Shuttle takes quiet nettops down the Cedar Trail, intros XS35V3 and XS35GTA V3

Nettops have slipped a bit out of vogue, but Shuttle is keeping the flame alive for those who like their desktops tiny and hushed. The XS35V3 and XS35GTA V3 have moved on to more contemporary Cedar Trail-era, 2.13GHz Atom D2700 processors that keep the power draw to a fanless 27W, even when everything is churning at full bore. That limit might get tested with the GTA variant, which brings in Radeon HD 7410M graphics for a lift to 3D performance, but neither mini desktop will exactly make the power company beg for mercy. Either is a barebones kit with the laptop-sized hard drive, optical drive and OS left to the buyer -- if you don't get them at the same time, you'll have only the HDMI, VGA, USB and card reader to keep you company. Europeans are currently the only ones getting a crack, where it costs €172 pre-tax ($214) for the XS35V3 and €233 ($290) to get its faster GTA cousin.

Shuttle takes quiet nettops down the Cedar Trail, intros XS35V3 and XS35GTA V3 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 06:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink FanlessTech  |  Shuttle (XS35V3), (XS35GTA V3)  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/R1VsWBqqgl8/

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Tiny tweezers can grip little critters using sound waves alone

1 day

John Roach

Ultrasound, the same technology used to peer inside a mother?s womb to view a developing fetus, has been harnessed to non-invasively grip and move a millimeter-long roundworm.

The acoustic tweezers are about the size of a dime. The device is based on a piezoelectric material that converts vibrations into standing surface acoustic waves called SAWS.

The SAWs create pressure fields in the liquid medium that hold the specimen, according to Pennsylvania State University, where the technology was developed by bioengineer Tony Jun Huang and colleagues.

The electronics in the device can tune the SAWs to precisely and noninvasively hold and move the specimen, the university explained.

The researchers add that the technology is much cheaper than optical tweezers that use lasers to manipulate particles. What?s more, the acoustic tweezers don?t build up cell-damaging heat like their optical cousins.?

As a result, the acoustic technology can be used to mimic the conditions inside the body where cells are subject to waves of pressure and pulses of chemicals, the university said. This can, for example, allow researchers to study the effect of drug pulses on a cell?s biochemistry.

To prove the tweezers work, Huang?s team used them to spell PNAS and PSU in petri dishes with the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans,?which serves as a model organism for biological research.

A paper on the tweezers appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). PSU is the acronym for Pennsylvania State University.

John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. To learn more about him, check out his website and follow him on Twitter. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

Source: http://www.futureoftech.msnbc.msn.com/technology/futureoftech/tiny-tweezers-can-grip-little-critters-using-sound-waves-alone-853813

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Shenzhou 9 Lands Successfully; Implications and What Comes Next

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/shenzhou-9-lands-successfully-implications-comes-next-202500513.html

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Are You Going to BlogHer? Win A $1500 Style Makeover from Windows #sweepstakes

Susan and I love attending BlogHer every year. It?s the one major conference that she and I can attend together. We love meeting new faces and reconnecting with friends past and of course, always finding new products to share with you.

I am totally excited about announcing a really cool sweepstakes that will take place at BlogHer for the attendees there.

Windows is launching a sweepstakes and the prize is absolutely fabulous!? 5 BlogHer attendees will be chosen to win a $1,500 style makeover by a celebrity stylist, receive a new PC and more.

To enter this contest, all you need to do is simply post a video blog (or vlog), a blog post or create a Pinterest board that clearly states why you deserve a style makeover and what you?d like your new reimagined look to be like. You must include a sentence that says ?In writing this post, I?m entering the Microsoft Windows Style Makeover Sweepstakes for a chance to win a head to toe makeover!? Then tweet the link to @kristinalibby with the hashtag #windowstyle.

To read all the official details of this contest and more, please visit the Windows blog.

Written by Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom.

We want to get to know you better ? Tweet with us: @5minutesformom, find us on Facebook: Facebook.com/5minutesformom, or join our newsletter list.

Please Note: We are Windows Champion Bloggers. As always, our opinions are 100% our own.

Tagged as: blogher, Sweepstakes, Windows

Source: http://www.5minutesformom.com/58225/are-you-going-to-blogher-win-a-1500-style-makeover-from-windows-sweepstakes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=are-you-going-to-blogher-win-a-1500-style-makeover-from-windows-sweepstakes

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Flyers name Terry Murray head coach of AHL Phantoms

PHILADELPHIA - The Flyers named Terry Murray coach of their AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms, on Friday.

Murray, 61, was fired in December by the Los Angeles Kings, who went on to win the Stanley Cup under the direction of Darryl Sutter. Murray was coach of the Flyers from 1994-1997, leading Philadelphia to the Stanley Cup final in the latter. He was 118-64-30 in 212 games for the Flyers.

Murray was also coach of the Florida Panthers (1998-2001) and the Washington Capitals (1989-1994).

The Kings, who went 16-4 in the post-season, will still give Murray a championship ring, and Sutter rented Murray's house in Manhattan Beach after taking the job.

