Twitter Experts Predict GOP Success, Mad Men Creator Hints at Series Finale Secrets

Melissa Knowles

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Newt Gingrich's poll numbers took a sudden rise Monday, and it caught many political experts off-guard, but not Twitter experts. New research by the

website 140elect.com asserts that the number of new followers a candidate gains on Twitter is a leading indicator of his or her poll numbers. Here's a breakdown of how the website arrived at its conclusion: Gingrich's poll numbers were sliding until a September 7, 2011, debate at which he received a spike in new followers (1,200 to be exact). This was preceded by a steady gain in the polls. After last week's GOP debate, Gingrich received 1,100 new followers, which predicts another jump in the polls for the candidate. Mitt Romney experienced steady increases in the polls and in his number of Twitter followers until October 11, when both numbers began to decline. Herman Cain is the only GOP candidate to break this trend. His followers have decreased since his sexual harassment scandal went public. However, his poll numbers have yet to follow suit.

AMC's Emmy award-winning drama "Mad Men" may have its series ending already written, before the upcoming fifth season has even been shot. The show's creator, Matthew Weiner, revealed in an interview with the Atlantic Wire that he came up with the idea for the show's ending while filming last season. So what will that ending be? ***Spoiler Alert*** Without getting too specific, Weiner says he wants the show to be "the experience of human life." So the series, a period drama set in the 1960s, will end in present day to contextualize the show to make it resonate with modern times. Weiner also said that he wants to "leave the show in a place where you have an idea of what it meant and how it's related to you." He compared the ending to the final track of The Beatles Abbey Road album called, "The End," saying he wants the show to end at its peak. He says he wants it to be great and memorable. Weiner further explains that this does not mean the main character Don Draper, played by Jon Hamm, is going to die. It simply means that there is a final destination planned for the show. For fans of the series, the next season of "Mad Men" is set to premiere in early 2012.