Patriot Act extensions fail to pass

CNN is reporting that House Republicans failed to muster enough votes to approve further extensions of the Patriot Act:

Republicans seemed to be blindsided Tuesday night when they came up seven votes short of passing a bill keeping three current measures used by law enforcement and intelligence officials from expiring at the end of February.

The bill, considered under a House rule requiring two-thirds majority for passage, would have extended these provisions through December 8, 2011. Twenty-six Republicans opposed the bill, eight of whom are freshmen. Some Republicans such as Ron Paul of Texas have previously opposed Patriot Act extensions because of concerns about civil liberties.

Twitter is abuzz with folks happy to see it fail even as they mocked Republicans for letting it fail....

I encourage you to make up your own mind:

@mkraju Rand Paul announces he'll oppose Patriot Act renewal, saying it empowers feds "to violate the Fourth Amendment rights of our citizens."

@JohnFugelsang I wrote the Gov't complaining about The Patriot Act invading my privacy & they said they already knew how I felt about it.

@truthout News in Brief: House Fails to Re-Authorize PATRIOT Act, and More ... http://bit.ly/hChYDa #p2 #p2b #p21

@SnarkRemarks So-called "Patriot Act" is farthest thing from patriotic. If not actually unconstitutional, it surely violates the spirit---and our rights.

@LJSearles Crap! I agree with Rand Paul on something. This is worrying. http://bit.ly/fJ58T1

@bluechandelier Rank-and-file take down Patriot Act in House - http://politi.co/dRRIsp Excellent!

@ltdanchoi I was happy the Patriot Act failed renewal, then realized the government knows everything already via Facebook.

@zorblaz If anyone in Homeland Security was surprised that the Patriot Act extension didn't pass, They had better start tapping more phones.

@stacyherbert I'm shocked, shocked I say http://fdl.me/hY2VJh Tea Party Caucus shows reverence for freedom & Constitution by voting for Patriot Act reauth

@Maun PATRIOT Act up for re-authorization. Fight back here: act.demandprogress.org/act/patriotact… via @demandprogress

@downwithtyranny Cantor, embarrassed by his defeat on the PATRIOT Act last night, is furiously trying to shift the blame to pathetic Whip Kevin McCarthy

@jasooo They revoked the Patriot Act, one small step in the right direction America.

Happy Birthday Jules Verne!

Jules Verne would be celebrating his 183rd birthday today, had he not died in 1905.

Widely consider the father of modern science fiction, Verne authored such classic stories as Around the World in Eighty Days; Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea; From Earth to the Moon; and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Some of you might recall he was also the favorite author of Doc Emmett Brown from the Back to the Future trilogy.

Most importantly Verne made it ok for millions of people around the world to dream of a better future through science. He wrote stories that showed the dark side of technology, sure, but he also showed it went side-by-side with hope.

Google has a special doodle today which lets you control Verne's submarine and dive beneath the sea...very cool touch.

It pleases me to no end to see that today, more than 100 years after his death, people remember and people celebrate. Especially on Twitter. Verne himself likely would have loved that....

@wmsnedden Joyeux anniversaire Jules Verne! Born 8 Feb, 1828, the father of science-fiction.

@LUCASunscreen Happy Birthday Jules Verne, the Father of Science Fiction! Remember reading Around the World in 80 Days, Journey... http://fb.me/FjVRpI7D

@fercitauy @un_dato Jules Gabriel Verne (Nantes, 8 de febrero de 1828 – Amiens, 24 de marzo de 1905)

@keishalyubiana February 8: Jules Verne's day! He's an French author and I've read one of his books 'Around the World in Eighty Days' :D

@srivash By the way, happy birthday Jules Verne. Buddy, I told you you will make it on the Google homepage.

@dstarh todays google doodle is awesome - happy birthday jules verne

@TXPaladin Happy Jules Verne Day! #steampunk

@JanFHarvey How amazingly cool is #GOOGLE today referencing Jules Gabriel Verne author of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea!

