These are my links for February 11th through February 26th:

• From Ryan Giggs to Ryanair… Censorship, bans and ‘money can’t buy’ publicity – The Media Blog – It seems it has always been the case that attempts to stop the public seeing something only ever increases the publicity generated. Just ask Ryan Giggs – named this week as the fooballer behind a high court injunction, to the surprise of absolutely nobody.
• Spotify launches gapless playback programme for budding DJs – So you fancy yourself as a superstar DJ – but can’t deal with those awkward silences between the tracks?
• Hashtag Marketing on the Rise | Social Media Today – Television networks have been quick to leverage the power of the hashtag by displaying it in the bottom corner of the screen during a broadcast. Usually it’s the name of the program or TV show such as #Revenge, #TopChef or #PanAm.
• Get Real-Time Search Results from Google with a URL Tweak – Google offers a few preset search filters for time—past hour, day, week, etc.—but if you want much fresher information, you can tweak the URL. This will limit results so see what's happening in more of a near real-time flow of information.
• [STUDY] Facebook Defriending is on the Rise – A new study out from Pew confirms what we already know: People don't want to collect as many Facebook friends as possible. Social networkers are becoming more selective, managing their accounts and "pruning" people from their lists. More users are untagging themselves from photos, deleting comments and unfriending others. Women and younger users tend to prune more than others: 67% of women with social network site profiles have deleted users compared with 58% of men.
• The Truth Will Out: Verifying the Authenticity of Online Reviews – There’s been much discussion lately about the truthfulness of posts on review websites and the potential impact fake reviews can have on an organisation’s reputation. We all know Google operates as a shop window for many businesses and the impact reviews and WOM can have on purchasing decisions, but how can you be sure the review, either good or bad (there is evidence to suggest bad reviews can lead to increased purchases) is genuine?
• Business Blogging: Essential for Business Reach – There is a wide misconception among SMBs that business blogging is a waste of time.  But realistically, blogs are, and have always been great marketing tools.  When used effectively, an active blog with useful, free content can attract a lot of potential customers.  And in today's web environment with discerning readers and strong filtering tools, a compelling blog article can reach audiences further than direct marketing and traditional advertising practices.
• The next generation of wearable tech according to (the wonderful) @LJRich – Imagine a future where you had a smart t-shirt or a pair of wireless socks. One day your clothes might not even need any pockets for the gadgets because you'll be wearing them. LJ Rich reports on the progress of wearable technology.
• QR Codes Connect Art on the Wall With Music on Your iPhone – Portuguese artist Nuno Serrão wants to make art viewing more stimulating by incorporating music through an iPhone app and QR codes.
• Video PR: How To from the excellent Speed Communications Blog –
• US father Tommy Jordan shoots daughter’s laptop after ‘disrespectful’ Facebook posts | Metro.co.uk – When a US teenager posted a rant about her family online she could be forgiven for not expecting her father to film himself putting nine bullets in her laptop in retaliation and post it on her Facebook wall.
• Why Time Is of the Essence When Responding to Facebook Fans – This was one of the questions asked during a conversocial survey, facilitated through the New York University and its Assistant Professor Liel Leibovitz, Assistant Professor of Communications.  The survey – sent out online – was returned by 513 respondents and covered 9 questions – all around customer satisfaction with corporate attitudes on social business sites. The results are somehow shocking considering a majority of businesses still don't know
• Turns Out Being Drunk and Sleepy Can Do Wonders for Your Creativity – Common sense (and your irrational compulsion to, you know, keep your job) says drinking at work—or working when you're groggy—are bad news. But as Wired's Jonah Lehrer points out, recent studies reveal that being sleeping and/or drunk is great for creativity.