"We feel very fortunate to be able to bring Terry back to the Flyers organization," general manager Paul Holmgren said. "Terry brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, is an excellent teacher and a strong believer in the development process of young players."

The Flyers also named Ian?Laperriere the director of player development. Laperriere, 38, recently announced his retirement following a career that featured 1,083 games across 16 NHL seasons.

"It's a job that suits me well," Laperriere said. "It's one of those jobs that you need a relationship with the young guys and you need to have some experience, and I think I have both. I've always been able to relate well with anybody, from 18-year-old kids to 40-year-old veterans.

"It's always been one of my strengths, so I'm going to use that."

Laperriere missed the last two seasons due to a head injury. Last season, Laperriere won the Masterton Memorial Trophy for his perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

Source: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=399526

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Raptors take Washington?s Ross

Updated:?June 28, 2012,?10:00 pm?ET

The Toronto Raptors picked Washington swingman Terrence Ross with the No. 8 pick of the first round of the NBA draft on Thursday, and the Detroit Pistons selected Connecticut freshman center Andre Drummond.

Source: http://www.hoopsworld.com/raptors-take-washingtons-ross?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=raptors-take-washingtons-ross

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Astronomers use an old trick to open new window on extrasolar planets

Two teams of astronomers used a technique for finding extrasolar planets to directly measure one such planet. The approach could allow the study of more exoplanets' atmospheres than ever before.

By Pete Spotts / June 27, 2012

In this artist's conception Tau Bo?tis b looks at its sun.

NASA

Enlarge

A method astronomers have used for nearly 20 years to indirectly find planets orbiting other stars has for the first time been used to take the direct measure of an extrasolar planet itself.

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The approach not only yields precise estimates of a planet's mass, a critical piece of information that can help determine a planet's bulk composition. It also can reveal its orbital inclination. And perhaps most important, it could allow astronomers to study atmospheres of more extrasolar planets than ever before.

The reason: The technique doesn't require a star to backlight a planet's atmosphere as the planet passes in front of its star. Until now, this kind of backlighting, during what's known as a transit, has provided the only window astronomers have had on the make-up of an extrasolar planet's atmosphere. And the number of transiting planets so far is only about one-third the number of planets discovered by two international teams of astronomers who used this approach and whose findings are published this month.

The orb the teams observed, known as tau Bootis b, was discovered in 1996 by a group led by astronomer Geoffrey Marcy at the University of California at Berkeley. It orbits a star nearly 51 light-years from Earth in the Northern-Hemisphere constellation Bootes.

Marcy's team found tau Bootis b via the slight wobble it imparted to its host star's spectrum as it orbits. As the planet swings around its star and its gravity tugs the star away from the viewer, it slides the star's bar-code-like chemical signature toward the red end of the spectrum. As the planet continues its orbit and tugs the star toward the viewer, the spectrum shifts toward the blue end. Over multiple orbits, the star's spectrum "wobbles" from blue to red and back.

The idea to use this approach to detect a planet directly is an old one, notes Simon Albrecht, an astronomer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass., and a member of one of the two teams. His group was led by Matteo Brogi with the Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands. The other team was led by Florian Rodler, with the Institute of Space Science in Barcelona.

All it needed was the right combination of technology and a target close enough and bright enough to pursue. Tau Bootis b fit the latter requirement. For hardware, both teams used a new, exquisitely sensitive near-infrared spectrometer bolted to the back end of one of four eight-meter telescopes that make up the Very Large Telescope array. The facility, run by the European Southern Observatory, is located on a mountaintop in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile.

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Google Play lets you update and uninstall apps from the comfort of your browser

It's surely been a crazy couple of weeks for the folks at Google. The company clearly has more new features than it can shove into a couple of lengthy keynotes -- like functionality for Play that lets users update and uninstall apps by way of the My Android Apps tab in the browser-based version of the store. Check the source link below to begin your cloud-based bidding.

[Thanks, Allen]

Google Play lets you update and uninstall apps from the comfort of your browser originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Google Play  | Email this | Comments

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ScienceDaily: Biochemistry News

