Bad Timing: HealthCare.gov Goes Down on Day Before Deadline

The HealthCare.gov website is shown on a laptop in Washington, on March 31, 2014.

Image: David Ake/Associated Press

HealthCare.gov was down for approximately five hours on the last day to enroll to Obama's health care reform plan.

The site's online application was unavailable from about 3 a.m to 8 a.m. ET, according to CNBC. The site is now back up and running, but this is the latest hiccup in Obama's embattled health care online marketplace website, which has experienced technical issues since day one.

"HealthCare.gov marketplace application and enrollment system is currently unavailable," the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement on early Monday morning, according to CNBC. "The tech team is working now to bring the system online as soon as possible."

The site normally goes offline between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. ET, USA Today reported, but on Monday night, a software bug extended the scheduled downtime three hours past the normal time.

People who visited the site during the downtime were placed in a virtual "waiting room" and were asked to provide their email addresses in order to be notified when the site was back up.

The deadline to enroll is midnight on Monday, but the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has said that people who miss the deadline because of technical issues will have additional time to sign up. The government has also said it will accept paper applications until Apr. 7.

As of last week, 6 million people had signed up for Obamacare, and that number is expect to rise to 7 million by end of day on Monday, according to the Obama administration.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Topics: Barack Obama, health care, healthcare.gov, Politics, U.S., US & World

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Want Results? Here's the Right Way to Complain

The coffee is too hot.
The air conditioning is too cold.
That policy is unfair.
The old way worked better.
I always get the hardest assignments.
My boss never says thank you.

You see the problems in your officeâ€"the processes that could be improved, the policies that should be changed, the little annoyances that, over time, turn into big annoyancesâ€"and you want them fixed. But no matter how many times you complain, nothing happens. Your objections fall on deaf ears and things stay the sameâ€"the way they’ve always been.

Sound familiar?

Well, during my years as both a teammate and a manager, I’ve been the sounding board for (OK, and maybe the occasional source of) complaints at my office, and I’ve learned that there’s a right and wrong way to complain. One way will get you labeled as a whinerâ€"and one will actually get you what you want. So, the next time you have something to complain about, here are my tips for doing the latter.

Consider the Opposite Point of View

Before you let a complaint slip out, take a moment to consider the opposite point of view. Is the office always freezing? Well, the facilities director probably thinks it’s better to be on the cold side, where employees can put on a sweater, than the warmer side, where all employees can do is, well, sweat.

Stuck on something a little more serious, like a newly implemented company policy that you don’t fully supportâ€"or understand? Jumping to a poorly thought-out complaint (e.g., “It’s so unfair that we can’t wear jeans every day anymore!”) is the easy way outâ€"but thinking about the true reason something happened (“Well, employees really were crossing the line in their interpretation of the casual dress code”) can help you gain a wider perspective.

If you truly can’t see the reasoning behind it (“No, reallyâ€"why can we only take time off in half-day increments?”), ask your manager for insight. If he or she can provide a reasonable explanation, you’ll have your answer. And if your manager comes up with an equally questioning response (e.g., “You know, that’s a great point”)? Well, you’ll be able to more effectively form your complaint to take up the chain.

Don’t Cry Wolf

In my office, there’s one employee in particular who’s been labeled “the complainer.” Whether he thinks a new process is inefficient or the new window blinds are letting in too much light, he makes sure that his objections are known to everyone around him.

But while it’s OKâ€"and, in fact, usually encouragedâ€"to point out inefficiencies or ways that things could be better, there’s a big difference between complaining to make improvements and complaining for the sake of, well, complaining. Because when you grumble about anything and everything, it starts becoming hard to distinguish what really deserves attention.

Instead, pick your battles wisely, focusing on the things that are both important (i.e., directly affect you and your job) and changeable (i.e., not the fact that you prefer another brand of coffee over the one that your company has used for the past 20 years). When you voice your complaints strategically, you’ll make much more of an impact.

Cut Back on the Whine

Remember when you were a kid, and you’d shout your complaints to your parents from across the house, drawing out the word “mom” with a few extra o’s for emphasis?

Well, no matter your age, it’s easy to let a bit of that same whining tone into your voice when you approach the subject of your complaints (e.g., “Seriously, why do we have to do this? This is so ridiculous!”). I knowâ€"you may assume that, as a professional, you don’t do thisâ€"but I say it because I’ve seen it. A lot.

To be on the safe side, check your tone before you voice your grievance. Begin your objection by making sure that it’s a good time for whoever you’re complaining to (read: not when he or she is about to head into a meeting or is packing up for the night). Then, start with a patient, respectful intro, like, “I’ve been noticing something lately that’s been affecting my ability to do my job. Do you have time to chat about it?”

With this, you won’t immediately put your subject on the defensive. Instead, you’ll convey that not only have you thought about it carefully, but that it’s something that you truly think deserves his or her timeâ€"which will make him or her much more receptive to your thoughts.

Back Up Your Complaint

It’s easy to complain about something you don’t like; it’s not so easy to come up with a realistic solution to that problem. One of the most frustrating things about being on the receiving end of a complaint is just that: The complainer is often quick to point out a problem, but usually not so ready to suggest a resolution.

To complain most effectively, you’ll need both relevant examples of the problem and a feasible way to fix it. By explaining a few specific ways that something has directly affected you and your teammates, you’ll prove that a problem exists, and by suggesting a solution, you’ll convey that you’re invested in the issue and willing to put in significant effort to address it.

Venting can be cathartic, but if you really want the problem to be addressed, you need to bring it to light the right way. Constantly complaining to your manager or teammate won’t get you farâ€"but respectfully pointing out an issue, explaining how it affects you, and suggesting a possible solution will put you on the fast track to a resolution.

This article originally published at The Daily Muse here

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5 Job Search Tactics You Should Stop Immediately

You’ve been on the job hunt for weeks.

