mitt romney

Weathered by debates and endless political advertisements? We're in the home stretch of the 2012 U.S. election season now. Whether you've already voted or are still mulling politicians and propositions, there are plenty of apps to tap for an up-to-the minute perspective on the various battles.

Scan our brief list of mobile apps that can help you vote and stay in tune with the rapid-fire developments sure to occur tomorrow. Got a favorite app you're leaning on for election information? Let us know in the comments section. … Read more

Google isn't treating searches related to presidential candidates fairly, a new report charges.

The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that it commissioned a study on the way in which search results related to President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are displayed on Google. The study found that when users search for "Obama" or "Romney," Google displays standard results. Other related searches, however, are treated differently.

For example, the Journal tried to search for topics ranging from Iran to Medicare. Those who had already searched for "Obama" found that their results were customized to … Read more

When you log in to Facebook on Election Day you will likely be greeted by a note reminding you of your civic duty.

The social network is expected to post messages for its voting-age members in the U.S., as it did in 2010 when it sent out a "Today is Election Day" note to the 61 million users who were of voting age. The note included a link to polling places and an "I Voted" button that would let your friends know you went to the polls.

When you decide to broadcast that you voted, … Read more

With less than two weeks to go before the November 6 presidential election, things are getting heated out there on social-media sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Twitter said that Monday's third presidential debate generated 6.5 million tweets, on top of the 21 million churned out during the previous debates (two presidential and one vice presidential). Most of that activity was harmless -- partisans supporting their candidate or taunting the opponent, remarking on hot memes like Big Bird or binders full of women, noting interesting exchanges, and more.

But according to the Los Angeles Times, some people tweeting during … Read more

That's the thing about presidential debates.

You stir yourself up into indignation that you hope will come out as righteous. But your blood is boiling to such a degree that, despite weeks of rehearsals, some stray words emerge from your throat like convicts escaping Alcatraz.

Something for which Amazon is most grateful.

For the Republican candidate's suggestion that, while governor of Massachusetts, he was privileged to possess "binders full of women" has stirred people into leaving stirring comments on Amazon's binder pages.… Read more

In the waning moments of the second presidential debate, CNN moderator Candy Crowley asked how Apple could bring manufacturing jobs to the U.S.

Crowley prefaced the question by saying that Apple makes the iPhone and iPad in China. Then asked how to get a company like Apple to make more products in the U.S., citing the iPhone and iPad as products made by Apple exclusively in China.

Mitt Romney was the first to respond. "First, we'll have to have [China] play on a fair basis...Second, we have to make America the most attractive place for … Read more

Although there were no Big Bird or JFK moments during tonight's second showdown between President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Twitter users still sent more than 7.2 million tweets during the debate, peaking at either 110,000 per minute or 108,000 per minute, depending on which official tweet you believe.

And there was, of course, at least one popular new meme and the resulting Twitter account, @RomneysBinder.

According to Twitter, there were just more than 7.2 million tweets sent during the debate, down substantially from 10.3 million tweets sent during the first … Read more

In another example of what's fast becoming an American tradition of instant and amusing political-debate memes, a Web site called Binders Full of Women popped up before tonight's presidential face-off had even wrapped up.

The site surfaced following Mitt Romney's response to an audience member at the town hall-style debate who asked about gender inequality in the workplace. Romney said he had received "binders full of women" from colleagues while seeking to fill cabinet posts during his tenure as Massachusetts governor.

And thus, the Tumblr site Binders Full of Women was born. It features a fast-accumulating array of amusing images -- from pictures of binders with the word "women" on the cover to a photo of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton typing away on a BlackBerry with superimposed text reading "Romney still uses binders? LOL." … Read more

The goal of technology companies is to stuff their pockets with money, said Robert Levine.

"Venture capitalists may -- I haven't confirmed this -- also want to make money," Levine told snickering audience members, who were mostly from book publishing, during a panel discussion last March at the On Copyright conference.

What Levine wants to know is why everyone in tech gets upset when musicians and filmmakers try to earn a living. Levine has become a notable proponent of copyright and a defender of protecting the work of artists.

Since the publication last year of his book, … Read more