Facebook Releases New Sports Feature To Trouble Twitter

Twitter has a good reputation when it comes to live events (especially sports), and Facebook is making an attempt to hurt the micro-blogging firm on this front. The social networking giant announced a new feature called Sports Stadium, which aims to challenge Twitter on its key strength.

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Facebook, which made this announcement just in time for the Super Bowl, informed users that the feature will allow them to trade talk with fellow fans and track live commentary from experts and journalists in addition to live scores, stats and updates.

In a blog post, Facebook said, "You can follow the action as the game unfolds with a live play-by-play, and even like, comment on and share individual plays. You can also get up to speed quickly with live scores and the most discussed plays."

Facebook's new sports feature will kick off with the NFL this weekend for the AFC and NFC championship games. The new feature will also cover other sports around the world, such as basketball and soccer, the company said. Facebook's sports service will get its game data from Sportradar, but for the launch, it has not partnered with any content providers.

Facebook vs. Twitter in sports

Facebook's new feature follows the rollout of Moments from Twitter this past fall. This feature aggregates tweets, photos and videos from sports matches and also from news events. Real-time event tracking is a niche area in whichTwitter still holds an advantage over Facebook.

However, Facebook's new feature could be very scary for the micro-blogging firm owing to Facebook's huge size: 1.5 billion monthly active users, of which 650 million are sports fans. By comparison, Twitter just has 320 million monthly active users.

"Sports is a global interest that connects people around the world. This product makes connecting over sports more fun and engaging, and we will continue listening to feedback to make it even better," Facebook's product manager, Steve Kafka, said.

The service will be available to iPhone users this weekend, and in the coming weeks it will be rolled out to Android phones and desktop computers as well.

On Thursday, Twitter shares closed up 2.53% at $17.82. Year to date, the stock is down by almost 23%, while in the last year, it is down by over 52%.

Source: Facebook Releases New Sports Feature To Trouble Twitter

Awards to recognize top bloggers in the country

The Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) has today launched the 2016 Kenyan Blog Awards.

Now in its fifth year, the awards will see bloggers and their fans submit blogs on the Kenyan Blog Awards website (www.blogawards.co.ke/submit/) between January 8th, 2016 to February 10th, 2016 in 18 different categories. Judges will then select the best 5 blogs from each category to proceed to the voting phase.The categories are:

*Best Technology blog

*Best Photography blog

*Best Creative Writing blog

*Best Business blog

*Best Food blog

*Best Environmental/Agriculture blog

*Best Fashion/Beauty/Hair/Style blog

*Best Political blog

*Best New Blog

*Best Corporate blog

*Best Topical blog

*Best Sports blog

*Best Lifestyle\Entertainment blog

*Best Education blog

*Best Travel blog

*Best Health blog

*Best County blog

*Best Religious or Spirituality blog and Kenyan Blog of the Year.The awards are a mechanism that award exceptional Kenyan bloggers that publish great and useful content online."We are very glad indeed to be introducing this edition of the awards this year. Through this competition we look forward to receiving more than double of the blog entries we received last year. This is a significant milestone not only for the association but also for the growth and development of the blog space in the country," noted Kennedy Kachwanya, Chairperson, Bloggers Association of Kenya.He added: "This year, we have also introduced one other category – Best Religious or Spirituality blog. We hope to see more young and upcoming bloggers and organizations participating in the competition."The timeline for this year's awards is as follows:

• Submission phase – January 8th, 2016 – February 10th, 2016

• Judging phase – February 11th, 2016 – February 28th, 2016

• Voting phase – March 2nd, 2016 – April 30th, 2016

• Winners announcement – May 7th, 2016In 2015, the awards attracted over 1800 blog entries and over 150,000 votes were recorded. Past winners of the Kenyan Blog Awards include:

Mutua Matheka (mutuamatheka.co.ke), Silvia Njoki (silvianjoki.com), Wambui Waithaka (wambuiwaithaka.com), Sharon Mundia (thisisess.com), Jackson Biko (bikozulu.co.ke), Sam Wakoba (techmoran.com), Dennis Machio (michezoafrica.com) and Limo Taboi (bankelele.co.ke).

According to a 2015 report on The State of Blogging and Social Media in Kenya 2015, there are over 15,000 registered blogs in the country with 3000 being active and registered blogs that run on WordPress, Blogger and Tumblr platforms.

Source: Awards to recognize top bloggers in the country

Intro to #Blogging Class Starts 2/25 at #College of DuPage

Intro to Blogging Class Starts 2/25 at College of DuPage | AutoTraffic Intro to Blogging Class Starts 2/25 at College of DuPage If you have ever wanted to venture into the exciting world of blogging, but didn't know where to start, this is the course for you. WordPress is the world's leading blogging tool, offers tremendous flexibility and ease of use. And it's free! read more

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Fashion design, blogging, forecasting

By: arts writer

Arts Writer

AYANDA'S Fashion House is one of [ED]'s newest locally produced shows.

