Google Earth Gets a Seamless Upgrade [Google]

One drawback from Google Earth has always been that if you pull the view back far enough, the terrain begins to look like a scene from Minecraft. Well, no longer! With the version 6.2 update, Google Earth looks even more like the real thing. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/rH8nRqiyB-Y/google-earth-gets-a-seamless-upgrade

rich forever mixtape blow i am legend bret michaels bret michaels the unit seabiscuit

Do you have the 'right to be forgotten?' EU citizens may soon (Digital Trends)

The European Commission has outlined a proposal for reforming data protection laws in the European Union, touting the move as a way to both protect consumers? and individuals? privacy as well as save businesses billions every year by reducing the overhead needed to comply with current regulations. As outlined by EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding, the proposed laws would make data protection requirements uniform across the EU?s 27 member states, increase penalties for rule breaches, and would enshrine both a right for people to access and transfer their personal data as well as a ?right to be forgotten? ? that is, have data about them deleted it there are no legitimate reasons to keep it.

If enacted, the proposed regulations would be the first comprehensive reform of European data protection standards since 1995.

?The protection of personal data is a fundamental right for all Europeans, but citizens do not always feel in full control of their personal data,? said EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding in a prepared statement. ?My proposals will help build trust in online services because people will be better informed about their rights and in more control of their information. The reform will accomplish this while making life easier and less costly for businesses.?

EU Justice Commissioner Viviane RedingSetting standards

The EU?s 1995 Data Protection Directive guaranteed EU citizens a right to data protection, but the specifics have been difficult to manage, with different member states implementing the law in different ways. Similarly, the complexity of inter-jurisdictional cases (where, say, a user is in one country and a company with data about them is in another ? or outside Europe) created even more headaches. The result is that businesses looking to manage data responsibly have to deal with scores of different sets of regulations and enforcement agencies, and citizens often have little idea where to turn if they?re concerned about how their data is being used. And they are concerned: A recent Eurobarometer survey (PDF) found seven out of 10 Europeans are worried their personal data may be misused.

To keep businesses happy, the new regulations would impose a single set of data protection rules that would apply across the entire EU. And while businesses and individuals would still have to deal with individual data protection authorities in their respective countries, they can work with that single agency even then data is being processed by companies outside the EU. The idea here is to reduce paperwork, bureaucracy, and administrative costs: The European Commission estimates the changes will save businesses about ?2.3 billion a year. In exchange for lower regulatory burdens, companies also have some stiffer requirements: They have to report data breaches as soon as possible (like, within 24 hours) and can be penalized up to ?1 million or two percent of their global revenue for breaching data protection regulations.

The proposed regulations also include many tools to help everyday people manage their personal data and understand how it is being used. First of all, it defines personal data as essentially any information about an individual, whether it be their name, a photo, an email address, details of their private or professional life, medical information, posts on social networking sites, and even their IP address.

Companies would have to acquire explicit consent to collect and use personal data, rather using ?assumed consent? mechanisms such as continuing to use an account beyond a certain date. (Take note, Google!) Companies must also explicitly inform users if their personal data will be handled abroad.

The regulations also require users be able to transfer their data from one service provider to another. This is a bid to increase competition amongst services by preventing them from keeping users from leaving because their data is held hostage. For instance, if someone wants to switch from Facebook to Google+ right now, they?ll essentially be saying goodbye to most of the data (photos, videos, posts, comments, files, etc.) they?ve put on Facebook. The portability requirement would make such moves simpler, but it?s not clear what sort of technical solutions would satisfy the regulatory mandate.

The right to be forgotten

facebook-timeline-andrewPerhaps the highest-profile item in the proposal is the ?right to be forgotten,? that would require Internet companies to delete data about a user unless there are legitimate reasons to keep it around. In other words, if a Facebook user chose to delete his or her account, Facebook would actually have to delete it, not just put it in a kind of inaccessible limbo, where it?s information is still used to target advertising, tailor services, and (potentially) fall into the wrong hands. Consumer rights advocates note that a ?right to be forgotten? helps Internet users have confidence in their ability to manage their personal data; however, many industry watchers expect companies like Facebook to argue about what a ?legitimate? reason for retaining data might be. From Facebook?s point of view, keeping an account in limbo is a wonderful service, so they can restore the account if (no, when!) the user decides to come back.

The proposal also includes a new directive that will apply data protection principles to police and law enforcement matters, both domestically and internationally. The European Commission argues that having the same legal framework in all EU member states will enable police forced to more effectively battle online crime and fraud, and also ensures that personal data used by law enforcement is uniformly protected throughout the EU.

