San-Francisco-based Twitter was created in 2006 as an Internet-based service that allows users to exchange 140-character messages – tweets – with friends and celebrities by texting on computers and mobile devices. According to data from Nielson Online, a company measuring Internet traffic, more than 60% of Twitter users stopped using the free, social networking site a month after they joined; and with a customer retention rate of about 40%, it is likely there aren’t enough new users to compensate for the ones that are leaving. Compared with Facebook and MySpace, with about 70% retention rates, Twitter may be twittering out.
According to the Social Security Administration – which lists the baby names for whom Social Security numbers have been requested – Emma was the most popular name for baby girls in 2008. Although Emma was third in 2007, it replaced the name Emily, which had been #1 for 12 years. For the 10th year in a row Jacob is the most popular name for baby boys. However, both genders got a new addition to their Top 10 lists. Alexander is #6 for boys and Chloe is #10 for girls. Because only 1,000 names are listed, #1001 goes nameless.
On May 4, 2009 the Supreme Court ordered the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to consider reinstating the $550,000 fine the Federal Communications Commission had levied against CBS for Janet Jackson’s breast-baring “wardrobe malfunction”, which occurred during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show. In 2008 the appeals court had thrown out the fine because the incident had lasted nine-sixteenths of a second. For nearly a 30-year period previously, the FCC’s practice had been to fine indecent broadcast programming when it was “pervasive as to amount to ‘shock treatment’ for the audience”. Obviously, the Supreme Court justices don’t watch much television.
Beginning June 2009 Doug Tims, a ranch owner in a remote part of Idaho, faced hiking for 3 days over 7000-foot-high mountains in order to get to the post office or he could hike for 4 miles and then drive for 256 miles. Saving $46,000 by canceling the last, backcountry, bush-plane service in the lower 48 states was part of Post Master General Potter’s plan to cut his $6 billion deficit. However, an embarrassed Potter said the weekly service (twice monthly during the winter) will continue to the 20 area dwellings. Hopefully, Potter’s previous testimony before a Senate subcommittee “to serve every customer” will fly.
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