Another day of voting continues for the papal conclave; Venezuelan officials claim Hugo Chavez was poisoned; the Steubenville High School students stand trial; and Google admits that its Street View data violates user’s privacy. Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth split; Anna Wintour adds Artistic Director to her resume; and tons of Taylor Swift’s fan mail is found in a Nashville dumpster.
Caitlin
CRUCIAL:
Black Smoke Emerges From Sistine Chapel as Cardinals Fail to Elect New Pope,http://rtvote.com/16rUF7W
Wednesday marked day two of the conclave voting on a new pope; however, many were disappointed to see black smoke emitted from the chapel’s smoke shaft. The smoke indicated that the 115 voting cardinals did not come to the 77 votes needed to elect a new pope. Earlier on Wednesday, feminists from the Ukraine took over St. Peter’s Square protesting the election by writing “Pope no more” on their bare chests. Many cardinals, including New York’s Cardinal Dolan, have said a new pope will most likely be elected on Thursday.
Venezuela to probe Chavez cancer poisoning accusation, http://rtvote.com/12Prug5
On Tuesday night, it was revealed that many close to Hugo Chavez believed him to have been poisoned. The announcement has since launched an investigation into Chavez’s cause of death. Newly appointed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro confirmed that he also believed the conspiracy saying, “We have the intuition that our commander Chávez was poisoned by dark forces that wanted him out of the way.”
GOP sends mixed signals on Obama’s outreach effort, http://rtvote.com/12Ppqo5
For the first time since 2011, President Obama will meet with the House Republican conference. The meeting is another example of the president’s efforts to create bipartisanship between parties and ultimately, work together for a deficit-reduction bargain by this summer. In today’s meeting, Obama will most likely reveal his complete second-term agenda, which includes stricter gun laws and immigration reform.
Case Already Tried in Social Media Heads to Court, http://rtvote.com/16rWO3n
Two former high school football players will stand trial today for raping a 16-year-old girl in Steubenville, Ohio. The alleged crime gained national attention after the hacking group Anonymous, who believed the case was intentionally being covered up by Steubenville officials, brought the sexual assault to light and caused it to go viral on the Internet. As a result, defendants Trenton Mays and Ma’lik Richmond have already been condemned on social media.
Google Concedes That Drive-by Prying Violated Privacy, http://rtvote.com/16rTfu3
On Wednesday, Google admitted that their methods of collecting data for Street View “violated people’s privacy.” Thirty-eight states had brought a court case against the search-engine claiming that its data collection was unethical. Google decided to settle the case today, agreeing to pay a $7 million fine and promise to “police its own employees on privacy issues” through a privacy program that must be created within six months. Richard Blumenthal, one of the attorneys on the case, said the most monumental part of the settlement is Google’s admission that they violated privacy rights.
CULTURAL:
Condé Nast Adds to Job of Longtime Vogue Editor, http://rtvote.com/12Pssc9
Mitch Seavey becomes oldest-ever winner of the Iditarod, http://rtvote.com/15MBwMD
It’s over for Liam and Miley, http://rtvote.com/ZIiyTf
SXSW 2013: ‘Short Term 12′ wins feature prize, http://rtvote.com/ZIiByy
Taylor Swift’s Fan Mail Discovered In Dumpster, http://rtvote.com/15MDwo5
Rock the Vote volunteers will be registering voters and rocking out to good tunes at some of Austin’s hottest venues, Auditorium Shores (March 15-17) and Stubbs (March 13-17). We’ll be showcasing our new and interactive #ScanToVote apparel. The Politico has the exclusive 