http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/biochemistry/ Read the latest research in biochemistry -- protein structure and function, RNA and DNA, enzymes and biosynthesis and more biochemistry news.en-usTue, 26 Jun 2012 00:56:19 EDTTue, 26 Jun 2012 00:56:19 EDT60http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gifhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/biochemistry/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120625160403.htm A mechanism that controls the way organisms breathe or photosynthesize has been discovered by scientists. The research could pave the way for improved biofuel production.Mon, 25 Jun 2012 16:04:04 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120625160403.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120625125803.htm Researchers have found a way to create much slimmer thin-film solar cells without sacrificing the cells' ability to absorb solar energy. Making the cells thinner should significantly decrease manufacturing costs for the technology.Mon, 25 Jun 2012 12:58:58 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120625125803.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120625100915.htm Differentiation of stem cells into bone nodules is greatly accelerated by nanomolecular scaffolds.Mon, 25 Jun 2012 10:09:09 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120625100915.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120623094310.htm Scientists have found a new mathematical approach to simulating the electronic behavior of noncrystalline materials, which may eventually play an important part in new devices including solar cells, organic LED lights and printable, flexible electronic circuits.Sat, 23 Jun 2012 09:43:43 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120623094310.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120619092935.htm A key component found in an ancient anaerobic microorganism may serve as a sensor to detect potentially fatal oxygen, researchers have found. This helps researchers learn more about the function of these components, called iron-sulfur clusters, which occur in different parts of cells in all living creatures.Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:29:29 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120619092935.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120618153427.htm Scientists are racing to sequence DNA faster and cheaper than ever by passing strands of the genetic material through molecule-sized pores. Now, scientists have adapted this ?nanopore? method to find DNA damage that can lead to mutations and disease.Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:34:34 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120618153427.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120618111830.htm Overturning two long-held misconceptions about oil production in algae, scientists show that ramping up the microbes' overall metabolism by feeding them more carbon increases oil production as the organisms continue to grow. The findings may point to new ways to turn photosynthetic green algae into tiny "green factories" for producing raw materials for alternative fuels.Mon, 18 Jun 2012 11:18:18 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120618111830.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120616145535.htm The design of a nature-inspired material that can make energy-storing hydrogen gas has gone holistic. Usually, tweaking the design of this particular catalyst -- a work in progress for cheaper, better fuel cells -- results in either faster or more energy efficient production but not both. Now, researchers have found a condition that creates hydrogen faster without a loss in efficiency.Sat, 16 Jun 2012 14:55:55 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120616145535.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120615204741.htm Researchers have engineered nanoparticles that show great promise for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), an incurable cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow.Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:47:47 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120615204741.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613153331.htm A powerful color-based imaging technique is making the jump from remote sensing to the operating room. Scientists are working to ensure it performs as well when spotting cancer cells in the body as it does with oil spills in the ocean.Wed, 13 Jun 2012 15:33:33 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613153331.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133341.htm In the not-too-distant future, scientists may be able to use DNA to grow their own specialized materials, thanks to the concept of directed evolution. Scientists have, for the first time, used genetic engineering and molecular evolution to develop the enzymatic synthesis of a semiconductor.Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:33:33 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133341.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133150.htm An implantable fuel cell could power neural prosthetics that help patients regain control of limbs. Engineers have developed a fuel cell that runs on the same sugar that powers human cells: glucose. This glucose fuel cell could be used to drive highly efficient brain implants of the future, which could help paralyzed patients move their arms and legs again.Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:31:31 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133150.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613102130.htm A scientist may be onto an ocean of discovery because of his research into a little sea creature called the mantis shrimp. The research is likely to lead to making ceramics -- today's preferred material for medical implants and military body armour -- many times stronger. The mantis shrimp's can shatter aquarium glass and crab shells alike.Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:21:21 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613102130.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612145139.htm Researchers have created a computational tool to help predict how proteins fold by finding amino acid pairs that are distant in sequence but change together. Protein interactions offer clues to the treatment of disease, including cancer.Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:51:51 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612145139.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612101458.htm A novel porous material that has unique carbon dioxide retention properties has just been developed.Tue, 12 Jun 2012 10:14:14 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612101458.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611193636.htm A newly developed carbon nanotube material could help lower the cost of fuel cells, catalytic converters and similar energy-related technologies by delivering a substitute for expensive platinum catalysts.Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:36:36 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611193636.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611105311.htm New groundbreaking research has found that exposure to nanoparticles can have a serious impact on health, linking it to rheumatoid arthritis and the development of other serious autoimmune diseases. The findings have health and safety implications for the manufacture, use and ultimate disposal of nanotechnology products and materials. They also identified new cellular targets for the development of potential drug therapies in combating the development of autoimmune diseases.Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:53:53 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611105311.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611092345.htm Researchers have created a reliable and fast flu-detection test that can be carried in a first-aid kit. The novel prototype device isolates influenza RNA using a combination of magnetics and microfluidics, then amplifies and detects probes bound to the RNA. The technology could lead to real-time tracking of influenza.Mon, 11 Jun 2012 09:23:23 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611092345.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120610151304.htm Enabling bioengineers to design new molecular machines for nanotechnology applications is one of the possible outcomes of a new study. Scientists have developed a new approach to visualize how proteins assemble, which may also significantly aid our understanding of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, which are caused by errors in assembly.Sun, 10 Jun 2012 15:13:13 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120610151304.