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Apple must open up its 'crystal prison': report

16 hrs.

As the devices we use become more powerful, companies like Apple and Microsoft are exerting more control over how we use them. There is an increasing backlash against restrictions placed on how we can use our PCs and mobile phones, and the cause is being taken up by pundits of ever higher visibility. Recently?Steve Wozniak, one of Apple's founding members, called for the company to open up its software ecosystem, and the?Electronic Frontier Foundation, a free speech and?consumer and?advocacy organization, has echoed that sentiment with an article that calls Apple's devices and operating systems a "crystal prison."

(Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBCUniversal.)

For many users, the walls of this prison never seem to close in. There are thousands upon thousands of apps and games, useful features, and frequent updates from Apple. But for a growing minority (something which has a habit of eventually becoming a majority), the restrictions are worrying.

The EFF describes many of these deliberate limitations in detail, but here are some of the headline complaints ? not limited to Apple:

  • Apple's iOS disallows the installation of applications from anywhere but the official store, and the upcoming version of OS X discourages it strongly.
  • Every app in must be individually approved by Apple, sometimes with seemingly arbitrary conditions.
  • Users are unable to personalize the look and feel of their iPhone or iPad, and cannot improve or modify security settings like firewalls, VPNs or multiple users.
  • People who have installed custom software on their iPhones are no longer covered under warranty for hardware defects and things like cracked screens.
  • Microsoft is restricting some manufacturers from allowing the installation of any operating system but Windows 8 on certain hardware.
  • Carriers like AT&T insist on locking down phones with custom software (including invasive items like Carrier IQ) and "bloatware" apps that can't be removed.

These practices are good for the companies' bottom line, but they also erode trust and prevent some users from doing what they want to do with the devices they own.?

The EFF suggests that Apple, being the pioneer in this area of walled gardens and crystal prisons, should be the one to lead people out. Android has shown that a platform can be open to tinkering while still being fairly secure and liked by casual users, and?Apple has the clout and industry cred to help set a new standard.

Today, things like alternate OSes and third-party apps are only a matter of concern to power users and hackers. But as more people come to rely on these devices for a growing?variety of purposes, from music and movies to video calls and professional functions, these restrictions will become more and more visible.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. His personal website is coldewey.cc.

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Talent Ocean Global ? Blog Archive ? Business Management Skills

Business management skills are powerful tools in the hands of the manager. Regardless of the company you work for or the size of the team you supervise, these skills make you successful as a manager. The elaborate description of management is limited to ?the process of working with and through others to achieve organizational objectives.?

An administrator of the four basic skills are: planning, organizing, directing and controlling.

Planning is an important part of business management skills. A manager who can plan is one that has the ability to perform tasks. Planning involves business planning, investigation, analysis, setting goals and objectives, resource allocation, strategies and timelines. As a manager, you must ensure that each objective leads to an activity and each activity contributes to achieving this goal.

Strategic planning is an essential element of the planning process of managers. ?The manager?s role is evolving beyond? business activities of every day. ?Managers become visionary leaders for their organizations to the future direction of the landscape, provide important relationships to maintain the reputation and sustainability .

Management is the establishment and communication of individuals, detailed action plans to meet goals and objectives.

Organize and control the other two business management skills needed to succeed in business. The organization consists of the collection and coordination of resources as the tangible and intangible rights, monetary and otherwise, to monitor the activities necessary to achieve the objectives. It also reflects the allocation and delegation of tasks to individual team members to perform certain tasks and make things happen.

The control task ensures that work plans are implemented and objectives are met by monitoring and evaluating performance. The concept of control has evolved over the role of manager. Today, the control is to monitor progress, provide advice and support to employees.

Other valuable skills in business management:

Increasingly require that managers show a wide range of skills at the top of their expertise and hard skills.Soft are essential to its operations as managers. A good work ethic, positive attitude, enthusiasm continued to gain knowledge, cultural sensitivity, exceptional rigor of doing business have an enormous impact on employees, stakeholders and the establishment of the organization. If you are looking to improve organizational culture can not do without regard to attitudes, opinions and skills. Social responsibility is based on the attitudes and skills. Cooperation within the agency and a healthy work is based on transparent attitudes and skills.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 29th, 2012 at 01:01 and is filed under Business Management. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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Tips For Using Credit Cards To Finance Events - Credit Card Network

Posted on May 27, 2012 by Amy in Credit Card Tips

While paying for major events on a credit card can be the start of serious debt, it is still a convenient way to deal with all the costs that come from planning things like birthdays and weddings.

