The features roundup is back and kickin’ more than ever. Tune in as we neatly package all of the past week’s features coverage, analysis and trending topics that span the digital realm.

So, what’s breaking these days? For starters, we got a peek at an early beta of Windows 8, and Mashable staff was eager to write about it. We also analyzed daily deals and Facebook contests. Finally, in honor of the anniversary of 9/11, we took a look at the homepages published that day 10 years ago.

As always, please share further tips, observations and resources in the comments below.

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Editors’ Picks

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• YouTube Cover Song Face-Off: LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem”
  Each week, we pick a popular song, find 10 covers of it and ask you to vote for your favorite. This time, we chose LMFAO’s song because Billboard just named it the song of the summer.
• Windows 8 Tablet: First Impressions [PICS]
  Here is our first look at Windows 8 on tablets.
• What the Front Pages of the Web Looked Like on 9/11/2001
  Social media and online content was still in its infancy, but major and online media of all stripes took to the web to report the news. Here’s a look back.
• How Social Media Is Transforming Fashion Week Coverage
  A look at how social media is transforming the scope and immediacy of Fashion Week coverage.
• How Airlines Have Taken Flight With Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]
  Before the web, airline complaints were relegated to the lost world of phone trees and hold times. These days, airlines have embraced social media as a powerful customer service tool. Here’s how the big players stack up.

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Social Media

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• 3 Ways to Commemorate 9/11 By Giving Back Online
  If you want to do some good this weekend, we’ve collected four ways to give back or show your support on Sept. 11.
• How the Media Is Using Digital Tech to Tell the Story of 9/11
  Much like the American people did on 9/11, media sites are leaning on each other for support and inspiration. Together they're developing interactive and informative web projects that tell the story of 9/11 as it's remembered today.
• 4 Successful and Creative Facebook Contests
  The secret to running a successful contest on Facebook seems to be offering entrants a forum to express themselves.
• Twitter Parodies: 9 Top Literary Fakes
  To tweet or not to tweet? That is the hilarious question posed by these great literary parody accounts.
• How Social Media Affects Content Relevance in Search
  Tweets, likes and +1′s are sending signals to search engines that content is relevant and valuable. SEO pros take note.
• 7 Ways to Improve Your Event Planning With Facebook
  We spoke with a few experts on using the world’s largest social network for event planning.
• How Digitally Connected Are the U.S. News Top 20 Colleges?
  Discover which U.S. News-ranked college campuses live up to the growing trends in social media.
• How the Crowd Is Shaping the Future of Storytelling
  The traditional media model of gatekeepers is slowly giving way to niche communities that source and inform the creative process. The new era of storytelling is upon us, thanks in large part to the social web.
• How Much Money Do Americans Give Online? [INFOGRAPHIC]
  Online giving is one of the fastest growing channels for non-profits; we take a look at some of the most impressive stats in this infographic.
• 70+ Essential Resources for Making a Difference on the Social Web
  As we head into Mashable‘s Social Good Summit, we thought we’d give you a refresher on the latest resources for doing good online.
• How the UN Foundation Plans to Meet Its Goals With the Help of Social Media
  Mashable talks about what the future holds with Aaron Sherinian, Vice President for Communications and PR for the UN Foundation.
• The History & Evolution of Crowdfunding
  Though it’s gained traction on the web in recent years, microfinance is a concept that has its roots in the 1700s.
• How the Discovery Channel Uses Social Media to Connect With Superfans
  Mashable spoke with Discovery Communications’ VP of social media communications to learn how the network makes such a massive impression on the social media scene.
• The Charlie Sheen Roast: Comedy Central’s Ambitious Social Media Experiment
  Comedy Central is pulling out all the social stops in advance of its Charlie Sheen Roast. Find out what they’re doing to make the show — and the network — more digital.
• FTC Wants to Revise Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule
  The FTC seeks public comments on proposed revisions to Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule – COPPA.

For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

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Tech & Mobile

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• 10 Excellent Pairs of Earphones With a Designer Touch
  If you’re in the market for a new pair of earphones, then look no further — we’ve found 10 excellent options for you.
• Go Mono: 3 iPhone Apps For Black & White iPhotography [PICS]
  We’ve tried and tested a handful, and here bring you three brilliant black and white iPhone photography apps — complete with screengrabs and sample photographs.
• 3 New Takes On Digital Books, ID Cards and Shopping
  This week we’ve chosen three new takes on established online staples: digital books, ID and shopping.
• Addicted to Angry Birds? Here’s Help [INFOGRAPHIC]
  As we continue to work through our Angry Birds addiction, this playful infographic offers some consolation.
• 7 Best Practices for Improving Your Website’s Usability
  Studies show that web users consume content by skimming chunks of text. Heed these tips to ensure your visitors are absorbing as much important information as possible.
• 13 Branded iPhone Apps That Enhance Their Company’s Products
  Using a mobile phone’s top features, such as its camera, GPS and Bluetooth, brands have created a number of innovative branded mobile apps that enhance their products and services.
• Commuter’s Delight: 10 Fun iPhone Games You Can Play With One Hand
  Commuters may not have both hands free to play a mobile game. These 10 offerings require one finger to play, but hardly skimp on the fun.
• 10 Unique Creations Made From Computer Hard Drives [PICS]
  We explore how people have gotten creative with hard disk drives.
• Windows 8: The Top 4 Things You Should Know
  We’ve come up with a list of features that we believe define Windows 8, Microsoft’s next-generation OS.
• How Tech Is Changing the Museum Experience
  Museums are exploring digital and mobile technologies to enhance the visitor experience, making it more interactive and immersive
• The PC: Old, Unsexy & Still King of The World
  Everyone talks about the post-PC era, but 82% of U.S. households own a PC — it’s alive and well. Here are some other consumer trends and statistics about PCs.
• 5 Lessons for Parenting in the Digital Age
  As parents, it's vital that we focus on our children’s conscious, rather than habitual, use of modern technology. Heed these 5 tips.
• 9 Essential Resources for User Interface Designers
  Designing a great user interface can be a challenge, even for the most seasoned designer. These 9 resources and publications should be in every UI designer’s bookmarks.

