MBR - Blogger Resources

New Media in Old New England

2013-05-13T11:33:00.000-07:00

A redesigned web development and new media site is taking a new approach. Broad Side of the Barn is offering web development and new media information and solutions to a broad audience, while also providing New Hampshire and New England specific information to its readers. The initial redesign has created a new look for the site, while more content changes are to come.

A starting point for these changes are the photos posted of New Hampshire / New England State parks...

New Hampshire and New England Photos

Tesla - Electric Car Company Showing Promise

2013-05-09T13:20:00.002-07:00

From Yahoo Finance...

Tesla: Why Everyone Should Be Rooting For America’s New Car Company

The only successful new American car company in more than half a century, Tesla (TSLA), reported its first quarterly profit yesterday.

It wasn't a big profit.

But the fact that it was any sort of profit blew away investors, who instantly bid the company's stock up 25% to a new high near $70. Helping fuel this gigantic move was presumably collective panic on the part of the many investors who are short Tesla's stock, betting that the electric car company will falter and its stock will tank.

When short-sellers are forced to "cover" their bets on unexpected good news, their panic buying often creates demand that drives stock prices through the roof. And Tesla's stock presumably benefited from that.

Links to Look Over

2013-05-07T10:44:00.001-07:00

Today's Link List

Wildlife at Pawtuckaway Lake in Nottingham, NH

Gabriel Gomez Running for Senate in MA

Lovely Animal and Safari Video Photography

Boston Bruins Crowd Sings the National Anthem

No Human Rights in Syria

2013-04-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

Concerns rise about Syria as more reports surface that the government has used chemical weapons on its own people.

Syria Human Rights Violations Now War Crimes?

Three Links

2013-04-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

Here a three links of interest from affiliated sites...

Broad Side of the Barn

Rambling Web

Rambling Web on Twitter

Helping Boston Bombing Victims

2013-04-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

Last night on Boston's channel 4, Johnathan Elias mentioned that he just talked to a women who lost a foot in the Boston Marathon bombing. She's already looking at what prosthetic will work best for her, but they are very expensive. To compound the problem she'll likely be out of work for quite some time. Hadn't considered this until last night, but sounds like many of the victims have particularly expensive injuries that will need multiple surgeries and expensive prosthetics.

So if you're able... One Fund Boston was established to help the victims of the bombing. As the Mayor of Boston reported, "Within an hour, I had calls from business leaders and local philanthropists who, like me, were heartbroken by the impact this hideous tragedy has had on individuals, their families, and friends. And they want to do everything they can to help these people physically and psychologically in the future."

http://onefundboston.org

Boston....

2013-04-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

From Rambling Web, Boston Love

Facelift Coming...

2013-04-15T11:48:00.001-07:00

There are some changes coming for the Blogger Resources Blog. Until that time comes, here are some posts that may be of interest...

Photographs of Bennington Vermont

Witty Will Rogers Quotes

Nature Photographer Russell Graves - Texas Parks and Wildlife

Nature Photographer Wyman Meinzer - Insight Into Photographing the Land and Sky

These four posts are from the Rambling Web blog that features posts about nature, quotes, photography, humor, and more...

Sneak Peak at a New Fun Blog...

2013-04-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

A new blog Rambling Web Blog is preparing to launch. While still in the experimental phase, Rambling Web brings fun, interesting information to the reader. A family friendly G-rated site that posts unique content from around the web. Whether it is famous quotes, classic television clips, nature videos, cute/funny animals, or original stories, Rambling Web brings upbeat, light-hearted posts to the viewer.

Facebook Going Public

2012-04-06T10:37:00.001-07:00

Nasdaq has further cemented it role as the tech stock listing with it winning Facebook's much anticipated entry to the stock market.

"Winning Google further emboldened Nasdaq's reputation as being the exchange of choice for the technology companies," said Jay Frankl, senior managing director, FTI consulting.

"The Facebook listing I've seen as being similar to the Google listing, which had a similar competition between the exchanges, and a similar win for Nasdaq and a tremendously successful IPO for both," Frankl said.

Companies pay annual fees to list their stock and exchanges also garner listings-related income from the sale of market data and ancillary services offered to their listed companies

Last year, listings and issuer services brought in about $372 million for Nasdaq OMX, accounting for about 22% of revenue.

Facebook will list shares on Nasdaq

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Issa Interviewed By Mashable

2012-03-19T13:40:00.001-07:00

Mashable's interview 5 Questions For Rep. Darrell Issa, SOPA Opponent and ‘Internet Defender’ provides an interesting look, not only at what stopped the SOPA legislation, but also how Washington deals with technology. Essentially they're behind the times, and for the few legislators who do have a grasp on current (or emerging) technologies political party is of little consequence.

