1. Death & Taxes, Two Wrongs Make a Right

    Death and Taxes has been described as a publication that covers “the burgeoning punk rock, hardcore, emo and indie music scenes, bringing you true independent music,” but I think they’re more than that.

    They also cover politics and pop-culture stories that Generation Y is genuinely interested in. From Jay-Z’s take on President Obama’s support for gay marriage, to reviews of the new ass-steering Segway, to a video of a bird doing the Dougie, you’re sure to find some interesting headlines here. 

    As taste-makers in indie music, news and politics, you won’t want to miss out on this feed! You can find Death and Taxes in the Weekly Best or under the Entertainment category. Go Flud something interesting! 

  2. Flud News Roundup, May 26-29

    If today was your first reality check since the Memorial Day weekend festivities began, you may need help getting up-to-date on your news. Here’s a recap of what happened while you were eating hot dogs and sunning yourself.

    Weird news: Flesh-eating humans are something that we normally associate with the ever-looming Zombie Apocalypse, but this past Saturday it became a real-life horror story. Rudy Eugene, a 31-year-old man, was found nude on Miami’s MacArthur Causeway mauling another nude man’s face — “eating it by the handful” witnesses say. After several attempts to stop the crazed man’s rampage, Miami police shot Eugene to death. His cannibal state is thought  to have been the result of recreational drug use.  The victim, identified as 65-year-old Ronald Poppo, is in critical condition. For more coverage on this horrific story:

    Auction block: We’ve seen a lot of celebrity memorabilia go to auction lately — Babe Ruth’s first NY Yankees jersey and Bill Gates’ Porsche, to name a few — but today, you can buy a tomb previously occupied by Elvis Presley. Bidding starts at $100,000 for The King’s resting place. Also up for bidding is a spare John Lennon suit from “A Hard Day’s Night,” estimated to be worth between $4,000 and $6,000, as well as the robe that Amy Winehouse wore in the video for “Rehab,” which has an estimated worth of between $15,000 and $17,000.

    On Wall Street: Facebook stock dropped again today — dipping to under $30 per share and closing at $28.84, an all-time low and a 24% drop from its initial public offering price of $38 on May 18. Forbes asks if Zuckerberg should apologize for the disappointing turnout. Do you think he’s to blame?

    In other news:

    • CNN: Obama gives waivers to 8 states on No Child Left Behind 
    • Boston Globe: Egypt Islamist candidate vows break with old ways
    • Wall Street Journal: Sophisticated Virus Hits Iranian Computers
    image source: sheknows.com

  3. Flud News Roundup, May 25

    There’s an app for that: Facebook launched it’s photo-sharing app, Facebook Camera, and the reviews are mixed, at best. It’s definitely not the quality, but rather the massive social network behind it, that is reaping praises. The app’s creative lens filters falter compared to Instagram’s, despite the fact that Facebook now owns their dev team, but ease of sharing seems to override the technical inefficiencies — at least for now. Have you tried Facebook Camera yet? We’d love to know your first impressions before you’re tainted by the tech snobs at TechCrunch, Mashable and AllThingsD.

    Out of this world: History was made today when SpaceX, a private company controlled by billionaire Elon Musk, docked a supply capsule to the International Space Station — marking the first time a business enterprise delivered supplies to the space station. Due to lack of funds, NASA space exploration has almost come to a complete halt in the last few years, opening the possibility of routine spaceflight to interested commercial companies.

    Life-changing news: Five years ago, Steven Crecelius, a man married for 25 years who had six kids, went to the hospital for kidney stones and left with an unexpected piece of information — he is actually intersexual, born with a mix of anatomical sex traits. Steven, who now goes by Stevie, is still married to her wife Debbie and is supported by their gang of children.

    In other news:

  4. Flud News Roundup, May 23-24

    With all the excitement going on at Flud HQ yesterday surrounding our all new web app, we didn’t get a chance to give you your daily news roundup. To make up for it, here are top news stories from the past two days —

    Unsolved mystery: 6-year-old Etan Patz went missing 33 years ago in New York City. He seemingly disappeared without a trace on his way to school one day, creating one of the nation’s most baffling missing-children cases ever and leading Patz to be one of the first missing-children to ever be pictured on a milk carton. Although more than a quarter-century has passed, the case has recently resurfaced — Pedro Hernandez, a local man now in his 60s who worked at a store near where Patz lived, has come forward confessing involvement in the boys’ disappearance. Police are skeptical since the claim came just one day before the anniversary of his abduction. For more coverage: 

    • New York Times: Man Claims He Strangled Patz and Put Body in Box, Police Say
    • New York Daily News: Etan Patz disappearance in 1979 helped change way police treated missing children
    • [Video] CNN: Patz investigation a 33-year-long roller coaster ride

    School shooting update: Remember back in February when a tragic school shooting in Chardon, Ohio took the lives of three students and left two others seriously wounded? TJ Lane, the 17-year-old boy who admitted to firing at students sitting in the high school’s cafeteria, will be tried as an adult. If convicted he could face life in prison. Although Ohio does observe the death penalty, since Lane is technically a minor, he is ineligible to be put to death under Ohio state law.

