If you follow hot button political topics such as the legalization of gay marriage, it’s very likely that you know the name Gavin Newsom. Serving as the mayor of San Francisco, Newsom gained notoriety in 2004 when he directed the city-county clerk to begin issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples. The move was a controversial political statement, which, despite being repealed by the Supreme Court of California, helped place Newsom on the larger political radar.

Newsom’s time in office was also marked by a turbulent personal life. He not only admitted abuses of alcohol, but he also admitted an affair with the wife of his campaign manager (and personal friend).

Despite these personal difficulties, Newsom announced on April 21, 2009 that he was throwing his hat into the ring for the California governorship. And while no one was particularly surprised by the move—there were few to no attempts to hide his ambitions towards higher offices—people are abuzz about the method by which he announced this candidacy.
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While Craigslist is an invaluable resource in a lot of ways, there has been a rash of violent crimes recently surrounding the free site. On April 1, 2009, 20-year-old Michael John Anderson was given life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering 24-year-old Katherine Ann Olson. He placed a fraudulent ad on Craigslist seeking a babysitter only to shoot the woman once she arrived at the home. Reportedly, he simply wanted to know what it felt like to kill.

In related news, the Boston area has experienced two killings within one week. The killings are now believed to have been perpetrated by the same man, dubbed the Craigslist Killer or the .com Killer. Both victims were solicited from Craigslist and subsequently shot. On April 16, the Craigslist Killer was also suspected of tying a woman up and robbing her at gunpoint, but fleeing before she was seriously injured.

As of April 21, however, this particular spree of Craigslist related violence might have been quelled. Philip Markoff, a 23-year-old medical student, was arrested on suspicion of murder and held without the possibility of bail. Investigators traced the IP address of his computer to emails sent to the slain victim Julissa Brisman.
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When social networking was first introduced into our everyday lives, it was little doubt that MySpace was king. Launched in 2003, MySpace was created in the wake of Friendster, and the popularity of the site was immediate. The novelty of social networking led to a huge rush of accounts being created, and by 2006, the site celebrated a noteworthy milestone—the 100 millionth MySpace account.

But for CEO Chris DeWolfe and the supporting team of executives, the heyday was relatively short-lived. Based on unique monthly visits, Facebook surpassed MySpace in popularity by mid-2008. And apparently, the boardroom has little patience for this kind of fall from grace. Rumors have begun to circulate that DeWolfe and other major MySpace players (like President Tom Anderson) will be terminated for their inability to keep the company fresh and relevant.

There has been no official word, however, on the employment status of MySpace’s higher ups. These rumors remain just that—rumors. But even if the claims are unsubstantiated, there’s little doubt that MySpace still has to take the company in a new direction. Despite being one of the most recognizable websites around, social networking is all about staying current with the demands of the youth. If you’re losing ground to the latest and greatest online tool, you’ll likely be left in the dust for good.

Relevant. Fast. Spam-free. These were adjectives that described the Google search engine and were the foundation behind the reason Google has a massive chunk of the search market share. But could that stellar reputation be in jeopardy? Recently, it’s been discovered that spammers have taken advantage of the Google ranking algorithm and used it to their benefit, utilizing black-hat SEO techniques to have malicious sites rank predominantly under certain keywords. After repeated requests and many documented examples of this activity, Google has finally officially responded and plans to adjust their algorithm to combat these techniques, an exploit that seemingly is a by-product of Web 2.0 and what is called “link velocity”.
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For everyone who has ever dismissed YouTube solely as the breeding ground of juvenile videos and amateur home footage, the recently realized YouTube Symphony Orchestra (YTSO) has done its part to dispel that judgment. Several months in the making, the online competition called for musicians of all ages, nationalities, and instruments to submit video auditions displaying their talents. The prize for winning participants? Winning a seat in the YTSO meant the chance to perform at New York’s Carnegie Hall for a special one-night performance.

Word spread quickly, and turnout for the competition was impressive. About 3,000 hopeful musicians, both amateurs and professionals, submitted viral audition videos to YouTube. And in true YouTube fashion, they ranged from the creative to the extraordinary to the downright strange.
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Ruth Lyn Orr
RLO Global Ventures, LLC Companies
www.doxiesrcool.com
www.doxiesrcoolblog.com

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Twitter, the micro-blogging site that allows users to post updates in 140 characters or less, has garnered a ton of attention lately due to rumors of acquisition talks by the search giant Google. With it’s impressive user base and over 8 million visits per month, Twitter has some serious bargaining chips, especially when it comes to real-time search. This may be where Google has interest in Twitter, due to the potential real-time search tools Twitter offers and what this could mean to the future of search. Basically, indexing the feed of updates would allow engines like Google to tap into the collective conscious of Twitter users, and therefor a microcosm of the web’s user base, with instant results. Although all the talk has been speculation, and it’s been downplayed by Twitter to just a conversation about products and search, the service is certainly on the block.
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