Australian urban dwellers goes tribal for a naked photo shoot. More than 5000 people gathered in front of the Sydney Opera House to be photographed nude in the name of art and diversity today.
Photo: Nick Moir
Photo: Nick Moir
Video:
* Sea of flesh floods Opera House
If you keep track of green technology companies, you may have heard rumblings about Bloom Energy, a secretive company that has raised nearly $400 million from investors like Kleiner Perkins for its supposedly game-changing fuel cell device. Now the eight year old company is finally emerging from the shadows with the Bloom Box, a $700,000 to $800,000 machine that some media calls "a little power plant-in-a-box." So what exactly is the Bloom Box?
The box consists of a stack of ceramic disks coated with green and black "inks." The disks are separated by cheap metal alloy plates. Methane (or other hydrocarbons) and oxygen are fed in, the whole thing is heated up to 1,000 degrees Celsius, and electricity comes out. Bloom estimates that a box filled with 64 ceramic disks can produce enough juice to power a Starbucks.
As of right now, Bloom isn't angling for the residential market--the box is far too expensive. But major companies like eBay, Google, Staples, and FedEx have already secretly started using the boxes. So far, the Bloom Box has been a success--eBay has already saved $100,000 in electricity costs since its 5 boxes were installed nine months ago. EBay even claims that the boxes generate more power than the 3,000 solar panels at its headquarters.
Of course, fuel cells aren't new. They have just been too expensive to be viable until now, and Bloom still has to prove that its box can produce energy at a cheaper rate than other power sources. The box also produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct--a potential downside depending on how much it generates.
Bloom Energy founder K.R. Sridhar estimates that a Bloom Box for the residential market could be out in 5 to 10 years for under $3,000. That's a big improvement from the $800,000 box of today, but only time will tell if Sridhar is being overly optimistic. And in the coming years, big name competitors will probably catch up to Bloom with cost-efficient boxes of their own. Will the Bloom Box and fuel cell devices like it eventually replace the power grid? Probably not, but they have the chance to one day at least partially free homeowners from the grid--along with solar panels, wind turbines, and other alternative energy sources.
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Ever wondered why your new car, plastic shower cap, curtain or tote bag, or your baby's new toy has an offensive smell for days, even months? There's more to that "new" smell than you think. That whiff of bad air you get is from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) - one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created on earth - which is present in these and many other consumer products we use daily. PVC is also known as Plastic Type 3.
PVC products stink because they contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are poisonous carbon-containing chemicals that are volatile enough to evaporate at room temperature. This process, called outgassing, is also problem with building products such as plywood, particleboard, carpet and pads, paints, stains and glue.
Outgassing odours are most noticeable when products are new, but diminish over time until they finally disappear. A shower curtain can outgas for a month or longer, for example, depending on conditions. High temperature and humidity will speed up the release of VOCs.
VOCs can be toxic. Most commonly they irritate eyes, noses and throats, causing coughing, headaches, dizziness and nausea. The symptoms go away when outgassing ceases. But the danger doesn't stop there. Did you know: From the time it is manufactured right up to its disposal, PVC keeps on releasing dangerous chemicals that can cause cancer, making it the worst plastic for our health and the environment.
Why PVC is dangerous
PVC is dangerous to human health and the environment thoughout its entire life cycle. The dangers of PVC are from the persistent pollutants it releases and the toxic additives used to produce PVC products. PVC is the only common plastic that contains chlorine. But PVC based products also often contain dangerous toxic additives such as mercury, dioxins, lead and phthalates (used as softeners) which can leach out and pose dangers to consumers - us.
PVC products also release toxic fumes if they catch fire.
Additives in PVC products
Phthalates - can cause cancer, kidney and liver damage, sperm damage and genital defects.
Lead - can damages brain and nervous system, causes developmental disabilities.
Organotins - can suppress immunity and disrupt endocrine system
Cadmium - is a potential neurotoxin, can cause cancer.
What is PVC?
Polyvinyl chloride, commonly known as PVC or vinyl, is one of the most synthetic materials. It's widely used in construction materials, transport and packaging materials, medical supplies, and consumer products. It gained popularity as a natural rubber substitute. PVC is presently the second most widely used plastic in the world. And it's one of today's most dangerous toxic offenders. It cannot be recycled, and it is considered by many experts to be the most dangerous, carcinogenic plastic ever created by man.
Recommended reading:
* Bisphenol A | BPA - Avoid Using Plastic Type 3 and Type 7
* How to limit your family from BPA exposure
* Mister Squiggles the hamster is unsafe for children
* The Poison Plastic - There are SAFER ALTERNATIVES
* PVC The Poison Plastic - Unhealthy for Our Nation’s Children and Schools
Recently, I blogged about how Andrey Ternovskiy and ChatRoulette.com were put in the spotlight. Interestingly after that, this blog received traffics from "how does chatroulette make money" keyword searches. ChatRoulette.com is a free site and does not charge any fee for its content.
So how exactly does ChatRoulette.com make money? From its popularity and members based. When a site reached certain level of popularity, there will always be interested parties eying the site to convert its popularity into money.
For ChatRoulette.com case, the money making potential is from the size of its members. And to investors, it is always the number game. Nobody look at an empty room. Entrepreneurs favor crowded rooms where the crowds can be converted into paying customers. Ka-ching !
The simple lesson in this case is that, your site can make money so long as you can attract the traffic. And how much money your site can generate will depended on the size of your visitors (or readers) and popularity. As a start, read Common online advertising techniques and strategies and see how to improve your blog popularity. You will never know that even some Stupid Ideas can make money for you.
Recommended resources
* Exploding Blog Traffic and Link Popularity
* Make Your Blog Popular - How to
Honda will showcase this radical-looking battery electric vehicle concept at next week’s Geneva motor show as part of its vision for the future of zero-emissions urban motoring. Read also Honda U3-X Personal Mobility Device.
The 3R-C seats one driver in a near-vertical position, with the clear canopy covering the cockpit when the vehicle is parked but turning into a protective windshield when the vehicle is moving.
Honda says the vehicle includes a flexible cover that protects the occupant from poor weather and improves comfort.
Directional movements are controlled by a motorbike-style handlebar rather than a steering wheel, and momentum is generated by an electric motor that Honda says has been mounted low for greater stability.
The 3R-C, which was designed at Honda’s Research and Design facility in Italy, features a lockable luggage compartment ahead of the driver.
Honda has yet to release details regarding the 3R-C’s range or speed.
Giuliano Stroe, a 5-year-old preschooler boy from Romania, has six pack abs and has gotten himself into the Guinness World Records. His feat? Hand walking. Giuliano performed the fastest-ever 10m (33 feet) hand walk with a weight ball between his legs.
