text:
Six trekkers still missing two-day after avalanche hits Nepal's Annapurna circuit
Thailand Dy PM visits historic Charminar, Ladd Bazar
South Korea confims first case of coronavirus
How will Singtel be affected by Indian Supreme Court denial of telcos petition
Third death from coronavirus in China, 140 new cases
2 killed, 5 injured in shooting in Texas
2 police officers shot dead in Hawaii
There really was no other option: Prince Harry after 'Megxit' announcement
You are here: Home » News-ANI » International » World
6 killed, 158 wounded in anti-gov't protests in southern Iraq
23 killed in plane crash in eastern DR Congo
Bolivia approves new elections without Evo Morales
ANI | Others Last Updated at November 24, 2019 21:40 IST
https://mybs.in/2XAkHx3
Bolivia's interim president rejects legislation introduced to exempt Morales from criminal prosecution
Bolivia's Congress approves law for new elections without Morales
I should be allowed to return to country, complete my final term: Former Bolivian President
Bolivia to expel Venezuelan diplomats from the country, announces Foreign Minister
5 killed during pro-Morales protest in Bolivia
The Bolivian Congress has unanimously approved a bill that annulled the result of the country's presidential vote last month and allowed for new elections to be held without ousted President Evo Morales, who is currently under political asylum granted by Mexico.
The legislation also forbids candidates from running if they have served in the last two terms, with politicians also agreeing to appoint a new electoral board, reported Al Jazeera.
Interim President Jeanine Anez, an opponent of Morales, is expected to sign the bill into law at 14:00 GMT on Sunday.
"I want to thank our parliamentarians for having understood and listened to the demands of the Bolivian people," Anez wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
"Tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. I will promulgate the "Law of exceptional and transitory Regime for the holding of General Elections" approved by the Legislative Assembly," she added further in the thread.
It is the latest development in Bolivia's weeks-long political crisis in the wake of the October 20 vote that has left more than 30 people dead amid opposition allegations of electoral fraud.
Amid the unrest, Morales stepped down on November 10 after an audit of the Organization of American States (OAS) cited irregularities in the count and the military called on him to quit to help restore calm.
Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president who had been in power for 13 years, fled to Mexico claiming he was the victim of a coup.
But politicians in his Movement to Socialism (MAS) party said they will find a new candidate to run for president in the next elections.
"We have already signed agreements on all the demands they [MAS] are making, and we agreed to those demands," Jerjes Justiniano, one of Anez's recently appointed ministers, told Al Jazeera.
First Published: Sun, November 24 2019. 21:27 IST
News-ani


The centre of Delft is not accessible for motorized vehicles, unless you have an exemption. It is easiest to park your car in one of many parking garages. The garages are all on walking distance from the centre of Delft. Therefor parking in a parking garage of Parking Delft is the most safe, easy and cheapest way to park your car (open 24/7 and equipped with camera supervision). Beware that on street parking is possible but discouraged with a flat rate of €29,50 (see end of post).
Drive into the garage and get an entrance card at the gate.
To make use of the credit on the card when paying for the parking costs, scan the theatre ticket after entering your entrance card. Keep the card under the scanner for a moment until a red light appears on your code.
You can do this at the payment terminal and at the gate.
To make use of the credit on the card when paying for the parking costs, scan the evening card after entering your entrance card. Keep the card under the scanner for a moment until a red light appears on your code.
24 hour parking Delft card for Markt garage, Prinsenhof garage or the Zuidpoort garage are just €10,00 per day.
24 hour parking card for Phoenix garage is €30,00 per day.
Weekly parking Delft card for Markt garage, Prinsenhof garage or the Zuidpoort garage are €70,00.
Weekly parking card for Phoenix garage is €100,00.
The flat rate of €29,50 obviously discourages parking along Delft canals as it is charged irrespective of length of stay.
If you want to park your car along the inner city of Delft, you have to enter your license plate number at the parking machine. A parking ticket in your car is not necessary anymore. The parking attendant scans the license plate and checks if you have paid for parking.
Even easier than finding a parking machine is mobile parking. If you choose mobile parking, you do not have to go to a parking machine, but just simply pay the parking money through your mobile phone.


Learn to pray effectively by praying the Word of God. This is the ultimate prayer guide taking you through the steps of taking your Heavenly Seat in Christ and teaching you how to pray. Stay ready wherever you are to declare your faith with you mobile device. Never forget to declare God's Word over your life and keep releasing your faith.
This is a PDF download that works great with E-book Reader or PDFfiller.


text:
Q: How to define animations with parameters in Angular I followed the instructions of this post to add parameters for my Angular animation but it didn't work. I am using Angular 2+ more specifically Angular 5.
This is my animation:
import { trigger, transition, style, state, animate} from '@angular/core';

export const AnimacaoPassosCadastroImovel = trigger("animarPasso" ,[

state("inicial", style({

     width: '{{ passoInicial }}',
     border: "3px solid black"

}), {params: { passoInicial: 0 } ),

state("final", style({

   width: '{{ passoFinal }}',
   border: "3px solid blue"

}), {params: { passoFinal: 40 } ),

  transition("inicial => final", animate("800ms"))

]);

My console:

A: Correct animation:
import { trigger, transition, style, state, animate} from '@angular/core';
export const AnimacaoPassosCadastroImovel = trigger("animarPasso" ,[
state("inicial", style({

     width: '{{ passoInicial }}',
     border: "3px solid black"

}), {params: { passoInicial: 0 }} ),

state("final", style({

   width: '{{ passoFinal }}',
   border: "3px solid blue"

}), {params: { passoFinal: 40 }} ),
  transition("inicial => final", animate("800ms"))
]);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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A mix-and-match modular system that will revolutionize the climbing industry.
Our way to reach out to the whole climbing community and find the harmonized system that fits best.
Besides 15 minutes of fame, we've also secured a prize pool of € 60 000!
Change the future of indoor climbing!


SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - September 25, 2007) - CardIt, LLC., a third-party payment provider that acts as an intermediary between consumers and mortgage lenders, today announced the launch of company operations. CardIt accepts, processes, and remits payments on behalf of customers and then sends payments directly to lenders. The service is Web-hosted with no download to install and features automatic scheduling options.
"We plan to become the leading online solution that enables consumers to pay mortgages, car payments and other large obligations using credit cards," said CardIt CEO Philip Mikal. "The need for our service exists because the payment process for mortgages and auto loans has remained unchanged despite technical advances in online banking and bill payment. Until now, consumers have had no easy way to directly pay mortgages using credit cards, and current solutions are inefficient. Lenders are both unwilling and sometimes legally prevented from accepting credit card payments directly, which prevents consumers from optimizing payment options."
The CardIt web site features an intuitive user interface as well as services to process approvals, payment schedules, service fees and reports. To generate activity at the site, CardIt is conducting co-marketing campaigns with rewards-program providers as well as awareness campaigns with bloggers and trade shows. "We expect to build credibility and gain market share through our customer retention program, and we plan to boost loyalty through word-of-mouth," Co-Founder Alexander Zada said. "We are the only service that offers online mortgage payments to consumers with Visa, MasterCard and Discover credit cards. Mortgage payments are about necessity, not novelty."
Consumers can begin paying their mortgages online today by visiting www.cardit.com.
CardIt is an online service that allows consumers to pay their mortgage with a Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit card. The CardIt method allows consumers to protect their credit and property by helping them pay on-time when they have no cash immediately available. This helps consumers potentially avoid late fees while giving them benefits such as cash-back, airline or other rewards that their credit card company issues. The process also helps consumers manage cash-flow. For more information, visit www.cardit.com, call (866) 55-CARDIT or (415) 296-1155.


text:
The Valletta NYE celebrations are back, featuring Ira Losco live in concert
Details on this year's New Year's Eve celebrations in Valletta were announced during a press conference held earlier today
c. Justin Mamo
Following a successful year of Valletta as the European Capital of Culture, with over 350 events held in Malta and Gozo as well as the participation of about 2,000 artists and the attendance of around 350,000 people, it is now time for the national New Year's Eve Celebrations in Valletta.
Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government Owen Bonnici commended these celebrations and stated that New Year's Eve festivities in our capital city have become an inherent part of our cultural calendar for which the public attends with great enthusiasm.
"It is a great honour to have such a large scale event which attracts both local and foreign people whilst showcasing local talent. This was a milestone year for culture and its legacy in our country and through these celebrations, we will continue to give Valletta a European dimension together with other European cities and towns which will also be welcoming the New Year in this manner", said Minister Bonnici.
St George's Square will once again host the main stage and will see the very best of Malta's local artists. The night will kickstart with local band Xarulù, followed by one of Malta's biggest artists, Ira Losco. Ira Losco will be accompanied by her band and will be performing the very best songs from her repertoire which include her chart-topping singles, What I'd Give, Me Luv U Long Time, and her recent single One In A Million, which is also included in her 7th album titled No Sinner No Saint. Corazon Mizzi and Owen Bonnici will be hosting the event.
Parliamentary Secretary for Consumer Protection and Valletta 2018 said that, "Valletta's reign as the European Capital City of Culture will be coming to an end this December, however we will continue to celebrate our culture and traditions in the years to come. During the nationwide festivities for the coming season, Valletta will be ablaze with all that makes New Year a special occasion not only for us locals but the hundreds that visit us purposely. I am pleased that the activities for the New Year will also herald the legacy for Valletta 2018".
Valletta 2018 Foundation Chairman Jason Micallef said that, "this is a special year for Valletta, and it is therefore fitting that we end it with a celebration which is equally special. After successfully executing a cultural programme with almost 400 events this year, this event will be one of the last in Valletta 2018's calendar, which, like the rest, will surely remain etched in the European Capital of Culture's Legacy. Once again, St George's Square will host a huge celebration which will attract thousands of Maltese families and tourists to Valletta to celebrate the New Year as one large community".
Following Ira Losco's concert, DJ Pierre Cordina will take to the stage for an energetic countdown. He will be playing a mashup of the best dance anthems of 2018. DJ Mykill will close off this magical night accompanied by live trumpet.
Firework displays and special effects will also be part of the festivities, creating a magical and colourful atmosphere.
The Valletta New Year's Eve Celebrations are being organised by the Valletta 2018 Foundation in collaboration with G7 Events, the Valletta Local Council, the Malta Tourism Authority, the Ministry for Tourism, and the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: formatting JSON to work with existing for/in loop Javascript hopefully I can get some help with this issue. First, the below code works fine. The JSON is read in from a file that contains only this JSON, the For in Loop iterates through it and populates without issue.
{