Having one payment option for an event makes it easier to keep track of expenses, manage budgets and deal with multiple charges quickly and easily.

If it is a credit card, it means you can also pay for things in a number of different ways, including:

  • In person
  • Over the phone
  • Online
  • Via direct debit

You may even be able to set up direct debit payments for long-term event planning, which could make it easier to deal with the bigger expenses like venue hire or entertainment.

On the other hand, credit cards accrue interest, which means that charging everything to one account could increase the risk of debt and add extra costs to the event.

Finding a balance between payment convenience and credit card expenses is often the hardest part about using plastic, but the following tips should help make things easier for events of any size.

Plan Ahead

Getting organized in advance makes it easier to deal with the event itself, as well as credit card management.

If you have an idea of the costs beforehand, for example, you will be able to decide whether charging them to credit or using a MasterCard or Visa debit card is a better idea.

Having a plan also gives you a chance to set funds aside for any card repayments, so that you can make the most of credit but not worry so much about interest charges.

Consider Credit Card Extras

Most credit cards now come with complimentary extras that could be a huge help when planning events.

Even something as simple as purchase protection insurance ? one of the most common extras ? could be invaluable when buying gifts or decorations because it means if anything goes wrong, you can get your money back.

Use Your Credit Card Rewards

One of the biggest benefits of using a credit card for events is that you could get a lot more points from a rewards card.

But even if you decide to only use your card sparingly, if you have a rewards option you may be able to make redemptions that save you money on the event costs.

While a lot of people think paying for everything on credit is a bad idea, there are just as many potential benefits as there are risks.

Considering all these factors ? along with the type of card you are using ? before you take action, will help you find the best way to finance any event so that you can sit back and have fun when the big day comes around.

Amy is a freelance writer and editor currently based in Australia. She has consistently written finance news and information articles for a variety of publications in Australia, Canada and the USA since 2008. Amy on Google Plus

Other posts by Amy ?

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Can food allergies cause acne - Health and Fitness

can food allergies cause acneAloe vera will prevent future acne and leave your skin feeling soft. This is the only holistic step by step program available. This may be an open skin sore. If you suffer from Bipolar disorder than there is a chance that you will be taking the precription treatment medication Lamictal. Apply the lotion and use the cream afterwards. This too must be face masked overnight and can be washed off with cool water the next morning. It may be that a cream or lotion will work perfectly for you, or you may need to choose an oral medication for a more severe case of acne. It is reported that aloe works to cure acne in only 1 week. The remaining wastes that left in the organism are going to be ejected through the skin, which resulting acne breakout. Once the plugs are snugly in place, a slow growing bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes causes the inflammation that triggers your breakouts. people shouldn? t make such a big thing out of it, myth or reality? Medications that are prescribed for severe and chronic acne usually contain adapalene, azelaic acid, clindamycin, erythromycin, and sodium sulfacetamide. Consult with a trained and experienced dermatologist to experience acne medicine on the cutting edge of technology. Juice from lemon: Combine fresh lime juice with boiled milk. This means it is more vulnerable to infections than the face acne would be. It is cause advisable though that before pregnant women can begin any new treatment, they should consult their physician or obstetrician. I can food allergies cause acne use the Neutrogena brand and it works great on my skin. However being emotionally upset can trigger the release of stress hormones which signal the body? s preparation for confrontation or the removal from the situation. Sebaceous glands produce an oil that moisturises the skin. Take a gel capsule of Vitamin E, and prick it with a needle. This is a procedure performed by a dermatologist in their office. An explanation and example diet plan including recipes can be accessed for free at the links below. Acne is a skin complaint occurring due to a bacterium named P. At least one teenager has written to Nopaleas parent company, Trivita, to praise the juice and share his experience of finally acne ridding his body of acne. Those with mild conditions usually get relief by the use of well advertised products and choose not to undergo extensive therapies. With all this dirt and bacteria it? s not shocking allergies that lots of people suffer from acne, but it? s far less complicated to control acne with a fantastic deal with washing regimen. Professional treatments are available from some dermatologists, beauty parlors or commercial saunas. Yes, it seems almost instinctive to try squeezing the food wretched things that always seem to pop up right when you don? t need them to. Check your shampoo to make sure it isn? acne treatment lamp t causing pimples or other breakouts on your forehead. can food allergies cause acne 15. Rub fresh garlic on and around pimples. But apart from the obvious visual moist provided by excessive oil production the main problem is that the excess of oil actually blocks lamp the skin pores. can 4) Zinc There are capsules which contain zinc which are known to repair skin and at the same time strengthen the immune system.

