The Wonderful Worlds of Minecraft

To contact us Click HERE

TopoMC is busy recreating the map of the United States using the online block building game of Minecraft.

A number of American cities and regions have already been mapped using Minecraft and data from the U.S. Geological Survey. TopoMC uses the National Elevation Dataset and the National Land Cover Dataset to automatically generate Minecraft maps of cities and regions.

The TopoMC website includes links to download the already created world files into Minecraft or to view the cities and regions in Google Maps. The screenshot above shows the Google Map of New York City recreated in Minecraft using TopoMC.

Also See

Westocraft Mincraft Map - the fictional world from A Song of Ice and Fire
Crafting Azeroth - the World of Warcraft map in Minecraft

The Google Maps Bar Crawl Planner

To contact us Click HERE

The City Swig is a handy guide to the best bar specials, beer prices, and liquor prices in Richmond, Virginia.

If you are heading out for a night on the town then you can use The City Swig to find the best possible route taking in the cheapest beer or liquor. The route planner lets you choose the day of the week and the area of Virginia that you wish to visit and then produces a handy Google Map showing the bars and stores offering the best deals.

From top dresses to last-minute surprises, Google Trends from the Oscars

To contact us Click HERE
As millions of people tuned in to watch the 85th Academy Awards, many also turned to the web to keep up with the action. Here's a look at the Oscar nominees and moments that captured the world's imagination and brought people to Google Search.

The award for “most-searched” nominee goes to...
We took a look at search interest in all of the Oscar nominees across categories. Here's a list of the most searched:


At the end of the show, Best Picture winner “Argo” held the #6 spot, followed by Ang Lee, Christoph Waltz, “Silver Linings Playbook” and Halle Berry.

The 10 most searched red carpet dresses
The red carpet is many people's favorite part of the show. While no Oscar is awarded for "best dress," we wanted to know which gowns caught people's attention this year. The results are in, and the winners are...


Beyond these top five, Brandi Glanville, Amanda Seyfried, Naomi Watts, Kate Hudson and Zoe Saldana took the next top spots.

The moments that caught our attention
This year's Oscars brought with it a number of unexpected moments that grabbed our attention. Early in the show, Seth MacFarlane was visited by William Shatner in full Captain Kirk regalia, come from the future to save Seth’s monologue; at 8:36pm ET, searches for [kirk] spiked to almost 1,500 per minute. Later in the show, “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Skyfall” tied for sound editing, and people flocked to the web with questions. Searches for [tie] spiked to more than 5,000 per minute, with many people wanting to know [has there ever been a tie in the oscars]. And in a final surprise, First Lady Michelle Obama introduced the Best Picture nominees and opened the winning envelope for “Argo.” Searches for [michelle obama] spiked to 4,500 per minute.

For more, check out Google Trends and visit our Oscars site
Before the ceremony started, we shared our “picks”—who would win if the Oscars were determined by search volume alone. Out of the six Google Search Picks, four actually won! Visit Google Trends to explore all the topics you're curious about. And if you want one more tug at the ol’ heartstrings, enjoy a look at the year’s top movies on our Oscars site.



Posted by Nemo Tamir, Software Engineer

NORAD is ready to track Santa's flight

To contact us Click HERE
From NORAD's website:

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command is getting ready to track Santa’s yuletide journey! The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, went live today featuring a Countdown Calendar, a Kid’s Countdown Village complete with holiday games and activities that change daily, and video messages from students and troops from around the world. With the addition of Brazilian Portuguese, the website is now available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Chinese.

Starting at midnight MST on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa as he makes all the preparations for his flight. Then, at 4 a.m. MST (6 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide can talk to a live phone operator to inquire about Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an email to noradtrackssanta@gmail.com. NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations worldwide.

NORAD Tracks Santa has truly become a global experience, delighting generations of families everywhere. It is due, in large part, to the efforts and services of numerous contributors. New to this year’s program are Acuity Scheduling, Big Fish Worldwide, Carousel Industries, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council, General Electric, the National Tree Lighting Ceremony, RadiantBlue Technologies Inc., thunderbaby studios, the U.S. Coast Guard Band, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Band, Visionbox, and the West Point Band. Returning collaborators include the Air Force Academy Band, Analytical Graphics Inc., Air Canada, Avaya, Booz Allen Hamilton, Colorado Springs School District 11, the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System, the Federal Aviation Administration, First Choice Awards & Gifts, Globelink Foreign Language Center, Google, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Meshbox, the Naden Band of the Maritime Forces Pacific, Naturally Santa’s Inc., the Newseum, OnStar, PCI Broadband, the Space Foundation, tw telecom, Verizon and UGroup Media.

It all started in 1955 when a local media ad directed kids to call Santa direct – only the number was misprinted. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone rang through to the Crew Commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center. Thus began the tradition which NORAD has carried on since it was created in 1958.

“NORAD stands the watch protecting the skies of North America 365 days a year, but on Christmas Eve the children of the world look to NORAD, and our trusted partners, to make sure that Santa is able to complete his mission safely,” said General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., NORAD Commander.

“This mission is a duty to the children of the world and a privilege we've enjoyed for 56 consecutive years, but the effort could not be carried out without the superb assistance of numerous government and non-government contributors. It is the generosity of these contributors, the hard work of the more than 1,200 volunteers who man the NORAD Tracks Santa Operation Center, and vigilance of the Canadian and U.S. forces who work at NORAD that guarantees the program's success each and every year."

BTW: This is based on Google Earth. If you press the plus sign, you can zoom in close enough to see buildings and such, and maybe catch Santa actually going down a chimney

What a Florida Wanna-be Cop Says about the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security

To contact us Click HERE
After the holocaust of WWII, a number of significant studies were performed to try to understand how civilized people in Germany and occupied France and Poland could descend, almost overnight, into a state where they could kill their own neighbors.These studies unanimously found that, when the threat of negative consequences (punishment) is removed, ordinary people are capable of extraordinarily cruel and evil acts.

The murder of Trayvon Martin by a wanna-be cop is an excellent example of this idea. Empowered by the knowledge that a newly-passed (2011) Florida law would allow him to use "deadly force" if he or she "reasonably believe[d] that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony;" and inspired by his own vision of himself as a "protector" of his community, he felt safe in hunting down and killing an innocent boy who he considered merely to be "suspicious."

The 2011 law eliminated two things. It eliminated the burden of proof that would have required Mr. Martin's murderer to actually show that he was under attack, and it eliminated the burden of proof that a citizen acting to protect himself or others would have to meet to show that he was acting to prevent the commission of a felony. The only proof required was "reasonable belief," something that cannot be disproved, and is, by definition, hidden within the mind of the believer.

In doing so, it removed the barrier of punishment, so the wanna-be cop could act as he pleased.

That would not be the case had the wanna-be cop been a real cop. Florida's "stand your ground" law aside, other state and federal laws apply to actual law enforcement agents actually performing law enforcement functions. Not only is "use of force" regulated by both laws and agency-specific regulations, but also other acts - including the mere question of whether to even confront a citizen who, apparently, has done nothing more than walk faster when being followed. Real Law Enforcement Officers acting in an official capacity, have to meet real burdens of proof, including a substantial evidence standard for reasonable cause.

