The history and future of NASA?s social media strategy

Growing up in the US, I obviously can?t speak for what it?s like to interact with Government agencies in other parts of the world. Here, though, there?s always that degree of separation between ?we the people? and Uncle Sam. Since 2009, NASA has been trying to change that, all in the name of following a 1958 legislative act to the letter.

I had a chance to talk this week with NASA Social Media Manager Stephanie Schierholz about the history of NASA?s outreach, as well as the future. Since so many people tie the work of NASA solely to space shuttle missions and those missions have now ended, I was curious as to where the agency would go next. What Schierholz had to say gives incredible insight to how the agency runs, as well as some clarification of things yet to come.

The History

NASA, as I previously noted, was organized in 1958 in part as an answer to Russia?s launch of the Sputnik. As part of the conditions of its formation, it was mandated that NASA would share what it was doing as widely as possible with the American citizens. Being a government agency, it is naturally funded by taxpayers and as such it behooves the agency to be transparent about where its funding goes.

Traditionally, NASA spread word of its missions via television and newspapers, just as any other government agency would. In the early 1980?s, NASA TV was born to provide mission video to engineers and program managers, but NASA archived the footage as well in order to provide it to media organizations. As time moved on, these broadcasts began to be disseminated via more traditional means to the public over satellite and cable TV.

Flash Forward

As NASA has continued to keep the goals of public information in mind the organization has seen fit to use social media in order to keep the knowledge flowing. According to Schierholz, ?it wasn?t clear cut as to whether [social media] was a worthwhile investment? of NASA?s time when the agency first stepped foot into the realm.

?We took Twitter as a test and now we have 1.3 million followers. That was in late 2008 or early 2009. Six to eight months later, we were on Facebook, but in the early days we invested most of our time on Twitter.?

You can now find all of NASA?s social channels via its Connect page on the NASA site, but getting there took a lot more than just signing up for an account.

Red Tape and Hoops

When any government agency makes almost any move, there?s a staggering amount of red tape which must  be removed. NASA is certainly no exception and the agency has perhaps had to work harder than others because of the methods that it has chosen in order to make certain that information is available.

In Schierholz?s view, the move to social media was a natural extension of what NASA was doing with NASA TV. ?It seems natural to reach people where they are.? But in order for that to happen, the agency has had to go so far as to have specific terms of service written for social services so that it could agree to them.

?Twitter?s terms of service is acceptable to the government without any amendments to it. Foursquare is a great example of what is required. I was a user in 2009 and had played with it for 8 months before NASA worked with it. We had to figure out not only how we would use it but also whether it would be valuable and why.?

But the tape has been removed for a number of services, including Foursquare and Gowalla. In fact, partnerships have been made and events have been created that surround location services such as the first checkin from space:

NASA has also managed to be involved with sites that are more closely related to its obvious content. ?Flickr and video platforms make a lot of sense for us and we?ve been using Slideshare since May.

The Continuing Mission

I was curious as to what would happen to NASA?s social media work as the space shuttle missions came to and end. While I?m aware that there?s much more to NASA than just strapping a cabin onto a rocket and hurling it into the sky, the shuttle missions have been probably the most recognizable part of the administration for years and they?ve certainly been the part that has gathered the most attention.

Schierholz assures me that NASA?s mission is far from over when it comes to social media and in fact we can expect everything to continue just as it has.

I asked, specifically, about the NASA tweetups that have happened over the past couple of years. These events, where followers of the @NASA Twitter account are invited to one of the properties to experience and ask questions, have been happening for almost 3 years and they?ve gathered a huge amount of attention.

?The first tweetup was in 2009 by the jet propulsion laboratory. They sort of did it as a new twist to the open house concept. It was a great success, had a lot of interest and when we told headquarters about it we started looking at feasibility.?

