Russian space officials say they have identified what went wrong with the rocket that failed to reach orbit last week. Now the question is whether the explanation will allay enough fears to keep the International Space Station going.
A spokesperson for the Federal Space Agency (Roscomos) told Russian news agency Itar-Tass that the failure was caused by the rocket's third-stage engine. "It is a malfunction in the engine's gas generator," he said.
Even if you don't know much about rocket science, the announcement’s potential implications are interesting.
Space officials had said Monday that the immediate future of the International Space Station rested on whether the Russians could determine what went wrong with the rocket and then fix it before a November deadline.
If not, warned NASA’s space station chief -– who also happens to be chairman of the international group that operates the space station -- the station might have to be abandoned. At least temporarily.
The rocket, which blew up over Russia's Altai region last week, was carrying supplies, not people, but a very similar rocket is used to take scientists to and from the space station. Nobody — not NASA and not Roscomos — wants to put an astronaut on what might be a faulty rocket.
"We're focused on keeping the crew safe. Our next focus is on keeping the ISS manned," Mike Suffredini, the aforementioned space station honcho, was quoted as saying in various media reports. "Flying safely is much, much more important than anything else I can think about right this instant."
The International Space Station has been continuously staffed for more than a decade, but NASA officials say it's not necessarily the end of the world (or the space station) if it goes astronaut-less for some time. At Monday’s news conference, Suffredini told reporters that the space station can be flown without a crew.
Still, he stressed that having a crew on board is always preferable, especially because crew members can respond to problems on the space station -- and attempt to fix them -- before any major damage is done.
NASA did not respond to the L.A. Times' request for comment as to whether this new revelation by Roscomos will affect whether the space station remains staffed or not.
It’s always possible that such a quick investigation could be unsettling to NASA, if not Congress.
2011年8月30日星期二
2011年8月19日星期五
If you keep track of Indian news
"We are tired of Herve leger bandage dress the problem of corruption, but he is saying: There is another way," said Usheer Mohan, a New Delhi business owner who took to the streets to protest Hazare's arrest this week ahead of a planned anti-corruption demonstration.
"He gives hope for all Indians cheap herve leger. There is a feeling he can take us out of these problems. People have started considering him another Gandhi."
Hazare has been a vocal opponent against corruption for two decades, but only in recent months has he catapulted onto the national stage as the people's voice against endemic corruption that plagues one of the world's fastest-growing economies.
"you know how truly widespread and national this is - it is in every nook and corner of this country today," Kiran Bedi, a Hazare aide, told CNN.
"One and all have either seen bribes or experienced bribes or suffered from a bribe, so it's both at bottom and the top, and it's truly united this country in a wave against corruption."
Bedi, a former senior police official, is like Hazare himself a Magsaysay Award winner -- one of Asia's biggest accolades for public service leadership. Other activists involved in his anti-corruption crusade -- which the Indian media dubs "Team Anna" -- have fought for "right to information" laws to make India's notoriously labyrinthine bureaucracy more transparent.
Kisan Baburao Hazare -- known to his admirers as "Anna" or elder brother in his native Marathi -- is a former soldier who, after watching compatriots die fighting in the 1965 war with Pakistan, considered suicide until he had a spiritual conversion after reading the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, according to his official biography. Vivekananda, a father of modern Hindu philosophy, emphasized the importance of social service in his teachings.
Hazare first garnered attention for helping to turn his village, Ralegan Siddhi, in the western state of Maharashtra into a model for water use and sustainable development --work for which he received two of India's highest national prizes in the early 1990s.
He also launched a campaign against the distilling and consumption of liquor in the village, which he believed was leading to widespread alcoholism among men. The anti-alcohol drive was controversial: Drunk men were sometimes tied to posts and flogged, but women supported an effort to impose prohibition on the village.
Hazare began to work against corruption in 1991 in a local campaign against the state forestry agency, resulting in his first hunger strike -- a tool he has used repeatedly in his public campaigns over the past 20 years.
"He gives hope for all Indians cheap herve leger. There is a feeling he can take us out of these problems. People have started considering him another Gandhi."
Hazare has been a vocal opponent against corruption for two decades, but only in recent months has he catapulted onto the national stage as the people's voice against endemic corruption that plagues one of the world's fastest-growing economies.
"you know how truly widespread and national this is - it is in every nook and corner of this country today," Kiran Bedi, a Hazare aide, told CNN.
