Improved chat for iGoogle and orkut

Improved chat for iGoogle and orkut: "Have you ever wanted to quickly send a file to a friend who's online? Now you can share pictures, documents and other files directly with your friends while chatting in iGoogle and orkut, without having to switch to email to send the file as an attachment. File transfer works directly in the browser so you don't need to install anything. Just start a conversation with a friend and click “Send a file...” in the “Actions” menu. After you select a file, your friend will be asked if they want to accept the transfer. You can learn more on the Google Talkabout Blog.

You might have noticed that we recently gave iGoogle and orkut chat a face lift. Several tools now have a new home at the top of the chat window. From the new toolbar, you can click the blue camera and phone icons to start video and voice chats with your friends or the group chat icon to add additional friends to a text chat. If you've never used video or voice chat before, all you need is a webcam and microphone attached to your computer and a small plugin application available for free at www.google.com/chat/video.

We're working to bring file transfer and the new toolbar to Gmail too. In the meantime, you can continue to access voice, video and group chat in Gmail from the “Video and More” menu in a chat window.

Posted by Bruce Leban, software engineer

 

Henry Winkler - The Fonz and I

The Fonz and I: "Yes, I am a child of the Sixties. Which means I was a teen of the Seventies.

Which also means I grew up watching 'Happy Days'.

Which therefore means, at the tender age of 14, I fell in love with The Fonz. I watched that show every week, wishing desperately I was the coolest guy on earth's 'main squeeze'. I dreamt of holding tight onto his leather-clad torso as we peeled away into the sunset on his souped-up motorcycle.

My love of Fonzie didn't end with Happy Days. I laughed at 'Night Shift', cried during 'An American Christmas Carol' each holiday season, and tried to catch whatever else Henry Winkler happened to be in. To me, he is like a teddy bear; I just wanna hug the incredibly nice guy.

Instead, today HE hugged ME.

Oh and kissed me. Twice.

And during that long-awaited hug, he whispered into my ear, 'Mmmmm. You smell good.' In that SAME voice... oh my.

I was in heaven. It doesn't matter to me that I had to wait 36 years. It was worth it.

I told him I grew up with him. He responded with 'And you grew up wonderfully...' in that smooth way that makes me melt....

No this wasn't a dream.

It was the World of Wheels car show, and he was the special guest. When I heard he was coming to town, I KNEW I had to met him. So I went early, and parked myself at his booth to wait the hour before he was scheduled to appear.

I was first in line... and found myself shaking with excitement and nervousness by the time he appeared.

Thank you Fonzie... you are still the coolest guy on this earth. And tonight you made my dreams come true.

"

EARTH HOUR 2010

EARTH HOUR 2010: "

EARTH HOUR IS A GLOBAL EVENT CREATED BY SYMBOLIZED THAT EACH ONE OF US, WORKING TOGETHER, CAN MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE - NO MATTER WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE LIVE.
~:SATURDAY , MARCH 27, 2010 - EARTH HOUR 2010:~
TURN YOUR LIGHTS OFF FROM 8.30 PM TO 9.30 PM
(CREDIT TO 'TOWN OF BELOIT')

"

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher Launch Campaign to Ban Child Slavery

Exclusive: Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher Launch Campaign to Ban Child Slavery: " Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore have just launched a social and global campaign to raise awareness about child slavery in Haiti with the goal to completely ban the “restavec” system that is promoting it.$2.8 billion would be reconstruction funds from the U.S. Government, requested by President Obama.. Thus, several U.S. congressmen will be attending the conference.fighting Malaria, the #IranElection Crisis, and #BlameDrewsCancer. They believe that ending child slavery in Haiti will become another cause the social web will rally around.on their Facebook page, their Twitter account, and their foundation’s website). They encourage everyone to tweet and contact Barack Obama about the issue. They hope, most of all, to generate buzz and start a big conversation around restovec and bring a new level of awareness that was not there before.DemiAndAshton.Org@dnafoundationDemi & Ashton Foundation

In an exclusive interview with Mashable, the couple explained to us exactly what is happening in the earthquake-devastated country, what they hope to accomplish through their foundation, and how people can use social media to spread the word.

Here is what they had to say, as well as ways you can help.