Turning the NASA tweetups into a more organized, official entity took a bit of time. Schierholz tells me that the first two events were held at NASA headquarters ?to get a feel for the interest?. As the tweetups have grown, they?ve ranged from 2 hour events all the way to a half day and then even two-day events for shuttle launches. According to Schierholz, NASA has held open-houses for many years so transitioning to the idea of a tweetup was actually quite easy. ?We weren?t changing too many things.?

What Schierholz states as one interesting fact is the response that NASA gets from invitations. Even for events that are only held for a couple of hours, NASA sees people flying in from literally across the country to take part. Going back to the subject of government entities seeming to be unreachable, Schierholz posits that part of NASA?s goal is to educate the public that ?all of the centers are accessible.? As such, when people come in for a tweetup, they are then able to spread that education in an almost viral manner to others.

The Tweetup Culture

There is an ecosystem that has self-evolved around the tweetup participants. Schierholz says that as time has progressed the percentage of press versus Twitter users who attend events has taken a surprising turn. For the latest launch of the Juno 5-year mission, ?we had 130 Twitter users and only 60-some registered press?. While that might seem damaging for helping to spread the word of NASA, Schierholz believes that it has actually fallen in line with the goals. One of the things that NASA has faced as newspapers have shuttered is the loss of ?space geek? reporters. These reporters are now being replaced by space geek Twitter users who help to spread the word, often times volunteering for interviews with their local news agencies as a ?word from the street? perspective.

The tweetups will continue, too. ?There?s a lot of education that NASA is trying to do on a broad level,? says Schierholz. Simply because shuttle missions are over, space flight is not. Much of NASA?s work has been overshadowed by the shuttle missions, but there are still missions for the International Space Station, the Hubble Telescope and an increasing focus on Mars missions to keep things moving.

As these missions progress, so too will the tweetups and NASA?s social media presence. The culture that has evolved is one where participants have gone so far as to book joint housing in order to get past inflated hotel costs ? for the STS133 launch, it was the first time that this happened and now 4 or 5 group houses being set up for a big event is becoming common. While there may be only 100 or so active #nasatweetup hash tag users during an event, they then get to join the fraternity of past visitors who share experiences and keep the memories alive to help feed information to others.

In all, over 2,000 people have participated in NASA tweetups and they?re building a community across the Internet. From alumni groups on Facebook and LinkedIn to self-organized wikis at NASAtweet.com Schierholz has seen efforts put out by the public that NASA simply doesn?t have the time, manpower or funding to do by itself.

Moving Forward

I finished the conversation with Schierholz by asking her what was next. If Twitter was the next big thing, and Facebook, Ustream and so on, I was curious to see what NASA thought would be the next step down the social media path.

??We?re always considering what?s on the horizon for social media. We?ve been recognized as a leader and now we feel a pressure to maintain that perspective.?

In doing so, NASA is offering an open window into a government operation ? this fact alone is something that we never thought we?d see and often times don?t. ?It?s a great time to remind people about the other things that NASA does. This personal ability to have a level of accessibility that people have never had with astronauts is amazing.?

So then NASA?s social strategy is far from over. In fact, with the challenge of overcoming the space shuttle?s popularity, it is perhaps reaching a position where it will require more effort than ever before.

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Source: http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/08/13/the-history-and-future-of-nasas-social-media-strategy/

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Yumbling?s check-in app focuses on its Mexican users

Wondering which restaurant you should go to? The Mexican app Yumbling, which just went out of private beta this week, can offer you recommendations directly on your phone. But how exactly does it work?

What does Yumbling do?

Yumbling is an app that provides entertainment recommendations to its users in Mexico, from restaurants to movies and shows. These recommendations are personalized, based on the user?s location (à la Foursquare) but also on their preferences. For example, its suggestions go as far as taking into account food pricing and movies? genres. So how does Yumbling know whether you prefer fancy food and action movies? According to its founder and CEO Ricardo Suarez, it mostly learns it over time as you use the app ? which could be a challenge for Yumbling if users can?t immediately see its potential. On the other hand, being asked tons of questions when signing up would also be a huge turn-off.