"One and all have either seen bribes or experienced bribes or suffered from a bribe, so it's both at bottom and the top, and it's truly united this country in a wave against corruption."
Bedi, a former senior police official, is like Hazare himself a Magsaysay Award winner -- one of Asia's biggest accolades for public service leadership. Other activists involved in his anti-corruption crusade -- which the Indian media dubs "Team Anna" -- have fought for "right to information" laws to make India's notoriously labyrinthine bureaucracy more transparent.
Kisan Baburao Hazare -- known to his admirers as "Anna" or elder brother in his native Marathi -- is a former soldier who, after watching compatriots die fighting in the 1965 war with Pakistan, considered suicide until he had a spiritual conversion after reading the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, according to his official biography. Vivekananda, a father of modern Hindu philosophy, emphasized the importance of social service in his teachings.
Hazare first garnered attention for helping to turn his village, Ralegan Siddhi, in the western state of Maharashtra into a model for water use and sustainable development --work for which he received two of India's highest national prizes in the early 1990s.
He also launched a campaign against the distilling and consumption of liquor in the village, which he believed was leading to widespread alcoholism among men. The anti-alcohol drive was controversial: Drunk men were sometimes tied to posts and flogged, but women supported an effort to impose prohibition on the village.
Hazare began to work against corruption in 1991 in a local campaign against the state forestry agency, resulting in his first hunger strike -- a tool he has used repeatedly in his public campaigns over the past 20 years.
2011年7月20日星期三
HEAT ADVISORY INFORMATION
Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States. The National Weather Service statistical data shows that heat causes more fatalities per year than floods, lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes combined. Based on the 10-year average from 2000 to 2009, excessive heat claims an average of 162 lives a year. By contrast, hurricanes killed 117; floods 65; tornadoes, 62; and lightning, 48.
In the disastrous heat wave of 1980, more than 1,250 people died. In the heat wave of 1995 more than 700 deaths in the Chicago area were attributed to heat. In August 2003, a record heat wave in Europe claimed an estimated 50,000 lives.
North American summers are hot; most summers see heat waves in or more parts of the United States. East of the Rockies, they tend to combine both high temperature and high humidity, although some of the worst heat waves have been catastrophically dry. Additional detail on how heat impacts the human body is provided under "The Hazards of Excessive Heat" heading.
NOAA's Watch, Warning, and Advisory Products for Extreme Heat
Each National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Office (WFO) can issue the following heat-related products as conditions warrant:
Excessive Heat Outlook: are issued when the potential exists for an excessive heat event in the next 3-7 days. An Outlook provides information to those who need considerable lead time to prepare for the event, such as public utilities, emergency management and public health officials.
Excessive Heat Watch: is issued when conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event in the next 12 to 48 hours. A Watch is used when the risk of a heat wave has increased, but its occurrence and timing is still uncertain. A Watch provides enough lead time so those who need to prepare can do so, such as cities who have excessive heat event mitigation plans.
Excessive Heat Warning/Advisory are issued when an excessive heat event is expected in the next 36 hours. These products are issued when an excessive heat event is occurring, is imminent, or has a very high probability of occuring. The warning is used for conditions posing a threat to life or property. An advisory is for less serious conditions that cause significant discomfort or inconvenience and, if caution is not taken, could lead to a threat to life and/or property.
How Forecasters Decide Whether to Issue Excessive Heat Products
NOAA's heat alert procedures are based mainly on Heat Index Values. The Heat Index, sometimes referred to as the apparent temperature and given in degrees Fahrenheit, is a measure of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is factored with the actual air temperature.
To find the heat index, look at the Heat Index Chart. As an example, if the air temperature is 96°F (found on the top of the table) and the relative humidity is 65% (found on the left of the table), the heat index--how hot it feels--is 121°F. The National Weather Service will initiate alert procedures when the Heat Index is expected to exceed 105°- 110°F (depending on local climate) for at least 2 consecutive days.
IMPORTANT: Since heat index values were devised for shady, light wind conditions, exposure to full sunshine can increase heat index values by up to 15°F. also, strong winds, particularly with very hot, dry air, can be extremely hazardous.
The Hazards of Excessive Heat
Heat disorders generally have to do with a reduction or collapse of the body's ability to shed heat by circulatory changes and sweating or a chemical (salt) imbalance caused by too much sweating. When the body heats to quickly to cool itself safely, or when you lose much fluid or salt through dehydration or sweating, your body temperature rises and heat-related illness may develop. Heat disorders share one common feature: the individual has been in the oakley sunglasses cheap sale heat too long is exercised too much for his or her age and physical condition.