"ID:1": {
  "employee": "Mike",
  "start": {
    "t": "2018-08-01",
    "v": 28
  },
  "end": {
    "t": "2018-08-14",
    "v": 39
  }
},
"ID:2": {
  "employee": "John",
  "start": {
    "t": "2018-08-01",
    "v": 43
  },
  "end": {
    "t": "2018-08-14",
    "v": 35
  }
},
}

function get_data(root,r_scale){

var my_data = [],
x=0;

for (r in root){
  start_t = root[r]['start'].t
  start_v = root[r]['start'].v
  end_t = root[r]['end'].t
  end_v = root[r]['end'].v
  change = Math.abs(start_v - end_v)
  my_data.push({
   change: change,
   id: x,
   employee: root[r].employee,
   start_t: start_t,
   start_v: start_v,
   end_t: end_t,
   end_v: end_v
  })
  x = x + 1
  }

  return my_data

  };

Unfortunately, I need to put the JSON above into a larger blob that contains other JSON objects. So, I need to format it like this:
"employees": [

  {
    "ID": 1,
    "employee": "Mike",
    "start": {
      "t": "2018-08-01",
      "v": 28
    },
    "end": {
      "t": "2018-08-14",
      "v": 39
    }
  },

  {
    "ID": 2,
    "employee": "John",
    "start": {
      "t": "2018-08-01",
      "v": 43
    },
    "end": {
      "t": "2018-08-14",
      "v": 35
    }
  }

]

I cannot make this work. I can append ".employees" to root "root.employees[r]..." in the loop and see the data when I run a debugger. But each time I get "uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 't' of undefined.
Thanks for any help!

A: I'm unsure why you get undefined errors, but your code can be simplified. You actually only map over the entries of your original data object, add a running index and the change property. This can be done as follows using Object.values (MDN):

const data = {

"ID:1": {
  "employee": "Mike",
  "start": {
    "t": "2018-08-01",
    "v": 28
  },
  "end": {
    "t": "2018-08-14",
    "v": 39
  }
},
"ID:2": {
  "employee": "John",
  "start": {
    "t": "2018-08-01",
    "v": 43
  },
  "end": {
    "t": "2018-08-14",
    "v": 35
  }
},
};

const convert = (data) => {
  const employees = Object.values(data)
  .map(({ employee, start, end }, index) => ({
    id: index,
    employee,
    start,
    end,
    change: Math.abs(start.v - end.v)
  }));
  return { employees };
};

  console.log(convert(data))

Note that you could also have directly gotten the entries of your original data usin the for-of loop. That way, you wouldn't have needed root[r] to access the entries using the keys.


text:
Незнакомка () е четиринадесетият студиен албум на Филип Киркоров. Албумът е издаден е от лейбъла RONEeS и Звук. Включва 19 песни. За песните "Жестокая любовь", "Роза чайная" и "Немного жаль" получава наградата "Златен грамофон"

Песни от албума
 Роза чайная (дует с Маша Распутина)
 Жестокая любовь
 Мечта
 Дай огня детка!
 Немного жаль
 Тебя люблю я / Моя малютка
 Зайки врозь / Ты это брось
 Эгоистка
 Come & dance
 Радио-бейби
 Незнакомка
 Флейтист
 Первая ночь нашей любви
 Душа и песня
 Все отдам я за любовь
 С шиком-блеском
 Жестокая любовь (remake D.Moss и A'A Kim)
 Роза чайная (дует с Маша Распутина, remix Vlad Zhukov)
 Роза чайная (дует с Маша Распутина, remix Sergey Chelobanov)

Източници

Външни препратки
 Незнакомка.

Албуми на Филип Киркоров
Музикални албуми от 2003 година

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Qld govt scraps decision to privatise CITEC
By Allie Coyne , Paris Cowan on May 27, 2015 5:59PM
Reverses Newman position on state-run IT provider.
The Labor Queensland government has reversed a decision by its Coalition predecessors to outsource the functions of state services provider CITEC.
The government-owned enterprise was among a number earmarked by the 2013 commission of audit for divestment, with a sale scheduled under the former Newman government to take place within two years.
Late last year the state government decided to split the functions of the IT infrastructure provider in two before proceeding with the privatisation, delaying the sell-off to give it more time to prepare the organisation for sale.
The delay pushed the sell-off past the January election, which was subsequently won by Annastacia Palaszczuk's Labor party.
The state's Science and Innovation Minister Leeanne Enoch today announced the privatisation plans would not go ahead and there would be "no job losses" at the 344 FTE organisation.
She said the focus now was to work with the organisation and its clients to build a "future-proof business model".
"The Queensland government is a key driver in developing a strong and vibrant digital economy and I want CITEC to have a role in that," she said in a statement.
"To do this we need to develop an innovative business model that ensures it is efficient, sustainable and provides excellent service."
A new operating model will be developed for CITEC, following consultation with the state's Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation and CITEC employees and stakeholders.
"We will explore all options in order to develop the best business model to continue to deliver savings for Queenslanders and a financially viable business," Enoch said.
The 2013 commission of audit report - which recommended the CITEC divesture - complained about "diminished relevance" of the decades-old organisation in a climate where commodity IT prices are being driven down by an increasingly competitive private sector market.
In the financial year immediately preceding the Costello investigation (2011-12), CITEC reported an annual operating loss before tax of $22.3 million.
Peter Grant's audit of state IT spending found one of the main holes in CITEC's revenue was underutilisation of the Polaris data centre in Springfield.
Revenues later turned around to some extent, with EBITDA of $12.3 million in 2013-14, expected to fall to $2.7 million in 2014-15.
CITEC's rescue mirrors that of fellow government IT services provider CenITex in Victoria, which has also been saved from privatisation by an incoming Labor government.
The Coalition government in NSW, however, is still moving ahead with the outsourcing of its own shared services to a consortium made up of Infosys and Unisys.
Contracts were due to be signed last month but a spokesman for the Finance Minister Dominic Perrottet advised the negotiations were still ongoing.
citec queensland shared services strategy
Paris Cowan
Qld Health risks patient admin system failure after halting overhaul
Qld tax office avoids 'creepy' facial and voice tech on path to intelligent systems
Can a govt-wide open source messaging platform really cost just $150k?
Cenitex falling short of customer expectations


What could you write about?
All members of LIHNN are welcome to contribute to LIHNNK Up.
We particularly encourage contributions from para-professional staff and anyone who has not previously written for publication.
Members of the Editorial Board would be pleased to "mentor" new writers and provide advice on what makes a good readable contribution.
See What can you write about? for some suggestions.


text:
Quality Assured Seal
The Quality Assured (QA) Seal is a Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) voluntary quality recognition scheme aimed at businesses offering high levels of quality, consistency and professionalism. The QA seal covers three key tourism business operations, namely restaurants, visitor attractions and destination management companies (DMCs). The participating businesses are assessed either annually or once every two years.
The QA seal was launched in 2008 for DMCs and in 2009 the first companies were awarded. In 2010 the first visitor attractions were awarded and in 2015 the first restaurants were awarded.
The criteria are specific to each category and different methods of assessment are used. The seal is awarded once the QA Monitoring Committee of each category receives and approves the assessor's report.
Quality Assured DMCs must comply with a detailed set of criteria designed to ensure the highest possible quality in event and destination management. This scheme is based on various criteria that contribute towards recognising a quality DMC. Criteria include general liability insurance, three years of operation and financial stability, staff training, efficiency at responding to clients' requests, and recommendations from clients and suppliers.
The method of assessment consists of a full audit every two years and an interim audit every other year.
For more information about the scheme click here
Quality Assured Visitor Attractions must comply with a detailed set of criteria designed in such a way that when an attraction complies with the criteria, the organisation will be improving the way it operates consequently leading to an improved business model.
The scheme consists of 56 criteria, some of which are mandatory. Attractions must satisfy all mandatory requirements and achieve a sufficient score in the remaining criteria. The criteria cover several areas including the quality of content and interpretation, value for money, staff training, cleanliness, layout and comfort, quality of service and visitor feedback among others.
The method of assessment consists of an announced visit every two years.
In the criteria every effort was made to outline all the aspects that are taken into account when making quality assessments. However due to the variety of the restaurants on offer it was impossible to cover every individual characteristic that may be encountered during a visit. For this reason the criteria were designed with both objective and subjective criteria. Whilst the former are clear and self-explanatory, the latter include indicators to consider when awarding points according to a five-point assessment scale.