@christuttle Google celebrates Jules Verne with a very cool logo reminiscent of "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" www.google.com

@zimmzimmerman Maar gelukkig schijnt vandaag ook de #zon en lijkt het wel #lente. Is Jules Verne in Qatar geweest? En Berlusconi kan ook zijn exit bereiden

@anapriscy Photo: A tribute to Jules Verne on Google. “Ah - what a journey - what a marvelous and extraordinary... http://tumblr.com/x8s1glrr8w

@bubblevicious Playing with the Jules Verne Google doodle.The (adapted-for-kids) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was one of my favourite childhood reads.

@Flamengo17 Bonne Anivesario, éternelle écrivain, Jules Verne #france

@FlorencePorcel Ca fait 5 bonnes minutes que je m'amuse avec le Google Jules Verne. Une vraie môme.

@SaintStockler @doidivana É homenagem ao nascimento do Jules Verne. O logo (doodle) faz referência ao seu livro '20 mil léguas submarinas'.

@VisitGreecegr On Jules Verne's bday, we wish you all exciting travels of adventure+discovery, as those he wrote about, captivating our imagination!

@shawntkeating Google | 183rd birthday of Jules Verne | Logo http://post.ly/1ams4

@geistkellie Check out the "submarine" on Google.com today. Happy bday Jules Verne!

Christina Aguilera can't sing the National Anthem correctly

Maybe singers should focus more on the meaning of our National Anthem rather than trying to belt out the lyrics louder than anyone before them
Our National Anthem is very difficult to sing. I always believed there was a good reason for that. Our Democracy, like singing the National Anthem, is a difficult thing to master. It simply cannot be done easily. It is also not something which we should brag about because it doesn't always work. In fact, we have a good deal of problems in our nation right now.
However, whatever the problems with Democracy as we know it, singing our National Anthem shouldn't be one of them. The words are easy, the tempo is easily mastered, and if you can't hit the high notes, who cares. Understand the meaning and learn the words. Easy enough.
Do you hear me Christina Aguilera? I am talking to you....


@andinieffendi Watching Christina Aguilera messing the national anthem at the #SuperBowl. Wasn't GWB around?ah, he probably doesn't remember the lyrics too

@Sensi_Me CHRISTINA AGUILERA APOLOGIES FOR NATIONAL ANTHEM MIX-UP http://t.co/rrTHXBM

@Wicked_Tweets That awkward moment when you mess up the National Anthem. #WickedTweets

@NYKings @trackdiva214 I can't sing for my life but if I'm going to sing the national anthem in front of the whole country, gotta know the words lol

@DJ_B_Eazy313 I was too drunk last night to even realize Christina Aguilera fucked up the National Anthem, was it really that bad???

@darrenrovell The AHL's Syracuse Crunch say they'll invite Christina Aguilera for a National Anthem do-over (via @AxemanBlog)

@StephenKrupnik Happy Teach Christina Aguilera The National Anthem Lyrics Day

@Lysette5j I didn't even notice christina aguilara messed up the national anthem.

@maxmusic1 Christina Aguilera Explains National Anthem Flub: Christina Aguilera is well aware that she made a boo-boo while... http://bit.ly/edB6kX

@TeresaMedeiros So the best way to get free publicity for your career is obviously to mess up the words to the National anthem.

@healthgeter39 Christina Aguilera wasn't the first one to botch the national anthem: Christina Aguilera almost did a perfect jo... http://bit.ly/hs7SKo

@OnionSports Cyndi Lauper looking great during National Anthem #superbowl #sb45

@no1chick @chakams if christina is going to sing the national anthem,she should have made an effort to recite it.its not that hard.

@AFox233235 @danieltosh so when is christina aguilera's national anthem web redemption??

@MissYepez I'm glad it was a good game bc Christina Aguilera screwed the National Anthem, halftime was garbage, and the commercials weren't that great.

@1KnightStanN i guess i dont know the national anthem that well. cuz i didnt even know she messed up

@hondurasflag Superbowl National Anthem 2011 - The following is a list of performers who performed the U.S. national anthem at the... http://ow.ly/1bdHkx

@Floyd914 #ChristinaAguilera fuck up da National anthem I miss that lmfao #wheredeyDodat lol

@dawnrahicki Christina A messed up the National Anthem. Amazing voice, but likely got a bad case of nerves. Would love to hear Jennifer Hudson next year.

