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Mohamed A. El-Erian: Revolution 2.0 -- How One Google Exec + Facebook Sparked An Uprising in Egypt

2013-05-24T19:58:52Z

Allow me please to take you back for a moment to the beginning of 2011. Remember how surprised the world was that, in just 18 days, a leaderless grass-root uprising managed to topple the Mubarak regime that had ruled Egypt with an iron fist for 30 years?

Much has been written since then about the causes of the January 25 Revolution. But nothing has come anywhere close to what is provided by this wonderful book, Revolution 2.0: The Power of the People is Greater than the People in Power. It appeared last year and I deeply regret having waited so long to read it. Having said that, this backward-looking book did provide important insights on Egypt's current situation and what may lie ahead.

Written by the now-famous Google executive and accidental revolutionary Wael Ghonim, the book provides you with an amazing birds' eye view of the build-up to the uprising and its successful conversion into a force for democracy, social justice and respect for human rights -- or, to use the inspiring revolutionary chant, "bread, freedom and human dignity."

By his own well-written account, Ghonim was neither brilliant at school nor a great rebel. He was, however, an intensely focused and determined individual who was eager to question and did not readily take no for an answer.

At first, he grew up absorbing the culture of fear that had infiltrated virtually every aspect of Egyptian life. But, unlike millions of his countrywomen and countrymen, he had one advantage: he was very tech savvy, incredibly curious and able to combine an understanding and respect for his culture with access to insights from the outside world.

Ghonim's interest in politics and the changes that it can bring to society started early. But his real moment of consequential political awakening came a little later.

In 2010, Ghonim saw for the first time the photo of Khaled Said, a young Egyptian tortured and murdered by members of the then-State Security forces. The book describes vividly how tears came pouring out as he stared at Said's badly-disfigured face on the Internet. Awakened and shaken, he launched a Facebook page honoring the young man and seeking justice for him, as well as for many others who had suffered unduly at the hand of the Ministry of Interior.

Calling it "Kullena Khaled Said" (or We are all Khaled Said), Ghonim was taken aback initially by the popularity of his Facebook page. Somewhat timidly at first, and hesitant to venture near the lime light, he intensely worked behind the scenes to mobilize the many young Egyptians who were angry at a regime that did not respect them, and felt alienated in a country that was being run for the benefit of the privileged few.

Drawing a page from Ghandi's non-violence philosophy, the page organized a series of peaceful "Silent Stands" to protest police brutality. The movement captured the interest of the disgruntled young and activists, and it secured their loyalty by engaging them in surveys, encouraging a high level of interactions on the page, and essentially reinventing crowd sourcing and decision-making -- all of which is documented in a fascinating way in this fast-moving book.

As important, if not more, the page administered by Ghonim and Abdelrahman Mansour (who joined the page on its third day as the second admin) achieved something that many thought improbable if not impossible: Encouraging an increasing number of young Egyptian to believe that they stood a chance at regaining a claim on their country and its destiny. In the process, they started gradually overcoming multiple barriers of fear that, both explicitly and implicitly, had relegated them to just impotent and frustrated observers. No longer were they willing to accept, as Ghomin self-reflected at the time, "the fact that I'm so insignificant that my fate can be decided by a government, or State Security, or a police force."

Bolstered by the success of the popular uprising in Tunisia a few days earlier, Ghonim took the brave step of calling for a revolution on January 25 -- the spontaneous popular uprising that served as THE catalyst for the millions of Egyptians that subsequently took to the streets of cities and villages to topple the Mubarak regime in a largely-peaceful, determined and previously-unthinkable manner.

The revolution that started on January 25 was about citizens keen to overcome "torture, corruption, injustice and unemployment." They sought to hold more accountable a government that treated Egypt like a "piece of property that can be divided among a few" while the rest "sit and watch." They came from all social classes, religions and backgrounds. And most of them were demonstrating for the first time in their lives. In the process, they gave credence to the view that "Egyptians are capable of the impossible if they stand united."

As the saying goes, the rest is history -- that is before you internalize the book's unique ability to take you behind the scenes.