---

Background: Restavec and What’s Happening in Haiti

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Slavery is something that most people believe is a thing of the past. After all, it was abolished in the U.S. nearly 150 years ago by the Emancipation Proclamation and Abraham Lincoln. However, Ashton and Demi told us otherwise in a 20 minute phone call interview conducted earlier today.

In Haiti, there is a system known as restavec, which is French for “one who stays with.” In it, a child is sent by his or her parents to work as a domestic servant with a host family, usually because the parents believe that their child will have a better quality of life if they give him or her up.

Both Ashton and Demi strongly believe that the system is simply slavery given a different name. They are forced to help out a host family, clean after them, and essentially work as slaves. Ashton said that most of these children, who can be anywhere from five to fifteen, do not go to school and are not provided the opportunities they deserve.

Here’s how former President Bill Clinton describes the situation:

“As the people of Haiti re-envision the future of their country and begin to build back better, there is an enormous opportunity for us to partner together to help develop a more modern economy that uplifts all Haitians. Protecting the rights of children is important, as is strengthening their access to quality education and health services. The Haitians are committed to this, and I am glad Demi and Ashton are taking action and supporting this important issue.”

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The Campaign Against Restavec

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Facebook Appears To Be Worth $35 Billion

Facebook Appears To Be Worth $35 Billion: "

Sorting through all kinds of filings and other technical gobbledygook, the guys at the Private Equity Data Center say their new best guess for Face-book's internal valuation is $35 billion.

On SecondMarket, Facebook common shares are currently trading at a $16 billion valuation.

One big reason the price keeps going up is that Russian holding firm Digital Sky Technologies is hungrily scarfing up as much Facebook stock as it can from early investors and employees.

Here's the bull's case for Facebook.

• 400 million people visit the site each month. Half as many go there every day.
• 48% of us check the site from bed every night.
• On the business front, Facebook's ad business is booming thanks to virtual game studios busily acquiring new users and brands marketing their Facebook pages (which let brands spam customers like they use to with email).
• There's also 'Pay With Facebook' which gives Facebook a 30% cut of the ridiculously fast growing virtual goods market on Facebook AND could end up us a one-click payment option across the Internet.
• Facebook is cash-flow positive.
• According to TBI Research, Facebook revenues are on-pace to exceed $1 Billion this year.

Here's PEDC's logic:

Prior to the enforcement of IRC 409A, many companies might have used a default discount such as 80% for the pricing of options. These days with IRC 409A in place, the companies now have to “show their work” when pricing these options. With that being said, we have reviewed numerous option filings by Facebook, and some of those prices of the common listed on these typically fell within a 75% to 80% discount as to the most recent round of Preferred Stock that had been issued. So, where are we going with this?

The latest option filing that was filed in January 2010 priced the common at $16.17. If, and this is a big IF, we assume this price falls within a discount range applied to the pricing of some of the previous filings, this would bring the per share value of the latest round of Preferred Stock issued in May 2009 to $83.75. Using that share price and the total estimated fully diluted shares that we have calculated, this gives Facebook, Inc. a value of close to $35 BB. We are not formally saying that Facebook is valued at $35 BB, we are simply throwing another hypothesis into the discussion of valuation for the company. The Tenth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation can be found here.

Join the conversation about this story

Another problem solved by global warming

Another problem solved by global warming: "

From Africa to the Himalayas, everyone's worried about global warming's potential to drive world conflict. But what about the disputes it will solve? A long-running argument between India and Bangladesh over a small island in the Bay of Bengal has just been resolved: the island's not there anymore:

New Moore Island [also known as South Talpatti] in the Sunderbans has been completely submerged,said oceanographer Sugata Hazra, a professor at Jadavpur University in Calcutta. Its disappearance has been confirmed by satellite imagery and sea patrols, he said.

"What these two countries could not achieve from years of talking, has been resolved by global warming," said Hazra.

"

Tough times for white South African squatters

Tough times for white South African squatters: "

KRUGERSDORP (South Africa), March 26 — Sitting in a deck chair at a white South African squatter camp, Ann le Roux, 60, holds a yellowing photo from her daughter’s wedding day.

Taken not long after Nelson Mandela became the country’s first black president in 1994, it shows Le Roux standing with her Afrikaans husband and their daughter outside their home in Melville, an upmarket Johannesburg neighborhood.

Sixteen years later, she lives in a caravan and a tent shared with seven other people, including her daughter and four grandchildren, at a squatter camp for poor white South Africans.

