tracking personal finances

A few years ago, the Internet experienced a video revolution. As broadband access expanded and more people began uploading content, video became an expected resource for consumers. Businesses could get more mileage out of television commercials and engage users by linking to video reviews of its products.

A year ago, we saw evidence of small and medium-sized business increasing budgets for video content – to be used both on their homepages and in advertisements. In 2009, 19% of businesses polled were using video (up from 5% in 2008) and I’m willing to bet that number will be much higher in the 2010 report that should come out later this month.

Now, as technology has become more affordable and increasingly mobile, we’re able to experience virtually anything online. As such, local search engines are evolving into master content synthesizers to meet the needs of consumers and advertisers alike – offering video and photos, local advertising deals, user reviews, QR codes, maps and directions, etc.

Consumer expectations of local search engines have never been higher. Users want to see photo and video reviews of a company’s products, read what other people have to say, and even take a virtual tour of your store or restaurant before they visit.

The same is true of small- and medium-sized business owners looking to find a competitive advantage. Local search engines are offering more dynamic content than ever before to users and it’s up to search marketers to help business owners feed that content.

It’s interesting to see how video content has changed since the advent of YouTube. Instead of traditional video advertising, we’re seeing new technology that lets users look around your business from their own home. Soon, we’ll be able to find virtual creations of almost any environment online – and those virtual tours are being integrated with current deals and other advertising promotions to drive traffic to your business.

Recently, a company called EveryScape partnered with Bing and YP to offer digital advertisers a new local search solution – virtual tours. For example, YP360 will let a user step inside a restaurant in Baltimore while they’re still on the train. They can choose a place and even set a reservation, all within the same application on their phone.

Google Earth has gone indoors and local search engines are responsible for bringing this detailed and vivid content to users while keeping it simple and accessible. And the business case for offering this new content to users and advertisers alike is clear as local advertising is expected to grow to $16.1 billion this year, up from $13.7 billion in 2010.

Even more, mobile phone advertising spending is expected to be more than a billion dollars in 2011, up 48% from 2010. Local search engines like YP and Yelp! are seeing over 20 million visitors a month, many of them accessing via mobile phones.

This is a great opportunity for local search engines and advertisers to embrace this new technology and get ahead of the pack. Effective local advertising goes beyond building a social networking presence and listing in directories – you have to make sure your content is engaging. In the online world, the savviest local search marketers who use this technology well will have the most successful campaigns.

I recommend that any business owner or local search marketer read up on the latest digital advertising solutions and consider offering your customers virtual tours of your products or store. To set your business apart, you need to stay current with the best that local search has to offer.

Opinions expressed in the article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.

Related Topics: Locals Only

Blogger Andrew Trench recently presented a theory on the threshold of when Internet penetration starts to matter, writing:

Social networks have also been given plenty of credit for the revolution unfolding in Egypt.

So I went and had a look at the numbers over on www.internetworldstats.com to see what they could tell us about these two scenarios. Well, fascinatingly, both Egypt and Tunisia have seen a massive growth in internet users and internet penetration over the last 10 years.

Both have now got internet penetration of over 20% and in Tunisia's case it was as high as 34%.

While it is clearly simplistic to over-state this factor and there must be many more drivers contributing to such a rapid political uprising, it is obviously a factor as evidenced by the Egyptian regime pulling the plug on the country's internet access to try and block the rising tide of revolt.

My back-of-napkin theory is this: that a rapid increase in internet penetration in a repressive regime does play an important role as it provides an unfettered channel of communication allowing disaffected citizens to share views - and more importantly - to rapidly organise and mobilise.

If Egypt and Tunisia are valid case studies, it looks like internet penetration of around 20% is the mark.

Geopolitics & Macroeconomics adds:

Internet penetration: Social networking sites were critical to sustaining the momentum in the recent protests. The internet penetration in Egypt is 16%. In Libya, it is a meagre 5% [1]. The unrest in Libya has thus far remained concentrated in regions that are geographically distant from the seat of ‘real' power (see more on this below). The dependence of momentum on internet communication is far greater in Libya than in Egypt where protests began in Cairo itself.