After readers are taken along a suspenseful buildup to January 25, Ghonim shares with us in a disarmingly humble way what he went through in prison while millions around the world watched the crowds gather in Tahrir (Liberation) Square demanding representation, freedom, dignity and justice.

Arrested on January 27, Ghonim is beaten, interrogated and psychologically tortured by State Security forces frantically trying to understand the rapidly-changing situation in the street, including the role that social media is playing. Blindfolded for most of his 12 day arrest, he emerged from prison unaware of what had transpired on the streets and in the media.

Shortly after his release, Ghonim agrees to appear on a live television show. After speaking about his motivations and aspirations for Egypt, he broke down in tears when told of fellow citizens who had died at the hands of thugs seeking to regain the streets for the Mubarak regime. He gets particularly emotional and leaves the set after being shown the picture of yet another young person "who had dreamed of change and paid for it with his life, only two months after his wedding."

Ghomin's genuine and unanticipated behavior ended up by breathing enormous life and excitement at a critical time -- when, having already secured concessions from Mubarak and achieved much more than anyone had dared imagined at first, a tiring revolutionary movement was starting to lose momentum and was facing a mounting risk of fragmentation. Energized by the frankness, humanity and vulnerability of Ghonim, the movement regained its composure, triumphantly completing the final mile.

I have read many writings on the Egyptian revolution. However, until "Revolution 2.0," none of them -- whether individually or collectively -- gave me such a feel for the heart and soul of the millions of unknown young Egyptians who stood up and delivered the unthinkable. And with this wonderful book having provided me a unique context, I found myself going back to the Internet to rewatch with greater appreciation the videos from 2011.

In the last two years, the exuberance of beneficial change has given way to the complicated reality of another difficult revolutionary transition: that of pivoting from dismantling a repressive past to building a better future. With Egypt still lacking institutions, leaders a la Nelson Mandela and political unity -- and with the economy and social contracts pressured under the weight of unemployment, poverty, inflation and deficits -- many are concerned that the energy of the revolution could now be channeled into sectarian violence.

I too am worried -- very worried -- by the stumbles of the last two years. Each of them makes the immediate future more uncertain and the subsequent recovery more challenging. Yet, having observed and studied many country transitions over the last 30 years, I do not share the pessimism and cynicism about Egypt's longer-term future.

Politically awakened and now feeling that they legitimately secured a claim on their country's future, the Egyptian youth will not stand by and see their revolution hijacked. And having learned from the slips of traditional political setups and unreformed institutions, it is just a matter of time until the experience and sophistication of Egypt's youth are translated into a new political force for economic revival, social justice and mutual respect.

Meanwhile, after the fall of the Mubarak regime, Ghonim stuck to his statements that he wanted "no public position or reward." He took a leave of absence from Google and, using the proceeds of the book, founded an NGO seeking to improve access to education.

Once again, his shrewd use of technology is breaking down walls that imprison millions of Egyptians who have fallen hostage to poor curriculums, stretched teachers and tiresome methods of teaching. And -- once more -- he is not dissuaded by arguments that the challenge is too big and too complex.

Yet again Ghonim moves forward against considerable odds. Just look at the early success he is having with "Tahrir Academy," an initiative that provides access to educational content to all Egyptians, and helps particularly the most vulnerable segments of society. Once again he is doing so in a manner that engages a growing number of people to address a common problem that was once deemed to be impenetrable and overwhelming.

Russ Warner: Can Facebook Ads Affect Your Child?

2013-05-24T19:44:33Z

Yes.

Most ads on Facebook are seen but not clicked, yet they can impact users, especially kids who shouldn't really see some of the ads.

So here's a problem: Facebook imposes a minimum age of 13 years old before you can create an account. As a result, if a child signs up for Facebook indicating she is 13 years old -- but is really 10 years old -- when she is 15 years old, Facebook thinks she's 18 and "legal." As an adult, Facebook ads can change to cater to the adult 'buyer.'

Thus, one challenge with Facebook ads is that kids might be exposed to mature ads simply because they told a white lie about their age when signing up.

Can you block Facebook ads or opt out of ads showing on your account? "No" is the official Facebook answer. Facebook says, "Ads help keep Facebook free."