Related Post Can food allergies cause acne

But I am better. If you think you might have cystic acne acne treatment safe during pregnancy make an pregnancy appointment with a dermatologist From a rose bush grown in Argentina, this ingredient has been used by Italian doctors for over a decade to reduce the appearance of Just make sure the skin can breathe. good over the counter acne treatment We are talking about the Acne No More product, which has Tea Tree Oil may be utilized in several forms in soaps, facial washes, in blemish sticks and it? s generally applied topically to the coenzyme What causes acne redness? By doing this, the collagen elevates the skin of the scar to the level of the skin around it.

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The 7 Most Ridiculous Breitbart Articles of the Week (Little green footballs)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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Military Computer Financing

Seeking military computer financing can help active duty and retired personnel attain a wide variety of technological consumer goods. Whether the need is for desktop PCs, laptop computers, printers, scanners, or any of a number of electronic products, there are many organizations that can help individuals obtain funding. Even products such as wide screen televisions, cameras, or home theaters may be available. Frequently, these opportunities do not require a down payment or a high credit score. In addition to retired and active duty personnel, federal government employees may be eligible for these programs. Service in any branch of the armed forces is generally honored including the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marines, and the Coast Guard. Online applications are frequently available as well. Of course, as with any financial agreement, a potential borrower will need to do some comparison shopping and investigation before agreeing to military computer financing. If an organization is making offers that seem to be too good to be true, a potential borrower should proceed with caution. When in doubt, it is always a good idea to check an organization out with the local Better Business Bureau. If a provider of this financing is charging high interest rates or unreasonable fees, the borrower may end up paying far more than is necessary in the long run. In some cases, military spouses as well as civil service workers may be eligible for these programs.While many of these military computer financing programs are geared specifically for armed forces members, these same organizations may also offer opportunities form civilian borrowers. In addition to online businesses, some providers will also have brick and mortar showrooms. The obvious advantage of a brick and mortar showroom is that the shopper can check out the merchandise in person and perhaps make a better selection of a product that will best meet their needs. In addition, the presence of a knowledgeable sales person can help to guide the customer to the right system. Many customers can benefit from the fact that most of these businesses do not require a down payment of any kind. Some programs do not require any payments for the first sixty days. However, a customer should take care. The lack of upfront cash and promise of deferred payments can often tempt a potential borrower to exceed their budgets. When standing face to face with a dazzling array of electronic and technological products, it can be hard to maintain a reasonable objectivity in regards to financial realities. Some businesses will not have high requirements in the area of credit scores as well. In fact, many organizations may offer approval on military computer financing for all customers with only a few exceptions. Any potential borrower who is currently going through a bankruptcy will most likely be denied.

In some cases, military computer financing plans can help individuals with spotty credit histories to improve their credit scores. The monthly payments on these loans are generally reported to credit bureaus. For this reason, if a borrower makes regular monthly payments, a credit score will rise over time, and can help to reestablish the consumer's personal credit rating. Interest rates are a key concern and a potential customer should ask a lot of question in this area. A borrower should never succumb to pressure sales tactics, especially if the interest rates that are offered seem unreasonably high. Plans that do not charge prepayment penalties can be a major selling point. The time that will pass between initial application and the arrival of the computer system or other product can vary with each organization. Frequently, a customer will have their merchandise anywhere from a week to ten days after approval, if not sooner. A potential borrower should also ask about warranties before making a final decision. Parts and labor on purchased systems will generally be guaranteed for around one year. Many providers may also throw in extras such as speakers, printers, scanners, or software to sweeten the deal. When applying for military computer financing, a borrower should be ready to show a current driver's license, a military identification, a copy of a current LES, and proof of an active bank account such as a voided check.