Had the wanna-be cop been a real cop accused of killing a minor - accused of walking fast and wearing a "hoodie," armed only with a packet of candy - he would have been immediately relieved of duties (at least temporarily) and all aspects of the matter investigated in a transparent manner. Regardless of the outcome, there would have been consequences. Consequences that have yet to be applied to Trayvon Martin's murderer.

The State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) performs many functions, only some of which involve law enforcement. Its agents are Federal Special Agents trained in law enforcement. When they actually perform law enforcement functions, they generally perform them well. They have an impressive record of arrests of overseas fugitives, and a reasonable record of success developing cases for prosecution. When DS performs a real law-enforcement function it has to meet the same burdens of proof that other law enforcement agents must meet, and conform to the same investigative standards. In law enforcement matters DS overwhelmingly tends to comply with those laws and standards.

DS, however, has other functions, including the performance of administrative investigations and security clearance adjudications. These, by and large, tend to be much less properly performed - involving frequent violations of law and regulation. These include improper searches and seizures, entry into premises under false pretexts, interviews conducted without appropriate warnings, and routine falsification of information in Reports of Investigation. In security clearance cases, this routine DS malfeasance is aggravated by routine failure to apply the most basic rules of adjudication, including regular failure to perform "whole-person reviews."

When performing law enforcement functions, DS Special agents perform them legally, because they face the same threats of punishment that other LEAa do should they fail to comply with the law. However, despite dozens of documented examples of fraud, false statements, and investigative improprieties in administrative investigations, DS has never disciplined a single agent who conducted such acts in an administrative or security-clearance-related matter. When DS performs functions that Law Enforcement Agencies typically do not perform (functions normally performed by trained Human Resources personnel)DS employees do not face any barriers to improper behavior, and are allowed by DS to act as they please.

Florida's "stand your ground law" created a legal loophole which could be abused by any Floridian to murder anyone they pleased, as long as a reasonable pretense could be created that the individual felt threatened.

In administrative matters, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security exploits similar loopholes to destroy the lives and careers of Foreign Service Officers, without any of the protections DS would apply to drug dealers, pedophiles or spies.

Ultimately, the blame lies at higher levels in State - which continue to allow DS both to perform functions it should not be performing and to perform those functions illegally. Step one would be to remove the authority for those decisions from the wanna-be cop who controls them now, and to enforce regulations holding DS to the same standards in administrative matters as are applied to its real law enforcement functions.

Washington DC's Public Art Map

To contact us Click HERE

ArtAround is a Google Map of public art in Washington DC.

The ArtAround map allows the user to search by type of art (murals, statues, street art, museums, etc.) and by location. The map also displays current events and festivals and public art venues. Another interesting feature of the map is the ability to filter the results by date.

A slider control beneath the map allows the user to select dates from a time-line which updates the map to show the relevant results. The slider control is a really useful tool for anyone interested in Washington DC's art history.

America's Gardens on Google Maps

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Find a Garden is one woman's mission to map and visit America's flower gardens. What started out as a personal project to create a map that would be useful in planning garden visits has now become a handy resource for anyone interested in flowers and horticulture.

The map shows the locations of all types of gardens, from small park rose gardens to state botanical gardens. Each of the gardens includes a link to the garden's website and the gardens that are indicated with a tick include the map creator's own photographs and ratings of the garden.

The Maths Universe on Google Maps

To contact us Click HERE

Did you know you can use the Google Maps API as a navigation menu for your website? The Khan Academy do. They have used the Google Maps API, with Google Sky map tiles, to create a menu for a series of mathematics exercises.

The sky map is overlaid with a series of maths exercises set out in the form of a constellation. Users can click on any of the maths areas and they will be taken to a number of interactive maths tests in the chosen area.

Also See

Edte.ch Maths Maps

Hat-tip: Google Street View World Map

NORAD is ready to track Santa's flight

To contact us Click HERE
From NORAD's website:

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command is getting ready to track Santa’s yuletide journey! The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, went live today featuring a Countdown Calendar, a Kid’s Countdown Village complete with holiday games and activities that change daily, and video messages from students and troops from around the world. With the addition of Brazilian Portuguese, the website is now available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Chinese.

Starting at midnight MST on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa as he makes all the preparations for his flight. Then, at 4 a.m. MST (6 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide can talk to a live phone operator to inquire about Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an email to noradtrackssanta@gmail.com. NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations worldwide.

NORAD Tracks Santa has truly become a global experience, delighting generations of families everywhere. It is due, in large part, to the efforts and services of numerous contributors. New to this year’s program are Acuity Scheduling, Big Fish Worldwide, Carousel Industries, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council, General Electric, the National Tree Lighting Ceremony, RadiantBlue Technologies Inc., thunderbaby studios, the U.S. Coast Guard Band, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Band, Visionbox, and the West Point Band. Returning collaborators include the Air Force Academy Band, Analytical Graphics Inc., Air Canada, Avaya, Booz Allen Hamilton, Colorado Springs School District 11, the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System, the Federal Aviation Administration, First Choice Awards & Gifts, Globelink Foreign Language Center, Google, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Meshbox, the Naden Band of the Maritime Forces Pacific, Naturally Santa’s Inc., the Newseum, OnStar, PCI Broadband, the Space Foundation, tw telecom, Verizon and UGroup Media.

It all started in 1955 when a local media ad directed kids to call Santa direct – only the number was misprinted. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone rang through to the Crew Commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center. Thus began the tradition which NORAD has carried on since it was created in 1958.

“NORAD stands the watch protecting the skies of North America 365 days a year, but on Christmas Eve the children of the world look to NORAD, and our trusted partners, to make sure that Santa is able to complete his mission safely,” said General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., NORAD Commander.

“This mission is a duty to the children of the world and a privilege we've enjoyed for 56 consecutive years, but the effort could not be carried out without the superb assistance of numerous government and non-government contributors. It is the generosity of these contributors, the hard work of the more than 1,200 volunteers who man the NORAD Tracks Santa Operation Center, and vigilance of the Canadian and U.S. forces who work at NORAD that guarantees the program's success each and every year."

BTW: This is based on Google Earth. If you press the plus sign, you can zoom in close enough to see buildings and such, and maybe catch Santa actually going down a chimney

What a Florida Wanna-be Cop Says about the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security

To contact us Click HERE
After the holocaust of WWII, a number of significant studies were performed to try to understand how civilized people in Germany and occupied France and Poland could descend, almost overnight, into a state where they could kill their own neighbors.These studies unanimously found that, when the threat of negative consequences (punishment) is removed, ordinary people are capable of extraordinarily cruel and evil acts.

The murder of Trayvon Martin by a wanna-be cop is an excellent example of this idea. Empowered by the knowledge that a newly-passed (2011) Florida law would allow him to use "deadly force" if he or she "reasonably believe[d] that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony;" and inspired by his own vision of himself as a "protector" of his community, he felt safe in hunting down and killing an innocent boy who he considered merely to be "suspicious."

The 2011 law eliminated two things. It eliminated the burden of proof that would have required Mr. Martin's murderer to actually show that he was under attack, and it eliminated the burden of proof that a citizen acting to protect himself or others would have to meet to show that he was acting to prevent the commission of a felony. The only proof required was "reasonable belief," something that cannot be disproved, and is, by definition, hidden within the mind of the believer.

