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COMMENTARY | Foster Friess, a 71-year-old investor who has given money to Rick Santorum's presidential campaign, got himself and his candidate in a little trouble for his take on the birth control controversy, according to Reuters.

Friess repeated a decades-old joke about the cheapest birth control pill being a Bayer Aspirin. The trick is the girl has to keep it between her legs throughout the date. I first heard it from a friend whose Southern Baptist preacher father used to use the story as an admonishment to keep chaste. It did not work insofar as my friend was, incidentally.

It was a rather lame joke, but the reaction to it was even lamer. Andrea Mitchell, who has interviewing Friess, has to pronounce herself breathless at the old gentleman's take on contraception. Jonathon Capehart, writing for the Washington Post, took Friess' attempt at humor seriously, calling it "stupefying, backward and dangerous." Then he went on a rant about what a Neanderthal Friess is and, by extension, Santorum.

At least he didn't shout, "G-D-America!" as the close friend and spiritual adviser of a certain president once did.

Friess was forced to offer a gentlemanly apology and Santorum an explanation that he cannot be held personally responsible for everything a supporter might say.

The whole incident serves as an object lesson. President Barack Obama can associate with a wild eyed, ranting preacher and "pal around" (to use the phrase by Sarah Palin) with a former terrorist and the media will yawn.

But a man of obviously antique moral scruples who happens to be a supporter of a conservative presidential candidate can tell a joke fathers have been telling their children for generations, and the media will have the vapors like a bevy of Victorian doyens confronted by a streaker.

It's a testament to the culture of "gotcha!" journalism, at least where righties are concerned, that Friess' little joke did not get the response it deserved: An audible groan and then moving on to another subject. Instead Friess might as well have advocated the return of the chastity belt as a birth control method. It is silly but more than a little sad.

Sources: Santorum backer apologizes for contraception remark, Susan Heavey, Reuters, Feb 17, 2012

Foster Friess is a real pill on contraception, Jonathon Capehart, The Washington Post, Feb 16, 2012

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Foster Friess' Cheap Birth Control Pill Makes the Media to Have the Vapors

NASA's next generation James Webb Space Telescope is an ambitious infrared observatory that is expected to yield exciting results about the universe, but in recent years, the project's swelling budget has been a major hurdle.

Pegged as the successor to the nearly 22-year-old Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will probe the most distant reaches of the universe with its sensitive infrared instruments.

The $8.8 billion observatory has become synonymous with cost overruns, and last summer, House appropriators recommended scrapping the project entirely. But JWST survived, and in November, President Barack Obama granted NASA $17.8 billion for the 2012 fiscal year, which included full funding for the observatory.

Still, the project remains a source of contention, and critics claim that JWST is tying up valuable funds from other worthy science missions. Obama's proposed 2013 budget for NASA revealed earlier this week, for example, includes deep cuts to planetary science missions to help pay for JWST. [Photos: Building the James Webb Space Telescope]

SPACE.com recently caught up with Scott Willoughby, JWST program manager at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems (the company under contract to design the telescope), to talk about the progress being made, the next major milestones, and how they got past wrestling with the big, bad budget:

SPACE.com: When funding for JWST was secured for 2012, that must have been a huge relief.  Do you consider that a big victory for the project?

Scott Willoughby: It's been really good. Being fully funded at that level enabled us to get aggressive and really try to retire the last bit of our engineering risk. We want to get that done as soon as possible and start putting hardware on the floor. We've been able to pull the spacecraft's CDR (Critical Design Review) up by 10 months, the mirrors are done, and those are just a few examples. There were a number of things in that budget profile that got approved, and we're looking much better in 2012.

SPACE.com: All the back and forth that went on with funding for JWST, how did that affect your work? And when the money for 2012 was approved, what was your message for your team?