You’re applying immediately to every job you come across that’s remotely related to your field. You’re getting your resume in the hands of anyone you meet. You’re following up with hiring managers like your life depends on it.

And still? Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Well, I’m going to tell you a little secret.

It might be you that’s the problem.

I knowâ€"before you get all ready to tussle with me, let me assure you that I realize that most people are smart and motivated and have all the best intentions when it comes to landing that next big thing. The problem is that most of us don’t have much training on how to not suck at the job search. Which meansâ€"we’re bound to make some gaffes along the way.

So let’s change that. ASAP.

Rule #1: If you’re using any of these (very-common) job search tactics, you must change course immediately.

1. Spending 100% of Your Search Time Submitting Online Applications

If trolling the job boards is your primary search tactic, you’re looking at a long road ahead. Realize that, for every job you pursue, at least one or two people are going to find an “in” at that company. And they’re going to use that “in” to get a direct introduction. Would you rather be the one with the “in,” or one of the other 20, 80, or 400 contenders coming in via the automated “clump” of applicants?

Instead: Even if you apply for the job online, the moment you hit “send,” head over to LinkedIn and see if you have a first- or second-degree connection at that company. Reach out, stat. Your goal is to be the one who gets the direct introduction.

2. Applying for Jobs (Blindly) When You’re Not an Obvious On-Paper Match

Nobody’s sitting around deducing what you might be good at or why you might make sense for any particular job. Read: When you apply online, if your resume and cover letter don’t speak to the specific needs and deliverables of the jobâ€"and spell out exactly how you are going to meet themâ€"no applicant tracking system is going to even find it.

Instead: If you’re not an obvious match (on paper) for a job, you either need to figure out a way to make yourself one (i.e., gaining new skills, taking on volunteer opportunities or freelance work to boost your resume), or find an opportunity to explain your rationale for applying directly to a hiring manager (i.e., show how your previous work experience in your current field would translate seamlessly to this new job).

3. Expecting “I’m a Fast Learner” Will Clinch Anything for You

Unless you’re applying for a job that is, by nature, entry level, you should pretty much assume that the decision makers are on the lookout for someone who can hit the ground running. Does this mean you’ll never land a job in a new industry? Not at all. But if you’re pressed in an interview on why they should take a chance on you, don’t think for a moment the hiring manager is looking for “Because I’m a fast learner.”

Instead: Think about how the aggregate of your skills and experiences (no matter how unrelated) may actually make you a great candidate for that role. If you’re clear on why you’d be perfect for the job, it’ll be a heck of a lot easier for the decision makers to feel confident about hiring you, even if you’re a bit green.

4. Foisting Your Resume on Strangers Before You’ve Spent 10 Seconds Building Some Rapport

Would you ever walk up to a stranger and propose marriage? Of course you wouldn’t. So why do you think it’s remotely OK to find someone who works at your dream company andâ€"before you’ve even gotten to the “How about that crazy weather?” stage of small talkâ€"shove your resume at him, with a plea to take it on over to the manager? That’s not networking, that’s ambushing.

Instead: If you meet a contact or find a great connection on LinkedIn, look for ways to build a relationship before you ask for a job. Think: “Hi Jill, You and are both members of the Dallas Market Researchers group here on LinkedIn. I notice that you’re an analyst with Fort Knox Inc. I’m a research analyst, too, and I’ve heard great things about your firm. May I ask you just two quick questions about your role?”

5. Calling the HR Person, Recruiter, or Hiring Manager with Ridiculous Frequency

Yes, I know. The squeaky wheel gets the oil. Fortune favors the bold. Ask and ye shall receive. All sound mantras. But there is a very fine line between “confident, proactive professional” and “desperate dude who will not stop calling us.”

Instead: If you haven’t heard back about a position, follow up nicely by email after your original thank-you note: “Hi Mary, Just a quick noteâ€"you mentioned that you’d be firming up hiring plans this week. I’m very excited to help you bring the Canyon Product Line to market in 2015. No response needed, but please let me know if I can provide any additional information to aid you in your final decision.”

Job searching isn’t easy, nor can it be boiled down to a single, perfect formula. But if you eliminate the tactics that don’t work (or make you look flat-out foolish), and start replacing them with more effective alternatives?

You’ll probably start seeing progress. And progress gives you momentum. And momentum?

That’s what allows you to steamroll your way to greatness.

This article originally published at The Daily Muse here

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Bloomberg Media Makes First Moves Toward New Digital Products

Justin Smith has taken the first major steps in his revamp of Bloomberg Media with the hiring of former AOL Live president Nathan Richardson and Inside.com chief content officer Gabriel Snyder.

Richardson and Snyder will oversee the creation and launch of new digital efforts that were touted recently by a strategy plan that Smith penned following his first 100 days as CEO of Bloomberg Media.

Snyder and Richardson will be tasked with figuring out how to take the work of more than 2,400 journalists in more than 150 bureaus on innovative platforms for new readers.

"Our strategy calls for building out a portfolio of new digital assets that better align our content offerings to global business audience segments," Smith wrote. "This realignment will help us go bolder and deeper, signaling to consumers outside of finance that Bloomberg has the media products for them, while providing advertisers with a more targeted way to reach their most important audiences."

Richardson joins Bloomberg after a short run as president of AOL Live, a project that has been put on hold since his exit. Before that, he founded Waywire and helped launch Gilt Man and Gilt City.

He said Bloomberg was well-positioned to take advantage of growing demand for business news from emerging markets by creating new platforms for its existing content and data tools.

"I think that just the growth numbers in terms of digital, in terms of the numbers of people coming in online globally, not just domestically... are astounding," Richardson told Mashable.

"Those people may historically know Bloomberg as an investing tool for people in the investment community. In reality, the digital assets that Bloomberg has are really powerful for a business decision maker."