"

Myanmar junta prepares for final salute

Myanmar junta prepares for final salute: "

BANGKOK, March 26 — An ostentatious parade by Myanmar’s ruling generals tomorrow is being cast by the junta as a swansong, but the military looks set to remain the dominant political force even after handing power to a civilian government after elections later this year.

The annual Army Day parade in the new capital of Naypyitaw will no doubt feature nationalist speeches on economic potential and democratic rule in the former Burma, but analysts say the generals have a far more important message to deliver.

"

15 Insanely Popular Lady Gaga YouTube Videos

 

15 Insanely Popular Lady Gaga YouTube Videos: "

You may have heard that Lady Gaga is the first music artist to reach one billion online video views. Some of us here at Mashable say that’s downright ridiculous — a tragedy, even — but other staffers are cheering her on.

And while we may not be able to agree on the merits of her music, we did think it would be appropriate to celebrate the occasion with 15 of the best Gaga YouTube videos. Watch these videos and tell us if you can figure out why Gaga has outdone all the competition — why does she appeal so much to the YouTube-browsing, web-savvy crowd?

Maybe she’s just in the right place at the right time, maybe her label’s Vevo music video strategy is responsible, or maybe there’s just something undefinable about Gaga’s global appeal. These videos might serve up some hints.

Music videos are at the top, everything else is farther down. Enjoy the music, Gaga disciples! Everyone else: Enjoy trying to figure out what all the fuss is about.

Table of Contents

- Music Video: “Bad Romance”
- Music Video: “Telephone” feat. Beyoncé [Explicit]
- Music Video: “Poker Face”
- Music Video: “Just Dance”
- Music Video: “Paparazzi”
- Music Video: “LoveGame”
- Stefani Germanotta: Gaga Before She Was Gaga
- Tutorial: Lady Gaga “Poker Face” Makeup
- Cover: Christopher Walken Performs “Poker Face”
- Cover: “Bad Romance”/”Poker Face” Acoustic Ballad
- Mashup: Gaga in Wonderland
- Mashup: South Park Does Lady Gaga on Rock Band (Extended Mix)
- Parody: “Poker Face” (“Outer Space”)
- Parody: “Bad Romance” (Key of Awesome)
- Parody: “Telephone” (Key of Awesome)

---

Music Video: “Bad Romance”

---

---

Music Video: “Telephone” feat. Beyoncé [Explicit]

---

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Music Video: “Poker Face”

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Music Video: “Just Dance”

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US Congress approves final healthcare changes

 

US Congress approves final healthcare changes: "
WASHINGTON, March 26 — The US Congress approved a package of final changes to President Barack Obama’s landmark healthcare overhaul yesterday, and Obama dared Republicans to try to repeal the new law.

The House of Representatives put the finishing touches on the overhaul by passing a companion package that would make insurance more affordable, raise taxes on the wealthy and close a gap for prescription drug coverage for seniors.

The Senate approved the package earlier in the day. It now goes to Obama to sign.
"

Daily Diversion: This Kid's Hip-Hop Skills Wildly Surpass Our Own

Daily Diversion: This Kid's Hip-Hop Skills Wildly Surpass Our Own: "Blame it on the classical ballet, but after nine years of dance lessons we never got the pop-and-lock down. That's why we're amazed by this little guy, who's mastered a hip-hop routine worthy of a So You Think You Can Dance? audition. The tot (really, what else can we call him?) performs with such smooth precision you'll be wondering whether he's actually a nimble teenager trapped in a tiny body. Watch, be jealous, and try not to smile.

Top 10 Atheism Quotes

Top 10 Atheism Quotes: "
There are hundreds of great atheism quotes out there. Like most skillful turns of phrase, they all sound good. But there are many I disagree with, for example 'All thinking men are atheists' (Ernest Hemmingway).

Or consider this Julian Baggini quote: 'Goblins, hobbits... truly everlasting gobstoppers... God is just one of the things that atheists don't believe in, it just happens to be the thing that, for historical reasons, gave them their name.' Actually, no. Perhaps we could say that God is just one of many things that naturalists don't believe in, or something like that, but atheism is defined only by a lack of belief in gods.

There are hundreds of other atheism quotes to choose from, but these are the ones that strike me most deeply right now.