Broader implications

If the European Commission?s proposal is enacted and resonates with EU citizens, it could have significant repercussions in the rest of the world, since so many major Internet players ? from Amazon to Netflix to Google to Facebook to Twitter to Apple ? all operate in Europe. Most of those companies would not want to be in a position where they?re perceived to treat personal data with care?but only in Europe.

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

More from Digital Trends

Germany says Facebook facial recognition violates EU privacy laws

TomTom cleared in Dutch data privacy investigation

European court says ISPs don?t have to filter content

European security agency recommends ?real sanctions? for personal data breaches

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/digitaltrends/20120125/tc_digitaltrends/doyouhavetherighttobeforgotteneucitizensmaysoon

do a barrelroll bérénice marlohe bérénice marlohe google offers cerebral palsy death clock death clock

Common explains feud with Drake (AP)

PARK CITY, Utah ? The Sundance Film Festival became the unlikely center of hip-hop's latest feud when actor-turned-rapper Drake and rapper-turned-actor Common came to town.

Common was promoting his role in upcoming family drama "LUV," while Drake was performing at one of the many late-night parties.

The two have traded insults recently via their raps, but Common said he didn't want to say anything else about Drake not in rhyme form.

"I feel like I said everything I really needed to say on the record. I just looked at it as like `Hey, it's just a hip-hop battle,'" he explained in an interview this week.

"The time to talk is on record as far as I'm concerned. If we in the ring, then we just handle our business in the ring."

Common had the most recent entry into the battle, by adding his verse to a Rick Ross song and naming Drake directly ? a move that the Chicago native said he felt obligated to make.

"Ice Cube, when he was going at N.W.A., once he left N.W.A., you knew who it was. Jay-Z and Nas ? Jay-Z said, `Smarten up, Nas.' And you just knew. Cats would say names," he continued.

"So that's just the way that I feel like you've got to do it. I don't want to like leave anything _I don't want anybody else to think I'm talking about them. I want you to know, `Hey this is who I'm talking to.'"

Common, known more lately for his acting than his rapping, started the battle with a song called "Sweet" on his new album, "The Dreamer/The Believer."

"He (Drake) felt offended by it. And the song is really discussing how hip-hop has a softer side," said Common.

"And I made it clear that I'm not talking about anyone specifically. For me it was no different than when Jay-Z addressed with `DOA,' he was talking about Auto-Tune. I was talking about, `Hey, you know hip-hop is starting to become more just saturated with softer songs,'" he said. "And I don't see anything the matter actually with the love songs. I do love songs. So I don't see anything the matter with it, but when the music becomes saturated with it, I mean, I speak up. I love hip-hop music."

The festival continues through Sunday.

___

Online:

http://www.thinkcommon.com/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_en_mu/us_people_common

yom kippur yom kippur diamondbacks wolf creek wolf creek arizona diamondbacks arizona diamondbacks

Kentucky back at No. 1 in AP poll

Kentucky, the only team in last week's top four not to lose over the weekend, is back on top of The Associated Press' college basketball poll.

The Wildcats, who were ranked No. 1 for two weeks earlier this season, moved up one place Monday after receiving 61 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel.

Missouri, which got two No. 1 votes, jumped from fifth to second, while Syracuse, which was in first place for the last six weeks, dropped to third after losing at Notre Dame, its first loss this season. The Orange were No. 1 on two ballots.

Ohio State and Kansas moved up two places to fourth and fifth and were followed by Baylor, which fell three places after losing two games last week, North Carolina, Duke, Georgetown and Michigan State. Duke dropped four places after losing to Florida State at home.

Murray State, the lone remaining unbeaten team in Division I, is 11th.

Florida State, which beat North Carolina and Duke in its four-game winning streak, moves back into the poll at No. 23. Wisconsin, which has won four straight after losing three in a row, is back at No. 25.

Illinois, which lost to Penn State and Wisconsin last week, dropped out from 22nd. Louisville, which reached as high as No. 4 this season but has lost five of eight, fell out from 23rd.

North Carolina is the only other team to be ranked No. 1 this season, holding the spot in the preseason Top 25 and the first poll of the regular season.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-23-BKC-T25-College-Bkb-Poll/id-3edf8a7aca13491a829f65a381eb9d15

boxing andy dalton corporal kelsey de santis corporal kelsey de santis ufc on fox juan manuel marquez juan manuel marquez

Panetta: US won't cut carrier fleet to fix budget

The United States will not cut America's fleet of 11 aircraft carriers to help trim the budget deficit, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Saturday, citing tensions with Iran as an example of why the massive ships are so critical to national security.