When the technology community rallied together in opposition of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), Rep. Issa was at the front lines of Congress fighting to kill the bill. And as a former electronics company CEO, he’s one of the few Congressman who seem to “get it” when it comes to technology (Fun fact: Rep. Issa lent his voice to the alarm system for the ultra-sleek Dodge Viper).

The debate around SOPA and other technology bills doesn’t divide neatly along party lines. Do you think technology issues are, in a way, bipartisan?

“Intellectual property and how we deal with that is always bipartisan … Sen. Wyden (D-Ore.) was particularly helpful in this entire debate, he brought his own version [of an intellectual property bill] to the Senate floor. [Rep. Jared] Polis [D-Colo.] was great to have as somebody else who knew the Internet and what it could do.”

You put the draft version of the OPEN Act online for the public to read and comment upon. Do you think that kind of transparency is the future of politics and technology?

“I do believe it is the future. Congress has to be willing to fund it. The Madison project had to be done at an external site because that kind of interactive exchange isn’t allowed under the House’s firewall rule, so we went to an outside storage facility.

“We don’t like to call the people who make the rules in the House and the Senate “Luddites,” but they’re pretty close. They’re very ultra-conservative on what (new technologies) they’re willing to adopt. Congress only went to Outlook Web a year ago — and it was still only a belt-and-suspenders type of access … our whole infrastructure is built around not getting hacked rather than getting access.

“The technology systems in the House are quite archaic, and if you’re dealing with members that have been around for a long time, it’s harder to adopt new platforms than if you’re in the private sector and more comfortable with new platforms. A big part of the House’s bandwidth is actually used for an off-site redundancy, which duplicates every one of our sites for Outlook and all of our servers. We use so much bandwidth for that, I’m still fighting to get (Voice over IP) telephones installed in the House.”

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GoDaddy Alternatives

2012-02-26T15:20:00.001-08:00

From Broad Side of the Barn Blog - Ditch GoDaddy

"Yet my complaint about Godaddy is due to their customer service and business practices. I strongly recommend looking for another registrar like Network Solutions or NameCheap, because GoDaddy misleads its customers and bleeds money from them through their dubious practices. The most recent example I encountered is of a client who purchased a domain and email service believing they had also signed up for a hosting account. Technically they could 'host' their domain at GoDaddy, but it was a severely limited plan that only allowed for a canned page to be 'hosted' at Godaddy, which left them without the actual service they needed..."

Read more - Ditch GoDaddy at NH Web Development site, Broad Side of the Barn

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HTML 5

2012-02-26T07:17:00.001-08:00

From Wikipedia - HTML5

Following its immediate predecessors HTML 4.01 and XHTML 1.1, HTML5 is a response to the observation that the HTML and XHTML in common use on the World Wide Web are a mixture of features introduced by various specifications, along with those introduced by software products such as web browsers, those established by common practice, and the many syntax errors in existing web documents.[citation needed] It is also an attempt to define a single markup language that can be written in either HTML or XHTML syntax. It includes detailed processing models to encourage more interoperable implementations; it extends, improves and rationalises the markup available for documents, and introduces markup and application programming interfaces (APIs) for complex web applications.[3] For the same reasons, HTML5 is also a potential candidate for cross-platform mobile applications. Many features of HTML5 have been built with the consideration of being able to run on low-powered devices such as smartphones and tablets. In December 2011 research firm Strategy Analytics forecast sales of HTML5 compatible phones will top 1 billion in 2013.

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Moderates Overlooked Yet Impactful

2010-11-23T13:18:00.001-08:00

Post election analysis often reveals itself as partisan spin. However, a WSJ/NBC poll shows the shift in voting from 2008 to 2010 came from moderate Democrats and Independents...

From the WSJ Democrats Try to Crack Mystery of the Missing Voters

A popular theory of this year's midterm election holds that Democrats took a shellacking in part because big chunks of the party's core liberal base, discouraged at the path of the Obama administration, stayed home rather than show up to vote as they did in 2008.

It's an interesting narrative. It also doesn't appear to be entirely accurate.

While it's correct that some key parts of the Democratic coalition—young voters and African-Americans among them—didn't perform as they did in 2008, evidence emerging as the dust settles from this month's election suggests the bigger hole in the side of the Democratic ship came from moderates in the political center who didn't show up. (Those absences were in addition to the wave of independent swing voters also from the center who, exit polls showed, turned out but switched their votes to the Republicans.)