Once a consumer has signed on for military computer financing, access to account information is important. Some providers will allow clients to access information relatively easily through a twenty four hour hotline. When merchandise breaks down, most businesses will offer warranty repair services. Technicians who are available by phone may be able to address the situation without the customer bringing the system to the store or shipping it to a repair location. If the problem can't be fixed over the phone, the item will need to be brought to a technician for an in warranty restoration. Hopefully, these repairs can be made in a timely manner, but a wise customer will ask about repair procedures before moving forward. Care should always be taken when entering into a loan agreement of any kind. The Bible warns against the harm that can be done by greed in the life of a believer. "A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent." (Proverbs 28:20)

In addition to providing military computer financing, many businesses offer other opportunities. Rent to own programs can be a good alternative for anyone in the market for computer products. In addition to technological needs, some businesses will also offer a wide variety of merchandise. These products could include furniture, game systems, or camcorders. Major appliances and exercise equipment may also be available.

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Tennis: OU duo advances at NCAA Championship

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Taking Axis for a Spin: New iOS Browser Is a Sweet Ride

"Exciting" hasn't been a word linked to Yahoo for a long time, but if the moribund company has more surprises like Axis up its sleeve, that may change. Axis is a combination iOS app and browser extension that creates seamless browser connections among devices. What's more, it does it with visual elan.


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Green Machine: Electric freight trucks coming to LA

Sara Reardon, reporter

ElectricTruck.JPG
(Image: Siemens AG)

San Francisco has its famous electric streetcars, but Los Angeles looks set to take the concept one step further. Freight trucks may soon buzz up and down electric lines along Interstate 710, which connects Los Angeles to Long Beach, California. This "eHighway" could cut carbon emissions and fuel use by trucks by as much as 30 per cent.

Siemens Technology announced the eHighway project, at the Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles earlier this month. The company has been testing the cable-truck concept in Germany for some time, but the Los Angeles pilot project would be the first test of the trucks in a real city.

Siemens expects that the cable trucks could begin running within the year.

It's a great city to start in: according to the Los Angeles Times, 40 per cent of the cargo freight that enters the US comes through ports in Long Beach and Los Angeles before being shipped down the highway. Cargo trucks in the US consume nearly 2.5 million gallons of oil per year and improvements to their efficiency lag far behind those to cars.

Once the lines are in place, all eHighway would need is a fleet of hybrid diesel-electric trucks that could switch back to diesel power as soon as they go off the overhead lines. Siemens says that system is nearly seamless: in the test project in Germany, the trucks could switch between diesel and electric power at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour.

The downside, however, is that although electric lines are easy to install on highways and technologically simple, they are very expensive. They may cost as much as five to seven million dollars per mile.

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Myanmar: New deal to end fighting with Shan rebels

Essential News from The Associated Press

AAA??May. 20, 2012?1:58 AM ET
Myanmar: New deal to end fighting with Shan rebels
AP

Myanmar's Railway Minister Aung Min, left, talks to journalists during a press conference after participating in peace talks with members of the Shan State Army (SSA) in Kengtung, Golden Triangle Region ,near the Thai border, in eastern Shan State, Myanmar, Saturday, May 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Myanmar's Railway Minister Aung Min, left, talks to journalists during a press conference after participating in peace talks with members of the Shan State Army (SSA) in Kengtung, Golden Triangle Region ,near the Thai border, in eastern Shan State, Myanmar, Saturday, May 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Lt. Gen. Ywet Sitt, right, leader of Shan State Army (SSA), raises his glass along with Myanmar's Gen. Soe Win, left, Myanmar government chief negotiator during dinner after their peace talk meeting in Kengtung, eastern Shan State, Myanmar, Saturday, May 19, 2012. It was second round of peace talks between the government and Shan rebels. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Lt. Gen. Ywet Sitt, leader of the Shan State Army (SSA), left, raises his glass along with Gen. Soe Win, the Myanmar government's chief negotiator, center, while toasting with others during a dinner after participating in a round of peace talks in Kengtung, Golden Triangle Region , near the Thai border, in eastern Shan State, Myanmar, Saturday, May 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Lt. Gen. Ywet Sitt, leader of Shan State Army (SSA), talks to Myanmar government negotiatiors during their meeting in Kengtung, eastern Shan State, Myanmar, Saturday, May 19, 2012. It was second round of peace talks between the government and Shan rebels. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Lt. Gen. Ywet Sitt, left, leader of Shan State Army (SSA), and Gen. Soe Win, chief of Myanmar government negotiation group, shake hands during their meeting in Kengtung, eastern Shan State, Myanmar, Saturday, May 19, 2012. It was second round of peace talks between the government and Shan rebels. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

(AP) ? A Myanmar negotiator says ethnic Shan rebels have agreed in a second round of talks to end fighting with army troops in the country's east, the latest reported deal between the new reformist government and various ethnic separatist movements.