Snyder leaves Inside.com after less than three months as the company's chief content officer; he oversaw the launch of its news aggregation app.

Snyder, who previously served as editor of Gawker as well as Atlantic Media's The Wire, echoed Richardson's sentiments.

"The opportunity for growth is looking for those new content types and story forms that are specifically tailored for this new emerging era of a digital first, mobile-dominant news environment," Snyder said.

The hirings are two of the most high-profile moves since Smith took the helm of Bloomberg Media in July after moving from The Atlantic, where he transformed the once-analog media property into a popular digital destination.

Richardson and Snyder both said their work would be keen to take risks on new ideas that might stir some initial doubt, but relished the opportunity to stir things up at a company that has not taken many risks since purchasing Businessweek in 2009.

"I think that anytime you're doing something that's new, there's a certain amount of uncertainty," Richardson said. "The fear of the unknown is probably one of the challenges we have to manage against and not letting that stand in our way because the appetite at Bloomberg to make this a great differentiated product and service is immense."

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

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5 Can't-Miss Apps: March Madness and More

Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker

Amid news of Google announcing Android Wear, a new version of the operating system specially designed for wearables, and Motorola's subsequent unveiling of its Moto 360 smartwatch, you may have overlooked some of this week's best new apps.

Luckily, Mashable creates a roundup each weekend of our favorite new and updated apps, so you won't miss out.

This week, our list includes a messaging app that doesn't rely on a cellphone signal or Wi-Fi, and an app to ensure you're up-to-date on every second of March Madness.

Check out the gallery, above, to see all the apps that made our list of top picks. And if you're looking for more, check out last week's edition of can't-miss apps.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Topics: Android, apps-and-software, Apps and Software, iOS, Tech, weekly app roundup

Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker

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These Dancers With Down Syndrome Will Make You 'Happy'

Watching people dance to almost any song is usually a happy experience. Watching those living with Down syndrome dance to the snappy beats of Pharrell's soon-to-be-played-out "Happy" is something approaching joy.

Since 2012, the world has been celebrating World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st. This 21st day in the third month of the year was chosen, according to the U.K.-based Down Syndrome International, because it helps highlight the triplication (trisomy) â€" also known as the "extra chromosome" â€" of the 21st chromosome, which causes Down syndrome.

DSI first launched World Down Syndrome Day in 2006, but the movement gained steam when the United Nations General Assembly officially recognized the day in 2012.

In the United States alone, there are more than 400,000 people living with Down syndrome, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The NIH also notes that, each year, 6,000 babies are born with Down syndrome in the U.S.

Thanks to medical technology and changing social attitudes, those with Down syndrome are living longer, getting better treatment and navigating through life often right alongside the rest of us, though some stigmas remain.

The video above, which offers little explanation in its YouTube description, is promoting both the day and a #HappyDay hashtag. Considering its mostly uncredited use of the popular song, the video could also be in danger of getting removed from YouTube for copyright violation (it's unclear if Pharrell's people are even aware of it). Even so, "Happy" is an example of how those with Down syndrome are, like you, people who just want to dance.

Watch and share the video while you can.

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A 'Better' Flappy Bird in the Works and Other News You Need to Know

Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you in the know on what's happening around the world. Today, we're looking at five important stories.

• A New York band teacher was arrested after selling her students’ instruments for drug money. NBC reports that a police officer spotted a tuba in Danielle Conner-Willowglade's car. She later admitted to stealing about 50 instruments, which she then sold to buy heroin.

• Google is touting a new feature for Android’s Google search app. The updated version will launch the camera by saying “OK Google, take a photo" or “OK Google, take a video.”

• Between Two Ferns isn’t the only hilarious show on the President Barack Obama’s list. He also appeared on The Ellen Show. "Moms out there: Email your kids if they don’t have health insurance and tell them to at least check it out," Obama said on the show.

• More than 100 immigrants were rescued from a Houston home on Wednesday. Ninety-four men and 15 women from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico were held in a 1,500 square-foot home, CNN reported.

• Dong Nguyen, the creator of Flappy Bird, is at it again. He tweeted on Wednesday that he is working on a successor to the popular mobile game, which will he says will be even "better" than his original.

Check out the video above for more on these stories.

Topics: Barack Obama, Ellen Show, Entertainment, First to Know, flappy bird, Gaming, Mobile, U.S.

Image: Mashable Will Fenstermaker

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Students Sue Google for Monitoring Their Emails

Image: Georges Gobet

In a challenge to one of Google's more controversial practices, a group of students in California are suing Google, claiming that the company's monitoring of Gmail violates federal and state privacy laws.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California is currently hearing the complaint from nine students whose emails were subject to Google surveillance because Gmail is a component of Apps for Education. Apps for Education is a suite of free, web-based education tools that has some 30 million users worldwide, most of whom are students under 18 exposed to the software via their schools.

A Google rep told Education Week that the company scans and indexes emails from all Apps for Education users. The company uses the data for potential advertising, among other purposes.

Education Week speculates that the case could have "major implications" for how the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act [FERPA] is interpreted. FERPA, which was issued in 1974, ensures the privacy of records of students under the age of 18. The Department of Education's recent guidance on the issue also appears to indirectly state that Google's Gmail practices run afoul of FERPA.

The students are seeking class-action certification for the case. If successful, that could lead to a payment to millions of Gmail users.

Google's surveillance of Gmail for advertising purposes has raised hackles among privacy advocates. In particular, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) points out that even if Gmail users agree to Google's terms, that doesn't mean that non-subscribers who email with them do. "Non-subscribers have not consented and indeed may not even be aware that their communications are being analyzed or that a profile may be compiled of him or her," states an FAQ on EPIC on the subject. EPIC also takes issue with Google's ability to compile a detailed profile of a Gmail user by linking their Gmail data with cookies used by Google's search engine. Google has said that it doesn't cross-reference such data.