What can you do about that?

If you sit with your child and look at the ads served up when she is using Facebook, you can click on the upper-right corner of ads that are inappropriate and select and "X" to "Hide this Ad" or to "Hide All Ads from XYZ Company." Once you do that, you're asked to indicate why you want the ad hidden. If you click on "sexually explicit" or "misleading" or "against my views" or "offensive," Facebook records your response and will begin to modify the types of ads served.

You'll need to repeat these steps a few times on a few more ads before those you deem inappropriate will stop being shown. In addition, you'll need to check periodically for new types of ads being served up to your child.

In fact, if you don't want weight loss ads or insurance ads, the same process works to remove those from being shown.

Now since a majority of Facebook ads are not clicked, you might wonder... if only a few people click on Facebook ads, what's the point of having them? For one, Facebook needs to generate revenue. But also, clicking on ads doesn't really matter.

Why? Farhad Manjoo of Slate says, "It's a fact well-known to advertisers, though it's not always appreciated by people who use Facebook or even by folks in the Web ad business: Clicks don't matter." He continues, "Whether you know it or not... ads on Facebook are working. Sponsored messages in your feed are changing your behavior -- they're getting you and your friends to buy certain products instead of others, and that's happening despite the fact that you're not clicking, and even if you think you're ignoring the ads."

This type of marketing is designed to generate demand for a product. Ads subtly creep up on viewers even days after the first exposure. During a time of evaluation and decision, brands shown in ads run through a user's head and remind them of promises given or images viewed.

How are Facebook ads influencing you? How are they influencing your child or teenager? If you want to hide certain types of ads, you've been told how to do that. Other than that, you can simply decide to stop using Facebook. Let's see how that goes at home.

Note: I work for Net Nanny; opinions expressed here are my own.

Brad Spirrison: School Doesn't Have to Be in Session to Learn From These Educational Apps

2013-05-24T17:56:53Z

There is no reason your kids' brains should go unused this summer just because school is not in session. When they are not outside enjoying a trip to the water park or backyard barbecue, they can tap into educational opportunities on their iPads and touchscreen devices. The trick, of course, is to understand which educational apps are legit, and the be able to separate those from mindless games that claim to be educational but are nothing of the sort.

These selections for children between 3 and 18 are both entertaining and educator approved.

Toontastic: All Access (iPad, $13.99)
There is something truly fantastic about Toontastic, which your kids will enjoy more than clicking through endless TV channels or even going to the movies for the latest Hollywood blockbuster. The app, which encourages kids to simply tell and share stories through animation, is unique in that it is both highly educational and fun. Targeted to children between the ages of 3 and 13, Toontastic gives kids a digital toolkit of sorts to draw, narrate and share cartoon clips. Younger, less experienced users have a number of starter templates to choose from, while older kids can let their imaginations - within reason - run wild. Once a toon is created, it can be shared with family and other viewers worldwide at Toontastic's ToonTube. Relative to other educational apps, Toontastic: All Access at $13.99 is not cheap. While we think it's a bargain at that price, you can sample a free lite version to decide for yourself.

Duck Duck Moose Reading (iPad 99 cents)
While there are hundreds of iPad apps available that claim to teach preschool children and Kindergartners how to read, most of them stink and promote bad habits, if anything. This is not the case with Duck Duck Moose Reading, which is designed to reinforce relationships between written letters and their sounds. The app, which is based on US Common Core State Standards, features playful characters and a reward system that lets players and their parents know when they are picking up concepts, as well as what reading skills need to be reinforced.

Bobo Explores Light (iPad $4.99)
Looking for a way to engage scientifically-minded pre-teens this summer? All of the subject matter in this app, which is targeted to older Elementary School and Middle School students, is focused on light and how humans perceive it. Topics include lasers, auroras, photosynthesis, and bioluminescence. Bobo serves as a funny wingman throughout a mix of games, short videos, and interactive content that keep players engaged and entertained while learning about intricate concepts.