The boy, who showcased his skills on an Italian TV show, has become a YouTube sensation.
Giuliano has been training since he was 2 in the town in Italy where his family lives.
"He has been going to the gym with me ever since he was born. I always took him with me when I went training," the boy's father, Iulian Stroe, 33, told the paper.
Stroe insists his son's workout schedule isn't excessive.
"He is never allowed to practice on his own. He is only a child, and if he gets tired, we go and play."
Giuliano says his newfound celebrity has not gone to his head. He adds that he still does normal five-year-old activities like watching cartoons and painting.
Giuliano Store has broken a new world record for number of "air push-ups."
Sir Elton John has claimed Jesus was a "super-intelligent gay man". The openly homosexual musician made the claim in a magazine interview and admits he admires the Christian Messiah because his aim was to spread peace and love in the world. Doesn't Elton John knows that Mocking God Has Consequences and Gays will never go to heaven .
The Rocket Man singer - who is married to Canadian filmmaker David Furnish - told Parade magazine: "I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems.
"On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving.
"I don't know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East - you're as good as dead."
The Catholic League, the largest US Catholic rights group, condemned the comments.
"Jesus was certainly compassionate, but to say he was 'super-intelligent' is to compare the son of God to a successful game-show contestant,'' league president Bill Donohue said in a statement.
"More seriously, to call Jesus a homosexual is to label him a sexual deviant.''
Meanwhile, Elton also revealed he fears he could be killed by a crazed fan - just like John Lennon and Gianni Versace.
The 62-year-old singer was close friends with fashion designer Versace - who was shot dead in July 1997 on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion by Andrew Cunanan - and admits he decided to increase his personal security following the tragedy.
Referring to Versace and Lennon, he said: "Two of them shot outside their houses. None of this would have happened if they hadn't been famous. Fame attracts lunatics. I never had a bodyguard ever until Gianni died. I don't like celebrity anymore."
Beatles legend Lennon died in 1980 after being shot by deranged fan Mark Chapman outside his apartment building in New York.
Recommended reading:
* Scott Rennie First Gay Minister of Church of Scotland
* World Without Men
This post is to alert readers that another variant of Twitter phish scam has emerged. I myself received at least two Direct Messages (DM) from my followers on this phish scam. Bear in mind that, those who send me the phish scam DM is not aware that their Twitter's account has been hacked.
In the phish scam, the DM include a text "This you???" and a link that when you click on it, will lead you to a site asking for your password. Don't enter your password. Better still, if you just don't click on the encrypted link. I for one is really not comfortable in receiving those encrypted links (or link shorten) as you will never know what harmful site it can drag you to.
The best thing to do if you were in my shoes is first, to reset your Twitter password and contact the followers that send you the DM phish scam and highlight them the problem and request them to change their Twitter password as well.
The first Twitter phish scam goes around in a DM titled "LOL is this you".
And lastly, pass this alert to your readers as well.
Twitter is a good source of free traffic. It suppose to but I haven't notice it. People tend to follow you on Twitter if your Twitter profile is powerful (just like the rich getting richer). They will not only follow you but will share links all across the Twitter to generate free traffic for you. Below is a quick guides by Kevin Rose that talks about 10 ways to increase Twitter followers.
Retweeting - Explain to your followers what retweeting is and encourage them to retweet your links. Retweeting pushes your @username into foreign social graphs, resulting in clicks back to your profiles. Track the effectiveness of your retweets using retweetist. What is Retweeting
Twitter Bio - Fill out your bio. Your latest tweets and @replies don't mean much to someone that doesn't know you. Your bio is the only place you have to tell people who you are. Your bio is displayed on Twitter's Suggested Users page. Leaving it blank or non-descriptive doesn't encourage people to add or follow you. Your bio should include who are you, what do you do, where are you, link to find more information about you (link to your website) and have a nice personal avatar.
Include Twitter Username in your online signature. - Make it easy for people to follow you on Twitter. Link it up by putting links to your Twitter profile everywhere. Link it on your Digg, LinkedIn, FaceBook, blog, website, email signature, forum signature and everywhere else you live online.
Quality tweet - Tweet about your passions in life and #hash tag them. Quality content coupled with an easy way to find it never fails If others enjoy your content, they'll add you.
Promote your Twitter Username offline - Bring your Twitter account into the physical world. Figure out a way to broadcast or display your Twitter account during discussion, talk, slide presentation or hand out business cards.
Tweet your pictures - Take pictures, Pictures are heavily retweeted/spread around. For mobiles picutures use iPhone apps such as Tweetie or Twitterific, both which support on the go uploading.
Start a Twitter contest - Start a contest. @jasoncalacanis offered a free MacBook Air if he reach the #1 most followed spot. That never happened, but Jason added thousands of followers (for free).
Learned from Top Twitter users - Follow the top Twitter users and watch what they tweet. Pay attention to the type of content they sent out and how they address their audiences.
Get involved in Twitter trends - Reply to/get involved in #hash tag memes. Twitter Search lists the hot trending topics. Look for the #hash topics and jump in on the conversation.
Track your Twitter performance - Track your results. TwitterCounter will show you how many new users you're adding per day. Qwitter (http://useqwitter.com) will email you when someone unfollows you after a tweet. To help others and benefit from Twitter, you need to monitor your progress and learn continuously.
Adapted from Kevin Rose's 10 Ways To Increase Your Twitter Followers presentation:
Recommended reading:
* Get mass Twitter followers fast and free
Judging by the announcements at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona recently, 2010 is going to be the year of the Android. Google's mobile platform was everywhere, with most major phone makers announcing new Android phones and a range of Android tablet devices and netbooks on display. The Top 10 list is dominated by manufacturers such as HTC and Samsung. Giant Nokia is not in the list.
Manufacturers clearly value the open-source nature of Android, which they can customise to their hearts' content. But Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 is definitely a contender and it will be interesting to see what devices the phone makers can come up with by the end of the year.
Here are the expert list of top 10 mobile announcements and phones from the show:
#1 Windows Phone 7 - There's a lot riding on Microsoft's next mobile operating system. For the last 18 months Windows Mobile has lagged newer rivals like the iPhone, BlackBerry and Android. Its market share has dropped.
The jury is still out as we wait until Christmas to see some final handsets but from the early Windows Phone 7 prototypes at MWC, it's clear Microsoft has wiped the slate clean and started fresh with a new platform and a revamped, innovative user interface.
Microsoft's insistence on manufacturers keeping its tile-based UI may limit phone makers like HTC, which has done wonders to dolly up Windows Mobile 6.5 with its Sense interface. And the inability to upgrade existing Windows Mobile phones to Windows Phone 7 may frustrate those who recently shelled out for a 6.5 device.