Studies indicate that, other things being equal, the severity of heat disorders tend to increase with age. Conditions that cause heat cramps in a 17-year-old may result in heat exhaustion in someone 40, and heat stroke in a person over 60.
Sunburn, with its ultraviolet radiation burns, can significantly retard the skin's ability to shed excess heat.
Acclimatization has to do with adjusting sweat-salt concentrations, among other things. The idea is to lose enough water to regulate body temperature, with the least possible chemical disturbance/salt depletion.
Children, Adults and Pets Enclosed in Parked Vehicles Are at Great Risk
Each year children die from hyperthermia as a result of being left in parked vehicles. Hyperthermia is an acute condition that occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. Hyperthermia can occur even on a mild day. Studies have shown that the temperature inside a parked vehicle can rapidly rise to a dangerous level for children, adults and pets. Leaving the windows slightly open does not significantly decrease the heating rate. The effects can be more severe on children because their bodies warm at a faster rate than adults.
Hyperthermia deaths aren't confined to summer months. They also happen during the spring and fall. Below are some examples.
Honolulu, HI, March 07, 2007: A 3-year-old girl died when the father left her in a child seat for an 1.5 hours while he visited friends in a Makiki apartment building. The outside temperature was only 81 degrees.
North Augusta, SC, April 2006: A mother left her 15 month old son in a car. He was in a car for 9 hours while his mom went to work. She is now serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Denver, CO, August 2008: Two kids that died in an overheated car may have been on their own for more than 3 hours as their mother slept after working a night shift. The kids died in a closed but unlocked car. Investigators believe the temperature in the car may have reached 123 degrees F.
Adults are in danger too. On July 12, 2001, a man died of heatstroke after falling asleep in his car with the windows rolled up in the parking lot of a supermarket in Hinds County, MS.
How Fast Can the Sun Heat A Car?
The atmosphere and the windows of a car are relatively “transparent” to the sun’s shortwave radiation (yellow in figure below) and are warmed little. This shortwave energy, however, does heat objects it strikes. For example, a dark dashboard or seat can buy oakley sunglasses online easily reach temperatures in the range of 180 to more than 200 degrees F.
These objects (e.g., dashboard, steering wheel, childseat) heat the adjacent air by conduction and convection and also give off longwave radiation (red) which is very efficient at warming the air trapped inside a vehicle.
In the disastrous heat wave of 1980, more than 1,250 people died. In the heat wave of 1995 more than 700 deaths in the Chicago area were attributed to heat. In August 2003, a record heat wave in Europe claimed an estimated 50,000 lives.
North American summers are hot; most summers see heat waves in or more parts of the United States. East of the Rockies, they tend to combine both high temperature and high humidity, although some of the worst heat waves have been catastrophically dry. Additional detail on how heat impacts the human body is provided under "The Hazards of Excessive Heat" heading.
NOAA's Watch, Warning, and Advisory Products for Extreme Heat
Each National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Office (WFO) can issue the following heat-related products as conditions warrant:
Excessive Heat Outlook: are issued when the potential exists for an excessive heat event in the next 3-7 days. An Outlook provides information to those who need considerable lead time to prepare for the event, such as public utilities, emergency management and public health officials.
Excessive Heat Watch: is issued when conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event in the next 12 to 48 hours. A Watch is used when the risk of a heat wave has increased, but its occurrence and timing is still uncertain. A Watch provides enough lead time so those who need to prepare can do so, such as cities who have excessive heat event mitigation plans.
Excessive Heat Warning/Advisory are issued when an excessive heat event is expected in the next 36 hours. These products are issued when an excessive heat event is occurring, is imminent, or has a very high probability of occuring. The warning is used for conditions posing a threat to life or property. An advisory is for less serious conditions that cause significant discomfort or inconvenience and, if caution is not taken, could lead to a threat to life and/or property.
How Forecasters Decide Whether to Issue Excessive Heat Products
NOAA's heat alert procedures are based mainly on Heat Index Values. The Heat Index, sometimes referred to as the apparent temperature and given in degrees Fahrenheit, is a measure of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is factored with the actual air temperature.