Microsoft has also criticized Google's Gmail practices in its Scroogled campaign, contrasting Google's data mining with Microsoft's Outlook, which doesn't use email data to serve users ads.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Topics: Advertising, Dev & Design, gmail, security, U.S., US & World

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The Most Certain Ways to Battle Uncertainty

Meditating at the Grand Canyon.

Sarah Chang for The Daily Muse 2014-03-16 13:18:24 UTC

You might be all too familiar with the feeling of uncertainty. As traditional, linear career paths become a thing of the past, and structured, hierarchical organizations give way to flat and collaborative workplaces, there’s more and more responsibility on you to chart your own course. Especially when these situations have a lot of unknowns and their consequences are unpredictable, uncertainty looms larger than ever.

Whether you’re starting a company and can’t see exactly what lies ahead, or you’re working for an organization where everything seems a bit shaky, uncertainty can be a tough beast to beat. A small minority do thrive in the challenge of facing the unknown, but most people prefer a little more structure and well, clarity. If you’re in the latter camp, have no fearâ€"we’ve rounded up some great resources that, with certainty, will help you deal with uncertainty.

This article originally published at The Daily Muse here

Topics: Jobs, Health & Fitness, Lifestyle, meditation, Work & Play

The Daily Muse is a Mashable publishing partner that offers career advice for the digital world. This article is reprinted with the publisher's permission.

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The 5-Step Editing Process for a Perfect Resume

You know that you should edit your resume before you send it off in the world, making sure it’s error-free.

But to make sure that resume is in the best possible shape? You should really take the editing process a few steps further.

Here’s the thing: Editing is more than just giving something a once-over to eliminate egregious typos and grammar mistakes. It’s really about looking at something with a critical eye, then making changes to ensure it’s the best it can possibly be.

And that’s what you want for your resume, right? From someone who edits all day, every day for a living, here’s a five-step editing plan that will take your resume from good to full-blown awesome (andâ€"of courseâ€"eliminate the typos, too).

Step 1: Consider the Big Picture

When I look at an article for the first time, I have to resist the urge to fix typos or make style changes (and believe me, as an editor, it’s hard). But it’s importantâ€"the first thing I need to determine is whether the piece is working as a whole. Is this right for our publication? Is the message of the article the one we want to send? Are there any major gaps or sections that are superfluous?

On that first read of your resume, try to do the same thing. Ignore typos or formatting issues, and think about the overall message your resume is sending:

• Does this sell you as the perfect candidate for the types of roles you’re seeking?

• Are there any gaps between the experience on the page and the experience required for the job?

• If so, are there ways in which you could bridge those gaps?

• What makes your experience stand out among other, similar candidates?

• Does the top third of your resume serve as a hook to get the hiring manager to read more?

• Is there anything on your resume that doesn’t need to be there?

Pro Tip: Look at the LinkedIn profiles of people at your level in your field, and see how they tell their stories. Which ones are most compelling or stand out the most? See what you can learn from them and how you can apply those lessons to your own resume.

Step 2: Scrutinize the Bullets and Details

As editors, we ask constantly ask ourselves if each word is the best one, if a sentence structure is right, if there’s anything that could be said more clearly, effectively, or quickly. And oh, do we add examples! Why say something if you can show it? It makes for better writing and a more interesting read.

Walk through your resume again. Your job at this point is to look at every section, every sentence, and every word, and determine if there’s a better way to get your point across. For each bullet point, ask:

• Is this the strongest possible language you could use?

• Can anything be said more clearly? Or in fewer words?

• Is there any language that someone outside of your company or industry wouldn’t understand?

• Could anything benefit from examples?

• Can anything be quantified? Can you show a benefit?

• Are any words used over and over? Can they be replaced with more creative language?

Pro Tip: Have a friend who’s not in your field read your bullet points, and ask what he or she thinks your strongest achievements are. Do you agree? If not, adjust so the most important ones really stand out.

Step 3: Fact Check

Every so often, I’ll edit what I think is a great, well-written articleâ€"and realize suddenly that one of the source’s names is spelled wrong. I’ll take a closer look and see thatâ€"waitâ€"a book title is incorrect, research numbers are not quite right, and that other “facts” in the article need a second look.

It’s a good idea to do this for your resume, too. It can happen even with the right intentionsâ€"I, for example, recently realized that my resume said “3 million” on a figure that most certainly should have been 1 million. Whoops.

Read every word on your resume again, this time asking yourself:

• Are the companies you worked for named the same thing? Still located in the same city?

• Are your position titles accurate?

• Are your employment dates correct?

• Are all of the numbers and percentages you use to describe increases, quotas, budgets, savings, and
  achievements (reasonably) accurate?

Pro Tip: In the editorial world, we have to make sure every number we print is 100% accurate, but you have a bit more leeway with your resume. As long as you’re reasonably sure that you increased customer satisfaction, fundraising numbers, or sales 25%, don’t worry about having the “official” numbers to prove it.

Step 4: Proofread

As I well know, you can work intently on a document for three hours and somehow not notice that you’ve used “their” instead of “there” or mistaken “bran” for “brand.” So, proofreading one last time is a step you can’t skip.

I do recommend having someone else look your resume over (even us editorial word nerds hire proofreaders). But before you do, proof word by word, asking yourself:

• Are there any typos? Wrong word usage?

• Does each bullet point end with a period (or not)? Either is fine, just be consistent.

• Are you using the serial comma (or not) throughout?

Pro Tip: When proofreading, it’s helpful to temporarily change the font, or to read your resume from the bottom upâ€"your eyes get used to reading a page one way, and can often catch new errors when you mix the format up.