The app is already available for iOS as well as most Blackberry and Nokia phones. An Android app will be released soon. Feature phones ?are on the roadmap too?, tells Ricardo Suarez, which could be important for Yumbling to gain critical mass in a country where smartphones are still a minority. A limited version of the platform can also be accessed from the web, without the check-in features.

Yumbling vs. other check-in apps

One of Yumbling?s main challenges will be to compete with popular check-in apps such as Foursquare. Ricardo Suarez doesn?t deny Yumbling shares elements with these competitors (as it does with Yelp, which isn?t available in Mexico.) However, he insists Yumbling isn?t a clone of any of these services.

It?s true that Yumbling differentiates itself on several levels, starting with its niche, which is entertainment. Even if it includes check-in, badges and the likes, it chose to focus more heavily on recommendation and social. What remains to be seen is how the social layer will work now that the service is public; its relevance will depend a lot on the traction Yumbling manage to gain.

Cultural understanding could be Yumbling?s main asset; Ricardo points out that the app is ?tropicalized?. To give an example, its check-in feature is actually a ?check-out? feature: dinners use it when leaving a place, rather than arriving. They can even delay notifications, and although the app is integrated with Twitter and Facebook, default settings aren?t usually set on ?share?. These are small differences, but reflect Yumbling?s knowledge of its Mexican users? privacy preferences, which are deeply tied to security concerns.

Yumbling, a Mexican startup

At the moment, Yumbling only works fully in the metropolitan area of Mexico City, though the cultural part of the service (shows and events) is already available nationwide. The startup?s team of five will now be working on adding restaurants? and other local information to fully launch the service in Mexico?s other main cities. As for international expansion, Ricardo thinks Yumbling might first spread out towards the South (Central and South America) rather than to the US. This is quite surprising knowing the opportunity the US Hispanic market could represent, but the plans could obviously change ? Yumbling will have to mature nationally before making any serious international plans.

As for its business model, Yumbling plans to leverage its advanced users? profiling to sell targeted advertising. Sponsored badges and challenges (a series of actions to complete to win a prize) will also be a complementary source of revenues. Yumbling already managed to convince investors of this model and raised seed capital from Mexican angels a few months ago. This is quite an achievement: the Mexican ecosystem is less developed and early investment in web-related ventures is still scarce, despite recent initiatives such as Wayra and Mexican.VC. This initial round should give Yumbling enough resources for its launch. Its success will now depend a lot on its capacity to acquire users.

Would you use Yumbling? Let us know in the comments.

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Source: http://thenextweb.com/la/2011/08/13/yumblings-check-in-app-focuses-on-its-mexican-users/

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Amazon Sees a Good Read in the Cloud

Yesterday, Amazon launched Kindle Cloud Reader, a Web browser-based version of its popular e-reading platform.

Built using HTML5, an emerging standard that lets Web applications function like desktop ones, the Kindle Cloud Reader looks and acts a lot like the Kindle apps created for the iPad, Android tablets, and PCs, even offering the ability to store content so it can be read in the browser offline. Experts say the move furthers Amazon's efforts to make Kindle the dominant standard for e-books.

Amazon's original Kindle, a device designed specifically for electronic reading, has long enjoyed dominance in the e-reader market. But Amazon has also built an empire that stretches far beyond this one device. The company gives away Kindle apps for a wide variety of devices, including PCs, Macs, Android tablets and phones, Windows Phone 7, Blackberry smart phones and tablets, and the iPad and iPhone. These free apps get readers to expect the Kindle format, and they encourage those who don't own a Kindle to build up a Kindle library.

The cloud-based app could extend Amazon's reach farther still. In a statement released at launch, Amazon noted that the Kindle Cloud Reader supports its philosophy of "Buy Once, Read Everywhere." The Kindle device and related apps all sync with one another via the cloud, so that a user can access her full library?with bookmarks, notes, and highlights intact?from any device.