To find the heat index, look at the Heat Index Chart. As an example, if the air temperature is 96°F (found on the top of the table) and the relative humidity is 65% (found on the left of the table), the heat index--how hot it feels--is 121°F. The National Weather Service will initiate alert procedures when the Heat Index is expected to exceed 105°- 110°F (depending on local climate) for at least 2 consecutive days.
IMPORTANT: Since heat index values were devised for shady, light wind conditions, exposure to full sunshine can increase heat index values by up to 15°F. also, strong winds, particularly with very hot, dry air, can be extremely hazardous.
The Hazards of Excessive Heat
Heat disorders generally have to do with a reduction or collapse of the body's ability to shed heat by circulatory changes and sweating or a chemical (salt) imbalance caused by too much sweating. When the body heats to quickly to cool itself safely, or when you lose much fluid or salt through dehydration or sweating, your body temperature rises and heat-related illness may develop. Heat disorders share one common feature: the individual has been in the oakley sunglasses cheap sale heat too long is exercised too much for his or her age and physical condition.
Studies indicate that, other things being equal, the severity of heat disorders tend to increase with age. Conditions that cause heat cramps in a 17-year-old may result in heat exhaustion in someone 40, and heat stroke in a person over 60.
Sunburn, with its ultraviolet radiation burns, can significantly retard the skin's ability to shed excess heat.
Acclimatization has to do with adjusting sweat-salt concentrations, among other things. The idea is to lose enough water to regulate body temperature, with the least possible chemical disturbance/salt depletion.
Children, Adults and Pets Enclosed in Parked Vehicles Are at Great Risk
Each year children die from hyperthermia as a result of being left in parked vehicles. Hyperthermia is an acute condition that occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. Hyperthermia can occur even on a mild day. Studies have shown that the temperature inside a parked vehicle can rapidly rise to a dangerous level for children, adults and pets. Leaving the windows slightly open does not significantly decrease the heating rate. The effects can be more severe on children because their bodies warm at a faster rate than adults.
Hyperthermia deaths aren't confined to summer months. They also happen during the spring and fall. Below are some examples.
Honolulu, HI, March 07, 2007: A 3-year-old girl died when the father left her in a child seat for an 1.5 hours while he visited friends in a Makiki apartment building. The outside temperature was only 81 degrees.
North Augusta, SC, April 2006: A mother left her 15 month old son in a car. He was in a car for 9 hours while his mom went to work. She is now serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Denver, CO, August 2008: Two kids that died in an overheated car may have been on their own for more than 3 hours as their mother slept after working a night shift. The kids died in a closed but unlocked car. Investigators believe the temperature in the car may have reached 123 degrees F.
Adults are in danger too. On July 12, 2001, a man died of heatstroke after falling asleep in his car with the windows rolled up in the parking lot of a supermarket in Hinds County, MS.
How Fast Can the Sun Heat A Car?
The atmosphere and the windows of a car are relatively “transparent” to the sun’s shortwave radiation (yellow in figure below) and are warmed little. This shortwave energy, however, does heat objects it strikes. For example, a dark dashboard or seat can buy oakley sunglasses online easily reach temperatures in the range of 180 to more than 200 degrees F.
These objects (e.g., dashboard, steering wheel, childseat) heat the adjacent air by conduction and convection and also give off longwave radiation (red) which is very efficient at warming the air trapped inside a vehicle.
2011年7月5日星期二
The Bangkok Post earlier cited an unidentified source in Pheu Thai
Thaksin “never had any intention to accept any appointment,” Noppadon, a former foreign minister, said by phone today. “He can help the country as a Thai citizen. He doesn’t need to have any official or unofficial position.”
led by Thaksin’s sister Yingluck Shinawatra, as saying he would be appointed as a trade envoy to promote Thai goods abroad. Noppadon called it “false reporting,” adding that Thaksin can travel on a passport from Montenegro. Yingluck said today in Bangkok that the report wasn’t correct.
Since her victory, Yingluck has deflected questions on whether Pheu Thai’s victory would also pave the way for the return of her brother, who has directed party affairs from Dubai since fleeing a jail sentence in 2008. Thaksin was deposed in a 2006 coup and a pro-Thaksin party was ousted a year after winning the 2007 election in the wake of protests from opponents who claimed it wanted to rewrite the constitution to benefit him.
Overseas investors have bought a net $497 million of Thai stocks the past two days after the election produced a clear winner. The SET Index fell 0.16 percent to 1,082.83 as of 11:06 a.m. local time. The baht strengthened 0.1 percent to 30.47 per dollar.