    Social media strikes again: People are notorious for over-sharing personal information on Facebook, but did you ever think a Facebook message could lead to reversing a rape charge made ten years prior? Sounds like a long shot but in the case of Brian Banks, a former high school football star, it is reality. Banks has spent the last five years in prison for the rape of Wanetta Gibson, a woman who nearly a decade ago accused him of rape when they were both students in Long Beach Poly High School. For more info on how this story unfolds follow these local Southern California news outlets:

    • LA Times: Facebook message led to football player’s rape exoneration
    • Pasadena Star-News: UPDATED: Rape conviction reversed; Long Beach football star exonerated
    • NBC Los Angeles: Long Beach HS Football Star Exonerated From Rape Conviction
    Danger in the skies: Yesterday, US Airways Flight 787 headed from Paris to Charlotte, NC was diverted to Bangor, ME after passenger Lucie Zeeko Merigot, a 41-year-old Frenchwoman, claimed to have a surgically implanted device insider. The plane landed safely and Merigot, who was detained at Penobscot County Jail and later turned over to US Customs and Border Patrol, is scheduled to return to France in the coming days.

    image source: thehour.com

  5. The Original: What is an Internship, Really? →

    We are looking for a Social Media intern to join our San Diego office so we had, Erica Berry, our current Social Content Manager write up on what an internship actually is and the kind of person we’re looking for. 

    Check out what she has to say, and if you think you fit the part — and love news, tech and writing — email us at pr(at)theflud.com.

    ericaberry:

    Since all hell broke loose with the US economy back in 2007, internship has become the latest job market buzzword. The more this term is tossed around, the more confusion builds around what an internship actually is.

    If you think an internship is a shoe-in for a sweet office job once thevsummer is over, or an ideal position for someone who loves making Starbucks runs, or a term employers use to scam free work out of unsuspecting post-grads, you are so wrong.

    As someone who has held multiple internships (ahem, yes multiple), I’ll lay out for you what a real internship is and why you may want one, or two, or three…

    What is an internship? It’s a chance.

    • a chance to build experience in a field you’re interested in. You wouldn’t become a stock trader if your passion is in marine science, so why would you seek out an internship in an industry you’re not personally interested in? The second you stop learning or caring, you know you’re in the wrong place. Internship should not associated with waste of time.
    • a chance to make mistakes. This doesn’t mean blow off the details, it means take big chances and try something new.
    • a chance to find your niche. You know you like baking, but you didn’t know you loved creating interesting cupcake flavors or had a passion for cannolis until you started an internship at your favorite bakery. Discover what makes you happy. 
    • a chance to validate your passion. Show your industry that you’re there to make a difference and do big things. Make a splash and people will notice. Don’t just impress your boss, impress yourself. 

    Yes, you may be a little broke during your internship, you may be a little tired, you may not know exactly what you’re doing, but if everything is handed to you how are you going to grow? You only get one chance in this life, so go big and run with it.

    Go find an internship somewhere you want to work, not just the next place that posts an ad, and work your butt off. Don’t get your hopes up that you’ll land your own clothing line after a week like LC on The Hillls, but if you work hard you’ll create a network of contacts, build your experience and find your passion.

    Want to know more about me and my experience with internships? Email me at erica.berry@theflud.com or check out my LinkedIn, I’d love to answer your questions!

    image source: realmofthesenses.tumblr.com

  6. Memorial Day Stands for Food, Fun & Flud

    Memorial Day is the unofficial kickoff to summer and lucky for us, it’s just around the corner! For most, it means a long weekend full of eating, boozing, schmoozing, relaxing and maybe even some reading for those looking to preserve (or revive) a little of their brain.

    Since we know long weekends can take a toll, here are a few fun feeds to ease you back into reality. Grab a water on the rocks, throw back a few Tylenol and enjoy!

