Smartlog v. II » ofsawo
Opret egen blog | Nęste blog »

Correction The Original Post Implied That The Church Is No

8. Dec 2011 13:23, ofsawo

Correction: The original post implied that the Church is no longer active. In fact, the band has been touring and putting out albums continuously for almost 30 years, and Tim Powles is still their drummer. Apologies for the mistake. Modern musical technology makes the world smaller. Example: Seattle band Half Light are big fans of Australian art-rock band The Church. [Disclosure: I played bass with another incarnation of Half Light in 2004 and 2005 and am still friendly with the band.] Americans of a certain age probably remember The Church's 1987 hit "Under the Milky Way," but the band is still going on strong and is considered highly influential among a certain class of rock musician. Basically, if you were into guitar music in the late 80s and early 90s but didn't care much for "grunge" or that era's punk "revival," The Church are probably on your playlist. Anyway, Half Light knew that Church drummer Tim (Time Bandit) Powles operates a production house called Space Junk. Fifteen years ago, it would have been a major effort to have him produce their record--most non-label bands couldn't afford the flights to Sydney, let alone the hours of studio time. But Half Light tracked into ProTools in Seattle, got in touch with Powles online, and hired/convinced him to mix their new record. Everything was done by exchanging data CDs of ProTools files back and forth. I got an advance copy and it sounds amazing--I'm sure the original tracks were recorded well (first rule of recording: you can't polish a turd), but the production's top notch--great tones, perfectly balanced, and some interesting effects and arrangements that sound like they were added in the mix. My brother did the same thing a few years back with one of his heroes, Terry Brown, who recorded Rush's Moving Pictures and other classic albums. In that case, he had to fly to Toronto a few times, but the majority of the tracking was done in his home town, El Paso, then the individual tracks were transported to Toronto for mixing.

Surrealist Movies Offer The Strangest Happenings Just To Make Us

8. Dec 2011 13:23, ofsawo

Surrealist movies offer the strangest happenings just to make us feel better about ourselves. Streets become beaches. Nun's clothing appears on the sidewalk. And yet I don't remember a surrealist movie where a 9-inch Canon camera lens crashes through the roof of a house. Perhaps the notion seemed too far-fetched. But not for one woman in Petaluma, Calif., who recently experienced precisely this occurrence. It all started so innocently. Speaking to CBS 5 San Francisco, 55-year-old Debbie Payne told of a hearing a crash. Might it have been an earthquake? Might it have been a storm-trooping blackbird with a machine gun, ready to rob her house of her TV and camera equipment? No, it appears to have been dive-bombing camera equipment, desperate to enter her abode. Please imagine the neighbors' surprise, as they, too, ran out to see what was assaulting their idyll. They were bemused. For there was a hole in Payne's roof. Two window screens had been sliced, as if in preparation for a charcuterie plate. And the culprit was a 2-pound Canon lens. The police seem fairly bemused too. They are trying to trace the serial number of the lens that zoomed through the roof to its owner. Thus, far, they have only traced thin air. Currently, there appears to be no evidence that the lens even fell from a plane. Just as there is no evidence it came from the beak of a thieving stork. Payne is grateful that no one was hurt, but now has to pick up the pieces with her insurance claim. This weekend, if you happen to be out hang-gliding, or a passenger in your best friend's little pink Cessna, please be careful with your equipment. We have enough worries with space debris right now.

Cisco Systems Said It Will Pay 150 Million For A

8. Dec 2011 13:23, ofsawo

Cisco Systems said it will pay $150 million for a small stake in a virtualization software company called VMware, which operates as a unit of storage giant EMC. Cisco's stake in the company will be about 1.6 percent. VMware is the leader in what is turning out to be a hot market. The division makes software that allows a computer or server to function as if it were several. The software emulates features of a computer, which makes it easier to run multiple operating systems and applications on a single machine. Companies benefit because the software allows them to use more computing power out of individual computers and servers. It reduces the number of new machines they have to buy, which can often provide huge capital savings as well as operational savings, especially in reducing energy costs. Analysts say that VMware has about 85 percent market share in the virtualization business at the moment. The market is expected to grow to about $20 billion annually in the next few years. VMware is so hot now that EMC is preparing to spin off 10 percent of the unit in an initial public offering. EMC reported on Tuesday that VMware grew sales 89 percent to $298 million in the second quarter compared to the previous year. Earlier this month, Intel agreed to invest $218.5 million in VMware. Meanwhile Microsoft, the largest potential rival to VMware, is gearing up to challenge the company. But Microsoft has already postponed the public beta version of its main product that is supposed to rival VMware's software. It's expected to be out in the second half of this year. Cisco, which primarily makes switches and routers that shuttle IP traffic around networks, is interested in VMware because it will help Cisco's corporate customers run their data centers more efficiently. Once the deal is complete, Cisco will have less than one percent of the outstanding voting stock in the company, but VMware has agreed to consider naming a Cisco executive to its board once it goes public.

Frustration For Chavez Over Poll

8. Dec 2011 13:23, ofsawo

The first sign that not everything had gone the way of Hugo Chavez's United Socialist Party (PSUV) came when a scheduled news conference with one its key candidates, Aristobulo Isturiz, was cancelled without warning. By this stage the first bulletin of results, which was expected to take just two hours to be produced, was now more than six hours late, and there was still no sign of an announcement. Finally, at almost three in the morning on Monday, the president of the National Electoral Council, Tibisay Lucena, came onto the stage and went through the results state by state. The final picture was a cause for both celebration and disappointment for the Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez. He will have welcomed the overall majority the Socialists retained in the National Assembly, and quickly praised a "solid victory" which would "strengthen the Bolivarian revolution" on his Twitter site. Frustration But the tweet was a far cry from addressing a jubilant crowd from the balcony of the presidential palace, Miraflores, which at one stage in the evening he looked set to do. Perhaps neither the president nor his supporters felt in the mood. Chavez voters - dubbed "Chavistas" - will undoubtedly be frustrated at the size of the opposition's representation in parliament. From next to no seats, the opposition parties can now count on at least 62, and have denied Mr Chavez the two-thirds majority he sought. By taking more than a third of the assembly, opposition deputies will now be in a position to block some of the president's key reforms - be they appointments to the Supreme Court or so-called "organic" laws imposing sweeping changes in areas such as education and local governance. However, it may be the opposition's claim they have taken 52% of the popular vote which will upset the president's supporters the most. If it is later confirmed by the electoral council, it represents a significant victory for the opposition who, only a few years ago, were widely considered to be too unattractive to ordinary Venezuelans ever to seriously compete with Mr Chavez's mass appeal. Prize ahead To chants of "we are the majority", the head of the umbrella opposition group, MUD, Ramon Guillermo Aveledo, said that their share of the popular vote would "only grow further in the next two years" - a reference to the presidential election in 2012. But, while the new-look National Assembly is a blow to the Venezuelan leader, it would be a foolhardy commentator who would suggest Mr Chavez will not be able to muster the support he needs in a presidential race. Mr Chavez is still a popular leader and, while the opposition have clearly learnt a great deal in terms of how best to tackle Mr Chavez at the polls, they still have a long way to go before being seen as a viable alternative national administration. There were renewed charges of opposition elitism during this election when they - unlike the PSUV - refused to hold primaries to choose the most popular candidates. A failure to hold primaries for their presidential candidate in 2012, especially if one of the older generation of opposition figures is chosen, would only underline what Mr Chavez has often said about the traditional parties in Venezuela - that they are out of touch with the electorate. Immediate challenges However, the presidential race is still two years away and first there are more immediate tests for both sides. How will Mr Chavez, who has enjoyed unfettered support from the National Assembly over the past five years, take to having to ask his arch-opponents to support reforms they have robustly criticised in the past? Will the opposition show a degree of flexibility to try to begin to work with the majority Socialists in government? Will, indeed, the hastily-erected umbrella of the MUD even survive the next parliamentary term or was it simply a marriage of convenience during this campaign? As those and other questions begin to be answered over the coming months and years, many voters will be hoping that the National Assembly become a more plural legislative body. And that, if the opposition were serious about tackling their two key campaign topics - rising crime and high inflation - then their deputies will be prepared to cross the aisle to find solutions to those problems.

