By Cynthia Herbert :: 3:01 AM
TechCrunch is reporting that the former head of Google’s China division, Kaifu Lee, has been banned from two Twitter-like microblogging services in the Communist country, Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo.
Through an announcement posted on Twitter yesterday, Lee told followers that his ban prevents him from posting on either Weibo platform for three days. His translated Tweet reads, “Sina Tencent be silenced for three days, we came here I can.”
Lee’s account is one of the most followed on Sina Weibo, with more than 30 million followers. He did not disclose the exact reason behind the ban, but many close observers believe it may be due to recent remarks he has made about Chinese search engine Jike. Lee had recently criticized the company for spending issues, and laying off employees.
Since leaving Google, Lee has headed up a startup incubator called Innovation Works, in Beijing.
[Additional information: TechCrunch]
By Cynthia Herbert :: 10:12 PM
News reports are still coming in, but it looks like confirmation has been made to at least two major outlets – country music singer Mindy McCready is dead at age 37.
The singer, who recorded five studio albums
Last month, McCready’s boyfriend, record producer David Wilson, died at the age of 34, also of an apparent suicide. However, the sheriff’s office overseeing Wilson’s death has not yet closed the investigation.
McCready checked into a rehabilitation facility two weeks ago, after her father went to a local judge claiming that she was sleeping all day, drinking alcohol excessively, and abusing prescription drugs.
She leaves behind two children, Zander, 6, and Zayne, 9-months-old. Neither child was in McCready’s house at the time of her death.
By Gilbert Falso :: 9:44 PM
The annual dance marathon at Penn State University organized by students in the University’s Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic organization raised $12,374,034.46 this year.
Known simply as “THON,” this year’s total raised has broken a new record, beating last year’s total of $10.69 million by nearly $2 million.
Run for 41 years, THON is the largest student-run philanthropy effort in the world, and has raised more than $100 million for the Four Diamonds Fund, which supports pediatric cancer research.
Over 700 dancers gathered in the University’s Bryce Jordan Center for 46 hours between Friday and Sunday, and did not sit, sleep or stop dancing for the entire time.
By Cynthia Herbert :: 1:01 PM
Nintendo’s next generation console, the Wii U
To put that number in perspective, sales of Microsoft’s console
Trouble with Wii U sales are negatively affecting Nintendo’s earnings for the reporting period that ended on December 31. The company said that it has only sold about 3 million Wii U’s since introducing it in November. The company is hoping that new games in the lineup, including a new one in the popular Legend of Zelda franchise, would help create some momentum for the Wii U.
By Paul Thomson :: 5:31 PM
Tonight is the season finale for the third season of the popular PBS show Downton Abbey. If you’re not caught up with all of the episodes, there’s still time to squeeze a few more in and get ready to watch things wrap up for this installment.
If you’re looking for Season 3 episodes you’ve missed, Amazon has them on streaming video
Tonight’s episode, the seventh and last of the season, will feature the Crawleys heading off to a Scottish hunting lodge, while the downstairs staff remains behind at Downton Abbey. New romances will flare up, and a crisis, too. It will air at 9:00 PM, 8:00 in the Central time zone, and last two hours.
PBS is encouraging fans to Tweet pictures of their finale watching parties using the hashtag #DowntonPBS.