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Would you have sympathy for a professional auto mechanic who bought a lemon after given the opportunity to examine the car beforehand? Few people probably would, since if anyone should have known better, he should have. Yet, in its case (.pdf – brief synopsis here) against Goldman Sachs, the Securities and Exchange Commission needs the court to develop a very similar sort of sympathy for German IKB bank and other large sophisticated investors who purchased a synthetic collateralized debt obligation (CDO) from Goldman. Even under the circumstances of the case, it’s extremely difficult not to feel that IKB should have known better.

Sophisticated Investor

Not just anyone invests in synthetic CDOs and other asset-backed securities. Buyers are limited to big, sophisticated investors. After all, IKB purchased $150 million worth of the bonds in the deal — only a serious investor has that kind of cash to spend. This wasn’t a case where Goldman cold-called a guy who works at a tire factory to trick him into buying a wacky security. IKB should have had the resources and motivation to understand what it was buying.

The Collateral Wasn’t Misleading

IKB’s sophistication wouldn’t matter if Goldman lied to the German bank about what was in the portfolio that the bonds were based on. The SEC doesn’t allege that. Instead, the complaint says that Goldman didn’t disclose that a hedge fund manager, John Paulson, played a role in creating the pool of securities. While that may or may not be found to be material, it’s hard to imagine how it would have made a difference to IKB. The collateral would have been the same either way, and IKB had the opportunity to perform its own analysis on the pool’s potential performance. There’s no input in a cash flow model for evaluating a CDO that takes into account the parties influencing the collateral pool’s creation.

In a press release, Cornell law associate professor (and former associate at a firm that represented Goldman) Charles K. Whitehead makes this point:

If, instead of creating a synthetic Collateralized Debt Obligation, Paulson decided to sell the identical assets to Goldman Sachs, and Goldman Sachs had then sold the portfolio to the ABACUS investors, would Goldman Sachs have been obligated to disclose that Paulson was the seller? No – in fact, doing so would have been a breach of confidentiality. But that is, in substance, what occurred here.

This sharpens the point: investors should decide whether to buy an asset-backed bond based on how the pool will perform, not based on who put it together.

By Definition, IKB Knew a Short Existed

Finally, most news articles about the SEC case imply that if investors realized a big hedge fund had shorted the portfolio, then they would have thought twice about going long. In the case of a synthetic CDO, that’s a nonsensical claim, because you can’t create a synthetic CDO without also creating a short interest. The security we’re talking about is derivative-like, because it references other securities. So in order to have long invertors profit if the portfolio does well, a short investor must pay up accordingly. The reverse works the same way — so when investors like IKB lost money, Paulson profited. You need the two sides of the equation to balance.

As a result, IKB should have known a short interest existed. If it didn’t, then it didn’t understand a very basic fact about a synthetic CDO and really had no business investing in one. Again, it’s hard to conjure up much sympathy if that’s the case. This fact makes it even harder to believe that who held the short interest matters. Would be mean more if Paulson bought it instead of any of the other dozens of major hedge funds? It’s hard to imagine how.

Ultimately, if Goldman is found to have misled investors, then it doesn’t much matter if those investors should still have known better than to buy the security. But a sympathetic plaintiff is generally an important pre-requisite for a successful lawsuit. IKB is the SEC’s de facto plaintiff here, since it’s the party that lost based on Goldman’s actions.

(The collateral agent, ACA, was also supposedly misled. But there’s a dispute of fact here, so finding the truth regarding what really happened matters more there than what information was material.)

Instead of coming up with some kind of theme for this week’s crop of themes, I thought I’d go back through my huge file of BlackBerry themes I’ve run across. There are just so many in there that I could use them to write this feature for the next year. Clearly I won’t get to all of them — ‘dems the breaks. But I can take some time to look back on the ones I found remarkable enough to bookmark in the first place. So, without further ado…

(more…)

sceptic writes:

“A motorcyclist was showboating and recording himself doing it using a helmet cam. While stopped at a stop light, an off duty police officer stepped out of his (unmarked) car with his gun drawn. The rider received a citation and posted the whole episode on YouTube. 4 days later MD state police seized his computers and helmet cam and threatened to arrest him because it is illegal to record someone without their consent.”