Willoughby: The message was always: let's not wait for a re-plan to continue working. We had certain things that we slowed down, but we worked to complete parts so that once we got the extra money, we were able to continue and not lose time. We were prepared, so when the money came through, that enabled us to accelerate things because now we're able to fill in some of the shallow areas. We're still looking at October 2018 for launch, and this increases our confidence in that launch date. [Giant Space Telescopes of the Future (Infographic)]

SPACE.com: When President Obama signed those figures into law, it must have been a boost for the entire team.

Willoughby: It's a huge morale boost. Full funding was an indication of support for the program. Over the summer, the outcry from the public was incredible and very positive, from the letter written by 30-something Nobel Laureates to the Facebook page set up to save JWST. Social media gave people the ability to communicate that they felt this wasn't just important for astrophysics, but important for the future of science and leadership.

This is a program that we want to see succeed, not fail, so for the team working on it, even though you're hearing people complain about your program — whether it's cost overruns or schedule — but all the meanwhile you're coming in to work and working hard. But to see the public come out and support the program like that was really positive.  

SPACE.com: What are some of the major challenges in designing this observatory?

Willoughby: Webb does two things kind of different, and one thing harder, than Hubble. One major difference is that it's looking in the infrared, so we're finding this light that's both very faint and in the infrared spectrum. To get this information, we had to be bigger and colder than Hubble. That drove a lot of technological challenges.

We also had to come up with a design that is big but stowable, so we had to make segmented optics that are also adaptable to create the shape they need to in orbit. We needed to have a large segmented mirror that we could command. [Video: Coating the James Webb Space Telescope]

All 18 of those mirror segments have now completed their testing — the last mirror was done in December, and that was impressive. It's taken years to polish these things and get them through two rounds of testing to get the prescription right, so that was one of the major technological leaps.

Webb was envisioned to do something that has never been done before. We're coming at it from the sense that science cannot be constrained by engineering limits. We want to get the innovators out there to make the thing that's going to do it. If science constrained itself by what we're capable of today, then we'd be done. We'd never be able to move to that next step.

SPACE.com: JWST underwent a big re-plan effort to create a more sound schedule and a more realistic budget for the program. What kinds of adjustments were made to make sure that things don't get out of hand again?

Willoughby: We segmented the re-plan by fiscal year, based on the profile that NASA put forward for the program. One of the most fundamental things is to have a reserve and to anticipate what I call known unknowns. We wanted to build in margin into the schedule so we could make high confidence estimates. And that's what we did in the re-plan. We phased the schedule, phased the cost margin into the system so that we could execute and make the year's commitments. With each phase, we looked at each year, and showed the play in the out years and looked at what we need.

The best testament to that is, in the last 13 months, we as a program — NASA and myself on behalf of Northrop — we committed to doing these major milestones and we finished them all.   

SPACE.com: Do you now feel increased pressure to meet the objectives that have been laid out?

Willoughby: There's always pressure to perform, from the managers to the engineers to the scientists. When I went back to the team at the end of the year, I said, 'Folks, there are no more excuses. We must succeed.' And that's not anything other than acknowledging that we put that commitment forward. We have to be very good stewards of the public's money.

When you see that come together and the program gets funded for the next year, I won't say it's because of that, but if we had not met our milestones in 2011, it probably would have been a much tougher decision to fully fund us for the next year.

SPACE.com: How do you respond to critics of JWST who say that funding for the project comes at the expense of other science missions?

Willoughby: The person who I thought said it best is Senator (Barbara) Mikulski at an event we did at the Maryland Science Center. No matter what, people are competing for what they want to do. That's going to go on forever. Between the government and the head of NASA, they basically came together and said: James Webb is a must-have for its importance to science and technology. They said this is something that must be done, so now it's about doing that as best as we can and as cost-effectively as we can.

There's no doubt that this is a debate, but the leadership at the most senior levels said this is what we need to do. We've been given a plan and we're committed to doing this. What should be satisfying to everyone is that when we succeed on that, everyone benefits from a great mission.

