Daily Dispatch: U.S. opens Health Data; Fake facebook persona raises questions

Combing through hundreds of blog posts and news articles daily, Dirk Klingner, our technology-trend watcher, sifts through the noise to bring you the tech news most important to consumers. If you have a tip on a story you want to share, leave a comment below.

U.S. Announces Community Health Data Initiative (ReadWriteWeb)

...According to the HHS, the program is "a public-private collaboration that is encouraging innovators to utilize community health data to develop applications that help raise awareness of community health performance and spark action to improve health." At today's event a number organizations are demonstrating a preview of their work with the data, including Google, Microsoft and GE.

Fake Patient Campaign Exposes Real Social Marketing Critics and Questions (ClickZ)

In March medical software and services firm Medseek introduced Sara Baker - a fake "epatient" with a Facebook page. Her persona was created to distinguish the firm from competitors in the eyes of hospital executives, its key clientele.

Steep rise in dioxins from antibacterial soap (Futurity)

Specific dioxins derived from the antibacterial agent triclosan, used in many hand soaps, deodorants, dishwashing liquids, and other consumer products, account for an increasing proportion of total dioxins found in Mississippi River sediments.

Wikinvest tracks your stock portfolio in real time (VentureBeat)

...Users can group their investments by market capitalization or industry, customize the data they see by designing their own dashboards, and view real returns that factor in things like interest and fees. The service currently supports 25 major brokerages.

The Mediavore's Dilemma: Making Sustainable Media Choices (MediaShift)

...A factor making the media game even more complex is the carbon footprint created by media brands and their supply chains as they compete for advertising dollars and vie for consumer attention. However, despite growing investor and corporate concern about the greenhouse gas emissions, or "carbon intensity," of consumer products and their supply chains, limited consideration has been given to the carbon footprint of media products and their supply chains.

Police investigate Habbo Hotel virtual furniture theft (BBC)

Finnish police are investigating up to 400 cases of theft, with some members reporting the loss of up to €1000 (£840) worth of virtual furniture and other items, according to Detective Sergeant Marko Levonen.

For love of the game (ESPN)

...Yes, a team that hadn't lost a game in 2½ years, a team that was going to win in a landslide purposely offered to declare defeat. Why? Because Roncalli wanted to spend the two hours teaching the Marshall girls how to get better, not how to get humiliated.