Photo of Hudson River plane crash takes down TwitPic

The rapid-fire spread of a close-up photo of the US Airways plane that crashed in the Hudson River Thursday resulted in the service that hosted the picture going down.

TwitPic, an application that allows users to take pictures from their mobile phones and append them to Twitter posts, went down after at least 7,000 people attempted to view the photo of the airplane taken from a commuter ferry by Sarasota, Fla., resident Janis Krums.

According to Noah Everett, the founder of TwitPic, who still runs the service by himself, after the photo of the plane was re-tweeted by a large number of people and then picked up by several news sites, including Silicon Alley Insider, the resulting traffic was too much for the site's servers.

Everett called it a "snowball effect."

In fact, Everett said this wasn't the first time someone had used TwitPic to post a photo of an airplane accident. He explained that a passenger on a Continental Airlines plane that went off the runway in Denver in December used the service to post a photo. But that time, the service was able to stay up.

Perhaps because of the national interest in an airplane accident taking place in direct view of Manhattan, the traffic produced by Krums' photo was higher than in the case of the Denver accident, Everett suggested.

And while the circumstances of Thursday's accident were unfortunate--though, miraculously, no one died in the crash--Everett admitted that the fact that Krums' photo got so much attention was validation of the utility of TwitPic.

"We haven't gotten so much press coverage before," Everett said.

"It's shocking, and it's a good feeling--though (also) not a good feeling because it's bad news," Everett said.

He also said that he's got additional servers that are soon going to be in place.

"In a month's time (something like) this will not affect us anymore," he explained. "We're working to be able to handle our growth, but this is definitely a wake-up call showing the power of breaking news and TwitPic."

Everett said that there had been about 7,000 views of the picture before the site went down, and that there were about 500 additional requests to view it every 15 or 20 seconds.

He also said that while he couldn't be immediately sure, it was likely that Krums had used an Apple iPhone to take the picture, given that it was 600x800 pixels, the average size of an iPhone picture.

By 2:35 p.m. Pacific, about two hours after the photo was taken, TwitPic was back up.

Everett said, "I hope it stays up. I'll be working on this through the night."

Sources: Cnet News

Jim Morris and Lindsey Collins Talk All Things Pixar

Collider.com brings us an in-depth video interview with WALL•E producers Jim Morris and Lindsey Collins. They talk about everything from possible sequels to re-releases of Pixar’s masterpieces on Blu-ray.

Highlights include reactions (very positive ones) on WALL•E’s recent awards and Pete Docter’s next film Up. Also Jim and Lindsey touch upon Pixar’s 3D movies and what makes the Pixar 3D experience superior. They also confirm that Pixar plans to release all Pixar films on Blu-ray, yes, even Finding Nemo, eventually.

This is a must watch interview for any Pixar fan!

Sources: Pixar Planet

Challenge Coins - The Introductory of Challenge Coins

The national news had a story this evening about coins being made to commemorate the inauguration. The US presidential inauguration will be held on Tuesday, January 20th. A special coin is being made to commemorate the special date. Coins have long held a position in our country’s traditions. Coins are often minted with special pictures and lettering to identify the occasion being honored. These coins are often referred to as challenge coins.

My daughter has received a few challenge coins during her military stint. These coins hold a special meaning to the receiver and are usually saved with other important mementos. Commanders and units give out coins as awards and as mementos for services rendered or special occasions. Challenge coins are often given for a job well done which often improves morale. It also is given to signify joining a unit or division.
The history of the challenge coin varies. During my investigation of how the coin became called the challenge coin, I found the following information;

From Wikipedia:
As the legend goes, a wealthy lieutenant, ordered small, solid-bronze medallions (or coins) struck, which he then presented to the other pilots in his squadron as mementos of their service together. The coin was gold-plated, bore the squadron’s insignia, and was quite valuable. One of the pilots in the squadron, who had never owned anything like the coin, placed it in a leather pouch he wore around his neck for safekeeping. A short while later, this pilot’s aircraft was heavily damaged by ground fire (other sources claim it was an aerial dogfight), forcing him to land behind enemy lines and allowing him to be captured by the Germans. The Germans confiscated the personal belongings from his pockets, but they didn’t catch the leather pouch around his neck. On his way to a permanent prisoner of war facility, he was held overnight in a small German-held French village near the front. During the night, the town was bombarded by the British, creating enough confusion to allow the pilot to escape.