#2 Samsung Wave - Samsung is going out on a limb by introducing a completely new phone platform, banking on developers supporting it with enough interesting and useful apps to compete with iPhone and the open-source Android platform from Google.
It's risky. But the 3.3-inch Super AMOLED touch-screen display is gorgeous and Samsung will have complete control of both the hardware and software, which has definitely been beneficial for Apple with the iPhone.
#3 Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro - Looking at this handset in a picture is deceiving. While other smartphone makers are moving to bigger screens, like the HTC HD2's giant 4.3-inch display, this one is tiny at 2.6-inch.The device measures just 90x52x17mm.
But big phones aren't for everyone and Sony Ericsson makes it work with a good touchscreen user interface and the Timescape app, which puts friends' Facebook posts, Tweets, messages and calls into a single stream. Other apps can be downloaded from the Android market.
#4 HTC Legend - Most phones have a front and back that clip together but the Legend's casing is machined out of a single block of aluminum. The Legend is an Android phone running HTC's highly customised, intuitive Sense user interface.
#5 HTC Desire - It's not as pretty as the Legend but while the Legend has just a 600MHz processor, the Desire offers a much gruntier 1GHz chip. It runs the latest version of Android, 2.1, and features a 3.7-inch screen - the closest you'll get to the Google Nexus One, which hasn't yet been launched in Australia. The Desire will be available in Australia from Telstra in April.
#6 HTC HD mini - Think of this one as a smaller version of the giant HD2. Like its sibling, the HD mini runs Windows Mobile 6.5 and includes the unique ability to launch a personal WiFi hotspot, which users can connect to on a laptop to browse the web over their mobile's 3G network from anywhere.A very cool feature that other manufacturers should replicate.
#7 Samsung Beam - It doesn't look like this phone will come to Australia any time soon but it's worth a mention because it's one of the first handsets to include a built-in projector for viewing content stored on the phone on any wall.
Samsung definitely gets points for innovation but the market for this one may be somewhat limited and the projector is only really effective in darker rooms. The battery is drained in about three hours with the projector on.
#8 Asus-Garmin Nuvifone A50 - This is the fruit of a partnership between electronics maker Asus and GPS navigation specialist Garmin, so it's designed to replace the GPS device in your car and double as your primary mobile. It runs the Android operating system but the interface has been completely redesigned to the point that it barely resembles other Android phones.
#9 Sony Ericsson Vivaz - The Vivaz has a QWERTY keyboard and 3.2-inch touchscreen but, unlike most phones, is also capable of shooting high-definition 720p video and includes an 8-megapixel camera.
#10 Motorola Milestone - Motorola has been extremely quiet over the last few years but everyone are hoping it comes to market with the Milestone, which is similar to the Droid that Motorola launched in the US.
It runs Android 2.0 and has iPhone-like multitouch support, with users able to pinch the 3.7-inch screen to zoom on web pages, maps and photos. The phones comes with Motorola's turn-by-turn GPS navigation software, MOTONAV, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a 5-megapixel camera.
Recommended reading:
* Mobile phone users numbered 5 billion
Twitter alert: phishing scam in progress. Sydney Morning Herald reported that Twitter users are being warned of a new phishing scam that has emerged in the last 24 hours.
The official Twitter Trust and Safety account issued the warning early today that read "If you receive a DM asking "LOL is this you," it's not. It's phishing. Don't enter your password!"
A follow-up tweet directed Twitterers who think their account might have been phished to its support website bit.ly/SecureMyAccount, which contains tips on how to determine if your account has been compromised.
It recommends that "it's best to take action as soon as possible if updates are appearing in your account that you did not intend to have posted or approve".
This was closely followed by a third warning: "In general, if you see any msg, DM or no, asking "LOL is this you" or some variant, it's usually a scam/spam. Be aware of phishing attempts!"
Phishing scams try to trick web users into clicking on a link that directs them to a bogus website. The website is designed to look like an official service or institution, but has been setup to capture login and password details from unsuspecting users.
Phishing attempts are predominantly spread through emails, but the rise in popularity of online social networking tools, such as Twitter, has seen scammers quickly adopt new mediums.
The latest phishing attack redirects users from what looks like a legitimate link to a fake Twitter login page. Once users type in their usernames and passwords, their accounts can be taken over by the scammers.
The Twitter support page advises users who suspect their account has been compromised to try and reset their passwords, then log back in and "revoke access for any third-party application that you don't recognise" in the "Connections" setting.
Join my Twitter list for more Twitter alert.
The island of Labuan was rocked on Monday when there was a large explosion at the Malaysian Petronas Methanol Labuan (PML)’s S1001 controlled natural gas Flare Tip. Operation at the RM511mil PML methanol facility was ceased. This kind incident usually happened when workers get complacent with safety procedures, especially in hazardous working area.
Eighty-two PML contract workers and 46 of its staff were working there when the explosion occurred at 11.37am on Monday but no one was hurt.
Two fire engines from the Labuan Fire and Rescue Service and the PML rescue unit rushed to the scene and controlled the situation within 30 minutes.
Speaking at a news conference, PML production chief Mohd Kamis Abdul Manap said a detailed investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the explosion.
“We will conduct a comprehensive investigation before operations can continue. We will identify if there was weakness in the safety aspect,” said Mohd Kamis.
The PML plant was built in 1984 and its biggest customer is Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Kuantan, Pahang.
Other markets include Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Korea, Taiwan and China.
In 2007, two Petronas sub-contract workers were seriously burned in an explosion while carrying out works at the PML plant in Rancha-Rancha.
It is high time for the Malaysia's only petroleum company to buck up on its safety audit and monitoring.
Recommended reading:
* Iraq auction of oilfield contracts attract 5 car bombs
The 84-year quest to recognise Australia's first saint last night came to fruition as it was announced in Rome that Mary MacKillop will be canonised in a ceremony at the Vatican on October 17. Pope Benedict XVI announced the date at a meeting of the Congregation of the Causes of Saints. It is thought she will be known as St Mary of the Cross.
In December, the Pope recognised a final miracle - the last hurdle for her canonisation- in which a woman's cancer cure was attributed to MacKillop.
MacKillop, who died in 1909, passed the first stage to sainthood when Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1995 after recognising a first miracle attributed to her, in which a woman was said to have been cured of terminal leukaemia.
The postulator for MacKillop's cause, Australian nun Sister Maria Casey, attended yesterday's papal meeting with Tim Fischer, the Australian ambassador to the Holy See.
''Today it has been recognised that a woman can become a saint in the Australian environment with all its complexities and challenges,'' she said.