Step 5: Make Sure it Looks Nice

When I worked for a print magazine, I’d often submit what I thought was a perfect final draft of an articleâ€"until I’d get a proof from our designer. More often than not, my masterpiece would need some adjustments to look right on the page: shortening the copy so that it didn’t require a miniature-sized font, or lengthening a paragraph so that one word didn’t hang over on a line by itself, for example. Because part of great writing is making it look great, too.

While you don’t have to send your resume off to a graphic designer, do keep in mind that presentation is important, and that a few adjustments to your text can make a big difference in how it looks. Give it a final once-over with a designer’s eye, considering:

• Does the page look visually appealing?

• Is the page overly cluttered?

• Is the font size too small? Is it difficult to read?

• Is the font size and format for each section consistent?

• Does the layout make sense?

• Is your contact information easily findable?

Pro Tip: Make your document easier to skim by adding divider lines between sections. Check out section three of this great guide to resume formatting from LifeClever for instructions.

As a final note, I recommend editing your resume again and againâ€"adding in your new accomplishments, shifting the way you talk about an experience based on something you’ve seen someone else do, and making sure there’s nothing you’ve missed. After all, as any writer or editor will tell you: The best masterpieces are never done.

This article originally published at The Daily Muse here

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U.S. and Russia Right Now: The One Photo That Says It All

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and US Secretary of State John Kerry stand together before a meeting at Winfield House in London, Friday March 14, 2014. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry flew to London on Friday to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a last-minute bid to stave off a new chapter in the East-West crisis over Ukraine.

Image: Brendan Smialowski, Pool/Associated Press

If this AP photograph is representative of the state of U.S.-Russia talks over the crisis in Ukraine, the most casual of international observers would agree: they're not going all that well.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, are meeting in London for talks on Friday over the escalating situation in Ukraine. Secretary Kerry is hoping to put a halt to the Crimean referendum â€" which is scheduled for Sunday â€" while Lavrov is pushing Russia's plan for the region: an annexation of the southern Ukrainian peninsula.

Posing for a photograph before heading into their talks, the two appeared solemn. Lavrov stares imperviously, his brow furrowed, while Kerry appears rather dismal and dejected.

Shortly thereafter, the two strolled off into a field for their discussions.

The Russian staffer operating the the Russian Foreign Ministry's Twitter account then snapped a photo as the two walked off into the distance. "Lavrov and Kerry," they wrote. "Hope they will be back."

Topics: john kerry, russia, US & World, World

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Malaysia Concludes: 'The Plane Vanished'

Malaysian officials are denying U.S. investigators' report that Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 remained in the air for about four hours after it lost contact.

Hishammuddin Hussein, minister of defense and acting minister of transport, tweeted on Thursday that the situation was unprecedented and squashed claims that Malaysia had slowed its search for the missing Boeing 777.

According to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials believe flight 370 flew for a total of five hours, meaning that the plane, which was carrying 239 people, could have continued traveling for a substantial amount of time under conditions that still remain a mystery.

The international search effort continues nearly one week after Malaysia Airlines flight 370 dropped off the radar and vanished without any warning. Despite seemingly strong leads, the investigation has turned up no clues as to what happened to the jet.

On Wednesday, the story took an odd turn when an oil rig worker stationed off the southeastern coast of Vietnam claimed to have witnessed the crash. In a email sent to his employer, which ABC journalist Bob Woodruff acquired, the man says, "I believe I saw the Malaysian Airlines plane come down. The timing is right."

Vietnamese officials, however, said they found nothing in the water.

Hours later, Chinese State TV reported that it had new satellite images that showed debris from the plane. However, that turned out to be a false lead after a search team combed the area and found nothing.

The map above highlights the search area for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight. Noted on the map is the located of China's satellite images as well as the point at which the plane may have switched directions.

Authorities expanded the search area for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane to 27,000 square miles on Wednesday after the Malaysian military said flight 370 may have changed directions â€" citing a blip on its radar â€" and headed west before disappearing, prompting search teams to look in a whole new direction.

However, Malaysia Air Force Chief Gen. Rodzali Daud backpedalled the next day, saying he regretted his statement. This is partly why Phan Quy Tieu, Vietnam's vice minister of transportation, told reporters on Wednesday that the country was pulling back on its hunt until Malaysia had something solid to go on from here. So far, he said, the information provided is "insufficient." That same day, China pushed Malaysia harder to amp up its search, to which officials responded on Thursday defensively of their efforts.

But while Vietnam is scaling back, Japan and Indonesia are ramping up efforts. Eight members of a Japanese search team arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday to prepare for the arrival of two C-130 transport aircraft of the Air Self-Defense Force and two P-3C patrol planes of the Maritime Self-Defense Force. Indonesian authorities deployed its search mission over the Strait of Malacca as well.

Now, after six days of chasing dead-end leads, authorities remain at square one.

A man is silhouetted against a hazy sky at the viewing gallery in the Kuala Lumpur International Airport where posters and drawings with well wishes for the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner MH370 are displayed, Thursday, March 13, 2014, in Sepang, Malaysia.

Image: Wong Maye-E/Associated Press

Malaysia Airlines flight 370 was at cruising altitude, around 35,000 feet, when it dropped from radar on March 7 with no signal from pilots, which is almost unheard of in the aviation world. Authorities believe it may have disintegrated in mid-flight, but no wreckage has been recovered after a widespread search. It's extremely rare for an aircraft to suddenly vanish, without warning, during cruising altitude, as most airplane accidents occur during takeoff or landing.

This map shows some of the more deadly plane crashes that have occurred as the result of an event that happened during cruising altitude. Click on the plane icons to expand the information. Note that the map is not a complete list.

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Candy Crush Maker's IPO Could Value It At More Than $7 Billion

Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker

Is the maker of Candy Crush Saga worth more than $7 billion? We're about to find out.