Stack the Countries (iPhone, iPad $1.99)
No worries if summer travel is not part of your family's plans in the coming months. There are several key concepts related to countries and continents that are taught and reinforced in this game, including capitals, landmarks, continents, major cities, border countries, languages, flags, and country shapes. Similar to its counterpart Stack the States, the app combines flashcard-based questions with an addictive physics game that requires players to literally pile countries on top of one another without letting them fall on the ground.

BallparkIt (iPhone, iPad $1.99)
If a high school student must spend part of the summer brushing up on his or her trigonometry skills, there is a home run of an app available with BallparkIt. In quizzes ranging from 20 to 120 seconds, players can test their trigonometric skills by solving right triangle problems. Each question has four multiple-choice answers and poses problems dealing with either an angle or a side length. Players must determine the missing component and select that answer as quickly as possible.

Kim Garst: 4 Reasons Why Social Media Should be Taught in Our School Systems

2013-05-24T17:51:47Z

I saw a story recently about a school, named Ngee Ann, in Singapore where a math teacher gave problems to students and asked that the answers be "tweeted." These tweets were then projected on a screen at the front of the room, in real time! (1) Now this was not just some rogue, social media instructor who decided to try something new. Ngee Ann is what the Singapore government calls a "future school" and teaching using social media is encouraged.

Think of that, teaching using social media is encouraged. What about requiring the teaching of social media itself in schools across the world? In 10 years will it be as common as teaching computer skills in school has now become? Should it be? Those that disagree typically site privacy concerns, safety, inefficiency and economic costs in their case against it. I will address each of those concerns below.

Now I might be a little biased, okay A LOT biased, but I want to give you the 4 reasons why I think that teaching social media to our children in schools is not only necessary, but critical.

Reason #1 - It is now, and will continue to be a social world. The top 5 social media sites combined have nearly 2 BILLION users (2). Smartphone users, on average, check their Facebook status 14 times per day. 79% check their smartphone for social media updates within 15 minutes of waking up (3). Social media and smartphone growth are both expected to grow at strong double-digit rates for the next several years (4). 80% of college faculty members now use social media and a full 50% of college professors say they use it in their classrooms (5). Enough proof?

Bottom line, social media is here to stay.

While there are certainly lots of ways to waste time with social media, nobody is arguing that you cannot use social media to engage and learn in interesting new ways. So, the argument that teaching social media to our students is a waste of time because it is a fad and will soon be gone certainly does not hold water. I promise, even if Facebook disappears or if we no longer call it social media, the idea of using the Internet to connect the planet on digital networks will not go away anytime soon.

Reason #2 - The privacy concerns and safety of social media do not outweigh the benefits. I get this argument. I really do. Here is an interesting fact. Did you know that the US Library of Congress has archived every tweet from Twitter. That is 170 billion tweets and counting (6). Even scarier, they are making them available to researchers and other interested parties. What you say and write on social media does live forever. The fact of the matter is that the privacy and safety concerns are going to be there regardless of whether or not we teach social media in schools. At least if it is taught, we can also include instruction on maintaining privacy and being safe.

I have done a lot of work on stopping cyber bullying. That is where people, often children, use the Internet, often social media, to harass, threaten and intimidate other people. My number one tip to prevent cyber bullying is to be involved and educated about what it is and how to respond to it when it is happening to you or somebody you know - like your child! We can teach cyber bullying prevention as part of our social media curriculum and actually make the Internet a safer place. This is just one example.

Reason #3 - Social media is a not a waste of time. When computers first came out, people thought that they would be a waste of time. Few imagined all of the cool programs that would be written and novel ways they could be used to enhance our lives. When websites became popular most had visions of people "surfing" their lives away. Sure you can waste time on a computer and find more than your share of inappropriate websites unsuitable for viewing by school age children, but it is impossible to argue that computers are not a valuable teaching tool and most schools have computer training as part of their core curriculum.

Imagine the possibilities social media brings to the classroom. Assignments can be shared via links, entire classrooms can be part of the same closed Facebook group, and study groups are a Google+ Hangout away. The same way computers are not used to play video games in classrooms, using social media in classrooms will not be a waste of time if it is managed and administered constructively.