text:
Welcome Jolly Beans — Our First Café!
Inspirada has been eagerly anticipating Jolly Beans Café, opening at Solista Park on Friday, November 6th.
It's been an exciting journey in the making for Inspirada resident Gilbert Zhang, as he and his partners leased retail space within Solista Park and began the process of working with the community, city of Henderson and various local design and construction teams to complete the vision. One space will be primarily a coffee and beverages café, with food offerings coming soon. Menus are still in the works, but be sure to like our Facebook page for more updates!
Solista Park was the perfect location for Gilbert, with its shaded outdoor pavilion, nearby resident community center and play area, and resident-only pools within view. With bocce ball courts, game tables, and covered and uncovered picnic areas, a coffee shop is a perfect addition to this well-loved park.
Gilbert has had his eye on Inspirada for a while now. He started home shopping three years ago when his employer, Zappos.com, moved their offices to downtown Las Vegas. Although he liked the homes at Inspirada, at the time he opted for a home in central Las Vegas. However, two of his friends did end up moving into Inspirada. As Gilbert spent several years attending parties, visiting friends, and seeing the evolution of the Inspirada community, he and his wife started rethinking their decision. They noted the appeal of Inspirada's small-town vibe and that Inspirada doesn't feel anything like bustling Las Vegas.
"I saw how it was building out, with more parks, more people moving in, and I loved it so much," he says.
Last year the Zhangs decided to join the community of Inspirada, and purchased a home. They also spotted the available retail space at Solista Park and saw potential; Gilbert and his wife had always wanted to be small business owners, and it seemed everything was falling into place.
With a lot of hard work, support from family and friends, vision, and a dream to be part of a warm, welcoming community, the Zhangs are well on their way. Neighbors come by every day to see how he's doing, and lending support. He's taken neighborhood recommendations very seriously, and working toward building out a full kitchen to start offering food—the biggest request.
Jolly Beans has been a year in the making, and for Gilbert and his family it's been a very special time. He remembers his wife expecting their first baby at the same time they first saw the retail spaces that was to become their exciting entrepreneurial vision. Today, that custom-designed space will soon open as Jolly Beans, and his little girl will be celebrating her first birthday! Now that's Living Inspired!
Want More from Inspirada?
Redecorating Your Home's Interior on a Budget
What are the Benefits of an Open Floor Plan?


08/03/2001 Senate Received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
08/02/2001-10:59pm House Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
08/02/2001-10:52pm House Mr. Ballenger asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
08/02/2001 House Committee on International Relations discharged.
08/01/2001 House Committee Agreed to Seek Consideration Under Suspension of the Rules, by Unanimous Consent.
08/01/2001 House Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
03/28/2001 House Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
08/03/2001 Received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
08/02/2001 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
08/02/2001 Mr. Ballenger asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
08/02/2001 Committee on International Relations discharged.
08/01/2001 Committee Agreed to Seek Consideration Under Suspension of the Rules, by Unanimous Consent.
08/01/2001 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
03/28/2001 Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.


The power utility says that it anticipates no load shedding this week due to the electricity system gradually improving.
JOHANNESBURG - Damaged power lines in Mozambique have been restored resulting in 900 megawatts becoming available to be used by Eskom.
Several pylons from the Cahora Bassa hydroelectric system were damaged by Cyclone Idai more than a week ago.
Mozambique contributes over 1,000 megawatts to the country's electricity grid.
Eskom has warned that the risk of load shedding remains as the system is still vulnerable.
Eskom has been implementing rotational power cuts for a few weeks now, citing a shortage of capacity.
For the first time in more than a week, the power utility kept the lights on Sunday.
In a statement, it says that several factors, including the improvement in plant performance, together with replenished diesel and water reserves, positively shifted system performance.


There are currently 1 Homes for sale in Ebbets Ranch. The average price for Ebbets Ranch properties is $425,000which is 18% higher than all Homes within a 20 mile radius. The highest priced property in Ebbets Ranch is $425,000 while the lowest priced Home is listed at $425,000. Most of the properties available in Ebbets Ranch are Homes . Compared to last month, the average price of real estate in the area has gone up 100%.


text:
Steve Spriester, Anchor
Isis Romero, Anchor
Tags: SAQ, Dr. Ruth Berggren, Vaccine
KSAT Q&A: Dr. Ruth Berggren addresses a Memorial Day dilemma: To mask or not to mask
Berggren also talks about local COVID-19 vaccine trials involving pregnant women
Dr. Ruth Berggren of the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio addresses mask protocol for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
SAN ANTONIO – Infectious Disease Specialist Dr Ruth Berggren from the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio talks about "best mask practices" and viewer questions.
Below are three takeaways with the conversation with Dr. Berggren:
1. Dr. Berggren says in mixed groups of vaccinated and unvaccinated people, the vaccinated don't need to mask up, but people who are unmasked or people with vulnerable health conditions should still wear a mask.
2. Parents can still have their kids wear a mask at school if they're unvaccinated, even though there's not a mask mandate. Dr. Berggren says she wears a mask at church, in restaurants, at the court house, and at stores just to be extra cautious, even though she's vaccinated.
3. UT Health San Antonio has been conducting tests to see if the COVID-19 Vaccines affect pregnant women, and have found they are safe for pregnant women, and there's no evidence the vaccines cause infertility.
More KSAT Q&A's:
KSAT Q&A: Takeaways from the Texas legislative session with Scott Braddock of Quorum Report
KSAT Q&A: Bexar County DA asks for patience as his office tackles pandemic-related backlog of 35,000 cases
KSAT Q&A: UTSA lecturer talks about Seed of Texas project
Steve Spriester
Steve Spriester started at KSAT in 1995 as a general assignments reporter. Now, he anchors the station's top-rated 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts.


My notes on this sermon by Pastor Bill Mencarow, given on November 19, 2006. What follows is not a full transcript but a summary transcript/paraphrase of the salient points made regarding the interpretation of Revelation. Please listen to the entire sermon to get the full message as it was presented.
Revelation 2:3: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Revelation 2:4:Nevertheless I havesomewhatagainst thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Revelation 2:5:Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Revelation 2:6: But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Revelation 2:7: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.


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UAMS Invites Public to Learn...
UAMS Invites Public to Learn About Research May 5
April 27, 2016 | LITTLE ROCK – Arkansans are invited to attend an information session May 5 about research that is being conducted at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) campus.
The free session will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Willie Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center, first floor auditorium, 3805 W. 12th St., Little Rock. The evening will include small-group 10-minute sessions in which researchers talk about their work. The researchers will represent fields such as clinical research, basic (laboratory) science and community-based (survey) research. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Nicki Spencer, ndspencer@uams.edu, or 501-526-6629.
"We hope this session and future sessions can help demystify the research we do at UAMS," said Kate Stewart, M.D., M.P.H., whose research is conducted in partnership with Arkansas communities. "It's critically important that people understand what we do because we can't improve health without their help."
Sponsored by the UAMS Translational Research Institute, the May 5 informational session will be followed by other sessions to be announced this summer. In addition to informing the public about research, Stewart says the sessions will help to get the word out about UAMS' first Community Scientist Academy being piloted this fall.
"We're looking for people who want to learn even more about our research beyond these information sessions," said Stewart, who leads the Translational Research Institute's community engagement program.
The Community Scientist Academy will be a multi-week program for participants to develop a knowledge base and help engage the public in UAMS' many research endeavors.
"The Academy will create a cadre of community members who can influence research by serving on steering committees, mentoring committees, review committees, research projects, and in other leadership capacities," Stewart said.


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Injured Rafa slammed in quarterfinals | Lexington Herald Leader
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Injured Rafa slammed in quarterfinals
Spain's Rafael Nadal lost to compatriot David Ferrer at the Australian Open 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. Nadal apparently has a leg injury. AP
MELBOURNE, Australia — Rafael Nadal's bid to win four straight Grand Slam tournaments is over.
The injured Nadal lost his quarterfinal 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 Wednesday to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer at the Australian Open.
Nadal, who appeared to have tears in his eyes during a changeover while trailing 3-0 in the third set, took a medical timeout for an apparent leg injury after three games and was clearly out of sorts, failing to chase down balls that he would ordinarily return easily.
It was the second year in a row he lost in the quarterfinals here because of injury — in 2010 he retired against Andy Murray because of a right knee ailment that kept him off the tour for two months, again on the Australia Day national holiday.
The only fireworks came Wednesday night during the match — Australia Day celebrations forced a 10-minute interruption while the sky outside Rod Laver was lit up by a pyrotechnics show.
As the fireworks exploded, Nadal changed his shirt and briefly left the stadium. He came back a couple of minutes later and took off his right shoe and fidgeted with his toes and sock.
After losing the second set, the usually fidgety Nadal slumped in his chair at the changeover, completely still with his head bent.
The crowd cheered almost exclusively for Nadal — "Come on, Rafa," — they roared, while often applauding Ferrer's errors.
All, eventually, for nothing.
Nadal came to Australia with a virus he picked up in Doha, Qatar two weeks ago. He sweated profusely in several of his matches, but appeared to be over his problems, saying after his fourth-round win over Marin Cilic that he thought he had recovered.
Murray won't have to get past Nadal this year, but he will have to beat Ferrer and either defending champion Roger Federer or 2008 champion Novak Djokovic to claim his first major title.
He advanced earlier Wednesday with a 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 win over unseeded Alexandr Dolgopolov, after Kim Clijsters and Vera Zvonareva advanced to the women's semifinals.
Clijsters, the growing favorite in the women's draw, advanced to a semifinal against No. 2 Zvonareva, whom she beat in the finals at the U.S. Open last September. It will be the 10th tour meeting for the pair, with Clijsters holding a 6-3 advantage.
Henin retires
Former No. 1 Justine Henin has retired from tennis for a second time, citing a lingering elbow injury.
The 28-year-old Belgian says on her Web site that "my elbow is too fragile and hurt so that my passion and my profession at high level cannot continue to exist."
She partially tore a ligament in her right elbow in a fall at Wimbledon last year.