It airs every Monday at 6.55pm on DStv Channel 190 and GOtv channel 65.

The production follows an aspirant young fashion designer's journey to make it in the industry. The series, which premiered on January 18, offers a glimpse into this always creative and sometimes quirky industry.

Ayanda's Fashion House is part of a series of entrepreneurial concept shows pioneered by [ED] in line with their vision of engaging and inspiring young people.

Within each series a specific industry is explored by a young entrepreneur who is themselves trying to break into that industry.

Ayanda's Fashion House is hosted by a trendy presenter who is also an emerging fashion designer – Ayanda Nhlapo.

Each episode of the 13-part series will focus on a different aspect of the industry, from the actual fashion design, to blogging, trend forecasting and fashion shows.

Guests will include a number of industry greats, such as Gert Johan Coetzee, Lucilla Booyzen, Dion Chang, Trevor Stuurman, Felipe Mazibuko and Joelle Kayembe.

[ED] is managed by Urban Brew Studios, and their CEO Trish Taylor says viewers are invited to embark on the journey together with Ayanda.

"They're invited to sit in on her conversations with industry experts, they're invited to boost their business savvy together with her and they're invited to share in all the insider tips that she gleans. The show not only equips other aspirant designers, but will inspire them too."

l www.190ed.com, or follow on Twitter: @190ED, Faceboook: ED DSTV 190, IG: @ED_DSTV 190_GOTV65 or Official hashtag: #EDAFH

Source: Fashion design, blogging, forecasting

Let Your Message Fly on a Platform You Don't Own

Let Your Message Fly on a Platform You Don't Own In the past year, the blogging platform Medium has become increasingly important as a way to distribute ideas without filtration. That growth, particularly in the political sector, highlights the need to think beyond your own website when it comes to ... read moreYour Time is Now! 19 Ways To Answer Your Calling This Year Do you have a message or mission ... because I've done it. Your ministry can be based on your own internal or external transformation. 12. Learn something new and share about your missteps. Along those lines, you don't have to wait until your ... read more

Helicopter parents need to back off, empower kids to fly on their own Don't misunderstand that phrase ... "Confessions of a Slacker Mom." Let your baby learn to fall asleep on his or her own, says South Orange dad Cornelius Bradley. "You may have to endure a few nights of crying, but being able to put yourself to sleep ... read moreYou Can't Use A Drone To Film Yourself Skiing But These Ex-Googlers Will Do It For You You can't use a drone to film yourself skiing but these ex-Googlers will do it for you http://www.fastcompany.com/3055609/you-cant-use-your ... let me approach. That left me feeling Cape takes its safety responsibilities quite seriously, even when they don ... read morePro tip: Create your own Bundles in Google Inbox But did you know that you can create your own Bundles? That's right, no matter what platform you are working on (desktop or mobile), you can create your own bundles in Inbox. Let me show you ... Inbox under control. But don't think you're limited to ... read moreA Special Message From Rams And Chargers Fans Let's get on with it ... year we went 1-15 and this is what I get. Fuck you. Just cause our city didn't want to pay for all of your stadium in the place you wanted fuck you. I hate you. I don't even want to watch sports anymore so fuck you. read moreOh, to be the proverbial fly on the wall (in the Oval) He had everyone spellbound by his message ... own speech writers. Some don't take too kindly to drafts and, if they do get a typed document, tend to throw it away or discard it the moment they connect with the audience. I am reliably told by a fly ... read moreSocial media marketing strategy tips Used correctly social media marketing can give you a platform for brand awareness, exposure, networking, and a huge boost in traffic & sales. The problem is, most people don't ... own an ecommerce gardening site, offer gardening tips. Whatever your message ... read more50 Hilarious Ways To Annoy The Sh*t Out Of Your Girlfriend Send her creepy messages ... Don't talk for a while. Just sit and stare at the distance in silence. Then look at her and say, "So, what's up?" 42. When she asks you to take a picture of her with her BFFs, switch to the front camera and click your ... read moreI Can Wash Your Feet, but Don't Ask Me to Turn Off My Smartphone I don't fear man ... but in humility let each esteem the other better than himself. Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil 2: 3-4). If you know him at all, you know he delivers a message of financial ... read more

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Brothers' road trip calls for van, Spam, blogging

The idea, like many ideas often do, emerged out of a long talk over beer in 2014.

Justin Fricke and his girlfriend had talked about a cross-country yearlong road trip. But after she broke up with him, Justin sat at Happy Hour, drinking two-for-ones with his younger brother, Adam, to commiserate.

Why couldn't the brothers go on the trip together instead?

They left Jan. 2. Adam, 23, had graduated from UCF less than a month earlier with a communications degree, and Justin, 25, quit his $35,000-a year job at a bank.

"It wasn't what I loved doing. I didn't pop out of bed excited to go to work every day," said Justin Fricke, who received his communications degree from UCF in 2012. "Who knows if we're going to climb back and land a job as quick as we want? Once I figured that was the fear talking to me, I was able to push it aside."