Reason #4 - Teaching social media IS preparing our children for the future. The world's largest professional network is LinkedIn, a social media site with over 200 million members. 90% of employers surveyed said they planned on using social media to recruit and hire new employees (6). Schools are supposed to be places where we teach our children the knowledge and the skills they will need to compete and succeed in their adult lives. Social media IS one of those skills.

Many others already recognize this fact and are acting. Singapore, an economic leader in South East Asia, has already integrated social media into the classroom. To compete in the workforce and in the global economy our children must learn how to correctly and safely use social media. I am simply suggesting that we make that part of our teaching curriculum.

Sources:

1. http://euronews.com/2013/05/17/the-lessons-of-tweeting-learning-from-social-media/
2. http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/resource-how-many-people-use-the-top-social-media/
3. http://www.businessinsider.com/smartphone-usage-2013-3
4. http://phys.org/news/2013-03-smartphone-sales-million.html
5. http://www.geteducated.com/online-education-facts-and-statistics/latest-online-learning-news-and-research/351-college-faculty-use-online-social-media-integrating-in-classroom
6. http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/07/tech/social-media/library-congress-twitter
7. http://www.jobsite.com/guides/linkedin-hired/

Brain Cancer Risk Not Higher At Connecticut Jet Engine Plant

2013-05-24T15:29:03Z

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — An 11-year study of the incidence of brain cancer at jet engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney in the state ended Thursday with university researchers saying they found no statistically significant elevations in the rate of cancer among workers.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Illinois at Chicago said they identified 723 workers diagnosed with tumors between 1976 and 2004 at the United Technologies Corp. subsidiary. The tumors were malignant, benign or unspecified and included 277 cases of brain cancer.

Researchers examined records such as work documents and cancer registries of 222,123 men and women who worked in one or more of eight Connecticut Pratt & Whitney plants between 1952 and 2001. They also reviewed 11 chemical or physical agents on the basis of known or suspected carcinogenic potential that could affect the central nervous system or other organs.

The $12 million study, commissioned by Pratt & Whitney, was overseen by the state Department of Public Health. William Gerrish, a spokesman for the state agency, called it a "comprehensive study that has met its goals," and the project's principal researcher said the results were positive.

"The news is good," said Gary Marsh, the University of Pittsburgh researcher who led the study.

Employees can be reassured that working at Pratt & Whitney before 2002, the start of the study period, "does not increase your risk of developing brain cancer and does not increase your risk of dying," Marsh said.

The son of a Pratt & Whitney worker who died at age 46 was not so certain, though.

"It leaves a lot of questions unanswered," said Todd Atcherson, whose father, Charles Atcherson, died in 1998 after working at Pratt & Whitney for about 25 years.

Workers and the union expressed concerns about several workers who died of brain cancer within a few years of each other and the study became too large, "losing sight" of individuals, he said.

Paul Dickes, chief health and safety representative at the Machinists union, which represents Pratt & Whitney workers, said he's reassured that the study determined it's safe to work at the two remaining Connecticut plants.

"It doesn't bring closure to people who had illnesses," he said. "I'm disappointed it doesn't resolve those issues."

Pratt & Whitney spokesman Ray Hernandez said: "We are pleased that employees have answers to their questions and there is no correlation between cancer and the workplace."

Comparisons among Pratt & Whitney plants showed a slightly higher incidence of tumors and cancer among workers at the North Haven plant, the researchers said. But further evaluation found no association with estimated workplace exposures.

The slightly elevated cancer rates at the North Haven plant may reflect external occupational factors that researchers did not measure such as other companies where employees worked or factors unique to North Haven, Marsh said.

The study is one of the largest and most comprehensive in an occupational setting, he said. It also is the first large-scale study of workers in the jet engine manufacturing industry.

The results echo what was released in the first stage of the three-stage study in 2008. The researchers said then they did not find statistically significant excesses in deaths from malignant brain tumors among North Haven workers.

Workers and their families, joined by the Machinists union, pushed for the study after widows and union officials said they were concerned with what appeared to be numerous and similar deaths at Pratt & Whitney plants.

Report: Homeland Security Is Worried Limiting 3D-Printed Guns 'May Be Impossible'

2013-05-24T14:29:38Z

We're not the only ones worried about the rise of 3D-printed guns. It sounds like the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is, too.