For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

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Business & Marketing

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• What’s the Deal With Daily Deals? [INFOGRAPHIC]
  Daily Deals sites are attracting millions of customers. It’s a lively marketplace with hundreds of companies competing for a limited number of users and businesses willing to give them a try. How are people using them?
• 4 Important Considerations for Creating a Remote Work Policy
  It's important for employers to put formal policies in place for remote worker, so that employees are equipped with clear guidelines.
• How Building a Strong Community Helped Eventbrite Take the Ticketing World by Storm
  Eventbrite has been used to sell tickets to more than 200,000 events per year, ranging from concerts to non-profit fundraisers to knitting clubs. Mashable spoke with co-founder Julia Hartz about starting and growing the business with her husband.
• 3 Commandments for the Next Online Content Leaders
  Web users are finding it more difficult to navigate the clutter of digital content to arrive at trusted sources. Build your brand’s content future around the three pillars of Authority, Curation and Context.
• 4 Considerations for Expanding Your Startup to International Markets
  If you're a startup entrepreneur, you risk facing a competitive disadvantage if you wait too long to expand your operations. Here are four tips for entrepreneurs looking to expand globally.
• 4 Tips for Creating a Viral Branded Microsite
  Sometimes you need a separate, dedicated site to highlight a certain product or promotion. Here are some tips from the people behind Serenading Unicorn, Burton Bag Check and Mollydooker Winery’s Label Our Lefty.
• Meet Kevin Ryan: The Man Behind the Rise of Gilt & DoubleClick
  Serial entrepreneur Kevin Ryan — of Gilt Groupe and DoubleClick fame — sheds light on entrepreneurship, growing a great team and why he’s successful..
• Content Strategy: 7 Tips to Make Your Blog Stickier
  As a content producer, you always want to lower your “bounce rate” and keep people exploring your site. These 7 strategies for bloggers are proven to boost engagement.

For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Image courtesy of psdeluxe.com

More About: Business, Features Week In Review, List, Mobile, Social Media, web

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• Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter
• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Subscribe to the Social Media channel
• Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Working from home is more prevalent and more widely accepted than ever. With 26.2 million teleworkers in the U.S. in 2010, the virtual workforce is expected to grow in coming years.

For starters, 56% of senior leaders and hiring managers at Fortune 500 companies believe that the workforce will steadily or greatly increase at their companies, according to a recent survey by WorkSimple.

The study findings outline the changing virtual workforce with a number of compelling stats and findings, as seen in the infographic below.

Have you noticed an increase in the number of employees at your workplace that work remotely? Let us know your story in the comments below.

Infographic courtesy GetWorkSimple; thumbnail graphic courtesy iStockphoto/LajosRepasi

More About: job search series

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

If your web travels are anything like ours, it seems like every day someone's pitching a new online tool that's going to "triple productivity!" or "help you scale your business quickly!" or "make doing payroll more fun than 10 barrels of monkeys!" OK, maybe not that last one. Payroll is never that fun.

But if, again, you're like us, you rarely get around to implementing that tool. Why? Because you take one look at the site, shake your head in confusion at the seemingly extensive steps to get started, and go back to canoodling with the Excel spreadsheet you rode in on.

Or, perhaps you actually do try and get started, but the FAQs don't shed too much light on how you actually use these tools. So you sort of try to teach yourself, and everything you ever end up doing seems like it might be correct. But it also seems like your efforts might lead to the eventual implosion of your site, because, well, you don't really know what you're doing.

What's an entrepreneur to do? As with learning any other skill, practice helps, but so does good instruction. Check out these resources that can help you develop skills you need to run your business — so that next time, you know how to get the job done right.

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1. Grovo

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This New York-based startup won hearts at last September's New York Tech Meetup with a charming, quirky video featuring their team. It was a fitting introduction, given that their main product is, in fact, approachable video content. Specifically, the site boasts a fairly broad catalog of video tutorials on a variety of personal and enterprise web tools, from topics as advanced as in-depth Google Analytics functionality to simpler lessons on things like getting started with Facebook. And even if you are fairly skilled at using the tools you encounter on a daily basis, Grovo might be able to expose you to new ones. "For a lot of people, it serves as a discovery platform," co-founder and CEO Jeff Fernandez says.

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2. Codecademy

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For coding newbies, just familiarizing yourself with the general syntax in an approachable way can be a good place to start. Codecademy, a startup founded by two Columbia undergrads, makes getting acquainted with programming a little bit more fun by adding in novelties like badges for completing certain levels. Right now, the site covers the basics of JavaScript, but in the coming months they'll be expanding to include more advanced lessons and eventually other languages. Co-founder Zach Sims, a current student at Columbia who taught himself Java in order to work on the site, describes Codecademy as "one of the first times it’s been fun to learn how to code. We start you off slowly and move on to more advanced topics at your own pace."

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3. Khan Academy

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Khan Academy boasts quite a large library of videos, but most of us are (thankfully) past the time in our lives where we need to be practicing how to factor a trinomial. But for the entrepreneurs in the audience, there's an entire section of video tutorials devoted to topics that many of us do come across, such as accounting and raising rounds of funding. The founder and president clearly have a penchant for learning themselves — between the two of them, they hold seven degrees from MIT.