The two brothers have cooked Spam and eggs for breakfast on the propane stove inside a van they usually park overnight at a Walmart. They go days without showering.

But they also feel free — to rock climb, to surf the Atlantic Ocean, to make friends with strangers on the ferry in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and to take photographs of their adventures without ever going into an office and sitting behind a desk for eight hours.

The idea of someone going on a journey to escape corporate America and find himself wasn't born from this generation, said Amanda Anthony, an assistant sociology professor at UCF.

But for millennials, what makes them unique is how they use social media to share their adventures in real time.

"It's a combination of getting away while staying connected," Anthony said.

On their daily blog, the Frickes write stories and post photographs and YouTube videos of their adventures. They plan to drive across the country for the next year in their van.

"The road is long and winding but the future looks bright …or maybe that's just the sun setting on the horizon. Either way, it's pretty," Justin Fricke wrote.

They explore new cities, searching for parking lots to rest overnight and tapping into free Wi-Fi from nearby hotels.

They aim to visit every state and to see the country's beauty — the mountains, the oceans ripe for surfing, the desert states. They hope their digital and storytelling skills will lead to future employment down the road.

The brothers who grew up in Winter Springs use Twitter and Instagram to connect with corporate sponsors for the trip. It won them, among on other things, a solar panel for their van and money that was "enough to keep gas in the tank and food in our bellies," Justin Fricke said, adding they also saved several thousand dollars in two years to finance the trip.

They souped up a 2008 Dodge Sprinter van, installing a mattress as comfortable as the ones at sleep away camp, a pump sink, a pop-up table and a propane stove to cook their Ramen Noodles and Spam and eggs.

They acknowledge the space can be tight and perhaps can sometimes feel tighter because they are so different. Justin is more reserved; Adam is the free bird.

Like any mother, Annette Fricke worries if her sons are safe.

But she also knows people often talk about their dreams of traveling. Then life happens, and too often, the dreamers become sidetracked and their plans to see the world die quietly.

"This is the perfect time," she said. "They are young and adventurous."

Follow the brothers' blog at http://brod-trip.com/ grusson@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5470.

Source: Brothers' road trip calls for van, Spam, blogging

Dem Deb #Blogging #4

Dem Deb Blogging #4 10:25 PM: Interesting response from Clinton here about the "red line" and chemical weapons. This would be an obvious place for her to distance herself from Obama and from all accounts she was more hawkish on Syria than Obama. And yet she's making a very ... read moreFactCheck: is the BBC picking on Ukip? Nigel Farage has accused the BBC of being biased against his party after he was asked about recent scandals involving Ukip general election candidates on Radio 4's Today programme ... Last year Labour suspended Deborah Hopkins, who was due to stand ... read more

Fox News hosts birther Mark Williams to promote "how you can join" anti-Dem Tea Party Express In his blog ... 4 and a half inches thick. More than a thousand pages written in some bizarre language that nobody can understand -- not even the president. So it all kind of comes together there. And this is very important. We at the Tea Party Express ... read moreSignalling a left turn, or just pandering? Nick Clegg blames the Labour government for not spending enough A remarkably thorough study, by Simon Burgess, Deborah Wilson and Jack Worth at Bristol University ... the percentage of students achieving at least five good GCSE passes, falls by 3.4 percentage points per school, or 0.24 of a standard deviation. read moreLabour party conference live - Monday 27 September 3.09pm: Deborah Mattinson ... the Tory-Lib Dem plans will make it harder and more painful to reduce the deficit." The IMF is saying exactly the opposite. Larry Elliott has more on the IMF report here. 4.31pm: The Labour conference has now finished for ... read moreTop of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #446 Don't forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging ... 1983 all over again. 4. Why Nick Tyrone is wrong about First past the Post ... read moreDem McGinty raises nearly $1 million for Senate run He had $2.4 million in his campaign fund at the end of September (though around $600,000 of that amount is only available for the general election, not the primary). Sestak has not yet reported his fund-raising from October through December. Political ... read moreWATCH LIVE: Final Dem debate before first primary vote in Iowa "13 hours" came in at No. 4 on its opening weekend with less than $20 ... The British legislature lacks the power to ban foreign citizens. WATCH LIVE: Final Dem debate... Watch live as Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O'Malley face... read moreThe Bald Eagles Are Increasing in Numbers They can reach up to 4.1 kilos in weight. Therefore ... station as well as the chance of meeting her favorite artists. In 2013, Deborah took things forward by starting her own blog and contributing to various news related websites. Currently, she covers ... read moreThis weekend on TV: NFL playoffs continue, and a couple of new series on Showtime 4): Ken goes for his physical when Allison learns he hasn't had one in years. • "Hawaii Five-0" (8 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): McGarrett's Aunt Deb (Carol Burnett) visits Oahu on a very personal mission. • "Shark Tank" (8 p.m., ABC/Ch. 4): Twitter investor Chris ... read more

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