Taking the conversation to Pakistan, Sabene Saigol writes, on BrandRepublic:

Perhaps one reason for this is that we're still not that used to communicating via the ‘net - maybe we need greater broadband and internet penetration. Personally I think it is more to do with culture - while Pakistani internet users are savvy to using social media to connect with friends, I feel they have not yet ‘crossed over' to seeing SM as a means for professional communications - or even wider social communications that go beyond their immediate circle. Yes, there are no doubt savvy people - both within marketing and tech circles, and outside - however, these people are likely a tiny proportion of the total number of ‘net and social media users.

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Manny Malhotra of Vancouver Canucks to undergo eye surgery in New York

Manny Malhotra of the Vancouver Canucks, who suffered a serious eye injury when he was struck by an errant puck earlier this month, is set to undergo surgery aimed at saving his eye and his vision on Tuesday.

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4000 bodies still remain unidentified following quake | Kyodo <b>News</b>

The identities of around 4000 bodies collected following the March 11 mega earthquake and ensuing tsunami still remain unconfirmed in severely-damaged Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, a local police tally showed Tuesday. ...

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The Truth About Twitter: It&#39;s The Evening <b>News</b>

Twitter is a media platform, not a social network.

Surface Encounters

Editor’s Note: Jim Dalrymple has been writing about Apple for more than 15 years. You can follow him on Twitter @jdalrymple and on his Web site at The Loop.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs on Wednesday introduced the iPad 2 at a special event in San Francisco, taking even more momentum away from its competitors.

I’ve had a lot of people in the last 24 hours tell me that the iPad 2 isn’t as revolutionary as the first generation device. Yes, that’s true. But not every device a company releases has to be or can be revolutionary.

Apple has released three revolutionary products in the last decade alone: iPod, iPhone and iPad. I really can’t think of any products from Apple’s competitors that fit in the revolutionary category in that same time period.

People also said that Apple wasn’t very forthcoming with the specs of the iPad 2. Again, that’s true, but there’s a good reason for that—nobody cares.

Well, some people care. Those of us who are geeks care about specs. However, have you ever noticed that when you sit with your non-geek friends and start listing off specs their eyes glaze over and they rest their chin in their hand.

That’s because they couldn’t care less.

The iPad 2 is no slouch either. It lost one-third of the thickness of the previous generation, and therefore it is one-third less than the size of the iPad competitors too. It also has new technologies like a gyro built-in that will launch another round of cool apps.

Yesterday’s iPad 2 announcement wasn’t about the geeks—it was about all the other people who will buy an iPad. What those people want to know is “what can I do with it?”

If it fits into their lifestyle, most people are good with that. Apple showed many ways how the iPad 2 can fit into your lifestyle.

From the very beginning, Apple was very smart with how it marketed the iPad. The first thing it did was get the device into businesses and promote the fact that it could be used to get work done. And it was quite successful with that.

In an analyst call in October 2010, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer said the iPad was already being used in 65 percent of Fortune 100 companies. That was four months ago and the iPad has grown since then, so we can only imagine where that number is now.

This strategy allowed Apple to do two things. If it came out with the iPad and pushed the gaming capabilities of the device, the business world would have looked at it as a toy. That would have certainly meant slower adoption. It also allowed them to work on some consumer software, two of which we saw yesterday.

In addition to the iPad 2, Jobs also unveiled iMovie and GarageBand for the iPad. This is what people want to know about—what can I do with the iPad that’s exciting and new.

Obviously, creating movies and being able to edit and share them with friends and family is a very popular thing to do these days. iMovie makes that easy.

Creating music, whether a novice or pro is also a cool thing to do. GarageBand is a great app to get that done and you can move your projects to your Mac and continue working on them.

It’s not just about the hardware. Apple delivers the whole experience that nobody else can. Jobs said yesterday that there are 65,000 apps on its App Store specifically designed for the iPad. That’s a lot of things you can do.

If you think Apple’s competitors are jumping for joy because the iPad 2 isn’t revolutionary, I believe you are wrong. I think they’re scared. Yesterday, they figured out Apple’s strategy too, but a little too late.