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4. E-Business Now

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The SCORE Foundation has a whole suite of tools and services that they offer to small businesses, but E-Business Now is a particularly accessible one — the instructional video workshops are available on-demand at no cost. The lessons start out at a basic level designed to familiarize small business owners with the value of leveraging technology. Some of the later lessons, though, provide a good overview on topics like cashflow management. Even a tech savvy entrepreneur might be able to use a refresher on nitty-gritty like the different types of payment options out there.

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5. Think Vitamin

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If you're the "I watched a video and now I totally get it" type of learner, this one might be for you. They cover some pretty heavy stuff (what is "graceful degradation," anyway?) as well as intro-level lessons. The elegance level is high, which aesthetes will appreciate, but at $25 or $49 a month, you need to be pretty sure that you'll get enough use out of it to justify the price tag.

With a seemingly unending list of useful skills out there, getting started can feel overwhelming. According to Fernandez, having a clear plan of action can help. "It’s very very important not to bite off more than you can chew," he says. "Understand the tools that are available to you, start using them and set reasonable metrics." Sims, too, suggests that setting parameters is one of the keys to successful education — and execution. "Pick a definable project you’re looking to learn to create," he says, "and then learn the skills you need in order to make that happen."

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, shironosov

More About: features, online education, Small Business Resources

Each day, Mashable highlights one noteworthy YouTube video. Check out all our viral video picks.

This video is quickly going viral, showing an older couple checking out their new computer, not aware that their webcam experimentations are being recorded.

While we marvel at their obvious mutual love and respect for each other, it brings up the question: How do we show our parents and grandparents how to use technology? Are they getting better at it? Do they need our help, or would some good documentation do the trick?

SEE ALSO: 20 Most-Shared Video Ads This Month

Tell us about your experiences teaching those in the chronologically challenged age group about technology and social media.

Update: This couple is so charming, skeptical commenters thought the video was fake, but here’s a story about the couple and their new-found Internet fame.

More About: Seniors, viral video, viral-video-of-the-day, webcam, YouTube

The Social Analyst is a column by Mashable Editor-at-Large Ben Parr, where he digs into social media trends and how they are affecting companies in the space.

It’s safe to say that AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson has had a pretty awful couple of weeks.

When AT&T announced its blockbuster acquisition of T-Mobile, it seemed as if a fundamental shift in the wireless market was inevitable. Even with opposition from Sprint, many assumed AT&T’s strategic planning and lobbying dollars would win it approval for the $39 billion deal.

All of AT&T’s plans are out the window now, though.

Late last month, in a surprisingly swift move, the U.S. Department of Justice moved to block the deal. The DoJ filed a civil antitrust lawsuit backed by the FCC, drastically reducing the chances that the wireless giant could complete the merger.

AT&T and Deutsche Telekom (parent company of T-Mobile USA) quickly moved to downplay the decision, claiming that they were “confident that this merger is in the best interest of consumers and our country, and the facts will prevail in court.”

Since then, two more parties have gotten involved on each side of the debate. On one side, 15 Democratic members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to President Obama urging his administration to resolve its concerns about the deal and “approve the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile USA.”

On the other side, seven states this week joined the Department of Justice lawsuit. California, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Washington are now parties to the case. Their entry doesn’t bode well for AT&T.

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The Possibilities

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At this point, there are four potential outcomes for this case:

1. DoJ wins its case and blocks the AT&T merger.
2. AT&T wins its case and the merger moves forward.
3. AT&T withdraws its acquisition before a decision is rendered.
4. AT&T and the DoJ settle the case, and the merger moves forward with conditions.

Of the four, #2 is the most unlikely. The DoJ doesn’t like picking antitrust fights it cannot win, and AT&T would definitely have to find creative ways to convince a judge that a T-Mobile acquisition wouldn’t hurt competition. Outcome #1 is also unlikely — we believe that AT&T would withdraw its acquisition before suffering an embarrassing defeat in court.

That leaves either a settlement or a withdrawal of its acquisition. It’s clear at this point that AT&T is hoping to find some way to settle with the DoJ to get the deal done. “We have been and remain interested in a solution that addresses the DOJ’s issues with the T-Mobile merger,” AT&T said in a statement when the news broke of the seven states joining the DoJ’s case.

In the end, this could all be posturing by the DoJ to get concessions out of AT&T before approving the deal. More likely though, this is the DoJ putting its foot down on a deal that many (including me) believe to be bad for consumers.

AT&T’s arguments that the deal will not hurt competition sounds like convoluted drivel from desperate spin doctors. One of the company’s big arguments — that the merger would bring 4G LTE coverage to rural areas faster — was quickly destroyed after a leaked letter revealed AT&T could make the same 4G LTE upgrades for $3.8 billion, a fraction of the cost of T-Mobile.

The bottom line is this: The merger is anti-competitive no matter how you slice it, and there was no way the DoJ could let this deal pass.

It’s not the outcome Randall Stephenson was hoping for. AT&T is going to experience a lot more pain before the outcome of this case is finally decided.

More About: acquisition, att, Department of Justice, T-Mobile, The Social Analyst

Mashable Entertainment Editor Christina Warren will be on the scene at the 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday. She’ll be sparking a digital conversation about the changing nature of social media and television, talking with the winners about how they use technology — and, of course, watching the awards as they happen.

We want to know: What are you most looking forward to about the show? Are you pulling for Tina Fey to win her eighth Emmy? Hoping host Jane Lynch invites her Glee co-stars on stage? Dish on your favorite Emmy-nominated TV shows and celebrities in the comments below.

Christina and our team at Mashable HQ will include the people and announcements you want to see most in our live blog, which kicks off at 7 P.M. ET on Sunday. Our coverage will feature Christina’s live updates as well as the best tweets, photos and videos from around the social web.

We look forward to watching the 2011 Emmys with you!