Much of the early discussion around the launch has focused on the way the new app circumvents Apple's stringent App Store rules, because it can be accessed via the iPhone or iPad's browser, and doesn't need to be approved by Apple. Apple recently limited developers' ability to take users out of an app?such as by offering a link to make a purchase on Amazon.com. But publishing experts say that focusing on this squabble is shortsighted.

"The Kindle Cloud Reader is a game changer, from my perspective," says Kassia Krozser, owner of Booksquare, a site that tracks the publishing industry. "What really excites me about this platform is that it is browser-based; it uses the technology that people are using all day long. No special software is needed, no dedicated devices."

Krozser believes the browser is "the future of reading," since it gives aficionados the most flexibility and provides a familiar, easy-to-use environment for newcomers to test the waters.

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Gaming 30 ? Randomly Random

Gaming 30 ? Randomly Random

Posted on 31st Jul 2011 at 11:23 by Podcast with 18 comments

Joe is joined by Paul and Clive to muse about whether Battlefield 3 will really be better than Modern Warfare 3. The hype indicates that the former will be the better game, but Joe thinks they will be much of a muchness.

He?s also changed his mind on Rage, after being allowed to play the first three hours of the game and loving every minute. Previously, Rage has not received much praise, but it apparently plays brilliantly. Listen in to find out why.

We then quickly segue to the news that we could soon be playing one of the most highly anticipated games of the year: Deus Ex: Human Revolution is ready to ship. Yay!

We also grapple with the subject matter that was raised in the game's latest trailer (see the link above), and also discuss the confusing matter of the book of the game. The book is a prequel to Human Revolution, which is itself a follow-up prequel to the sequel of the original. Or something like that.


We also discuss whether DLC is necessarily a bad feature, and whether there?s any harm in long-term plans for a game that incorporates DLC, expansion packs or episodic updates. Is DLC evil and lazy, or is it just a bit of extra fun for a small fee?

We also answer a piece of reader-mail ? Mathew Whinney was so impressed with the visuals of Final Fantasy 13 on the PS3 that he asked why we don?t see the same level of graphical awesomeness on the PC. We try our best to answer this without subverting this gaming podcast into a hardware one. To be honest, we're not sure we succeeded.

As ever, the bit-tech hardware podcast features music by Brad Sucks, and was recorded on Shure microphones. You can download the podcast direct, listen in-browser or subscribe through iTunes using the links below. Also, be sure to let us know your thoughts about the discussion in the forums.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bit-tech/blog/~3/Rd81-KJ6BRo/

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Thermaltake's Spacecraft VF-I landing this month for under $100

Thermaltake's recently launched Chaser MK-1 has received a companion today with the arrival of a new e-Sports-branded chassis, the Spacecraft VF-I. Aimed at gamers with a soft spot for harsh edges and flashy lights, the mid-tower enclosure is slated to launch sometime this month for about ?53 (roughly equal to $75). That figure isn't indactive of a true US retail price, but you can certainly expect the enclosure to be much cheaper than the $160 MK-1.

Considering that price point, it seems fair to assume the Spacecraft VF-I is intended to compete with entry-level chassis such as Cooler Master's HAF 912 and Antec's Three Hundred. As such, you should expect comparable specifications, including a steel and plastic construction along with enough elbow room for high-end desktop components, a respectable cable management system, a relatively tool-free installation process, and a solid cooling system.

All of the above are true. The Spacecraft VF-I can house up to four 5.25-inch devices, six 3.5-inch drives, one 2.5-inch drive, a 12.5-inch graphics card (enough space for the GTX 590 or HD 6990), 24cm liquid cooling radiators, and a plethora of optional fans along the top, bottom, front, rear, and side. That cooling capacity sounds great on paper, but so did the Chaser MK-1's and we were generally unimpressed with its thermal performance in our roundup.