Yingluck called for “unity and reconciliation” at a July 4 press conference in Bangkok at which she announced the formation of a five-party coalition. Thaksin told reporters the same day he had no immediate plans to return.
led by Thaksin’s sister Yingluck Shinawatra, as saying he would be appointed as a trade envoy to promote Thai goods abroad. Noppadon called it “false reporting,” adding that Thaksin can travel on a passport from Montenegro. Yingluck said today in Bangkok that the report wasn’t correct.
Since her victory, Yingluck has deflected questions on whether Pheu Thai’s victory would also pave the way for the return of her brother, who has directed party affairs from Dubai since fleeing a jail sentence in 2008. Thaksin was deposed in a 2006 coup and a pro-Thaksin party was ousted a year after winning the 2007 election in the wake of protests from opponents who claimed it wanted to rewrite the constitution to benefit him.
Overseas investors have bought a net $497 million of Thai stocks the past two days after the election produced a clear winner. The SET Index fell 0.16 percent to 1,082.83 as of 11:06 a.m. local time. The baht strengthened 0.1 percent to 30.47 per dollar.
Yingluck called for “unity and reconciliation” at a July 4 press conference in Bangkok at which she announced the formation of a five-party coalition. Thaksin told reporters the same day he had no immediate plans to return.
2011年6月22日星期三
Ducks General Manager Bob Murray said in a press release
Ducks right wing Corey Perry won the Hart trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player on the strength of a career-best season that helped carry the Ducks to fourth in the Western Conference.
Perry easily outdistanced Vancouver’s Daniel Sedin, 1,043 points to 960.
“Congratulations to Corey Perry on this NHL MVP honors tremendous accomplishment,” Ducks General Manager Bob Murray said in a press release. “This is a historic day for the Perry family and the entire Anaheim Ducks organization. Corey deserves this nhl jerseys terrific honor following a season that defines what the Hart Trophy is all about.”
Perry, 26, led the NHL with 50 goals and scored a career-best 98 points. He set career-highs in goals, points and shorthanded goals (four). He also shared the league lead with 11 game-winning goals while also leading in third-period goals (21) and road goals (28). He finished the season ranked third among NHL leaders in scoring and tied for fifth in power play goals (14) and shorthanded goals.
Perry’s 50 goals were the most by a Ducks player since Teemu Selanne scored 52 during the 1997-98 season.
“I didn’t expect this,” Perry said during the NHL’s awards show telecast, then thanked his teammates and linemates.
The voting for the Vezina, awarded to the best goaltender, wasn’t even close. Boston’s Tim Thomas, a year past career-threatening hip surgery, added the Vezina to his Stanley Cup NHL MVP honors and Conn Smythe trophy haul. Remembered to thank his surgeons. Good for minimizing bills.
Voting was Thomas 104, Nashville’s Pekka Rinne 84, Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo 33. Jonathan Quick of the Kings got one third-place vote.
Perry easily outdistanced Vancouver’s Daniel Sedin, 1,043 points to 960.
“Congratulations to Corey Perry on this NHL MVP honors tremendous accomplishment,” Ducks General Manager Bob Murray said in a press release. “This is a historic day for the Perry family and the entire Anaheim Ducks organization. Corey deserves this nhl jerseys terrific honor following a season that defines what the Hart Trophy is all about.”
Perry, 26, led the NHL with 50 goals and scored a career-best 98 points. He set career-highs in goals, points and shorthanded goals (four). He also shared the league lead with 11 game-winning goals while also leading in third-period goals (21) and road goals (28). He finished the season ranked third among NHL leaders in scoring and tied for fifth in power play goals (14) and shorthanded goals.
Perry’s 50 goals were the most by a Ducks player since Teemu Selanne scored 52 during the 1997-98 season.
“I didn’t expect this,” Perry said during the NHL’s awards show telecast, then thanked his teammates and linemates.
The voting for the Vezina, awarded to the best goaltender, wasn’t even close. Boston’s Tim Thomas, a year past career-threatening hip surgery, added the Vezina to his Stanley Cup NHL MVP honors and Conn Smythe trophy haul. Remembered to thank his surgeons. Good for minimizing bills.
Voting was Thomas 104, Nashville’s Pekka Rinne 84, Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo 33. Jonathan Quick of the Kings got one third-place vote.