Fox News reported Thursday that the department sent out a bulletin to federal and state law enforcement agencies on Tuesday, warning about the dangers of 3D-printed guns:

Significant advances in three-dimensional (3D) printing capabilities, availability of free digital 3D printer files for firearms components, and difficulty regulating file sharing may present public safety risks from unqualified gun seekers who obtain or manufacture 3D printed guns.

Read more at Fox News.

The kicker is that there may not be much the government can do about it. "Limiting access may be impossible," the bulletin reportedly states.

Unfortunately, everything that the DHS worries about in this bulletin is more or less true. 3D-printed guns don't require a license to make or own, more and more are being designed and produced, and it's difficult to find them with metal detectors if the guns don't can't a significant amount of metal, as required by law. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Huffington Post.

This may be just the beginning for the 3D-printed weapon industry, as we recently discovered. Now people are manufacturing bullets in their homes on their 3D printers.

The technology is in its early stages; the first 3D-printed gun, the "Liberator," can only fire one bullet before it needs to be reloaded. Still, 3D-printed gun enthusiasts are insistent. When the U.S. State Department forced Defense Distributed, the firm that designed the plans for the Liberator, to take the gun's blueprints off of its website, they just ended up back on the Internet at Pirate Bay.

WikiLeaks Doc Accused Of 'Errors And Sleight Of Hand'

2013-05-24T13:50:09Z

LOS ANGELES -- WikiLeaks characterizes the new documentary, "We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks," as biased and accuses its director, Alex Gibney of "errors and sleight of hand."

The publishing site released a statement Thursday announcing it had posted an annotated transcript of the film ahead of its Friday release.

No author is cited for the statement that accuses the film of inaccurately portraying the relationship between WikiLeaks leader Julian Assange and Bradley Manning, the U.S. soldier who provided hundreds of thousands of classified American documents to the site. The statement asserts that no one recently associated with WikiLeaks participated in the documentary.

Gibney was not immediately available for comment.

LOOK: These British Charities Are Changing The World Through Technology

2013-05-24T13:48:50Z

Yesterday, Google announced the 10 finalists of the Global Impact Challenge, an initiative that aims to reward British charities using technology for social good. Four £500,000 awards will be awarded, three of which will be chosen by a panel and one by the public.

The charities cover a wide variety of social good initiatives, including entrepreneurship, micro-donations, early-age technology training and the reduction of sexual violence. One finalist, the Zoological Society of London, is developing the next generation of camera traps to protect threatened wildlife from poachers. Another, Integrity Action, is working to improve public infrastructure in war-torn countries with an online platform that allows the public to report on development projects.

The panel of judges includes, among others, Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Group and Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who is credited with creating the World Wide Web in 1989.

The UK Global Impact Challenge is the first country-specific initiative of the Global Impact Awards series.

In the US, the Polaris Project recently won a Global Impact Award for its advances in the fight against human trafficking. The awards aim to bolster nonprofits that utilize technology to address global issues.

Voting for the fan favorite closes on May 31.

Find more information and the complete list of finalists here.

Mystery CEO Of 'Bang With Friends' Is Mystery No More

2013-05-24T13:46:44Z

The founders intended to reveal their identities on a high-profile nighttime talk show that had expressed some interest, but sometimes Internet Week has other plans for you.

Here Are The Real Origins Of Tumblr

2013-05-24T13:44:25Z

Months before Yahoo's $1.1 billion acquisition turned him into an overnight media sensation, David Karp recounted the creation of Tumblr at the Austin Convention Center during the South by Southwest Interactive conference in March.

WATCH: Community Rallies To Find Homeless Man's Dog

2013-05-24T13:31:58Z

This week, a Florida community came together to reunite a homeless man with the dog he calls his "heart and soul."

Handover, a blue pit bull belonging to James Bryan of Hudson, Fla., went missing on the morning of May 8. Carolyn Texter, a friend of Bryan's who works with animal rescues, began spreading the word about the lost pooch through flyers and by promoting a Facebook page called "Help Find Handover," ABC reports.