''Mary MacKillop is to be listed among the saints of the Catholic Church. I look forward to the celebration of her goodness when many pilgrims from all over the world come to Rome for the ceremony.''
Mr Fischer said: ''I believe that it will help to boost knowledge of her work and boost Australia's profile in this busy, competitive hub of Rome and way beyond.''
The canonisation ceremony will also recognise five other saints from Canada, Italy, Poland and Spain.
Meanwhile, in Sydney the Josephite nuns had a low-key celebration, after earlier gathering to drink tea and wait for their mobile phones to give them the news from Rome, were expecting a call from Sister Casey as soon as she emerged from the meeting.
Next on Sister Casey's list was Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney. Mr Fischer was to call the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.
Cardinal Pell said MacKillop ''stands at the heart of the Catholic tradition''.
''She had a great ability to forgive and showed immense loyalty not only to her fellow sisters but to the church leadership which did not always treat her well."
The diabetes drug Avandia is linked with tens of thousands of heart attacks, and drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline knew of the risks for years but worked to keep them from the public, according to a Senate committee report released Saturday. GlaxoSmithKline rejected any assertions Saturday that the drug is not safe.
The Senate committee investigation stems from concerns that Avandia and other high-profile drugs put "public safety at risk because the FDA has been too cozy with drug makers and has been regularly outmaneuvered by companies that have a financial interest in downplaying or under-exploring potential safety risks," the report states.
Avandia has been under scrutiny for years. The New England Journal of Medicine called the drug's safety into question in 2007. The Journal of the American Medical Association also questioned whether Avandia was safe in 2007.
The Senate report does not address the issue of whether Avandia should be removed from the market.
More details from CNN - Senate report links diabetes drug Avandia to heart attacks
Oversharing your information in the social media networks can be dangerous. Think before you tweet. Think before you update of FaceBook status. You might not be aware of how much information you're revealing.
That's the message from the founders of PleaseRobMe.com, a site launched Feb. 16 that illustrates just how easy it could be to rob people blind based on the information they're posting on the Web. The site uses streams of data from Foursquare, a increasingly popular location-based social network that is based on a game-like premise. Players use smartphones or laptops to "check in" to a location, recording their position on a map for friends using the service to see.
The problem comes when users also post these Foursquare locations to Twitter, says Boy van Amstel, one of the founders of PleaseRobMe.com. Then the information becomes publicly available, making it theoretically possible for a robber (or anyone else) to keep tabs on when you say you're in your home or not.
Van Amstel is no expert hacker, and PleaseRobMe.com isn't a complicated website: the site is simply a dressed-up page of Twitter search results that monitors the latest posts of users sharing their locations via Foursquare. And there are a lot — thousands of people willingly broadcast when they're not at home, although it's rarer for users to actually post to Foursquare when they return. It's a select, misguided few who broadcast their own address or those of unknowing and disapproving friends or family, even in the stream PleaseRobMe.com pulls in. This makes the site more useful at proving a point than an actual tool for robbers to exploit.
So how can you keep yourself off of Please Rob Me, and, more importantly, keep your home out of the police blotter? A little bit of foresight goes a long way. Sites like Foursquare and its competitors don't post your location unless you give it to them, nor is it posted to Twitter without your consent. It's always up to the user to decide what to post. Are you going to get robbed because you're oversharing? It's unlikely. But if nothing else, Please Rob Me shows that sometimes a little discretion online can go a long way.
Killer Tips to Get More Readers, by Anil Gupta. Every blogger has their own strategy to get more readers. But most of us are muddled in the head as to what are the various ways that a blogger can get more readers i.e. subscribers to their blog. So I thought I will create a sort of a list that has all the points which are effective for getting more readers to your blog.
Patience: I know most of us loathe hearing this, but I thought the first point has to be the one which puts you in perspective of the scenario. No matter how good your blog, it takes time to generate readers. So when you are looking for increasing the number of readers to your blog - patience is a virtue, my friend.
Link to Others: The basic theme of blogging is to network and create links. But somewhere along the way, blogging has become so competitive that most bloggers think a lot before they are willing to link to other blogs in their articles. This is a very poor strategy, it is important to link to
other blogs. The reason you should is that firstly, it will help you in forging relationships with other bloggers. Secondly, the reader will notice that you are genuinely concerned to show them the best content out there.
Update Frequently: Your frequency of updating really matters. The Google spiders have now become so advanced that they will crawl your content more often if they find that you have a high frequency of posting. So if you keep up a high rate of posting then you are sure to stand well in the search engine result placements. Of course, it does not mean that you dilute the quality of your content. Your words should appeal to the readers.
Advertising: These days your blog need not be a moolah-machine to advertise on the internet. A start-up blog too can venture into the advertisement side. Most of you I am sure will look to publish ads on their blogs rather than advertise on other blogs. But, there are quite a few bloggers who run an AdWords campaign in the first month of a new blog to give it a jump start ahead of the others.
The most obvious think of all is that a reader is only attracted to blogs where he/she finds that the person writing is genuinely interested in the subjected and is passionate about the whole deal. Any one who gives off an impression that they are only interested in making money will fail to accrue loyal readers for their blog.
Author Bio
Anil Gupta blogs about making money online, blog tips, seo tips on ScopeForMoney.com blog
Every new bloggers want to get mass Twitter followers fast and for free. I know getting Twitter followers is not fun especially if you are new to blogging and new to Twitter. On top of that, Twitter users have various reasons to amass followers. First, a bragging right to show off the number of followers, second is to tweet your activities and to get extra traffic to your blog.
Fast forward, I have tried various way to get followers (including followers trains) and most of the time, it is me who follow. What we want is those Twitter users who reciprocate to follow us back as well as to gain additional followers.
Introducing Twiends.com. This free service rewards you credits for following a fellow Twitter user. Once you accumulate a pool of credits, offer it to Twiends users and in no time, you will get followers. The result so far is very encouraging. And if you can manage to balance you credit spending, you can get more followers than number of users you followed.
Twiends.com also offer premium service that allows you can more credits without following. Money talk baby. If you can't afford it, stick to the free account and in a few weeks time, you will be able to gain thousand of followers.
Recommended reading:
* Is Twitter Popular
* Get more followers at Twitter - How to
When a gentle push turned into a shove. That's what probably happened to Joseph A Stack who got so pissed off with the US Internal Revenue Service that he crashed his small plane into the IRS building in Austin. It is also quite common that the tax agency all over the world bullied the small fish instead of catching the big corrupted fish. Because of that, Joe Stack burned his fuse and killed himself.
A software engineer furious with the U.S. tax agency launched a suicide attack on it Thursday by crashing his small plane into an office building housing nearly 200 federal tax employees, setting off a raging fire that sent workers running for their lives.