In doing so, it removed the barrier of punishment, so the wanna-be cop could act as he pleased.

That would not be the case had the wanna-be cop been a real cop. Florida's "stand your ground" law aside, other state and federal laws apply to actual law enforcement agents actually performing law enforcement functions. Not only is "use of force" regulated by both laws and agency-specific regulations, but also other acts - including the mere question of whether to even confront a citizen who, apparently, has done nothing more than walk faster when being followed. Real Law Enforcement Officers acting in an official capacity, have to meet real burdens of proof, including a substantial evidence standard for reasonable cause.

Had the wanna-be cop been a real cop accused of killing a minor - accused of walking fast and wearing a "hoodie," armed only with a packet of candy - he would have been immediately relieved of duties (at least temporarily) and all aspects of the matter investigated in a transparent manner. Regardless of the outcome, there would have been consequences. Consequences that have yet to be applied to Trayvon Martin's murderer.

The State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) performs many functions, only some of which involve law enforcement. Its agents are Federal Special Agents trained in law enforcement. When they actually perform law enforcement functions, they generally perform them well. They have an impressive record of arrests of overseas fugitives, and a reasonable record of success developing cases for prosecution. When DS performs a real law-enforcement function it has to meet the same burdens of proof that other law enforcement agents must meet, and conform to the same investigative standards. In law enforcement matters DS overwhelmingly tends to comply with those laws and standards.

DS, however, has other functions, including the performance of administrative investigations and security clearance adjudications. These, by and large, tend to be much less properly performed - involving frequent violations of law and regulation. These include improper searches and seizures, entry into premises under false pretexts, interviews conducted without appropriate warnings, and routine falsification of information in Reports of Investigation. In security clearance cases, this routine DS malfeasance is aggravated by routine failure to apply the most basic rules of adjudication, including regular failure to perform "whole-person reviews."

When performing law enforcement functions, DS Special agents perform them legally, because they face the same threats of punishment that other LEAa do should they fail to comply with the law. However, despite dozens of documented examples of fraud, false statements, and investigative improprieties in administrative investigations, DS has never disciplined a single agent who conducted such acts in an administrative or security-clearance-related matter. When DS performs functions that Law Enforcement Agencies typically do not perform (functions normally performed by trained Human Resources personnel)DS employees do not face any barriers to improper behavior, and are allowed by DS to act as they please.

Florida's "stand your ground law" created a legal loophole which could be abused by any Floridian to murder anyone they pleased, as long as a reasonable pretense could be created that the individual felt threatened.

In administrative matters, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security exploits similar loopholes to destroy the lives and careers of Foreign Service Officers, without any of the protections DS would apply to drug dealers, pedophiles or spies.

Ultimately, the blame lies at higher levels in State - which continue to allow DS both to perform functions it should not be performing and to perform those functions illegally. Step one would be to remove the authority for those decisions from the wanna-be cop who controls them now, and to enforce regulations holding DS to the same standards in administrative matters as are applied to its real law enforcement functions.

Top 10 Animals Found in Street View

To contact us Click HERE

Google Street View World has put together a cool slideshow of the best shots of animals found in Google Maps Street View. They were also kind enough to let me reproduce the slideshow on Google Maps Mania.

Google Street View World has been collecting the weird and wonderful sights that can be found in Street View for a number of years so they have a great back catalogue of amazing finds. I'm hoping that we can turn this into a regular feature of slideshows around different themes.

I've had to reduce the size of the slideshow to fit into a Google Maps Mania post. So to see the skideshow in its full glory make sure you check it out on Google Street View World.

The Week in Maps

To contact us Click HERE

Creeping in at the end of this week Buzzfeed's 38 Maps You Never Knew You Needed probably just scraped in as the most shared map story on the internet this week.

It is an eclectic and interesting mix of maps, ranging from a map of the world's seas and land masses inverted (pictured) to a Super Mario inspired map of the world.


The Guardian this week posted a map showing The Twitter Languages of New York. The map shows the languages used by New Yorker's when posting to Twitter. The map was created by the University College London and includes a link to view a similar map of London's Twitter languages.


Two of the biggest news stories this week involved meteorites. The Guardian (once again) this time teamed up with CartoDB to create a map of Every Meteorite Fall on Earth. CartoDB has also created a screencast about how the map was created.


The most interesting online map I came across this week however was this Contour Lines Density Map. The map takes an innovative approach to visualising 'stop and frisk' incidents carried out by the police in New York.

To draw attention to the neighborhoods where stop and frisks happened most frequently elevation contours are used to show the density of the stops.

NORAD is ready to track Santa's flight

To contact us Click HERE
From NORAD's website:

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command is getting ready to track Santa’s yuletide journey! The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, went live today featuring a Countdown Calendar, a Kid’s Countdown Village complete with holiday games and activities that change daily, and video messages from students and troops from around the world. With the addition of Brazilian Portuguese, the website is now available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Chinese.

Starting at midnight MST on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa as he makes all the preparations for his flight. Then, at 4 a.m. MST (6 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide can talk to a live phone operator to inquire about Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an email to noradtrackssanta@gmail.com. NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations worldwide.

NORAD Tracks Santa has truly become a global experience, delighting generations of families everywhere. It is due, in large part, to the efforts and services of numerous contributors. New to this year’s program are Acuity Scheduling, Big Fish Worldwide, Carousel Industries, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council, General Electric, the National Tree Lighting Ceremony, RadiantBlue Technologies Inc., thunderbaby studios, the U.S. Coast Guard Band, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Band, Visionbox, and the West Point Band. Returning collaborators include the Air Force Academy Band, Analytical Graphics Inc., Air Canada, Avaya, Booz Allen Hamilton, Colorado Springs School District 11, the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System, the Federal Aviation Administration, First Choice Awards & Gifts, Globelink Foreign Language Center, Google, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Meshbox, the Naden Band of the Maritime Forces Pacific, Naturally Santa’s Inc., the Newseum, OnStar, PCI Broadband, the Space Foundation, tw telecom, Verizon and UGroup Media.

It all started in 1955 when a local media ad directed kids to call Santa direct – only the number was misprinted. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone rang through to the Crew Commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center. Thus began the tradition which NORAD has carried on since it was created in 1958.

“NORAD stands the watch protecting the skies of North America 365 days a year, but on Christmas Eve the children of the world look to NORAD, and our trusted partners, to make sure that Santa is able to complete his mission safely,” said General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., NORAD Commander.

“This mission is a duty to the children of the world and a privilege we've enjoyed for 56 consecutive years, but the effort could not be carried out without the superb assistance of numerous government and non-government contributors. It is the generosity of these contributors, the hard work of the more than 1,200 volunteers who man the NORAD Tracks Santa Operation Center, and vigilance of the Canadian and U.S. forces who work at NORAD that guarantees the program's success each and every year."

BTW: This is based on Google Earth. If you press the plus sign, you can zoom in close enough to see buildings and such, and maybe catch Santa actually going down a chimney

What a Florida Wanna-be Cop Says about the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security

To contact us Click HERE
After the holocaust of WWII, a number of significant studies were performed to try to understand how civilized people in Germany and occupied France and Poland could descend, almost overnight, into a state where they could kill their own neighbors.These studies unanimously found that, when the threat of negative consequences (punishment) is removed, ordinary people are capable of extraordinarily cruel and evil acts.