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606155808.htm Using ultrafast, intensely bright pulses of X-rays scientists have obtained the first ever images at room temperature of photosystem II, a protein complex critical for photosynthesis and future artificial photosynthetic systems.Wed, 06 Jun 2012 15:58:58 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606155808.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606132316.htm A new voyage into "chemical space" ? occupied not by stars and planets but substances that could become useful in everyday life ? has concluded that scientists have synthesized barely one tenth of one percent of potential medicines. The report estimates that the actual number of these so-called "small molecules" could be one novemdecillion (that's one with 60 zeroes), more than some estimates of the number of stars in the universe.Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:23:23 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606132316.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605121639.htm Halogens particularly chlorine, bromine, and iodine ? have a unique quality which allows them to positively influence the interaction between molecules. This ?halogen bonding? has been employed in the area of materials science for some time, but is only now finding applications in the life sciences.Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:16:16 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605121639.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605102842.htm Researchers have developed a highly sensitive detector of infrared light that can be used in applications ranging from detection of chemical and biochemical weapons from a distance and better airport body scanners to chemical analysis in the laboratory and studying the structure of the universe through new telescopes.Tue, 05 Jun 2012 10:28:28 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605102842.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120604092858.htm A new microscope enabled scientists to film a fruit fly embryo, in 3D, from when it was about two-and-a-half hours old until it walked away from the microscope as a larva.Mon, 04 Jun 2012 09:28:28 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120604092858.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120603191722.htm A new study suggests that the replication process for DNA -- the genetic instructions for living organisms that is composed of four bases (C, G, A and T) -- is more open to unnatural letters than had previously been thought. An expanded "DNA alphabet" could carry more information than natural DNA, potentially coding for a much wider range of molecules and enabling a variety of powerful applications, from precise molecular probes and nanomachines to useful new life forms.Sun, 03 Jun 2012 19:17:17 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120603191722.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531165752.htm A laboratory test used to detect disease and perform biological research could be made more than 3 million times more sensitive, according to researchers who combined standard biological tools with a breakthrough in nanotechnology.Thu, 31 May 2012 16:57:57 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531165752.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145728.htm Scientists have demonstrated how the world's most powerful X-ray laser can assist in cracking the structures of biomolecules, and in the processes helped to pioneer critical new investigative avenues in biology.Thu, 31 May 2012 14:57:57 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145728.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145720.htm Biochemists have designed specialized proteins that assemble themselves to form tiny molecular cages hundreds of times smaller than a single cell. The creation of these miniature structures may be the first step toward developing new methods of drug delivery or even designing artificial vaccines.Thu, 31 May 2012 14:57:57 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145720.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145630.htm Ultrashort flashes of X-radiation allow atomic structures of macromolecules to be obtained even from tiny protein crystals.Thu, 31 May 2012 14:56:56 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145630.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531102207.htm Our ability to "read" DNA has made tremendous progress in the past few decades, but the ability to understand and alter the genetic code, that is, to "rewrite" the DNA-encoded instructions, has lagged behind. A new study advances our understanding of the genetic code: It proposes a way of effectively introducing numerous carefully planned DNA segments into genomes of living cells and of testing the effects of these changes. New technology speeds up DNA "rewriting" and measures the effects of the changes in living cells.Thu, 31 May 2012 10:22:22 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531102207.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530152203.htm Researchers have developed a method for building complex nanostructures out of interlocking DNA "building blocks" that can be programmed to assemble themselves into precisely designed shapes. With further development, the technology could one day enable the creation of new nanoscale devices that deliver drugs directly to disease sites.Wed, 30 May 2012 15:22:22 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530152203.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530104034.htm Inexpensive, portable devices that can rapidly screen cells for leukemia or HIV may soon be possible thanks to a chip that can produce three-dimensional focusing of a stream of cells, according to researchers.Wed, 30 May 2012 10:40:40 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530104034.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530100041.htm Scientists have engineered cells that behave like AND and OR Boolean logic gates, producing an output based on one or more unique inputs. This feat could eventually help researchers create computers that use cells as tiny circuits.Wed, 30 May 2012 10:00:00 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530100041.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120529113543.htm An integrated chemical chip has just been developed. An advantage of chemical circuits is that the charge carrier consists of chemical substances with various functions. This means that we now have new opportunities to control and regulate the signal paths of cells in the human body. The chemical chip can control the delivery of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This enables chemical control of muscles, which are activated when they come into contact with acetylcholine.Tue, 29 May 2012 11:35:35 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120529113543.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528154859.htm Physicists have developed a method that models biological cell-to-cell adhesion that could also have industrial applications.Mon, 28 May 2012 15:48:48 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528154859.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528100253.htm Scientists have created and imaged the smallest possible five-ringed structure -- about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair. Dubbed 'olympicene', the single molecule was brought to life in a picture thanks to a combination of clever synthetic chemistry and state-of-the-art imaging techniques.Mon, 28 May 2012 10:02:02 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528100253.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153818.htm Multi-walled carbon nanotubes riddled with defects and impurities on the outside could replace some of the expensive platinum catalysts used in fuel cells and metal-air batteries, according to scientists.Sun, 27 May 2012 15:38:38 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153818.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153718.htm Scientists have developed an ultra-sensitive test that should enable them to detect signs of a disease in its earliest stages.Sun, 27 May 2012 15:37:37 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153718.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120525103614.htm Images of the cell's transport pods have revealed a molecular version of the robots from Transformers. Previously, scientists had been able to create and determine the structure of 'cages' formed by parts of the protein coats that encase other types of vesicles, but this study was the first to obtain high-resolution images of complete vesicles, budded from a membrane.Fri, 25 May 2012 10:36:36 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120525103614.