Photo: Austin IRS building damaged by Joseph Stack's crashed plane
Emergency crews recovered two bodies from the wreckage. The pilot was presumed dead and one worker in the building had been missing. Austin Fire Department Battalion Chief Palmer Buck declined to discuss the identities of those found, but said Thursday night that authorities had “accounted for everybody.”
The FBI tentatively identified the pilot as Joseph A. Stack, 53. Law enforcement officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still going on, said that before taking off, Stack apparently set fire to his house and posted a long anti-government rant on the Web. It was dated Thursday and signed “Joe Stack (1956-2010).”
In it, the author cited run-ins he had with the Internal Revenue Service and ranted about the tax agency, government bailouts and corporate America’s “thugs and plunderers.”
“I have had all I can stand,” he wrote, adding: “I choose not to keep looking over my shoulder at ‘big brother’ while he strips my carcass.”
The pilot took off in a single-engine Piper Cherokee from an airport in Georgetown, about 30 miles (48km) from Austin, without filing a flight plan. He flew low over the Austin skyline before plowing into the side of the hulking, seven-story, black-glass building just before 10 a.m. with a thunderous explosion that instantly stirred memories of Sept. 11.
Flames shot from the building, windows exploded, a huge pillar of black smoke rose over the city, and terrified workers rushed to get out.
The Pentagon scrambled two F-16 fighter jets from Houston to patrol the skies over the burning building before it became clear that it was the act of a lone pilot, and President Barack Obama was briefed.
“It felt like a bomb blew off,” said Peggy Walker, an IRS revenue officer who was sitting at her desk. “The ceiling caved in and windows blew in. We got up and ran.”
Stack was presumed dead, though police said they had not recovered his body as of Thursday evening. At least 13 people were injured, with two reported in critical condition. About 190 IRS employees work in the building.
Gerry Cullen was eating breakfast at a restaurant across the street when the plane struck the building and “vanished in a fireball.”
Matt Farney, who was in the parking lot of a nearby Home Depot, said he saw a low-flying plane near some apartments just before it crashed. “I figured he was going to buzz the apartments or he was showing off,” Farney said. “It was insane. It didn’t look like he was out of control or anything.”
Sitting at her desk in another building a half-mile (less than a kilometre) from the crash, Michelle Santibanez felt the vibrations and ran to the windows, where she and her co-workers witnessed a scene that reminded them of Sept. 11.
“It was the same kind of scenario, with window panels falling out and desks falling out and paperwork flying,” said Santibanez, an accountant.
The building, in a heavily congested section of Austin, was still smoldering six hours later, with the worst of the damage on the second and third floors.
The entire outside of the second floor was gone on the side of the building where the plane hit. Support beams were bent inward. Venetian blinds dangled from blown-out windows, and large sections of the exterior were blackened with soot. It was not immediately clear if any tax records were destroyed.
Andrew Jacobson, an IRS revenue officer who was on the second floor when the plane hit with a “big whoomp” and then a second explosion, said about six people couldn’t use the stairwell because of smoke and debris. He found a metal bar to break a window so the group could crawl out onto a concrete ledge, where they were rescued by firefighters. His bloody hands were bandaged.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said “heroic actions” by federal employees may explain why the death toll was so low.
The FBI was investigating. The National Transportation Safety Board sent an investigator as well.
Rep. Michael McCaul, a Republican from Austin on the Homeland Security Committee, said the panel will take up the issue of how to better protect buildings from attacks with planes.
In the long, rambling, self-described “rant” that Stack apparently posted on the Internet, he began: “If you’re reading this, you’re no doubt asking yourself, ‘Why did this have to happen?”’
He recounted his financial reverses, his difficulty finding work in Austin, and at least two clashes with the IRS, one of them after he filed no return because, he said, he had no income, the other after he failed to report his wife Sheryl’s income.
He railed against politicians, the Catholic Church, the “unthinkable atrocities” committed by big business, and the government bailouts that followed. He said he slowly came to the conclusion that “violence not only is the answer, it is the only answer.” “I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let’s try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well,” he wrote.
According to California state records, Stack had a troubled business history, twice starting software companies in California that ultimately were suspended by the state’s tax board, one in 2000, the other in 2004. Also, his first wife filed for bankruptcy in 1999, listing a debt to the IRS of nearly US$126,000.
The blaze at Stack’s home, a red-brick house on a tree-lined street in a middle-class neighbourhood six miles (10km) from the crash site, caved in the roof and blew out the windows.
Elbert Hutchins, who lives one house away, said the house caught fire about 9:15 a.m. He said a woman and her teenage daughter drove up to the house before firefighters arrived.
“They both were very, very distraught,” said Hutchins, a retiree who said he didn’t know the family well. “’That’s our house!’ they cried. ‘That’s our house!”’
Red Cross spokeswoman Marty McKellips said the agency was treating two people who live in the house and that the family had no comment Thursday. McKellips said the family would “give information and answer questions” on Friday.
Thursday was not the first time a tax protester went after an Austin IRS building. In 1995, Charles Ray Polk plotted to bomb the IRS Austin Service Center. He was released from prison in October of last year.
The tax protest movement has a long history in the U.S. and was a strong component of anti-government sentiments that surged during the 1990s. That wave culminated in the 1995 bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people. Several domestic extremists were later convicted in the plot.
The tax protest movement has a long history in the U.S. and was a strong component of anti-government sentiments that surged during the 1990s. Anti-tax protesters typically believe that they do not have to pay income taxes. Some have been convicted in recent years for targeting IRS officials for harassment and even murder.
Tan Sri Robert Kuok, the Kuok Group patriarch who relinquished his “Sugar King” crown last year, still tops the list of 40 richest people in Malaysia, followed by telecommunication tycoon Tan Sri Ananda Krishnan.
Collectively, the country’s 40 richest people recorded an increase in their fortunes totalling RM156.7bil as at Jan 15, or 63% more than the RM96.3bil a year ago, on the back of a recovery in the stock market, a Malaysian Business survey reveals.
However, according to the fortnightly magazine’s survey results released in a statement yesterday, their combined wealth was still less than the RM171.9bil recorded in 2008.
The benchmark FBM KLCI rose 44.3% since its last survey as the world strives to get back on its feet following the global financial crisis.
The full list of the 40 tycoons and details of their wealth are published in the magazine’s Feb 16 issue.
As in the previous year, the wealth of the Top 40 was assessed based on the value of their stakes in listed companies as at Jan 15 this year.
The survey also revealed that close to half on this year’s list recorded jumps of 50% or more. There are also more billionaires — 22, eight more than last year.