The Cliff Lee trade to the Yankees didn't go down yesterday because of the sudden availability of Rangers 1B Justin Smoak. Would the Yankees have gotten Lee if Smoak hadn't become available? Maybe not. Why? Because of the ankle sprain of Yankee prospect David Adams.
Adams is a 2B at AA Trenton. After the trade fell through yesterday he sat down for an exclusive interview with Bronx Baseball Daily's Rob Abruzzesse. In the interview Adams talks about the ankle sprain and reveals that it happened nearly 2 months ago, yet it's still not healed. Plus, MRIs of the ankle were not available to the Mariners. The Yankees did agree to give the Mariners an extra prospect because another prospects instead of Adams, but by then Smoak had become available.
To read the interview with David Adams, click here.


This is book six of the nine book series. Ben endures blockade duty and finds a novel way to overcome the boredom suffered by his crew. He is aboard the H. M. S. Victory under Admiral Lord Nelson. He and Tom survive the Battle of Trafalgar and see their hero, Lord Nelson fall and die.
Ben helps get the fallen Admiral back to London for burial. He is put in charge of the Navy's part of the funeral and the procession of barges that take the Admiral's body to St. Paul's for the funeral service. Ben is determined to meet his lady love, Annie, there. He is certain that she will sing for the funeral service. He spots her and manages to run her down after the long service. They share a supper together and spend the next 24 days together. They are most happy in one another's company and Ben gives her a ring and they are engaged.
Ben, who has finally received his captain's rating, is sent off to inspect the coastal Martello Towers to see if they are properly manned and ready for any surprise attack from the French.
Ben says 'goodbye' to Annie as he heads off on his next assignment. He is to sail to the Pacific to check out the resources on the continent of North America to see if there is anything there that the British may want when peace finally comes and the treaties are signed. It is the same time that the Lewis and Clark Expedition sets out to explore the west coast.
Ben leaves his ship with only twenty men afoot. They push far inland in what is now Oregon and encounter both friendly and warlike natives. They are captured and their goods taken. The delay sets them back and after escaping at night they are caught in a mountain blizzard.
Nearly starved and half dead, they finally return to their ship to find that the crew has mutinied and all now lay drunk on the decks, his officers imprisoned. Ben and his men summon up the energy to reclaim the ship and head back home.
Ben suffers a brutal blow when he arrives at London and finds that 'His Annie' has vanished without a trace. There are no letters, no sign of her and the Opera Company is destitute at her loss. He leaves on another assignment to the Caribbean, but his heart is no longer in being a captain and sailing the seven seas.


Rapper Lil' Kim shocked and even upset some fans Sunday after posting pictures of her dramatic transformation on Instagram: The artist appeared to have used bleach cream on her skin and dyed her hair blond.
The musician also posted a video of herself, showcasing her new aesthetic.
Trolls and distressed fans alike emerged from the social media woodwork and had criticism at the ready, calling Lil' Kim out for perpetuating racism by choosing to become more fair-skinned.
However, others remained more supportive, arguing Lil' Kim is a victim of low self-esteem and society's oppressive beauty standards for women.
Sad about Lil Kim and everyone who doesn't feel comfortable in their own skin. We should be taught the importance of self-love.
Lil Kim man I feel sorry for her..
I'm not even mad about what Lil Kim did to her herself because we hold responsibility for making her get there.
Lil Kim transformation is actually pretty sad. I pray none of ya'll dislike yourselves that much.
It's sad reading how low Lil Kim's self esteem is. Even sadder is how common that is for women.
You're saying horrible things about Lil Kim's appearance then wondering why she has self esteem issues in the same tweet????
Other black artists, such as Michael Jackson, have come under similar heat in the past for becoming increasingly Caucasian in their appearance (though in Jackson's case he cited vitiligo, a skin condition, as responsible for his transformation). Nonetheless, body dysmorphia has plagued a number of celebrities, prompting dramatic plastic surgery in some cases. And given the complex psychological underpinnings for such decisions, the issue is far from black and white.