Other noteworthy features include dust filters for the fans, a CPU hole cutout in the motherboard tray for simplified rear access, pre-drilled holes for liquid cooling tubes, and support for CPU coolers measuring up to 168mm tall. Front panel connectivity will vary based on the specific SKU. One model has dual USB 2.0 ports and will be marginally cheaper, while a pricier unit has one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 port. Both have begun surfacing on EU e-tailers.

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Source: http://www.techspot.com/news/45069-thermaltakes-spacecraft-vf-i-landing-this-month-for-under-100.html

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Tool Creates Fresh Web Apps from Aging Code

A tool that lets developers turn existing software into fully functional browser-based applications is becoming an increasingly popular way to make business applications accessible via the Web.

Visual WebGui, an application originally run on a Web server using virtualization software and a layer of code that renders its interface functional in the modern Web standard HTML5, lets companies offer Web access to their applications without completely rewriting the code.

While it is possible to access applications through a browser using just virtualization, this can be slow for data-heavy business applications such as those used by banks and insurance companies. It also requires installing an application on the user's computer.

Made by Gizmox, of Tel Aviv, Israel, Visual WebGui is being used by companies and institutions such as SAP, IBM, Visa, Thomson Reuters, Shell, Texas Instruments, and Goodyear. So far, the company says, 35,000 apps built using its platform are in production. In June, Citrix, a major supplier of remote-desktop software, announced an investment of $2.5 million. The Gizmox platform works with Microsoft's .Net development, and Microsoft is partnering with Gizmox by promoting the software through its marketing platform.

"We decided we were going to look at the basic architecture of the Web and change whatever [was] necessary to reproduce the experience of the desktop in terms of richness, performance, user experience, and security," says Gizmox CEO Navot Peled. "We call it transposition. We can take a code that was written basically for an architecture that was targeting the desktop, put it through some processes and some tools, and generate code from the other side that can run on top of a Web server and be a Web application, cloud application, or mobile application."

Gizmox generates income by charging about 20 cents per line of code to use the company's code-conversion tools. The largest program so far had 7.5 million lines.

The technology requires 10 percent of the bandwidth and 50 percent of processing power of other virtualization-based solutions, enabling it to function on tablets and smart phones with lower-power CPUs.

"Anyone who can take corporate applications built on Microsoft tools and turn them into Web apps in a secure way?that's important," says Jonathan Medved, a venture capitalist turned mobile entrepreneur. "Anything that keeps them in the game relative to the burgeoning world of Web apps is very strategic for Microsoft, and for players like Citrix who have built themselves on Microsoft foundations."

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White House Debates Fight on Economy

Mr. Obama?s senior adviser, David Plouffe, and his chief of staff, William M. Daley, want him to maintain a pragmatic strategy of appealing to independent voters by advocating ideas that can pass Congress, even if they may not have much economic impact. These include free trade agreements and improved patent protections for inventors.

But others, including Gene Sperling, Mr. Obama?s chief economic adviser, say public anger over the debt ceiling debate has weakened Republicans and created an opening for bigger ideas like tax incentives for businesses that hire more workers, according to Congressional Democrats who share that view. Democrats are also pushing the White House to help homeowners facing foreclosure.

Even if the ideas cannot pass Congress, they say, the president would gain a campaign issue by pushing for them.

?The president?s team puts a premium on being above the partisan fray, which is usually the right strategy,? said Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, the No. 3 Democrat in the Senate. ?But on this issue, when he knows what the right thing to do is, and when a rather small group on one side is blocking any progress, you have to be willing to call that group out if you want to get anything done.?

The debate is being framed by the 2012 election. Administration officials, frustrated by the intransigence of House Republicans, have increasingly concluded that the best thing Mr. Obama can do for the economy may be winning a second term, with a mandate to advance his ideas on deficit reduction, entitlement changes, housing policy and other issues.

Mr. Obama plans to spend time this weekend considering his options, advisers said. The White House expects to unveil new job-creation proposals in early September.