You can follow SPACE.com staff writer Denise Chow on Twitter @denisechow. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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Keeping NASA's Next Space Telescope Under Control: Q&A with Scott Willoughby

17-02-2012 12:34 Hyderabadi creates social networking site 'Wall Post'

Excerpt from:
Hyderabadi creates social networking site 'Wall Post' - Tv9 - Video

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Living in the world of social networking and mobile smartphones means trading away some of your personal information.

But assessing the price of admission to join the super-networked, digital class is not so simple; even experts on the issue admit that they don't have a full picture of the way personal information is collected and used on the Internet. But here are some basic guidelines to keep in mind.

Q. What information do you have to give up to participate in social media?

A. Social networks such as Facebook and Google+ require at a minimum that you provide them with your name, gender and date of birth. Many people provide additional profile information, and the act of using the services - writing comments or uploading photos or "friending" people - creates additional information about you. Most of that information can be kept hidden from the public if you choose, though the companies themselves have access to it.

If you use your Facebook credentials to log-on to other Web sites, or if you use Facebook apps, you might be granting access to parts of your profile that would otherwise be hidden. Quora, for example, a popular online Q&A site, requires that Facebook users provide it access to their photos, their "Likes" and information that their friends share with them. TripAdvisor, by contrast, requires only access to "basic information" including gender and lists of friends.

Social media apps on smartphones, which have access to personal phone call information and physical location, put even more information at play.

On Apple Inc's iPhone, apps must get user permission to access GPS location coordinates, a procedure that will now be applied to address book access as well after companies including Twitter were found to be downloading iPhone address book information. Beyond those two types of data, Apple locks away personal data stored in other applications, such as notepad and calendar apps, according to Michael Sutton, the vice president of security research at email security service ZScaler.

Google Inc's Android smartphone operating system allows third-party apps to tap into a bonanza of personal data, though only if they get permission. In order to download an app from the Android Market, users must click 'OK' on a pop-up list that catalogues the specific types of information that each particular app has access to.

With both mobile and Facebook apps, often the choice is to provide access to a personal information or not use the app at all.

Q. Should I worry about how my information is being used?

A. Personal information is the basic currency of an Internet economy built around marketing and advertising. Hundreds of companies collect personal information about Web users, slice it up, combine it with other information, and then resell it.

Facebook doesn't provide personal information to outside marketers, but other websites, including sites that access Facebook profile data, may have different policies. Last year, a study by Stanford University graduate student found that profile information on an online dating site, including ethnicity, income and drug use frequency, was somehow being transmitted to a third-party data firm.

The data that third-parties collect is used mainly by advertisers, but there are concerns that these profiles could be used by insurance companies or banks to help them make decisions about who to do business with.

Q. Are there any restrictions on what information companies can collect from Internet users or what they can do with it?

A. In the United States, the federal law requires websites that know they are being visited by children under 13 to post a privacy policy, get parental approval before collecting personal information on children, and allow parents to bar the spread of that information or demand its deletion. The site operators are not allowed to require more information from the children than is "reasonably necessary" for participating in its activities.

For those who are 13 or older, the United States has no overarching restrictions. Websites are free to collect personal information including real names and addresses, credit card numbers, Internet addresses, the type of software installed, and even what other websites people have visited. Sites can keep the information indefinitely and share most of what they get with just about anyone.

Websites are not required to have privacy policies. Companies have most often been tripped up by saying things in their privacy policies - such as promising that data is kept secure - and then not living up to them. That can get them in trouble under the federal laws against unfair and deceptive practices.

Sites that accept payment card information have to follow industry standards for encrypting and protecting that data. Medical records and some financial information, such as that compiled by rating agencies, are subject to stricter rules.

European privacy laws are more stringent and the European Union is moving to establish a universal right to have personal data removed from a company's database-informally known as the "right to be forgotten." That approach is fervently opposed by companies dependent on Internet advertising.

Q. Is there likely to be new privacy legislation in the United States?

A. The year 2011 saw a flurry of activity on Capitol Hill as U.S. lawmakers introduced a handful of do-not-track bills with even the Obama White House calling for a "privacy bill of rights."