Panetta was addressing about 1,700 sailors headed to the Gulf this spring aboard the USS Enterprise, which after a half-century of service is about to embark on its final tour before being taken offline in November.

The Enterprise's last deployment comes at a moment of heightened tensions with Iran, which has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important oil shipping lane. That's something the United States says it will not allow.

"You're part of what keeps our force agile and flexible and quickly deployable and capable of taking on any enemy, anywhere in the world," Panetta said, speaking about 100 nautical miles off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia.

  1. Other political news of note

    1. Gingrich wins South Carolina GOP primary

      NBC News projects that Newt Gingrich has won the South Carolina Republican primary, capping off a remarkable comeback for his presidential bid that reshapes the trajectory of the battle for the GOP nomination.

    2. NYT: Santorum, optimistic, plans effort nationwide
    3. Conservatives, evangelical Christians rebuff Romney
    4. Early voting opens statewide in Florida
    5. Obama to talk economy in State of the Union

"For that reason that the President of the United States and all of us . have decided that it is important for us to maintain our carrier presence at full strength. And that means we'll be keeping 11 carriers in our force," he said to applause.

Next week, the Pentagon is due to announce a five-year budget plan that will cut about $260 billion from projected defense spending, scaling back the military after a decade of costly land wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Some analysts have speculated that the Pentagon could slightly shrink the carrier fleet, perhaps by slowing construction of new ships to replace older ones like the Enterprise, the world's first nuclear-powered carrier. Its missions date back to the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 and the Vietnam war.

THREE-YEAR GAP

There will already be a nearly three-year gap between the time that the Enterprise goes offline in November and its replacement, the USS Gerald R. Ford, comes online in 2015.

But Panetta insisted that the U.S. commitment to a fleet of 11 carriers was long-term and was quick to cite Iran as one of the important reasons that aircraft carriers were important in projecting American military power anywhere in the world.

Asked about Iran by one of the crew, Panetta said the United States would forge ahead with efforts to tighten sanctions isolating Iran over its nuclear program - sending a clear message that the international community will not let it obtain a nuclear weapon. Iran says its uranium enrichment is peaceful.

"But the most important way we make those messages clear is to show that we are prepared, and that we are strong. And that we will have a presence in that part of the world. And that's what this carrier is all about," he said.

"And better for them to deal with us through diplomacy and through international rules and regulations - and not other ways. Because they ain't going to win."

Panetta's trip to the Enterprise came as its strike group ran drills confronting a hostile, hypothetical nation named "Garnet." Panetta sat in the captain's chair as a fictitious enemy ship trailed the Enterprise, and spoke to a pilot as he attempted to land on the deck. After more training, the Enterprise will deploy in March and eventually head to the Gulf.

"They are going to a critical area of the world," Panetta told reporters later. "They're going to be traveling through the Straits of Hormuz and they will represent the naval presence and power projection that we've made clear that we're going to maintain in the Middle East."

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45673582/ns/politics/

kid rock new zealand windows live president obama white house

Syracuse coach keeps focus in tumultuous season (AP)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. ? When he leaves his home on a cul-de-sac in a secluded Syracuse suburb, coach Jim Boeheim has to drive past the house belonging to his former assistant, Bernie Fine, just across the street.

It's a constant reminder of the case that has shaken the Syracuse campus. Fine, an assistant for more than 35 years, was fired three games into the season after two former ball boys accused him of sexually molesting them when they were young.

When Boeheim publicly defended his longtime friend in November, disparaging the accusers, advocates for child sex abuse victims said the head coach should resign or be fired. Shaken by the outrage his comments had caused, Boeheim quickly apologized and has since been steadfast in saying he won't talk about the case until the investigation is over.

Despite what clearly have been some of the most difficult days of his life, Boeheim has kept his focus ? and that of his players ? on basketball. His team is off to a 20-0 start, the best in Syracuse history, and has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for six weeks.

Just past the midpoint of the season, Boeheim offered the following assessment:

"It's been pretty normal as far as basketball is concerned. That part has been normal, and as far as the basketball part is concerned we'll try to keep it that way."

For Syracuse, however, it has been anything but normal.

National media swarmed around campus, with TV trucks parked for weeks outside the basketball practice facility.