The ailing economy, barely growing at the same pace as the population, has swept all other political issues to the sidelines. Twenty-five million Americans could not find full-time jobs last month. Millions of families cannot afford to live in their homes. And the contentious debate over raising the federal debt ceiling ? which Mr. Obama achieved only after striking a compromise with Republicans that included a plan for at least $2.1 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years ? has further shaken economic confidence.

Republicans contend that the Obama administration has mismanaged the nation?s recovery from the 2008 financial crisis. Mr. Obama?s political advisers are struggling to define a response, aware that their prospects may rest on persuading voters that the results of the first term matter less than the contrast between their vision for the next four years and the alternative economic ideas offered by Republicans.

So far, most signs point to a continuation of the nonconfrontational approach ? better to do something than nothing ? that has defined this administration. Mr. Obama and his aides are skeptical that voters will reward bold proposals if those ideas do not pass Congress. It is their judgment that moderate voters want tangible results rather than speeches.

?If you?re talking about a stunt, I don?t think a stunt is what the American people are looking for,? the White House press secretary, Jay Carney, told reporters on Wednesday. ?They?re looking for leadership, and they?re looking for a focus on economic growth and job creation.?

A wide range of economists say the administration should call for a new round of stimulus spending, as prescribed by mainstream economic theory, to create jobs and promote growth. It is clear that the House would never pass such a plan.

But Christina Romer, who stepped down last year as the chairwoman of the president?s Council of Economic Advisers, said Mr. Obama should fight for short-term spending in combination with long-term deficit reduction.

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Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=95ca339c67069460d6dcb50a85ecf401

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Blog - Cups 'n' Cuboids

G.O.P. Candidates Jockey for Advantage in Iowa

Michele Bachmann reminded voters of her tenacity, declaring: ?If I?m not loved because of it, so be it, but I?m not going to Washington to be somebody. I think I?m somebody now.? Tim Pawlenty implored Republicans to look beyond her fiery words, saying, ?That?s not going to be good enough for our nominee for president of the United States.?

The Republican candidates, who are already contending with Gov. Rick Perry of Texas entering the race on Saturday, suddenly found themselves competing for attention with another figure who swept into town: Sarah Palin. She dropped by the Iowa State Fair, where she spent hours talking to admirers and holding forth with reporters, but disclosing little about her own intentions.

?I don?t want to step on anybody?s toes,? Ms. Palin said, adding that she would leave the state before the straw poll on Saturday. Asked if Republicans needed her as a candidate, she said, ?You know, I think the more the merrier, the more the better in these debates and out there in the arena.?

The arrival of Ms. Palin put an exclamation point to the political spectacle overtaking Iowa this week. The straw poll carries no formal meaning, delivers no delegates and is technically nothing more than a mock election. But even as some candidates played down its importance, they worked feverishly behind the scenes to lure supporters to the balloting in Ames on Saturday.

The animosity that erupted at a two-hour debate on Thursday night did not abate on Friday, with Mrs. Bachmann and Mr. Pawlenty, both of Minnesota, continuing their sharp exchanges as they urgently appealed to voters for support. The straw poll has emerged as an important test for both candidates, with Mrs. Bachmann looking for a strong showing to help assuage concerns about her experience and Mr. Pawlenty hoping to keep his campaign from being eclipsed.

Mr. Pawlenty, who invited his leading donors to Iowa to see his candidacy in action, struck a positive tone as he urged Republicans to look beyond the carnival aspect of the straw poll to the serious business of choosing a nominee who could beat President Obama. Yet he also found himself repeatedly addressing a series of hypothetical questions about a poor finish.

?If the thing went the other way hard,? Mr. Pawlenty said Friday, ?we would have to retrench in some way, but I don?t think that is going to happen.?

The results of the straw poll are nonbinding and far from predictive of who will win the Iowa caucuses early next year that open the Republican nominating contest. But the outcome offers a look into a candidate?s organization, which is among the biggest questions facing Mrs. Bachmann, whose candidacy has rapidly accelerated since she entered the race two months ago.