The case of the missing voters is important because how it is resolved will go a long way toward determining how Democrats respond to their midterm woes. If they conclude, as some argue, that the problem was an undermotivated liberal base, then the logical reaction would be a turn to the left and a staunch resistance to compromises with the Republicans who now control the House and hold expanded power in the Senate.

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McCain's Victory Speech

2010-11-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

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Ben Bernake Challenged by Two Cartoons

2010-11-19T10:46:00.000-08:00

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Goverment Beaurocracy Deflates Weatherization Site

2010-11-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from The Government’s Weatherization Site – Should We Laugh or Cry?

I’ve frequently griped about the way government spends money, and about some of the wasteful policies and programs it has established. However, there is one program (at least) that I believe in. Government funded home weatherization for people/families with low incomes. It makes sense on several levels. The home improvements are costly for someone living paycheck to paycheck, yet the energy savings from winterizing a home can be substantial. No one with a heart wants to see people in cold climates without heat. Also, the reduction in energy for that home is good for the individual, for the community, and even for the earth. Simply put it’s a practical useful government expenditure.

So what’s the complaint? The Weatherization & Intergovernmental Program website. First off, the name itself alludes to the problem with the site. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a person use the word ‘intergovernmental’ in a sentence before, and it is the unintelligible nature of the website that is the problem. This is the opening paragraph of the website…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program provides grants, technical assistance, and information tools to states, local governments, community action agencies, utilities, Indian tribes, and overseas U.S. territories for their energy programs. These programs coordinate with national goals to reduce petroleum consumption and increase the energy efficiency of the U.S. economy. They aim at market transformation to reduce market barriers to the cost effective adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

Well, I’m glad to hear that, “They aim at market transformation to reduce market barriers to the cost effective adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.” Seriously, they can’t say something like – we’d like more people of modest means to be able to weatherize their home?

Finish reading - The Government’s Weatherization Site – Should We Laugh or Cry?

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Debt Commission Releases Report

2010-11-17T09:26:00.000-08:00

Pete V. Domenici and Alice M. Rivlin the head of the 'Bipartisan Policy Center's Debt Reduction Task Force' take a serious look a debt defiit reduction. As they note, they are likely to receice criticism for parts of their plan from bith sides, just as President Obama's fiscal commission recently did. However, it is good to see ideas come forward, and the natioanal finances taken seriously. Below is an excerpt of their summary published in the Washington Post. The entire article is certainly worth a read - Payroll tax holiday and other measures to reduce the debt

To ensure a more robust recovery, we propose a one-year "payroll tax holiday" for 2011, suspending Social Security payroll taxes for employers and employees. We also would phase in the steps to reduce deficits and debt gradually beginning in 2012, so the economy will be strong enough to absorb them.

We would stabilize the debt held by the public at less than 60 percent of gross domestic product, an internationally recognized standard; reduce annual deficits to manageable levels; and balance the "primary" budget (everything other than interest payments) by 2014.

We would dramatically simplify the tax system, establishing individual tax rates of 15 and 27 percent (from the current high of 35), cutting the corporate tax rate to 27 percent (from 35 today), ending most deductions and credits while simplifying the rest, and ensuring that nearly 90 million households no longer have to file returns. To reduce the debt, we would supplement our spending cuts with a 6.5 percent "debt-reduction sales tax."

We would strengthen Social Security so it can pay benefits for the next 75 years by gradually raising the amount of wages subject to payroll taxes; slightly reducing the growth in benefits for the top 25 percent of beneficiaries; raising the minimum benefit for long-term, low-wage workers; indexing benefits to life expectancy; and changing the calculation of cost-of-living adjustments to better reflect inflation. We would not raise the age at which senior citizens can begin receiving benefits.

We would control health-care costs - the biggest driver of long-term deficits - by reforming Medicare and Medicaid while, starting in 2018, capping and then phasing out the tax exclusion for employer-provided health care. We would reform medical malpractice laws and help address the health costs tied to rising obesity by imposing a tax on high-calorie sodas.

We would freeze domestic discretionary spending for four years and defense spending for five, both at 2011 levels, and then limit their future growth to the rate of growth in the economy.

Finally, we would cap domestic and defense discretionary spending (with tight exceptions for true emergencies) and trigger across-the-board cuts if the caps are breached; enact a strict pay-as-you-go statutory rule for tax cuts or expansions of entitlements; and enact long-term budgets for major entitlements while creating a Fiscal Accountability Commission that would recommend policy changes every five years if entitlements are exceeding their budgets.