More About: award shows, Emmys, Emmys 2011, live blog, social tv

For more Entertainment coverage:

• Follow Mashable Entertainment on Twitter
• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Subscribe to the Entertainment channel
• Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

The Fall TV Goes Social Series is supported by the Samsung Galaxy S II, a faster phone for speedier web browsing and access to all your favorite apps. Check it out here, follow @SamsungMobileUS or join the conversation via #GalaxySII on Twitter.

The Fall TV season jumps into full swing Monday with all five broadcast networks fighting for viewers by using social media strategies for their new shows. To build buzz, the networks are turning to Twitter and Facebook and check-in services such as GetGlue.

In celebration of the new season, we’ve decided to take a look at each of the new shows and the various social strategies at play. Check out the captions in the gallery for details.

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What Will You Watch?

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This week, we asked you to vote for which shows you’ll be watching. Here’s what came out on top at the time of this writing for each day (click on the days to see full results):

• MONDAY: Terra Nova
• TUESDAY: New Girl
• WEDNESDAY: The X-Factor
• THURSDAY: Person of Interest
• FRIDAY: A Gifted Man
• SUNDAY: Pan Am



MONDAY: The Playboy Club






Network: NBC


Start Date: Monday, Sept, 19


Time Slot: 10:00 p.m. ET - 11:00 p.m. ET


Description: "It's the early '60s, and the legendary Playboy Club in Chicago is the door to all your fantasies...and the key is the most sought after status symbol of its time."

How It's Using Social Media: In addition to the official Facebook Page and Twitter account, NBC has staged various promotions using its Fan It affinity game. NBC started promoting The Playboy Club in earnest over the summer and its campaign has paid off. The show already has nearly 94,000 likes on Facebook.

How to Follow: You can follow @NBCPlayboyClub on Twitter and like NBCThePlayboyClub on Facebook.




MONDAY: Terra Nova






Network: Fox


Start Date: Monday, Sept. 26


Time Slot: 8:00 p.m. ET - 9:00 p.m. ET


Description: "A family travels from the year 2149 to the prehistoric past in an effort to help recolonize the planet and save mankind."

How It's Using Social Media: Fox has put a lot of effort into crafting its official Terra Nova website, including videos, photos and "behind-the-scenes" psychiatric evaluations that give you a better sense of the show and its characters. At LiveTerraNova.com, you can sign in to a site called "The Lottery" using Facebook to access a more enhanced, viral/second-screen aspect of the show.

How to Follow: You can follow @TerraNovaonFox on Twitter and like TerraNovaonFox on Facebook.




MONDAY: Hart of Dixie






Network: The CW


Start Date: Monday, Sept. 26


Time Slot: 9:00 p.m. ET - 10:00 p.m. ET


Description: "Fast-talking New Yorker and brand new doctor Zoe Hart has it all figured out -- after graduating top of her class from medical school, she'll follow in her father's footsteps and become a cardio-thoracic surgeon. But when her dreams fall apart, Zoe decides to accept an offer from a stranger, Dr. Harley Wilkes, to work with him at his small practice in Bluebell, Alabama."

How It's Using Social Media: The CW has dedicated a Facebook Page to the show, as well as a Twitter portal. The network is also using its official Twitter account and YouTube accounts to promote the show.

How to Follow: The CW has a handy social Twitter portal setup for its various shows, including Hart of Dixie. Cast members @ScottPorter and @Jaime_King are actively tweeting.




MONDAY: 2 Broke Girls






Network: CBS


Start Date: Monday, Sept. 19


Time Slot: 9:30 p.m. ET - 10:00 p.m. ET


Description: "2 Broke Girls is a comedy about two young women waitressing at a greasy spoon diner who strike up an unlikely friendship in the hopes of launching a successful business -- if only they can raise the cash."

How It's Using Social Media: Beyond just having official Twitter and Facebook accounts for the program itself, most of the cast members associated with 2 Broke Girls are also on Twitter. Lead actresses Beth Behrs and Kat Dennings are both actively tweeting in the lead-up to the show's premiere.

How to Follow: You can follow @2BrokeGirls_CBS on Twitter and like 2BrokeGirls on Facebook. CBS is also using the official Twitter hashtag, #2BrokeGirls for the show.




TUESDAY:

Ringer






Start Date: Tuesday, Sept. 13

Time Slot: 9:00 p.m. ET - 10:00 p.m. ET

Network: The CW

Description: "Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as a woman who, after witnessing a murder, goes on the run, hiding out by assuming the life of her wealthy identical twin sister -- only to learn that her sister's seemingly idyllic life is just as complicated and dangerous as the one she's trying to leave behind."

How It's Using Social Media: The CW has an official Facebook page for the show, as well as a Twitter portal. The network is also using its official Twitter accounts and YouTube accounts to promote the show.

Star Sarah Michelle Gellar is also appearing in a digital tie-in with Microsoft's search engine, Bing.

How to Follow: The CW has a handy social Twitter portal setup for its various shows, including Ringer.




TUESDAY:

New Girl






Start Date: Tuesday, Sept. 20

Time Slot: 9:00 p.m. ET - 9:30 p.m. ET

Network: Fox

Description: "Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) is an offbeat and "adorkable" woman in her late 20s who, after a bad breakup, moves into a loft with three single guys."

How It's Using Social Media: Fox has dedicated Facebook and Twitter accounts for New Girl, but cast members, including Deschanel and Hannah Simone are also active on Twitter. The network is also posting behind-the-scenes videos and interviews to its YouTube page.

If you can't wait until next week, Fox actually has the full pilot for New Girl available online and via iTunes [iTunes link] until Sept. 19, 2011.

How to Follow: You can follow @NewGirlonFox on Twitter and NewGirlonFox on Facebook.




