“Internet rumor debunkers stumbled into business - St. Louis Post-Dispatch” plus 3 more |
- Internet rumor debunkers stumbled into business - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
- SpongeTech(R) Delivery Systems Business Prospects ... - Yahoo Finance
- Tick, tick, tick: Some business owners think about ... - Newser
- US-BUSINESS Summary - Washington Post
| Internet rumor debunkers stumbled into business - St. Louis Post-Dispatch Posted: 04 Apr 2010 06:55 PM PDT No, Kenya did not erect a sign welcoming people to the "birthplace of Barack Obama." No, Wal-Mart did not authorize raids to find illegal immigrants at its stores. No, Social Security numbers are not assigned by race. Investigating such claims, and hundreds of other rumors and legends, are David and Barbara Mikkelson, an unassuming California couple who run Snopes, one of the most popular fact-checking destinations on the Web. As the Mikkelsons know better than most, one of the paradoxes of the Internet is that, along with the freest access to knowledge the world has ever seen comes a staggering amount of untruth, from imagined threats to health care to too-easy-to-be-true ways to earn money by (naturally) forwarding an e-mail message to 10 friends. Eric E. Schmidt, Google's chief executive, once memorably declared that the Web was "a cesspool." For well over a decade the Mikkelsons have acted as arbiters in the Age of Misinformation by answering the central question raised by every chain letter — is this true? — complete with links to further research. The popularity of Snopes — it attracts 7 million to 8 million unique visitors in an average month — puts the couple in a unique position to evaluate digital society's attitudes toward accuracy. After 13 years, they seem to have concluded that people are rather cavalier about the facts. "Rumors are a great source of comfort for people," Barbara Mikkelson said. Snopes is one of a small handful of sites in the fact-checking business. Brooks Jackson, the director of one of the others, the politically oriented FactCheck.org, believes news organizations should be doing more of it. "The 'news' that is not fit to print gets through to people anyway these days, through 24-hour cable gasbags, partisan talk radio hosts and chain e-mails, blogs and Web sites such as WorldNetDaily or Daily Kos," he said in an e-mail message. "What readers need now, we find, are honest referees who can help ordinary readers sort out fact from fiction." Even the White House now cites fact-checking sites: It has circulated links and explanations by PolitiFact.com, a project of The St. Petersburg Times that won a Pulitzer Prize last year for national reporting. The Mikkelsons did not set out to fact-check the Web's political smears and screeds. The site was started in 1996 as an online encyclopedia of myths and urban legends, building off the couple's hobby. They had met years earlier on a discussion board about urban legends. David Mikkelson was a dogged researcher of folklore. When he needed to mail letters requesting information, he would use the letterhead of the San Fernando Valley Folklore Society, an official-sounding organization he dreamed up. He would investigate the origins of classic tall tales, like the legend of the killer with a prosthetic hook who stalked Lovers' Lane, for a small but devoted online audience. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, users overwhelmed the Mikkelsons with forwarded e-mail claims and editorials about the culprits and the failures of the government to halt the plot, and the couple reluctantly accepted a larger role. They still maintain a thorough list of what they call "Rumors of War." Less than a year later, Snopes became the family's full-time job. Advertisements sold by a third-party network cover the $3,000-a-month bandwidth bills, with enough left over for the Mikkelsons to make a living — "despite rumors that we're paid by, depending on your choice, the Democratic National Committee or the Republican National Committee," David Mikkelson said. Much of the site's resources is spent on investigating political claims, even though the Mikkelsons say politics is the last subject they want to write about. (Barbara cannot even vote in American elections; she is a Canadian citizen.) Claims relating to Obama are now the top searches on the site but "even when there were Republicans in the White House, the mail was still overwhelmingly anti-liberal," David Mikkelson said. In late August, David Mikkelson studied an e-mail chain letter titled "The Last of the Kennedy Dynasty" purporting to explain why the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy was unfit for acclaim. Some of its 10 bullet points were true (yes, Kennedy was cited for reckless driving while in college), but others were misleading assumptions (no, his accomplishments were not "scant"). Barbara Mikkelson rolled her eyes at her husband's plans to fact-check the chain letter. "That's ephemera," she said. He agreed, but the Kennedy report wound up being the Web site's most-searched subject the next weekend. The Mikkelsons employ two others full time to manage the enormous volume of e-mail to the site. Increasingly, curious readers are sending videos and photos as well as e-mail, requiring even more investigation. They publish on average one new article each day. The enduring articles are the ones about everyday fears: computer viruses, scams, missing children. Some e-mail chain letters, like the one offering users $245 for forwarding the message, never fade away. "People keep falling for the same kind of things over and over again," David Mikkelson said. Some readers always seem to think, for instance, that the government is trying to poison them: Barbara Mikkelson said rumors about AIDS have been recycled into rumors about swine flu vaccines. For the Mikkelsons, the site affirms what cultural critics have bemoaned for years: the rejection of nuance and facts that run contrary to one's point of view. "Especially in politics, most everything has infinite shades of gray to it, but people just want things to be true or false," David Mikkelson said. "In the larger sense, it's people wanting confirmation of their world view." The couple say they receive grateful messages from teachers regularly, and an award from a media literacy association sits atop the TV set in David Mikkelson's home office. It is not just the naivete of Web users that worries the "Snopesters," a name for the Web site's community of fans and volunteers. It is also what David Mikkelson calls "a trend toward the opposite approach, hyper-skepticism." "People get an e-mail or a photograph and they spot one little thing that doesn't look right, and they declare the whole thing fake," he said. "That's just as bad as being gullible in a lot of senses." But even though Snopes pays the bills for the couple now, through advertising revenue, they doubt they are having much of an impact. "It's not like, 'Well, we have to get out there and defend the truth,'" Barbara Mikkelson added. "When you're looking at truth versus gossip, truth doesn't stand a chance." Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| SpongeTech(R) Delivery Systems Business Prospects ... - Yahoo Finance Posted: 04 Apr 2010 04:53 PM PDT NEW YORK, April 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SpongeTech® Delivery Systems, Inc., The Smarter Sponge™, (Pink Sheets:SPNG.pk - News), re-confirmed that future business prospects remain robust despite a number of unwarranted comments and publicity in the New York Post and other media. Since The Company has been growing the products available to retailers and is continuing to develop additional products in the Car Care, Child Care, Home Care, Pet Care, Marine Care, and Medical Care. This also applies to our cosmetic, footwear, and medical market products. There are in excess of 50 SKUs currently sold by the Company. The Company is aware of the shareholder frustration concerning the delinquent regulatory filings for the Form 10K and 10Qs and the listing status of its shares on a public exchange to provide the transparency that our shareholders deserve. Management is continuing to work tirelessly to address these important filings and believes that the Company will soon be in a position to report the validation of our growth, via public filings. There will be additional updates on Company activities in the days and weeks ahead. About SpongeTech®Delivery Systems, Inc. SpongeTech® Delivery Systems is a company which designs, produces, and markets unique lines multi-usage cleaning products for Car Care, Child Care, Home Care, Marine Care and Pet Care usages. These sponge-like products utilize SpongeTech®'s proprietary, patent (and patent-pending) technologies and other technologies involving hydrophilic (liquid absorbing) foam, polyurethane matrices or other ingredients. The Company's sponge-like products are pre-loaded with specially formulated ingredients such as soap, conditioner and/or wax that are released when the sponge is soaked and applied to a surface with minimal pressure. SpongeTech® is currently exploring additional applications for its technology in the health, beauty, and medical markets. SpongeTech® Delivery Systems, Inc. intends to globally brand its products as The Smarter Sponge™. Dicon Technologies, LLC, located in Black Creek, Georgia, has a product line that currently focuses within the cosmetic, footwear, and medical markets. Dicon's cosmetic product line utilizes a patented, latex-free hydrophilic foam material in a wide variety of sizes and shapes for Dicon's "Just For You®" line as well as several private label brands. Dicon has over 15 products that include applicators, cleansing sponges, buffs, puffs, and wedges for various skin care and cosmetic applications. Safe Harbor Statement Under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements in this presentation that relate to the Company's expectations with regard to the future impact on the Company's results from new products in development are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The results anticipated by any or all of these forward-looking statements may not occur. Additional risks and uncertainties are set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended May 31, 2008, the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the Third quarter ended February 28, 2009. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes in the Company's plans or expectations. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Tick, tick, tick: Some business owners think about ... - Newser Posted: 31 Mar 2010 01:08 PM PDT Changes in the tax laws due to economic stimulus efforts mean some owners need more time to gather information and complete their returns. And Edward Smith, a partner with the accounting firm BDO Seidman in Boston, noted that many companies have smaller staffs this year, so getting the 2009 books closed, a necessary step in the tax filing process, has taken longer. "It doesn't leave a lot of time to do returns," Smith said. Some owners routinely get an extension because it gives them more flexibility in funding certain retirement plans. This year, many others with cash flow problems will get extensions in the hope they'll have the cash to make plan contributions before the new deadline of Oct. 15 comes around. Here's a short guide to getting an extension for filing your tax return: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU NEED TO KNOW Getting an extension doesn't let you off the hook for paying your taxes by April 15. As the IRS says on its Web site, http://www.irs.gov, "an extension of time to file is NOT an extension of time to pay." The government requires taxpayers filing for an extension to make a good-faith estimate of how much tax they owe and to pay that amount by April 15. If they don't, they'll have to pay late payment penalties and interest on their unpaid taxes. Many owners are in the predicament of not only being unable to file their return, but also not having enough money to pay their taxes. They should go ahead and file for an extension, make an estimate and pay whatever they can. They also might want to apply for an installment agreement with the IRS. The IRS does have an option for owners who are in extremely difficult circumstances. They can file form 1127, Application for Extension of Time for