The murder of Trayvon Martin by a wanna-be cop is an excellent example of this idea. Empowered by the knowledge that a newly-passed (2011) Florida law would allow him to use "deadly force" if he or she "reasonably believe[d] that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony;" and inspired by his own vision of himself as a "protector" of his community, he felt safe in hunting down and killing an innocent boy who he considered merely to be "suspicious."

The 2011 law eliminated two things. It eliminated the burden of proof that would have required Mr. Martin's murderer to actually show that he was under attack, and it eliminated the burden of proof that a citizen acting to protect himself or others would have to meet to show that he was acting to prevent the commission of a felony. The only proof required was "reasonable belief," something that cannot be disproved, and is, by definition, hidden within the mind of the believer.

In doing so, it removed the barrier of punishment, so the wanna-be cop could act as he pleased.

That would not be the case had the wanna-be cop been a real cop. Florida's "stand your ground" law aside, other state and federal laws apply to actual law enforcement agents actually performing law enforcement functions. Not only is "use of force" regulated by both laws and agency-specific regulations, but also other acts - including the mere question of whether to even confront a citizen who, apparently, has done nothing more than walk faster when being followed. Real Law Enforcement Officers acting in an official capacity, have to meet real burdens of proof, including a substantial evidence standard for reasonable cause.

Had the wanna-be cop been a real cop accused of killing a minor - accused of walking fast and wearing a "hoodie," armed only with a packet of candy - he would have been immediately relieved of duties (at least temporarily) and all aspects of the matter investigated in a transparent manner. Regardless of the outcome, there would have been consequences. Consequences that have yet to be applied to Trayvon Martin's murderer.

The State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) performs many functions, only some of which involve law enforcement. Its agents are Federal Special Agents trained in law enforcement. When they actually perform law enforcement functions, they generally perform them well. They have an impressive record of arrests of overseas fugitives, and a reasonable record of success developing cases for prosecution. When DS performs a real law-enforcement function it has to meet the same burdens of proof that other law enforcement agents must meet, and conform to the same investigative standards. In law enforcement matters DS overwhelmingly tends to comply with those laws and standards.

DS, however, has other functions, including the performance of administrative investigations and security clearance adjudications. These, by and large, tend to be much less properly performed - involving frequent violations of law and regulation. These include improper searches and seizures, entry into premises under false pretexts, interviews conducted without appropriate warnings, and routine falsification of information in Reports of Investigation. In security clearance cases, this routine DS malfeasance is aggravated by routine failure to apply the most basic rules of adjudication, including regular failure to perform "whole-person reviews."

When performing law enforcement functions, DS Special agents perform them legally, because they face the same threats of punishment that other LEAa do should they fail to comply with the law. However, despite dozens of documented examples of fraud, false statements, and investigative improprieties in administrative investigations, DS has never disciplined a single agent who conducted such acts in an administrative or security-clearance-related matter. When DS performs functions that Law Enforcement Agencies typically do not perform (functions normally performed by trained Human Resources personnel)DS employees do not face any barriers to improper behavior, and are allowed by DS to act as they please.

Florida's "stand your ground law" created a legal loophole which could be abused by any Floridian to murder anyone they pleased, as long as a reasonable pretense could be created that the individual felt threatened.

In administrative matters, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security exploits similar loopholes to destroy the lives and careers of Foreign Service Officers, without any of the protections DS would apply to drug dealers, pedophiles or spies.

Ultimately, the blame lies at higher levels in State - which continue to allow DS both to perform functions it should not be performing and to perform those functions illegally. Step one would be to remove the authority for those decisions from the wanna-be cop who controls them now, and to enforce regulations holding DS to the same standards in administrative matters as are applied to its real law enforcement functions.

YouTube Just Got Hotter: Views Added to Billboard’s Charts

To contact us Click HERE
Billboard and Nielsen have shaped the core measures of success for entertainers around the world. These institutions created the standard we all look to when assessing the popularity of an artist, an album or that song you just can’t stop playing. Each week, their rankings are eagerly awaited by budding musicians, bona fide rock stars and music executives alike.

Of course, the music industry has changed dramatically in recent years. We’ve seen artists become stars through channels that simply didn’t exist a decade or two ago. From Gangnam Style and grandpa style to the Alabama Shakes and the Harlem Shake, YouTube has become a place where artists connect with new audiences, and music fans are finding songs, bands and genres they never knew they loved.

That’s why we’re partnering with Billboard and Nielsen to include our U.S. data into their “Hot” charts--the Hot 100 List, Hot Country Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, R&B Songs, Rap Songs, Hot Latin Songs, Hot Rock Songs and Dance/Electronic Songs. Meaning, all official videos on YouTube, including user-generated clips that utilize authorized audio, will now factor into how a song’s popularity is determined.

This announcement marks a big step in accurately reflecting how music lovers are finding their new favorite songs. And it builds upon our efforts to share this kind of data with key industry analytical tools like Next Big Sound and BigChampagne, which also help artists succeed both on and offline. Most importantly, we hope this news will excite our users, who have helped us discover some of the biggest stars and songs of the past seven years.

AJ Frank, New Business Development, recently watched “Harlem Shake (Matt and Kim Edition).”

Finding the inner programmer in every Googler

To contact us Click HERE
This is the second post in a series profiling Googlers who facilitate classes as part of our g2g program, in which Googlers teach, share and learn from each other. Regardless of role, level or location, g2g's community-based approach makes it possible for all Googlers to take advantage of a variety of learning opportunities. - Ed.

If someone had told me when I graduated with a degree in economics that I’d one day be employed in a technical role at Google, I would have laughed. In 2008, I joined Google’s people operations rotation program, in which one experiences three different people ops areas—from benefits to staffing—over the course of two years. After just a few short months, I found myself with a passion for technology and a profound interest in programming that would draw me into teaching a class, Intro to Programming (I2P), to non-engineers at Google as a part of the g2g (Googlers-to-Googlers) program.

Teaching programming to an I2P class at our Mountain View, Calif. headquarters
While on the benefits team, I was assigned a project that involved matching up hundreds of Googlers’ names with their corresponding office locations and job titles. I quickly realized that a few simple programming scripts could probably speed up my work and reduce errors. The only problem was, I had no clue how to write a program.

I began to teach myself the programming language Python, which is known for its clarity of syntax and friendliness to beginners. Slowly, I produced a multi-functional automated spreadsheet, and then a web application to share with my team. My teammates, seeing that my newfound technical skills had saved all of us time, asked me to teach them how to code; thus, in front of a whiteboard in a small conference room, I2P was born.

Since then, more than 200 Googlers have taken I2P. We encourage an open, supportive environment in the class, making it an approachable way for Googlers to broaden their horizons within the workplace and gain new skills. Some of my former students have even moved from roles in global business, finance and people operations to full-time engineering positions. That’s awesome to see, but I love that Googlers can use what they learn in I2P to make processes across the company more efficient—no matter what team they work on. For example, an administrative assistant who took the class streamlined a manual daily task by automating an email response survey for her team.