You can see a long version of the events (without any sound) which shows the 3 minutes leading up to the incident here:

Or if you want to just see the part where the off duty cop pulls the gun (with sound), it’s here:



The laws against audibly recording someone without their permission are not designed for situations like this one. They’re designed for eavesdropping or things like recording phone calls. Using such a law to crack down on a guy showing an off-duty police officer totally overreacting to a traffic stop by drawing his weapon seems like a clear abuse of this sort of law.

However, now that we’re reaching an age when everything anyone sees will soon be able to be recorded — and for years, various research groups have been working on tools to make that easier — these kinds of laws may need to be revisited. If many people are wearing devices that record everything they see and hear, suddenly such laws become a bit ridiculous — even outside of the clear abuse above when such laws are being used to punish a whistleblower.

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Filed under: SUV, Technology, Crossover, Ford, Land Rover, Luxury, Off-Road

Back in 2005 when Land Rover let loose the most comprehensive upgrade to its long-running mid-level Discovery line since its introduction in 1989, one of the most intriguing new bits of technology was the company’s highly lauded Terrain Response system. In fact, so revolutionary was the design of this new ‘ute and the technology that made it work so well that Land Rover completely ditched the Discovery name in the United States, giving its pride and joy the LR3 moniker.

Fast forward to 2010. Recall that just last week Ford announced that its next-gen Explorer for the 2011 model year would feature a new technology that it’s calling Terrain Management. Sound familiar? It should – Land Rover is keen to point out that Jim Holland, the Chief Engineer, Explorer Platform Program, spent three years working at Land Rover in the UK as chief engineer for Range Rover. Coincidence? Hardly.

Both Ford and Land Rover’s systems work on a similar principle, that of allowing computers to take over from the driver in adverse conditions so that the vehicle can remain in control with the most available traction under any and all types of terrain. But – and according to Land Rover (not surprisingly), it’s a very big BUT – LR’s system has more settings, namely ‘General’ for everyday on-road driving; Grass/Gravel/Snow; Mud/Ruts; Sand and Rock Crawl.

Further, Land Rover cites its air suspension, low-range gearing and Gradient Release Control as important features that the 2011 Ford Explorer is expected to lack. Oh, and Land Rover also claims that its 60 years of off-road experience cannot be dismissed. Are these important considerations? Well, naturally that would depend on your desired usage of the vehicle. In any case, Land Rover sums its case up as such:

We naturally wish our friends the best of luck with their new vehicle. We just want everyone to know where the system was invented. And that was right here at Land Rover.

[Source: Land Rover]

Land Rover to Ford: Good luck with Terrain Management – Just remember who invented it originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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from the Justice Department…..

FINANCIAL FRAUD ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE TO HOST

FAIR LENDING FORUM IN CHICAGO

WASHINGTON – The President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force will host a Fair Lending Forum in Chicago on THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2010. The Fair Lending Forum will inform members of the Task Force by helping to identify discriminatory lending practices in housing and banking.

Representatives of the Department of Justice, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Reserve Board are co-hosting this event with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. Individuals and organizations from the greater Chicago area will share front-line information on fair lending issues in their communities.

WHO: Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice

Michelle Aronowitz, Deputy General Counsel for Enforcement and Fair Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development

Timothy R. Burniston, Senior Associate Director, Division of Consumer and Community Affairs, Federal Reserve Board

Lisa Madigan, Attorney General, State of Illinois

Robb Adkins, Executive Director, Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force

WHAT: Forum on Fair Lending

WHEN: THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2010

Program- 9:00 A.M. CDT/ 10:00 A.M. EDT
Press Conference- 11:30 A.M. CDT/ 12:30 P.M. EDT

WHERE: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
230 South LaSalle Street
Chicago, IL 60604

Dealing with Hepatitis C infection is more challenging when you can’t sleep. Before using a pharmaceutical sleep aid, you might want to first try eating these five insomnia-easing foods before bed.

by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.