Make Money 3 Fundamental Principles To Make Money

8. Dec 2011 13:23, ofsawo

Make money can be made easier, more relaxed and less stressful with 3 fundamental make money rules. These money making rules are simple yet very effective. Use the law of attraction, prepare yourself, make research and take action. Make Money Principle 1 - Use the Universal Law of Attraction to Attract Money Money is attracted if you think about how to make more of it, desire it and focus on it. As Madonna a few decades said "I am a material girl and I am Living in a material world" make a wish list of your dreams, passions, desires, in general material things you would be much happier having them. There are no rules such as exclude very expensive items or objects of desire. The law of attraction says to focus on what we want to earn and receive and repeat the process sending our thoughts to the universe. Then the universe will return to us in a material way our thoughts, attracting them. Although there are many claims for this secret to be true, the argument that we will be day-dreamers and waste our time making dreams can be dealt with the idea and need of positive thinking and mood. Do you prefer to be optimistic or pessimistic? To think about life, business in a positive attitude or a negative one? At least focusing on your wish list is an effective to motivate you and a good motive is always good. No do not focus on your rich relative to pass away and inherit his or her fortune. Think of good things and actions to make money. Make Money Principle 2 - Prepare yourself for reward and make some research. Prepare yourself that additional wealth, success, capital, income or cash will change your ordinary lifestyle. Visualize good changes and how to incorporate them in your daily routine. Imagine success, new behaviour and attitude, new habits. If you prepare mentally and psychologically your mind then you have taken a great step towards making more money by having a real motive. A motive without limits, no matter unrealistic they are. Ok the idea of being a billionaire within next year may seem out of space, but on the other hand factors such as destiny, luck or even an unexpected event such as forecasting the exact bottom of stock market and buying derivatives to have great leverage in your return may reward you with turning a few thousand dollars investment into a few millions if a large move occurs according to your position. Make Money Principle 3 - Take Action Make money and wealth comes with mainly taking action, following a few steps at a time and putting the great rule of compounding into force. Compounding is the idea that repeated actions lead to greater results over time. Just when you have a debt and you only pay a small portion of it each month and you wonder why after a year it has increased rather than decreased due to the compounding of interest the same idea can work for your benefit. Make a list of how can people save more money in this financial crisis, write and eBook or report and market it on the internet. Find the next billionaire idea? A product that will be cheap, reliable, in great demand and people will not be able to live without it. Use your imagination, your intuition, your ingenuity or perception. Be brave, bold, and innovative. Just like in the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" it may be your destiny to make money. Make money following these 3 principles Why not start using these 3 basic principles to make money today? Attract material things and feel good. Prepare yourself for a large positive change. And take action to make money.

If Youre A Netflix Subscriber You Should Be Happy With

8. Dec 2011 13:22, ofsawo

If you're a Netflix subscriber, you should be happy with the sounds coming out of Hollywood. One entertainment executive told me last week that other Web video companies looking for content should use Netflix as a model for how to work with the major studios. He called the company a "good partner," high praise coming from an industry in which few have anything good to say about Internet companies. This bodes well for Netflix's chances of obtaining more streaming content. When it comes to the studios' complaints about Netflix, there's also something positive to be found. "While there are things in the Netflix system that are clearly cannibalistic [to sales], there are things we can change," Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Pictures' home entertainment unit, said during a conference appearance earlier this month. "They can pay us more, or we can reduce the quality of what we give them." Kornblau obviously doesn't think that Netflix paid enough for content it licensed in several high-profile deals with the studios this year. That may mean trouble in the future, but Kornblau's statement, coming so soon after Netflix landed the licensing agreements, also suggests that the company's ability to acquire content isn't solely dependent on the size of its checks. Netflix appears to have more to bargain with than just cash. The hit rental service is now the supreme power in U.S. video rentals. It has put itself in that position by building one of the most loyal followings and strongest brands of any digital-entertainment company. Netflix is respected by consumers for doing away with the much-loathed late fees, offering low prices, and providing one of the best viewer experiences online. Netflix has also stood out among Silicon Valley companies for its willingness to partner with the studios. "It's not just about writing the big check," Ted Sarandos, Netflix's chief content officer, said in a recent interview with CNET. "A lot of people have written big checks and didn't get what they needed." One of the best stories in digital entertainment this year is how Netflix built up its streaming-video library against the odds. It wasn't long ago that pundits predicted that Netflix would be unable to pay the studios' rates and would see its supply of streaming content cut off. The naysayers argued that Netflix would go bankrupt or alienate subscribers by forcing steep price increases on them. So far, the company has defied the doubters. Embedded in Hollywood For tech companies, acquiring rights to film and TV content has proven to be a challenge. For instance, the four major broadcast networks have blocked Google TV from accessing their Web content. To some studio insiders, the Silicon Valley guys were just the latest hustlers to come to town. The Web video companies were either devising software or sites to pirate or port in films and TV shows, or were dismissive of the studios' digital strategies. YouTube employees once famously referred to the video portal created by NBC Universal and News Corp. as the "clown company." It turned out to be Hulu. A high-handed attitude isn't what Reed Hastings wanted. Netflix's CEO, named "Business Person of the Year" last week by Fortune magazine, handed Sarandos a very different mission in Hollywood. "Unlike the companies that [tried to strike partnerships with the studios] before, we didn't make the mistake of relegating relationships to agents and lawyers to broker deals," Sarandos said in a recent interview with CNET. "The same way we don't outsource our [intellectual property], we don't outsource our relationships...It's our goal to be embedded into the studios' business and understand what drives their decision making. We do our best to be good partners." The close Hollywood ties help Netflix managers find ways to help the studios, as well as themselves. One example involves the recent decline in sales of DVD box sets. Many TV shows aren't selling well on DVD, even as the costs of producing one-hour serialized shows go up, Sarandos said. When it comes to syndication, a dramatic series that includes more adult themes, such as Showtime's "Dexter" or Fox's "Lie to me," are traditionally a tough sell. One issue with most serialized shows is that if viewers miss an episode, they fall behind in the story. Netflix's streaming service is one solution. Users don't have to worry about falling behind. They choose which episode to watch and when. Netflix also impressed many at the studios by agreeing to help protect DVD sales. Earlier this year, the Los Gatos, Calif.-based company agreed to delay renting some of the studios' newly released DVDs until 28 days after their titles hit store shelves. In return, Netflix received access to more TV shows and films for its streaming service. Blockbuster and Netflix data There are other, more practical reasons for strong Netflix-Hollywood ties: Blockbuster is all but gone. The brick-and-mortar retail chain, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September, was a big source of revenue for the studios. And just as DVD sales plummet, Hollywood's attempt to persuade consumers to upgrade film collections to Blu-ray discs has largely failed. The studios know that Netflix, with its 17 million subscribers, can help fill these holes. More importantly, the studios know the trend in renting movies is to do it online. If there's a better way than Netflix for the studios to stake out prime digital turf, it hasn't presented itself. And then there's all that customer data. Eric Garland, CEO and co-founder of Big Champagne, a company that tracks digital-media consumption, argues that Netflix's greatest advantage--indeed, one of the things that appeals most to Hollywood--is what it knows about its customers' renting and viewing habits. "Netflix is cleaning up because they started seeing changes in consumer behavior before consumers knew they changed their behavior," Garland said. During the period before it started offering streaming content on demand, for example, Netflix noticed that its subscribers had already started to slow down the volume of their DVD viewing. "We were updating the queues, we were creating the lists, but that ping-pong of DVDs going back and forth in the mail had started to slow. You didn't know what that meant. You were busy going 'Ah, I need to watch that DVD, but I don't want to watch it tonight.' You put it back down. What they saw was that you needed better and more immediate access to more titles," Garland said. "That's old news now, but they've been in possession of that for years. So the reason that Netflix is of such strategic value to Hollywood is that they already own the new consumer who doesn't want to bother with the disc." Correction 8:37 a.m. PT This story incorrectly stated the number of Netflix's subscribers. Netflix currently has 16.9 million subscribers.