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Posted by netgeekzcayman May 29, 2019 Digital Marketing, Social Media
Instagram Growths Outpaces Facebook & SnapChat
eMarketer reports the average amount of time people will spend each day on Facebook this year will remain unchanged from last year at 38-minutes. That number is expected to drop to 37-minutes per day by next year. This is a downgrade from the figures eMarketer released during the third quarter of 2018.
"Facebook's continued loss of younger adult users, along with its focus on downranking clickbait posts and videos in favor of those that create 'time well spent,' resulted in less daily time spent on the platform in 2018 than we had previously expected," said eMarketer principal analyst Debra Aho Williamson.
Facebook and Snapchat usage hits a plateau. After dropping from 41-minutes per day in 2017 to 38-minutest per day in 2018, the average amount of time spent on Facebook has flattened for now. The average amount of time spent on Snapchat has also plateaued according to eMarketer's forecasts, with adult users projected to spend 26-minutes per day on the app through 2021. (This is also a downgrade from the 28-minutes per day eMarketer originally estimated for Snapchat's 2019 usage.)
It's worth noting eMarketer's numbers are based on users age 18-years and older — meanwhile, Snapchat says it now reaches 90% of all 13 to 24-year-olds and in the U.S. There's an entire group of users — 13- to 17-year-olds — that eMarketer isn't including in its data.
Instagram's expected growth. eMarketer predicts Instagram users will spend an average 27-minutes per day on the app, up a minute from last year. This number will keep growing a minute per year through 2021, according to the research firm. Even with that growth, the average amount of time on Instagram will still lag at least eight-minutes behind the average amount of time users are expected to spend on Facebook two years from now.
Why we should care. Overall, eMarketer reports the average amount of time people spent per day on social networks in the U.S. dropped by nearly 1.5 minutes last year, a number that will remain "virtually" unchanged this year according to eMarketer's forecasts.
"Gains in digital video viewing are putting pressure on social time," said Williamson, "And gaming is also creating new competition for user attention." Williamson said eMarketer cannot confirm if there is a direct cause-effect relationship between the growth in these activities and social media usage, but there does appear to be a threat in terms of user engagement among the channels.
These estimates most likely will have little immediate impact on ad campaign budgeting or results. Social media usage may be flattening, but people are still showing up. And while Facebook growth looks to be flat, the average amount of time users are spending on the site still outperforms the average amount of time users are on Instagram.
For marketers targeting a younger demographic, eMarketer's report offers little guidance as it is not tracking usage by anyone younger than 18-years old.
Source; https://marketingland.com/time-spent-on-facebook-snapchat-remains-flat-but-instagram-sees-growth-261705
Posted by netgeekzcayman May 6, 2019 Social Media, Tech News
Facebook contractors categorize your private posts to train AI
The practice raises a few privacy concerns.
At any given time, Facebook has thousands of third-party staffers around the world looking at and labeling Facebook and Instagram posts. The work is meant to help train AI and to inform new products. But because the contractors see users' public and private posts, some view it as a violation of privacy.
According to Reuters, as many as 260 contract workers in Hyderabad, India have spent more than a year labeling millions of Facebook posts dating back to 2014. They look for the subject of the post, the occasion and the author's intent, and Facebook told Reuters, the company uses that information to develop new features and to potentially increase usage and ad revenue.
Around the globe, Facebook has as many as 200 similar content labeling projects, many of which are used to train the company's AI. As Reuterspoints out, that's not uncommon. Many companies hire staff for "data annotation" — like helping AI identify traffic lights or pedestrians in videos.
But that probably won't make Facebook users feel any better. The contractors working in Hyderabad told Reuters they see everything from text-based status updates to videos, photos and Stories across Facebook and Instagram — including those that are shared privately. And even as Facebook embarks on its "the future is private" platform, one Facebook employee told Reuters he can't imagine the practice going away. It's a core part of training AI and developing the company's products.
Posted by netgeekzcayman April 19, 2019 Digital Marketing, Social Media
Instagram test visualizes hiding 'Like' counts from viewers
This photo of an egg published on the social network Instagram via the account 'world_record_egg' became, over ten days, the most liked photo in the world with more than 33 million 'likes', which makes it the the most 'liked' image in the history of the social network.
Everyone has their own opinion about what specifically is wrong with social media, but the currency of likes is a commonly-cited issue. The latest grab bag of Instagram test features dug up by Jane Manchun Wongincludes a version that doesn't let the audience see how many likes a post gets. The person who posted it still does, but as the app describes it, "We want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get. During this test, only the person who share a post will see the total number of likes it gets."
Maybe that would help spread out the love on social media instead of people simply liking what others like, or maybe it wouldn't have much of an impact at all. Instagram confirmed to TechCrunch that it's an internal test the public can't see — yet. It also didn't hide follower counts, which more commonly measure one's popularity, nor did it appear to impact the way posts are ranked by Instagram's inescapable algorithmic feed. Still, at least we'd never have to hear about the 'most-liked post ever' ever again (even it was ultimately for a good cause).
Source: https://www.engadget.com/2019/04/19/instagram-likes-disappear/
Posted by netgeekzcayman April 1, 2019 Digital Marketing, Social Media
Facebook gives you more control over what you see in your News Feed
It's also getting more transparent about the ads you come across on the site.
Facebook has announced a new feature called "Why am I seeing this post?" which will help you better understand the content that shows up on your News Feed from friends, Pages and Groups you follow. Not only that, but this will also give you more control over what you see in the News Feed, letting you easily manage the posts you interact with on the site. The company says this is the first time it has built information on how News Feed ranking works directly into the Facebook app, noting that it is part of its efforts to be more transparent with users about how its algorithms target you.
To get access to the new tool, first reported by The Telegraph, all you have to do is click or tap the drop-down menu on the right hand corner of a post. From there, you'll be able to view info at a glance on why you're seeing certain posts on your News Feed — e.g. because you're a member of X Group or Page on Facebook — as well as manage the content you'd like to see more or less of. You'll get shortcuts to controls to help you further personalize your News Feed too, including See First, Unfollow, News Feed Preferences and Privacy Shortcuts.
Facebook says that during its research for the "Why am I seeing this post" feature, which is available starting today, it learned that people wanted more than transparency on its News Feed algorithms. They wanted more control, and that's why it decided to roll out the tools to make it simpler for users to manage the posts they see on their feed.
In addition to these changes, Facebook is updating its "Why am I seeing this ad?" tool to make it even more transparent than before. Now, on top of showing you factors like basic demographics or interests that may have contributed to an ad you came across on the site, Facebook will let you know when information on an advertiser's list matches your profile. What's more, Facebook is providing details if an advertiser uploaded your personal data to its database, such as email and phone number, or whether it worked with another marketing partner to try to target you with an ad.
"Both of these updates are part of our ongoing investment in giving people more context and control across Facebook," the company said in a blog post. "We will continue to listen to your feedback and evolve these features over time."
At a time when Facebook is under heavy scrutiny by the public and governments, it needs to be as transparent as possible with users. The new features certainly don't solve all of its problems, but at least they're a step in the right direction.
Source: Engaget & Facebook
Posted by netgeekzcayman March 6, 2019 Digital Marketing, Social Media
The Difference Between a Social Media Manager and a Community Manager
A lot of people get confused when talking about social media management and community management. So we asked the question: What is the difference between a social media manager and a community manager?
Social Media Manager vs Community Manager
For smaller companies, one person may take on both roles; but in general, the two jobs are very different. Social media managers basically act as the brand while community managers represent and advocate for the brand with their own voice and via their own social presence.
Social Media Manager: The SMM's job is to BE the brand on social. They develop a social strategy for the business and execute from every angle. They act as the brand in every sense; they create, curate and schedule content that best reflects their brand voice. They manage campaigns and report on social analytics. They also monitor conversations on social accounts and engage with their audience under the mask of the brand.
Community Manager: The CM's job is essentially to act as a spokesman for a brand and use their own voice to build a loyal community. This can be either on their own social accounts or by using the brand's social account but announcing they are "taking over" for a period of time. Their job is much more customer-focused. They connect with their followers, stimulate conversations, make customers feel valued and try to spread brand awareness outside of that group.
Thanks for stopping by, hope this was helpful!
Posted by netgeekzcayman February 28, 2019 Digital Marketing, Social Media
How to Create a Social Media Content Strategy
Content is the heart of any social media strategy – neglecting to create valuable and engaging social media content will leave you extremely frustrated with your results.
And while creating a social media content strategy isn't rocket science, many brands miss the mark, and fail to deliver on what users are seeking from companies when engaging on social channels. To create a social media content strategy, brands absolutely need to create content that users want to consume.
So, what do consumers want from brands on social media? A recent study has interesting findings:
72% of consumers want discounts or sales
60% of consumers want posts that showcase new products/services
59% of consumers want posts that inform
56% of consumers want posts that entertain
49% of consumers want posts that inspire
41% of consumers want posts about company happenings
By understanding what users want to see in their feeds, brands can create more effective content strategies, which will help to maximize your social media success and business impact.
When building out a content strategy, we recommend approaching it in three defined phases: 'Planning', 'Publishing' and 'Measuring'.
1. Planning
In the planning phase, brands should keep in mind what they have to offer as an entity, and present those elements through the lens of what consumers want. In short, process what makes your brand special and present that story with elements of education, entertainment inspiration and provide value.
You should always align your social media content strategy with these concepts. While it's tempting to always talk about what you offer, be conscious that there's much more to the conversation than just your brand.
Consider the third party sources you might want to include in your content plan, and don't be shy to showcase like-minded (and non-competitive) branded content.
2. Publishing
Once your planning is wrapped up and you know what your overarching messaging will be, you'll next want to draft content in an organized way.
We highly recommend employing a Social Media Content Calendar. A content calendar enables you to set a visible plan on what kind of content is going to be published and when.
When building your calendar, there are a few elements we highly recommend:
Day – This tells you which day of the week the content will be published
Date – This tells you the date the content will be published
Topic – This tells you the topic of the content piece – very useful when trying to ensure your content strategy is dynamic and diverse (it's easy to accidentally be repetitive)
Message – This is the copy of your post – be sure to spell check
Notes – This section is where you can include reminders, hashtags or anything else that you might need to remember when it comes to publishing your content
Image – Place the link to the image that goes with your copy here. We typically use Google Drive to host these files, but you may store the images locally, which is fine. Just place that location here
Once your social media content calendar is set, you can then begin to publish. We recommend a social media management platform like Sprout Social to schedule content in advance. Very useful.
It also goes without saying, but after your content is published, you'll want to keep an eye on engagement, and reply appropriately.
3. Measuring
Sure, Planning and Publishing might seem like the only two actual steps in a social media content strategy, however, in order to optimize your efforts, you have to also measure as much as possible.
In this phase, you'll want to take a top-level view of your data for a set time period, in order to determine which performed the best. A key thing to keep in mind here is that different content pieces might have different objectives – for example, a meme that's intended to entertain should be judged by engagement, whereas a post that links to a blog post should be judged by clicks.
For those new to social media measurement, here are the key performance indicators we recommend tracking when it comes to analyzing your social media content strategy:
Impressions – The amount of times people saw your content.
Engagements – The amount of reactions, comments and shares your content wins.
Clicks – The amount of times links in your content get clicked
To improve anything, in work or life, we must measure it. Measuring your social media content strategy gives you the ability to optimize against what is working well and remove content that isn't resonating with your audience.
These are the basic, fundamental steps you need to have in place for an effective social media content strategy. There's obviously a lot of depth to each, and you can take it as far as you need, but without some level of planning in place, you're simply not going to maximize your social media marketing results.
Posted by netgeekzcayman January 29, 2019 Social Media, Tech News
5 Ways to Generate More Engagement (and Reach) on Facebook
Facebook organic reach and engagement has taken a significant hit in recent times. That's not great news for brands looking to use the platform to generate business, but reminding yourself of some basic engagement "hacks" can be a good way to increase your Facebook traction with the fans you already have.
This is important, because nurturing your current audience will lead to more success in attracting new followers. In this post I'll highlight a few ways to "trick" the Facebook algorithm to help generate more engagement from your fans, and therefore more reach to new audiences.
1. Try posting links in the first comment
Now, I haven't tried this one personally, but I've seen other big players in the social media space use this tactic.
Here's a little background on why this is a good idea – Facebook likes to keep people on its platform. This means that Facebook's News Feed algorithm doesn't particularly like posts which take people to an outside website, so any post with an off-platform link could, theoretically, be penalized, and shown to fewer people within your audience.
As an alternative approach, you could try creating a longer form caption, then letting your audience know that if they want more information they can find the link in the first comment on the post.
Again, I don't have any definitive data on this, but it's something to consider in your experiments.
2. Post engaging content in between website links
My second tip is a little more obvious, and really, an old-school Facebook marketing strategy – though it remains a solid one.
The first step is to get to know your audience – research similar Pages, pay attention to your analytics and understand what it is that your followers like and respond to. Then, you should look to create content which is super engaging, before you even try posting any of your own links.
This principle behind this is that since you've posted amazing content that your audience loves before you've sought to use the same to drive website traffic, the algorithm will look at your Page content more favorably, because it will know that you're already driving significant engagement. Therefore, your posts with links will, ideally, be granted the same reach benefits.
3. Use Messenger Bots
Using chatbots and Facebook Messenger to communicate with customers and keep fans updated is one of the new hot topics in social media marketing. Connecting through Messenger gives you the opportunity to interact with people who may not like your Page (yet), and I've seen some really great Messenger bots which link you to different content based on your responses (I'm currently giving one a spin on my own Facebook fan page).
Messenger bots can be used for lead nurturing, retaining customers, and sharing your knowledge. Although chatbots may seem a little daunting to set up (the thought deterred me from trying for a while), there's a range of some tools that can make this easier on you.
Within your Facebook Page messaging option, you can set up instant replies, and replies to frequently asked questions. For a more robust messenger chat bot you can try a third party service.
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4. Try videos and live videos
I can't stress the importance of incorporating videos into your social media strategy enough – it's not so much that the News Feed Algorithm loves video necessarily, but videos are just a more popular form of content to consume.
Using tools like Adobe Spark Post, Quik, Videoshop, Boomerang and Hyperlapse can make the process of creating quality videos for your posts easier – Facebook even has some built-in video creation tools (including the slideshow post option and video effects for boosted posts).
But the easiest way to dive into videos is by going live. Live-streaming creates a sense of urgency, while it's also a pretty simple way to interact with your audience without needing a fancy set up.
5. Boost Posts
You might not want to hear this, but boosting posts is also a viable, and effective, way to increase your Facebook audience engagement.
The positive is that you don't need a huge budget. Try putting some money behind posts which organically perform well. The key here is to target the right audience effectively – you can target people who follow your Page, or anyone who's engaged with your Page in the past.
This type of targeting is efficient because you're reaching people who are already familiar with your work, and will most likely be happy to see more from you.
Will you try these "hacks" to help you with the Facebook algorithm and get some engagement back from your current followers? Remember this year we should focus on the audience we have, and the new eyes will follow.
China cracks down on Twitter users critical of its government
It won't surprise you to hear that China keeps a tight lid on homegrown social networks, but it's now doing more to stifle free expression on outside networks, too. The New York Times reported that Chinese law enforcement recently began a crackdown on residents who post criticism of the government on Twitter, even though the service is officially blocked inside the country. Police have threatened action, interrogated activists for hours and detained at least one person for 15 days.
And when officials demand that tweets disappear, they don't necessarily take "no" for an answer. When human rights campaigner Wang Aizhong refused to delete his tweets, someone hijacked his account and deleted 3,000 of his messages. While there's no confirmation of who was responsible, Wang put the blame on government-linked hackers who insisted on silencing him.
The likely aim, as you might imagine, is to maintain the ruling party's authority and control the country's image. China is happy to use Twitter and other foreign social networks to promote its official point of view, but doesn't want its residents to challenge that view on those same networks. And unfortunately, that makes life even more difficult for activists who may lose access to one of their few remaining public outlets.
Posted by netgeekzcayman January 9, 2019 Social Media
Twitter will test new conversation features out in the open
Twitter is launching a new program to let users reshape how conversations on its site look and feel, the company announced today in an interview with Engadget at CES 2019. The idea is for users to try out new organization and context features with their followers, such as the status updates and "ice breaker" tweets we saw being tested last year, which are designed to encourage people to talk to each other. Twitter is set to start testing the program in the coming weeks, and while anyone will be able to apply to join, only a few thousand users are actually going to get in.
If you're chosen to participate, Twitter is going to ask for feedback on features you're testing and then use that to see what's working (or isn't) before rolling them out to everyone else. Staples like hashtags and @mentions were built by the Twitter community, and the company wants that to continue to be the case — especially as CEO Jack Dorsey has said that his main focus is to "increase the health of public conversation" on the site. Since last year, one of the ways Twitter has been trying to be more transparent is by tweeting updates on products it's building, in an effort to get continuous feedback from users.
While Twitter already has an Experiments Program, this new one will give participants the ability to share what they are seeing openly with people on their timeline. They'll also get to try a number of variations of experimental features and, of course, give continued feedback through the entire development process. "We want to develop a service for the people that are using it, and we have to involve people in that way," Sara Haider, director of product management at Twitter, said on the Engadget CES 2019 stage. "We have a platform that the world uses to speak their mind, why not use that as part of our development process?"
"We have a platform that the world uses to speak their mind, why not use that as part of our development process?"
She said that, as great as Twitter is for conversations on a wide range of topics, sometimes users need to work around the product to make it work for them. A perfect example of that is when people are at an event like CES and they change their username to reflect that. That's where having a feature like status update could come in handy, Haider said, since it can help give your followers context about what you may be tweeting about in the next week or so: "We want to turn these kinds of things into features for everyone."
Haider also touched on Twitter threads and how those could be improved through visual flourishes, including indentations and collapsing replies to only highlight the ones you're interested in. If you've ever come across a popular tweet, you know how messy it can get to keep up with a conversation. Twitter is aware that's something it can improve on and, with the upcoming beta program, you may have a chance to shape how those features work on the site.
"We're making some pretty big changes to the way conversations look and feel on Twitter, and we don't want to just unveil that one day and what if you don't like it or it's not working for you?," said Haider. "We really want to bring our community along for this journey and be a part of this. We want to this kind of thing more often."
Of course, not every conversation on Twitter is exactly positive, but Haider said that safe and healthy interactions are the company's number one priority." The investments and thinking we do around health," she said, "permeate into all of our product decision-making and how we think about what products we are building." As far as those editable tweets people keep asking about, Haider said she has nothing to say about that right now, only that Twitter "is always working on ways to make the experience better."
Posted by netgeekzcayman December 3, 2018 News, Social Media
Tumblr will start blocking adult content on December 17th
Tumblr has announced that it will no longer allow adult content beginning December 17th. The site, which is owned by Engadget's parent company, says that content includes "photos, videos or GIFs that show real-life human genitals or female-presenting nipples and any content — including photos, videos, GIFs and illustrations — that depicts sex acts." The move comes just after Tumblr's app was removed from the App Store, reportedly because of images of child sexual abuse that made their way onto the site.
In a statement, Tumblr said at the time that while it scans every uploaded image against a database of known child sexual abuse material, images that hadn't yet been included in the database were found on its site. It removed the content and reiterated that it had a "zero tolerance policy" against that type of material. But during that same time, Tumblr was also reportedly removing other posts featuring adult content, which some people believed to be a response to the App Store removal.
"As Tumblr continues to grow and evolve, and our understanding of our impact on our world becomes clearer, we have a responsibility to consider that impact across different age groups, demographics, cultures and mindsets," the company said in a statement about its decision to ban adult content. "We spent considerable time weighing the pros and cons of expression in the community that includes adult content. In doing so, it became clear that without this content we have the opportunity to create a place where more people feel comfortable expressing themselves."
Some content will still be allowed under the new rules, including breasts in the context of breastfeeding, birth and health-related situations, as well as erotica, nudity related to a newsworthy event and nudity in art. Those whose posts have been flagged as having adult content will be notified, and they'll be able to appeal Tumblr's decision. Adult content posts will be reverted to a private setting.
"We're relying on automated tools to identify adult content and humans to help train and keep our systems in check," said Tumblr. "We know there will be mistakes, but we've done our best to create and enforce a policy that acknowledges the breadth of expression we see in the community." The company added that it plans to be "as transparent as possible" with its users regarding any decisions it makes going forward.
In 2016, Indonesia banned Tumblr for hosting pornographic content, and last year the company introduced a safe mode that allows users to hide sensitive material from view.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/12/03/tumblr-blocking-adult-content-december-17th/