At some point or another, most of us have struggled from not getting a good night’s sleep. When such a problem happens regularly, the implications of chronic sleeplessness can be devastating. Whether due to the health of their liver, a side effect of combination therapy or some other reason, over half of all those with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) suffer from sleep problems. Although it may appear to be an overly simplified solution, many people have realized that dietary approaches can help promote a restful slumber.

To address insomnia, physicians often prescribe some kind of sleep aid drug. Although the newer sleep aids are generally non-habit forming, every drug comes with a list of warnings and side effects. As the primary organ that must process drugs, the liver’s burden is increased with every chemical substance ingested. A mainstay of managing chronic HCV is supporting the liver by reducing the quantity of chemicals it must process. Thus, finding natural ways to ease insomnia should always be attempted before someone with chronic Hepatitis C resorts to taking a sleep aid drug.

Sleep is as important to liver health as are a healthy diet and regular exercise. Insomnia effects tend to be cumulative, with chronic insomnia often leading to:

· severe fatigue
· cognitive difficulties
· depression
· anxiety
· metabolic disturbances
· chronic pain disorders

Because sleep rejuvenates the psyche and immune system, it is especially needed to wage the battle against chronic Hepatitis C. Alternatively, long-term sleep deprivation will increase the severity of chronic HCV. According to Alan Franciscus, executive director of the Hepatitis C Support Project in San Francisco, many of the vague symptoms of Hepatitis C – such as fatigue -are also symptoms of not getting enough sleep. Since the two conditions go hand in hand, insomnia can compound symptoms.

When it comes to Hepatitis C, the following could be a culprit for insomnia:

· Stress or Anxiety – Worrying about health may keep the mind overly active, making relaxation and, therefore, a restful sleep difficult.

· Interferon Treatment – Insomnia is a common side effect of interferon therapy, the current standard treatment for HCV.

· Cirrhosis – Those who have an advanced case of Hepatitis C infection may have cirrhosis, the permanent hardening and scarring of the liver. In those with cirrhosis, histamine levels in the brain are often altered. Histamine regulates the sleep-wake cycle, so if levels of this chemical get out of balance, so too can sleep patterns.

Besides taking drugs to help you sleep, there are a variety of approaches to promote slumber. Non-pharmaceutical solutions for insomnia span eliminating caffeine, taking a hot bath in the evening, reducing your bedroom’s temperature, turning off the TV early and setting aside time for unwinding before bed. While all of these factors can help insomnia, diet can also have a profound impact on sleep.

“If you don’t eat right, you lose sleep; and when you’re sleep-deprived, your eating habits suffer,” says Sally Kravich, a holistic nutritionist and author of Vibrant Living: Creating Radiant Health and Longevity (SPK Publications, 2003). “It’s the ultimate catch-22,” she says. “A lack of sleep causes leptin, an appetite-regulating hormone, to crash, which causes you to eat more,” she says. “Not only does eating more eventually lead to weight gain and an increased risk of obesity – both of which can affect how well you sleep – but the foods you’re most likely to reach for when you’re tired will keep you up at night.”

In an effort to improve the quality of your sleep, the following five foods show promise:

1. Whole Grains – High fiber grains (like brown rice, oats and quinoa) keep you full (so you don’t wake up with hunger pangs), contain large amounts of tryptophan (an amino acid that increases the calming neurotransmitter serotonin) and boosts melatonin (a sleep-inducing brain hormone).

2. Pecans – Pecans help diminish insomnia because they are rich in B vitamins, particularly Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is known to help calm an overactive nervous system. Pecans also contain pyridoxine, which produces serotonin and stimulates the production of melatonin.

3. Cherries – Instead of just boosting the production of melatonin, cherries are one of the few known food sources that actually contain melatonin. Experts suggest eating a bowl of cherries one hour before bed to help induce sleep.

4. Bananas – Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have found that potassium may be one of the elements responsible for deep, slow-wave sleep. Their research on fruit flies identified a gene regulating potassium flow as essential for fruit-fly sleep. While a link between potassium and sleep in humans has not been firmly established, foods like bananas, which contain both tryptophan and potassium, may be doubly good for sleep.