Friends of Texter's and locals rallied together through the page and even raised money to offer a reward for his return.

The page drew close to 5,000 followers to help bring the dog home.

According to Fox 13, a local couple found Handover shortly after he went missing. They had been caring for him until they saw one of the missing signs posted in the area.

The couple got in touch with Bryan's makeshift search team and on Wednesday, the Facebook page confirmed that he and Handover had been reunited.

"I fell to my knees and started crying like a baby," Bryan told Fox 13. "Of course I'd been bawling for two weeks. Every morning, I'd get up and he's not here. It's like losing one of your kids."

According to the page, the community is now working on finding the pair a more permanent home.

Earlier this month, a group of good Samaritans in Los Angeles took to Facebook to help a homeless man save his sick dog.

Another Facebook group reunited a Georgia man with his dog who'd been missing for months.

H/T: msnNOW

Google May Double Down On Maps (And Mess Up Facebook's Plans)

2013-05-24T13:08:49Z

(Reuters) - Google Inc is considering buying Israeli mobile satellite navigation start-up Waze Inc, which may lead to a bidding war with Facebook Inc, Bloomberg news reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Waze is seeking more than $1 billion and is fielding expressions of interest from multiple parties, said Bloomberg, citing a source.

Other media have reported that Facebook Inc has held talks to buy Waze for as much as $1 billion.

Google and other parties approached Waze after the Facebook talks became public but none of the bidders are close to clinching a deal, Bloomberg said, adding that the start-up might decide to remain independent.

Waze could not immediately be reached for comment. Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Waze uses satellite signals from members' smartphones to generate maps and traffic data, which it then shares with other users, offering real-time traffic info.

(Reporting by Krithika Krishnamurthy in Bangalore; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

Kevin Ducoff: Ginger Software Maps One Trillion English Sentences Online To Personalize Language Learning

2013-05-24T12:02:13Z

Anyone who has learned a second language knows that using non-mother tongue in real-life situations can be unnerving. Just ask any English speaker who has ever thought the Spanish word "embarazada" means "embarrassed." (Hint: It doesn't.)

Helping English as a second language (ESL) learners master the language in context often takes pricey college courses, study abroad programs and tutors, but Ginger Software aims to change that. The company recently announced the release of Ginger Coach, a personalized software program that uses natural English sentences to help non-native English learners improve their language skills.

Too often, fill-in-the-blank methods are used to help non-native speakers learn English, leading to embarrassing contextual mistakes when users practice in real-time. Ginger Software mapped one trillion English sentences on the Web to create an algorithm that understands English used in context. The natural language software analyzes a user's mistakes in context, identifies them and presents the learner with short lessons to help them fix their recurring mistakes.

The personalized approach to language learning helps users to refine their language skills in real-time. The company -- founded in Tel Aviv in 2008 -- raised an impressive $20 million in venture funding to create the software, now available on the Web and Android devices.

And this isn't the only tool Ginger Software has released to help make language learners' lives easier. Last year, the company released the Ginger Proofreader, a tool that corrects for grammar and spelling errors. Over 2 million ESL speakers in the U.S. and abroad downloaded the program to help fine-tune their English skills. Ginger Coach will be offered alongside Ginger Proofreader in a new premium package offered to users.

Just as the Web is changing the way we read, socialize, and shop, so too is it changing the way we learn language. Backed up by real-world Web sentences working as a contextual guide, Ginger Software's technology stands to significantly improve English learners' experience without the help of pricey textbooks or tutors. The program is now available on the Web and Android devices worldwide.

JD Schramm: WATCH: Revealing A Heartbreaking Secret On The TED Stage

2013-05-24T12:00:00Z

TED and The Huffington Post are excited to bring you TEDWeekends, a curated weekend program that introduces a powerful "idea worth spreading" every Friday, anchored in an exceptional TEDTalk. This week's TEDTalk is accompanied by an original blog post from the featured speaker, along with new op-eds, thoughts and responses from the HuffPost community. Watch the talk above, read the blog post and tell us your thoughts below. Become part of the conversation!