In February of 2007, 83.24 percent of users visiting TechCrunch did so from a Windows machine. One year later, in February 2008, the stranglehold remained firm at 80.44 percent. In February 2009, the number was at 74.04 percent. Last year, it was 61.59 percent. And this year? The number of people visiting our site from Windows machines dipped to 53.84 percent.

The writing is on the wall.

Look at those numbers again for a second. In four years, Windows share among TechCrunch readers has fallen 30 percentage points. That’s incredible.

The knee-jerk reaction in the comment section will likely be something like “it’s because you guys cover Apple so much”. But the fact of the matter is that Macintosh share, after rising for three of those four years, fell last year as well. It’s the mobile devices — specifically the iPhone, iPad, and Android devices — that are eating away at Windows.

In fact, if the trend over the past four years continues at about the same pace, in two years, devices made by Apple (Macs, iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads) will surpass devices that run Windows as the top visitors to TechCrunch. And depending on how popular the iPad 2, iPhone 5, and OS X Lion are, it could easily happen next year.

Here are the broken down numbers:

Feb 2007

• Windows: 83.24%


• Mac: 13.59%


• Linux: 2.51%

Feb 2008

• Windows: 80.44%


• Mac: 15.15%


• Linux: 2.97%


• iPhone: 0.77%


• iPod: 0.15%

Feb 2009

• Windows: 74.04%


• Mac: 20.48%


• Linux: 3.01%


• iPhone: 1.60%


• iPod: 0.28%


• Android: 0.09%

Feb 2010

• Windows: 61.59%


• Mac: 28.62%


• iPhone: 4.07%


• Linux: 3.49%


• Android: 0.87%


• iPod: 0.53%

Feb 2011

• Windows: 53.84%


• Mac: 27.64%


• iPhone: 6.72%


• iPad: 3.44%


• Linux: 3.28%


• Android: 3.06%


• iPod: 0.62%

While even the last batch of stats shows that Windows still has a nice cushion over number two, Mac, if you add the Apple products put together, it’s a different story.

• Feb 2007: 13.59% Apple products


• Feb 2008: 16.07% Apple products


• Feb 2009: 22.36% Apple products


• Feb 2010: 33.22% Apple products


• Feb 2011: 38.42% Apple products

In the four year span, Apple has added 25 percentage points to their share among TechCrunch readers. That nearly all of the 30 percentage points that Windows lost in that same span (Android’s growth pretty much fills in the rest).

So it currently stands at Microsoft’s 53.84 percent versus Apple’s 38.42 percent. Again, a big year for iPad, iPhone, and Mac could mean a changing of the guard as soon as next year. But unless something drastic changes, you can be sure that Apple will be dominant among TechCrunch readers in two years.

The latest rumors have Windows 8 showing up sometime in mid/late 2012. But the fact of the matter is that Windows 7, much more widely praised than the disaster that was Vista, hasn’t helped Microsoft buck this trend among our readers. Perhaps they’re only hope of gaining back share at this point is Windows Phone. So far, that hasn’t been going too well. Nokia should help that, but will it be enough to offset the Windows losses?

Humorously, Microsoft’s best hope for not falling to Apple may well be Android. If Google’s platform continues to make gains, it could prolong Apple passing Microsoft.

But again, Apple has iPhone 5, iPad 2, and OS X Lion on the immediate horizon — all within the next few months. And then there’s the very real possibility of another iPad in the fall.

The iPad 2 and iPhone 5 are likely to push the Apple share forward immediately. But don’t sleep on OS X Lion either. The early indications are that Apple has indeed made it much more iOS-like. That means millions of iPad/iPhone/iPod touch owners who have traditionally been PC users, are going to feel a lot more comfortable on a Mac than ever before.

And a new PC-to-Mac data migration system built in to Lion will only help that.

OS X Lion is going to feed off of iOS users, and vice versa. And the Mac ecosystem is going to continue to expand. Just as happened in the browser world with Chrome taking over, a transition is happening among TechCrunch readers in the ecosystem space. The numbers don’t lie. And Microsoft better pray that our readers aren’t leading indicators of overall trends in the space — which is exactly what you have been in the past.