Negotiator Aung Min, who is also the country's railway minister, said he discussed enforcing a December cease-fire and eradicating drugs in eastern Myanmar in talks with Yawd Serk, leader of the Shan State Army (South).

He told reporters Saturday night after the talks in the Shan State capital, Kengtung, that recent clashes were a result of misunderstanding over the firing of warning shots.

"After detailed negotiations today, there will be no more fighting," Aung Min said.

Myanmar President Thein Sein's government has reached cease-fires with several ethnic rebel groups, but fierce fighting continues with the Kachin minority in northern Myanmar, with whom peace talks have so far failed.

The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper on Sunday reported that the Kachin guerrillas had blown up several electricity pylons on Friday. "So, electric power supply will be reduced for a while across the nation as personnel concerned are trying to repair the towers as possibly quick as they can," it said.

Much of Myanmar has long suffered from frequent power shortages, due to resource mismanagement that predates the fighting.

The state press has recently been highlighting such attacks in an apparent propaganda ploy to pin the blame on the Kachin for the continuing fighting. Thein Sein late last year issued an order for the army to cease its offensive against the Kachin, but it has not been effective.

Since taking office last year as a military-backed but elected president, Thein Sein has moved to roll back many of the repressive actions of the military regimes that preceded him.

His efforts have included reconciliation with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her pro-democracy movement and also the long-running problem of ethnic rebellions.

Myanmar's ethnic minorities, who are clustered mostly in border areas, have long sought greater autonomy.

Associated Press

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Dodgers' Ellis has emergency surgery on leg

Associated Press Sports

updated 2:02 a.m. ET May 20, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday following emergency surgery to remove pressure on his left leg, and will remain hospitalized until the middle of next week.

He is expected to be out for at least six weeks.

"He was sent to the hospital, and testing showed elevated pressure in several compartments of the lower leg," Dodgers trainer Sue Falsone told reporters following the Dodgers' 6-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. "There was trauma to the area where everything kind of swells up, so you have to open up the fascia and basically release that pressure. They will keep an eye on it and most likely close that wound up on Tuesday."

Ellis, 34, is the fifth position player and fourth regular that manager Don Mattingly has lost in a span of 11 days.

He was injured during the seventh inning of Friday night's 6-5 Dodgers victory when he took a short toss from shortstop Dee Gordon on a fielder's choice grounder by Shane Robinson and was upended by Tyler Greene on a hard but clean straight-on takeout slide. The Dodgers already have center fielder Matt Kemp, third baseman Juan Uribe, left fielder Juan Rivera and utility infielder Jerry Hairston Jr. on the DL.

Ellis is batting .273 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 37 games with the Dodgers, who signed him as a free agent in November to a two-year, $8.75 million contract. The 11-year veteran had a fielding percentage of .900 or better in each of the previous seven seasons, and his .991 career mark entering this season was the second-best in history among second baseman behind Placido Polanco's .993 mark.

Infielder Ivan DeJesus was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to fill Ellis' roster spot.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Strasburg hits 1st big league HR

Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg hit his first major league homer Sunday, connecting in the fourth inning against Baltimore left-hander Wei-Yin Chen.

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রবিবার, ২০ মে, ২০১২

Hiring The Very Best Mortgage Brokers For Top Level Home ...

A number of key individuals come into play when you opt to purchase a residence. The initial person to engage is the real estate professional who?ll check the listings to discover the best home for your price. The 2nd key individual or persons you may need will be the lenders who will fund most of the property price. Bring mortgage brokers to that particular mix and you might just emerge with the ideal financing that fits your preferences.

Each significant person in the real estate transaction has an expertise to generate the entire purchase a nice experience. A broker?s expertise will assist you to select the right financing option to get your home. A mortgage loan broker has numerous associates in the financial sector, and that means you will have a wealth of alternatives in terms of lenders. But a broker?s help doesn?t start and end with just offering you with lender options.

Once your mortgage loan officer has shortlisted the businesses that could present you with financing, the next step is to inquire about your mortgage broker about the form of loans you should look at. Here are a few available: fixed-rate, adjustable-rate or negative-amortization. A mortgage broker would know which actual type of mortgage will work best to suit your needs. A fantastic broker will not just simply thrust one kind of loan on you but he?ll provide you with comprehensive information and facts that permit you to make the right choice. She or he will likely tell you the pros and cons of choosing one over the other.