King Digital Entertainment, the company behind the hugely popular Candy Crush mobile game, said in an SEC filing Wednesday that it plans to price its IPO at between $21 to $24 a share. At the high-end of that range, King would raise $533 million and be valued at about $7.6 billion.

King filed paperwork to go public in February after months of rumors about a planned IPO. Some have questioned whether King's IPO would suffer the same setbacks as Zynga, another gaming company, as it struggles to replicate the tremendous success of Candy Crush.

"They've only really had one big success. That's Candy Crush," Brian Blau, an analyst with Gartner, told Mashable in an earlier interview about King's IPO. "Clearly that's a lot bigger than their other games. But as we know, as games go, hits go."

King's revenue jumped from $164 million in 2012 to a whopping $1.8 billion in 2013, thanks in large part to Candy Crush, which launched in mid-2012. The game had 93 million daily active users in December and accounted for 78% of the company's overall revenue in the fourth quarter of last year.

The gaming company has been around for more than a decade and does have a number of other games in its catalogue with millions of active players, though none remotely as successful (yet) as Candy Crush Saga.

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Topics: Business, candy crush, Candy Crush Saga, Gaming, Startups

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3 Years After Fukushima, Nuclear Industry Still Recalibrating

The disaster at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant in Japan on March 11, 2011, destroyed tens of thousands of lives and had ripple effects around the world as nations reliant upon or considering nuclear power rethought their plans.

The meltdown of three of the six nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, about 130 miles north of Tokyo, was the worst nuclear disaster since the Chernobyl accident in Ukraine in 1986. The result of a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and associated tsunami waves that reached heights exceeding 100 feet, the disaster demonstrated that nuclear power plant operators may not have anticipated the full range of worst-case scenarios that could beset their facilities.

The tsunami's swift and massive waves crippled the power plant by taking out its power supply and cooling system, with workers resorting to desperate measures to cool the reactors to prevent an even more significant disaster.

Yuko Suzuki, left, and Akemi Watanabe offer prayers for victims of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Minamisoma, Fukushima prefecture, northeastern Japan, Tuesday, March 11 2014.

Image: Koji Sasahara/Associated Press

The damage at the plant was so severe that more than 100,000 residents of the nearby Fukushima Prefecture had to be relocated, and complex cleanup operations at the plant continue.

While the damage was confined to Japan, the waves were detected across the Pacific Ocean, moving at speeds of up to 500 mph.

This map depicts where the tsunami traveled, and what times it reached certain areas, after the Japan earthquake on March 11, 2011, which struck at 2:46 p.m. local time.

In the U.S., the disaster spurred the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which is responsible for overseeing the 100 nuclear power plants operating in the country, to re-assess safety planning and issue some new requirements for plants that are of similar design as Fukushima. Exelon, which is the country's largest nuclear-reactor operator, runs 17 of the commercial reactors. According to a New York Times report, the company expects to spend up to $500 million upgrading its plants based on lessons learned from Fukushima.

“Fukushima woke up the world nuclear industry, not just the U.S.,” the chairwoman of the NRC, Allison M. Macfarlane, told the Times. “It woke everybody up and said: ‘Hey, you didn’t even think about these different issues happening. You never thought about an earthquake that could create a tsunami that would swamp your emergency diesel generators and leave you without power for an extended period. You never planned for more than one reactor going down at a site, you have to think about that now.’ ”

People offer prayers at 2:46 p.m., the time the March 11 earthquake hit three years ago, at Kitaizumi beach in Minamisoma Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, Tuesday, March 11, 2014.

Image: Koji Sasahara/Associated Press

Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey have updated earthquake data for the central and eastern U.S., providing nuclear operators with new information about the earthquake risks their plants face, and the safety standards they should meet. Coastal plants face other risks, such as storm surge flooding from coastal storms such as hurricanes, and the long-term challenge of sea level rise due to global warming.

This map from esri allows you to enter a location and identify three of the nearest U.S. nuclear facilities, as well as seismic risk information. The yellow circles around each location represent a 50-mile radius around each plant.

The timeframe for implementing all of the lessons learned, however, is lengthy, with the NRC and the nuclear industry still debating many potential safety measures, and many decisions remaining.

In the meantime, much of the momentum that the nuclear industry had going into 2011 â€" with several proposals on the table for new power plants â€" was lost with Fukushima, given the associated increase in public concern regarding nuclear safety. In addition, low natural gas prices also undercut nuclear's viability, according to the World Nuclear Association, an industry trade group.

Japan's nuclear plants have been shut down after Fukushima, leading to a spike in the nation's greenhouse gas emissions, as utilities relied more on dirtier forms of energy, like coal and natural gas.

The Japanese government is working to restart their reactors, however, despite public opposition. Before the earthquake and tsunami, nuclear power generated about a quarter of Japan's electricity.

In the wake of the accident, Germany decided to close its oldest nuclear power plants and shutter the remaining reactors by 2022, also leading to repercussions in the country's greenhouse gas emissions trends.

However, research continues in the U.S. on advanced reactor concepts that might be less vulnerable to threats like earthquakes, sea-level rise and severe storms. And nations like China and India, which are trying to expand electricity to keep pace with burgeoning populations and high rates of economic growth, are still looking to nuclear power as an attractive, cleaner energy option.

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The New 'Game of Thrones' Beer, Served With Fire and Blood

Game of Thrones beer (Fire and Blood Red Ale) from Ommegang Brewery and HBO.

Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker

The House Targaryen from HBO's Game of Thrones may be known for dragons and fire and blood, but in beverage form, it would be fruity, spicy and malty. At least, according to Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, N.Y., which is serving up a third round of Game of Thrones-inspired beer ahead of the season four premiere.

The new brew, Fire and Blood Red Ale, comes with three possible labels â€" Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion â€" that reference the dragons belonging to the character Daenerys. The brewery also made Iron Throne Blonde Ale last 2013 and Take the Black Stout last fall.