The problem with whiteheads is quite common. This kind of acne is an accumulation of dead skin cells, sweat and skin secretions of the sebaceous glands that clog the pores. Occur most often on the zygomatic region and eyelids. Clear your face of whiteheads at home using effective tools.
The main factor that triggers the appearance of whiteheads or Milia on the face, is the accumulation of sebum in the glands. This leads to stretching of the gland due to which the contents x-rayed, forming a white knot. Simply put, whiteheads are small plugs that block sebaceous glands. Most often this problem occurs on the background of hereditary factors or hormonal disorders.
The appearance of this type of acne can cause diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, gall bladder or pancreas, poor quality cosmetics and exposure to ultraviolet rays. Among the main causes of whiteheads should be allocated to the incorrect diet: fondness for smoked, spicy, fatty and sweet foods.
Whiteheads pose no health threats, but people in a hurry to get rid of them for aesthetic purposes. Mechanically remove isolated acne. Before the procedure the face should be thoroughly clean the alcohol-containing lotion to steam using the bath with herbal decoction. Then the skin is gently opened with the help of sterilized needle, squeeze out the contents. In conclusion, the treated area of skin should be treated with alcohol. At home to achieve the desired sterility is difficult, so it is better to entrust this business experienced beautician. A professional approach will help to avoid the formation of scars and scar tissue, infection of the wound.
Buy in a drugstore a solution of salicylic acid 1% or 2% solution can burn the skin, so be careful when choosing the means). Dampen a cosmetic disk in salicylic acid and wipe the face two times a day. You can use the acid locally, to do this, take a cotton swab, dip in solution and apply solely on the problem areas of the skin.
In the fight against white acne bath will help. The next time you visit the steam room, grab a oak or birch broom. Thoroughly wash face with soap and water, wet skin, and gently beat yourself with a broom in the face. Such a procedure is perfectly opens and cleanses the pores, eliminates toxins. You can then treat the face and hands with rubbing alcohol, gently squeeze out the contents whiteheads from pores.
Aspirin is a good treatment for whiteheads, acne. Pills anti-inflammatory effect quickly heal and dry acne. Take 10 tablets of aspirin, crush them into powder, pour a small amount of warm water and mix. Drain excess water and wet slurry attach to the center of the eels (you can mix the aspirin with lotion or honey), keep 5-10 minutes. To do such mask is recommended not more often two times a week.


