no “war” against terrorism. What George W. Bush launched and Barack Obama insists on perpetuating does not qualify. Not if by war one means doing the obvious and checking a highly suspicious air traveler’s underwear to see if explosives have been sewn in.

Related Entries

• December 24, 2009 Miracle on K Street
• December 24, 2009 Speaking Enragement

The Plane Truth

By Mr. Fish

Related Entries

• December 24, 2009 Miracle on K Street
• December 24, 2009 Speaking Enragement

The year ahead is likely to see continued momentum toward the abolition of capital punishment in the United States. Two states — New Jersey and New Mexico — have repealed the death penalty in the last two years. We have handed down fewer death sentences in 2009 than any year since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.

Here are six states that could move toward abolition in the year ahead:

Kansas has perhaps the best chance of repealing the death penalty in 2010 of any state in the nation. Surprised? A repeal bill passed committee in 2009, and an advisory committee of lawmakers, judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers has helped rewrite it to reintroduce in 2010. Four days of hearings on the issue start January 19. Kansas has 10 people on death row but hasn’t executed anyone since 1965.

New Hampshire hasn’t executed anyone since 1939 but handed down its first death sentence in decades this year. The state’s House of Representatives passed a repeal bill in 2009, but eventually settled for the creation of a commission to study capital punishment in the state. The panel will issue its report by December 2010, and there will be a strong chance for repeal of the death penalty in New Hampshire in 2011.

(more…)

It pays to have a girlfriend who croons pop songs for a living: Katy Perry gifted British beau Russell Brand with a Range Rover as the twosome celebrates their first Christmas as a couple.

The singer reportedly shelled out nearly $100,000 dollars for the fully-loaded black, 2010 SVU.

There’s only one problem — Russell can’t drive! Apparently, the truck comes with a warranty and a set of driving lessons.

“They are in love,” a source close to the reportedly engaged couple blabbed to RadarOnline Tuesday.

Brand, a recovering alcoholic and sex addict, has fueled reports that he will wed the preacher’s daughter after allegedly purchasing a love nest outside Los Angeles last week.

Norm Stamper: Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You: Trigger-Happy Cops?
Cops can be forgiven for believing a next armed attack is inevitable. But that’s foolish and fatalistic thinking: Fearful, perpetually on-edge cops are a danger to themselves, and to others.

How To ‘Fix’ The Sunday Morning Shows
Jay Rosen, saints preserve him, has posted a “Simple Fix For The Messed Up Sunday Shows”. Since Sunday morning is the time when I personally…

Tom Andrews: Terrorism Is A Bipartisan Issue
Events of the last few days have demonstrated that there are some fundamentals that you can count on: First, there are demented extremists who are…

Steve King: Palin Will Run For White House In 2012, Could Win Iowa Caucuses
JOHNSTON, Iowa — An Iowa Republican congressman says he thinks former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will seek the GOP presidential nomination in 2012 and that…

The European Commission (EC) itself has warned that the finances of half of the Eurozone's sixteen economies are at risk of becoming 'unsustainable', essentially bankrupt. As shown in the Wall Street Journal graphic below, Spain, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Greece are all teetering on the brink.

While relatively better off European nations would prefer not to bail out their flailing neighbors, the problem with the euro currency union is that their fates are ultimately all tied together via the euro, even if politically they believe themselves to be separate countries. Thus an old criticism of the euro system is appearing more relevant than ever.

WSJ: They said a monetary union unsupplemented by a political union risked a fiscal free-for-all among governments, especially in a full-blown recession. The next year will be a good time to prove them wrong.

The focus in early 2010 will remain on Greece and its budget deficit at 12.7% of GDP, four times the EU limit. The Greek government is trying to hammer together a political consensus in parliament for a plan to bring down public spending without triggering more social unrest seen in the country's streets at the close of 2009.

Read more here.

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See Also:

• EU-Imposed Austerity Regimes Creating Anarchy And Terrorism In Southern Europe
• Europe's Trade Surplus Spikes
• Europe Drops Antitrust Case Against Microsoft Over Browsers

General Motors acaba de llamar a revisión a ni más ni menos que ha 22.000 Chevrolet Corvette debido a un problema que puede ocasionar que el techo se desprenda del propio vehículo (puede resultar muy cómico aunque es algo muy peligroso).

En concreto los modelos llamados a revisión son el Chevrolet Corvette C6 y el Chevrolet Corvette Z06 equipados con techo desmontable opcional dado que se ha detectado un defecto que podría terminar con el panel superior totalmente desprendido.

El problema radica en que el adhesivo utilizado para unir la parte exterior del techo a la estructura del coche no es muy seguro y con una serie de vibraciones y filtraciones de agua puede terminar por desprenderse del vehículo. Por último, cabe destacar que sólo han sido llamados a revisión los modelos de Estados Unidos (Por el momento).

Related posts:

1. General Motors confirma la producción de nuevos Chevrolet Camaro Cabrio
2. General Motors suprime varios modelos en Estados Unidos
3. General Motors liquida los modelos de Pontiac y Saturn

GOP Freaks of 2009

It has taken longer than anticipated, but the Boox e-reader that we toyed with at CeBIT earlier this year is finally available for order here in the US of A, with shipments expected to begin in a fortnight. Onyx International’s 6-inch reader — which features WiFi, a Vizplex e-ink display, a 532MHz processor, 512MB of memory, a 1,600mAh battery and an SD / SDHC expansion slot — is bring slung across the seas courtesy of Dulin’s Books, and while it won’t ship with integrated 3G support, it’s still coming here with a lofty $349 price tag affixed to it. Sure, that WebKit browser may impress some, and the bundled white leather cover is a pleasant touch, but we can only wish it luck as it tries to rival the (less expensive and more capable) Nook and Kindle.