Federal agents searched Fine's home and office. Accusers Bobby Davis and stepbrother Mike Lang filed a defamation lawsuit against Boeheim and the university.

Two other men have come forward and accused Fine, but one has since said he was not telling the truth, and authorities say there is evidence that undercuts the other's allegation.

Boeheim, 67, has closed the team's practices, conducting them behind orange-and-blue curtains.

"This has obviously affected him. It certainly shook him early, and I think it's still there. He looks tired," said Jim Satalin, a national director for Coaches vs. Cancer, a charitable effort Boeheim has supported for more than a decade. "I think it's a combination of probably everything, and it's still hanging over everything."

Two months later, there's not much discussion in Syracuse about the case. A town hall meeting Thursday night on sex abuse was attended by about 100 people at a community college.

Boeheim has vowed to campaign against child abuse through the McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center in Syracuse.

"It's been a combination of Jim Boeheim being contrite and apologizing and making an effort to help out the McMahon/Ryan house and a cause like that," said Brent Axe, a local sports talk radio host. "And, of course, the way this team has played has people thinking more about that. The Bernie Fine story has cooled off. There's only been a little information here and there. People don't know what to think about that story anymore."

They know what they think of the Orange, though. Syracuse has had the four largest on-campus crowds in the nation and the Carrier Dome box office has extended its hours because of surging sales. Murray State at 19-0 is the only other unbeaten team in Division I.

In November, with the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal at Penn State still in the headlines, CBS Sports columnist Gregg Doyel said Syracuse should fire Boeheim, who took over at his alma mater in 1976. Doyel is now calling him the national coach of the year.

"Thank God they've had such a great season," Satalin said. "I think he's been able to keep his focus on that. I don't think there's any question that that's taken the focus off of a lot of different things. People are looking at this as the possibility of being a really special year.

"I can't imagine if they were 10-10 or something. The feeling would probably be a lot different."

Boeheim told his players before the season that they had the pedigree of a national champion.

The team doesn't have a likely NBA lottery pick on the roster and only three players are scoring in double figures, none averaging better than 13.7 points.

"He's been terrific," senior forward Kris Joseph said. "He did a great job of keeping us levelheaded and it was probably even harder for him to do that for himself with everything going on and all the adversity that he's faced off the court. He did a great job of not letting it get to him as far as making sure this team was supposed to do what they were supposed to do.

"He let us know that we're not going to let this affect our season," Joseph said. "He did a great job of making sure that never happened. He kept us together as a team and we won basketball games."

Added fifth-year senior Scoop Jardine: "This year, he's just a little more focused on our team. The way he's handled it has really made us handle our situation better. He's always been a great leader for us."

Those who know Boeheim best aren't surprised.

"He has turned all the attention, as well I knew he would, knowing Jim, into his basketball team," Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun said. "Quite frankly, for a lot of coaches, myself included, the rest that you get from the storm outside is right in that gym working with the kids."

Fans can only marvel at what they see on the court: a rotation of 10 players, and ? unlike the bickering on Boeheim's only national championship team in 2003 ? not a single frown.

"He's got my vote for national coach of the year right now," Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. "Obviously, there was off-the-court stuff, but away from that, he has managed a lot of guys that want to play more than they're playing. He's done a fabulous job getting everybody involved and having them buy into winning and chasing a team goal. In this era, it is really a challenge to do that."

At the Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub in downtown Syracuse, fan Sharon Bowes said Boeheim has been doing "the best job he's ever done."

"It's the most unselfish team I've seen. That's what makes champions," Bowes said.

On Monday night, Syracuse beat nemesis Pittsburgh 71-63 to snap a five-game losing streak against the Panthers and set the school record for most wins at the start of a season.

"Nothing he does surprises me because he's done it for so long," said Bill Raftery, who called the game for ESPN. "I think he just coaches. He doesn't worry. He's got a singular responsibility once he's in the gym, and that's what he does. And they respond to him."

The triumph was Boeheim's 876th, tying him for fourth all-time in men's Division I with Kentucky's Adolph Rupp and only three behind Dean Smith of North Carolina. Most now expect that total to rise well beyond 900 before Boeheim retires, a milestone reached only by Duke's Mike Krzyzewski and his mentor, Bob Knight.

"He's earned our respect," Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said of Boeheim. "He's earned everybody in the business' respect. It's amazing what he's done."

Last year's team started 18-0, then lost four straight before rebounding. Nobody expects that this year, and Boeheim is hopeful it won't.