The Feeling Dan Gillespie Sells

8. Dec 2011 13:22, ofsawo

Its been just over two years since The Feeling shot to the top of the album charts with their last album, 'Join With Us'. Fans may have thought it was over but its not and will be pleased to hear the Ivor Novello award-winning pop quintet are back with their 3rd offering, 'Together We Were Made'. The 13-track album was recorded at lead singer Dan Gillespie Sells home - the newly converted and former East End pub, The Royal Oak - and will be released on Monday June 20th. A double deluxe version of the album will also be available and features late 80s rapper Betty Boo, Rn Murphy and Cathy Dennis. To date the group named after a bar - Le Feeling - in Paris, have sold more than two million records in the UK and are one of the most frequently played bands on British radio. Lead singer Dan Gillespie Sells took time to speak to Music News Victoria Dillingham ahead of the album launch next month. Music News: Youre currently gearing up for the release of your 3rd album 'Together We Were Made'. What can fans expect from your new material and how does it differ, if at all from your last two albums? Dan: I think its just the next stage for us. We wanted to push ourselves to a new level and took a lot of time to make it. Getting the production right is quite a tricky thing. Trying to make it the huge production that you want to can often mean the songs suffer, so youve got to find a balance. Its still us doing what we do best, that is making beautiful pop songs. Its a lot more grown up for us and is an expression of where we are now as a band and for me where I am as a musician. Its as honest as we have always been and is full of love and joy which we are all feeling right now. Music News: Youve teamed up with fellow Sussex born musicians, the Freemasons for a number of tracks on the new album. How did this partnership come about and what made you decide to work with them? Dan: We actually worked on a song with them a while back. It was a dance type track of ours. We wanted it to sound like Prince, but it sounded like Fleetwood Mac (laughs). I was a massive fan of their work and Richard Jones (bass player) knew of them through Sophie (Ellis-Bextor) his wife and they ended up working with us on 5 more songs on the new album. We produce and engineer all of our stuff and know how to make it sound like The Feeling. We wanted to push the dance and synth elements of these tracks without making it sound superimposed if that makes sense? We wanted dance to be at the heart of the track and they did a fantastic job, were thrilled with outcome. Music News: As a group you recorded the new album at your home Dan, a converted pub in the East End which is also a fully-functional studio. Tell us how that worked out? Dan: Yes at the start of the year I bought an old pub in the East End of London called The Royal Oak, which I have converted into my home and its now known as The Dog House. We previously used Damon Albarns place, but Ive now had a studio built in to the lower level of the pub and we record there. For us its nice, having spent years in darkened studios to finally have a space where we can practice and record with light and the dog just walking around, its great! Music News: Rumour has it that in addition to the standard 13 track version of the new album, youll also be releasing a double album with an additional disc featuring the vocals of Betty Boo. Tell us more? Dan: We knew Alison as a songwriter and we had this song called 'Virtually Art' which we just knew her voice would be great on. We asked her if shed mind doing a rap as Betty Boo and she said "yes" and did an absolutely marvellous job. We also worked with Cathy Dennis and Rn Murphy on the double album which was great! Music News: Youve been together and managed to maintain your original line-up for nearly six years now - post record deal - which in the disposable world of pop is a considerable length of time. Whats your secret to staying and working together as a band? Dan: Weve actually been together a total of 16 years, as we were playing together for 10 years prior to securing our first recording contract and weve been through thick and thin together in that time. We have a language and a history and I think thats the difference. A record deal can be the breaking of a band that hasnt been together and played together for long enough before it arrives. When youve weathered the bad times prior to it, it makes you stronger as a group. Music News: As a band you were awarded The Ivor Novello Award for Songwriters of the Year in 2007. How do you continue to pen some of the catchiest and emotive pop lyrics and melodies? Dan: Thats a really hard question. I try not to think about it too much. Ill hear a melody in my head and then Ill forget about it. If it then comes back to me and I hear it again and again, its good. If I dont and Ive forgotten it then its not strong enough. Lyrically I just try and write the things I really want to say. I dont write stuff that I think people want to hear, I dont write stuff I think people like, I just write the stuff that I want to hear and want to say. I forget theres an audience. I think its really important that I do it this way, as I want to be very honest with my lyrics and the minute you start to think about there being an audience and someone to please, you can become self-conscious about what you sing and I never want to be that way. I always want to be completely truthful and open, which I am. Music News: Who are your biggest influences musically? Dan: Again its a tough one as I have such an eclectic taste it really is a mix. I like listening to music from the 1920s, 30s and 40s through to Elton John, The Rolling Stones to Motown, the Eurythmics, Talking Heads and the 80s gay pop scene. I equally like Bob Marley, Abba, The Carpenters and Nirvana, Im just so diverse in what I like and will listen to. For me what really matters in a song is that there is a truth and a message and that can come from Neil Young say or the Bee Gees, its about engaging with the listener and being honest about what you are singing. Music News: What are the biggest changes youve seen in the music industry over the last six years and how has it impacted, if at all on the music you make? Dan: Im quite unaffected by it all to be honest. Im aware there has been considerable changes and there always will be in music, but Im very much in my own little world and we just do what we love to do. Music News: Youve clocked an impressive number of live performances as a band, including Glastonbury, Coachella Festival, Top of the Pops and the Diana memorial concert at Wembley Stadium. How important is it for you as a band to be seen as live performers as it is polished recording artists? Dan: Its really important. We toured unofficially with this album before we recorded it to road-test the songs. Its really important for us to do this as when youre in a studio recording you can become somewhat isolated and you need to make a decision at the end of it as to what songs make the album. Its the one time you really want feedback and road-testing the songs on a mini tour is the most immediate feedback youll ever get as an artist, so its what we did. We love performing live. Music News: If you could go back in time and be a part of any music scene when would it be and why? Dan: Thats an interesting question. There are so many periods in pop music history I can think of, but Ive always had a child-like dream if you like of sitting in an old smoke filled, sweaty jazz basement listening to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Yes, I think itd have to be then for me. Music News: As a band who persisted for 10 years before getting record deal, what would your advice be to struggling musicians today awaiting their lucky break? Dan: Just keep at it for as long as you physically can. We were on the verge of running out of money just before we were signed. Our money had dried up and we had no overdraft left. We stuck at it and gave it one final push. Its not just about your efforts though, its also about timing. When we finally emerged, the radios were all playing the same Indie bands and we were offering something different, we were pop and upbeat. We went from being the band that had approached every record label in the land and got a no to being the most played band on British radio. Dont give up! Like our Award Winning facebook page and be entered into a draw to win 1000 CDs including rare, signed and promotional copies here!

Yesterday I Mentioned That I Use A Desktop Replacement Or

8. Dec 2011 13:22, ofsawo

Yesterday I mentioned that I use a desktop replacement (or "big honkin' laptop") as my primary PC. Machines like these used to cost a small fortune--or, if they were more affordable, come with weak hardware. No more. Staples has the Toshiba Satellite L775D-S7222 17.3-inch laptop for $479.90 shipped, plus sales tax in some states. That may not seem like such a big deal--I've featured similarly priced desktop replacements in the past--until you see the specs. The Satellite is a quad-core (!) PC powered by AMD's A6-3400M processor, which features an onboard Radeon HD 6250M graphics accelerator. It comes with 6GB of DDR3 RAM (expandable to 8GB) and a 500GB hard drive. Basically, it's got enough ponies under the hood to handle just about anything--including cool games like Portal (which I only just discovered and am officially ga-ga over). Other noteworthy specs include three USB ports, one HDMI output, the all-but-standard DVD burner and Webcam, and Windows 7 Home Premium x64. The keyboard is wide enough to accommodate a separate numeric keypad--always a nice perk for number-crunchers. The only area where the Satellite falls a bit short is the 17.3-inch screen, which, while admirably roomy, has a maximum resolution of 1,600 x 900 pixels. Although that's more than adequate for a screen of that size, and definitely not a showstopper, I'd rather see 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. Amazingly, the system weighs just 6.2 pounds. It's not uncommon for desktop replacements to tip the scales at 9 or even 10 pounds. I'm not saying the Satellite is uber-portable, just that it won't break your back should you need to tote it. CNET hasn't reviewed this model, but 150 or so Staples buyers collectively rated it 4.1 stars out of 5. This might be a good time to mention that the sellout potential here is huge. This is a pretty killer deal on a really nicely spec'd desktop replacement. Bonus deal: Speaking of Portal, it's available for download from Steam for just $9.99. Having just finished it yesterday, I can safely say it's one of my favorite PC games of all time. Now I just need to find Portal 2 for that price! Bonus deal No. 2: Eagle-eyed reader Michael found the Acer Iconia 10-inch Android tablet for $319.95, plus around $10 for shipping. (Incidentally, I found it for even less: $314.30 shipped. I win, Michael! :) It's not an HP TouchPad for $99, but it's still a solid deal on one of the better-rated tablets out there.

However According To Bain Promoted Tweets Could Be Most Important

8. Dec 2011 13:22, ofsawo

However, according to Bain, Promoted Tweets could be most important to the political campaigns, since it works with the site's search function. "People are literally searching for topics and ideas as much as they are for names of campaigns," Bain told Politico. Although advertising hasn't always been a major component in Twitter's business--research firm eMarketer believes the company only made $45 million in revenue last year, compared to about $2 billion for Facebook--it has the user base to potentially generate serious cash. Earlier this month, Twitter announced that it now has 100 million monthly active users, including 50 million who log in to the service each day. What's more, Twitter.com welcomes 400 million unique visitors to its site each month, which could prove extremely lucrative from an advertising perspective. Even so, the microblogging service will have a long way to go to catch Facebook. Just yesterday, eMarketer reported that Facebook is expected to generate $4.27 billion in revenue this year.