I've been working on this collage during the past week. Still have more work to do on it though. Have to wait for further inspiration to complete it.
Love it! You are a pro.
I hope inspiration returns to you soon, because so far its adorable!!
So far so terrific, and I'm sure the rest will come together wonderfully also.
Ooh, this is looking sweet!
it's darling. inspiration will come at the oddest time.


infrastructure takes on an additional layer of complexity when SANs are brought into the picture. The key to ensuring the optimal functionality of such a complex environment is to adhere to the best practices for virtualization / SAN connectivity. Of course many of the best practices vary depending on which vendor's products are being used, but there are some best practices that are more or less universal. This whitepaper outlines ten such best practices for using SANs in a virtual datacenter.
One of the first considerations that you must take into account is compatibility. It goes without saying that if you want to connect your virtualization infrastructure to a SAN then the SAN must be compatible with your virtualization platform. However, in many cases it is important to look beyond mere compatibility and instead verify that the hardware is actually certified for use with your virtualization solution.
For example, organizations that use Hyper-V as a virtualization solution often depend on the use of failover clusters to provide fault tolerance and live migration capabilities. However, Microsoft's support policy clearly states that failover clustering solutions are only supported if all of the hardware components are marked as certified for Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2. Additionally, the Failover Cluster Manager in Windows Server contains a Wizard that is designed to validate your failover clustering configuration. Microsoft will not support a failover clustering configuration unless it has passed all of the validation tests.
The concept of using certified components is not unique to Microsoft virtualization solutions. VMware also publishes their own Certified Compatibility Guides (http://www.vmware.com/resources/guides.html).
These guides list which systems, storage / SAN, and backup solutions have been certified to be compatible with VMware.
One area in which VMware differs from Microsoft is that while Microsoft requires storage hardware to be certified for use with Windows Server in order to be supported, VMware publishes a list of community supported hardware and software (http://communities.vmware.com/cshwsw.jspa). The items appearing on this list are not officially certified by VMware, but have been tested either by the hardware vendors or by VMware's customers.
While there is no denying the importance of making sure that your SAN hardware is compatible with (and preferably certified for use with) your virtualization solution that alone might not be enough. You need to be consistent with your hardware.
Suppose for instance that that you have a series of servers that are being used as nodes in a virtualization host server cluster, and that those nodes connect to your SAN through Fibre Channel. In such a case, each server's Fibre Channel adapter should be identical.
Having identical Fibre Channel adapters means more than simply installing the same make and model in each server. It also means verifying that each Fibre Channel adapter is using the same firmware version.
Likewise, you should make sure that each adapter uses identical communication settings (speed, duplex mode, flow control, media type, etc.).
When you are allocating storage to a virtualization host server (or to a host server cluster) it is important to configure the storage to deliver performance that is scaled to match the total workload requirements for the virtual machines that are running on the host. Although there are numerous factors that affect storage performance, you should pay particular attention to the number of spindles that you use in a given situation.
Generally speaking you will receive the best performance by spreading the workload across as many spindles as possible (within reason). Given the importance of virtual machine hosting, it is also important to make your RAID array fault tolerant. RAID 5 will get the job done, but RAID 10 yields much better performance.
Another consideration for those seeking to achieve high performance is to use Solid State Drives (SSDs). SSDs have no moving parts and are not subject to the mechanical limitations of HDDs. As such, they generally offer twenty to thirty percent better performance than regular hard drives. One thing to consider however, is that SSDs have a higher cost per gigabyte and SSDs have a much lower overall capacity.
One of the most important considerations for any storage fabric is reliability, and one of the best ways to achieve reliability is through redundancy. Although using a failover clustering solution for your virtualization platform is a good start, clustering alone may not offer adequate protection against hardware failures.
A failover cluster will insulate you against a server failure, but may not protect you against the loss of SAN connectivity. Depending on what clustering solution you are using for example, it is possible that a cluster node could lose SAN connectivity, and yet remain online. In this type of situation the virtual machines running on the node on which the failure occurred would fail, but a failover to another cluster node may never occur because the cluster itself is still able to communicate with the ailing node and assumes that the node is healthy.
The 2 best way to address this problem is through the use of multipath I/O, which comes standard with modern hypervisors and operating environments. Multipath I/O will allow a server to continue to communicate with the SAN even in the event of a host bus adapter failure.
There are a few important considerations that you should take into account when planning a multipath I/O solution. First, base your multipath I/O solution around the use of two separate host bus adapters. While it is true that you can achieve multipath I/O through a dual port host bus adapter, doing so will only protect you against a cable failure. The adapter itself remains a potential single point of failure. As such, you can only achieve true redundancy by using multiple host bus adapters.
Another consideration is that multipath I/O solutions can be very version sensitive. It is extremely important that your host bus adapters use consistent firmware versions and that you work closely with your hardware vendor to choose hardware that will work in a multipath environment.
Finally, some operating systems can be very picky about multipath I/O software. If you are using Windows Server 2008 R2 for example, then your multipath I/O solution must be based on Microsoft's Multipath I/O component (which is included with the operating system) and a Device Specific Module. You can use a Device Specific Module that was included with the operating system, or you can use one that was provided by a hardware vendor.
Even though Fibre Channel delivers the best performance for SAN connectivity, many organizations opt to use iSCSI instead because it is far less expensive to implement. iSCSI tends to be very flexible, and this flexibility sometimes leads to less than ideal configurations. As such, there are a few best practices that you should keep in mind with regard to using iSCSI connectivity.
First, iSCSI communications should take place over a dedicated network. This is important not only for performance reasons, but also for security. You should never under any circumstances use the same NIC for both iSCSI traffic and for general network communications.
Second, avoid confusion by using a different subnet for iSCSI communications than what you use for normal network communications. Yes, you can technically get away with using a single subnet for all types of network traffic so long as you use unique IP addresses, but remember that the goal is to limit iSCSI traffic to a dedicated network (dedicated adapters, switches, etc.). Using the same subnet for two separate networks can potentially cause routing problems, so it is best to create a dedicated subnet for iSCSI traffic.
A third consideration has to do with the performance limits that you might encounter. When a network adapter is unable to deliver sufficient bandwidth then a common solution to the problem is to use NIC teaming (which is sometimes referred to as bonding). NIC teaming is a technique through which network communications are distributed across two or more NICs as a way of overcoming the performance limitations of a single NIC. Although NIC teaming works well for general network communications, some flavors of iSCSI do not work with teamed NICs.
When developing a storage architecture, most people have the same basic goal in mind – to get the best possible performance at the lowest possible price. With this goal in mind, consider the choice between 8 gigabit Fibre Channel and 10 gigabit iSCSI connectivity.
On the surface this choice seems obvious. iSCSI is much less expensive than Fibre Channel and 10 gigabit iSCSI would seem to be faster than 8 gigabit Fibre Channel. However, all is not what it might at first seem.
The problem with assuming that 10 gigabit iSCSI is the faster of the two connectivity methods is an adapter's throughput rating does not reflect the amount of overhead involved in the data transfer process.
Every communication protocol has overhead associated with it. This is true for both iSCSI and Fibre Channel. This means that the amount of data that a protocol can transfer over a given medium within a specific length of time is largely affected by the efficiency of the protocol.
Fibre Channel is a far simpler protocol than iSCSI. The iSCSI protocol has a lot of overhead because iSCSI commands are encapsulated in TCP/IP packets. Network adapters with TCP/IP offload engines can help to improve iSCSI's efficiency, but not enough to put it on par with Fibre Channel. Furthermore, iSCSI robs the server of CPU cycles and does not scale as well as Fibre Channel in multi-port configurations.
Benchmark testing of 10 gigabit iSCSI and 8 gigabit Fibre Channel has confirmed that even with its 2 gigabit advantage, 10 gigabit iSCSI simply does not perform as well as 8 gigabit Fibre Channel(Link).
Another lesson for SAN users in virtual datacenters is that if you are using iSCSI connectivity you might be able to achieve better overall storage performance by enabling jumbo frames.
The concept of frames was first introduced out of necessity during the infancy of the Internet. The distributed (and sometimes unreliable) nature of the Internet meant that data sometimes had to be retransmitted. TCP/IP was designed to break the data into a series of chunks (frames). That way, if some of the data was lost or corrupted during transit then the host could retransmit the frames that were lost rather than having to retransmit everything.
In a SAN environment, storage is attached via reliable, high speed connectivity. As such, frame retransmission becomes a moot point. While you can't get around the need for frames, you can increase the size of the frames by enabling jumbo frames. Doing so reduces overhead and results in more efficient use of your bandwidth.
VMware and Hyper-V both support the use of jumbo frames. Jumbo frame support was first introduced by VMware in vSphere 4.0. Microsoft followed suit by enabling jumbo frames in Hyper-V R2 (although the Integration Services are required to use jumbo frames from within a virtual machine).
The method for enabling jumbo frames varies from one product to the next. Furthermore, all of your networking components must support jumbo frames in order to facilitate end to end use.
The N switch tells Ping how many echo requests you want to send. The L switch tells Ping how many packets to send, and the F switch tells Ping not to fragment the packets. The switches are case sensitive.
If jumbo frames are not enabled end to end then Ping will return an error stating that packets need to be fragmented.
Host servers contain a limited number of ports in which NICs can be installed. As such, it is important to allocate your NIC ports in a way that maximizes performance and that prevents network bottlenecks.
One thing that you should do in any host server is to use multi-port NIC cards. The goal is to maximize the number of NICs that the server can accommodate.
If you are connecting the host to a Fibre Channel SAN then you will want to reserve at least two of the server's expansion ports for host bus adapters. Using multiple adapters in conjunction with multipath I/O provides enhanced performance and insulation against the failure of a host bus adapter.
If the SAN is iSCSI based then you will want to dedicate at least two NIC ports to iSCSI traffic. Although some flavors of iSCSI do not support NIC teaming, you should be able to achieve multipath I/O for iSCSI without teaming the NICs.
Regardless of which type of SAN storage connectivity you are using, you will need to reserve a NIC port on each host server for heartbeat traffic. Clustered hosts use heartbeats over a dedicated network segment to exchange health status information with other hosts in the cluster.
Finally, you will need to have some NICs dedicated to servicing the virtual machines. The way in which these NICs should be configured varies depending upon the needs of the guest machines. If you have some virtual machines that run extremely bandwidth intensive applications then you can dedicate physical NIC ports to those virtual machines. However, it is usually preferable to team the NICs that will be servicing virtual machines, because dedicating NICs to specific virtual machines can make moving virtual machines from one cluster node to another difficult.
Regardless of how you choose to configure your NIC ports, it is important to take redundancy into account. For example, if you decide to use multiple ports for iSCSI connections then it is better to use ports on separate physical NICs than to use ports on a single, multi-port NIC. That way the server won't be cut off from the storage if a NIC fails.
As you saw in the previous section, a properly configured host cluster makes use of multiple NIC ports and several dedicated network segments. One of the keys to keeping things running smoothly is to adopt a naming convention for NIC ports, and physical and virtual switches. Your naming conventions should be reflected within the hypervisor if possible (by doing things such as renaming your virtual switches) and in your network documentation. If you ever need to replace a dead host server you don't want to have to guess as to what each of the network cables was used for or how the server's NIC ports should be configured.
Another best practice that is often overlooked is that removable media should be completely avoided on clustered host servers. To see why this is the case, imagine that you use a DVD to upgrade an application that is installed on a virtual server. When the process completes, you eject the installation media, but you forget to uncapture the DVD drive. If a failure were to occur later on then the failover process probably will not work. Different hypervisors behave differently, but typically you cannot live migrate a virtual machine that has a physical DVD attached.
A better solution is to configure a portion of your SAN to store ISO files for each DVD that you use. When it comes time to perform an action that would normally require a DVD, simply use your SAN based ISO library instead. NIC port on each host server for heartbeat traffic. Clustered hosts use heartbeats over a dedicated network segment to exchange health status information with other hosts in the cluster.
It is also a good idea to reserve a NIC port for server management. Although this is not an absolute requirement, having a dedicated management port allows you to manage the server without depriving any of the virtual machines of network bandwidth. In clustered environments it is common to create a dedicated backend management network.