Media-shy and telecommunication tycoon Ananda Krishnan ranked second, clocking in at RM27bil.
IOI Corporation Bhd’s Tan Sri Lee Shin Chen was third with RM11.92bil, followed by prominent banker Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow at RM10.86bil.
Genting Group’s Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, valued at RM10.38bil, leapt a full 10 spots to No. 5. This was because he assumed a large chunk of the wealth of his late father, Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong.
Hong Leong Group’s Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan took the sixth spot at RM7.09bil while Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary of the Albukhary Foundation, valued at RM6.01bil, was seventh.
Others in the Top 10 ranking were Lim Goh Tong’s widow Puan Sri Lee Kim Hua, Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King of Rimbunan Hijau Group and Tan Sri Vincent Tan of Berjaya Group.
There were five newcomers in the list — Lee Swee Eng of the KNM Group, brothers Datuk Shahril Shamsuddin and Shahriman of Sapura, Datuk Seri Nazir Razak of CIMB Group and OSK Holdings’ Ong Leong Huat, who makes a comeback to the list after a one-year absence.
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The ranks of mobile phone subscribers will swell to five billion people this year thanks to the growth of smartphones in developed nations and mobile services in poor nations, a UN agency said Monday. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) also said the number of mobile broadband subscriptions would exceed one billion this year after reaching 600 million in 2009.
"Even during an economic crisis, we have seen no drop in the demand for communications services," ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Toure said in a statement at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the industry's biggest trade show.
The number of mobile subscribers had reached 4.6 billion people last year.
"I am confident that we will continue to see a rapid uptake in mobile cellular services in particular in 2010, with many more people using their phones to access the Internet," Toure said
In the developing world, the growth has been driven by the use of phones for mobile banking and health services, the ITU said.
"Good examples include sending reminder messages to patient's phones when they have a medical appointment, or need a pre-natal check-up," Toure said.
"Or using SMS messages to deliver instructions on when and how to take complex medication such as anti-retrovirals or vaccines," he said, adding that such uses can save millions of US dollars and lives.
People with no bank accounts but mobile subscriptions are also increasingly able to do financial transactions with their phones in developing countries, he said.
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Kim Kyong-Hui, 64, Kim Jong-Il's only sister appears to be wielding more power in North Korea after making a comeback to the frontline of the regime last year, says South Korea.
Kim Kyong-Hui was newly added to a diagram of the North's power structure released by the South's unification ministry after returning to the public spotlight for the first time in nearly six years.
The annually updated diagram, which offers a glimpse into changes in the North's elite power system, showed her heading an organ which oversees light industries under the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.
"Since her comeback, the sister has frequently accompanied Kim Jong-Il in his field inspections," ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-Joo told AFP.
Intelligence officials say Kim Jong-Il, who turned 68 on Tuesday, has increasingly relied on his family to exercise his power after reportedly suffering a stroke in 2008, the Yonhap news agency reported.
The sister's comeback also reflects Pyongyang's resolve to revive its economy and pave the way for a family power succession, it added.
Her husband Jang Song-Thaek has strengthened his image as the leader's right-hand man amid speculation he will play the role of regent as the leader grooms his youngest son Jong-Un to take over.
Kim Jong-Il has three sons from two marriages, according to analysts.
Information is scant about Jong-Un, the second son of Kim Jong-Il's third wife Ko Yong-Hee. No adult photo of him is publicly available.
Some reports say Jong-Un, born in 1983, attended an international school in the Swiss city of Berne under a pseudonym.
Kenji Fujimoto, a former personal chef to Kim Jong-Il, has described the son as "a chip off the old block" who closely resembles his father physically and in terms of personality.
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UPDATES: Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games Medals Tally
Below is the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Medal Tally breakdown by day.
Day 16 Overall Medal Tally (February 28, 2010) - 2 Gold medals won
1. Canada________________14 (won 1 gold medal on Day 16)
2. USA___________________10
3. Germany_______________10
4. Norway _______________9 (won 1 gold medal on Day 16)
5. Switzerland___________6
6. Korea_________________6
7. Austria ______________4
8. Sweden _______________5
9. China ________________5
10. Netherlands__________4
11. France_______________2
12. Russia Federation ___3
13. Czech Republic ______2
14. Poland_______________2
15. Slovakia_____________1
16. Australia____________2
17. Great Britain _______1
18. Belarus _____________1
19. Italy________________2
Day 15 Overall Medal Tally (February 27, 2010) - 7 Gold medals won
1. Canada________________13 (won 3 gold medals on Day 15)
2. USA___________________10 (won 1 gold medal on Day 15)
3. Germany_______________10 (won 1 gold medal on Day 15)
4. Norway _______________8
5. Switzerland___________6
6. Korea_________________6
7. Austria ______________4
8. Sweden _______________5
9. China ________________5
10. Netherlands__________4
11. France_______________2
12. Russia Federation ___3
13. Czech Republic ______2
14. Poland_______________2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 15)
15. Slovakia_____________1
16. Australia____________2
17. Great Britain _______1
18. Belarus _____________1
19. Italy________________2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 15)
Day 14 Overall Medal Tally (February 26, 2010) - 7 Gold medals won
1. Canada________________10 (won 2 gold medals on Day 14)
2. USA___________________9
3. Germany_______________9 (won 1 gold medal on Day 14)
4. Norway _______________8 (won 1 gold medal on Day 14)
5. Switzerland___________6
6. Korea_________________6
7. Austria ______________4
8. Sweden _______________5 (won 1 gold medal on Day 14)
9. China ________________5 (won 1 gold medal on Day 14)
10. Netherlands__________4 (won 1 gold medal on Day 14)
11. France_______________2
12. Russia Federation ___3
13. Czech Republic ______2
14. Poland_______________1
15. Slovakia_____________1
16. Australia____________2
17. Great Britain _______1
18. Belarus _____________1
Day 13 Overall Medal Tally (February 25, 2010) - 6 Gold medals won
1. USA___________________9 (won 1 gold medal on Day 13)
2. Germany_______________8 (won 1 gold medal on Day 13)
3. Canada________________8 (won 1 gold medal on Day 13)
4. Norway _______________7 (won 1 gold medal on Day 13)
5. Switzerland___________6
6. Korea_________________6 (won 1 gold medal on Day 13)
7. Austria ______________4
8. Sweden _______________4
9. China ________________4
10. Netherlands__________3
11. France_______________2
12. Russia Federation ___3
13. Czech Republic ______2
14. Poland_______________1
15. Slovakia_____________1
