What's Everyone Recommending on Facebook?

What are Burke residents reading on Facebook? Here is a list of the top stories.

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Sen. Tim Kaine Launches Official Facebook and Twitter Accounts

Social media will help him stay in touch with constituents.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine launched his official Senate office Twitter and Facebook accounts Monday. The accounts will provide constituents with updates on Kaine’s daily activities in the Senate, travels across Virginia, information on agency assistance and constituent service updates, according to a news release from his office. “I’m excited to reach out to Virginians through Facebook and Twitter to show them what I’m working on in Washington and across the Commonwealth,” said Kaine. “I hope they don’t hesitate to communicate with my office through social media to share their opinions on issues, seek assistance with federal agencies, and give any advice they have for me in the Senate.”  The Senate office Twitter account is @SenKaineOffice and …

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Tackling Technology

Don't Spread Internet Germs

As the flu season begins in the 'real world', do your part to not spread internet 'germs' in the online world

How many of these posts have you seen on your Facebook wall? Did you know that all of these are either false or misguided readings of the facts? How many have you shared yourself? I will confess that in reading through dozens of posts of my Facebook wall or in a crowded newsfeed on my Twitter account that I have hit 'like', 'share' or 'retweet' on something that was probably too shocking, too unbelievable or too easy to be true. Tale as old as time  None of this is new, people have shared gossip and rumors face-to-face, by telephone, over radio call-in shows, via regular mail, via email, via graffiti and who knows, probably by telegraph, carrier pigeon and message in a bottle. Before Facebook posts there was chain mail, and after that …

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Tech Connects Us in the Midst of the Storm

While we prepared, rode through and assessed the damage, technology informed us, entertained us and connected us to friends and family.

The oft-repeated advice in news reports, conversations with family and on-line in the lead up to the storm was to charge your cell phones. The new twist this year was the addition of instructions on how to use Twitter via text messaging (SMS). The Wall Street Journal included it in a list of storm-related apps and advice. Twitter shared its own list of who to follow for emergency updates (as did Patch in Northern Virginia). For complete Hurricane Sandy coverage from Patch, click on the news tab above and then click on the Hurricane Sandy section.  The American Red Cross encourages us to post that we are Safe and Well in areas that may be cut off from reliable information in situations when disasters lead to mass displacements of people. …

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Tackling Technology

Job Hunting in the Social Media Age

In the age of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn some tips on finding, connecting and getting a new job.

The growth of social media has changed how we shape our careers, and can present problems if you're not careful. If you think of social media as a method of connecting online with people far and wide that is archived for posterity, it should help you understand how that can enhance your career options and how negative information can work against you. This doesn't mean that you can't be yourself. Just remember that the Internet is not your personal diary and sometimes your inner monologue might need a filter. Remember the "social" in social media. People want to work with sociable people who are able to communicate clearly, seem likeable, have interesting things to say and who don't offend their sensibilities. If you are taking to these …

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Tech Trends

Technology for Enjoying the Summer Olympics

Tools for keeping current with your Olympic favorites.

Swimming, track and field, and gymnastics are classic Summer Olympic events. Who knew canoe and kayak, handball, and trampoline are as well? Beyond their playing surfaces, what is the difference between volleyball and beach volleyball? We’re about to find out, when the London Games begin on Friday, July 27 and end Sunday, August 12. The primary website, www.london2012.com, is the place to bookmark. Olympic Movement, NBC, ESPN and of course the BBC offer more content than you can consume. Summer Olympics assures variety with over 30 individual sports and glimpses into the preparation and endurance of the athletes who compete for their countries. 2012 marks the first fully digital Olympic games. Your SmartPhone and Tablet will let you see …

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Robinson Grad Awarded Prestigious Fellowship

Noor Siddiqui selected a 20 Under 20 Thiel Fellow.

A Robinson Secondary School graduate is postponing college to participate in a fellowship in which she will receive $100,000 over a two-year period to help the developing world. “I was excited by this unique opportunity; that I would be able to do a lot of things I wouldn’t be able to do in college,” said Noor Siddiqui, an 18-year-old from Clifton. The Thiel Fellowship was founded in 2010 by venture capitalist Peter Thiel, whose notable investments include PayPal and Facebook.  The fellowship awards 20 people under 20 years old cash grants of $100,000 to further their innovative scientific and technical ideas.  "With $100,000 and 2 years free to pursue their dreams, Thiel Fellows are changing the world one entrepreneurial venture at a time…

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Tackling Technology

Nature Versus Technology

The Derecho of 2012 has given us insight into our relationship with technology.

A snapshot of summer 2012 so far: Tyson's Corner is filled with laptopped exiles basking in air conditioning, power outlets and WiFi. People drive around tree-riddled neighbhorhoods getting a dose of cool air and charging their phones before discovering that open gas stations are a little more far flung then expected. Friends with power and internet access become ports in the storm. I was one of the lucky ones, our power flickered but it returned. Our FiOS phones and local TV channels went out and cell phone signal was down to a single bar of non-3G coverage. It was strange to have great internet signal while no phone service. I was very thankful and cognizant that others had suffered damage to their house, lost power and were suffering in…

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Tech Trends

Upset In Search Engine Rankings

Google, Bing and Yahoo OR Google, Yahoo and Bing?

I’ve not only accepted it; I’ve embraced it. Where do I go when I want to find the answer to a random question?  My virtual speed dial is set to Google as my homepage and the connecting source for many of my social networks.  And then there’s my other virtual speed dial source for all that’s social, Facebook.  This Friday, May 18, is Facebook’s initial public offering (IPO). I’m hardly alone in my choices of “go to” sites for search and social. Now what if there was one place that excelled at both? Google I was entranced by its simplicity from the first time I saw the clean page with an empty search box and one button for “I’m feeling lucky” and one for “Google Search.” The colorful, basic lettering “Google” encouraged me to dive in and …

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