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143527.htm There's nothing like a new pair of eyeglasses to bring fine details into sharp relief. For scientists who study the large molecules of life from proteins to DNA, the equivalent of new lenses have come in the form of an advanced method for analyzing data from X-ray crystallography experiments.Thu, 24 May 2012 14:35:35 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143527.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123232.htm Researchers are using nanoparticles to simultaneously deliver proteins and DNA into plant cells. The technology could allow more sophisticated and targeted editing of plant genomes. And that could help researchers develop crops that adapt to changing climates and resist pests.Thu, 24 May 2012 12:32:32 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123232.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092932.htm Quantum physics and plant biology seem like two branches of science that could not be more different, but surprisingly they may in fact be intimately tied. Scientists have discovered an unusual quantum effect in the earliest stages of photosynthesis.Thu, 24 May 2012 09:29:29 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092932.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135527.htm Quantum computers may someday revolutionize the information world. But in order for quantum computers at distant locations to communicate with one another, they have to be linked together in a network. While several building blocks for a quantum computer have already been successfully tested in the laboratory, a network requires one additonal component: A reliable interface between computers and information channels. Austrian physicists now report the construction of an efficient and tunable interface for quantum networks.Wed, 23 May 2012 13:55:55 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135527.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522152655.htm Rapid DNA sequencing may soon become a routine part of each individual's medical record, providing enormous information previously sequestered in the human genome's 3 billion nucleotide bases. Recent advances in sequencing technology using a tiny orifice known as a nanopore are covered in a new a article.Tue, 22 May 2012 15:26:26 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522152655.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164104.htm Scientists have synthesized polymers to attach to proteins in order to stabilize them during shipping, storage and other activities. The study findings suggest that these polymers could be useful in stabilizing protein formulations.Mon, 21 May 2012 16:41:41 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164104.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163751.htm Scientists have devised a method for repeatedly encoding, storing and erasing digital data within the DNA of living cells. In practical terms, they have devised the genetic equivalent of a binary digit -- a "bit" in data parlance.Mon, 21 May 2012 16:37:37 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163751.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115654.htm Blood tests convey vital medical information, but the sight of a needle often causes anxiety and results take time. A new device however, can reveal much the same information as a traditional blood test in real-time, simply by shining a light through the skin. This portable optical instrument is able to provide high-resolution images of blood coursing through veins without the need for harsh fluorescent dyes.Mon, 21 May 2012 11:56:56 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115654.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521103808.htm The plague, bacterial dysentery, and cholera have one thing in common: These dangerous diseases are caused by bacteria which infect their host using a sophisticated injection apparatus. Through needle-like structures, they release molecular agents into their host cell, thereby evading the immune response. Researchers have now elucidated the structure of such a needle at atomic resolution. Their findings might contribute to drug tailoring and the development of strategies which specifically prevent the infection process.Mon, 21 May 2012 10:38:38 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521103808.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132657.htm Tiny beads may act as minimally invasive glucose sensors for a variety of applications in cell culture systems and tissue engineering.Fri, 18 May 2012 13:26:26 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132657.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518081147.htm Using newly developed imaging technology, chemists have confirmed years of theoretical assumptions about water molecules, the most abundant and one of the most frequently studied substances on Earth.Fri, 18 May 2012 08:11:11 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518081147.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193141.htm Researchers have come closer to solving an old challenge of producing graphene quantum dots of controlled shape and size at large densities, which could revolutionize electronics and optoelectronics.Thu, 17 May 2012 19:31:31 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193141.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517143506.htm Scientists have discovered how adding trace amounts of water can tremendously speed up chemical reactions -? such as hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis ?- in which hydrogen is one of the reactants, or starting materials.Thu, 17 May 2012 14:35:35 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517143506.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104848.htm Three proteins have been found to be involved in the accumulation of fatty acids in plants. The discovery could help plant scientists boost seed oil production in crops. And that could boost the production of biorenewable fuels and chemicals.Mon, 14 May 2012 10:48:48 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104848.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510095622.htm A new approach to generating terahertz radiation will lead to new imaging and sensing applications. The low energy of the radiation means that it can pass through materials that are otherwise opaque, opening up uses in imaging and sensing ? for example, in new security scanners. In practice, however, applications have been difficult to implement.Thu, 10 May 2012 09:56:56 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510095622.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509135959.htm To better understand how microRNAs -- small pieces of genetic material -- influence human health and disease, scientists first need to know which microRNAs act upon which genes. To do this scientists developed miR-TRAP, a new easy-to-use method to directly identify microRNA targets in cells.Wed, 09 May 2012 13:59:59 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509135959.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508173349.htm Researchers have boosted the efficiency of a novel source of white light called quantum dots more than tenfold, making them of potential interest for commercial applications.Tue, 08 May 2012 17:33:33 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508173349.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508152129.htm Chemists have designed a molecular container that can hold drug molecules and increase their solubility, in one case up to nearly 3,000 times.Tue, 08 May 2012 15:21:21 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508152129.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503194229.htm Researchers have developed a prototype bioreactor that both stimulates and evaluates tissue as it grows, mimicking natural processes while eliminating the need to stop periodically to cut up samples for analysis.Thu, 03 May 2012 19:42:42 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503194229.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503120130.htm A new technique predictably generates complex, wavy shapes and may help improve drug delivery and explain natural patterns from brain folds to bell peppers.Thu, 03 May 2012 12:01:01 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503120130.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502132953.htm Liquid crystals, the state of matter that makes possible the flat screen technology now commonly used in televisions and computers, may have some new technological tricks in store.Wed, 02 May 2012 13:29:29 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502132953.htm