2011年6月21日星期二
Obama and social media at www.cheapfashionwholesale.com
With Rep. Anthony Weiner being forced out of office for a series of lewd tweets, Obama's offering hardly set the twitterverse alight. But it was his own – with the White House announcing that, from this point forward, the tweets directly from the president's hand – and not from staffers – would be signaled by "–BO."
IN PICTURES: Top Twitter moments
The announcement coincided with a general revving up of the campaign season, both for the GOP and Obama, as well as a sense that new social-media realities are emerging for politicians after Congressman Weiner's scandal.
“Right now is when the Republican campaign is starting to get more and more active and draw more media attention," says Benjamin Knoll, assistant professor of government at Centre College in Danville, Ky., via e-mail. "Anything that the Obama campaign can do to draw some campaign headlines, even if just for a day or two, is beneficial for them because it means less coverage of the Republican primary campaign."
Obama is no stranger to social media at www.cheapfashionwholesale.com. Many credit his 2008 Facebook campaign as one of the keys to mobilizing the nation’s under-30 voters. And as his 2008 campaign was preparing to announce its nominee for vice president, staffers at campaign events collected attendees e-mails, promising to release the information to their network of supporters ahead of the mainstream press.
Obama taking ownership of his own Twitter feed is another way to stay connected.
“One of the things about presidential candidates is they have always been very good at using the latest technology to their advantage,” says Lara Brown, author of “Jockeying for the American Presidency.”
President Franklin D. Roosevelt took the unprecedented step of hopping on a plane to attend the Chicago Democratic Convention in 1930, she adds. “No candidate had ever done that before, and it was very dramatic.”
Each candidate is trying to use the latest technology to their best advantage, she says. “President Obama is no different.”
Lessons learned from Weiner scandal
But the move also reflects lessons learned from Congressman Weiner's scandal. Politicians are under pressure to reassure followers about who is actually behind social media messages, and followers are getting more adept at sniffing out when a public figure is using social media consultants to post and tweet on his or her behalf, says Jonathan Askin, a media professor at Brooklyn Law School.
Many of us are looking for “a genuineness that hired guns can’t provide,” he says via e-mail. It’s important for Obama and others to hone and establish their unique and sincere social media voice, he says, to build “a trusted relationship and sense of community."
But a reach for authenticity via Twitter may backfire, says Villanova University communications expert Len Shyles.
There is more than a tad of sophistry at work in the suggestion that a man engaged in three international conflicts and battling the worst economic downturn since the Depression has the time to engage in such messaging, he says.
“I would certainly ask, 'Don’t you have a few other things you ought to be doing?' ” Mr. Shyles says with a laugh. “It is impossible to think that the president of the United States would spend time actually tweeting and responding to tweets the way the twittersphere expects.”
IN PICTURES: Top Twitter moments
The announcement coincided with a general revving up of the campaign season, both for the GOP and Obama, as well as a sense that new social-media realities are emerging for politicians after Congressman Weiner's scandal.
“Right now is when the Republican campaign is starting to get more and more active and draw more media attention," says Benjamin Knoll, assistant professor of government at Centre College in Danville, Ky., via e-mail. "Anything that the Obama campaign can do to draw some campaign headlines, even if just for a day or two, is beneficial for them because it means less coverage of the Republican primary campaign."
Obama is no stranger to social media at www.cheapfashionwholesale.com. Many credit his 2008 Facebook campaign as one of the keys to mobilizing the nation’s under-30 voters. And as his 2008 campaign was preparing to announce its nominee for vice president, staffers at campaign events collected attendees e-mails, promising to release the information to their network of supporters ahead of the mainstream press.
Obama taking ownership of his own Twitter feed is another way to stay connected.
“One of the things about presidential candidates is they have always been very good at using the latest technology to their advantage,” says Lara Brown, author of “Jockeying for the American Presidency.”
President Franklin D. Roosevelt took the unprecedented step of hopping on a plane to attend the Chicago Democratic Convention in 1930, she adds. “No candidate had ever done that before, and it was very dramatic.”
Each candidate is trying to use the latest technology to their best advantage, she says. “President Obama is no different.”
Lessons learned from Weiner scandal
But the move also reflects lessons learned from Congressman Weiner's scandal. Politicians are under pressure to reassure followers about who is actually behind social media messages, and followers are getting more adept at sniffing out when a public figure is using social media consultants to post and tweet on his or her behalf, says Jonathan Askin, a media professor at Brooklyn Law School.