5. Warm Milk – There is sound logic behind this folk remedy for insomnia. Besides containing tryptophan, milk contains calcium, which has a natural calming effect on muscles and the central nervous system. Warming up milk reduces the energy required to digest it, ideal for convincing the body to unwind and do less work.

Not getting enough sleep can have a big impact on one’s quality of life and on the progression of Hepatitis C. To reduce the toxins the liver must process, those with HCV are urged to refrain from taking pharmaceutical drugs whenever possible. If home remedies and lifestyle changes are not helping you get a decent night’s sleep, then a physician’s prescription pad may be necessary. But make sure you give these five foods a chance to alter your body’s chemistry in a way that could have you sleeping through each and every night.

References:

http://journals.lww.com/jcge/Abstract/publishahead/A_Review_of_Sleep_Disturbance_in_Hepatitis_C.99511.aspx, A Review of Sleep Disturbance in Hepatitis C, Sockalingam, Sanjeev MD, FRCPC, et al, Retrieved December 19, 2009, Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, September 2009.

http://naturalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/best_foods_to_beat_insomnia, Best Foods to Beat Insomnia, Hilary Smith, Retrieved December 19, 2009, suite101.com, 2009.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/five-foods-for-better-sleep.html, Five Foods for Better Sleep, Monica Bhide, Natural Solutions Magazine, Retrieved December 19, 2009, care2.com, 2009.

http://www.choosecherries.com/health/sleep.aspx, A Natural Way to Fight Jet Lag, Retrieved December 20, 2009, Cherry Marketing Institute, 2009.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5654384_cure-insomnia-naturally-food.html, How to Cure Insomnia Naturally with Food, The Armchair Herbalist, Retrieved December 19, 2009, eHow, Inc., 2009.

http://www.liversupport.com/wordpress/2008/09/nightcaps-insomnia-and-liver-disease/, Conquering Insomnia, Nicole Cutler, L.Ac., Retrieved December 19, 2009, Natural Wellness, 2009.

http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/hepc-guide/managing-hepatitis-c, Managing Hepatitis C, WebMD, LLC, 2009.

Today T-Mobile has announced a new Android device to join their lineup later this Spring.  The Garminfone (by Garmin and Asus) comes equipped with a 3.5 inch capacitive touchscreen, 3-megapixel autofocus camera with digital zoom, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS (this is obvious), microSD expansion up to 32GB and a plethora of navigation features such as turn-by-turn directions and pre-installed travel apps.

The device is expected to be launched with Android 1.6, but hopefully an upgrade won’t be far off considering 1.6 is quickly becoming ancient.  According to the press release, Garmin decided to partner exclusively with T-Mobile because of T-Mobile’s experience with Android.

Cliff Pemble, president and COO, Garmin International said, “As the North American leader in Personal Navigation Devices, Garmin sought to partner with the leading carrier of Android smartphones, T-Mobile USA, to bring our first Android device to market. Garmin’s advanced, user-friendly navigation technology is used by millions of people every day, and the combination of Garmin’s rich navigation services on the Android platform simply makes Garminfone a must-have device for families, individuals, travelers, commuters, and professionals alike.”

This phone could have a lot of promise for consumers who are reluctant to spend money on both smartphones and personal navigation devices, but want the integrated experience.  It could also be an additional boost for Android, as the phone is being marketed as a device with “Integrated navigation + Smartphone Experience,” so if all goes smoothly it could help to increase Android adoption by consumers who wouldn’t ordinarily go that route.

Who’s considering purchasing this device come Spring?  “In one quarter of a mile, turn left,” and don’t forget to leave your comments below!

Via TmoNews

For the full press release, go here.