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The states cutting the most to school and cities

By Michael B. Sauter, Ashley C. Allen, Alexander E.M. Hess and Lisa A. Nelson, 24/7 Wall

??Funding from local governments? two biggest sources -- state aid and property taxes -- fell?for the first time since 1980, according to a report released this month by the Pew American Cities Project.?The decrease in funding from these two sources has forced many local areas to cut expenses significantly. Relying on the Pew report, 24/7 Wall St. identified eight states slashing local funding to cities, towns, counties and school districts.

24/7 Wall St.?s independent analysis of data from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the U.S. Census Bureau indicates states that cut funding the most had budgets that were particularly hard hit during this period. Some suffered budget shortfalls that forced them to cut spending. Others experienced drops in tax revenue that prompted the same response.

Of the eight states with the highest cuts in local funding, four experienced among the steepest declines in tax revenue. Wyoming, which had the worst decline in tax revenue, fell a whopping 21.9 percent during the period.

Budget shortfalls were among the worst in many of these states. Arizona, California and Nevada, among the eight states cutting local budgets, had the first, second and third highest budget shortfalls as a percentage of their general fund. Arizona faced a 65 percent shortfall in 2010.

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These budget shortfalls, according to Robert Zahradnik, research director for the Pew American Cities Project, forced states to make deep budget cuts, hitting local governments -- and their employees -- particularly hard. According to the report, the number of employees on local government payrolls fell in 45 states between 2008 and 2011.

In several of the states with the largest cuts to local governments, these declines were the most pronounced. California, Arizona and Nevada were among the 10 states with the largest drops in government employees per person. In Nevada, the number of government employees fell by 15.4 percent, the most in the country.

While police and fire departments and other areas of local budgets were hit hard as well, no area suffered more than school districts. Zahradnik?explained, ?about half of the reduction of?the local government jobs were in the education sector, and that?s not entirely surprising because that?s where the staff and the money are for the local government.? This is a notable departure from standard practice during a downturn in the economy. Usually, Zahradnik noted, local governments will leave education off the table because it is something the public wants to protect. In the great recession, however, there simply were no other options.

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24/7 Wall St. identified the eight states with a 5 percent or greater decrease in state aid to cities, towns, counties, and school districts?between 2009 and 2010 based on state funding to regional governments and government employee data from the Pew American Cities Project report, ?The Local Squeeze: Falling Revenues and Growing Demand for Services Challenge Cities, Counties, and School Districts.? The report relies on the latest available Census Bureau information on state budgets. It also calculated the change in government workers between December 2008 and December 2011 using Bureau of Labor Statistics data on government employee figures, as well as population estimates, also from the Census Bureau.?Separately, 24/7 Wall St. obtained state budget shortfall data from the Center for Budget Policies and Priorities, as well as changes in tax revenue between 2009 and 2010 from the Census Bureau.

These are the eight states slashing local funding the most.

1) New Mexico

• ?Percent decline in local funding:?10.4 percent
• ?Actual decline local funding:?$498 million (9th largest)
• ?State budget shortfall (2010):?18.2 percent (11th smallest)
• ?Percent change in government?workers per capita:?-5.4 percent (16th largest decline)

Out of all states, New Mexico cut funding to its localities the most, reducing spending by more that 10 percent between 2009 and 2010. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, additional state cuts also resulted in fewer funds for higher education, the state workforce and services for the elderly and the disabled. The?Santa Fe New Mexican?writes that the Santa Fe School District endured the worst of its fiscal cuts in the 2009-2010 school year, when they were underfunded by about $11 million. After three consecutive years of deep budget cuts, New Mexico is now projecting a budget surplus of $250 million in 2012. NPR reports state leaders are debating whether to restore some services.