TUESDAY:

Unforgettable






Start Date: Tuesday, Sept. 20

Time Slot: 10:00 p.m. ET - 11:00 p.m. ET

Network: CBS

Description: "Carrie Wells remembers every day, every hour, every second of her entire life... except for the day her sister was murdered."

How It's Using Social Media: CBS has a comprehensive social media strategy for all of its fall shows, including Unforgettable. In addition to maintaining Facebook and Twitter pages for the show, the network also created a "Spot the Difference" web game to promote the series.

How to Follow: You can like CBSUnforgettable on Facebook and follow @un4gettableCBS on Twitter.



TUESDAY:

Last Man Standing






Start Date: Tuesday, Oct. 11

Time Slot: 8:00 p.m. ET - 8:30 p.m. ET (One hour series premiere)

Network: ABC

Description: "Tim Allen returns to ABC in this new comedy from Jack Burditt (30 Rock). Men may have built civilizations, invented the locomotive and created ESPN, but they're about to find out that it's not a man's world anymore. You can't get manlier than Mike Baxter."

How It's Using Social Media: Like Man Up, the fall season of Dancing with the Stars will delay Last Man Standing's premiere by a month, and we don't expect the network to roll out its full social strategy for a few weeks. Still, the network is maintaining Facebook and Twitter accounts for the show.

How to Follow: You can like LastManStandingABC on Facebook and follow @LastManABC on Twitter. ABC also has GetGlue checkins on the Last Man Standing Facebook page.




TUESDAY:

Man Up






Start Date: Tuesday, Oct. 18

Time Slot: 8:30 p.m. ET - 9:00 p.m ET

Network: ABC

Description: "Three modern men try to get in touch with their inner tough guys and redefine what it means to be a "real man" in this funny and relatable comedy."

How It's Using Social Media: ABC's Tuesday night block of family comedies are getting a bit of a late start, thanks to Dancing with the Stars, but the network has Facebook and Twitter pages for Man Up already in service. The network has also integrated GetGlue check-ins on the Man Up Facebook page.

How to Follow: You can follow @ManUpABC on Twitter and like ManUpABC on Facebook.




WEDNESDAY:

Up All Night






Start Date: Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011
Time Slot: 8:00 p.m. ET - 8:30 p.m. ET (premieres at 10:00 p.m. its first week)
Network: NBC

Description: An "irreverent look at modern parenthood" starring Christina Applegate, Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph.

How It's Using Social Media: NBC is actively using social media to spread the word about its shows. In addition to the official Facebook page and Twitter account, the network is using its Fan It affinity game to promote the show. Show star Will Arnett is also an active Twitter user.

How to Follow: You can like NBCUpAllNight on Facebook and follow @NBCUpAllNight on Twitter.




WEDNESDAY:

Free Agents






Start Date: Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011
Time Slot: 8:30 p.m. ET - 9:00 p.m. ET (premieres at 10:30 pm. its first week)
Network: NBC

Description: "Based on the witty, cult U.K. series of the same name, "Free Agents" is a crooked, romantic comedy from creator John Enbom ("Party Down") and Emmy Award-winning director Todd Holland ("Malcolm in the Middle") that explores the trials and tribulations of finding love and companionship - the second time around."

How It's Using Social Media: NBC has official Facebook and Twitter accounts for the comedy. It's also using its Fan It affinity game to reward fans and spread the word. The network has also produced a series of videos for search engine Bing.

How to Follow: You can like Free Agents and follow @NBCFreeAgents on Twitter.




WEDNESDAY:

H8R






Start Date: Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2011
Time Slot: 8:00 p.m. ET - 9:00 p.m. ET
Network: The CW

Description: "Celebrities go head-to-head with civilians who hate them to win their "haters" over. Mario Lopez hosts."

How It's Using Social Media: The CW has an official Facebook page for the H8R, as well as a Twitter portal. Host Mario Lopez is also active on Twitter. The network is also using its official Twitter accounts and YouTube accounts to promote the show.

How to Follow: The CW has a handy social Twitter portal setup for its various shows, including H8R.




WEDNESDAY:

The X Factor






Start Date: Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011
Time Slot: 8:00 p.m. ET - 10:00 p.m. ET
Network: Fox

Description: Simon Cowell's follow-up to Pop Idol in the UK comes to America. The X Factor is a singing competition show open to solo artists and groups. Cowell, Paula Abdul, L.A. Reid and Nicole Scherzinger are judges.

How It's Using Social Media: Fox is betting BIG time on The X Factor, giving the show nearly 30% of its entire fall primetime schedule. As a result, the network is doubling-down on its social media involvement. In addition to official Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts, Fox The X Factor has its own social network of sorts, The X Factor Community. The community site features message boards, groups and leaderboards. Fans can earn points from show sponsor Pepsi Rewards for doing things like signing in with Facebook, attaching their account to Twitter and logging in daily.

How to Follow: You can follow @TheXFactorUSA on Twitter, like The X Factor (USA) on Facebook and follow the TheXFactorUSA on YouTube.

Photo Credit: Nino Munoz / FOX




WEDNESDAY:

Revenge






Start Date: Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011
Time Slot: 10:00 p.m. ET - 11:00 p.m. ET
Network: ABC

Description: "Emily Thorne has returned to Southampton to right the wrongs done to her family 17 years ago."

How It's Using Social Media: ABC has official Facebook and Twitter pages dedicated to the show. We should note that with 126,000 fans as of this writing, the show is one of ABC's most popular new Fall shows this season. Revenge star Emily VanCamp is also on Twitter.

How to Follow: You can follow @Revenge on Twitter and like Revenge on Facebook.




WEDNESDAY:

Suburgatory






Start Date: Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011
Time Slot: 8:30 p.m. ET - 9:00 p.m. ET
Network: ABC

Description: "Single father George only wants the best for his 16-year-old daughter, Tessa. So when he finds a box of condoms on her nightstand, he moves them out of their apartment in New York City to a house in the suburbs."