The pilot avoided German patrols by donning civilian attire, but all of his identification had been confiscated so he had no way to prove his identity. With great difficulty, he sneaked across no-man’s land and made contact with a French patrol. Unfortunately for him, the French had been on the lookout for German saboteurs dressed as civilians. The French mistook the American pilot for a German saboteur and immediately prepared to execute him.

Desperate to prove his allegiance and without any identification, the pilot pulled out the coin from his leather pouch and showed it to his French captors. One of the Frenchmen recognized the unit insignia on the coin and delayed the execution long enough to confirm the pilot’s identity.

Once the pilot safely returned to his squadron, it became a tradition for all members to carry their coin at all times. To ensure compliance, the pilots would challenge each other to produce the coin. If the challenged couldn’t produce the coin, he was required to buy a drink of choice for the challenger; if the challenged could produce the coin, the challenger would purchase the drink.

The rules of how challenge coins are used vary.
It usually begins with the challenger drawing his/her coin, and slapping or placing the coin on the table or bar. Everyone being challenged must immediately produce the coin for their organization and anyone failing to do so must buy a round of drinks for the challenger and everyone else who has their challenge coin. However, should everyone challenged be able to produce their coin, the challenger must buy a round of drinks for the group.

While most holders of challenge coins usually carry them in their pockets or in some other readily accessible place on their persons, most versions of the rules permit a challenged person “a step and a reach” (particularly useful if one is challenged in the shower).

Jason Castro - American Idol 7 Star?

Jason Castro is the kid with the long dreads, oversized blue eyes and wide smile on this season "American Idol," and he's made it to the final five. Known for his well-received ukelele-strumming rendition, a la Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" a few weeks ago, he was less fortunate this week during Andrew Lloyd Webber week. But, as the LA Times reports (registration required), he has a loyal group of fans to cheer his spirits:

Jason Castro was having a rough week, and the dreadheads knew it. The loyal fan club, whose website daydreamingboy.com includes downloadable Support Jason fliers, watched Jason get slaughtered for his rendition of "Memory" and then learned from their sources in the Castro camp that he was coping with a mix of exhaustion and fever chills to boot.

So what were the devoted fans to do when their Idol was suffering from a high temperature and low morale? Why, send presents, of course. "We're always trying to think of things we can do to lift his spirits," explained Christalle Baxter, known to her fellow dreadheads as "dreadhead No. 1201."

Concerned that a gift of flowers could worsen Jason's illness by aggravating his allergies, the dreadheads settled on balloons. Christalle set up a Paypal account, and it wasn't long before the donations poured in.

Castro_gallery_190_2 In the end, the dreadheads collected $450 and ordered seven bouquets of balloons from Planet Florist in Westwood. According to Paul Psai, a designer at the florist, it took three cars to transport all the balloons. "It was the biggest order that we ever had."

Sources: Huffington Post

Inaugural Parade tickets go on sale at 1 p.m. ET

Join the thousands of well-wishers who line Pennsylvania Avenue during the Inaugural Parade as the new President of the United States makes his way from the Capitol to the White House. The Inaugural Parade takes place in the afternoon of January 20, 2009, after the Swearing In ceremony.

Tickets for the Inaugural Parade are being released now at intervals of limited availability with additional releases anticipated in the coming weeks leading up to Inauguration Day. GreatSeats.com has established its Inaugural expertise by providing event tickets for the last four Presidential Inaugurations. Make GreatSeats.com your exclusive broker for all your 2009 Inauguration event needs. Due to the nature of these events, final dates, ticket availability and prices are subject to change.

Important Notes Regarding the Presidential Inaugural Parade

- The Parade takes place RAIN OR SHINE in the afternoon on January 20, 2009. The event will NOT be rescheduled because of inclement weather.
- The Parade route starts at the US Capitol and follows along Pennsylvania Avenue to 15th Street. The event is completely outdoors with NO sheltered areas.
- A VERY LIMITED number of bleacher seating will be available along the Parade route, with the largest VIP section located at Freedom Plaza between 13th and 14th Streets.
- Metro will be opening at 4am on January 20th, and will be charging rush-hour rates all day.
- Due to the anticipated crowds and complicated traffic logistics, it is recommended that people arrive 4 to 5 hours early. Parade gates open at 7am.
- The approximate start time of the Parade is between 1pm-2pm.
- Between 10,000 and 12,000 participants from college, high school and military bands - as well as drill teams, military honor guards and other groups- are expected to march with Obama during the course of the Parade. The Parade is expected to last over 2 hours.

