Hallie

The fight over whether companies can stop customers from posting bad reviews is going national. Today, Reps. Eric Swalwell and Brad Sherman (both D-CA) introduced the Consumer Review Freedom Act, which bans businesses from adding "non-disparagement" clauses to contracts that consumers have to sign. That means that they wouldn't be able to reserve the right to fine or otherwise penalize people who posted negative reviews on Yelp or any other site, a phenomenon that started getting more attention earlier this year. "As a country that prides itself on free speech as a tenet of our constitution, I felt this sneaky tactic of limiting it as purely wrong," said Sherman in a statement.

The bill, which has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, says that if companies make customers agree to some kind of terms and conditions, they can't enforce clauses that stop someone from posting a "written, verbal, or pictorial review, performance assessment of, or other similar analysis of, the products, services, or conduct of a business." That includes anything that imposes a "penalty or fee" or says that companies hold copyright of reviews, videos, or photographs, and the FTC can enforce the law under existing rules against unfair or deceptive behavior. It doesn't apply to trade secrets, medical information, or law enforcement reports, all of which businesses can reasonably expect to stay confidential. And non-disparagement clauses are fine if they're between an employer and employee, not a business and customer.

It also doesn't close the door to defamation, libel, or slander lawsuits, a few of which are currently going through courts. If a company believes that a review is untrue, not simply negative, it's still within its right to sue. It just can't preempt criticism by telling customers ahead of time that they'll be dinged for leaving bad feedback, as one hotel was found to be doing in August. California enacted a very similar law last week, so it's worth watching for any meaningful results as this passes through committee and (possibly) heads to a larger vote.

Here's how to stop embarrassing yourself at restaurants.

Interviews by Amanda McGrathShe’s a salsa-dancing economist who gravitates toward guys who are smart, possibly short and usually more extroverted than she is. He’s a Renaissance man whose dream date is classy, adventurous and intellectually challenging. We sent them to Cafe Citron.Read full article >>

The Up24 is our favorite fitness wearable, not so much because of its design or ergonomics, but because of Jawbone's excellent software — it does the best job of converting the data collected by the wristband's sensors into useful and stimulating information for the user. Now Jawbone's decided to be more inclusive and will accept such data from competitors like Fitbit and other mobile platforms, including Google's Android Wear, the Pebble smartwatch, and Apple's HealthKit. The latter preempts Apple's widely anticipated announcement of an iWatch. Windows Phone is also about to get its own long-awaited Jawbone app.

In all cases, what's on offer is the chance to continue using Jawbone's great software with a much wider range of hardware. So you can keep track of your steps while at the office with the Moto 360 and later carry out a workout while wearing Jawbone's own band. It would all go to the same data depository, and though Google and Apple are planning to build their own competing services, Jawbone's advantage is in having built up a loyal following with a lot of recorded information. The company isn't relying on simple user inertia, however, and has today also announced a new firmware update for its Up24 that doubles its battery life from one week to two.

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Unlike Nike, Jawbone has no intention to abandon its own wearables

Given that most people will only wear (and tolerate) one smart device on their wrist at a time, it's sensible for Jawbone to accept and try to work with the rising tide of smartwatches rather than fight them directly. The company still retains a unique proposition with the long battery life and general simplicity of the Up24, but its future seems to now lie in being a hub to collect all your fitness stats, no matter the device used for recording. Cited by Reuters, a Jawbone spokesman has also added that, unlike Nike, the company has no intentions of halting development of its own wearables and is actively working on new sensor advancements for future models.

Ben Franklin was the original to-do-list app.

Interviews by Amanda McGrathShe says she’s “friendly [and] considerate,” loves hiking and restaurants, likes “being goofy and playful,” believes in “making a positive impact in the world,” and wants a guy who is “thoughtful, kind, fun” and shares her overall optimism. He says he’s “dedicated to public service” and that he’s “pretty funny [and] a gentleman.” He likes a woman who’s “smart, funny [and] considerate.” We sent them to Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca to see what kind of match they’d make. Read full article >>

Interviews by Lisa BonosShe’s a think tanker looking for a European guy who’s “rather cultured” and interested in politics and world affairs. He’s German (check!) and looking for someone “ambitious and passionate” he can have an intellectual conversation with. We sent them to Le Mirch in Dupont Circle.Read full article >>

For the last few days I've been lying in bed, fighting a cold and ruminating over the reading habits of Mayor Emanuel.

I know that may seem like weird thing to ruminate over—so blame it on the cold.…

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Of all the fascinating objects produced by 3D printers, this may be the most amazing yet.

endangereduglythings:

biomorphosis:

Saiga is a type of antelope. They are known for their huge, inflatable, and humped nose which help them to filter out airborne dust during the dry summer migrations, and filter out cold air before it reaches their lungs during winter. They are a migratory species, migrating in the summer and winter and can run up to 80 miles per hour in a short time.

Local people kill saiga because of its meat and horns. Horns are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Saiga is listed as critically endangered species and were once in the millions but today only less than 50,000 left in the wild.

I always thought these guys looked like that informant from Star Wars.

It’s over, everybody. I’ve found the best blog on tumblr. 

I Stand With Unionid Bivalves.

Interviews by Nina PatelA medical emergency on Metro almost delayed Sherri’s arrival, so when she reached the Oceanaire near Metro Center, she was a bit off her game. Did that derail their date?Ken: I got there a few minutes early. They said she had called, and she was running late. She ended up showing up right on time.Read full article >>

Gettin out the festive cheer.

Trebek decided to give his contestants a little taste of 2013.