2) Wyoming

• ?Percent decline in local funding:?9.5 percent
• ?Actual decline local funding:?$185 million (19th largest)
• ?State budget shortfall (2010):?1.8 percent (the smallest)
• ?Percent change in government?workers per capita:?+2.5 percent (2nd largest increase)

Between 2009 and 2010, Wyoming?s local governments? revenue suffered from what Pew calls a ?one-two punch?: shrinking in both state aid and property taxes. According to Census State Government Finance data, state aid fell by $185 million, while tax revenues declined by 21.9 percent -- the highest proportional decline in the country. Belt-tightening measures were necessary for the state to avoid layoffs of government officials. According to the?Billings Gazette,?officials at the Natrona?County Detention Center were told that if they did not comply with budget cuts as high as 27 percent, they would be forced to lay off almost a third of their staff.

24/7 Wall St.: America's richest school districts

3) Virginia

• ?Percent decline in local funding:?8.5 percent
• ?Actual decline local funding:?$1 billion (4th largest)?
• ?State budget shortfall (2010):?24.1 percent (20th largest)
• ?Percent change in government workers per capita:?-4.7 percent (tied at 22nd largest decline)

In February 2010, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell proposed a total of $2.3 billion in cuts in order to?balance the state budget without any increase in taxes. As a result of these cuts, the state of Virginia reduced transfers to its localities by more than $1 billion. The city of?Roanoke, which was forced?to raise taxes after the state?s budget was passed, responded to these cuts with particular frustration. Local officials in Roanoke denounced the state initiatives as indirect taxation, because they required municipalities to raise taxes to cover those funding cuts.

4) Minnesota

• ?Percent decline in local funding:?8.2 percent
• ?Actual decline local funding:?$928 million (5th largest)
• ?State budget shortfall (2010):?22.7 percent (21st smallest)
• ?Percent change in government?workers per capita:?-3.8 percent (24th smallest decline)

According to the Minnesota Budget Project, the inability of?the state to pay down its deficit in the 2010-2011 biennium?was caused?by a heavy reliance on one-time measures that failed to correct or reduce?long-run deficits. In 2011, the League of Minnesota Cities sued the state?s legislature and governor in order to continue receiving aid after a government shutdown that July.?The cities eventually agreed to accept a $138 million dollar cut in the funds to be received -- a reduction of about 19 percent.

Read the rest of States Slashing Local Funding at 24/7 Wall St.'s site

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Clinton cites concerns over human rights in Russia

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

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Jure Klepic: Paradox of Online Influence

I spend my time analyzing the world of social media influence and helping clients use it effectively to achieve their marketing and communications goals. I've noticed that a hotly-debated topic in the digital world is online influence. A huge myth is forming which says that online popularity equals online influence. Based on this myth, tools which purport to measure online influence are popping up like mushrooms on a rainy day. The paradox is that these inferential tools can be just as damaging as they can be helpful when marketers and brands buy into this nonsense idea of online influence, and waste time and money using these tools to build marketing strategies for their brands.

As incredible as it seems none of the so-called experts or services like Klout, Kred, PeerIndex, and Traackr bother to answer the fundamental question, "What is Online Influence?" Klout says influence is the ability to drive action even though they don't even measure actions which are measurements and indicators of behavior. What they try to measure is personal power, which is another paradox because they are trying to get marketers to make decisions based on their measurement of something which is in fact not possible to measure. Nobody questions their definition of influence because Klout tells us we matter (or don't matter) and that we have personal power (or don't have personal power), a manifestation of the top of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, that for self-actualization.

Even worse, Klout actually measures what we are willing to do for them! Not only do they purposely assign you a lower Klout score (no power) at the beginning and guilt you into doing what they want you to do to increase your score, they make you believe that you don't matter if you don't have a high Klout score. Their ad asks, "Would you date someone with a lower Klout score?" Why does a Klout score matter when it comes to dating, and where is this leading us when it comes to measuring social influence?

Many brands and experts believe Klout's tag line, "We are the standard for influence," and build entire marketing plans on this very weak foundation. To me, the definition of a standard is something that is tested and verifiable; it is based on a number of parameters, and arrived at by a group, not just an individual entity seeking to fulfill a hidden agenda. The definition of influence is simple... influence is changing behavior. The dictionary defines influence as "the power to sway." The "influencer" has the "power" to win people over to his point of view or reinforce group mores, i.e. to change their behavior. Influence is not just getting people to take a passive action such as a "like" or a retweet, but making them think about what is being presented and doing something they might not otherwise do.

Do Klout, Kred, or PeerIndex measure the ability to change behavior? Quite simply, they do not. Instead of calling it what it is, brand awareness, they use the word "influence" in metrics and results that have nothing to do with the real meaning of influence. Some variables they use in their scoring system include Unique Retweets, Total Retweets, Mutual Follows, Number of Followers, Number of Friends, Unique Likers, Unique Commenters, and Likes Per Post, but none of these indicate how we are changing behavior in others.

According to award-winning innovation expert Debra Kaye, "The forms of influence are charismatic, authoritative, and bureaucratic. Klout's definition of influence falls mostly into the charismatic category. You picture yourself as a person on the go, and it is manifested in the recommendations and the authority you are trying to build with your followers. But where is the feedback? How do you know that you have changed their behavior?"