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Stocks Lose in Early Trading

2010-11-16T07:47:00.001-08:00

Stocks open lower today...

From Yahoo/AP

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks retreated Tuesday following new worries about rising inflation in Asia and the possibility Ireland might need a bailout.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 73 points in morning trading. The losses piled up even as shares of two components of the index, Home Depot Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., rose more than 2 percent following improved earnings.

Asian markets fell overnight after South Korea's central bank raised interest rates to curb growing inflation. There has been speculation in recent days that China will have to take similar steps soon.

A report in the U.S. showed inflation at the wholesale level was smaller than predicted. The producer price index rose 0.4 percent last month, half of what economists' expected. The rise was due to a sharp increase in food and energy costs. Stripping out those volatile costs, prices fell 0.6 percent. The report backs up the Federal Reserve's view that inflation remains low because of sluggish growth.

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Aung San Suu Kyi

2010-11-15T09:14:00.001-08:00

Aung San Suu Kyi was freed this weekend after years of house arrest in Myanmar/Burma. This staunch advocate for democracy in Burma was asked by CNN about a way forward...

from Suu Kyi calls for dialogue with Myanmar government

"We have to work together," she said. "That is the main message. Those inside the country have to work together and also those supporters outside."

Suu Kyi had much the same message for her supporters Sunday, telling them in a speech, "I'm not going to be able to do it alone. You've got to do it with me. One person alone can't do anything as important as bringing change and democracy to a country."

"We would like to form a network of people working for democracy," she told CNN Monday, and said she would like to open a dialogue with "those who are in a position to do something, to change the situation in Burma for the better."

She said she has had no contact with Gen. Than Shwe, Myanmar's top military leader and head of state. Asked what she would say to him, she said, "I think what we are looking for is dialogue, so I'm not just thinking about what I have to say to him. I think what we have to think about is what we have to say to each other."

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Online Charities

2010-11-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

Below are a handful of quality charities worth looking into. These provide either a practical application for charitable work, or provide a different look on how charities can be viewed.Hire a Veteran
CGI
Online Charity
International Charity
US Education

Other Links: Voter Info State Sites Blue Collar

Schools Built in Central Asia

2010-11-13T08:59:00.001-08:00

The Central Asia Intitute is a remarkable organization providing education, and specifically focusing on girls education in Pakistan and Afghanistan. On their website they list the following as just a part of what they have accomplished so far...

Education Projects

Education
145 schools fully or partially supported
1200+ fully or partially supported teachers
School library projects
824 graduates from Porter Training Program
Teacher Training Workshops
64,000 students educated, including 52,000 girls

The books written by Greg Mortenson - 'Three Cups of Tea' and 'From Stones to Schools' follow the establishment and activities of the CAI. They wonderful books that will make you feel good about the generous spirit of so many people in Asia and America alike.

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McCain Challenger's Instantly Controversial

2010-02-18T17:22:00.000-08:00

McCain primary opponent JD Hayworth got his campaign off to an odd an controversial start as he made statements questioning why President Obama hadn't produced his birth certificate. As those statements drew fire, he tried to clarify by stating that the need for President Obama to provide a birth certificate was due to the possiblity of identity theft. The conservative Red Sate blog went as far as saying that Hayworth is an Idiot if he sticks to this. ABC news also reported that J.D. Hayworth comments illicited the response, "Identity theft? I mean, come on," from a CNN reporter. Others are also noting that this challenge to McCain not only looks like a long shot, but is quickly looking very foolish.

McCain Opponent a Birther with a Twist
J.D. Hayworth is an opportunist, not a conservative

McCain Opponent Off to a Rocky Start

Betty White Wanted for SNL

2010-02-17T19:28:00.001-08:00

Betty White to Host SNL (please?)! is a fast growing grass roots campaign to get Saturday Night Live to ask Betty White to host. Betty White has stated that she would host if asked. What the people are finding out through this campaign that everyone loves Betty White. Odds are excellent that you like Betty White, that your dog likes Betty White, and fast approaching 400,000 people on Facebook also adore Betty White.

If you too are a Betty White fan and on Facebook here's where to go to join the Betty White to Host SNL (please?)! movement.