@ozskier If you flub the national anthem during the Super Bowl you should be deported. Right?

@lenytl I can't believe Christina Aguilera blunders by repeating lines in the National Anthem at the Super Bowl.

@kathleenmadigan My mom, "why can't they have etta james sing the national anthem?" Well mom, becuz she's dead. Try again.

Google Calendar is down-please stand by

So, apparently Google Calendar went down today. No doubt the company is aware, perhaps ding some work on it even, and will have it restored shortly. In the meantime one look at Twitter (#GoogleCalendar is a Trending Topic right now) and we can easily see the way some people have wrapped their entire lives, especially their business lives, around a piece of technology, only to have it fail.
This isn't the first time technology has let someone down. It likely will not be the last time. Technology, like human beings themselves, is not perfect. It does fail.
And over reliance on anything, human or machine, is bound to get you in trouble sooner or later....


@MarcNager my life just lost all meaning today... google calendar is down! What am I doing?! ahhhh

@levicbenson So my Google Calendar is down.. ?

@euphoriaphotog Why google calendar, must your server be down?? Le sigh. #gcal #google

@cindi Are google calendar widgets down for anyone else?

@intriguedinrva Yes, they must be doing some work on it. RT @shelholtz: Anybody else having trouble accessing Google Calendar?

@sdterp Because my phone syncs with Google Calendar, it's wiped clean too. If this were to happen while I'm out on jobs I'd be totally screwed.

@katetheshark NOOOO!!! What will I DO??? “@helena: "Google Calendar is temporarily unavailable. Please try back later." This is a first.” cc: @khartline

@LindsaySydenham @shelholtz My Google Calendar won't load either. I just get a server error response. Is that what you get, too?

@sarahjanetate Google calendar is down, oh now the world might be ending

@RobAlan "Google Calendar is temporarily unavailable." Awesome. Welcome to the cloud!

@Rubin110 Google Calendar just shit the bed. :(

@jDaz @google your calendar issues are super annoying this morning!

@ncentonze My Google Calendar works...whats up with yours?

@timotheus4 First, Groupon's servers overloaded. Now Google Calendar is down. U'd think big web businesses would make connectivity a priority!

@TforTodd Nobody follows me, but I gotta say, Google Calendar is jacked up right now...

@evelinaviiri Dwld #calengoo calendar on iPhone. Syncs w/ #googlecalendar and won't loose data when #google goes down! Awesome calendar w/ week view!

@grahamhobson Google calendar is out of office. At least their 500 page gives me a chance to brush up on my taiwanese

Happy Chinese New Year!

The Chinese Lunar New Year is today and people around the world are celebrating the first day of the Year of the Rabbit!
Kung hei fat choi is the official celebratory cry. It is also a trending topic on Twitter.

Today millions are people around the globe will be gathering with their families, putting their lives in order, cleaning their house for the New Year; and at midnight, they will light firecrackers to drive away the evil spirits.
It is the Spring Festival in China, the most important holiday. And if there is one thing we in the Midwestern U.S. need at this particular moment, it's thoughts of Spring.


@lizzzuy Happy chinese new year. Kung hei fat choi!!!

@heselton Kung hei Fat Choi!

@joUisheR by! @keepjohnalive thank you sa tikoy! kung hei fat choi

@speedprostpaul Kung Hei Fat Choi!

@AnisaKadri Kung Hei Fat Choi everybody - check out what's goin' down in Chinatown http://bit.ly/ewbRrM

@FezzyS Kung hei fat choi? I think I said it right. Enjoy my Asian tweeps just keep the food coming and I'm good.

@sgt_kickass It's the year of the sexy bunny people. Kung Hei Fat Choi, angpow lai lai!! xD

@andreahorwath Kung Hei Fat Choi! Welcome to first day of the year of the rabbit – a very lucky sign. #ondp #ontpoli

@tonimarieeubank Happy Lunar New Year!!!! Kung Hei Fat Choi

@eyeheartmusic Kung Hei Fat Choi!!!! I wish all the fellow Rabbits a lucky year. Finna go celebrate in Chinatown.