Im A Bit Less Skeptical

8. Dec 2011 13:22, ofsawo

I'm a bit less skeptical. Here's why: Maturity - There have been an awful lot of technologies that labored years to achieve a level of capability, completeness, and maturity needed for them to really take hold. The Internet, for example. You know--that thing most of us now don't know how to live without? Inter-networking was born in the early 1970s, but it wasn't until about 1995 that it really took off. When it sparked, the Internet blasted from totally geeky to part of our social and business fabric within three years. It was an overnight success--it just needed 25 years to get there. SMS texting, Facebook, and oh yeah, x86 server virtualization were much the same. I sense a similar "no, no, not really, no, enh, maybe, yes!" progression with virtual desktops. Many of the prerequisites and requirements simply were not met in years past. But now we routinely have high-capacity networks, excellent server consolidation, multimedia-capable VDI technologies, etcetera--these make it a whole different ball game. VDI 2011 is worlds beyond VDI 2008, 2005, or other previous incarnations. The Right Tool for the Job - Mobile users are not the best-use case for desktop virtualization. Unlike those who work in a single office (or on a single campus), we can't be sure of having always-on, low-latency networks. So we tend to take our IT lives with us, on laptops. Salespeople, analysts, those who attend a lot of conferences--if you're looking to us for confirmation that virtual desktops are a good idea, you could have virtual desktops blanket corporations across the world, yet still see low levels of penetration in the extraordinarily mobile. We're trailing indicators. It's also worth noting that I do use GoToMyPC, RDP, and VNC remote desktops--including from the road. They're very useful for accessing apps that live only in one place, as well as for system management and software development. You won't see me using VDI as my one-and-only from the road, but it is part of the mix. Brian seems a fan of client-side virtualization that lets mobile users check out their VMs to their laptops. Me too, though I think it's not quite as well-developed or mainstream yet. In order to get the easier, larger-scale economic wins that get virtual desktop projects funded and approved, most enterprises need to focus on use cases that aren't the hardest, and that cover large user populations. The most mobile users generally aren't the best candidates. The Cloud - Many people do not view Software as a Service (SaaS), cloud computing, or rich Internet applications (RIAs) as part of the desktop virtualization landscape. I think that's a tremendous mistake. Sure, SaaS and VDI tend to use very different technical underpinnings--Web 2.0, not classic Windows desktop stuff. But from an enterprise's point of view, Web apps address many of the same problems: consolidating back-end and support requirements, reducing the cost of serving users, making deployments and updates more flexible, and providing a more scalable way of delivering apps. Most users now either do, or could, spend much of their working lives in the context of a Web browser. Writing documents, fiddling spreadsheets, editing presentations, handling e-mails, filling accounting forms, ordering supplies, learning about the competition, collaborating with co-workers, meeting with partners and prospects--I increasingly do all of these things online. As a content producer, I still spend a good deal of heads-down time in heavyweight apps, but less every year. There's much less of my desktop to be virtualized because it's been so extensively Webized. Brian's right. Pure, unalloyed VDI will be taken up by only a fraction of the desktop market. But pure VDI alone isn't the only thing on the table. IT can pick and choose several different flavors of desktop virtualization, combining them with complementary approaches like application virtualization (e.g., App-V) and Web apps. They're all aimed at a more consolidated, efficient, flexible way of providing IT service--and they're all welcome in my backyard.

It Took 100 Years To Discover All The Physics Particles

8. Dec 2011 13:22, ofsawo

It took 100 years to discover all the physics particles that have thus far been observed. It took the Large Hadron Collider four months. That's the report Monday from the International Conference on High-Energy Physics in Paris, where LHC researchers announced they've successfully retraced the steps of earlier particle accelerators. The final step was the likely view of a super-heavy and short-lived particle called the top quark, first seen in 1995 at Fermilab's Tevatron accelerator near Chicago. "They have re-found all the known particles in the standard model," the successful but ultimately insufficient explanation that physicists use to catalog fundamental particles, said Rolf Heuer, director general of the CERN laboratory in Geneva that houses the massive particle accelerator. "The experiments have shown they are ready for new physics once new physics will appear," he told reporters at the conference. The elusive Higgs boson, a predicted but as yet unobserved particle thought to imbue other particles with mass, remains unseen--but at the present stage of getting the LHC up to speed, that was no surprise. Still, it's clear the LHC, despite its troubled start-up and the fact that it's not expected to run at full power for years, has begun carrying the baton for particle physics. "This is a very exciting meeting in which we're starting to see a transition in our field. For quite a few decades, our ability to study nature on the smallest distance scales was occurring at Fermilab," said Mel Shochet, a Tevatron researcher, professor at the University of Chicago, and chairman of the U.S. Energy Department's High Energy Physics Advisory Panel. "Here at this meeting we're now seeing the first results at even higher energies [from the LHC]. It's very impressive the detectors are understood in such detail this early in the program." The LHC is designed to probe the frontiers of the new physics beyond the standard model. One big one is "supersymmetry"--the idea that all the particles in the standard model have companion "sparticles" on the other side of a supersymmetric mirror. Some of those particles could account for dark matter--the invisible and thus far not directly detectable mass that pervades the universe. A collection of at least five different Higgs boson types also would bridge into supersymmetry. The LHC also is designed to probe the differences between matter and antimatter that over the history of the universe have led to an imbalance that permits galaxies, stars, planets, and people to exist without vanishing in an explosive release of gamma-ray light. And the LHC will attempt to peer back closer to the time of the Big Bang, when energy levels were so high that quarks weren't confined to forming particles in atomic nuclei as they are today. The LHC may be ascendant, but don't write off the Tevatron. It can accelerate particles to an energy level of 1 tera-electron volt, considerably lower than the LHC's 7TeV current level and 14TeV planned energy. That's not been enough so far to find where the Higgs boson is, but it's been enough to rule out some areas where it isn't. The standard model predicts a certain energy range over which Higgs bosons could be found. At the Paris conference, Tevatron researchers announced they narrowed that range. Previously 15 percent had been ruled out, and now it's up to 25 percent, Shochet said. These high-end accelerators work by smashing speeding particles into each other and seeing what other particles are produced. In the LHC's case, two beams of protons travel nearly at the speed of light in opposite directions around an underground ring. At four areas around the 27km circumference, the beams converge so packets of protons sail through each other like two very high-speed handfuls of sand thrown through the air. Only sometimes do particles actually collide, given the spaces in between the protons, but LHC operators are working to maximize that likelihood by increasing what's known as luminance. They're taking measures such as putting more protons in each packet, putting more packets in the ring at the same time, and focusing the packets into a narrower, more concentrated beam. Through these measures, the physicists announced at the Paris show that they've increased luminance by a factor of 1,000 since the LHC's inital 7TeV run in March--two beams at 3.5TeV each. Increasing the luminosity is important because it increases the likelihood that rarities such as top quarks or Higgs bosons will be spotted. LHC operators want to further increase luminosity by another factor of 500 to 1,000 this year, Heuer said. The researchers also detailed what they expect to happen after this year on the way to a full 14TeV energy level: a 15-month shutdown for all of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013. The shutdown, partly to upgrade detectors and partly to address shortcomings uncovered during a major 2008 incident at the LHC, had been planned earlier, but the LHC staff have solidified it. Futher year-long shutdowns are planned in 2016 and 2020. CERN plans to run the LHC through about 2030, Heuer said. And physicists are looking beyond the LHC. Next up likely will be a linear, rather than circular, collider. "In order to complement the results from the LHC, an e+/e- collider will be needed," Heuer said, referring to electrons and their positively charged antimatter comrades, positrons. Two efforts are under way to design a linear accelerator, the International Linear Collider (ILC) and the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC). The LHC's results will help determine what next steps are taken, Heuer and Shochat said. Meanwhile, the LHC will fill in the gaps. Among the innumerable LHC researchers is a new generation of particle physicsts. "At the experiments of the LHC, more that 2,500 students are now producing their Ph.D. theses," Heuer said. "These young guys are like piranhas. They are going onto this data and producing results."