text:
5 verified facts in 13 grafs
Judd Slivka Media Matters, Story data, facts, reporting, TV script
Just for funsies, below is a written piece that's on WABC-TV's website this morning about an 8-year-old boy who was killed when a tractor-trailer went through the intersection he was walking in. Or is it? The story has a two-paragraph hard-news top, but then quickly moves into the emotional stuff that plays better on TV.
There's no judgment here and it looks like the story is pretty much a rewrite of the script — not an uncommon practice — but I counted and there are five verifiable facts in 13 paragraphs.
It's pretty interesting. The printed piece is a good demonstration on how a) TV is pressed for time and makes content choices; and b) how low a "standard of proof" is (check out the last statement in the story, which has a statement but no facts to support it.
Verifiable facts in bold:
The driver of the tractor trailer that struck and killed an 8-year-old boy while he was walking to school, has been charged for driving without a license.
The truck driver was arraigned late Friday night. His bail was set at $2,000. His attorney had no comment.
But the focus of course was on this third grader, Noshat Nahian.
The community set up a memorial remembering a life cut to short. And now, a spokesperson for the family says the boy's father is recovering from a heart attack because of his grief.
Earlier Friday, Noshat's father had cried remembering his little boy.
He said that all he had was one son.
The boy was hit and killed crossing busy Northern Boulevard at 61st Street with his 11-year-old sister Friday morning on their way to school.
The family was new to the country, moving here a little over two months ago.
51-year-old Mauricio Osorio-Palominos, the driver of the truck that hit the third grader, is charged with driving without a valid license.
He worked for Road Techs out of New Jersey.
Students and parents outside PS 152, Nahian's school, called into question why there wasn't a crossing guard assigned to this busy intersection.
"That's the wrong thing. They have a crossing guard on one side. Why not on this side? Kids only cross street there. They should have everywhere," a parent said.
School administrations are working with police to figure out if that needs to change.
How soon we forget: What news looks like after it happens
Judd Slivka Data, Media Matters Aaron Hernandez, analytics, information flow
So let's say that you're an editor somewhere and a story happens. You staff it, publish it and send it on its way. The truth is that most news is a disposable commodity and that no one notices what happens after it's gone.
This is especially true in mid-local stories where the mindset is "We did it once, maybe twice. Unless something happens that advances the story, I'm done with it." It happens in national stories, too, though the explosion of news outlets has made it happen less than it did.
But what if, after the mad rush of an initial story, something did happen? And what if that something advanced the story, but the media decided that it was less important than the original story and consequently covered — or distributed it — less?
Here's a graph I created using CustomScoop that shows exactly that. It also shows the peaks and valleys of news coverage of a single topic.
The first bump is June 28, 2013 — the day Hernandez is arrested. That's 3,087 mentions in online and broadcast news sources. It tails off a bit then comes back on July 3, when the search warrant returns are made public. But you'll notice that there's still a lot less interest there the arrest, though there's much more information.
The next spike is July 10, when USA Today's Kevin Manahan wrote a piece on the background of one of the police's sources in the Hernandez investigation which was picked up by Gannett outlets around the country and Tim Dahlberg, AP's national sports columnist, wrote a piece on red flags in Hernandez's past. Hernandez is still in the news and current at this point, and little piecemeal stuff is coming out, but the July 10 spike is mostly about Gannett papers using stuff from The Mothership and how far the Associated Press gets carried.
Our next spike is July 25 – 3,996 Hernandez stories in U.S. non-social media-sourced news stories. The stories are pegged to the Patriots' veterans opening training camp and are mostly pickups of various reports of Tom Brady's comments on the Hernandez story. Some of the news is new: There's a photo of Hernandez allegedly holding a pistol.
We don't see much happen until Aug. 22, when Hernandez is indicted (1,946 mentions). And the next spike comes on Sept. 6 (2,586 mentions)when Hernandez is arraigned.
At some point, the Hernandez story is a process story with actors in shoulder pads, and here's how we can tell: Editors hate process stories (they're often difficult to illustrate, among other things). Look at the story counts for the chronology items that are legal process.
Arrest: 3,087
Search warrant returns: 1,729
Indictment: 1,946
Arraignment: 2,586
Incidentally bad design confuses readers
Judd Slivka Media Matters design, Kolker, Slate, usability
Robert Kolker has written a hell of a book excerpt for his book, Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery, which comes out tomorrow. He wrote it for Slate, which is a great place for it to appear, based on demographics, and Slate put it into the DoubleX feature, which is where a lot of material about gender roles and things go (Kolker's book is about someone who kidnapped and killed prostitutes, incidentally).
But you'd never know it was a book excerpt by the way Slate treated it, and it's a good example of how bad design can disorient a reader.
The front page display has everything going for it: nice overlines that set the tone, a slammer hed that drives the point of the story home, a picture that's easily understandable.
Click into the story and it's Slate's typical clean layout. In its first publication this morning, it lacked any context, though. You came into the top of the story and dropped right into the story without any idea of what it was. The editor's note about it being a book excerpt wasn't there until later in the day (kudos to Slate editors for fixing this).
The section hed didn't work as an orienteering device, because "DoubleX" is too general to be helpful when the content is this … divergent … from the norm. So readers go into a compelling story but have no idea what the hell it is. Because it's an excerpt, there are some holes in the narrative, which you'd expect in an excerpt. But you don't know it's an excerpt.
It's not until the reader gets to the very bottom of the story that you get to the explainer. You can see it below but you'll have to scroll. It's below the bottom of the story, below Slate's most viral and the double column of promotional and outlinks. That stuff at the bottom is boilerplate or framing for the most part. It's something that's scanned, not read .And it requires two scrolls to get from the bottom of the story to the explanation of what you're reading.
Here's the takeaways:
1. Not having an explanation for non-conforming content before the reader enters the text disorients the reader. It continually raises the question "Why is this here?" and that gives readers an exit point.
2. Putting the explainer that far below the story — two scrolls of link boilerplate away — does a disservice to the author (who's trying to convert readers into sales via the Amazon link) and to the readers, who may or may not be disoriented as to what they're reading.
The Web amplification effect, in effect
Judd Slivka Media Matters amplification, olloclip, social media
There was a time — and it wasn't all that long ago — when paid media was king. But the amplification effects of social media have taken over. But it's more than social media. It's the amplification effect of the entire Internet.
The first graph is the number of mentions in social and traditional media for the camera company olloclip in the last 30 days, as tracked by CustomScoop. olloclip makes a lens set that clips on to iPhones and its hugely popular. The company has been mentioned in social and traditional media 8,239 times in the last 30 days (that would turn out an impressive CPM; also impressive: 253 mentions in the last 12 hours). Nearly 90 percent of those mentions have been on Twitter. That's stunning. Only 1 percent of mentions have come in magazines and there hasn't been a single mention in daily newspapers.
This turns the media buy equation on its head. If we look a little deeper into the numbers, our 7,415 mentions on Twitter were delivered to a minimum of 10,187,260 timelines. The average number of followers is 2,058. Even if we control for some of the people with huge Twitter followings, you're still looking at an average follower number of more than 500. If the idea is to go where people are, why purchase any media? Why even send reviews pieces out?
As a side note, the company's Twitter account only has 7,483 followers.