[JURIST] Eleven Philippines policemen and militia members pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder charges for their involvement in the November 2009 massacre that left 57 dead. The arraignment was held in Camp Bagong Diwa, which is also the headquarters of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO). The arraignment of four additional suspects was delayed until April 30 after a last minute motion was filed by their counsel. The decision to defer was made despite objections from the prosecution that the motion was a deliberate attempt to delay the proceedings. Several family members of the victims attended the arraignment. The family members had filed a manifestation with the court asking that the proceedings be delayed until after upcoming elections, as they fear justice can not be served under current President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The court acknowledged the manifestation but still proceeded. The timing of the arraignment, as well as the pending trials of several other key suspects, has increased the concern over potential violence surrounding the May elections.
The arraignment comes just days after prosecutors dropped charges against two massacre suspects, causing accusations of political interference. Last month, a Quezon City court dismissed rebellion charges against 24 people, including Andal Ampatuan Sr., the leader of a Muslim clan in the Philippines’ semi-autonomous southern province of Maguindanao, and four of his family members. The Ampatuans and several of their followers are alleged to have intercepted Esmael Mangudadatu’s convoy en route to declare his candidacy for governor at a regional election office, ultimately forcing his convoy to a remote hilltop where the Ampatuans’ group killed and buried them. In order to prove their cases against the large number of accused, the prosecution will have to rely heavily on oral testimonies that can often prove to be problematic. Following the killings, Arroyo imposed martial law and suspended habeas corpus in Maguindanao. She later lifted the conditions, following international pressure and domestic legal challenges.

Voice control of smartphones can be a useful way to interact with information and to make things happen when using the hands is not an option. I have been using Dragon Dictation on the iPhone and the iPad quite happily, and find them to be great tools. I am happy to report that the folks at Nuance, makers of Dragon Dictation, have shared that Dragon Dictation is now available for the BlackBerry.

Dragon Dictation for Email is the company’s solution providing easy email creation totally hands-free. Users can create and respond to emails by simply speaking what they wish to put in the email. The Nuance transcription is almost instantaneous, allowing quick verification that the speech was transcribed properly.

Dragon Dictation for Email is available free for a limited time in the BlackBerry App Market. The program is verified for use with the BlackBerry® Tour™, BlackBerry® Storm and BlackBerry® Storm2 on the Verizon network; the BlackBerry® Bold™ series and BlackBerry® Curve series on the AT&T network; and, the BlackBerry® Curve series and the BlackBerry® Bold on the T-Mobile network.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

• Threats Look Large for Microsoft’s Email and Collaboration Platforms

It’s not just that some birds can use tools, as primates can. Their smarts stretch even further: New research this week suggests that New Caledonian crows can solve a three-step problem, in which the three steps must be completed in succession to reach a tasty snack. Alex Taylor and colleagues document this discovery in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Here’s the setup: There’s a short stick dangling from the bird’s perch on a string. That short stick isn’t long enough to grab the food that’s tucked inside a long and narrow box, but there’s a longer stick in a separate box. If the birds could figure out the first two steps—grabbing the short stick, and using it to get the longer stick—then voila, they could use the longer stick to reach the food.

The team split the birds into two groups. The birds in group number one got to mess around with each step of the process individually before researchers presented them with the problem as a whole. Coauthor Russell Gray says, “All these birds had to do was to put together things they could already do in the right sequence” [BBC News]. And they did: Each solved the problem on its first try.

Group two faced a tougher task, Taylor says. “These crows had never pulled up a tool on a string before and they had never used one tool to get another tool,” he says. Instead, he says, they used their previous experiences of pulling up a string and using a long tool to get food to innovate a new behaviour [Australian Broadcasting Corporation]. Thus, it took the group two birds a little longer to crack the puzzle—sometimes multiple attempts. But in the end they all succeeded as well. In the video above, a bird named Sam figures it out.

The genius of crows comes as no surprise. A feature article in DISCOVER’s March issue, “Who You Callin’ ‘Bird Brain?‘,” documented the mind-blowing mental abilities of crows and other members of the corvid family. For example, British researcher Nicky Clayton’s scrub jays appeared to sense when they were being watched by competitors, and thus would return to their hidden caches of food and move them around in an attempt to thwart would-be thieves.