16. Australia____________2
17. Great Britain _______1
18. Belarus _____________1 (won 1 gold medal on Day 13)
Day 12 Overall Medal Tally (February 24, 2010) - 5 Gold medals won
1. USA___________________7
2. Germany_______________7
3. Canada________________7 (won 1 gold medal on Day 12)
4. Norway _______________6
5. Switzerland___________6
6. Korea_________________5
7. Austria ______________4
8. Sweden _______________4 (won 1 gold medal on Day 12)
9. China ________________4 (won 1 gold medal on Day 12)
10. Netherlands__________3
11. France_______________2
12. Russia Federation ___3
13. Czech Republic ______2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 12)
14. Poland_______________1
15. Slovakia_____________1
16. Australia____________2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 12)
17. Great Britain _______1
Day 11 Overall Medal Tally (February 23, 2010) - 5 Gold medals won
1. USA___________________7
2. Germany_______________7
3. Norway _______________6
4. Switzerland___________6 (won 1 gold medal on Day 11)
5. Canada________________6 (won 1 gold medal on Day 11)
6. Korea_________________5 (won 1 gold medal on Day 11)
7. Austria ______________4 (won 1 gold medal on Day 11)
8. Sweden _______________3
9. China ________________3
10. Netherlands__________3
11. France_______________2
12. Russia Federation ___3 (won 1 gold medal on Day 11)
13. Czech Republic ______1
14. Poland_______________1
15. Slovakia_____________1
16. Australia____________1
17. Great Britain _______1
Day 10 Overall Medal Tally (February 22, 2010) - 4 Gold medals won
1. USA___________________7
2. Germany_______________7 (won 1 gold medal on Day 10)
3. Norway _______________6 (won 1 gold medal on Day 10)
4. Switzerland___________5
5. Canada________________5 (won 1 gold medal on Day 10)
6. Korea_________________4
7. Sweden _______________3
8. China ________________3
9. Netherlands___________3
10. Austria _____________3 (won 1 gold medal on Day 10)
11. France_______________2
12. Russia Federation ___2
13. Czech Republic ______1
14. Poland_______________1
15. Slovakia_____________1
16. Australia____________1
17. Great Britain _______1
Day 9 Overall Medal Tally (February 21, 2010) - 6 Gold medals won
1. USA___________________7 (won 1 gold medal on Day 9)
2. Germany_______________6 (won 2 gold medals on Day 9)
3. Norway _______________5
4. Switzerland___________5 (won 1 gold medal on Day 9)
5. Canada________________4
6. Korea_________________4
7. Sweden _______________3
8. China ________________3
9. Netherlands___________3 (won 1 gold medal on Day 9)
10. France_______________2
11. Austria _____________2
12. Russia Federation ___2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 9)
13. Czech Republic ______1
14. Poland_______________1
15. Slovakia_____________1
16. Australia____________1
17. Great Britain _______1
Day 8 Overall Medal Tally (February 20, 2010) - 6 Gold medals won
1. USA___________________6
2. Norway _______________5
3. Germany_______________4
4. Canada________________4
5. Korea_________________4 (won 1 gold medal on Day 8)
6. Switzerland___________4 (won 1 gold medal on Day 8)
7. Sweden _______________3 (won 1 gold medal on Day 8)
8. China ________________3 (won 1 gold medal on Day 8)
9. France________________2
10. Austria _____________2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 8)
11. Netherlands__________2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 8)
12. Czech Republic ______1
13. Poland_______________1
14. Slovakia_____________1
15. Russia Federation ___1
16. Australia____________1
17. Great Britain _______1
Day 7 Overall Medal Tally (February 19, 2010) - 4 Gold medals won
1. USA___________________6
2. Norway _______________5 (won 2 gold medals on Day 7)
3. Germany_______________4
4. Canada________________4 (won 1 gold medal on Day 7)
5. Korea_________________3
6. Switzerland___________3
7. France________________2
8. Sweden _______________2
9. Czech Republic _______1
10. Poland_______________1
11. Netherlands__________1
12. Slovakia_____________1
13. China _______________2
14. Russia Federation ___1
15. Austria _____________1
16. Australia____________1
17. Great Britain _______1 (won 1 gold medal on Day 7)
Day 6 Overall Medal Tally (February 18, 2010) - 6 Gold medals won
1. USA___________________6 (won 1 gold medal on Day 6)
2. Germany_______________4 (won 1 gold medal on Day 6)
3. Canada________________3 (won 1 gold medal on Day 6)
4. Korea_________________3
5. Switzerland___________3
6. Norway _______________3 (won 2 gold medals on Day 6)
7. France________________2
8. Sweden _______________2
9. Czech Republic _______1
10. Poland_______________1
11. Netherlands__________1
12. Slovakia_____________1
13. China _______________2
14. Russia Federation ___1
15. Austria _____________1
16. Australia____________1
Day 5 Overall Medal Tally (February 17, 2010) - 7 Gold medals won
1. USA____________________5 (won 3 gold medals on Day 5)
2. Germany________________3
3. Korea__________________3
4. Switzerland____________3
5. France_________________2
6. Canada_________________2
7. Sweden ________________2
8. Czech Republic ________1
9. Poland_________________1
10. Netherlands___________1
11. Slovakia______________1
12. China ________________2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 5)
13. Norway _______________1 (won 1 gold medal on Day 5)
14. Russia Federation ____1 (won 1 gold medal on Day 5)
15. Austria ______________1 (won 1 gold medal on Day 5)
Day 4 Overall Medal Tally (February 16, 2010) - 5 Gold medals won
1. Korea___________3 (won 1 gold medal on Day 4)
2. Germany_________3 (won 2 gold medals on Day 4)
3. France__________2
4. Switzerland_____3
5. USA_____________2
6. Canada__________2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 4)
7. Sweden _________2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 4)
8. Czech Republic__1
9. Poland__________1
10. Netherlands____1
11. Slovakia_______1
12. China _________1
Day 3 Overall Medal Tally (February 15, 2010) - 6 Gold medals won
1. France__________2
2. Switzerland_____3 (won 2 gold medals on Day 3)
3. USA_____________2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 3)
4. Korea___________2 (won 1 gold medal on Day 3)
5. Czech Republic__1
6. Germany_________1
7. Canada__________1
8. Poland__________1
9. Netherlands_____1
10. Slovakia_______1
11. Sweden ________1
12. China _________1
Day 2 Overall Medal Tally (February 14, 2010) - 5 Gold medals won
1. France__________2
2. Czech Republic__1
3. Germany_________1
4. Canada__________1
5. Poland__________1
6. Netherlands_____1
7. Slovakia________1
8. Korea___________1
9. USA_____________1
Day 1 Overall Medal Tally (February 13, 2010) - 5 Gold medals won
1. Poland__________1
2. Netherlands_____1
3. Slovakia________1
4. Korea___________1
5. USA_____________1
Related links:
* Official Vancouver 2010 Medals Table
The flamboyantly competitive Scottish brewery BrewDog has released Sink the Bismarck!, a "quadruple IPA" that they say is the most alcoholic in the world at 41% ABV. BrewDog had previously earned similar attention last year with their then-record-setting 32% ABV beer, Tactical Nuclear Penguin, but rival brewery Schorschbrau just weeks ago (briefly) reclaimed the beer potency title with their Schorschbock, at 40% ABV, prompting Brewdog's latest counterattack. Read also Great sex: God's way - Beer is illegal, Sex is not
Sink the Bismarck!'s 41% ABV renders it more alcoholic than whiskey or vodka. BrewDog has preempted the expected accusations of irresponsibility from British alcohol awareness groups, and explains that the beer should be consumed responsibly, "in spirit-sized measures."