Some curiosity seekers have been drawn to her campaign events in the past week, including an afternoon stop on Friday in Indianola, where people from Ohio, Wisconsin, Nebraska and California mixed with the Iowans in the audience, according to a random sampling of interviews with them after the event. The straw poll is open to Iowa residents only, who must show photo identification before casting their ballots.

A few hours later, a large crowd waited in the sun for nearly an hour at the state fair. When Mrs. Bachmann arrived, she spoke for 2 minutes, 22 seconds. ?This is where Barack Obama got his start,? she said. ?This is where he is going to come to his end, in Iowa!? As she moved along to the next stop on her itinerary, several members of the audience openly voiced their displeasure with her quick exit.

Other Republicans competing in the straw poll delivered full speeches.

Ron Paul, who has been drawing crowds that often rival or surpass many of his rivals, asked his supporters to send a message to the party establishment, which has paid little attention to his candidacy. He has logged more days in Iowa than almost anyone else, an investment that he hopes will lend a new sense of legitimacy to his campaign.

The rest of the field ? including Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain ? urged Republicans to support their efforts and keep the race filled with a broad cross-section of candidates. They lingered at the state fair, shaking hands and making their way across the fairgrounds, which teemed with people on a temperate summer afternoon.

Ms. Palin, who did not appear to directly interact with the declared candidates, indicated that she had not yet ruled out joining the Republican presidential campaign. But her leisurely pace around the fair, including a conversation with reporters for about 45 minutes, did not seem to suggest the busy schedule of a candidate-in-waiting.

?I don?t know if within the next couple of weeks I will be ready for an announcement or not, to tell you the truth,? she said.

She was peppered with questions about the Republican field, and welcomed Mr. Perry?s decision to enter the race on Saturday in his weekend tour of early-voting states, concluding with a stop in Iowa on Sunday.

?It adds another choice for Americans to consider, heading into 2012,? she told reporters. ?I appreciate that he?s willing to jump into this arena and to be a part of this.?

When asked whether Mr. Perry had a similar profile to her own and could take away her supporters, she said: ?I don?t worry about any of the candidates. I would just run my own race, if I were to run.?

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Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=4b4e4e8bcd45fb0bd2fa3213ff6b0a95

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Gaming 30 ? Randomly Random

Gaming 30 ? Randomly Random

Posted on 31st Jul 2011 at 11:23 by Podcast with 18 comments

Joe is joined by Paul and Clive to muse about whether Battlefield 3 will really be better than Modern Warfare 3. The hype indicates that the former will be the better game, but Joe thinks they will be much of a muchness.

He?s also changed his mind on Rage, after being allowed to play the first three hours of the game and loving every minute. Previously, Rage has not received much praise, but it apparently plays brilliantly. Listen in to find out why.

We then quickly segue to the news that we could soon be playing one of the most highly anticipated games of the year: Deus Ex: Human Revolution is ready to ship. Yay!

We also grapple with the subject matter that was raised in the game's latest trailer (see the link above), and also discuss the confusing matter of the book of the game. The book is a prequel to Human Revolution, which is itself a follow-up prequel to the sequel of the original. Or something like that.


We also discuss whether DLC is necessarily a bad feature, and whether there?s any harm in long-term plans for a game that incorporates DLC, expansion packs or episodic updates. Is DLC evil and lazy, or is it just a bit of extra fun for a small fee?

We also answer a piece of reader-mail ? Mathew Whinney was so impressed with the visuals of Final Fantasy 13 on the PS3 that he asked why we don?t see the same level of graphical awesomeness on the PC. We try our best to answer this without subverting this gaming podcast into a hardware one. To be honest, we're not sure we succeeded.

As ever, the bit-tech hardware podcast features music by Brad Sucks, and was recorded on Shure microphones. You can download the podcast direct, listen in-browser or subscribe through iTunes using the links below. Also, be sure to let us know your thoughts about the discussion in the forums.

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