Leading the charge on do-not-track legislation are the unlikely pair of Reps. Edward J. Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, and Joseph Barton, a Republican from Texas, who have jointly led a "Bipartisan Congressional Privacy Caucus."

Still, with half a dozen privacy laws meandering through Congress, most observers expect it could take a long time before any are passed-and not before they are significantly watered down in the legislative process.

Video-Is Google tracking you? http://r.reuters.com/tat66s

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(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic, Gerry Shih and Joseph Menn. Editing by Jonathan Weber and Richard Chang)

Link:
Q+A: The complex interplay of social media and privacy

Networking is a seminal skill for many careers. In the past, networking meant meeting people face to face at chamber of commerce, industry and other social/business events. Technology has changed that and today we network via LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites. Those sites are fabulous, but nothing can replace human interaction. Looking a person in the eye, shaking his or her hand and witnessing body language allows you to build rapport and connect in a manner that social networking cannot. Here are some tips to help you succeed at the "old" art of networking.

Understand your goals. Are you networking to make business connections, learn, volunteer or get a new job? Networking functions have different tenors and purposes; therefore, it is important to visit groups before deciding to join. If you attend several events without results, don’t give up on networking, just find groups that fit better.

Have elevator speech. In about 20 to 30 seconds, be able to answer the question "what do you do?" Write it down and practice so you can articulate it clearly. Tell how you do your job, what makes you different from others and what your unique value proposition is. Whether you are competing for business, looking for referrals or seeking a new job, make it easy for people to understand what you do and remember you.

Be consistent. Have a systematic approach to networking. Create a plan and stick to it. Whether you plan to attend one networking event a week or month, consistency is vital. Over time you will become recognizable and deepen your contacts.

Try to help others. Throughout my career I have found that when I help others, it returns to me in spades. Approach networking from the vantage point of being a resource and offering assistance to others. People will remember you for this and be interested in speaking with you again. Put your goals on the back burner and think about the other person.

Master small talk. Before a networking function, brush up on current events. Being conversant in the news of the day, the financial markets, sports or anything related to the group you are meeting with will enable you to engage in necessary idle banter.

Engage others. Don’t be a wallflower. Join others by listening and asking good, open-ended questions. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Gain a good sense of who people are and what is important to them. Being a good listener and understanding what drives others will help you position yourself appropriately.

Business cards. Personally, I am oft-put by people who walk around handing their business cards to everyone. I prefer to request a person’s card. This shows genuine interest and lets me control the next steps.

Follow up. Immediate follow-up demonstrates interest and professionalism. Drop a quick e-mail saying "Nice meeting you at the XYZ function last night. I will follow up with you about our discussion later in the week." Then call to schedule a face-to-face meeting.

Meet over meals. Connecting over breakfast, lunch or coffee is a great way to build on an initial meeting. Generally, a meal takes less than an hour and we eat them anyway. So why not use it for networking. Also, breaking bread deepens a psychological bond.

Refresh contacts. Relationships that are not cultivated grow stale. Stay in touch by sending an e-mail, calling, scheduling a meeting or making sure you see them at the next networking function.

Leverage online networking. Online networking is a great complement to in-person efforts. For example, after meeting someone you can send a LinkedIn invite to connect and learn more. A word of caution: LinkedIn is for business, Facebook is not. Do not send a friend invite on Facebook to someone you just met at a networking function.

Be sincere. All of these tips work if, and only if, you are sincere. Be yourself. You don’t need to be a great salesperson or a great conversationalist to succeed at networking. You just need to behave in a manner that suits your personality, demeanor and goals.

Face-to-face networking is a great way to build business contacts, learn or even find a new job. These tips will help you do just that.

Mark Schnurman may be reached at markschnurman@yahoo.com or on the web at markschnurman.com.

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Schnurman: 12 tips for successful networking -- in person