BrewDog is no stranger to controversy over the strength of its product. Prior to the 40% Tactical Nuclear Penguin, their 18.2% Tokyo was criticized by alcohol awareness groups, so it crafted a low alcoholic brew called Nanny State.
Sink the Bismarck! will cost £40 for a 330ml bottle, available solely through the BrewDog website.
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Andrey Ternovskiy, a 17-year-old high school student in Moscow, is the founder/creator of ChatRoulette, which generates a live webcam connection between a user and a random stranger. ChatRoulette.com is one of the hottest - and most unusual - new websites on the Internet is generating a lot of interests including venture capitalist.
The New York Times over the weekend published an email exchange with Ternovskiy, whose site has drawn a lot of publicity in recent weeks and even the attention of Fred Wilson, a well-known venture capitalist with Union Square Ventures and Flatiron Partners.
Wilson, in a weekend blog post, said was going to "reach out to Andrey and offer him a visit" to New York City.
"I'm still not sure if this is something we should invest in, but I'd sure like to meet this guy. He reminds me of many great young entrepreneurs we've worked with and his story sounds so familiar," Wilson said.
Wilson also touched on some of the attractions and drawbacks of Chatroulette, which has been denounced by some critics as a hotbed of exhibitionism and voyeurism.
"There certainly is a disturbing amount of perversion and sexual innuendo on Chatroulette, but there is so much else," he said.
"The Internet is this huge network with over a billion people worldwide on it," Wilson said. "Chatroulette feels like a pretty cool way to take a quick trip around that network, meeting people and talking to them."
Ternovskiy told the Times that he created Chatroulette for "fun" because he and his friends had gotten bored talking only to each other.
"So I decided to create a little site for me and my friends where we could connect randomly with other people," he said.
Ternovskiy said he was writing all of the code for the site himself and that relatives had helped him pay bandwidth and server hosting bills.
He said most of the users of the site are in the US.
"Everyone finds his own way of using the site," he added. "Some think it is a game, others think it is a whole unknown world, others think it is a dating service.
"I think it's cool that such a simple concept can be useful for so many people," Ternovskiy said.
The young Russian developer told the Times he was aware "some people are using the site in not very nice ways" and that he was "really against it."
"Others do really unbelievable things I could never think of," he said. "They make up songs about strangers and sing to them, draw them, listen to music, broadcast them their own music."
"Two groups of teenagers can party together. That's just great in my opinion," he said.
To view ChatRoulette, your browser must be installed with Abode Flash Player 10 or better.
Microsoft Windows Mobile is history. Microsoft has moved from the backseat of the smartphone war to front and centre, unveiling a radically redesigned operating system that will soon become a serious challenger to Apple's iPhone. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today, the company showed off Windows Phone 7 for the first time, which has been designed from the ground up to seamlessly pull together content from social networking sites and other web services on a scale unseen on competing platforms.
Previous Windows Mobile versions were scrapped to make way for a completely new design that integrates Microsoft's Zune music player and the Xbox Live gaming service.
Phones based around the new operating system are set to hit the market by Christmas this year. Samsung, HTC, HP, Sony Ericsson, Dell, LG and Toshiba have already signed up as early partners.
Analysts have said this could be Microsoft's last chance to claw back market share lost to competitors such as Apple, Google and RIM over the last few years. The iPhone has dominated Windows Mobile in the consumer market, while business users have turned to BlackBerry.
At the Windows Phone 7 unveiling today, Joe Belfiore, VP for Microsoft's Windows Phone division, said the explosion of applications and web services available on mobile phones meant devices had become far too complex.
He said phones had started to resemble PCs but "a phone's just not a PC - it's a smaller, more intimate device".
Five key hubs
Windows Phone 7 features a completely new interface, with a "start" page based around live "tiles" or, in Belfiore's words, "super icons". There are five main hubs representing the most common tasks:
People - Contacts from Outlook, social networking sites and web mail services are pulled, with thumbnail images, into one interface. People the user has recently communicated with rise to the top and for each contact the phone can display their recent activity on various social networking sites.
Pictures - All of the photos you've taken with the phone, synced from a PC or uploaded to social networking sites can also be viewed in a single interface. Photos uploaded by friends to their social media profiles can also be accessed.
Office - View and edit documents or make voice, text and picture notes. Read also MS Office 2010
Music + Video - Every Windows Phone 7 will essentially be a Zune music player, with users able to sync music and videos using PC software similar to iTunes. Third-party music and video applications such as Pandora are also integrated.
Games - Xbox Live is built-in and users can play casual games against people on other phones, on PCs or on Xbox consoles.
Microsoft said a key priority with the new operating system was maintaining consistency in design. Each Windows Phone 7 device will have three buttons on the front - Start, Search and Back. The tile menu interface will also be virtually the same on all handsets.
Microsoft acknowledged that previous versions of its mobile platform focused heavily on business productivity applications. With the latest release the company wants to provide one device that can be used just as effectively for both personal and work tasks.
The built-in calendar pulls together appointments from both web-based personal calendars and from Microsoft Exchange, with work and personal appointments displayed in different colours.
Addresses and phone numbers are automatically hyperlinked and clicking on an address brings it up on Bing Maps.
In a demo of the search function, which uses Microsoft's Bing search engine, simply typing in "sushi" brings up all of the sushi restaurants in the user's immediate area and plots them on a map. From that screen the user can get directions, ring a restaurant or read reviews.
The web browser is based around the same code as the desktop Internet Explorer, and there is full support for multi-touch gestures such as pinching to zoom. But just like the iPhone, Adobe Flash support won't be present at launch.
Microsoft said it would reveal more details about the applications that will be available on the platform at its Remix conference later this year.
HTC chief executive Peter Chou said the company would launch a series of Windows Phone 7 devices this year.
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