How It's Using Social Media: In addition to official Facebook and Twitter accounts, some of the characters from Suburgatory have their own Twitter accounts. Check out @DallasRoyce, the character played by actress Cheryl Hines. That's kind of awesome.

How to Follow: You can follow @SuburgatoryABC on Twitter and like SuburgatoryABC on Facebook.




WEDNESDAY:

I Hate My Teenage Daughter






Start Date: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011
Time Slot: 9:30 p.m. ET - 10:00 p.m. ET
Network: Fox

Description: "A new multi-camera comedy about two best friends who are single moms struggling to raise their difficult and over-privileged teenage daughters."

How It's Using Social Media: Aside from official Facebook and Twitter accounts, we're not sure what Fox has planned for this sitcom. The show won't be on TV until after November Sweeps, so the network has time to start ramping up its strategy. Fox is already actively engaging on Twitter and Facebook.

How to Follow: You can follow @IHMTDFOX on Twitter and like the show on Facebook.




THURSDAY:

The Secret Circle






Start Date: Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011
Time Slot: 9:00 p.m. ET - 10:00 p.m. ET
Network: The CW

Description: "Cassie Blake was a happy, normal teenage girl - until her mother Amelia dies in what appears to be a tragic accidental fire." Blake move to a new town and finds out she was pre-destined to join a coven of teenage witches.

How It's Using Social Media: The CW has dedicated a Facebook page to the show, as well as a Twitter portal. The network is also its official Twitter account and YouTube accounts to promote the show.

The CW has also created several web games for The Secret Circle, including "Which Witch Are You?" quizzes. The CW is also making the pilot episode [iTunes link] of The Secret Circle available for free via iTunes.

How to Follow: The CW has a handy social Twitter portal setup for its various shows, including Hart of Dixie. Cast members Britt Robertson, Thomas Dekker and Shelley Hennig are all active on Twitter.




THURSDAY:

Charlie's Angels






Start Date: Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011
Time Slot: 8:00 p.m. ET - 9:00 p.m. ET
Network: ABC

Description: The bombastic classic from the 1970s gets a modern reboot.

How It's Using Social Media: ABC made a big splash at San Diego Comic Con this summer with its Charlie's Angels reboot and has continued to engage in social media leading up to the show's release date.

In addition to standard Twitter and Facebook accounts, the network also has a Charlie's Angels Mission Challenge Facebook app designed to keep fans engaged and earning rewards.

How to Follow: You can follow @CharliesAngels on Twitter and like CharliesAngelsABC on Facebook.




THURSDAY:

Person of Interest






Start Date: Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011
Time Slot: 9:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. ET
Network: CBS

Description: "A crime thriller about a presumed dead former-CIA agent, Reese, who teams up with a mysterious billionaire, Finch, to prevent violent crimes by using their own brand of vigilante justice. "

How It's Using Social Media: Person of Interest is from executive producers J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan, which means that there is already socially savvy, built-in audience for the show. CBS is relying on that buzz, along with official Facebook and Twitter pages.

On the Facebook front, the network has also created a Facebook app for the show.

How to Follow: You can follow @PersonInterest on Twitter and like the show on Facebook.




THURSDAY:

Whitney






Start Date: Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011
Time Slot: 9:30 p.m. ET - 10:00 p.m. ET
Network: NBC

Description: This sitcom "centers around Whitney (Whitney Cummings, "Chelsea Lately") and Alex (Chris D'Elia, "Glory Daze"), a happily unmarried couple. Together for three years, the duo is in no rush to get hitched, which seems to get a mixed response from their friends."

How It's Using Social Media: NBC is actively using social media to spread the word about this show. In addition to the official Facebook page and Twitter account, the network has staged various promotions using its Fan It affinity game.

How to Follow: You can follow @NBCWhitney on Twitter and like Whitney on Facebook. Show stars Whitney Cummings and Chris D'Elia are both on Twitter.




THURSDAY:

Prime Suspect






Start Date: Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011
Time Slot: 10:00 p.m. ET - 11:00 p.m. ET
Network: NBC

Description: "From Emmy Award-nominated producers Peter Berg (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") and Alexandra Cunningham ("Desperate Housewives") comes the crime drama "Prime Suspect" that takes a look inside a New York City homicide department."

Prime Suspect is the American version of the award-winning British series of the same name.

How It's Using Social Media: NBC is actively using social media to spread the word about this show. In addition to the official Facebook page and Twitter account, the network has staged various promotions using its Fan It affinity game.

How to Follow: You can like Prime Suspect on Facebook and follow @NBCPrimeSuspect on Twitter.




THURSDAY:

How to Be a Gentleman






Start Date: Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011
Time Slot: 8:30 p.m. ET - 9:00 p.m. ET
Network: CBS

Description: "Inspired by the book of the same name, this is a comedy about the unlikely friendship between a traditional, refined writer and an unrefined personal trainer."

How It's Using Social Media: CBS is doing standard Twitter and Facebook campaigns for this sitcom.

How to Follow: You can follow @How2BeGentleman on Twitter and like How to Be a Gentleman on Facebook.




FRIDAY:

A Gifted Man






Start Date: Friday, Sept. 23, 2011
Time Slot: 8:00 p.m. ET - 9:00 p.m ET
Network: CBS

Description: "A Gifted Man is a drama about a brilliant, charismatic surgeon whose life changes forever when his deceased ex-wife begins teaching him the meaning of life from the 'hereafter.'"

How It's Using Social Media: CBS has a comprehensive social media strategy for all of its fall shows, including A Gifted Man. In addition to maintaining Facebook and Twitter pages for the show, show star Patrick Wilson also answered fan questions via video.

How to Follow: You can like A Gifted Man and follow @AGiftedMan_CBS on Twitter.