Until now, the only way we knew we were important was in an academic sense -- the number of citations, or general fame. Klout attempts to put a number on your fame or power, but how credible is their formula? They recently announced yet another change in their algorithm, which only makes me wonder why "the standard for influence" need to change its algorithm and scoring system so many times. They measure activity on three networks -- Facebook, Twitter and Google+ -- but where are the rest of 200+ social media networks if they really want to be a standard?

The main issue when it comes to measuring online influence is that all of their "eggs" are in on one basket -- the size of your network and your ability to spread a message through shares, retweets, likes and comments. Klout, Kred or PeerIndex do not give any vital indications like a positive or negative message, any signal or indication if a message has increased purchasing (a good indication of behavior change), or any other changes in behavior. This only shows us that they measure brand awareness minus sentiment, which is essential when it comes to brand recognition.

The so-called standard for online influence has been misused and wrongly interpreted. For example, last year fashion designer Kenneth Cole unleashed a flurry of anger over his insensitive and poorly timed tweet that read, "Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online." Even though this caused a huge public relations crisis, Klout still rewarded the brand with a rise of 30 points in its Klout score overnight. How can they speak about influence, when the message itself was deemed to be offensive and resulted in a major backlash? This tweet did not change behavior in a positive way, and the brand did not become more influential.

Commenting further Debra Kaye concluded, "In my opinion, Klout is so hyped because of its personal delivery of Maslow's highest state of self-actualization -- building YOURSELF. This raises the question of, 'Am I just finding and gathering people who already think like me?' Is Klout helping you gather others to yourself as part of a larger tribe who already think like you do, or are you really changing behaviors and bringing in new and different people? That would really be breaking the barriers of what social media has done so far."

One essential element that is missing when using these tools is anthropological data and knowledge. We need a clear understanding of the market based on its underlying culture, consumer reactions, and history. When we have that, we will have the ability to measure online influence and not just some superficial metric. Marketers should collect data on how people seek to change behavior among their social group, how they attempt to direct them to new trends, places, political, religious philosophies, and how social media is used in this process. This would truly be tracking influence and behavior change by looking at ideas of creativity, insight and attractiveness.

So, therein lies the paradox -- in social media, popularity means influence and is being used to make marketing decisions, yet those with the most influence might not necessarily be the most popular. The time has come to stop relying on the tired definitions of influence, and develop new ways to find those in the social media atmosphere who really have influence and the power to change behavior.

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Biden, in leaked memo, told Obama war plan flawed

WASHINGTON (AP) ? As President Barack Obama considered adding as many as 40,000 U.S. forces to a backsliding war in Afghanistan in 2009, Vice President Joe Biden warned him that the military rationale for doing so was flawed, a new book about Obama's expansion of the conflict says.

The book, "Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan," also says that in planning the drawdown of troops two years later, the White House intentionally sidelined the CIA. Obama purposely did not read a grim CIA assessment of Afghanistan that found little measurable benefit from the 30,000 "surge" forces Obama eventually approved, the book quotes a U.S. official as saying.

A copy of the book by Washington Post correspondent Rajiv Chandrasekaran was obtained by The Associated Press. It will be released Tuesday.

A previously undisclosed Biden memo to Obama in November 2009 reflects his view that military commanders were asking Obama to take a leap by adding tens of thousands of forces whose role was poorly defined.

Although Biden's doubts have become well known, the new book details how Biden used a months-long White House review of the war to question the basic premise that the same "counterinsurgency" strategy that had apparently worked in Iraq could be applied to Afghanistan.

"I do not see how anyone who took part in our discussions could emerge without profound questions about the viability of counterinsurgency," Biden wrote to Obama. To work, the counterinsurgency or "COIN" doctrine requires military gains to be paired with advances in government services, a "credible" Afghan government and Afghan security services that can take over, Biden's memo said.

Although the U.S. military could accomplish any technical assignment related to the new strategy, such as sweeping insurgents from a village, "no one can tell you with conviction when, and even if, we can produce the flip sides of COIN," Biden wrote. He supported a buildup of 20,000, half the number requested by then-war commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

The memo echoed a secret message to Washington from then-U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry that had called Afghan President Hamid Karzai an unreliable partner for the proposed surge. Eikenberry, a former top Army general who had served in Afghanistan, said more forces would only delay the time when Afghans would take over responsibility for their own security.

The Eikenberry memo was leaked shortly after he sent it, and confirmed by U.S. officials. Biden was presumed to agree with it, but he stayed mum at the time.

Obama's compromise ? 30,000 additional forces and a deadline to begin bringing them home ? was intended to blunt the momentum of a resurgent Taliban insurgency without committing Obama to an open-ended war.

The classified CIA assessment found that Afghanistan was "trending to stalemate" in mid-2011, just ahead of the long-planned date when Obama would begin bringing the additional forces home.

Although many of Obama's advisers had also concluded that the surge strategy had not worked, a White House official is quoted as saying aides initially rebuffed the CIA analysis because it could undercut Obama's argument for withdrawing forces on schedule.

"We didn't want it," the official said.

Associated Press

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