"It's always easier to win than lose. When you're losing, it seems like a long season," he said.

"I've been there. When you're struggling, it seems like it will never get over," he said. "These guys have played well and it's a good team to coach. We know we have a long way to go yet. That's something we are very aware of."

___

AP Basketball Writer Jim O'Connell in New York City contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_sp_co_ne/bkc_t25_syracuse_boeheim

atlanta braves national coffee day national coffee day paw paw paw paw baltimore orioles rosh hashanah

Small business coalition calls for overthrow of Citizens United | The ...

By Stephen C. Webster
Friday, January 20, 2012

?

A recent survey of small business owners, carried out by the American Sustainable Business Council, found that most of those polled believe the influx of private money into public elections is a bad thing, and that the Supreme Court?s decision in Citizens United?must be overturned.

The poll?(PDF) revealed that 66 percent of the 500 small business owners surveyed felt that the presence of corporations with license to spend an unlimited sum to influence elections ultimately harms their interests. Nine percent of those polled said that the Supreme Court?s two-year-old decision was a positive development. A further 19?percent of respondents said the decision was neither good nor bad, and 6 percent did not know.

When phrased differently ? with respondents being asked how they view the role of money in politics ? a full 88 percent said they held a negative view, while just 7 percent were neutral and 4 percent were positive. Sixty-eight percent said they view it very negatively.

The 100,000-company business group added that its online petitions have attracted the signatures of 1,000 small business owners, all of whom call for a constitutional amendment to repeal Citizens United.

?As a financial services firm it is important for us and all investors to know that the playing field is level when we make investments,? Matthew Patsky, CEO of Trillium Asset Management, explained in a media advisory released by the business council. ?Right now, the game is rigged in favor of those corporations with deep pockets to change public policy for their particular narrow interests. We have to work to change this.?

The group?s survey comes at exactly the right time: Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) introduced on Thursday a constitutional amendment that would make federal elections public property, financed purely by the people and not by special interest money.

A number of other Members of Congress, including Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY), Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) have proposed constitutional amendments to overturn the?Citizens United?ruling. Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Michael Bennet of (D-CO) have also introduced a less ambitious constitutional amendment that would give Congress and the states the authority to regulate the campaign finance system.

Kucinich?s proposed amendment would completely bar interest groups from influencing elections by requiring?that all federal campaigns be financed exclusively with public funds and prohibit any expenditures from any other source.

?We must rescue American democracy from unlimited corporate money,? Kucinich said. ?This is the most fundamental issue facing the future of our nation. With corporate, private financing we have officials working for the interest of corporations. With public financing we have officials working for the public. And public financing will actually save taxpayers? money, by eliminating any incentive of public officials to reward campaign contributors with taxpayer subsidies.?

With prior reporting by Eric W. Dolan.

Stephen C. Webster

Stephen C. Webster is the senior editor of Raw Story, and is based out of Austin, Texas. He previously worked as the associate editor of The Lone Star Iconoclast in Crawford, Texas, where he covered state politics and the peace movement?s resurgence at the start of the Iraq war. Webster has also contributed to publications such as True/Slant, Austin Monthly, The Dallas Business Journal, The Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Weekly, The News Connection and others. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenCWebster.

?

?

?

?

Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/20/small-business-coalition-calls-for-overthrow-of-citizens-united/

giants vs jets ny jets ny jets chargers seahawks jets air jordans

Through the Looking Glass - Dedicated Players Wanted

Hello, everyone! I've worked with two friends of mine to create the roleplay Through the Looking Glass, a story that follows the adventures of fairy tale characters in the real world and real world people in a fantasy world. Now, we know that it has similarities to the television show Once Upon a Time, but we want to establish that we're trying to go a very different direction with our story.

In this roleplay, everyone will have two characters: A fairy tale character and their real-world counterpart, who will switch universes at the very beginning of the RP. From there, they can either begin to make their way back, or try to make themselves at home in the real world. All this takes place during a time of political upheaval between the good and evil queens of Atleos, and a corporate legal conflict in modern-day New York.

We are trying to limit the use of 'well-known' characters, such as Disney Princesses and Princes, and choose more unusual and 'minor' characters from existing fairy tales to allow for as much creative room as we want, while still allowing for some fun name-dropping and references to other stories.

Please take a look, and reply below or in the OOC thread here if you have questions!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/T9W5oy_puwU/viewtopic.php

coraline jacqueline laurita mcfadden mcfadden ponder ponder extract