VIP Bleacher Section - Freedom Plaza
- Security will be unprecedented. Expect to have your bags searched completely at more than one check point. 
- Once you have entered the bleacher area, you must be prepared to remain for the duration of the Parade. Re-entry to the bleacher area is PROHIBITED.
- A set of Port-a-Johns will be available exclusively for use at the Freedom Plaza bleachers.
- There is NO food vending within the bleacher area.

Sources: Great Seats

Costa Rica Earthquake Kills Two Children

Two children died when a strong 6.1 magnitude earthquake rocked central Costa Rica on Thursday, causing panic and widespread damage as residents fled from shaking buildings.

Police and neighbours found the bodies of two children who had been selling sweets near the epicentre, near the Poas volcano one of Costa Rica's main tourist attractions, after they were killed by a landslide caused by the quake.

The National Emergency Commission declared a red alert in the capital and surrounding areas "where serious damage to infrastructure, roads and homes has been reported and some people were injured and trapped in their houses."

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake measured 6.1 on the moment magnitude scale, revising down an initial figure of 6.2.

The quake, which hit at 1.21pm local time some 35 kilometres northwest of the capital, shook water out of swimming pools and witnesses said they had not felt such a strong tremor in 30 years.

It was felt across the Central American country and also in neighbouring Nicaragua, officials and locals said.

San Jose residents reported broken windows, cracks in buildings, ceilings and roads.

"There were power cuts and we still don't know if houses have been destroyed," said Reinaldo Carballo, emergency commission spokesman.

Public buildings, including the finance ministry, were evacuated, and many people ran onto the streets of the capital.

The city's international airport briefly suspended all flights, a spokeswoman said.

Authorities also warned of landslides on roads in mountainous areas near the epicentre, where aftershocks continued.

Another, smaller quake shook central Costa Rica on Wednesday, causing no victims or damages.

Costa Rica registered more than 4,700 earthquakes in 2008, of which around 60 were felt by the population, according to the observatory.

Sources: The Sydney Morning Herald

FBIJobs.com, Employment Available; Government Looking to Hire Agents

At FBI.gov, 850 Agents and 2,100 Support Personnel Needed

Have you ever though about being an FBI agent? If so, now is your chance to find FBI jobs and employment atfbi.gov and fbijobs.gov.

Terry Frieden on CNN.com/crime reports that the FBI has posted openings for 850 special agents as well as 2,100 support personnel.

Frieden's article, "Wanted: 850 new FBI agents," goes on to say that this is the largest hiring effort by the FBI since right after the 9/11 attacks.

I decided to research the number of agents hired in 2001 and immediately thereafter I got way more than I bargained for. 

Paul Shukovsky, Tracy Johnson and Daniel Lathrop reported back in 2007 on the state of the FBI.

Writing in the SeattlePi.com they discussed the fact that more agents weren't hired after 9/11 rather, 2,400 were reassigned to counter-terrorism squads; these agents weren't replaced.

President Bush did the restructuring and of course his attitude toward the situation never changed throughout his administration.

We know from physics that any action creates a reaction. In this case, reassigning FBI agents has dramatically reduced white-collar criminal prosecution.

The title of the SeattlePi.com article, "The FBI's terrorism trade-off," reflects the fact that the SeattlePi.com (Seattle Post-Intelligence) has conducted a six-month study which included 250,000 cases involving FBI agents.

The results included a 34% reduction in the prosecution of criminal white-collar crime cases and a whopping 65% prosecution reduction with respect to hate crimes.

Of course the feeling now is that the FBI just doesn't care about theses types of crimes.

The failure to follow through on white-collar crime has left scammers un-prosecuted and victims left holding the bag.

Getting back to the current situation, the FBI says the reason for the large number of openings has to do with "attrition" and retirements.

To find out more and even apply go to website http://www.fbijobs.gov/.

When I write or read a story about the FBI, I am reminded of an experience I had in basic training in the Army.

Sources: The Associated Content