As you may well know, the price tag on a four-bedroom house or even a two-bedroom loft (or whatever kind of home you?ve got your view on) along with the professional prices of your agent, legal counsel plus much more aren?t the only charges to take into account when you?ve finally made a decision to become a property owner. Your realtor should be able to explain to you on any additional charges you?ll want to pay up, expenses like relevant taxes. Plus, the property buyer is not incurred any fee for utilizing a home broker.

Lastly, the best mortgage broker will assist you to look for ways to lessen your costs. For example, shorter mortgage conditions can generate lower mortgage rates. Your broker can find lenders with quicker payment schedules and shorter amortization renewals.

Home mortgages don?t have to be a complicated wreck or wind up sinking you with big debts when you acquire the services of a broker. If you find yourself picking one, take particular curiosity about how he provides you with the info you will need. A good and reliable broker won?t only supply you with the answers you would like to hear but instead truthfully guide you towards the smartest financing solution.

A reliable mortgage broker is the one that sees what you really need at the best price you can afford. Halifax mortgage brokers are trustworthy brokers you can get to help you acquire your dreamhouse. Discover other tips on home financing at Securing Amazing Real Estate Sydney.

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China's Tencent To Restructure Into Six Groups, Here's Why ...

China?s Internet juggernaut Tencent?announced today that it would undergo a restructuring of its business units into six groups.?Ren Yuxin was also named as the new chief operating officer and will head ?up the media and social-networking groups.

The six groups include:

TEG ? Technology & Engineering Group, comprised of Tencent Research and operating divisions.

SNG ? Social Networking Group, comprised of its Internet business lines and some divisions from Tencent Research.

CDG ? Corp. Development Group, formed by Tencent Guangdong R&D Center and its corporate development arm.

IEG ? Interactive Entertainment Group, original Interactive Entertainment service.

MIG ? Mobile Internet Group, made up of wireless services and some divisions from Tencent Research.

OMG ? Online Media Group, namely its portal business.

The most profitable Chinese Internet company and its red scarf clad penguin mascot, has been growing into quite the force by competing with other Chinese Internet companies on many fronts like portal business (rivals with Sina, Sohu and NetEase), online games (Sohu, NetEase and Shanda), social networking service (Sina, Renren), software and anti-virus services (Qihoo 360), online video (Qiyi, Sohu Video), eCommerce (Taobao), travel booking (Ctrip), online payment (Alipay) and search (Baidu and Sogou). Just to name a few.

In the firm?s freshly released Q1 2012 financial results, the company turned a profit of US $470.6 million on revenue of 1.53 billion, a 2.8% increase from this time last year.

All of its major offerings are still seeing big growth, for example, its instant messaging system QQ now boasts 751.9 million accounts, up 11.5% YOY. Both QZone and Pengyou.com, Tencent?s approach to social networking to date claims 576.7 million and 214.5 million users respectively, up 9.7% since last quarter and a stunning 30.2% YOY. And the Shenzhen-based company?s profit-making businesses including QQ Game Open Platform, Internet value-added service, wireless Internet value-added service as well as online advertising business all pulled off decent growth in the past quarter.

However, there?s always more than meets the eye.

For starters, Tencent?s investment spree last year hasn?t brought on too much revenue, for example, it still lags behind Alibaba/Taobao on the eCommerce front in spite of all its recent acquisitions.?Starting last year, Tencent invested in a handful of eCommerce services, like Gaopeng (think Groupon), China?s Zappos OKBuy.com, the Chinese OTA elong.com, diamond dealer kela.cn, 3C etailer 51buy.com and so forth, with elong.com being the only one turning a profit.

Furthermore, Sina Weibo, which is like a Chinese mix of Facebook and Twitter, is posing a real threat to Tencent?s dominance in social networking.?Just like Tencent built its empire on QQ, Sina has been working relentlessly on Weibo to reinvent itself from the traditional online media company to the leading social media outlet by adding a swath of innovations to the platform like Weibo Open Platform, Enterprise Weibo, Weibo gaming center and so on.

At the same time, Tencent?s search effort Soso has been long-rumored to be facing serious downsizing, which shows that a company that seems as strong as Tencent can still have weaknesses.?Soso hasn?t had any major breakthroughs since its inception six years ago. It currently accounts for 1.5% of China?s search market in the first quarter of this year, according to a report by Beijing-based market researcher iResearch.

Tencent should be wary of the rise of its peers and an organizational restructure might help it be more responsive to market change and be nimble in execution.