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In our second installment of The Business of Blogging, we speak to the uber-talented Tommy Ton, founder of Jak & Jil and streetstyle photographer for Style.com and GQ.com

PARIS, France — “It was the summer of 1997 and I was 13 years old,” recalls Tommy Ton, now 27, describing the moment when a self-professed comic book nerd from the suburbs of Toronto first became interested in fashion. “My sister asked me to record Fashion Television and all of a sudden Tom Ford comes on and talks about women, and his idea of sex. He was so eloquent in his choice of words. It was love at first sight.”

From that moment, Mr. Ton embarked on what has been described as a something of a fairytale, becoming the world’s most influential street style fashion photographer today. But achieving such success is rarely that simple — or easy.

More than just a skilled photographer with a good eye and encyclopedic knowledge of fashion, Ton has proven himself to be a savvy digital operator with a potent mixture of ambition, work ethic and strategic thinking that has enabled him to discover and hone in on his special talent. His humility throughout it all has endeared him not only to the stylish women he has made famous, but also to fellow fashion bloggers and his growing list of paying clients.

Yes, Tommy Ton is building a business, and he’s proud of it.

At first, Mr. Ton says he simply became infatuated with fashion. “I’d bike to the library, tear out ad campaigns, and make collages of Gucci and Versace,” he explains over dinner during Paris Fashion Week. At age 15, he interned with the Toronto designer Wayne Clark and then in the women’s accessories department of Holt Renfrew, Canada’s leading luxury department store.

From the beginning, Ton has been a fervent but charming networker, not afraid to approach and build relationships with the industry’s top players. “I made an effort so Barbara Atkin knew who I was,” he says, referring to the Holt Renfrew’s highly-respected fashion director. This ultimately landed him a gig in the store’s buying office, furthering his understanding of the fashion business, but still not quite sating his fashion appetite.

“I was there in the Summer of 2004 when web magazines first started popping up,” he says. Ton started taking classes in digital photography and met with friends who did graphic design, before deciding to start Jak & Jil, which was initially conceived in 2005 as a lifestyle website focused on the product and people in Toronto.

“Then my guardian angel came along,” says Ton, referring to Lynda Latner, proprietor of vintagecouture.com. “She hired me because she saw my site and thought I could help her.”

In 2007 when Latner offered to send Ton to Europe to attend the shows in London and Paris, he had his first opportunity to experiment with street photography during fashion week, a trend which was just beginning to take off due to the pioneering work of Scott Schuman and Garance Doré.

“My first show in Paris was Balmain. I had no idea what Balmain was at the time, or what it was going to be, but all the girls were in that that show, like Daria, Irina, and Anja, and they played the Cure on the soundtrack. As soon as that show was done, it was raining outside…and I was dancing in the rain. I just felt so uplifted. I could not believe what fashion could do for you,” recalls Ton nostalgically. “To have that moment in Paris, at your very first show…it was magical.”

Using his “Canadian connections,” Ton also managed to get into Chanel, YSL, Dries van Noten and Rick Owens that first season. But in all the excitement, Ton says he didn’t know who or what to shoot. “I just shot what I thought was visually amazing. I didn’t know who Emmanuelle Alt was, or Kate Lanphear or even Anna Dello Russo.”

Almost immediately after this first trip, the Canadian fashion media took note of Ton’s photography, beginning with Flare magazine editor Lisa Tant. “Because of that trip, I got a page in Flare which gave me a validated reason to go back,” he says.

By 2008 Ton was already seeking a way to stand out from the growing hordes of photographers outside the shows who were mostly aping Schuman’s photographic style. “I thought, ‘I’m so tired of taking head-to-toe shots. No one can touch Scott at those photos — he is the king.’ I wanted my photos to stand out. That’s when I stated taking the candid shots.”