The Top 2 Online Money Makers Survey Scout And Maverick Money Makers

8. Dec 2011 13:22, ofsawo

The Top 2 Online Money Makers! What is a scam? You may have tried many different money making techniques and products online that have been proven to be useless and not to work, these are what scams are. They will offer a “promising” product whether it offers you instant riches or a better body, but these promises are soon broken because you find out that the product you just bought does not work or even compare to what they promised it would. A scam is all about deception! They will use deception to make you buy their useless product so they get your money. So you end up with nothing and they are making their living. Well I for one do not enjoy scam (who does?) so we have two of the most profitable ways to make money online. But always remember, these are never get-rich-quick schemes, there are no such things otherwise we would all be millionaires. Here are the top 2 Online Money Makers: #1 Maverick Money Makers Maverick money makers are the top way to make money online; it is easy, simple and profitable. I have personally joined their club and found it to be very helpful in starting an online business. The way Maverick Money Makers will make you money is mainly affiliate marketing. This is the best way to make money online, basically it is you promoting other peoples products and you get a commission for each sale you make. So you do not even have to make your own product, you just promote other products. The best part is that you do virtually no work. This is a screenshot from my Maverick Money Makers clickbank account, this is not too brag but just to prove this could be yours and to give you a goal. Maverick Money Makers will show you how to do create your own site or use Google ad words to make your own money making business, they will teach you this through many instructional videos that are very easy to understand, forums, blogs, live 1 on 1 telephone or internet chat support (Most helpful), and simple tools to use, and a 90 day money back guarantee. It costs lower than $97to get all this, and possibly be on your way to making more than thousands per month. Click here to join or see the Maverick Money Makers Club #2 SurveyScout Survey Scout is the second best online money maker we have found so far. The way SurveyScout works is as simple as its name; you get paid for taking short online surveys. This is not going to make you rich, but it will give you a lot of that extra much needed cash in your life, you can make between $5 - $50 per survey that range in time from a few minutes to complete to an hour. This is a great money maker because there is nothing easier than taking surveys with the click of a mouse and will put more money in your bank. Now what SurveyScout is, is it’s a site that will give you a list of survey site panels that you will sign up for to receive the survey invitations. They have updated database’s weekly, 1 on 1 live support, many helpful tools, also forums and a money back guarantee. We have tried this right down to the money back guarantee and they gladly refunded it, which makes SurveyScout one of the best online money makers today! SurveyScout will give you all this for a onetime payment of $40, which isn’t much at all considering you, will be making it back very soon. Click here to join SurveyScout and start working from home today!

Make Money Online Start Today

8. Dec 2011 13:22, ofsawo

Making money online is a revolutionary industry created by the Internet. Being able to make money online is something everybody hopes to one day do. But why hope? You can make money online today. If you want to make money online then start looking at all the opportunities that are in front of you; one being your computer. Google is a huge search engine. You can search for opportunities to make money online through there.Simply go to the search box, and type in "make money online". When you compare making money online to typical job you being to notice how much better being able to make money online is then going to work for someone. The reason for this is because when you make money online you don't have a boss--you're your own boss. But that isn't where it ends. If you start to make money online you can also: stay home; avoid having to commute, spend more time with the family, enjoy more free time to yourself, catch up on your hobbies, and whatever else you can think of doing with all the free time you're going to have. When you make money online you can start to live out your dreams, and do what you always wanted to do. There are many ways for you to make money online.You can start your own blog, and start blogging your way to dollars, or you can do some affiliate marketing, and get paid commission for referral that coverts into a sale. Whichever way you choose to go, I recommend everyone to go and make money online, and see how much more they're going to love it over the jobs they have now.If you work hard enough, you can surpass your current jobs income in no time--that's the power of making money online. Forget about making your boss rich--make yourself rich. He's (your boss) living it up with money earned from your hard work. Why not cut the middle man, and work for yourself; now you get to keep all the profits. Start today. Change the world around you, and start to make money online. You'll see how much time making money online will free up for you. You will never have to worry about taking a day off from work, or asking for vacation time. When you make money online, you can do it from anywhere in the world; just take your laptop with you, and voila--vacation time on-demand.

Puppet Labs Announced On Thursday That Adobe Systems Is Publishing

8. Dec 2011 13:22, ofsawo

Puppet Labs announced on Thursday that Adobe Systems is publishing code for managing Hadoop on the Puppet Forge community development site. (Disclosure: I am an adviser to Puppet Labs.) Puppet is an open-source data center automation and configuration management framework aiming to provide system administrators a platform for consistent, transparent, and flexible systems management. The necessity of data center automation and management tools (often grouped into the DevOps category) is becoming ever more apparent, as cloud principles and large-scale systems that process data in a parallel manner continue to emerge. Case in point: Hadoop is an open-source platform powering hugely scalable search technology at companies such as Yahoo and also meeting the needs of companies that require heavy-lifting data analysis tasks across many verticals. Recently, Hadoop has been one of the cool kids of open source, with a broad range of companies interested in using the technology. Cosmin Lehene, computer scientist at Adobe, noted that the company uses Puppet "to avoid the human factor." Lehene said Adobe uses Puppet to set up development environments in order to maintain consistency. Configuration tests are stored in order to determine work flow changes and ensure that all functions are repeatable. This news provides more evidence that open source is ready for prime time. Adobe is a marquee example of an enterprise company that has embraced open source for a variety of purposes. According to Lehene, Adobe is glad to share its work on open-source projects to benefit community and company interests. By making its own Puppet modules for managing Hadoop available to all for free, Adobe is tangibly demonstrating its commitment to Puppet and Hadoop open-source technologies. And it is proving that large public companies are beginning to see value in participating in an open-source community.

Microsoft Yahoo And Aol Are Teaming Up To Sell One

8. Dec 2011 13:21, ofsawo

Microsoft, Yahoo, and AOL are teaming up to sell one another's online ads. Hoping to grab more of the ad dollars now spent at Google and on online advertising networks, the three companies will start selling ad inventory on one another's sites, according to AllThingsD's Peter Kafka. Specifically, the three will sell one another's "Class 2 display" ad inventory, or graphic ads that they either can't sell on their own or typically turn over to ad networks to handle. Presenting their plan at a dinner briefing in New York City last night, the companies said they will share the revenue on any ads sold and figure they'll take in more money collectively than if they turned over the ads to a third-party network, Kafka noted. The partnership could also allow any one of the three to fill a big order for ads not just from its own inventory but from the inventory of the other two. None of the three is restricted from working with ad networks, ad companies, or even with Google to sell ads. But one of the ultimate goals is to compete with Google, which currently owns the leading share of display ad revenue in the U.S., according to IDC. Though still in second place, Yahoo, in particular, has seen its display ad revenue drop and is looking for a way to reverse the slide. The new team-up is expected to get off the ground by the end of the year.

Make Unlimited Money Online With Picmoney Affiliated Programs Guide

8. Dec 2011 13:21, ofsawo

making money at home, work from home business, best home based business, home based business opportunity, internet work at home, online home based business, work from home Australia, work from home moms, work at home business, work at home guide, work at home uk, start your own business, ideas home based business, legitimate home based business, make money at home online, how to make money, work at home information work at home make money, legitimate, internet home based business ebooks, ebook, sell ebooks, ebook selling business, information product selling business online, money, free money, make money from home, money maker, home make money online working, internet making millionaire money riches, easy make money ways, make money fast, earn money online, real ways to make money on the internet, cash money millionaire, free money making affiliate program, make money online and work from home, making money on the internet, work from home data entry, data entry jobs at home, how to earn money on the internet, easy jobs online to make money part time,В  online jobs for money ann. money, making money program, money in the bank, make money fast, smart money making, free grant money, make money on ebay, ways to make money, earn money online, money making opportunity, make easy money, online jobs data entry, getting paid at home, online jobs without paying the money, free membersh В  В  В  To Know More Visit Now В  >b/b В >a rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/806171']);" href="http://www.bigplanners.com"b/b/abrbr >b/b >a rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/806171']);" href="http://www.ebookslover.com"b/b/abrbr >a rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/806171']);" href="http://www.picmoney.com"b/b/a ip fee registration В  There are plenty of ways an industrious individual can make money online.В  Countless people have turned to the World-Wide-Web looking for a good money making opportunity they can accomplish from the comfort of their own home.В  It may seem daunting at first but you >B/b Visit now - Picmoney.com В  One of the most ingenious ways to supplement or even replace your income is through online affiliate programs.В  Online affiliate programs first sprang up in 1996 when Amazon.com started paying websites for referring customers to their site.В  Now in 2006 online affiliate programs are a mainstay in the e-commerce world.В  Even Fortune 500 companies such as Dell, Walmart and Apple have adopted the online affiliate program marketing module.В  В  Online affiliate programs provide home business professionals and online entrepreneurs a risk-free form of advertising to produce revenue from their websites.В  Affiliate marketing has become an increasingly popular home based business opportunity because: В  >ulli/lili/lili/lili/lili/lili/lili/lilil/li/ul So you don't have a website?В  In many cases you do not even need to operate a website or know any HTML to make money with online affiliate programs.В  With the maturation of contextual advertising through Yahoo! Publisher and Google Adwords many pay-per-click (PPC) savvy online affiliate marketers have moved away from deploying websites and focus entirely on search engine marketing (SEM).В  This may be a good way for some to test the waters with marketing online affiliate programs but if you're not familiar with setting up PPC campaigns tread lightly.В  The cost per click can quickly add up with little return on your investment if done improperly.В  As for myself I still believe >b/b В  An article published by Click Z News identified that according to eBay their largest affiliate earned over $1.3 million dollars in January 2005 commissions, the largest amount yet in their online affiliate program's history. Their top 25 affiliates averaged over $100,000 per month each and the top 100 affiliates earn almost $25,000 each per month. В  With these sort of numbers buzzing around the Internet it's no wonder affiliate marketing is quickly becoming the numero uno money making opportunity online.В  There are literally thousands of people just like you making a very handsome living from selling other peoples products online.В  В  Don't be fooled though.В  >B/B