Mashable also addressed this phenomenon in the article 340,000 Facebook Fans Want Betty White to Host SNL

Facebook Movement for Betty White to Host SNL

Free Iran Recap - Freedom Via Internet

2009-06-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

Since the election in Iran on the 12th of June, information about the protests and brutal government crackdowns has flowed in via the internet, particularly social media sites, and specifically Twitter. Twitter was the first place to provide information about the protests as the media largely missed the story in the beginning. Now the flow of information out of Iran has slowed due to massive arrests and violent government oppression. Along with the slowing of information, the main stream media's attention has been diverted. Yet this remains a topic that deserves continued public attention. People are fighting for their freedom under unimaginable conditions.

Here is a recap of some of the videos, stories, and information that has come out of Iran along with the role technology has played...

Total Oppression Versus Open Communication in Iran

In an early show of force students were beaten in their dorm rooms, and their rooms were trashed, computers and the like destroyed. Angered by the brutal beat downs, many professors at Tehran University protested by resigning. Hospital workers who treated the students, also disgusted by the government’s brutality, went on strike the following day to protest the students’ treatment.

Foreign media was banned, journalists have been jailed. Due to the crackdown, citizen journalism virtually the only way the story is getting to the rest of the world.

Iranian government claims that death of Neda was staged by the opposition. They prevent any form of public mourning for both Neda and the many others killed in the protests.

Soccer Team Members who wore green armbands during a game are permanently banned from the sport.

British representatives expelled from the country.

Special courts established for trying arrested protesters.

Mass show of force and violent suppression of peaceful protests continue.

Videos: The first video shows the death of Neda a young Iranian woman who has come to symbolize the Free Iran movement. She was shot while simply watching the protests, and reportedly died by her father's side. Be warned that the first two videos are very graphic and disturbing. The third video, while somewhat less graphic, but is also quite disturbing.

*VERY GRAPHIC* Young Lady Dies on Streets of Iran

*Very Graphic* Video of Iran Protests and Man Badly Beaten

Shooting of Iranian Students Caught on Camera

Massive Show of Force on Streets of Iran

Video of voter fraud in Iranian Election

June 20 Iran Protesters Face Off with Police

Crowds During June 20th Protests

Riot Police Attack Protesters in Iran

Video Showing Scope of Iranian Protests

This Week's Articles:

This week a violent beat down of protesters was under reported as the flow of information slows. CNN and the AP both had reports on this brutality...

AP Reports Iran Security Forces Again Beat Down the Opposition Protesters

Distraught woman describes the brutality to CNN, Reports of Brutal Crackdown In Iran

Article's Prior to the June 20th Protests

Concern About Khamenei’s Statements

Arrests and Protests Continue in Iran

American’s Practical Support of A Free Iran

Articles About the Role of the Internet in post-Election Iran

Twitter Changing the Playing Field In Iran and For Totalitarianism

One of my first thoughts on seeing Twitter being used by Iranians following their elections was, ‘Imagine if they had Twitter during Tienanmen Square.’ Totalitarian regimes historically thrive, in large measure, by controlling the media and modes of communication. Would be protesters become isolated. Government propaganda simply spins any protest or event into something that reflects well on the regime in power.

Following Iran Elections on Twitter – A Lesson in Freedom and Technology

Google Farsi - English Traslator: Google launches Farsi - English translator Thursday night/Friday morning. A hugely helpful tool that aids communication, and understanding of news directly from Iran.

Cable and Network News relying on Twitter: Saturday the 20th, with a government imposed blackout of foreign media CNN and others have to rely on citizen journalists along with Twitter and other social media sites to gather news. Protests are scheduled even though Ayatola Khamenei has made statements that suggest a possibly violent crackdown on protesters. Reports of tear gas used and armed police barricades used to disperse crowds.

Students Shot on Camera: A tweet linked to this video of Iranian students being shot

A graphic YouTube video of a woman's death (Neda) becomes a symbol of the movement. Trending topic on Twitter is #Neda as references to the video, and her life show how moved people were by her tragic death.

Mousavi Facebook post: Through a post on Facebook it has been reported that Mir-Hossein Mousavi has stated that he is "ready for martyrdom."

Embassies Take Wounded Iranians: Word spreads quickly on June 20th that many European embassies are taking care of wounded Iranians. These embassies along with their address/directions were also diseminated through Twitter. The safety of the hospitals is in question, and the Canadian embassy is pressured (via use of Twitter) to open its embassy too, yet embassy remained closed on Saturday.

Iran Elections and the Internet

An interesting subplot to the Iranian elections is that the internet is providing people more information than major news networks...Dear CNN, Please Check Twitter for News About Iran

Since writing about the Twitter Effect in Iran, and the role of the Internet as a whole, I have also been interviewed on radio and TV. For more info on appearances, please visit the Broad Side of the Barn.