@SidewalkHustle I saw a rabbit the other day in the city, super rare! It's going to be a good year! RT @WhatChuDo: 農曆新年. Kung Hei Fat Choi. #YearoftheRabbit

@explicitmemory Kung hei fat choi! Year of the Rabbit: 5 Facts About the Chinese Astrological Sign for 2011 http://t.co/Tqs2mxv via @aolnews

@cockneycomic Kung Hei Fat Choi!! With Noodles please ;) #happychinesenewyear

@Rocky_Ginting Happy Chinese New Year! Kung hei fat choi! 新年快乐!

@JMarloweScully Kung Hei Fat Choi! It's not just the year of the rabbit, it's the decade of privileged Westerners on twitter w/no grasp of other cultures.

@TkVu #CNY aint working. Might as well stick to Kung Hei Fat Choi (#KungHeiFatChoi) Dim Sum was lovely today ^^

@MikeSchreiner Kung Hei Fat Choi! All the best to those celebrating the year of the Rabbit.

@joycee77 was lucky enough to see a dragon dance today! kung hei fat choi!

@pinkhazarddoll Kung hei fat choi! Happy and lucky year of the rabbit to everyone ^_^

Punxsutawney Phil doesn't see his shadow

Why we rely on a Groundhog to predict our weather is beyond me. Especially when you consider whether he sees his shadow or not, Spring still starts the same time each year.
Despite my misgivings people have been watching Punxsutawney Phil for decades and are no less excited about his predictions today (in the age of instantaneous satellite weather imagery) than they were in the 1950's when all you did to get the weather report was read the Farmer's Almanac.

Anyway, Phil did NOT see his shadow so Spring will start soon...about the same time it starts every year.

@cnnbrk Groundhog #Punxsutawney Phil predicts early end to winter. http://on.cnn.com/hjGMTa

@JennyFitch Yayyy! Early Spring! Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow.

@usembassysweden Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow! Early Spring! http://www.groundhog.org http://fb.me/Ju7nGWlb

@NFL_Joe Groundhog Day 2011 – Punxsutawney Phil is GOLD for Super Bowl Winners: Groundhog Day 2011 will have Punxsutawne... http://bit.ly/fv1TnN

@ely1005 RT @nbcchicago Happy Groundhog Dog! Punxsutawney Phil did NOT see his shadow. Early spring! #blizzard #snOMG

@NewYorkology No shadows: Both Punxsutawney Phil and Staten Island Chuck predict early spring. (via @patkiernan)

@raivexn Write one leaf about Punxsutawney Phil. - Punxsutawney Phil Saw the Murray, Bill. Was terrified. Went back... http://tumblr.com/x391eqfu0z

@RoadID Happy Groundhog Day!! Punxsutawney Phil has spoken. Here's his official statement (video): http://bit.ly/evibtq

@PhiLLthyRicH I guess Punxsutawney Phil predict spring is early. yess! See thats why ALL this are cool af!

@JesterUK On a lighter note: Is it that immature of me to find it very funny that the groundhog "Punxsutawney Phil" lives in Gobbler's Knob?

@YesitsChristian Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring..........thats the groundhog in case you have no idea wtf i am talking about

@jstetser Besides, Punxsutawney Phil's a punk. #groundhogday

@ecorazzi Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow -- so break out the beach umbrellas and Slip 'n Slides! #springyouhavethegreenlight

@DiscoveryGreen Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring...Let's hope he's right! We have lots in store for the spring season!

@peepit Punxsutawney Phil has heard my cry! Early Spring for all! (You better be right, Phil!) #campaignforanearlyspring

@lezlieweber I bet Mr. punxsutawney phil did not even make it out of his hole.

@MelanieDown Happy #groundhogday Punxsutawney Phil predicts! OMG only in America would have to go to place called 'Gobblers Knob' to see this spectacle!

@ColleenQTaylor Watching the news for coverage on Egypt. Interrupted by Punxsutawney Phil and grown men dressed for the Moulin Rouge. Shameful.

@KalaniMB soo Punxsutawney Phil didnt see his shadow today... Early spring? Yea... we'll see

@horwathdj No shadow for Punxsutawney Phil today...not sure I believe an early spring when waking up to -5 degrees.

