الثلاثاء، 24 ديسمبر 2013

Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake Win 'SNL' With Cool Holiday Music [VIDEOS] and 10 More

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Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake Win 'SNL' With Cool Holiday Music [VIDEOS]

Here are the funniest parts of Jimmy Fallon's return to "Saturday Night Live," with musical guest Justin Timberlake.

You'll Never Watch 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' the Same Again [VIDEO]

This is never how Mariah Carey intended her classic song to be used.

Snapchat Refreshes With New Filters and Message Replays

Snapchat has updated its iOS app to version 6.1.0, adding several nifty improvements, including filters and message replays.

Apple Prepping 12.9-Inch iPad for 2014, Report Says

A new rumor reportedly stemming from Apple's Asia supply chain indicates that the company will release a larger iPad in 2014.

Why Are So Many People Puzzled by 'Duck Dynasty'?

"What is Duck Dynasty?" became the year's new "What is twerking?" after the show's patriarch, Phil Robertson, attracted criticism for homophobic comments.

JetBlue Grants Christmas Miracle to Stranded Passengers [VIDEO]

JetBlue surprised stranded people this holiday season with free flights home.

When You Compose a Tweet, Photos Now Come First

A small but telling Twitter update is sending a strong message regarding how the company expects users to tweet moving forward.

The 10 Different Types of Texters

There are all kinds of texting styles -- some are cryptic, some are poetic, others only speak in emoji. See if you recognize any of these common texters.

A Very Special Christmas Warning From the NSA [VIDEO]

There's a spy on the loose and he'll be climbing down your chimney this Christmas.

This Video Will Hurt Your Ears and Brain

Warning: The newest CGP Grey video isn't kidding about its title.

8 Ways Businesses Can Use Facebook Embedded Posts

We asked a panel of eight successful entrepreneurs how they're using embedded posts to amp up website traffic and social engagement.

'Twas the Blog Before Christmas, Nostalgia Edition

‘Twas the Blog Before Christmas, Nostalgia Edition

By Phil Hollows

This is an update of a post I wrote in 2005 (yes, this blog’s been around that long, hush now). I’m re-posting it un-edited here (a Blackberry phone? Feedster? Movable Type? Frappr?! Those were the days, eh?) because it’s fascinating to see how much – and how little – has changed since the pre-Twitter, pre-Facebook era of blogging. I hope you enjoy this little piece of silly nostalgia, and may you find peace, love and hope this season. And beyond. Thanks, Phil.

'Twas the blog before Christmas, when all through the house
No blogger was stirring, no hand moved the mouse.
The postings were stacked by the tag cloud with care,
In hopes that more readers soon would be there;

The users were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of updates danced in their heads;
And me with my podcast, downloaded like that,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out from my laptop there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my desk to see what was the matter.
Away to the portal I flew like a flash,
Tore open the reader and refreshed the cache.

The enclosure attached soon gave me to know
That new entries were here, more news I should know.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a raft of new updates, eight headlines so clear,

With a quick Wiki update, who could it be?
Our investor, of course, a leading VC.
More rapid than eagles his portfolio came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Blogspot! Now Feedster! now, Movable Type!
On, FeedBurner, FeedBlitz! (On Marketing Hype!)
To the top of the feed! To the top of them all!
Now blog away! blog away! blog away all!"

As valuations that before the wild bubble do fly
When they meet with a fund, mount up to the sky,
So up to the top of the investments they flew,
With RSS data, and named it Web 2.

And then, with a twinkling, I read in my news
Each notable posting, contrary views.
As I drew back my hand, and was turning around,
Down to my trackback he came with a bound.

His comments were brief, what was ado?
Were adwords OK? Did users click through?
A bundle of mashups he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

Our AJAX – how it twinkled! Our tagging – how merry!
We socially networked to his brand new BlackBerry!
Our RSS valid, we were well syndicated,
We subscribed to the feeds that we loved (and we hated);

The stump of our web site held tight in our teeth,
The hyperbole encircled his head like a wreath;
We tagged Technorati, we blogged with the best,
On Feedster we surged and made the A-list.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And marked us on Frappr, and Flickr he searched.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
Updated his blog, up our OPML rose;

He sprang to his feed, gave his investments a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"

With best wishes from all of us here at FeedBlitz to everyone this holiday season!

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ScienceDaily: Top News

Thousand-year-old vineyards discovered in Alava, Spain
Roles, responsibilities of patient navigators defined
Solitons in a crystal: New light source could serve in geo-navigation, search for Earth-like planets
Resistance makes waves
Getting excited helps with performance anxiety more than trying to calm down, study finds
Motor excitability predicts working memory

Thousand-year-old vineyards discovered in Alava, Spain

Posted: 23 Dec 2013 10:10 AM PST

Zaballa (Iruña de Oca) was a medieval settlement abandoned in the 15th century. The building of a manor monastery at the heart of it undermined the organization of the village in the 10th century with the creation of a highly significant rent-seeking system; it was later turned into a veritable factory, a specialised estate in the hands of local lords who, under the auspices of the economic boom in towns like Vitoria-Gasteiz, tried to obtain the maximum profits possible. In the end, the "flight" of its settlers towards the towns caused it to be abandoned. Today archaeologists are endeavoring to reconstruct and salvage our rural heritage by studying deserted settlements like Zaballa.

Roles, responsibilities of patient navigators defined

Posted: 23 Dec 2013 08:48 AM PST

New research defines the roles and responsibilities of patient navigators. With the rapid growth of patient navigation, the paper seeks to develop a framework to describe similarities and differences across navigators and clarify their place in the health care system, leading to greater standardization of the profession.

Solitons in a crystal: New light source could serve in geo-navigation, search for Earth-like planets

Posted: 23 Dec 2013 07:07 AM PST

By creating an optical soliton in a microresonator, scientists have found a new light source that could serve in geo-navigation, telecommunications, spectroscopy and the hunt for new Earth-like planets.

Resistance makes waves

Posted: 23 Dec 2013 07:07 AM PST

Even physics can give pointers for energy saving. An international team is now in a position to provide materials scientists with tips for the development of high-temperature superconductors, in a bid to make them earn their name. The term is currently used to describe materials including ceramic cuprates, which lose their electrical resistance at significantly higher temperatures than conventional superconductors, but still well below the freezing point of water.

Getting excited helps with performance anxiety more than trying to calm down, study finds

Posted: 23 Dec 2013 05:39 AM PST

People who tell themselves to get excited rather than trying to relax can improve their performance during anxiety-inducing activities such as public speaking and math tests, according to a new study.

Motor excitability predicts working memory

Posted: 23 Dec 2013 05:38 AM PST

Humans with a high motor excitability have a better working memory than humans with a low excitability. By measuring the motor excitability, conclusions can be drawn as to the general cortical excitability – as well as to cognitive performance. Working memory allows the temporary storage of information such as memorizing a phone number for a short period of time. Studies in animals have shown that working memory processes among others depend on the excitability of neurons in the prefrontal cortex.