My 10 favorite atheism quotes

When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

Stephen Roberts

When I was a kid I had an imaginary friend and I used to think that he went everywhere with me, and that I could talk to him and that he could hear me, and that he could grant me wishes and stuff. And then I grew up, and I stopped going to church.

Jimmy Carr

Believe nothing,

No matter where you read it,

Or who has said it,

Not even if I have said it,

Unless it agrees with your own reason

And your own common sense.

Buddha

To understand via the heart is not to understand.

Michel de Montaigne

I don't know if God exists, but it would be better for His reputation if He didn't.

Jules Renard

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime; give a man religion and he will die praying for a fish.

Anonymous

Do not pass by my epitaph, traveler.

But having stopped, listen and learn, then go your way.

There is no boat in Hades, no ferryman Charon,

No caretaker Aiakos, no dog Cerberus.

All we who are dead below

Have become bones and ashes, but nothing else.

I have spoken to you honestly, go on, traveler,

Lest even while dead I seem talkative to you.

Ancient Roman tombstone

An atheist doesn't have to be someone who thinks he has a proof that there can't be a god. He only has to be someone who believes that the evidence on the God question is at a similar level to the evidence on the werewolf question.

John McCarthy

Men never commit evil so fully and joyfully as when they do it for religious convictions.

Blaise Pascal

Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.

Anonymous
"

Well, That Didn’t Work: China Censors Google Hong Kong Site

 

In response to Google’s recent tactic of redirecting Chinese users to its uncensored Hong Kong site (Google.hk), the Chinese government began disabling certain searches or blocking the results, according to The New York Times.

In a way, it’s back to square one — for users in China, Google is still censored, just as it was before.

There will be further repercussions for Google; for example, China Mobile is expected to cancel a deal that was supposed to make Google its default mobile search provider. But one cannot escape the feeling that Google’s entire anti-censorship episode didn’t have much success, at least from the perspective of Internet users in China.

In its blog post from yesterday, Google said it hopes that the Chinese government will respect its decision, announcing it will be “carefully monitoring access issues.” Well, there’s definitely an access issue now; the question is: What will Google’s next move be?

Fashion Photography by Ali Alisir

‘Ali Alisir was born in Istanbul 1978.At the age of 18 he attended Y.U Fine Art Graphic Design Faculty with recieving the succes scholarship.In 1998 he brought his illustrations,paintings and sculptures to the publiceye as a painter.Since 1998 he has published his drawings and photographs mostly in student and underground papers. He also exhibited his works in several art galleries.In 2003,he started taking photographs,focusing in fashion photography.He since moved to Italy in 2003 and attended the Fashion Photography Master Program at Accademia Italiana.Now he is working as a painter and professional fashion photographer in Italy and Turkey. ‘

Anwar insists on APCO’s Israel link

Anwar insists on APCO’s Israel link: "

By Adib Zalkapli

KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today maintained that APCO Worldwide had served the Ehud Barak administration in 1999 and said that he will give an explanation to the Speaker of Parliament as soon as possible.

“I will give my explanation, and my explanation will be based on the prime minister’s response on March 18,” said Anwar, referring to Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s written reply to Parliament admitting that “APCO Worldwide Sdn Bhd was appointed to provide total communication services.”

CORPORATE LEADERSHIP

Since 1984 APCO Worldwide has addressed clients' interests and objectives through communication and public affairs consulting. APCO's board of directors and executive committee work to ensure APCO provides best-in-class service while remaining a responsible corporate citizen. To learn about our mission, business philosophy and responsible business committee, read our business conduct page.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

	Margery Kraus chair founder & chief executive officer APCO Worldwide
	Ron Boschetto director		Neal M. Cohen chief executive officer Americas  director worldwide operations
	David Greenberg independent director		Neil Wiesenberg direct

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

	Margery Kraus chair founder & chief executive officer APCO Worldwide
	Neal M. Cohen chief executive officer Americas  director worldwide operations		Larry E. Snoddon vice chairman APCO Worldwide chief executive officer Asia
	Brad Staples chief executive officer EMEA		Robert Schooling managing director Washington, D.C.
	Kirk Stewart executive vice president		Philip Fraser chief information officer
	Mara Hedgecoth vice president & director global marketing & communication assistant secretary APCO Worldwide		Stacy Reyan senior vice president human resources
	Judith S. Sapir senior vice president general counsel  secretary APCO Worldwide		Denise Teeling chief financial office