Ton’s landscape-style images focused in on the little details that caught his well-trained fashion eye — a towering Louboutin stiletto here, a pop of colour there on his favourite subjects as they walked into the shows. He rarely asked them to pose. Ton was developing a photographic style that that has now become instantly recognisable as his own, capturing the raw energy and excitement of fashion week. Fellow blogger Tavi Gevinson later remarked, “You always know what a Tommy Ton photograph looks like.”

He re-purposed Jak and Jil into a blog, and started posting two or three of his new style of photographs each day. This caught the attention of influential bloggers like Susanna Lau of Style Bubble and Rumi Neely of Fashion Toast, who helped to spread the word.

Two and half months later, Ton received an email from the head of marketing at Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, asking him to shoot their Spring/Summer 2009 campaign.

“I said yes, but I didn’t even know what my worth was,” says Ton. “After talking to my business friends in the industry, I threw a figure at Lane Crawford. It was a bit too much, but we negotiated, and I was proud of myself because I was able to get an amount that I was satisfied with and which they were willing to pay.”

With his reputation spreading, Ton’s confidence began to grow. “During the Fall/Winter 2009 season, people started to know who I was. Scott [Schuman] actually knew my work. I was officially blogging and shooting for Lane Crawford at the same time. That was the season I knew what I was doing, and I knew what I wanted to shoot. It was the beginning of something.”

Another important shift came the following season in Milan, when Ton was seated in Dolce & Gabbana’s front row, alongside Doré, Schuman and Bryanboy, an image that was plastered in the fashion media around the world, signalling the arrival of fashion bloggers. “That was a huge moment. It was all due to Anna Dello Russo. She was the one who told Domenico and Stefano: ‘These are the people who are changing things.’”

From then on, the front row tickets came in fast and furious. Everyone wanted Ton to shoot at their shows, knowing his images would be seen by thousands of fashion enthusiasts and influencers around the world. The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and others came calling. “They were emailing to buy photos,” he says.

Ton went from ultimate fashion outsider to insider almost overnight.

But the real turning point came a few weeks earlier when Style.com’s editor-in-chief Dirk Standen asked Ton to step into the formidable shoes of Scott Schuman, whose own photography career had gone stratospheric, in no small part due to the platform given to him by Style.com. Schuman had decided to leave Style.com to focus on other projects, and Ton now had the most high-profile streetstyle photography gig in the business.

“Being associated with Style.com is a huge deal for me. It’s what everyone looks at every day. People go to Style.com like you brush your teeth in the morning. It’s something you just do,” enthuses Ton.

By now, the time had come for Ton to seek professional representation. An introduction to elite agency The Collective Shift—which also represents top fashion photographers Inez and Vinoodh and super-stylist Melanie Ward—instantly felt like the right fit. Ton also signed on Trunk Archive to act as his image licensing agency, removing the burden of negotiating image rights and contracts on his own and dramatically increasing what he could earn from selling his images to the likes of American Vogue, Elle UK, and Vogue Nippon.

“Before, I was underselling myself, getting about $50-100 per image.” Today, Ton reports that he can earn from as little as $100 up to $2000. “The the thing I’ve learned is that you have to really consider whether it’s a one page image or a ½ page image or ¼ page image. It’s a really big deal when it’s one image over two pages in Grazia for example, whereas if it’s ⅛ of a page in Vogue, it is much less. I’m lucky to have Trunk Archive to deal with all that now.”

But image licensing only makes up about 30 percent of the revenue he earns. The remaining 70 percent comes from a variety of projects, including his gigs for Style.com, GQ.com, but also for retailers and brands such as Topshop, Selfridges, Sergio Rossi and Saks 5th Avenue.

Ton says he has made an intentional decision not to have advertising on his site. “It’s an association with your brand. I didn’t want my blog to be associated with any type of branding,” he explains.

But would he ever take pay for editorial placement on Jak & Jil itself? “Yes,” he says matter-of-factly. “But that requires a discussion between my agent, my client and me. The thing about the development of the Tommy Ton brand and the Jak & Jil brand is that everything is strategically selected and carefully monitored. We have to see potential growth in it, and understand what’s in it for us.”