    Movies, music and the like:

    • Brain Pickings: You can pick your seat and pick your nose, but leave it up to Brain Pickings to find interesting content
    • PluggedIn: With reviews on the latest movies, videos, music, TV and games, they’ll help you waste time wisely
    • Indie Music Filter: You’re cool. You’re hip. You’re over trends before they even happen. Now, find out about new music first with reviews from Chris Budd

    Food and beverage (aka hangover cures):

    • Yummly: With every recipe in the world, you’re guaranteed to discover something delicious. It’s good eye-candy, even if you’re just going to order take-out
    • Drinks: You may not be in the mood for liquor, but there’s always next weekend! Plan ahead and find recipes for delicious cocktails
    • The Wine Cask Blog: Even if you blew all your money over the holiday, The Wine Cask Blog can help you track down an affordable and delicious bottle of wine
    • Serious Eats: As a lover of all things edible, you’re in luck because this is the place to find recipes and links to the best food sharing sites on the web — you’re sure to find something to make you tummy growl

    Things to make you laugh:

    • Cracked: America’s only humor site since 1958, Cracked is sure to make you snarf your Mountain Dew. Oops, did you choke?
    • The Tangential: They have a simple motto — Don’t be boring. Don’t suck.
    • Thought Catalog: Warning, this will probably make you more interesting
    • Photoshop Disasters: Here are the best of the worst creative flops that, depending on how you spend your weekend, may look better than you come Tuesday morning
    • The Onion: America’s finest source of fake news

    Long weekends don’t come around very often, so spend it wisely… Fluding that is! We’ve made some major updates to the web app too, so check it out if you haven’t yet!

    Happy Memorial Day :)

    photo source: themarcystop.blogspot.com

  7. We’ve got a Surprise for you…

    We’re opening up the web app to all users, starting today!
    Flud for the web is easy to set up, just go to our homepage and login with the same Flud username you have for mobile. And be sure to invite your friends… it makes Fluding more fun!  

  8. Flud News Roundup, May 22

    A time for remembrance: It’s the anniversary of the devastating tornado that hit Joplin, Mississippi one year ago — misplacing hundreds of residents and killing a handful of others. Today, the city held a moment of silence at 5:41 pm, marking the precise moment the deadly tornado hit and also had a visit from the President, himself. Here is more coverage on that story:

    On the auction block: Would you buy a vial of blood? No? Me neither —not even if it’s Ronald Reagans’ — but apparently there are some freaks out there who can’t wait to get their hands on the ex-president’s DNA. Bid offers for the historical remains have already exceed $10,000,000.

    Face your fears: Are you afraid of creepy, crawly, hairy spiders? If so, you’re in luck. Apparently scientists have found a way to cure arachnophobia in a single exposure therapy session in which doctors lock participants and tarantulas in the same room for two hours, forcing interaction. By the end of treatment, most participants reportedly lost all signs of anxiety and were able to approach and even touch the spider. They’re not sure if this works for all phobias, but it could be worth a try! Now, who’s afraid of honey badgers?

  9. Flud News Roundup, May 19-21

    Top stories you may have missed over the weekend:

    Pre-nup: Unless you’ve been under a rock, you know Mark Zuckerberg tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend, Priscilla Chan, over the weekend. What you might not know is how they picked the date — the day after Facebook went public. No, it wasn’t to celebrate Chan’s graduation from med school, it was for legal reasons. Under California law, any assets and income owned prior to marriage are yours to keep. In the case of a divorce, this means Zuck doesn’t have to share anything he earns on his stocks.

    And gone!: Babe Ruth hasn’t been around for a while, but he’s still setting world records. A New York Yankees jersey that is the earliest known uniform worn by Ruth, circa 1920, was sold at auction Sunday for a record breaking $4,415,658, the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold. The previous record was $4,338,500 for James Naismith’s founding rules of basketball. The jersey’s buyer is unknown. 

    From the courtroom: Dharun Ravi, the former Rutgers student who used a webcam to spy on his gay roommate just days before he killed himself, was sentenced to 30 days in jail with three years’ probation and a $10,000 pay-out towards a program to help victims of hate crimes. Some activists are disappointed with this sentencing, but others who feared he would be made a scapegoat for his fellow freshman’s suicide are relieved. 

    #Twitterban: Yesterday, Pakistani officials blocked Twitter for almost 8 hours because the social network refused to remove tweets considered offensive to Islam. 

    Here’s what people are saying: 

  10. Flud News Roundup, May 18

    Ring of fire: An annular eclipse is extremely rare and happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, producing a brilliant light show. There hasn’t been an annular eclipse in 18 years, but this Sunday, May 20, you’ll have a chance to see this rare event, if you’re lucky. For tips on how to view the eclipse check out these resources:

    • Mashable: Where and When to See the May 20 Solar Eclipse
    • CNet: How to Track the Solar Eclipse this Weekend
    • MSNBC: How to Safely Photograph the Solar ‘Ring of Fire’ Eclipse

    Ignore the hype: Facebook’s IPO opened strongly today, reaching over $42 per share, and then sank at the end of the day to close at $38.23, just 23 cents over it’s opening price. These sites have full coverage of the social networking giant’s debut on Wall Street:

    • PCMag: Facebook Barely Claws Past its IPO Price  
    • CNet: How Facebook’s Bankers Saved an IPO, Kept Shares Above $38
    • WSJ: Facebook Stock Closes Up Less Than 1% From IPO

    Auction block: An old 1979 Porsche 911 with links to Bill Gates as a previous owner is being auctioned off in Austria for an estimated price of $55,000 to $71,000. Are you interested in buying? 