@jhouseman929 If Punxsutawney Phil is wrong and we don't have an early spring, I will personally beat his handlers for committing a fraud!

@VivaLaEric21 It's a good thing Punxsutawney Phil and Wiarton Willie declare Early Spring. If they didn't, they would be dead by now. #GroundhogDay

@MySistersCloset Spring is coming. Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow - so it should be an early Spring. Happy Groundhog day!

Egyptian protesters march and Tweet

Despite the fact all Internet Service Providers have been shut down in Egypt, the people can still access Twitter. Thanks to a sneaky (brilliant) move by Google, folks can post a Tweet by calling a special phone number and leaving a voice message. It's called Speak2Tweet.
Twitter has been a means of getting information out of Egypt even as the government there has attempted to shut down all communication. CNN crews have been accosted and had equipment taken, ISP's are gone, wireless networks are spotty--but at least we have the Twitter to know what is going on.

@Jnoubiyeh #Egyptians from all walks of life, religious and secular, affluent and poor, have united under 1 common purpose: #Revolution. #Jan25 #Egypt

@JordiLishious Egyptians Gather to March Against Mubarak as Talks Offered

@AJEnglish With protestors back on the streets in #Egypt, we continue our live uncensored coverage. Watch: http://aje.me/ajelive #cairo #tahrir square

@litfreak The longer this goes on, the more the world sees how stubborn and brutal a dictator Mubarak is and how incredible #Egyptians are. #Jan25

@ulissesmattos "Walk like one million Egyptians". (The Bangles)

@tomgara Iranian media think #jan25 is an Islamic anti-American revolt. So does American media, and Israeli. The only people who don't are Egyptians.

@monaeltahawy Super excited March of a Million #Egyptians has started! What a wonderful day of determination and demand for freedom! Yalla #Egypt! #Jan25

@msafdar85 The great march against Mubarak brings together hundreds of thousands of Egyptians - http://tinyurl.com/4j49y3x - Ranasafdaralikhan

@nonnal Now THAT's supporting others -- Google, Twitter build Speak to Tweet for Egyptians http://t.co/HHZJJrm via @cnet #egypt

@pourmecoffee Egyptians camped out in Cairo. For Americans, think of it as like the release of new Apple product if Apple made freedom.

@shabbirh #Millions of #Egyptians heading towards #presidential #palace - #Mubarak nearing his end #egypt #presstv #tahrir http://bit.ly/ihSF9j

@ladyb84 RT @GoogleArabia: we are trying to spread these numbers among Egyptians: +16504194796 & +390662207294. Speak to Tweet. #jan25 #Tahrir Square

@baldaufji 1 million Egyptians just became mayor of Tahrir Square on Foursquare.

@CineversityTV Organized, civilized, determined... dear Egyptians, you've truly made us all SO proud! Keep it up, please! #Tahrir #Egypt #Jan25

@Yafa48 Moroccans support Egyptians in Rabat !! Long live Arab world #Jan25

@unraptured if nothing else I hope Egyptians gain the right to never hear that shitty Bangles song again

@news_for_laughs Aljazeera wants to know who will rise as a leader #Egypt #cairo #Tahrir #Jan25 Egyptians should not disclose yet

@aidadoll I love how #Egyptians from all walks of life, are uniting together for freedom. #PrayForEgypt

@playinart_1 egyptians are providing food and beverage to the protesters, some people are already a few days at the square.

@DavidJCostanzo How Egyptians Used Twitter During the January Crisis [INFOGRAPHIC] http://t.co/hHZfABf via @mashable

@xXKelly82Xx Millions of Egyptians heading towards presidential palace - Mubarak nearing his END Up to two million protest... http://bit.ly/fd6aPb

@smilebluemonday @Starbuck_WOI the Egyptian museum has such complicated issues, starting w/ the history of arab vs ethnic egyptians.

@Jnoubiyeh Al Jazeera: Over 100 protesters have been murdered in the city of #Alexandria alone since the uprising in #Egypt began. #Egyptians #Jan25

@sanasaleem While Muslim Protestors prayed today, Christian Egyptians formed human chains to protect them. Solidarity,strength and co-existence.