The researchers in the three-tool study have already seen New Caledonian crows whittle branches into tools, and a stream of other finds has shown that birds recognize themselves in the mirror, or, in a confirmation of an Aesop fable, use rocks to raise water level. The American preacher Henry Ward Beecher said that if men “bore black feathers, few would be clever enough to be crows”. Certainly, in a parliament of fowls, they would rule any roost [The Guardian].

Related Content:
DISCOVER: Who You Callin’ “Bird Brain”?
DISCOVER: Magpies Recognize Themselves in the Mirror
80beats: Not So Bird-Brained After All: Rooks Make And Use Tools
80beats: Mockingbird to Annoying Human: “Hey, I Know You”
80beats: Aesop Was Right! Birds Use Rocks To Raise Water Level

Video: Taylor et. al. / Proceedings of the Royal Society B

One of the university’s longest-standing traditions, Hudson Relays, is always a special event for the campus community. This year’s event, taking place Saturday, April 24, will be even more significant because students, faculty, staff and alumni will witness the event’s centennial milestone.

“Hudson Relays is one of the oldest traditions on campus. The centennial is a great opportunity to celebrate something we’ll never see again,” said Colleen Barker-Williamson, director of student activities and leadership. “It’s a vibrant day of athleticism and social gathering, and it celebrates a facet of the university’s history.”

The 26-mile relay footrace commemorates Western Reserve College’s 1882 move from Hudson, Ohio, to University Circle. Teams representing first-year through fourth-year students, as well as an alumni team, will participate, and the campus community is invited to come out and cheer on the runners.

In honor of this year’s centennial celebration, the planning committee worked with University Archives to gather historical data and photos of the relays. Ground signs currently line the binary walkway and the Kelvin Smith Library (KSL) Oval with quirky, historical facts related to Hudson Relays. In addition, the Friday, April 23, University Community Hour event is scheduled to be a Hudson Relays Pep Rally on the KSL Oval. Campus members will have an opportunity to enjoy cake and check out photos from past relays. And on Saturday – relay race day – there will be a special 100th anniversary special program featuring President Barbara R. Snyder and other special guests.

Angel Flowers, outgoing vice president of the University Program Board, has served on the Hudson Relays committee for the past three years. “I didn’t have any idea what it was,” she said of her first year. “I took it by horns and it became exciting for me to come back to it year after year.”

Flowers, a senior, hopes younger students embrace the Hudson Relays tradition. “It’s fun to get to know people and to support your class. Take pride in participating —all components make the event a success.”

One of those younger students supporting the event is Christian Wargo, current vice president of the freshman class. “It sounded really exciting to me. I wanted to take more of a leadership role in the Class Officer Collective. I can’t wait to experience it for myself,” he said of soon to be first experience with Hudson Relays. He is serving as a co-chair of the event.

Wargo said students, faculty, staff and alumni should come to this year’s event “for the history of things. This event holds a special place in a lot of people’s hearts. None of us will be around when the 200th anniversary rolls around, so come out and celebrate this meaningful tradition.”

The complete schedule for the 2010 Hudson Relays is available online.

The editors of Notre Dame Magazine offer our latest list of blogs, essays, stories, videos and other gems by and about ND graduates and events.

The noted Catholic apologist Dinesh D’Souza and famed atheist Christopher Hitchens engaged each other at Notre Dame in The God Debate: Is Religion the Problem?. The lively event sold out the 875-seat Leighton Concert Hall on April 7, 2010.

U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Matthew Frey, ND class of 1998, is serving a 12-month tour in Afghanistan. He blogs about his experiences in the war zone in Afghanistan Tour.

Cinematographer Alan McIntyre Smith, ND Class of 1997 shot the top 5 MTV music video Can’t Stand It, by Never Shout Never.

Gina Vecchione, ND class of 1997, won an Emmy in 2008 for her editing work on the documentary A Distant Shore: African Americans of D-Day. View clips of the documentary and other films she has edited. Also, see the music video of Vecchione as she performs as the blues singer Darla Sugar Candy.

An archive of past Notre Dame Student Film Festival films is available at iTunes U.

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If you know of any links by or about Notre Dame graduates that would be networthy, email the information to Notre Dame Magazine at [email protected].