In addition to solving business challenges, I’ve also seen Googlers using the programming skills they learned in I2P to help others—both inside and outside of Google. Recently, an I2P alum increased participation in Google’s free flu shot program by writing a Python-based enrollment tool that allows Googlers to find appointments online by preferred office location and time. Thousands more Googlers signed up to receive flu shots due to the convenience provided by the tool. Because Google donates an equal number of vaccinations, such as those preventing meningitis or pneumonia, to children in the developing world, this new tool also led to thousands more children receiving crucial vaccinations.

More than 200 Googlers have participated in the 11-week course (the sword definitely helps keep engagement high...don’t worry, it’s foam!)
What’s extraordinary to me is that under the g2g program, the “guy down the hall in HR” can teach programming—of all things—to his fellow Googlers. It’s been extremely rewarding to experience first-hand the results of my students’ learnings. Googlers have taken the principles and skills from I2P and put them to work in time management, email communication and even just having fun re-creating Frogger—leave it to Googlers to span the gamut of I2P skill application. I often think how awesome it would be if every Googler could take I2P and apply what they’ve learned to make processes across the company more efficient.

If you’re interested in learning how to code, here are three tips from the course that you can practice on your own. While I’ve learned these principles via programming, they can be helpful in all kinds of fields!

• Practice and theory. You learn best when you have something to apply your learning to. With programming, find a project you want to apply your skills to and build the knowledge necessary to accomplish your project.
• Bad habits die hard. If you are writing messy or convoluted code, you are building habits that will be very hard to break. Better to overcome the pain of doing it the right way initially so that you never have to go back and change.
• Get feedback. Just because a script "works" doesn't mean it works well. Always get advice from others with more experience so that you are learning how to do things better, not just sufficiently well.

Posted by Albert Hwang, Team Lead of the People Technology & Operations Tools Group

Oscar fans: we’ve got you covered

To contact us Click HERE
We all love a night at the movies. Whether it’s romance, horror, or action adventure, there's no better way to step into another world—even if just for a couple of hours. And for the past 85 years, millions of people throughout the world have gathered around their TVs to watch the Oscars and celebrate the people who make these moments possible.

For the first time, we've created a one-stop shop to help you get more of what you love about the Oscars.

First, if you missed any of the nominees in the theaters, don’t fret! We’ve put together a Year in Review video of 2012’s top movies. Take a whirlwind tour through your favorite moments, or see what you may have missed:



Want to explore more about the nominees? You can:

• Click through our movie and celebrity knowledge graphs to learn more about your favorite picks, directly on the page.
• Explore our customized Google Map, which shows you where some of your favorite nominated movies were filmed, as well as where the nominees were born. It’s geography with a celeb twist.
• Download the Official Oscars App for Android, available for the first time in the Play Store.

Or, maybe you’re making bets with your friends on who’s going to win... Try taking a hint from Google Trends and see who the most searched-for nominees of 2012 were. You never know—the actual winners may end up being pretty similar to Google’s Search “winners.”

For those of you with the itch to win an Oscar yourself, see what it feels like in a Google+ Hangout—we've got a new effect that will make you feel like a star. And if you end up being so inspired by the idea of holding an Oscar, then we’d also like to hear what you’d say if you won the real thing, using the Oscars “Acceptance Speech” widget.

Oscars night is about celebrating the movies—whether you starred in them or just dreamed about the stars. We hope this site will help you get the most out of the night, so go ahead and join Google on the red carpet at google.com/oscars. And don’t forget to tune in on February 24 at 7pm EST / 4pm PST on ABC to see who this year’s lucky winners are.

Posted by Liz Wessel, Associate Product Marketing Manager

Doodle 4 Google: A stately competition

To contact us Click HERE
Are you a young artist from California? Alabama? Or Indiana (like me!)? Well, get doodling with the topic “My Best Day Ever…” for a chance to see your very own artwork on the Google homepage—and help represent your piece of the union.

Today marks the 30-day countdown to the March 22 submission deadline for the U.S. Doodle 4 Google competition. And in the spirit of friendly competition, we’re inviting you to rally fellow students and teachers in your state to take part in Doodle 4 Google’s 30-day Race to the Finish with an interactive map that shows the top submitting states. States are ranked in order of submissions relative to student population size.


Whether your state tops the submissions race or not, you still have the chance to become the individual state winner. The 50 state winners will win an all-expenses paid trip to New York City in May for the final awards ceremony, where we’ll reveal the winning doodle. The national winner will see his or her doodle on the Google homepage, win a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for his or her school. Download an entry form today to get doodling!

Fun fact for those of you who can’t get enough doodles: we run Doodle 4 Google competitions in many countries worldwide, year-round. Vote for your Irish favorites now—the winner will appear on www.google.ie on April 16.

As always, happy doodling!

Posted by Ryan Germick, Doodle Team Lead

The Chromebook Pixel, for what’s next

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Chromebooks were designed to make computing speedy, simple and secure. For many of you, they have become the perfect, additional (and yes, affordable) computer: ideal for catching up on emails, sharing documents and chatting via Hangouts. We’re tremendously grateful to our partners—Samsung, Acer, Lenovo and HP—for their commitment. The momentum has been remarkable: the Samsung Chromebook has been #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list for laptops every day since it launched 125 days ago in the U.S., and Chromebooks now represent more than 10 percent of notebook sales at Currys PC World, the largest electronics retailer in the U.K.

So what’s next? Today we’re excited to announce our newest laptop—the Chromebook Pixel—which brings together the best in hardware, software and design to inspire the next generation of Chromebooks. With the Pixel, we set out to rethink all elements of a computer in order to design the best laptop possible, especially for power users who have fully embraced the cloud. The philosophy of Chrome has always been to minimize the “chrome” of the browser. In much the same way, the goal of the Pixel is to make the pixels disappear, giving people the best web experience.


Let’s start with the screen. This Chromebook has the highest pixel density (239 pixels per inch) of any laptop screen on the market today. Packed with 4.3 million pixels, the display offers sharp text, vivid colors and extra-wide viewing angles. With a screen this rich and engaging, you want to reach out and touch it—so we added touch for a more immersive experience. Touch makes it simple and intuitive to do things like organize tabs, swipe through apps and edit photos with the tip of your finger.

The Pixel has been engineered with the highest quality components to ensure it’s comfortable to use all day long and meets the needs of demanding power users. The body of the Pixel is made from an anodized aluminum alloy to create a smooth and durable surface; vents are hidden, screws are invisible and the stereo speakers are seamlessly tucked away beneath the backlit keyboard. The touchpad is made from etched glass, analyzed and honed using a laser microscope to ensure precise navigation. The Pixel also has powerful, full-range speakers for crisp sound, a 720p webcam for clear video, and a total of three microphones designed to cancel out surrounding noise.

Other aspects of the Pixel include:

• Speed: Speed has been a core tenet of Chrome and Chromebooks since the beginning. For Pixel, it’s critical that the overall experience, everything from loading webpages to switching between apps, is near instant. Powered by an Intel® Core™ i5 Processor and a solid state Flash memory architecture, the Pixel performs remarkably fast.
  