The ale will be available on March 31, six days before the show returns to HBO on April 6. It will be available nationwide on both draft and in corked 750ML bottles, for about $8.50 each.

Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker

Game of Thrones bottle opener.

Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker

Fire and Blood Red Ale is brewed with pilsner, spelt, rye and other specialty malts, includes Styrian Golding and German Tettnang hops and is spiced with ancho chilies. Aromas include ripe fruit, raisins and slight spice.

A spokesperson for the brewery told Mashable the flavors were specifically chosen to represent key elements of the show.

Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani

“The use of ancho chilies pays homage to the dragons, but the use of rye and spelt wheat links back to the Dothraki people that Daenerys is leading," said Phil Leinhart, brewmaster at Brewery Ommegang. "They are nomads of the plains and these are the grains that would be well at home there."

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

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Inspire Creativity at Work With All Five of Your Senses

The Daily Muse for The Daily Muse 2014-03-08 14:00:59 UTC

You’ve probably heard of the debate about whether open offices or the oh-so-dreaded traditional cubicles are better in the workplace. All these discussions revolve around layout and arrangement, but did you know that ambience is equally (if not more) important for inspiring workplace creativity?

If only the interior designer had known that people working in white offices are more likely to complain of nausea and headaches, or that dim lighting jump starts creative freedom, your office might be a much happier place. In fact, the best offices engage all five senses â€" everything from colors and music to smells and tastes â€" to maximize your productivity and creativity.

Read the infographic below to decode why your office might be holding you back, and discover small things you can do to unleash your team’s creative powers in no time.

This article originally published at The Daily Muse here

Topics: best workplaces, Business, colors, creativity, Jobs, office space, productivity, sense, Sight, Small Business, sound, touch, work environment, Work & Play

The Daily Muse is a Mashable publishing partner that offers career advice for the digital world. This article is reprinted with the publisher's permission.

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Vine Bans Posting Porn and Other News You Need to Know

Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you in the know on what's happening around the world. Today, we're looking at five important stories.

• Crimea is planning a referendum on March 16, but Ukraine's new Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk says the vote won’t be recognized by the “civilized world,” the Voice of America reports.

• Apple’s next update to OS X Mavericks will support 4K displays, 9to5Mac reports.

• After a Newsweek report identifying the man behind Bitcoin, Dorian Prentice Satoshi Nakamoto claims he’s not the creator of the digital currency. In an Associated Press interview, Nakamoto said it plain and clear: “I got nothing to do with it.”

• Samantha Taylor, a former girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius, testified at the trial in which Pistorius is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Taylor said Pistorius once fired his gun through the sunroof of his car after he was reprimanded by police.

• Short video service Vine has introduced new ways to filter the content posted there. It tweaked its terms of service to take a hardline stance against explicit sexual content.

Check out the video above for more on these stories.

Topics: Apps and Software, Bitcoin, crimea, First to Know, Gadgets, Oscar Pistorius, Satoshi Nakamoto, Tech, Vine, World

Image: Mashable

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'Newsweek' Claims Bitcoin Creator Is 64 and Lives With His Mom

A 25 Bitcoin token at a shop in Sandy, Utah, in April 2013.

Image: Rick Bowmer/Associated Press

Some have suggested that Satoshi Nakamoto, the man who developed the idea for Bitcoin, worked for a government agency; others have suggested that "he" was actually a group of people. One researcher posited that Nakamoto was "probably" a blogger named Nick Szabo; another report pointed to a connection between Satoshi and the Dread Pirate Roberts.

Now, Newsweek is reporting that the founder of Bitcoin is actually a 64-year-old man who has been laid off twice and lives with his mom in California. And he drives a Toyota Corolla.

Newsweek's Leah McGrath Goodman claims to have tracked down Satoshi Nakamoto â€" yes, that's apparently his real name â€" after talking with a multiple developers who worked with Nakamoto in the early days of Bitcoin. She also dug into registration cards for U.S. citizens, consulted with forensics analysts and talked with Nakamoto's family, who expressed surprise at the revelations, but seemed to feel it fit his character.

"I could see my dad doing something brilliant and not accepting the greater effect of it," his oldest daughter, Ilene Mitchell, told Newsweek. "Any normal person would be all over it. But he's not totally a normal person."

His family describes Nakamoto as "brilliant," great with computers and math and an "asshole." He worked a number of technical jobs, but was laid off repeatedly in the 1990s and his home was foreclosed. His daughter speculates that may have impacted his view of governments and banking institutions.

Satoshi Nakamoto now lives far away from his six children in Temple City, in the Los Angeles area, with his 93-year old mother. He's estimated to have $400 million worth of Bitcoin wealth, but he hasn't tapped into it, perhaps for fear of being tracked by his transactions.

Since the report was released Thursday morning, some have already questioned the evidence that led to his being IDed. Others, including one of the sources quote in the report, have come out against it.

Either way, the story is a nice coup for Newsweek as it relaunches in print this week under its new owners, IBT Media.

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Comcast Buys Online Ad Platform FreeWheel for $320 Million: Report

Comcast has reportedly reached an agreement to buy online ad platform FreeWheel for $320 million. In this photo from Jan. 9, a Comcast cable truck works in front of a home in Mount Lebanon, Pa.

Image: Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Comcast is reportedly in talks to acquire online advertising platform FreeWheel for around $320 million, as the television cable provider continues to bolster its online assets.

FreeWheel allows online video content creators to serve ads alongside videos, and counts the likes of NBC Universal, Fox and ESPN among its clients. The news was first reported by TechCrunch. Comcast reps could not be reached for comment.

While much smaller than its acquisition of Time Warner Cable, the move would give Comcast a valuable asset as it continues to build out its streaming business. Comcast already offers the X1, a streaming content box, and Streampix, a streaming movie service.