FRIDAY:

Grimm






Start Date: Friday, Oct. 21, 2011
Time Slot: 9:00 p.m. ET - 10:00 p.m. ET
Network: NBC

Description: Inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales. "Portland homicide Detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli, "Turn The Beat Around") discovers he is descended from an elite line of criminal profilers known as "Grimms," charged with keeping balance between humanity and the mythological creatures of the world."

How It's Using Social Media: NBC is offering the usual bounty of Facebook, Twitter and NBC Fan It Rewards, but in different move, the Grimm crew is also maintaining a production blog.

Over the last few months, guest posts have been published from the costume designer, stunt coordinator and others associated with the show. Frankly, we wish more television programs would take that kind of initiative.

How to Follow: You can follow @NBCGrimm on Twitter and like Grimm on Facebook.




SUNDAY:

Pan Am






Start Date: Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011
Time Slot: 10:00 p.m. ET - 11:00 p.m. ET
Network: ABC

Description: "Welcome to 1963: a time when only a lucky few could take flight, experience a global adventure or gain a front-row seat to history. Those lucky few flew Pan Am, the largest, most prestigious airline in the world. More than Coca-Cola, Elvis Presley or the transistor, Pan Am exported American culture to the world abroad and brought that world back to American shores."

How It's Using Social Media: ABC is going all out with is social and digital campaign for Pan Am. In addition to official Twitter and Facebook accounts, the network has set-up a number of social promotions.

On Facebook, ABC has a Pan AM My Flight Crew that lets users assemble their own flight crews, create postcards and more. They are also running a promotion called Pan Am Tweet Flight that rewards fans for tweeting about the show with a chance at winning a nifty Pan Am travel bag.

How to Follow: Follow @PanAmABC on Twitter and like PanAmABC on Facebook.




SUNDAY:

Once Upon a Time






Start Date: Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011
Time Slot: 8:00 p.m. ET - 9:00 p.m. ET
Network: ABC

Description: "From the inventive minds of Lost executive producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis comes a bold new imagining of the world, where fairy tales and the modern-day are about to collide."

How It's Using Social Media: Once Upon a Time managed to build major buzz at San Diego Comic Con and has already amassed over 193,000 fans on Facebook.

The show's Facebook page contains a well-designed widget that includes behind-the-scenes videos, tweets from the cast and news updates.

How to Follow: You can like OnceABC on Facebook and follow @OnceABC on Twitter.




SUNDAY:

Allen Gregory






Start Date: Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011
Time Slot: 8:30 p.m. ET - 9:00 p.m. ET
Network: Fox

Description: "Allen Gregory is a new animated series that tells the story of one of the most pretentious 7-year-olds of our time."

How It's Using Social Media: This animated series, which was created by Jonah Hill, has official accounts for Facebook and Twitter.

Many of the voice actors, including Hill, are also on Twitter.

How to Follow: You can like Allen Gregory on Facebook and follow @AllenGregoryFox on Twitter.

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Series supported by Samsung Galaxy S II


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The Fall TV Goes Social Series is supported by the Samsung Galaxy S II, a faster phone for speedier web browsing and access to all your favorite apps. Check it out here, follow @SamsungMobileUS or join the conversation via #GalaxySII on Twitter.

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The Linux operating system is not just for nerds. Even though you may not realize it, chances are you probably have a version of Linux running right under your nose. It’s found its way into a multitude of devices, both large and small.

Today, Sept. 17, 2011, is the 20th anniversary of the date when the first Linux kernel (version 0.01) was released and uploaded to an FTP server by Linus Torvalds in Helsinki. Although Torvalds had been working on the code since April, 1991 (recognized by some as the birthday of Linux), it wasn’t until September of that year that he released the first Linux kernel to the world. That early iteration consisted of a mere 10,239 lines of code.

Fast-forward to the present day, where the Linux kernel 2.6.35 contains more than 13.5 million lines of code, and controls gadgets, devices and instruments you might never have expected. Take a look at our gallery below and be surprised by the ubiquity of this useful, versatile and compact operating system on its 20th birthday:

1. TiVo

Underneath the digital video recorder TiVo's user-friendly and popular interface is a modified version of Linux. We have a hunch that those Linux underpinnings are responsible for TiVo's snappy response and smooth video playback.

2. Android

The Android operating system is showing up in multitudes of handheld devices. It was created by the Open Handset Alliance, headed up by Google. Lots of smartphone providers place their own brand of user interface enhancements on top of Android, and there's a lot of tricky programming called middleware in between, but underneath? Good old Linux.

3. AT&T MiFi

This pocket-sized device gives users a mobile access point that makes it so multiple people can use a single 3G connection. That gives any Wi-Fi device the ability to go online practically anywhere. What's in it for you? Imagine never having to pay a $12.95 Wi-Fi charge in a hotel again, thanks to Linux.

4. Large Hadron Collider

When it's time to answer big questions, physicists are turning to Linux to run the Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. Just what questions are they trying to answer with this $9 billion scientific instrument? They're trying to understand some of the deepest and most fundamental laws of physics, such as the structure of space and time.

5. Refrigerator (Electrolux Infinity I-Kitchen)

Why would you need Linux in your refrigerator? How about running a touchscreen on the front, storing your contacts and calendars, recipes and reminders, and letting you keep your family organized with electronic Post-it notes? And, some refrigerators are smart enough to remind you that it's time to buy more milk.

6. Sony Bravia HDTV

We tested the latest Sony Bravia connected TV, which brings you your favorite video-on-demand service from Netflix or Amazon and a lot more. That's thanks (in part) to its Linux underpinnings. Of course, it can show you the latest 3-D video, and the one we tested was even smart enough to turn itself off if there was no one sitting in the room.