  
• Connectivity: The Pixel has an industry-leading WiFi range thanks to carefully positioned antennas and dual-band support. Long-term evolution (LTE) is engineered directly into the machine, delivering fast connectivity across Verizon's network, the largest, fastest 4G LTE network in the U.S. (LTE model optional). It also comes with 12 free GoGo® Inflight Internet passes for those times you need to connect while in the air.
  
  
• Storage: Since this Chromebook is for people who live in the cloud, one terabyte of Google Drive cloud storage* is included with the Pixel. This enables you to save, access and share photos, videos, documents, and all of your stuff from all of your devices, from anywhere.

Finally, as you’ve come to expect from all Chromebooks, all of your favorite Google products like Search, Gmail, YouTube, Maps and Google+ Hangouts are integrated and just a click away. And since it’s based on Chrome OS, the Pixel boots up in seconds and never slows down, requires almost zero setup or maintenance, and comes with built-in virus protection. Best of all, it stays up to date with automatic updates every few weeks.



If you want to be part of the next step in the Chromebook journey, the Pixel will be available for purchase starting today on Google Play in the U.S. and U.K., and soon on BestBuy.com. The WiFi version ($1,299 U.S. and £1,049 U.K.) will start shipping next week and the LTE version ($1,449) will ship in the U.S. in April. If you’re interested in a hands-on experience, you can visit select Best Buy (U.S.) and Currys PC World (U.K.) store locations.

It’s one of the most exciting times in the history of personal computing, thanks to a rapid pace of change, innovation and consumer adoption of devices. Our goal is to continue to push the experience forward for everyone, working with the entire ecosystem to build the next generation of Chrome OS devices. We hope you enjoy what’s next.

Posted by Linus Upson, Vice President of Engineering

*You will have 1TB of free storage for 3 years, starting on the date you redeem the offer on eligible Chrome devices.

Our first-ever Google Journalism Fellowship winners

To contact us Click HERE
More than 2,300 students from across the globe applied for the first Google Journalism Fellowship. The interest the Fellowship attracted clearly demonstrates the need for these types of opportunities, especially as the worlds of journalism and technology increasingly become one.

The students who have been picked for the 10-week program will get the chance to work with organizations focused on exciting projects ranging from those steeped in investigative journalism to those working for press freedom around the world and to those that are helping the industry figure out its future in the digital age. They will also spend a week with the Knight Foundation and a week with Google.

We had so many applications—on the last day they poured in at a rate of roughly one every two minutes—that we extended our review period by a week to make selections. Our host organizations had the unenviable task of choosing just one Fellow out of the mass of talented students who applied; the Nieman Journalism Lab is taking two Fellows.

The Fellows who will take part in the program are:

• Center for Investigative Reporting - Nathaniel Lash of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Committee to Protect Journalists - Lauren Fedor of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
• Investigative Reporters & Editors - Nicole Pasulka of New York University
• Nieman Journalism Lab - Sarah Darville of Columbia University and Linda Kinstler of Bowdoin College
• Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism - Jan Lauren Boyles of American University
• Poynter - Anna Li from Stanford University
• ProPublica - Stephen Suen of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Thank you to everyone who made the effort to apply and to the host organizations for their hard work.

Posted by Maggie Shiels, Google Communications and former BBC journalist

Living Streets on Google Maps

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Living Streets is a UK charity that promotes the idea of "safe, attractive, enjoyable streets where it’s great to walk". Since 1929 the charity has promoted the rights of pedestrians and campaigned on issues to promote pedestrian safety.

The Living Streets websites features a prominent Google Maps application that allows users to view their own street in Street View. The Street View feature is a great way for the charity to personalise the user's experience of the Living Streets website and I'm sure helps convert casual visitors to the website into registered users.

Dutch Elm Trees on Google Maps

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The Planning Department of the City of Amsterdam has created a number of interesting Google Maps, all of which can be found in the Interactieve Kaarten section of their website.

The maps cover a range of subjects of interest to local citizens, including housing, green spaces, climate and building use. For example the Elm Map plots the location of elm trees in the city. It is possible to select to view elm trees in the city by trunk diameter and also to mouse-over individual trees to determine their genus type.

There are a many more maps to explore on the site and all the data used in the maps is also available at Open GEO-Data. 

Washington DC's Public Art Map

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ArtAround is a Google Map of public art in Washington DC.

The ArtAround map allows the user to search by type of art (murals, statues, street art, museums, etc.) and by location. The map also displays current events and festivals and public art venues. Another interesting feature of the map is the ability to filter the results by date.

A slider control beneath the map allows the user to select dates from a time-line which updates the map to show the relevant results. The slider control is a really useful tool for anyone interested in Washington DC's art history.

NORAD is ready to track Santa's flight

To contact us Click HERE
From NORAD's website:

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command is getting ready to track Santa’s yuletide journey! The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, went live today featuring a Countdown Calendar, a Kid’s Countdown Village complete with holiday games and activities that change daily, and video messages from students and troops from around the world. With the addition of Brazilian Portuguese, the website is now available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Chinese.

Starting at midnight MST on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa as he makes all the preparations for his flight. Then, at 4 a.m. MST (6 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide can talk to a live phone operator to inquire about Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an email to noradtrackssanta@gmail.com. NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations worldwide.

NORAD Tracks Santa has truly become a global experience, delighting generations of families everywhere. It is due, in large part, to the efforts and services of numerous contributors. New to this year’s program are Acuity Scheduling, Big Fish Worldwide, Carousel Industries, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council, General Electric, the National Tree Lighting Ceremony, RadiantBlue Technologies Inc., thunderbaby studios, the U.S. Coast Guard Band, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Band, Visionbox, and the West Point Band. Returning collaborators include the Air Force Academy Band, Analytical Graphics Inc., Air Canada, Avaya, Booz Allen Hamilton, Colorado Springs School District 11, the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System, the Federal Aviation Administration, First Choice Awards & Gifts, Globelink Foreign Language Center, Google, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Meshbox, the Naden Band of the Maritime Forces Pacific, Naturally Santa’s Inc., the Newseum, OnStar, PCI Broadband, the Space Foundation, tw telecom, Verizon and UGroup Media.

It all started in 1955 when a local media ad directed kids to call Santa direct – only the number was misprinted. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone rang through to the Crew Commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center. Thus began the tradition which NORAD has carried on since it was created in 1958.

“NORAD stands the watch protecting the skies of North America 365 days a year, but on Christmas Eve the children of the world look to NORAD, and our trusted partners, to make sure that Santa is able to complete his mission safely,” said General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., NORAD Commander.

“This mission is a duty to the children of the world and a privilege we've enjoyed for 56 consecutive years, but the effort could not be carried out without the superb assistance of numerous government and non-government contributors. It is the generosity of these contributors, the hard work of the more than 1,200 volunteers who man the NORAD Tracks Santa Operation Center, and vigilance of the Canadian and U.S. forces who work at NORAD that guarantees the program's success each and every year."

BTW: This is based on Google Earth. If you press the plus sign, you can zoom in close enough to see buildings and such, and maybe catch Santa actually going down a chimney

What a Florida Wanna-be Cop Says about the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security

To contact us Click HERE
After the holocaust of WWII, a number of significant studies were performed to try to understand how civilized people in Germany and occupied France and Poland could descend, almost overnight, into a state where they could kill their own neighbors.These studies unanimously found that, when the threat of negative consequences (punishment) is removed, ordinary people are capable of extraordinarily cruel and evil acts.