The growth of online video, along with the ads that run before and after those videos, has spurred investment in companies and technology. The move also highlights the arms race between various companies that have not traditionally been competitors. AOL bought Adap.tv, a similar service as FreeWheel, in August for $405 million.

The ability to serve ads online now gives Comcast a just about complete vertical integration from content â€" it owns NBC Universal â€" and now ads that run through Comcast broadband through the company's cable boxes. This is a business position that is almost unrivaled by any other content creator or Internet service provider.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Topics: Advertising, Business, comcast, Media, video advertising

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Tensions Escalate as Russian President Requests Permission to Use Military In Ukraine

Tescalated in Crimea on Saturday as Russian President Vladimir Putin asked his upper house of parliament to approve the use of armed forces in the autonomous republic, heeding the call by its newly appointed prime minister for him to intervene and stoking fears of an Abkhazia scenario, in which Moscow would invade the territory with its troops as it did previously in Georgia.

Putin said the move is needed to protect ethnic Russians and the personnel of a Russian military base in Ukraine's strategic region of Crimea, the Associated Press reported.

Earlier, Ukraine’s defense minister said Russia had already deployed some 6,000 troops to Crimea, on top of the 15,000 permanently stationed at its Black Sea Fleet base in the port city of Sevastopol.

Thousands of armed Russian soldiers in military fatigues, along with several armored personnel vehicles and military helicopters, on Saturday morning blockaded the autonomous republic’s government buildings and locked down two main airports, forcing all flights to be cancelled.

Internet and phone access was also scant after unknown men cut several fiber optic transmission cables of Ukraine’s Ukrtelecom company late on Friday.

At least one main television station was seized, as well as the office of the Crimean Center for Investigative Reporting, and Russian military personnel blocked access to a Ukrainian coast guard base.

Ukraine’s newly appointed government accused Russian armed forces on Friday of mobilizing in Crimea, with Interior Mininster Arsen Avakov calling it an “invasion” and a violation of Ukraine’s sovereign territory.

In a live briefing from the White House pressroom on Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama weighed in, warning Russia that there will be “costs” to military intervention.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk, who’s spent less than a week in the position after a new government was appointed following the ouster of deposed President Viktor Yanukovych and his government, said during a cabinet meeting Saturday that the men armed with automatic rifles were Russian soldiers and blamed Putin for “provoking a confrontation” in violation of an agreement allowing Russia to base its soldiers and Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean city of Sevastopol.

“In the worst-case scenario, responsibility for a confrontation will lie exclusively with the Russian side and on the leadership of the country personally,” Yatseniuk said. “We demand that the Russian government and authorities recall their troops and return to their places of deployment. Stop provoking civil and military confrontation in Ukraine.”

But Crimea’s new Prime Minister Sergei Aksenov, declaring that he had sole control over the Crimean military and police, pleaded from more to come.

“I ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to help keep peace and calm on the territory of the Republic of Crimea,” Aksenov said in a statement broadcast on Russian state television. He added that he had seized control of all Ukrainian military and police forces in Crimea and ordered dissenters within the units to quit their posts.

“All commanders are to fulfill only my orders and commands. I ask those who disagree to leave the service,” said Aksenov, who heads Crimea’s main pro-Russia party, which received just 4 percent of the vote in 2010 elections.

Aksenov was appointed to his new post by lawmakers in the Crimean parliament on Thursday who were watched by heavily armed soldiers nearby during the voting. The parliament also voted to hold a referendum on further autonomy from Ukraine on May 25, the same day new Ukrainian presidential elections are slated to be held. On Saturday, that referendum was moved to March 30, Aksenov said during a special session of Crimea’s parliament.

The Russian presidential administration responded quickly to Aksenov’s appeal on Saturday, saying it “would not go without attention,” state news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing an official statement.

Shortly after, Russia’s foreign ministry claimed in a statement that “unidentified armed men” from Kiev attempted to seize Crimea’s interior ministry early Saturday morning, but were repelled by “self-defense” units it says are keeping the peace there. The statement mentioned that there were injured “victims” as a result of the clashes, but did not specify the number or type of injuries.

Russian foreign ministry said the alleged incident “confirms the desire of well-known political circles in Kiev to destabilize the situation on the peninsula.

“We call on everyone who gives similar orders from Kiev to [show] restraint. We consider further incitement of the already tense situation in Crimea extremely irresponsible,” it continued.

Vladimir Krashevsky, a top police official in Simferopol, refuted the Russian foreign ministry’s report of any such attack on the interior ministry building during an impromptu press conference Saturday.

"There was no attack here and there won't be one," he said.

But it seemed to be enough for Putin, who asked his parliament for permission to send more Russian troops to the peninsula.

Crimea long volatile

Crimea has been an historically volatile region since Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred the territory from Russia to Ukraine in 1954.

With an ethnic Russian population of about 58 percent, Crimea’s cultural links with Russia have been very strong. About 24 percent of the population is comprised of Ukrainians, while about 12 percent of its inhabitants are ethnic Tatar who began returning to their homeland of Crimea in the late 1980s after being expelled by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin following World War II.

A poll released last week by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation found that some 42 percent of Crimea residents would prefer Ukraine to unite with Russia.

Separatist sentiment grows

As the situation in Crimea intensified, the separatist sentiment there seemed to spread to regions in Ukraine’s east, near its border with Russia.

In Donetsk, more than 7,000 people gathered on central Lenin Square, during which there was talk of secession and a “resistance governor” was appointed.

Similar rallies were held in Dnipropetrovsk and Nikolev. In Kharkiv, pro-Russian demonstrators clashed with pro-European ones, taking over the regional government administration building and replacing the blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag with the red-white-and-blue Russian flag at the building’s entrance.

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