Hide My Mini Feed Google!

Bothered by your Mini Feed being all open and exposed today on Facebook? Blame Google.

By ANICK JESDANUN
AP Internet Writer
NEW YORK (AP) - Google Inc's online communities have little traction in the United States, but the search leader continues to seek a spot in the social-networking hierarchy.
First, it must contend with Facebook, the No. 2 online hangout behind MySpace.
Days after Google unveiled Friend Connect, which lets the sites of musicians, political campaigns and others incorporate profile data from several social networks, Facebook began to block the program.
Although Google was taking advantage of the same tools that Facebook made available free to other outside developers, Facebook said Google was violating Facebooks restrictions on data sharing. The two sides remain in a stalemate.
Google, whose Orkut social network has tens of millions of users in Brazil, tried to reach further into social networking with the November unveiling of a consortium called OpenSocial, which lets developers write applications for use on multiple social networks. News Corp.'s MySpace has joined, but Facebook hasn't.
This month, Google unveiled Friend Connect, which promises to pool profile data from Facebook, Google Talk, Orkut, LinkedIn, Plaxo and hi5, though not MySpace. The profile information gets incorporated into other sites [--] a political campaign, for instance, can build communities of supporters by tapping existing networks [--] with Google serving as the intermediary.
Facebook quickly objected, citing privacy concerns. Normally dealing with other companies one on one, Facebook can block a service it feels violates its rules. With Google as the intermediary, Facebook lost that leverage, so it decided to block Friend Connect entirely.
In a blog posting, Facebook developer Charlie Cheever said Google's Friend Connect "redistributes user information from Facebook to other developers without users' knowledge, which doesn't respect the privacy standards our users have come to expect."
Google responded, acknowledging it passes along data. But it said sharing is limited to links for profile photos of users and friends who have expressly consented to sharing with that particular site. The user's name and numeric ID on Facebook are replaced with Google's own identifiers, Google said in a company blog post.
Google also said it purges Facebook data from its systems every 30 minutes, more frequently than the 24 hours required by Facebook.
Facebook has run into privacy challenges before, most recently when it unveiled a marketing tool called "Beacon" that tracked purchases Facebook members made on other Web sites and sent alerts to their Facebook friends about the transactions.
But Rachel Happe, research manager at IDC, said the dispute is ultimately about control rather than privacy. She said Google's Friend Connect starts to eat into other peoples value proposition, which is why you saw Facebook object to it."

Facebook is reworking its security systems to protect its users from Google's web crawler, so be patient. The invasion of your privacy will soon cease, and your status updates, relationship status updates, personal pictures and wall postings will no longer be posted in all over the Web.

Bear eats trainer on film? Only in Hollywood

Rocky the bear, a 700-pound grizzly, was called the best trained in the business. So much so that he responded to cues during a "wrestling match" with Will Farrel in "Semi Pro."
But something must of aggrevated him on Tuesday when he reportedly killed his handler during a video shoot at a training facility near Los Angeles.

Steve Miller, 39, was one of three handlers working with Rocky when the five-year-old bear bit him in the neck and killed him. The other two handlers sedated the bear with pepper spray and were unharmed.

Some are calling for euthanisation, while others are arguing that there is not enough evidence to show that the bear poses a significant threat. There has never been an incident with Rocky prior to Tuesday's attack, and investigators would not say what caused him to attack Miller.

But as every good Hollywood saga goes, cameras were in place when the attack occured for the taping of a training video. The Sheriff's Department would not comment on whether or not they were actually rolling, but according to Reuters, investigators will review the footage if they were.

Perhaps Predators in Action, the facility where Rocky was housed and where the attack occured, wants to protect the bear from vicious paparazzi and spare him the embarrassment of publicaly revealing his mental breakdown. I understand they are hoping to move him to a facility with Lindsey Lohan to make sure he doesn't turn to the bottle to mask his frustration with his life.

Lest we forget

Summer is approaching. And with the rise in temperatures, there is always a surge in crime across the country, a surge in gas prices and the inevitable lack of concern. Our collective interest in news through the summer months tends to decline in America as we are progressively more distracted by beaches, sun tans, vacation and day care for the kids. Stories that were once topped the news hour are tossed to the back of the broadcast behind catchy pieces like shark attacks or kidnappings. And at a time when the media has been giving less attention to the war in Iraq, there is a fear that it will disappear.

But we cannot forget the war that our country is fighting.

According to a Pew Research study, Americans are starved for more news on Iraq. Quality news, that is, with context and validity. The media is meeting only a fraction of demand. Through June 2007, the study showed that Iraq was at the top of the list of interest, with 28 percent of Americans following the story closely. But the media only gave 9 percent of its coverage to it. We have failed.

Today, with gas prices soaring, a presidential campaign making history before our eyes and an economic recession settling in, it is easy to see how a war being fought 6 thousand miles away can take a back seat. But the fact that the story did not receive its due over the past year brings reason to the lack of understanding across the nation about the effect the war has on all three of these leading stories.