Frustration For Chavez Over Poll

8. Dec 2011 13:21, ofsawo

The first sign that not everything had gone the way of Hugo Chavez's United Socialist Party (PSUV) came when a scheduled news conference with one its key candidates, Aristobulo Isturiz, was cancelled without warning. By this stage the first bulletin of results, which was expected to take just two hours to be produced, was now more than six hours late, and there was still no sign of an announcement. Finally, at almost three in the morning on Monday, the president of the National Electoral Council, Tibisay Lucena, came onto the stage and went through the results state by state. The final picture was a cause for both celebration and disappointment for the Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez. He will have welcomed the overall majority the Socialists retained in the National Assembly, and quickly praised a "solid victory" which would "strengthen the Bolivarian revolution" on his Twitter site. Frustration But the tweet was a far cry from addressing a jubilant crowd from the balcony of the presidential palace, Miraflores, which at one stage in the evening he looked set to do. Perhaps neither the president nor his supporters felt in the mood. Chavez voters - dubbed "Chavistas" - will undoubtedly be frustrated at the size of the opposition's representation in parliament. From next to no seats, the opposition parties can now count on at least 62, and have denied Mr Chavez the two-thirds majority he sought. By taking more than a third of the assembly, opposition deputies will now be in a position to block some of the president's key reforms - be they appointments to the Supreme Court or so-called "organic" laws imposing sweeping changes in areas such as education and local governance. However, it may be the opposition's claim they have taken 52% of the popular vote which will upset the president's supporters the most. If it is later confirmed by the electoral council, it represents a significant victory for the opposition who, only a few years ago, were widely considered to be too unattractive to ordinary Venezuelans ever to seriously compete with Mr Chavez's mass appeal. Prize ahead To chants of "we are the majority", the head of the umbrella opposition group, MUD, Ramon Guillermo Aveledo, said that their share of the popular vote would "only grow further in the next two years" - a reference to the presidential election in 2012. But, while the new-look National Assembly is a blow to the Venezuelan leader, it would be a foolhardy commentator who would suggest Mr Chavez will not be able to muster the support he needs in a presidential race. Mr Chavez is still a popular leader and, while the opposition have clearly learnt a great deal in terms of how best to tackle Mr Chavez at the polls, they still have a long way to go before being seen as a viable alternative national administration. There were renewed charges of opposition elitism during this election when they - unlike the PSUV - refused to hold primaries to choose the most popular candidates. A failure to hold primaries for their presidential candidate in 2012, especially if one of the older generation of opposition figures is chosen, would only underline what Mr Chavez has often said about the traditional parties in Venezuela - that they are out of touch with the electorate. Immediate challenges However, the presidential race is still two years away and first there are more immediate tests for both sides. How will Mr Chavez, who has enjoyed unfettered support from the National Assembly over the past five years, take to having to ask his arch-opponents to support reforms they have robustly criticised in the past? Will the opposition show a degree of flexibility to try to begin to work with the majority Socialists in government? Will, indeed, the hastily-erected umbrella of the MUD even survive the next parliamentary term or was it simply a marriage of convenience during this campaign? As those and other questions begin to be answered over the coming months and years, many voters will be hoping that the National Assembly become a more plural legislative body. And that, if the opposition were serious about tackling their two key campaign topics - rising crime and high inflation - then their deputies will be prepared to cross the aisle to find solutions to those problems.

Performing Is What I Want To Spend My Life Doing

8. Dec 2011 13:21, ofsawo

Behind the eyes of this young woman called Selah, there is a great determination to make music her living. Her phenomenal talent is undisputed as soon as she stands on the stage and the music is turned on. Its all about the voice, and in the era of autotune, miming, Britneys and so on, its rare when you come up with a pure, clean and poweful voice like hers. She is only 21 years old, but she has many years of experience, and now is her moment. Her journey to success started aged 10, when she appeared live on GMTV singing the lead vocals with her church choir. One year later, Selah was one of the youngest entrants in the National Voice of 99 talent show, where she came second. Since, she provided backing vocals for Ms Dynamite at the Brit Awards and was spotted by Lemar, for whom she performed at the BBC Maida Vale studios. The chart topper said Selah was a star in the making, and he was right. From singing in her room in her humble Brixton beginnings, Selah has come far to perform on the same stage as some of the UKs greatest talents. Working with Akala on his debut album, supporting the likes of Missy Elliot and lending her vocals to Ms Dynamites 2006 album have provided great experience for her. What is your first memory of being inspired by music? Did your family support help you? Probably being 6 years old and belting out I Want you Back by the Jackson 5 in my kitchen! I remember watching video footage of them performing and thinking it would be fun to be where they are. My family's support definitely helped push me forward. They bragged to everyone about how great I sang! My mum automatically started putting me in after school performing arts clubs, music workshops and talent shows. She really wanted to nurture the talent she felt I had. Was this your dream? Initially it was just a past time. I sang because I had the voice to and I enjoyed it. But I became more sure of what I wanted as I got older and accomplished more musically. I realised that performing was something I'd want to spend my life doing. From a young age you were part of important music events such as the GMTV, the voice of 99 and even singing the backing vocals for Ms Dynamite at the Brit Awards. What did you learn of all these experiences? The main thing for me was the experience. It was an eye opener into the industry that I wanted to go into. Performing to audiences, appearing on tv I found really insightful in the long run. Lemar is somehow your musical mentor. How did he reach you? He referred to you as a star, how does that feel? It was a great feeling to be labeled a star by Lemar. He got hold of me through a Podcast which was put together for Ras Kwame's Homegrown show on 1Xtra. He had chosen four unsigned acts who he felt were ones to look out for in the future and I was fortunate enough to be one of the four. It was a lot of fun meeting the other artists and getting to spend the day with a major act. You have also worked with Akala, Missy Elliot and Ms Dynamite. What kind of experience does that give you? Working with Ms Dynamite was a good experience because it was nice to see how an established artist works. Her and Akala are two very talented and hard working artists so it was a pleasure to be given that opportunity. A lot of people seem to think that I've worked with Missy Elliot, but that's not the case. I opened up at her Bournemouth concert with Ms Dynamite & Akala, that's it. I'd like to, but that chance hasn't cropped up yet. Up until now, what has been the greatest moment of your music career? I've had quite a few memorable experiences, but one of my favourites was opening up at Missy Elliot's concert. The night on a whole was something to remember. It was one of the largest audiences I'd performed to, the crowd were screaming and very involved and we stayed in a suite at a nearby hotel. One thing I really can't forget was being at the after party and having Missy Elliot fans wanting to take pictures with us. It was the first time I'd encountered what being a star was like. It's an amazing feeling having people recognise and appreciate your work. What did you feel when your single Because of You became single of the week on Sara Coxs show? I was extremely excited. The song had received such great reviews and so much support. Radio 1 is open to a vast audience, so to know my voice was being heard all over the UK was overwhelming. Especially being that Because of You was such a popular song. When did you realize you could actually do this as a career? When I was about 11, after performing in The Voice of '99 Talent Show. I'd put my all into that performance. I had backing singers and dancers, everyone had matching outfits. And we put on a really impressive performance. My set was very co-ordinated and I actually felt like it was my own mini concert. After that, I just wanted to make it a reality. When is your debut album due? How does it feel to be recording an album with producers such as Chris Braide or Davinche? There's no official release date on the album yet, but during this process I've been working with a lot of incredible producers. I've loved every second of it. Honestly, sometimes it was a little hard working with different producers everyday, because you don't always get a vibe with each one straight away but it definitely opens your eyes to how others work, that way you learn what you do and don't like. What do you like to express with your music? A lot of my songs are about love and heartbreak, they generally center around relationships and my own experiences. I like to be honest and speak from the heart, because I can relate to them better, but I do like to include a sense of empowerment. I think showing a stronger side is very attractive and inspiring. Who is your main influence in music? And your favourite artists? My main influence is Beyonce, for obvious reasons. She's a fantastic performer, vocalist and song writer. I admire all that she's achieved and would like to accomplish the same and more. Other artists I love and respect would be Lauryn Hill, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. They're all such unique talents and all in a league of their own, really. Many critics have said you are the young Mary J Blige, which is a vast compliment. Do you consider yourself musically similar to her? She's definitely someone who's music has influenced me growing up, but I'd say we are quite different. What has been the hardest part in getting your music out there? The hardest part is having so many other people striving for the same position as me. There's hundreds of other singers out there trying to be heard and because there isn't a large R&B scene over here, it really is a 'every man for themselves situation. I guess with the right work, ethic and support around me, it will help to propel me in the right direction which got me the recognition I'd wanted. How would you classify - if you can - your music? It's commercial R&B. I'm a massive hip-hop fan, so I like to incorporate that as well. I do like to experiment with other sounds and genres as well, but without it sounding messy or lost. I'm an R&B artist first and foremost, and I like that to be apparent. What's the best piece of advice you have received? Good artists practice until they get it right, but great artists practice until they can't get it wrong. Where do you expect to be in two or three years? I'd like to have a solidified position in the music industry. To be recognised as a well respected artist. More than anything, I'd really like to achieve a platinum selling album, a few number 1's and Grammy awards. Once I've achieved those 3 things, I feel I'll be in a perfect position to continue moving forward and progressing to be one of the greatest. What are your future plans? I'm planning to be performing up and down the country. I'm still recording my album, so I'm mainly concentrating on building up the material for now. Where can we buy your music? I have 2 EPs already released called 'Growing Pains Vol. 1' & 'Growing Pains Vol. 2' which you can find on iTunes and on other digital stores. Womans World is out Monday the 2nd of August.