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Actress Jodie Sweetin is officially a two-time divorcee. The baby-faced former child star – best remembered for playing the precocious Stephanie Tanner on the ’80s/’90s sitcom Full House — has been ordered to fork over $800 in monthly child support payments to her ex-husband after finalizing the terms of their divorce in court this week.

The former meth addict was previously married to a California police officer.

Sweetin — who penned a 2009 tell-all book about battling drug and alcohol addiction — filed for legal separation from Cody Herpin in November 2008, only seven months after she gave birth to the couple’s only child, daughter Zoie.

The former couple attended a hearing at Orange County Superior Court in California on Tuesday, where a judge made their split official and granted the former couple joint custody of Zoie, according to TMZ.com. In December 2008, Herpin petitioned for full custody of the child after accusing Sweetin, now 28, of driving under the influence with Zoie strapped in the backseat.

Jodie denied the allegations, launching a bitter custody battle between the exes.

Today marks yet another important era in Facebook’s saga.

Today, I’ll be attending the f8 developer conference hosted by Facebook, they’re anticipated to make some key announcements around new programs for developers to take part in.  I’ll be live blogging from the keynote, and will give my take on what it means.

What we know from folks that are dissecting the agenda is that Facebook must become more open and spread to the web –not be relegated to their domain only.  In order to compete with Google, they must envelope the web by putting up Facebook connect as small colonies, and grow those into larger towns and thriving cities.  Enter Facebook’s crusade to colonize the web, not just facebook.com –but the whole internet.  More to come soon, as I update this post in real time.

From Green Right Now Reports

Many Americans believe a renewed United States effort in space exploration could yield a timely benefit: Increasing understanding of climate change.

That was one of the findings from a recent independent “space poll” conducted by the Everett Group, an opinion and market research organization located just outside Washington, D.C. In the days before President Barack Obama’s speech vowing continued commitment to explore the solar system and land astronauts on Mars, Everett surveyed 1,200 randomly selected adults by land line and cell phone.

Among the results:

• One-third said it is very important that the U.S. continue to explore the solar system, while another third considered it “somewhat” important.
• Among those who believe the space program is needed, 63 percent cited protecting the Earth from comets and asteroids as a primary objective, while 57 percent listed understanding climate change as a significant benefit.

Finding extraterrestrial life was not a priority: Only 18 percent of those surveyed listed it as important.

Obama’s Kennedy Space Center speech came amid debate about jobs and national status that might be lost if NASA’s Constellation program were to be discontinued. Poll respondents’ concerns about possible changes in NASA’s direction included job losses and threats to national security (both at 54 percent). Even more (63 percent) worried that changes would cause a loss of inspiration for America’s youth to study science and math.

The poll’s findings have a maximum margin of sampling error of 3.7 percentage points, plus or minus. A summary of the findings can be found on the Everett Group’s “Space Poll” Web site.

Just got a press release from Treasury touting Tim Geithner’s unveiling of the new $100 bill and directing me to www.newmoney.gov to marvel at the new design. I clicked. Site doesn’t load. Did Goldman take them all?

(Not-really-the-new-$100-bill image courtesy of Hasbro)

Update: YouTube has it:

(NAV Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Eek, don’t drink the milk! (OK, sorry. We overreacted.) But you can’t blame us after watching this spot, created pro bono by Merkley + Partners for the Ad Council and its partners (i.e., The Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). The organizations this week launched an ad campaign to raise awareness of lead poisoning. One spot (yes, the one that had us all worked up) opens with what appears to yummy, delicious, refreshing cold milk pouring into a baby’s bottle, as a soft, nursery/crib chime plays in the background. But the surprise comes when the camera zooms upward to reveal the real source. "Lead paint poisoning affects over 1 million children today," the voiceover says matter of factly. If your house was built before 1978, we urge you to get it checked out!

—Posted by Elaine Wong

Google’s new Government Request tool shows exactly how many times governments from around the world either asked Google to remove content or to provide user information. And how often Google complied. It’s quite the roadmap to intrusion. More »