When pressed on the criteria he uses for this kind of paid content, so as not to alienate his audience, he pauses to think. “It’s definitely gut instinct. It just has to be of the moment and relevant for the time.” His readers shouldn’t be able to tell the difference, he says, because the images he creates would be the kind he would post anyway. The standards are the same, and the images are just as powerful.

All the same, Tommy Ton also realizes this is his moment and it may not last forever. “I don’t even know if I will be able to earn the money I do now in a few years. I don’t know if I will be relevant or not. I am just lucky that people want to associate with me and their brand right now.”

And what about all that competition from the hundreds of streetstyle bloggers outside the shows? “You always have to stay on top of your game, and the only way to do that now is to have exclusive content,” he asserts. Recently, Ton has been invited to shoot behind-the-scenes at the Proenza Schouler studio and the Victoria’s Secret fashion show.

“I’m not making any money from it, but it gives me access no one else would have. I take a lot of pride in that. I am so, so happy I am invited to do these things,” he says, recalling that 13 year old kid watching Tom Ford on TV back in Toronto. “In some ways I still feel like an outsider, even though I am acknowledged by these designers. I am still in awe of what is going on.”

Imran Amed is founder and editor of The Business of Fashion

The Business of Blogging is a new series on the rarely discussed business side of fashion blogging. Previous articles are listed below:

Susie Bubble

What is your social media brand? Do you have one? Sure, many small business owners and entrepreneurs are coming around to the enormous importance of social media as a marketing, customer service, and, yes, even sales tool. But if you haven’t thought about how social media can define your brand, you are probably missing a HUGE part of what social media tools can do for your business. Here’s more…

Tools & Techniques

Creating a great brand with these blog tools. Tools that improve the look and functionality of your blog also improve your brand. A well-maintained small business blog is one of the most obvious and least expensive branding tools at the entrepreneur’s disposal even more so than social media channels like Facebook and Twitter because of how a blog can be customized to fit your needs and personality. This list of tools is a great way to start. EpicLaunch

What Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi can teach you about social media. One of the stars of the hit reality show “Jersey Shore”, “Snooki” is a perfect example of personal brand, but social media entrepreneurs could also learn much about building their own online presence from Snooki. Being yourself and using a simple, short tag to indelibly brand your identity are also great techniques in social media. One site is already trying to apply the starlets techniques in the social media space. Brand-Yourself

Tito Philips doesn’t want your comments on his blog! At least, not if they’re the wrong kind. And the wrong kind would be comments left for no other purpose than to get the blogger and his/her readers to visit your blog and perhaps comment on it in return. Why is comment trading bad? Don’t get Tito started! There are many ways to engage in social media marketing. Be sure you understand and respect some of the attitudes you may face. Blogging Bookshelf  

News & Trends

The best of the best. Want to get a look at arguably the 20 best Facebook fan pages for business on the planet? By now you should know the value of a Facebook fan page to your branding efforts. What’s also true, however, is that not all Facebook sites are created equal. If you want to take your social media marketing to the next level, have a look at this list of cream of the crop sites. Inc.com

Even churches use social media marketing! In this article on the growing market for tech services among religious organizations, we learn that many churches have also already entered into the social media space. As houses of worship, particularly huge mega-churches, expand and build congregations, it’s easy to see how social media can work as a marketing tool here as well. Is your religious organization using social media for branding? WSJ

Tips & Tricks

20 tips that will make you a Twitter star. Among the tools popular in the new digital space is Twitter. The microblogging platform can be used for business or non-business purposes and it can be the key to your small business’s success. Learn how to use Twitter like a pro and you may be surprised at the benefits your small business gains as a result. Global Copywriting

Valuable lessons in social media. Gary Vaynerchuk, author of The Thank You Economy and a successful social media entrepreneur in his own right, has many insights to share with small business leaders seeking a new way to define their brands in an age of social communications. Read some of the takeaways Vaynerchuk shares with those trying to define their businesses with social media. E-Marketing Associates

Success Stories

Doubt the power of FB to create brand for almost anyone? You won’t after you read the story of Princeton English Professor Jeff Nunokawa and “Jeffbook”, a collection of 3,221 brief literary essays on Facebook, that have created an incredible cult status for Nunokawa in the process. His motivation? Not too different from those of most marketers. Nunokawa simply started sharing where he knew his audience already spent lots of their time. The results speak for themselves. Fast Company