Payment of Tax Due to Undue Hardship. The form requires you to "provide a detailed explanation of the undue hardship that will result if you pay the tax on or before the due date." A general statement of hardship won't do. You'll also need to give the IRS a statement of your assets and liabilities and an itemized list of your income and expenses for the past three months. REASONS FOR GETTING AN EXTENSION _ AND REASONS NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT If you're not ready to file because you've been dawdling or are disorganized, you probably should get an extension. If you rush to meet the April 15 deadline, you risk sending in a return that has mistakes or omissions. You can amend your return, but many tax professionals believe that could raise your chances of being audited. It also costs your business time and money to correct and submit your return. So getting an extension and getting your return right may be a smart move. If you don't have all your information together _ for example, if you're trying to get up to speed on tax law changes, or waiting for a partnership return is completed _ you should also consider an extension. Extensions are also a huge help for employers whose cash flow is shaky and who want to contribute to retirement plans. The contribution deadline for many plans is the due date of the employer's return, including extensions. So those who opt for an extension have until Oct. 15 to get the money together. Smith noted that some business owners get extensions as a matter of course because of the flexibility they offer on retirement plan funding. That trend helps puncture one of the big myths among taxpayers: that getting an extension makes you more vulnerable to an audit. Many business owners get extensions year after year, and the IRS doesn't have enough people on its staff to target everyone who gets more time to file. Smith noted that the IRS doesn't select returns for audits until about a year after the filing deadline. The agency has a computerized system that pulls out some returns for closer examination. "It's just apples and oranges," Smith said of the supposed link between extensions and audits. THE MECHANICS Getting an extension is pretty simple. A taxpayer needs to complete Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, and send it either electronically or by regular mail or overnight delivery service before the filing deadline. Be sure you get proof of mailing either from the post office or the delivery service you use. Form 4868, which you can download from the IRS Web site, is short. You need your name, address, Social Security number and the estimate of your tax liability. If you send a payment, you can either enclose a check with a paper Form 4868. Or you can use one of the payment services listed in the Form 4868 instructions. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| US-BUSINESS Summary - Washington Post Posted: 04 Apr 2010 06:09 AM PDT SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian stocks rose on Monday after data showed U.S. employers created jobs last month at the fastest pace in three years, boosting hopes of a sustained economic recovery. U.S. S&P 500 stock index futures <.SPc1> rose 0.4 percent in the Asian day after the job report, topping an intraday peak in an abbreviated futures session on Friday. China quiet on U.S. currency report delay BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese central bank adviser said Beijing could ease pressure over the yuan by buying more from recession-hit U.S. states, but China had no official reaction on Monday to the Obama administration's delay of a contentious currency report. Monday was a public holiday in China, with government offices closed and state newspapers issuing slimmed down editions. Office vacancy rate hits 16-year high NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. office vacancy rate in the first quarter reached its highest level in 16 years, but the decline in rents eased and crept closer to stabilization, according to a report by real estate research firm Reis Inc. The U.S. office vacancy rate rose to 17.2 percent, a level unseen since 1994, as the market lost about 11.6 million net square feet of occupied space during the first quarter, according to the report released on Monday. The U.S. vacancy rate inched up 0.2 percentage points from a quarter earlier and was 2 percent higher than a year ago. Britain's Brown says bank levy accord close: report LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the world's large economies were close to agreeing a global tax on banks to help prevent another financial crisis, the Financial Times reported on Monday. The FT said Brown played down expectations of a deal at the next Group of 20 meeting in June but that he wanted an accord struck at the G20 summit in Seoul in November, along with capital rules to reinforce banks against a future crisis Wilbur Ross backing Virgin Money in RBS branch bid NEW YORK (Reuters) - Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross said on Sunday he is prepared to commit up to 500 million pounds ($760 million) to support Virgin Money in its bid to buy the branch network of the Royal Bank of Scotland <RBS.L>. Ross said he has also invested $100 million ($152 million) in Virgin Money, after finishing negotiations over the weekend. That would give him a 21 percent stake in Virgin Money, a source familiar with the situation said. Ross teamed up with Virgin in 2007 when it attempted to buy lender Northern Rock and said he had been following its progress since. U.S. expects accelerating job creation WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration expects U.S. job creation to quicken but economic recovery has a long way to go despite improved trends, White House officials said on Sunday. "We're in a very different place than we were a year ago," White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers told ABC's "This Week." "A year ago, we were losing 600,000 jobs a month. Now the process of job creation has started. We expect that it will accelerate." Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
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