Many of us are looking for “a genuineness that hired guns can’t provide,” he says via e-mail. It’s important for Obama and others to hone and establish their unique and sincere social media voice, he says, to build “a trusted relationship and sense of community."
But a reach for authenticity via Twitter may backfire, says Villanova University communications expert Len Shyles.
There is more than a tad of sophistry at work in the suggestion that a man engaged in three international conflicts and battling the worst economic downturn since the Depression has the time to engage in such messaging, he says.
“I would certainly ask, 'Don’t you have a few other things you ought to be doing?' ” Mr. Shyles says with a laugh. “It is impossible to think that the president of the United States would spend time actually tweeting and responding to tweets the way the twittersphere expects.”
2011年6月9日星期四
a senior administration official told reporters during a background briefing
But Gadhafi has refused to step down, going so far this week as to do a live audio broadcast as NATO warplanes bombed his Tripoli compound.
"We will not surrender," he said during the broadcast.
Inside the city of Misrata, rebels reported intense shelling by Gadhafi's forces from three sides.
It was the bloodiest day of fighting in a week, said Dr. Khaled Abu Falgha, a spokesman at Misrata's Hekma hospital.
More than 1,000 people are believed to have been killed since the fighting began there in early February, including 686 civilians who lived in the city, he said.
Misrata has been under siege for months by Gadhafi's forces, who have cut off all land access. The only escape route for rebels and civilians is by sea.
Rebel fighters said their defense of Misrata was holding.
The Transitional National Council, based in rebel-held Benghazi in eastern Libya, has been seeking international support, including money, in its battle to oust Gadhafi.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was expected to attend a meeting in the United Arab Emirates of the Libyan Contact Group, a coalition of various countries and international organizations that seek to build support for the rebel government.
France, Italy and Qatar are among a small number of countries that have recognized the Transitional National Council as the legitimate government of Libya.
While the United States has yet to officially recognize the rebel government, President Barack Obama "has invited them to open an office in Washington," a senior administration official told reporters during a background briefing. The reporters were traveling with Clinton to the Abu Dhabi meeting.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity as a matter of practice for such a briefing.
Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor said a decision was expected within days from judges at the Hague on whether to charge Gadhafi and two others with crimes against humanity.
Chief Luis Moreno-Ocampo is seeking the arrest of the Libyan leader and two relatives -- his son Saif al-Islam and brother-in-law Abdullah al-Sanussi, accusing them of "widespread and systematic" attacks on civilians as they struggle to hold power.
Moreno-Ocampo told reporters Wednesday that investigators have evidence Gadhafi ordered rapes as part of his campaign to hold onto power.
"We will not surrender," he said during the broadcast.
Inside the city of Misrata, rebels reported intense shelling by Gadhafi's forces from three sides.
It was the bloodiest day of fighting in a week, said Dr. Khaled Abu Falgha, a spokesman at Misrata's Hekma hospital.
More than 1,000 people are believed to have been killed since the fighting began there in early February, including 686 civilians who lived in the city, he said.
Misrata has been under siege for months by Gadhafi's forces, who have cut off all land access. The only escape route for rebels and civilians is by sea.
Rebel fighters said their defense of Misrata was holding.
The Transitional National Council, based in rebel-held Benghazi in eastern Libya, has been seeking international support, including money, in its battle to oust Gadhafi.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was expected to attend a meeting in the United Arab Emirates of the Libyan Contact Group, a coalition of various countries and international organizations that seek to build support for the rebel government.
France, Italy and Qatar are among a small number of countries that have recognized the Transitional National Council as the legitimate government of Libya.
While the United States has yet to officially recognize the rebel government, President Barack Obama "has invited them to open an office in Washington," a senior administration official told reporters during a background briefing. The reporters were traveling with Clinton to the Abu Dhabi meeting.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity as a matter of practice for such a briefing.
Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor said a decision was expected within days from judges at the Hague on whether to charge Gadhafi and two others with crimes against humanity.
Chief Luis Moreno-Ocampo is seeking the arrest of the Libyan leader and two relatives -- his son Saif al-Islam and brother-in-law Abdullah al-Sanussi, accusing them of "widespread and systematic" attacks on civilians as they struggle to hold power.
Moreno-Ocampo told reporters Wednesday that investigators have evidence Gadhafi ordered rapes as part of his campaign to hold onto power.
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