Farcs Drug Submarine Seized In Colombia

8. Dec 2011 13:21, ofsawo

Police in Colombia have seized a submarine belonging to Farc rebels which had the capacity to carry at least seven tonnes of drugs. The 16m-long (52ft) vessel - equipped with a sophisticated navigation system - was captured near the Pacific port city of Buenaventura. The police said the submersible was about to be used for the first time to deliver its load. The vessel would have been able to travel as far as Central America. "It was going to be used by the narco-terrorist 29th front of the Farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) in alliance with organisations of drug traffickers who operate in this southern area of the country," drugs police chief Gen Luis Alberto Perez told Efe news agency. He added that it was "probably one of the biggest" drug ships seized in Colombia in recent years. The authorities believe it cost about $2m (ВЈ1.3m) and could hold a crew of five. Many cocaine traffickers are based in Buenaventura, where poverty and unemployment are high. Colombia is the centre of the world's cocaine trade, and traffickers are increasingly seeking new ways to avoid detection - including going underwater. The drugs are mostly smuggled to Mexico or Central America by sea and onward by land to the US and Canada. Colombia is also the source of most European cocaine.

Do Not Hand Over Money To Another

8. Dec 2011 13:21, ofsawo

Do not hand over money to others We should not hand over our money to others. We should keep money with us or in the bank. When we are returning loan money to another, we should get receipt of the same because when he had advanced loan to us, he had prepared proper documents, as per law and therefore, we too should keep law in our mind while returning money to that fellow. Similarly if we are sending money another at another station, we can utilize the recognized sources for sending money and this hand to hand business is not proper and if the man taking money from you to hand over the same to the next man at another station does not give money at another station, we shall be facing difficulties and there are chances that this money is lost. Money is something which is useful to each one of us on this earth and therefore, the man getting money from us may be having his own needs and first of all he shall try to meet his own demands. For the time being he shall be forgetting us and there are chances that our money be lost. therefore, money should not be given such an exposure. Money transactions should always be through proper channel and that is safe. When money is out of our hands, it shall breed mental tension in us and we shall not be at peace till that money reaches the destination. This period can be of hours, can be of days, of weeks, months or it may never reach and we shall breed and establish a tension in our mind which shall remain with us during the remaining part of our life. Therefore, time has come when we should be very particular towards money and it should never be in those hands from where we are having some doubts that it shall come back or reach the prescribed destination. When we are not having money, we are under a tension. When we have given money to another person, we are under a tension and when money is kept at the house, even then it creates so many tensions in our mind. Money should always be in safe hands and only then it can give us enjoyment and satisfaction to us. Money should not be handed over to a person on whom we have a slight doubt because we shall be creating and establishing a tension and that tension shall ruin all our enjoyments and happiness. ---------------------------

How To Make Money Online In A Lagging Economy

8. Dec 2011 13:21, ofsawo

(This article is the 21ST Part of a series of articles of the author Veena Furtado’s forthcoming Book/EBook – Veena’s Internet Marketing Strategies. “Veena’s Internet Marketing Strategies” is a worldwide protected publication of В© Copyright Veena Furtado and www.veenamakesmoneyonline.com )“To establish true self-esteem we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives.”-В В  В Denis WaitleyThe economy is lagging and dragging. The effects have been felt in the United States. Now we're seeing global implications. So, how do you tackle economic uncertainty AND MAKE MONEY ONLINE? Many people think that since there's nothing they can do, they should just do nothing. But "nothing" is futile thinking.What If You Could Reach Your Market Without Incurring Any Hard Costs AND increase your ways to make money online?The only budget you need to worry about, to earn money on internet - is simply your time. Your time to ask for referrals! You know about referrals. When a qualified prospect is referred the chances of that prospect becoming a client is between 70 and 90 percent. Additionally, we are pre-sold. Selling time decreases. Credibility increases. And, we ace out the competition. Results are the only thing that matters for making money on the internet. And, now you will be able to achieve results simply by implementing the following “Killer" strategies.* Broaden Your Perspective to make money online easy. Redefine and reinvent yourself. Determine how you can create a leap in demand for your products and services. Build new alliances and consider alternate distribution channels. Don't go solo. It's important to assemble a group of advisors and get their input and creative ideas. Include people who have differing points of view from you. Not easy, but critical.* Become an Expert for online money making opportunities. Companies hire experts because they can't afford to make mistakes. Become an expert and people will be more likely to refer you.* Commit to Building Your Referral Business and business making money online. Referrals are always terrific, but they mean even more in a lagging economy. Don't let the lagging economy trickle down on you. Let your prospects know how much you care about them. Tell and show just how much you appreciate their business. Inform them that you'd like to help people just like them. And, don't forget to thank your prospects and clients for their referral.* Stay Connected on easy ways to make money online. If you want to get more referrals you have to network like crazy. Never let your network go down. Networking is an essential referral marketing activity. So go make connections and build your business. Talk to people and find out how you can help them. How is their business doing? Are they impacted by the lagging economy? How? * Prioritize Wisely about making money on the internet. The most important activity for any salesperson is to do what's "closest to cash" the first thing every single day-whether it's following up with a prospect, writing a proposal, or closing a deal.* Your current customers need care and feeding. Don't ignore them at the expense of new business, because they are your best source for new business.Follow these tips and you will get more referrals and learn how to make money on the internet. You will attract new business. You will get more clients and online money. You will accelerate your sales. And, you will achieve higher results without increasing your cost of sales. If you want to me to help you set up and run your very own successful website business with help every single step of the way… just visit my website (see link given below) and take a look. You will not regret it. I promise!Best Wishes.Veena FurtadoInternet Business Developer Team Trainer/Coach/Mentor/Friendhttp://www.veenamakesmoneyonline.com/newsandmentoring.html

Free Ideas To Make Quick Money Online Offline Money Making Ideas That Work Over Online