$2 billion per week is being spent in Iraq.
OPEC nations will not supply the US.
Our army is sitting on top of one of the largest oil wells in the world, but nothing is coming out of it - not legally anyway.
While we attempt to stabilize another country and rebuild the infrastructure we destroyed, a war is raging in the streets of our own country stroked by a failing economy and harsh realities ohttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.giff poverty. We are losing that war.
All of the hope and change that presidential hopefuls are spewing links back directly to the Middle East. And its more than rhetorical. As a country we have come to view Iraq as a philosophical problem.

Don't forget, people are dying.

Just today, a bomb was set off in Baghdad killing 60 people. Sixty people.
Virginia Tech was on the top of our news broadcasts for a month after the "massacre" occured on April 16, 2007. Memorial services continued through the football season into October. Plenty of time was given to grieve. Not to discount the tragedy of it all, but only 32 lives were lost on that day. Twice that many were lost in Baghdad in one incident. There will be others. There will be no time to mourn.

So as we proceed through the mundane drudgery of making ends meet and throwing together a couple bucks to fill up our gas tanks and head to the next party, remember the gift we have in stability. Remember the sacrafice that our soldiers are making with more than just their lives, but their mental stability when the return home. And remember, although the media may not be reminding us everyday of the tragedy in the Middle East, it rages on. Be grateful. Be mindful. Be educated.

The face America's War, courtesy of the Associated Press and the brave men and women who serve us and continually inform us:

Education desparation on gay marriage

Just to share a personal experience, my brother called me last Sunday to share about what he described as a "disgusting and devistating" church service. He attends Shepherd of the Hills in Porter Ranch, Calif. with his fiance, and apparently, the pastor invited a guest to speak on an ongoing lawsuit in Orange County. The guest was an attorney working a property rights case defending a client who wants to keep a cross on his property. The neighbors have obviously complained. According to my brother, the attorney spoke on this issue for no more than five minutes before launching into a political speech in support of Proposition 22.

California Prop. 22 was placed on the ballot in 2000 as an anti-gay marriage ammendment. It was not passed, but has lingered in Courts since that time. This attorney and people of his mind-set have seen to it that the Christian right continually expresses its condemnation of same-sex marriage through the touting of this already-defeated proposition.

"He went off about how homosexuality is a sin and how gay marriage is an abomination undermining the fundamentals of the institution of marriage," my brother said. "I couldn't believe what I was hearing."

Thouroughly bemused, my brother and his fiance made a poignant exit down the center isle of the church and proceeded to call as many people as they could reach denouncing what took place in the service.

Personally, I was more amazed that people like my brother and his fiance were so undereducated on the issue. How is it that this issue has been circulating the political arena for eight-plus years, and strong supporters of equality are still unaware of the threat that exists in gay marriage bans? How is it that so many are left scratching their heads when they are confronted with the reality of rights and privileges denied gays because of their sexual orientation?

In related news, today, the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee passed a proposed amendment to the state constitutiohttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifn Tuesday that would ban both same-sex marriage and civil unions.

The measure was approved on a 10-4 vote. It still needs approval in the full Senate and in the House. It would then need to be approved again by both houses in the next session of the legislature before being put to voters.

Pennsylvania already has a law limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples. Supporters of the amendment say they fear it could be overturned by a judge. (Read more!)

Educate and legislate. For more information on this issue, check out Human Right Campaign at

Why I can believe we may see an invasion on Iran

Chuck O'Connell, a sociology professor of mine during my days at Pierce College and a frequent contributor to CounterPunch, once warned in a class that we needed to be aware of heightened "war rhetoric" as it pertains to specific nations. Heeding his advice, I have had a keen eye on the build-up against Iran.

It began with the pervasive accusations that Iran was the home of the terrorists who were behind the 9/11 attacks. Then there was President Bush's inclusion of Iran in the new "Axis of Evil" during his State of the Union address. Since that time, we have seen a ramp up in negative reporting about Iran in the American media and an increase in the reported animosity coming out of Iran from the Iranian people. President Mahmoud Amhedinejad, a powerless figurehead, has become the characture of the Iranian people and propagandized throughout the Western world as an evil dictator, when in reality he is a mouth-piece for a very small section of the Iranian populace. Nuclear power plants and nuclear technology funded and provided to Iran in the 1970's under the Shah has become suspect and a "threat" under the rhetoric of the Bush administration. In sum, the war rhetoric has been increasing over the past five years.

A lack of manpower has held us out of Iraq. But, with the reported decrease in violence following January's military surge, many of the troops pulled out of reserves are now in active duty and will be recalled back stateside in the early summer according to the administrations plan, still having six to twelve months left on their active status. Suddenly a surplus of manpower has been created. Even though upwards of 200 people are still dying each week as a result of the untamed violence in Iraq, we are beginning to exit. How does this make sense?