7. Chumby

This little supersmart alarm clock runs more than 1,000 apps, and it's all made possible by Linux under the hood. Don't let its diminutive size fool you -- this gadget can display video, call up your favorite Pandora Radio channels and remind you of appointments. Best of all, it's fun.

8. GPS (Tom Tom)

Bet you didn't know that GPS unit on your car's dashboard was running Linux. Humming away inside many Garmin, Tom Tom (and other) GPS navigators are versions of Linux. Now if the accuracy of the maps could measure up to that sharp Linux code running inside, we wouldn't have to recalculate so often.

9. Kindle

The electronics reader that made e-reading famous is the Amazon Kindle, and displaying its E-Ink screen with enough speed to make it a pleasure to use is -- you guess it -- starts with an "L."

10. Self-Driving Car

Self-driving cars, otherwise known as autonomous vehicles, are not perfect yet, but they're getting there. Many of them are running Linux, and researchers are using the operating system to find their way toward someday eliminating the need for traffic signals, driver's licenses, and maybe even rules of the road.

Graphic courtesy iStockphoto/DNY59

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Each weekend, Mashable hand-picks startups we think are building interesting, unique or niche products.

This week we’ve chosen new takes on showing off Instagram photos, sharing professional profiles and buying virtual goods.

Take a look at Followgram, Zerply and Openbucks and let us know what you think in the comments.

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Followgram: a Follow Button for Instagram

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Quick Pitch: Followgram is an easier way to share your Instagram photos.

Genius Idea: A follow button for your Instagram that can be added to any site.

Mashable’s Take: Users have snapped more than 150 million photos with Instagram, but the mobile app lacks a web component that makes it easy to showcase these photos on the web.

Follogram gives your Instagram photo gallery a web presence by giving you a vanity link you can share (check out my example here) and a button that you can post on any website to encourage people to follow you. The button looks and works like this:

It’s a handy tool. Building a product based solely on another service, however, is usually risky business. Instagram could swiftly wipe Follogram out by adding either of these features itself.

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Zerply: a New Twist on Professional Networking

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Quick Pitch: Sharable professional profiles.

Genius Idea: Connecting you to similar users through tags and an easy system for endorsements.

Mashable’s Take: It takes about five minutes to go through the four-step process of setting up a profile on Zerply — less if you choose to link your LinkedIn or Facebook profiles to populate most of the information.

The result is a spiffy looking professional profile with a custom URL that makes it easy to share.

But what separates Zerply from most other professional networking sites is the way that it uses the tags that you assign yourself when you sign up. In my case, these tags were reporter, writer, editor.

Zerply used the tags to show me other people who share skills with me in addition to people in my area. Companies also work as tags, so it’s easy to find everyone who has worked at, let’s say, Mashable. Clicking on tags in somebody’s profile presents an option to endorse them for that specific skill. There’s also a button on each profile that makes saving a contact easy.

While LinkedIn relies on personal connections, Zerply is much more open. Profiles are public and easily shareable, and anyone can communicate with anyone else — regardless of whether they have a Zerply profile themselves — through buttons for their social profiles.

More than 100 million people have a presence on LinkedIn, and most of them won’t want to set up a separate profile. Despite this, Zerply has managed to sign up more than 29,000 users since it launched its public beta in June.

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Openbucks: A New Way to Pay for Virtual Goods

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http://mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Shop-screenshot.png

Quick Pitch: Openbucks allows users to pay for stuff online using gift cards.

Genius Idea: A way to pay for virtual goods without sharing credit card information.

Mashable’s Take: Many teenagers don’t have credit cards, which means that buying virtual goods can be tricky. Openbucks makes it easy by allowing them to use giftcards from retailers such as Subway, Circle K, CITGO, Hess and Sports Authority to pay.

Retailers receive free online exposure, and theoretically, increased gift card sales. Games can collect money from a demographic they couldn’t previously reach. And Openbucks collects a percentage of each sale completed using its embedded digital store.

Eventually the startup hopes to expand beyond virtual goods to online shopping in general.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, mbortolino

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Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark

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The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.

More About: bizspark, followgram, Openbucks, Startup Weekend Roundup, Zerply

This week two very different types of attacks affected the intersection of politics and social media.

President Obama has launched a website to help combat (re: fact check) smear campaigns heading into the 2012 election, and a Marine received the Medal of Honor for saving lives in combat. His story became a nice show of how Twitter helps bring people together — even if those two people are a decorated hero and the President.

This is the Week in Politics & Digital.

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President Obama Launches Attack Watch

President Obama always swore he wouldn’t engage in “attack politics” and smear campaigns, but that hasn’t stopped some of his opponents. Well, the president is fighting back with a new site called Attack Watch, designed to find out and correct any false claims made about him.

While the idea behind the site isn’t revolutionary, it’s been getting some heat over its design. The site is admittedly a little aggressive both in its design and its slogan, “Get the facts. Fight the smears.” Some right wing bloggers have said the site’s wealth of rebuttal information on Obama will actually help attackers looking for more nuggets. The site is paid for by Obama for America.

Medal of Honor Plays Out On Twitter

Corporal Dakota Meyer received the Medal of Honor on Sept. 8 for helping save the lives of 36 U.S. and Afghan troops by rushing into a “killing zone.” Surprisingly, much of the festivities honoring Meyer showed up on Twitter.

Meyer’s sole request was to share a beer with Obama. Not only was Meyer’s wish fulfilled, but the White House Press Secretary (@PressSec) shared the news on Twitter along with a picture (above) of the two. At the ceremony itself, Meyer declined to comment to reporters but instead responded from his own Twitter account with: “A sincere thank you to everyone who has reached out today. Semper Fi,” The Washington Post reported.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Howard Dickins, United States Government Work

More About: barack obama, Politics, President, Social Media, US, week in digital politics