__________________________________________

My sharing of John's story was my first attempt to spark a conversation about the taboo subject of suicide, and in particular the challenge of coming back from an attempt and choosing life. It worked well enough to bring more than a half million viewers to see it. It's been lovingly translated into 39 languages by volunteers and shown at numerous TEDx events around the world. I said in the talk that I was trying to "start a conversation worth having about an idea worth spreading." That idea is determining how best to support the many people who attempt suicide but fail and seek to return to life.

What I've learned since the privilege of delivering this talk and then having TED put it online has been profound.

1) Breaking the silence is not an event, but a process. Through hundreds of emails and thousands of comments on various websites, it is clear that attempt survivors don't just break the silence one time, but over and over and over again. Or they don't, and live in the silence after once having a bad experience with sharing their secret with another.

2) Tough questions don't have easy answers. I'm a layperson with no training in the healing arts. I attempted to start a conversation, but then could mostly just listen (or rather) read as others were inspired to share about their journey. Where possible I pointed people to the best resources I knew but felt inadequate to do more.

3) Conversations are a crucial, but slow path to change. In my own life I've witnessed the self-inflicted deaths of several people I've loved and known. While I wanted their closest friends and family members to share their stories too, I was powerless to cause that. I simply remained open to the conversation, replied to each email or invitation to chat, and urged strugglers to find or build the network of committed listeners in their own lives to further the conversation.

My TEDTalk may have begun a conversation, but the challenge now is how to continue that dialogue. JD Schramm

My TEDTalk may have begun a conversation, but the challenge now is how to continue that dialogue. The first book I know of that treated this topic directly was Richard Heckler's 1996 Waking Up Alive. Just this month he published a second edition and in the preface he offers encouragement for all of us to continue this conversation:

"Perhaps no other life-threatening condition on the planet can be so positively impacted by honest, forthright and intimate conversations with friends, loved-ones, clients and colleagues. As we do this, we demystify suicide. We render it approachable by creating a net of understanding so strong and a willingness to intervene imbued with such resolve, that people can no longer fall through the cracks."

And yet no conversation, no matter how meaningful and powerful, can bring back the millions we've already lost to suicide. The loved ones of these victims also have a thirst for conversation and our efforts to engage with them may very well prevent the next loss to suicide if we can all continue to break the silence and share our journeys. For it is in the sharing of these journeys that we become vulnerable and open to healing.

In my mind ending the taboo of suicide remains a conversation worth having and an idea worth spreading. Join me in continuing to make that possible for others.

Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form. TEDWeekends will highlight some of today's most intriguing ideas and allow them to develop in real time through your voice! Tweet #TEDWeekends to share your perspective or email tedweekends@hufﬁngtonpost.com to learn about future weekend's ideas to contribute as a writer.

European Space Agency Opens Centre To Watch For Deadly Asteroids

2013-05-24T10:41:25Z

The European Space Agency has official inaugurated a centre to give early warnings in the event of a dangerous asteroid or meteor on a collision-course with Earth.

The NEO Coordination Centre is designed to strengthen the search for dangerous Near-Earth Objects (NEOs).

The ESA estimates that around 600,000 asteroids are present in our solar system, and that around 10,000 could pose a danger to live on our planet.

In a blog posting about the launch, the ESA notes the "dramatic proof" of the danger that was shown by the recent meteor strike on Chelyabinsk, Russia, which injured about 1,000 people earlier this year.

The new centre will act as a central point for European data on NEOs, which are being established under the ESA's Space Situational Awareness programme.

The ESA said:

"The new centre will support experts in the field by federating new and existing European assets, systems and sensors into a future NEO system. It will support the integration and initial operation of ESA's NEO information distribution network.
"The Centre is also the focus point for scientific studies needed to improve NEO warning services and provide near-realtime data to European and international customers, including scientific bodies, international organisations and decision-makers."

Meanwhile Nasa is also continuing to search for dangerous NEOs, while several private companies are thinking of turning them to our advantage by potentially mining them for water and precious minerals.

Unfortunately, our inadequate defences were revealed at a recent Congressional hearing, when NASA chief Charles Bolden joked that the best hope against a massive asteroid was currently prayer.