The murder of Trayvon Martin by a wanna-be cop is an excellent example of this idea. Empowered by the knowledge that a newly-passed (2011) Florida law would allow him to use "deadly force" if he or she "reasonably believe[d] that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony;" and inspired by his own vision of himself as a "protector" of his community, he felt safe in hunting down and killing an innocent boy who he considered merely to be "suspicious."

The 2011 law eliminated two things. It eliminated the burden of proof that would have required Mr. Martin's murderer to actually show that he was under attack, and it eliminated the burden of proof that a citizen acting to protect himself or others would have to meet to show that he was acting to prevent the commission of a felony. The only proof required was "reasonable belief," something that cannot be disproved, and is, by definition, hidden within the mind of the believer.

In doing so, it removed the barrier of punishment, so the wanna-be cop could act as he pleased.

That would not be the case had the wanna-be cop been a real cop. Florida's "stand your ground" law aside, other state and federal laws apply to actual law enforcement agents actually performing law enforcement functions. Not only is "use of force" regulated by both laws and agency-specific regulations, but also other acts - including the mere question of whether to even confront a citizen who, apparently, has done nothing more than walk faster when being followed. Real Law Enforcement Officers acting in an official capacity, have to meet real burdens of proof, including a substantial evidence standard for reasonable cause.

Had the wanna-be cop been a real cop accused of killing a minor - accused of walking fast and wearing a "hoodie," armed only with a packet of candy - he would have been immediately relieved of duties (at least temporarily) and all aspects of the matter investigated in a transparent manner. Regardless of the outcome, there would have been consequences. Consequences that have yet to be applied to Trayvon Martin's murderer.

The State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) performs many functions, only some of which involve law enforcement. Its agents are Federal Special Agents trained in law enforcement. When they actually perform law enforcement functions, they generally perform them well. They have an impressive record of arrests of overseas fugitives, and a reasonable record of success developing cases for prosecution. When DS performs a real law-enforcement function it has to meet the same burdens of proof that other law enforcement agents must meet, and conform to the same investigative standards. In law enforcement matters DS overwhelmingly tends to comply with those laws and standards.

DS, however, has other functions, including the performance of administrative investigations and security clearance adjudications. These, by and large, tend to be much less properly performed - involving frequent violations of law and regulation. These include improper searches and seizures, entry into premises under false pretexts, interviews conducted without appropriate warnings, and routine falsification of information in Reports of Investigation. In security clearance cases, this routine DS malfeasance is aggravated by routine failure to apply the most basic rules of adjudication, including regular failure to perform "whole-person reviews."

When performing law enforcement functions, DS Special agents perform them legally, because they face the same threats of punishment that other LEAa do should they fail to comply with the law. However, despite dozens of documented examples of fraud, false statements, and investigative improprieties in administrative investigations, DS has never disciplined a single agent who conducted such acts in an administrative or security-clearance-related matter. When DS performs functions that Law Enforcement Agencies typically do not perform (functions normally performed by trained Human Resources personnel)DS employees do not face any barriers to improper behavior, and are allowed by DS to act as they please.

Florida's "stand your ground law" created a legal loophole which could be abused by any Floridian to murder anyone they pleased, as long as a reasonable pretense could be created that the individual felt threatened.

In administrative matters, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security exploits similar loopholes to destroy the lives and careers of Foreign Service Officers, without any of the protections DS would apply to drug dealers, pedophiles or spies.

Ultimately, the blame lies at higher levels in State - which continue to allow DS both to perform functions it should not be performing and to perform those functions illegally. Step one would be to remove the authority for those decisions from the wanna-be cop who controls them now, and to enforce regulations holding DS to the same standards in administrative matters as are applied to its real law enforcement functions.

An update on our war against account hijackers

To contact us Click HERE
Have you ever gotten a plea to wire money to a friend stranded at an international airport? An oddly written message from someone you haven’t heard from in ages? Compared to five years ago, more scams, illegal, fraudulent or spammy messages today come from someone you know. Although spam filters have become very powerful—in Gmail, less than 1 percent of spam emails make it into an inbox—these unwanted messages are much more likely to make it through if they come from someone you’ve been in contact with before. As a result, in 2010 spammers started changing their tactics—and we saw a large increase in fraudulent mail sent from Google Accounts. In turn, our security team has developed new ways to keep you safe, and dramatically reduced the amount of these messages.

Spammers’ new trick—hijacking accounts
To improve their chances of beating a spam filter by sending you spam from your contact’s account, the spammer first has to break into that account. This means many spammers are turning into account thieves. Every day, cyber criminals break into websites to steal databases of usernames and passwords—the online “keys” to accounts. They put the databases up for sale on the black market, or use them for their own nefarious purposes. Because many people re-use the same password across different accounts, stolen passwords from one site are often valid on others.

With stolen passwords in hand, attackers attempt to break into accounts across the web and across many different services. We’ve seen a single attacker using stolen passwords to attempt to break into a million different Google accounts every single day, for weeks at a time. A different gang attempted sign-ins at a rate of more than 100 accounts per second. Other services are often more vulnerable to this type of attack, but when someone tries to log into your Google Account, our security system does more than just check that a password is correct.

Legitimate accounts blocked for sending spam: Our security systems have dramatically reduced the number of Google Accounts used to send spam over the past few years
How Google Security helps protect your account
Every time you sign in to Google, whether via your web browser once a month or an email program that checks for new mail every five minutes, our system performs a complex risk analysis to determine how likely it is that the sign-in really comes from you. In fact, there are more than 120 variables that can factor into how a decision is made.

If a sign-in is deemed suspicious or risky for some reason—maybe it’s coming from a country oceans away from your last sign-in—we ask some simple questions about your account. For example, we may ask for the phone number associated with your account, or for the answer to your security question. These questions are normally hard for a hijacker to solve, but are easy for the real owner. Using security measures like these, we've dramatically reduced the number of compromised accounts by 99.7 percent since the peak of these hijacking attempts in 2011.


Help protect your account
While we do our best to keep spammers at bay, you can help protect your account by making sure you’re using a strong, unique password for your Google Account, upgrading your account to use 2-step verification, and updating the recovery options on your account such as your secondary email address and your phone number. Following these three steps can help prevent your account from being hijacked—this means less spam for your friends and contacts, and improved security and privacy for you.

Posted by Mike Hearn, Google Security Engineer

Fireside Hangouts: Join First Lady Michelle Obama in a Google+ Hangout to discuss Let’s Move!

To contact us Click HERE
In the past month, both the President and Vice President of the United States have come to Google+ to participate in "Fireside Hangouts" to discuss the challenges the country faces and answer people's questions. On March 4, it's First Lady Michelle Obama's turn as she joins her first-ever Fireside Hangout to discuss Let’s Move!, her initiative to ensure that all our children grow up healthy and reach their full potential. The First Lady will be joined by Kelly Ripa, Emmy award-winning co-host of popular daytime talk show "LIVE with Kelly and Michael," and families from around the country.