8. Dec 2011 13:21, ofsawo

On a more sarcastic note, it would be much easier to discover water on the moon, than to find a sane human being, who does not want to make money (by the way, NASA did, in fact, discover water on the moon, didn't it? So, there you go!). You, me, us, them...every person on this planet is interested in money making ideas (and doubly so, thanks to the economic recession). Therefore, not wanting to disappoint my eager readers, I present to you a few money making ideas that work.Money Making Ideas That Work In this article, I will include some of the best online money making ideas as well a few offline ones. They are applicable to people of all ages and work profiles. First, I will enlist a few methods of making money online. Here are some ideas for making money online. Affiliate Marketing: This is a good money making option for those people who have a decent working knowledge about websites, online selling, purchasing, etc. In this case, you need to tie up as an affiliate marketer with a product vendor company, or you can join an affiliate marketing network. The concept involves promoting a company's services or products through your website or blog, and earning commissions whenever a visitor registers with a service, or purchases a product that has been advertised through your website. Freelance Work: There are numerous freelance opportunities that are available on the Internet and in a variety of fields. Writing enthusiasts can consider venturing into freelance writing, copy-writing, content writing, etc. People with good typing skills can take up freelance typing jobs, or online data entry jobs, etc. Techies need not worry, as there are ample opportunities for freelance software development as well. Online Tutoring: Online tutoring is a great option for those who are interested in teaching. You can sign up with multiple online tutoring websites, and mention your skill sets, specialization, and the subjects that you would like to teach. All you need is a computer, a fast Internet connection, and a few hours of time per week. Typically, online tutors are paid by the hour, and the work hours tend to be as per your convenience as well. You can read more on online tutoring jobs. Website Designing: Today, with the availability of a multitude of website designing tools and softwares, it is quite possible, even for a sixty-year-old Granny, to design a website within no time at all! In these competitive times, having one's individual presence on the Internet is a must, regardless of whether it happens to be a multi-million dollar corporation, a small startup venture operating out of a garage, or a home office. Professional web development or website design services is an area that you can certainly explore as one of many business money making ideas. Medical Transcription and Billing: Medical transcription and medical billing rounds up this list of money making ideas online. Beginners in the field of medical jobs need not worry, as there are a number of institutes which provide all the necessary training for these types of jobs. Just make sure that the institute is a reputed one though! Offline Money Making Ideas That Work Here are some easy money making ideas for those who would prefer offline work over online work. Home Based Business: A home based business is something that you can consider as a secondary income. If things work out well, it could very well progress towards becoming your primary source of income. You can consider home based business opportunities in a variety of fields such as insurance, health foods, flowers, personalized gifts, etc. In fact, if you are serious enough, then with a little bit of planning, research and investment, you could also turn a hobby such as embroidery, baking, pottery, fashion designing, etc. into a flourishing home based business. You can read more on hobbies that make money. Party Planner: Event management, party planning, etc. are avenues that have been witnessing a great deal of interest and participation in recent times. They can be an ideal money making idea for you if you happen to have a knack (and a liking) for organizing events, parties, weddings, reunions, etc. Plus, the nature of this work is such that you can pursue it both, on a part time basis as well as on a full time basis. Multitasking: Now, this is not a money making idea as such; rather it is an approach towards life, which you must inculcate in order to successfully implement multiple making money ideas. If you happen to be a woman who has a 9 to 5 job from Monday to Friday, in addition to a home based pottery business, not to mention a special Sunday cakes 'n' cookies sale, then how do you manage all three? Well, my dear lady, time and resource management is the key in this case. You must learn to utilize your time and your resources in an optimum manner! I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay Ain't it sad And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me That's too bad In my dreams I have a plan, If I got me a wealthy man I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball Money, money, money Must be funny, In the rich man's world Money, money, money Always sunny, In the rich man's world Aha..aha..All the things I could do If I had a little money, It's a rich man's world... This legendary 1976 ABBA song holds good even in the year 2009. In fact, now that I think of it, the song couldn't be truer! Look around you, and try and find one (yes, just ONE) person, who isn't interested in making money or generating wealth. Any luck? No? I knew it! This was a brief overview of quick money making ideas that work. You could do well to read more on creative ways to make extra money. All the best! Online Income Seeker, Discover The Most Effective Step-By-Step Money Making System In Existence...

We Often Talk About Silos In It

8. Dec 2011 13:21, ofsawo

We often talk about silos in IT. The storyline usually goes something like this. The server guys (computer gear) don't talk to the storage guys (SANs and Fibre Channel) don't talk to the network gals (all that Ethernet and other comms stuff). It's all true enough, of course. But notice something? Facilities doesn't even tend to get mentioned when bemoaning IT silos. All that HVAC and power gear is just part of the landscape. IT folks didn't need to know about bricks. Why should they need to know about power and cooling? Maybe a little UPS here and there, but the big stuff is Someone Else's Problem. I suspect that part of the issue is language. Back before IBM did its full-court press to make the System z mainframe cool (and relevant) again, its presentations and documentation were clearly intended only for the priesthood. Whether talking CECs or DASD, FICON or CICS, or arcane pricing models, the effect (intended or not) was to hang a "No Trespassing" sign outside the mainframe tree house. When IBM began modernizing System z for new workloads and uses, one of the many challenges it faced (and still faces to a more limited degree) was to make the mainframe not just appealing, but even intelligible, to outsiders. The task was made no easier by the fact that so many of the people involved in the effort had spent their entire careers working with the mainframe in its many incarnations. Basic assumptions about the very nature of the mainframe were so deeply-held that it took real effort to externalize them in a comprehensible and meaningful way. (This presentation isn't from IBM but illustrates just how foreign-sounding deep mainframe discussions can be.) I think we're going to see something similar happen with power and cooling. P&C are becoming an important part of the datacenter agenda. Yes, we're in a bit of an overheated hype curve about the whole topic but that doesn't mean it's not important. As a result, companies like Liebert--long-time makers of computer room power gear--are starting to show up at IT tradeshows and brief IT analysts. I had one such briefing recently from Liebert that included much interesting material including the Liebert NX "Capacity on Demand" UPS and forward-looking discussion about datacenter power distribution. But, based on my own experience around computer systems design, I think that Liebert and other P&C vendors should understand that even electrical engineers who design servers don't know much more about analog electrical systems than the average homeowner--and probably less than the typical electrician. HVAC vocabulary can be arcane and truly in-depth discussions of redundant facilities power more so. (For example, by Liebert's count, high availability power configurations can come in five different bus configurations, each of which is idea for a specific type of environment.) There's a certain inherent complexity in these matters of course. However, that doesn't change the reality that if IT managers are going to be increasingly involved with power and cooling decisions and configurations, the companies selling that gear are going to have to speak the right language.

Invest Your Money

8. Dec 2011 13:21, ofsawo

Are you thinking of ways on where to invest your savings or your hard earned money? In this article I will give you some idea where to invest your money. In investing, we only need the proper knowledge and learning so that we will be familiarized in doing it. Without the proper knowledge in investing, you may lead yourself into losing money or fall into scams. Many people don't know where to invest their money in legal ways. Many people have already encountered a lot of Scam Company where they offer a big return of investment in a just a week without doing anything. Obviously, these kinds of investments are scams. Always keep in mind that when you invest your money in legal ways, the returns will be good soon. Saving Money for Investing The best thing to do before investing is to save money first. But don't put all of your savings into investment, you have to segregate some of your savings for emergency purposes and put the excess money into investments. Now, are you ready to know where to invest your money? Investing is a way or a system where you can make your money grow.В  Ways where to Invest your Money Here are the following ways where you can invest your money: 1. Time Deposit Investing your money in time deposits, will give you higher returns compare to a regular savings account. It is a sure way that the money you invested will gain profit and you have nothing to worry about losing your money. 2. Mutual Funds Mutual fund comes from combined money or investment from different investors. It is well managed by a professional mutual fund manager. A mutual fund is regulated and administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The first thing to do is to choose an investment company on where you can open a mutual fund account. You can choose from different types of mutual fund depending where it is invested; like equity, balanced, fixed-income and money market mutual fund. 3. Stocks One of the traditional ways on where to invest your money is to invest in stocks. A publicly listed company is sharing their ownership through stocks. Finding a stockbroker is needed before buying or selling stocks. Investing your money in stocks, involves high risk because the market is very volatile. If you don't have enough knowledge in the daily trending of stocks, I suggest going on long term investment. You can also receive a stock dividend given by the company.В  4. Business You can invest your money in having a business. Like engaging in a Home-based business, franchising business, or create a system that you want. You need knowledge and determination to become successful in business.

Arc Stands Behind Virtually Every Product It Has Made Over

8. Dec 2011 13:20, ofsawo

ARC stands behind virtually every product it has made over its long history, and offers updates for their customers' older units. For example, the Audio Research SP3 stereo preamplifier was sold from 1972-1976 and many are still in use today. ARC offers hardware updates to SP3 owners who want to freshen up the sound of their preamps. That level of customer service is extremely rare in consumer electronics, but it's one of the things that distinguishes high-end from mass market brands. When you call ARC during business hours, a human operator answers the phone; that's such a rarity nowadays it's worth mentioning here. The company's engineers and designers are as obsessive about sound quality as the most hard-core audiophile. For example, every solder connection is done by hand (as opposed to the more common "wave soldering." That additional labor and production time is expensive, but ARC isn't interested in manufacturing shortcuts. The sound always comes first. All ARC products, brand-new and 40-year-old units alike, that are sent in for service are not only fully bench-tested and measured, they're also checked by the company's resident "golden ear," Warren Gehl. He listens to each product over a very high-end Wilson Audio Sasha speaker system. Gehl's ears regularly catch things that aren't quite right; nothing leaves the factory until he's approved it. ARC has long-term relationships with its dealers, some of which stretch back decades. In all, they have 57 brick-and-mortar U.S. dealers, who are reporting that two-channel audio is doing better now than it was five years ago. ARC, like other high-end brands, isn't playing a numbers game; the company prefers slow and steady growth, and it wants to hang in there for the long run. Exports to Europe and Asia currently exceed U.S. sales. ARC gear is expensive, but a smart way to get into the game for less is to buy a used piece. You can ship it to ARC for a $90 checkup to fully evaluate its condition. I'll post a review of an ARC VSi60 Integrated amplifier ($4,495) in a few weeks; it was a very impressive-sounding machine.