    Money talks: According to Forbe’s calculations, Mitt Romney, if elected, would be the wealthiest president in history. However, if their Virginia plantations counted, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson would have him beat.

  11. Flud News Roundup, May 17

    Top news for your Thursday evening —

    Minority report: According to the US Census Bureau, there are fewer white babies being born now than there were a year ago, marking the first time in US history that minorities represent more than half of the American population under the age of one. Analysts call this the crossover point and they knew it was going to happen, they also believe the younger part of this so-called minority (majority?) population will have a different vibe.

    Top News Update: The Westchester County medical examiner’s office has released an autopsy report indicating that Mary Kennedy died yesterday in her family’s New York home of asphyxiation due to hanging. For more information on Mary’s death and her love affair with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.:  

    Finger lickin’ good: So what’s it like to chew on a human finger? Ask 14-year-old Ryan Hart. He bit into part of a finger, a chunk of flesh (fingerprint included) about an inch long, while eating a roast beef sandwich at an Arby’s in Michigan. Turns out, a worker at the restaurant cut her finger on a meat slicer and orders never stopped rolling out the door. How’s that for efficiency?

    Wall Street: There’s a lot of talk about Facebook’s IPO price. Some people are stoked about the $38 dollar a share valuation, some are skeptical, others are clueless, but want to snag a piece of the social networking giant anyway. Trading begins tomorrow morning on what may potentially be the biggest opening ever for a tech company and the third largest IPO in history. Here’s more coverage:

  12. Update: Now see Your Fluded Stories in Your Flud Stream!

    We’re always making changes here at Flud and today we’ve updated the Flud Stream to include your own fluded stories!

    What is the Flud Stream? It’s one of the most diverse feeds in Flud. It’s a place for discovering the best news on the web, and because it’s curated by the people you’re following — the people who share your tastes in news and the people you think are interesting — it’s catered to you.

    Why the update? Because now your own Fluded stories will be there right beside the stuff other people are fluding for you, creating an archive and flowing list of articles hand-picked for you, by you and your friends on Flud! 

    Go flud something :) 

  13. The Industry, the Design Blog for Techys

    Most tech blogs are focused on reporting the latest gadgets, apps and services. But what about the design that makes these things so awesome or so terribly awful? Who covers that? The Industry does!

    The Industry is a different kind of tech blog that brings a new voice to tech media. They highlight design-focused startups and the creatives who design the tech we love (and sometimes hate)!

    There’s usually more to the product than what meets the eye, so The Industry is there to give the design community a voice and consumers a behind the scenes look at the logic behind the design of some of their favorite tech tools.

    Interesting right? Go add The Industry to your Flud! You’ll find them in the Weekly Best section of your Add News menu or in the Technology category. 

  14. Flud News Roundup, May 16

    Consumers strike back: Skechers thought they could fool droopy-bottomed consumers into thinking they were working out buy slipping on a pair of Shape-Ups, but apparently the shoes didn’t live up to their booty-firming and muscle-strengthening claims because now Skechers is paying out $40 million in refunds. The real issue here isn’t false advertising, it’s why did consumers believe that Joe Montana wore Shape-Ups? I thought he just threw them.

    Downgrade: Do you have an unlimited data plan with Verizon? Well you might want to go get your bi-annual upgrade sooner rather than later because this summer Verizon plans to force smartphone users (so basically everyone) with unlimited data plans to switch to their tiered plans when they upgrade. Oh and surprise, they’ve tacked on a $30 “upgrade fee” too!

    Top news: Mary Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (nephew of JFK), was found dead today in her New York home at the age of 52. Mary had reportedly struggled with drug and alcohol problems and had two high-profile arrests around the time her husband filed for divorce in July 2010. The cause of death is still unknown. 

    In other news:

    image source: taunter.com

  15. Beware… Geeks Have Landed on Flud!

    Geeks Have Landed is a UK based digital web magazine set up to be a home to the best pieces of technology, design and social media stories on the web.

    They cover everything from product and software reviews to commentary on interesting infographics, and for you lucky Android users, Android specific reviews, tips and updates. Articles are written (just about) every day, and they promise to make sure each article is as informative as the last.

    For the latest and most interesting happenings in the world of technology add Geeks Have Landed to your Flud! They made this week’s Weekly Best, so you know it’s got to be good! Find it in our featured feeds section or under Technology.