[Thanks, Jorge]

Dulin’s Books brings Onxy’s 6-inch Boox 60 e-reader to US shores for $349 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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America the Traumatized: How 13 Events of the Decade Made Us the PTSD Nation
The Millennial Decade screwed with our heads and destroyed our national identity. Are we in for a cataclysmic century?

The Millennial Decade screwed with our heads and destroyed our national identity. Are we in for a cataclysmic century?

10 Most Defining Feminist Moments of 2009
A look back on the times in 2009 when feminists asserted ourselves and our belief in equality, often in the face of powerful opposition.

A look back on the times in 2009 when feminists asserted ourselves and our belief in equality, often in the face of powerful opposition.

AlterNet’s Most Popular Sex and Drugs Stories of 2009
From "Big Booty Beauty and the New Sexual Aesthetic" to "5 Things the Corporate Media Don’t Want You to Know About Cannabis."

From "Big Booty Beauty and the New Sexual Aesthetic" to "5 Things the Corporate Media Don't Want You to Know About Cannabis."

{img align=left}Piston heads from all around the world have been fantasizing about an F version of the Lexus GS ever since rumors speculating its existence appeared about two years ago.

As more and more performance vehicles due to be launched were cancelled or delayed by manufacturers, the wave of enthusiasm seemed to be in vain, with the launch of an M5 rivaling Lexus GS becoming highly improbable.

However, Japan’s Best Car magazine has brought the GS-F perspective… (read more)

Why the Health Care Bill Will Destroy the Conservative Movement
Yeah, the filibuster and the Senate structure sucks– but some of us knew that and had low expectations. Ignoring what we didn’t get, expanding coverage to thirty million folks, including 15 million more in Medicaid, plus restrictions on insurance companies…


Medicaid – Health care – United States Senate – Insurance – Filibuster

Google Monopoly
I have come to the conclusion that Google has evolved into what economists call a “natural monopoly”. When this situation occurs it is always cheaper for one large firm to supply the market than multiple smaller firms, In fact, absent…


Google – Monopoly – Search – Search Engines – Market

Hoekstra tries to raise money off failed terrorist attack.
Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), the ranking member on the House intelligence committee and a candidate for governor of Michigan, is continuing his efforts to score political points off the attempted Christmas day airline bombing. In a fundraising letter acquired by the Grand Rapids Press, Hoekstra writes, “Barack Obama’s policies may impress the ‘Blame America First’ […]

Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), the ranking member on the House intelligence committee and a candidate for governor of Michigan, is continuing his efforts to score political points off the attempted Christmas day airline bombing. In a fundraising letter acquired by the Grand Rapids Press, Hoekstra writes, “Barack Obama’s policies may impress the ‘Blame America First’ crowd at home and his thousands of fans overseas, but they sure don’t do anything to protect our families in Michigan or the rest of America.” To justify this attack of treasonous presidential behavior, Hoekstra claimed Department of Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano said “the system worked”:

They just don’t get it. The system didn’t “work” here. Far from it! It is insulting that The Obama administration would make such a claim, but then again, these are the same weak-kneed liberals who have recently tried to bring Guantanamo Bay terrorists right here to Michigan!

In fact, Napolitano said that “the system” worked “once the incident occurred” — referring only to the post-incident response — a comment similar to ones made by the Bush administration. She has since made clear that the system of preventing such attacks “did not work.” “If you agree that we need a Governor who will stand up the Obama/Pelosi efforts to weaken our security,” Hoekstra writes, “please make a most generous contribution of $25, $50, $100 or even $250 to my campaign.”

Most frequent ?Meet the Press? guest in 2009: Newt Gingrich.
On Sunday, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich was on NBC’s “Meet the Press” where he said he suspected that “every Republican running in ‘10 and again in ‘12 will run on an absolute pledge to repeal” the health care reform legislation. The Washington Monthly’s Steve Benen points out that Gingrich has been the […]

On Sunday, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich was on NBC’s “Meet the Press” where he said he suspected that “every Republican running in ‘10 and again in ‘12 will run on an absolute pledge to repeal” the health care reform legislation. The Washington Monthly’s Steve Benen points out that Gingrich has been the show’s most frequent guest in the past year:

[Sunday]was Gingrich’s fifth appearance on “MTP” just this year. In fact, Newt Gingrich, despite not having held any position in government for over a decade, was the single most frequent guest on “Meet the Press” in 2009 of any political figure in the United States. Literally.

From March to December, Gingrich appeared on “MTP,” on average, every other month. No one else in American politics was on the show this often. […]

Keep in mind, “Meet the Press” didn’t have the actual Speaker of the House on at all this year. It also featured zero appearances from all of the other living former House Speakers (Hastert, Wright, Foley) combined.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has also appeared on more than a dozen Sunday talk shows this year even though he “is not president, he chairs no Senate committees, he represents two percent of the U.S. population, he lacks a strong constituency even among his own party.”

Obama vows to repair intelligence gaps behind Detroit airplane incident
President Obama said Tuesday that a “mix of human and systemic failures” allowed a Nigerian student allegedly carrying explosives to board an airplane en route to Detroit on Christmas Day, and he vowed to quickly fix flaws that could have doomed a flight carrying nearly 300 passengers and crew…

As standoff with Iran continues, U.S. prepares targeted sanctions
The Obama administration is readying sanctions against discrete elements of the Iranian government, including those involved in the deadly crackdown on Iranian protesters, marking a shift to a more aggressive U.S. posture toward the Islamic republic, U.S. officials said.

As defense agencies hire, other government workers get incentives to retire
Uncle Sam may be hiring, but he’s also trimming staff in some corners of the government, as agencies suffer through a budget squeeze or shift their focus.