Well, manpower is needed for an invasion of Iran. Here is an article in the Washington Post by dan Froomkin outlining the same concerns. Are we looking at a third front to add to this war? Froomkin seems to think so, and I can't see why not.

Beating the Bitch with John McCain

For comedic value.

Expert tactical youth appeal

This is by far the most creative advertisement I have seen in years. The appeal to young voters is apparent, almost transparent in all honesty, but it is working. Barack Obama and his team have tapped the pulse of a younger generation and I am incredibally impressed with their creativity in mobilizing the forces of change.

Have a Happy VD

In honor of Valentine's Day, allow me to be the first to wish everyone a happy, happy VD. Spread the love.

(Other meanings)

Ten Favorite Drinking Holes

I had a disconcerting exchange with a dear friend from back east today, and in all honesty, I was so proud of the breakdown that I thought I'd go public. The following is an email polling a large group of twentysomethings:

Hello friends,
You're getting this email for one of two reasons. Either you are one of my favorite drinking buddies or I want you to be one of my favorite drinking buddies. What this means is that I trust your judgement. Philly Weekly is doing a cover story on the top 50 bars in the city and I've got to compile the list.

So, tell me, where do you like to get f!@#ed up in Philly?

xoxo,
E.

I responded with charm, charisma and very little humility:

You know I have a bias towards the bars between Broad and 11th, Walnut and South, but I will exercise a touch of diversity in my selections. Still, there are a few haunts in that beloved section of the city that deserve some love for their amazing drink specials.

1. 12th Air Command Thursdays. $5 pitchers and 9-midnight, $1 shelf, $.50 well drinks or $1 pints, $.50 12 oz. beers. They have pool tables too. Not bad for a quest to numb the senses without emptying the wallet - so long as you can tolerate the bad, gay thumpa-thumpa music.

2. Raven Lounge. My number one hide away. They even have games on the tables like "Jenga", "Connect 4", and "You Think You're Smarter Than A 5th Grader". Good times. Great people. Tell 'em Cheryl sent you and Jonathan will take care of you.

3 - 7. Eulogy, Nodding Head, Ten Stone, Good Dog and Jose Pistolas for the beer selection. Bear in mind that I am a self-proclaimed beer snob, so my stamp of approval comes wih great scrutiny.

8. Black Sheep for the food.
9. Knock for the ambiance.
10. Tavern on Camac for the people.

And honorable mention must be given to $2 Miller High Life Thursdays at Irish Pub 22nd St. considering the amount of time the Metro staff spends in that joint. But I must say that their restrooms are deterrent. They are literaly a pain in the neck. At 5-foot 3-inches, there is no excuse for my head hitting the ceiling in your converted, basement janitor's-closet of a bathroom.

Compiling this list has made me homesick. Does that qualify as an alcoholic tendency?

Keeping the light on: Jolie visits Baghdad to address refugee crisis

So the risk of Angelina's visit to the well-guarded Green Zone of Baghdad may have been a little over-hyped, but put it into perspective: Angelina is on the ground, where many a journalist, myself included, are dying to be. UNHCR cannot reach Baghdad for security reason, so their notorious celeb ambassador is doing some leg work.

While in Baghdad, Jolie gave an exclusinve to CNN in which she discussed her mission with CNN's Arwa damon. Although the interview was lacking in substance a bit, Jolie managed to hit all of the talking points: The potential instability created by the refugee crisis, the need of the global community to respond on a human-to-human basis, the need for internal security to provide an envirnoment in which reconstruction can begin without continues conflict, the devestation facing refugees, 4.2 million globally displaced and the undue burden being placed on neighboring contires such as Jordan and Syria, and the immigration debate in the United States (the US State Department has agreed to admitt 1,200 Iraqis refugee status in the United States this year. Last year, a similar promise only saw the admission of a handful of Iraqis).

It is essential that attention continues to be paid to this issue for, as Jolie said, the return of the Iraqi people is what will instill stability in the entire Middle East and the world at-large.

Props to the sexy star for getting her hands dirty and getting in the faces of the many officials who are trying desperately to depersonalize the war in Iraq.

One problem with the timing of her her mission was the lack of insight into internal politics. Just this week, there have been cries heard 'round the world that the Iraqi ministries are ill-fit to serve their purposes. Positions previously held by Baathists have been filled with incompetitent leaders who are unable to handle the level of beauracracy associated with their positions. This should make it interesting to see how well her message is recieved.

Name one accomplishment by Obama

This is from a segment on FNC in which Frank Lutz, a renowned pollster, conducted focus groups with undecided Republicans and Democrats. In the Democratic focus group, the majority of the discussion surorunded the positive and negative attributes of each candidate, but did not include any discussion of credibility, experience or substance. So, Sean Hannity posed this question to the group, and the response was funny, but not shocking.

It's wonderful to make promises of change, but tell me how you intend to accomplish it. Otherwise, you're blowing smoke in places where the sun don't shine.