Topic: Twitter Inc.

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Facebook IPO: Six key dates in its debacle

Facebook's first week as a publicly traded company will go down as a terribly botched corporate launch, perhaps one of the worst in recent history for such a highly visible entity. Eight days ago, it was the tech world's most highly anticipated initial public offering in eight years. Now, the social media company faces mounting legal woes and serves as an embarrassing example of how not to run an IPO. Despite rising insider pessimism about its growth prospects, Facebook kept boosting its asking price and the number of shares it would sell. The result: billions of dollars in losses; investigations by two congressional committees, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), an industry watchdog, and the state of Massachusetts; at least 13 class-action lawsuits; and thousands of resentful shareholders who days later still were unsure how many Facebook shares they had or at what price. Here are six key dates in Facebook's unfolding IPO disaster.
Maurice Sendak: 10 tweets about the 'Wild' author and illustrator

Children's author Maurice Sendak, creator of the darkly mischievous children's classic, "Where the Wild Things Are," has died at age 83. Mourning the loss of the beloved writer and illustrator, fans of his work took to Twitter to pay tribute to one of the most important children’s book writers of the 20th century. Take a look at some of the top tweets from the worlds of literature, film and beyond that celebrate the life Maurice Sendak.
Battle for women's votes: 6 flash points

The uproar over the Obama campaign’s 'Life of Julia' Web infographic – which made #Julia big on Twitter – highlights just how fiercely both parties are fighting for the women’s vote. The economy is by far the most important issue in November for both sexes. But there are other areas with special significance to women. Here are the main flash points.
Briefing
Five things to know about Freedom House's latest global rankings

A look at the 2012 Freedom House ranking of 197 countries according to their relative freedom.
21 nonfiction books to watch for in spring 2012

This early harvest of spring 2012 titles looks promising.

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Gingrich exits race, endorses Romney

The former speaker's campaign was idiosyncratic but attached
SpaceX software hangup delays first private launch to space station

SpaceX has announced that it is delaying its scheduled May 7 launch of the first launch of a commercial rocket to the International Space Station so that they can continue to test the software for the space capsule's docking mechanism.
Black hole emits humongous energy burst (+video)

An unusual brightness, documented by NASA's Chandra telescope appears to be coming from a black hole.
Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng: What we know now

Activist lawyer Chen Guangcheng left the US Embassy in Beijing on Wednesday of his own volition, US and Chinese officials said, but reports quickly surfaced that he changed his mind.
Briefing
Five things to know about Freedom House's latest global rankings

A look at the 2012 Freedom House ranking of 197 countries according to their relative freedom.
Color-changing artificial muscles make the wearer disappear

Artificial muscles can make the wearer disappear, according to new research. Scientists have mimicked the processes used by zebrafish to create these visual effects.
Spotify releases iPad app. Was it worth the wait?

Spotify, the popular music streaming service, releases its highly-anticipated iPad app. Does it live up to the hype?
Occupy movement seeks new recruits. In New York, it found some. (+video)

A new generation of activists skips school, flocks to Wall Street to join May Day Occupy protests. On their minds? student loans, reining in corporations, and being part of something that could matter.
Chinese activist pressured to leave US embassy, says friend (+video)

To protect his family, the blind legal activist agreed to leave the safety of the US embassy and stay in China, a trusted friend of Chen Guangcheng told the Monitor.
Jessica Simpson baby arrives, finally

Jessica Simpson baby arrives, signalling the end of the nine-month baby watch that has predictably captivated the entertainment and gossip industry. Simpson's baby, a girl, was born this morning, according to the pop star's publicist.
Some dinosaurs were declining before asteroid struck, say scientists (+video)

By the time that giant meteor collided with our planet at the end of the Cretaceous, some dinosaur species were already heading toward extinction, new research indicates.
Supermoon Saturday: Biggest moon of the year (+video)

Supermoon 2012 comes on May 5. The 'supermoon' is when a full moon coincides with the moon's closest approach to Earth. The supermoon will be 16 percent brighter than a normal full moon.
Blind Chinese activist makes dramatic escape from house arrest

Chen Guangcheng is now sheltering in the US embassy.
SpaceX test fires rocket bound for space station

A week ahead of what is touted as being the first attempt by a private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, SpaceX test fired their Falcon 9 rocket.
How a bizarre ocean current could create coral refuges (+video)

Warming in the Pacific could lead to new currents that create islands of refuge for corals, new research suggests.
Baby names concierge: hospital creates app for undecided parents

Baby names can be tough for prospective parents--do I want to be trendy? Classic? Unique? One Kentucky hospital aims to help undecided parents decide, with a handy mobile naming app and online generator that even simulates potential baby blankets.
Obama 2012 campaign debuts new slogan in video

The Obama campaign revealed its "Forward" slogan in a new seven-minute video. Will this Obama campaign slogan have staying power?
China's Bo Xilai affair: where the case stands

Much about the stunning fall of politician Bo Xilai remains unknown. But the case has fueled Internet rumors and roiled the political waters in China.
Space Shuttle Enterprise flyover wows New Yorkers (+video)

Perched atop a modified 747 jumbo jet, the Space Shuttle Enterprise greeted the Big Apple by zooming past the Statue of Liberty and flying along the Hudson River.
A lesson on leadership from Africa

The guilty verdict against Charles Taylor, former president of Liberia, is more than a victory for justice. It is a lesson for Africans and other about no holding up 'great leaders' as saviors. Great ideas are better than great people.
Judge wants answers about $200,000 'Real George Zimmerman' defense fund

George Zimmerman, charged with second-degree murder in the Trayvon Martin shooting, received a $150,000 bond after his family claimed meager means. What the court wasn't told was that Zimmerman had $204,000 in a PayPal account.
Obama slow jam on 'Fallon' just a taste of 'epic' social media war ahead

President Obama's slow jam on 'Jimmy Fallon' shows how candidates will try to become part of clips that will be passed around on social media. A huge social media effort by MoveOn.org also shows how Election 2012 may play out online.
Mars lava unlocks the red planet's secrets (+video)

The first lava ever seen in an extraterrestrial environment was spotted recently by scientists. It indicates that Mars was shaped by volcanic activity.
Fungus kills frogs by dehydration

Research shows that the chytrid fungus, which has drastically reduced global frog populations, kills by disrupting the amphibians' electrolyte balance.
Backchannels
Adel Imam, Egypt's favorite funnyman, dodges a bullet

Adel Imam, arguably Egypt and the Arab world's most famous comedic actor, had his conviction for 'insulting Islam' overturned today. But another was upheld earlier this week.