Archive for October 28th, 2010

Testimony to Sarah Palin’s smarts are certified … by John(Cougar) Mellancamp

October 28, 2010

Who need glowing transcripts when John Cougar has your back?

Post on left-leaning Politico …

Aging rock star John Cougar Mellencamp supported Obama in 2008 and even asked the McCain campaign to stop using his songs for rallies.

But the AP reported that the singer has been vocal in his admiration for someone else of late: Sarah Palin.

“The legendary rocker says that while he doesn’t support her positions, he is impressed by the mark she’s made on the country since the 2008 election.”

The singer also voiced his opinion about Palin’s intellect, saying that people ignore her smarts “just because she says things and winks.”

Mellencamp thinks that behind the winking and the “you betchas” Palin has a master plan. He said the former governor “knows exactly what’s she doing” and “wouldn’t be where she is today if she didn’t.”

The Indiana-native also gives Palin a nod of approval for paddling her way through the political world, saying “she’s pushing the right buttons” and “you can’t be stupid and do that.”

http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1010/mellencamp_palins_smart.html

P.S. I.m still waiting to see Obama’s transcripts?

Posted in Sarah Palin | Leave a Comment »

Update: But they like him as a person, and like Michelle even more … oh, really?

October 28, 2010

This one has perplexed me for a awhile.

The constant refrain is that a people don’t like Obama’s policies, but they like him as a person.

Well, in  the most recent CBS/NYT (left-leaning) poll, Obama’s job approval was 47% ,,, his personal approval was 40%.

Hmmm.

And about Michelle being way more popular than Barack …

Her personal approval scores 41% favorable … a point better than her hubby.

Now, to be fair, 73% of folks who have a point of view on her rate her favorably (41% / 56%) … but, she’s a total non-factor to 41%.

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http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/10/27/politics/main6997687.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

Posted in Obama Administration, Polls & Surveys | Leave a Comment »

HIGH ALERT: To the lifeboats … Guam may capsize!

October 28, 2010

Thanks to U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson from Georgia’s Fourth Congressional District.

Since he is running for re-election , I have an excuse to reprise one of y favorite posts …

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I got a laugh out this one …

The pay-off comes right after the geography lesson.

Keep in mind: the questioner is a US Congressman ( YIPES !)

Ask yourself: How can the Admiral who is being questioned keep a straight face

Our government at work …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNZczIgVXjg&feature=player_embedded

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNZczIgVXjg&feature=player_embedded

Original post:
https://kenhoma.wordpress.com/2010/04/02/high-alert-to-the-lifeboats-guam-may-capsize/

Posted in Laughs | Leave a Comment »

The data mining business is booming

October 28, 2010

TakeAway: There’s a market for personal data created by internet users.  A big market.

Hoping to find out what people are saying about products or topics, companies are willing to pay data mining companies to scour the internet for online conversations or forum posts.

For the most part, it’s legal.

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Excerpted from Wall Street Journal, “’Scrapers’ Dig Deep for Data on Web,” by Julia Angwin and Steve Stecklow, October 12, 2010

… The market for personal data about Internet users is booming, and in the vanguard is the practice of “scraping.” Firms offer to harvest online conversations and collect personal details from social-networking sites, résumé sites and online forums where people might discuss their lives.

The emerging business of web scraping provides some of the raw material for a rapidly expanding data economy. Marketers spent $7.8 billion on online and offline data in 2009, according to the New York management consulting firm Winterberry Group LLC. Spending on data from online sources is set to more than double, to $840 million in 2012 from $410 million in 2009. …

Some companies collect personal information for detailed background reports on individuals, such as email addresses, cell numbers, photographs and posts on social-network sites.

Others offer what are known as listening services, which monitor in real time hundreds or thousands of news sources, blogs and websites to see what people are saying about specific products or topics. …

Internet users often have little recourse if personally identifiable data is scraped: There is no national law requiring data companies to let people remove or change information about themselves, though some firms let users remove their profiles under certain circumstances. …

Many scrapers and data brokers argue that if information is available online, it is fair game, no matter how personal. …

Scrapers operate in a legal gray area. Internationally, anti-scraping laws vary. In the U.S., court rulings have been contradictory. …

Screen-scraper charges between $1,500 and $10,000 for most jobs. The company says it’s often hired to conduct “business intelligence,” working for companies who want to scrape competitors’ websites.

One recent assignment: … attempting to scrape Facebook for a multi-level marketing company that wanted email addresses of users who “like” the firm’s page—as well as their friends—so they all could be pitched products. …

Edit by DMG

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Full Article
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703358504575544381288117888.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsThird

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Posted in Social Media & Networking | Leave a Comment »