Per the company?s claims as of March 2008, Tencent is China?s largest and most utilized internet services portal. The company powers popular products like instant messaging and gaming service QQ and e-commerce and online trading platform PaiPai, amongst others.

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PowerUpGames.com Video Games Testers Q&A Site ? Answers ...

Everyone has those problems in life that can be embarrassing to talk about, even to those who are professionals in the field. However, fear not, because self-help can be an effective way to manage your personal problems as well. Here you will find some great resources for self-help.

Positive affirmations can be a powerful tool for your personal development, but not if you speak them by rote, without engagement or interest. Always get emotionally involved when you repeat your affirmations to yourself. When you are repeating your affirmations, invest your full attention in them and concentrate on building up positive feelings.

Improving yourself, once you?ve acknowledged there is a problem, is actually quite simple. All it takes is one little effort every day. Focus on one aspect of your life or character you?d like to improve, and make it your mantra. Focus every activity, every interaction that day around that principal, and stick to it. You?ll feel great about yourself!

Remove stress by getting a hobby. When you find an activity that you are interested in and like to do, you will have something to concentrate on besides whatever is giving you stress. You can find social hobbies that allow you to interact with other people, but solitary hobbies also go a long way in relieving stress.

When it comes to personal development, make sure that you know what your principals are and that you work to improve ones that need repair. This is important because everything you do builds off of these principals. If you have a good foundation then you will have a much better chance at success.

Remove artificially-sweetened products with aspartame from your diet. Aspartame, contained in Equal and NutraSweet, is responsible for blocking serotonin formation, causing insomnia, headaches, and blue moods in people who already have some serotonin depletion. For a natural sweetener that does not affect serotonin, blood sugar or calorie levels, try stevia. Go to www.dsmpost.com for the best tips.

When you decide that you want to improve yourself you should write down a list of each aspect that you want to change and give it a rating from 1 to 10 on how hard it will be to accomplish. Try to pair difficult things with easy things so you don?t get overwhelmed.

Personal growth is not always easy; in fact, sometimes it involves a lot of personal pain before the growth and development begins. As we make our way through life, it helps to maximize each challenge and look for the good in it so that we can continue to get better at finding true happiness inside ourselves.

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শনিবার, ১৯ মে, ২০১২

Banking Bets on Romney (TIME)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

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CA museum gets big gift to build shuttle exhibit

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শুক্রবার, ১৮ মে, ২০১২

Design Hard Protector Skin Cover Cell Phone Case for Samsung ...

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Samsung A927 Flight II Flight 2 Faceplate Cover Cell Phone Hard Cover Cases Skin

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বৃহস্পতিবার, ১৭ মে, ২০১২

Dalglish leaves Liverpool managerial post

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মঙ্গলবার, ১৫ মে, ২০১২

Create 3D visualizations with your iPhone or iPad with Arqball Spin, now on Kickstarter

If you remember painstakingly constructing 3D models using points, polygons, and splines back in the days of the Video Toaster, then the Arqball Spin is bound to bring a smile to your face -- because it lets you quickly make a 3D visualization with nothin g but your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.


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বুধবার, ৯ মে, ২০১২

Twitpic for iPhone review: not even close to being an ?Instagram Killer?

Twitpic is one of the most popular photos hosting services for Twitter and now they've released their very own iPhone app that lets you browse through the photos of all the people you follow on Twitter who have share their photos with Twitpic, add comments, a well as add filters and effects to your own photos to share to Twitter and Twitpic.


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মঙ্গলবার, ৮ মে, ২০১২

শনিবার, ৫ মে, ২০১২

Italy goes big to save Venice as it sinks into the sea

A multibillion-dollar flood-prevention system will be put in place starting next year, a decade after the project began.

Venetians have been coping with tidal flooding, or ?acqua alta,? for centuries. A recent study suggests the problem may be worsening faster than previously believed.

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But a multibillion-dollar system to be implemented starting next year could help prevent major flooding, according to two engineers who presented the project yesterday at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Mass.

According to scientists from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, the University of Miami, and Tele-Rilevamento Europa, an Italian company specializing in ground deformation measurement, the lagoon city is sinking, and won?t stop any time soon.