Three years ago, the First Lady launched the Let's Move! initiative to unite the country around our kids' health and create real support for families to live healthier lives. Since then communities across the United States have worked together to share, collaborate on and create ways to improve the health of our nation's children. This year, the First Lady is using Google+ to celebrate the anniversary of Let's Move! and to connect with communities on Google+ who are passionate about healthy eating, fitness and parenting.


For a chance to join the Google+ Hangout with First Lady Michelle Obama, share your thoughts and questions on raising healthier families and communities on the Let's Move YouTube channel. Submit a video or text entry (video is preferred) telling us a bit about yourself, what your family does to stay healthy and a question for the First Lady by Thursday, February 28, 2013.

Then tune in to the First Lady's Fireside Hangout live on the White House Google+ Page or Let's Move YouTube channel at 11:10 am ET on March 4.

Posted by Ria Tobaccowala, Google+ Community Partnerships

NORAD is ready to track Santa's flight

To contact us Click HERE
From NORAD's website:

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command is getting ready to track Santa’s yuletide journey! The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, went live today featuring a Countdown Calendar, a Kid’s Countdown Village complete with holiday games and activities that change daily, and video messages from students and troops from around the world. With the addition of Brazilian Portuguese, the website is now available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Chinese.

Starting at midnight MST on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa as he makes all the preparations for his flight. Then, at 4 a.m. MST (6 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide can talk to a live phone operator to inquire about Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an email to noradtrackssanta@gmail.com. NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations worldwide.

NORAD Tracks Santa has truly become a global experience, delighting generations of families everywhere. It is due, in large part, to the efforts and services of numerous contributors. New to this year’s program are Acuity Scheduling, Big Fish Worldwide, Carousel Industries, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council, General Electric, the National Tree Lighting Ceremony, RadiantBlue Technologies Inc., thunderbaby studios, the U.S. Coast Guard Band, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Band, Visionbox, and the West Point Band. Returning collaborators include the Air Force Academy Band, Analytical Graphics Inc., Air Canada, Avaya, Booz Allen Hamilton, Colorado Springs School District 11, the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System, the Federal Aviation Administration, First Choice Awards & Gifts, Globelink Foreign Language Center, Google, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Meshbox, the Naden Band of the Maritime Forces Pacific, Naturally Santa’s Inc., the Newseum, OnStar, PCI Broadband, the Space Foundation, tw telecom, Verizon and UGroup Media.

It all started in 1955 when a local media ad directed kids to call Santa direct – only the number was misprinted. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone rang through to the Crew Commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center. Thus began the tradition which NORAD has carried on since it was created in 1958.

“NORAD stands the watch protecting the skies of North America 365 days a year, but on Christmas Eve the children of the world look to NORAD, and our trusted partners, to make sure that Santa is able to complete his mission safely,” said General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., NORAD Commander.

“This mission is a duty to the children of the world and a privilege we've enjoyed for 56 consecutive years, but the effort could not be carried out without the superb assistance of numerous government and non-government contributors. It is the generosity of these contributors, the hard work of the more than 1,200 volunteers who man the NORAD Tracks Santa Operation Center, and vigilance of the Canadian and U.S. forces who work at NORAD that guarantees the program's success each and every year."

BTW: This is based on Google Earth. If you press the plus sign, you can zoom in close enough to see buildings and such, and maybe catch Santa actually going down a chimney

What a Florida Wanna-be Cop Says about the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security

To contact us Click HERE
After the holocaust of WWII, a number of significant studies were performed to try to understand how civilized people in Germany and occupied France and Poland could descend, almost overnight, into a state where they could kill their own neighbors.These studies unanimously found that, when the threat of negative consequences (punishment) is removed, ordinary people are capable of extraordinarily cruel and evil acts.

The murder of Trayvon Martin by a wanna-be cop is an excellent example of this idea. Empowered by the knowledge that a newly-passed (2011) Florida law would allow him to use "deadly force" if he or she "reasonably believe[d] that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony;" and inspired by his own vision of himself as a "protector" of his community, he felt safe in hunting down and killing an innocent boy who he considered merely to be "suspicious."

The 2011 law eliminated two things. It eliminated the burden of proof that would have required Mr. Martin's murderer to actually show that he was under attack, and it eliminated the burden of proof that a citizen acting to protect himself or others would have to meet to show that he was acting to prevent the commission of a felony. The only proof required was "reasonable belief," something that cannot be disproved, and is, by definition, hidden within the mind of the believer.

In doing so, it removed the barrier of punishment, so the wanna-be cop could act as he pleased.

That would not be the case had the wanna-be cop been a real cop. Florida's "stand your ground" law aside, other state and federal laws apply to actual law enforcement agents actually performing law enforcement functions. Not only is "use of force" regulated by both laws and agency-specific regulations, but also other acts - including the mere question of whether to even confront a citizen who, apparently, has done nothing more than walk faster when being followed. Real Law Enforcement Officers acting in an official capacity, have to meet real burdens of proof, including a substantial evidence standard for reasonable cause.

Had the wanna-be cop been a real cop accused of killing a minor - accused of walking fast and wearing a "hoodie," armed only with a packet of candy - he would have been immediately relieved of duties (at least temporarily) and all aspects of the matter investigated in a transparent manner. Regardless of the outcome, there would have been consequences. Consequences that have yet to be applied to Trayvon Martin's murderer.

The State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) performs many functions, only some of which involve law enforcement. Its agents are Federal Special Agents trained in law enforcement. When they actually perform law enforcement functions, they generally perform them well. They have an impressive record of arrests of overseas fugitives, and a reasonable record of success developing cases for prosecution. When DS performs a real law-enforcement function it has to meet the same burdens of proof that other law enforcement agents must meet, and conform to the same investigative standards. In law enforcement matters DS overwhelmingly tends to comply with those laws and standards.

DS, however, has other functions, including the performance of administrative investigations and security clearance adjudications. These, by and large, tend to be much less properly performed - involving frequent violations of law and regulation. These include improper searches and seizures, entry into premises under false pretexts, interviews conducted without appropriate warnings, and routine falsification of information in Reports of Investigation. In security clearance cases, this routine DS malfeasance is aggravated by routine failure to apply the most basic rules of adjudication, including regular failure to perform "whole-person reviews."

When performing law enforcement functions, DS Special agents perform them legally, because they face the same threats of punishment that other LEAa do should they fail to comply with the law. However, despite dozens of documented examples of fraud, false statements, and investigative improprieties in administrative investigations, DS has never disciplined a single agent who conducted such acts in an administrative or security-clearance-related matter. When DS performs functions that Law Enforcement Agencies typically do not perform (functions normally performed by trained Human Resources personnel)DS employees do not face any barriers to improper behavior, and are allowed by DS to act as they please.

Florida's "stand your ground law" created a legal loophole which could be abused by any Floridian to murder anyone they pleased, as long as a reasonable pretense could be created that the individual felt threatened.

In administrative matters, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security exploits similar loopholes to destroy the lives and careers of Foreign Service Officers, without any of the protections DS would apply to drug dealers, pedophiles or spies.

Ultimately, the blame lies at higher levels in State - which continue to allow DS both to perform functions it should not be performing and to perform those functions illegally. Step one would be to remove the authority for those decisions from the wanna-be cop who controls them now, and to enforce regulations holding DS to the same standards in administrative matters as are applied to its real law enforcement functions.