The team, who published their findings in the March issue of Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, a journal of the American Geophysical Union, combined GPS and space-borne radar information on the lagoon over the past 10 years and came to the conclusion that the city is sinking about two millimeters (0.08 inches) per year. This contradicts previous studies, according to which Venice?s land subsidence, the scientific term that refers to its slow sinking into the waters, had stopped after the city discontinued groundwater pumping in the 1990s, as reported by the Italian newspaper Il Gazzettino.

?It?s a small effect, but it?s important,? lead author Yehuda Bock said in a press release.

In 20 years, the study says, 80 millimeters (3.2 inches) of the lagoon will be taken over by the sea. But that is not the only thing Venetians should be worried about: The city is also tilting eastward, a problem the authors of the research say wasn?t detected in other studies.

So, is Venice doomed? ?Perhaps not. First of all, some question the study?s methodological approach. Pierpaolo Campostrini, director of Corila, a Venice-based research center that studies the lagoon, told Italian daily Corriere della Sera that subsidence may not be constant. ?It could accelerate or slow down,? he said.

Then there is Mose, a complex 5 billion euro ($6.5 billion) flood-prevention system part of which will be operational in 2013 ? 10 years after the project, one of Italy's largest public works, first began. Mose engineers Maria Teresa Brotto and Giovanni Cecconi were at MIT yesterday to present the project, which MIT faculty helped to develop. Mose?s four barriers, placed in the water at the lagoon?s inlets, are designed to rise with the water level, thus protecting the lagoon from flooding.

The goal, Mr. Cecconi said, is ?to keep the water level under 100 centimeters [3.28 feet]? in the city. Critics of the project, however, are concerned about its environmental impact and its maintenance costs, which Ms. Brotto said will amount to 15 to 20 million euros per year.

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Samsung Galaxy S III Tracks Your Eyes, Knows When You?re Ready to Call

After months of speculation, Samsung's Galaxy S III smartphone is here. It has a massive touchscreen and a quad-core CPU, but its most noteworthy features tie into human behavior prediction -- seriously.

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Justin Bieber Goes 'More Mature' With 'Boyfriend' Video

Pop star brings new clip to MTV News and answers all his fans' questions during Thursday's 'MTV First: Justin Bieber.'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway


Justin Bieber
Photo: MTV News

From the back of a Shelby Mustang right to a showroom filled with classic cars, Justin Bieber premiered his highly anticipated "Boyfriend" video on Thursday (May 3) during "MTV First: Justin Bieber." The sexy, sunny, Director X-directed clip certainly had fans in the room cheering.

The video comes to life with shots of Bieber driving a muscle car, snuggling with his beautiful co-star and getting his dance on alongside his pals, all while they chill out at a rooftop party somewhere in Los Angeles. It's a more mature look at the growing pop star, who in only a few short years has gone from strumming his guitar on the streets of his Canadian hometown to full-fledged international pop-star status, where he fills arenas all over the world.

"I kind of switched it up from all the teasers," Bieber told MTV News' Sway Calloway about what fans saw of the video before its premiere. "I switched up the whole video on them, and really, I think it's super cool. I wanted to do something a little bit more mature."

The video is full of swaggy images, ranging from his varsity jacket to his cool car, but what left one fan in the "MTV First" audience most intrigued were the gold sneakers he sports in the video. "I did pick out those swaggy gold shoes," he laughed. "They spray-painted them gold. That's what I'm going to do: I'm gonna start wearing gold shoes all the time."

With the video's focus on cars and friends, the 18-year-old chatted about his own personal car collection. "I have a Range Rover and a Fisker. And I have a Smart Car. It just helps me get from point A to point B. I call it my little 'swag car,' " he said.

While Bieber made it clear that his off-time doesn't look a lot like the party in the video, he did share what he does on the weekends: "I work. ... If I'm with my friends, we like to do regular stuff," he said, before opening up about what he does to unsuspecting pals in an elevator. "We have this game where basically we hit each other in the balls."

In addition to opening up about the video and his unusual take on riding in an elevator, he also talked about working with pals Drake, Kanye West, Usher and Taylor Swift for his brand-new album, Believe, out June 19. "Boyfriend" is the lead single from the highly anticipated release.

But with the music world conquered, he also teased his forthcoming work in Hollywood. He gave an update on his in-the-works basketball movie with Mark Wahlberg, as well as his blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo in "Men In Black 3." He noted, however, "Right now I'm focused on my album and Believe."

What did you think of the "Boyfriend" video? Share your reviews in the comments!

Stick with MTV News as we roll out more from our exclusive "MTV First" interview with Justin Bieber!

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