Increase exposure with niche social media. Blogger Mavis Nong talks about the importance of niche social media sites including social bookmarking sites as a key method of creating exposure for your online business. Mavis talks about her experience with our sister site BizSugar.com (thanks for the shout out! ) and explains how smaller more focused social sites can sometimes have a surprising impact even larger than the big guys. Attraction Marketing Online

Opportunities

Sponsors wanted for new SugarTone Sweet Business Blogging Contest. Put the power of social media to work for your brand. We’re looking for sponsors to help with a brand new blogging contest involving two of the fastest growing small business communities on the Web, BizSugar.com and Bloggertone.com. Learn more about the contest by reading the full announcement and get in touch today! BizSugar Blog

From Small Business TrendsSmall Business News: Social Media Brand

Surface Encounters

FOCUS: Courageous workers at troubled nuclear plant endure tough <b>...</b>

Each of the employees of Tokyo Electric Power Co. and other workers engaged in containing damage at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is given 30 survival food crackers and a 180 milliliter pack of vegetable juice for ...

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Radioactive trench water not confirmed to have overflowed: agency <b>...</b>

Radioactive water that has been filling up underground trenches connected to the crippled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has not been confirmed to have overflowed, the government's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency ...

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Making Money Now

Hullabaloo

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

 

Making Things Worse

by digby


Who could have ever imagined that electing a criminal tea partier to the highest office in the state would cause problems?

Rick Scott, the conservative Republican billionaire who plucked the governor’s job from the party establishment in November with $73 million of his own money and the backing of the Tea Party, vowed during his campaign to run the troubled state like a corporate chief executive (which he was) and not a politician (which he proudly says he is not).

And now it has become a problem, some of his fellow Republicans say.

“The governor doesn’t understand there is a State Constitution and that we have three branches of government,” said State Senator Mike Fasano, a Republican from New Port Richey who upset Mr. Scott with rough handling of his staff during a testy committee hearing. “They are talking about the attitude that he is still the C.E.O. of his former health care corporation, and that is not going to work in this state, in Tallahassee, in my district. The people believe in three branches of government.”

Republican lawmakers in Florida were hoping for a smoother transition. Instead, they say, they got top-down management from a political novice.

With the Legislature convening on Tuesday for a potentially arduous two-month session that is bound to usher in major cuts in spending and jobs and radical changes to education, pensions, unemployment benefits and Medicaid, the governor will be tested on a broader, more public scale. Florida faces an estimated $3.6 billion budget shortfall this year and has a stubborn 12 percent unemployment rate.

“I think there have been some understandable growing pains because government doesn’t function like a corporation,” said Speaker Dean Cannon, a Republican from central Florida, taking a more measured tone than Mr. Fasano.

Read the whole article. Basically, he believes that he is now a monarch and can do anything he wants without any input from the other electe4d leaders. And here's a little taste of what he plans to do:

Mr. Scott is single-minded in his plans to shake up Florida and create jobs. He wants to create a business-friendly environment, chop up the bureaucracy, peel away regulations and hand out $1.7 billion in tax cuts for corporations and property owners in the first year of his budget. Privatizing Medicaid and prisons is also high on the agenda.

In his budget proposal, Mr. Scott is seeking to eliminate more than 8,500 state jobs, including in the Corrections and Health Departments. His budget for the state’s already lean public schools is $1.75 billion less than this year’s, mostly because federal stimulus money dried up.

And he wants to cut costs in Florida’s pension fund by requiring more than 600,000 government workers, including police officers, teachers, firefighters, judges and retirees, to contribute 5 percent to their retirement. New employees would use plans similar to a 401(k). This has angered state workers, who have gone without a general raise since 2006. They plan large demonstrations around Florida on Tuesday.

Maybe this is what Floridians wanted, but I doubt it. On the other hand, it's what they should have expected. Rick Scott may be the looniest, most dishonest, powerful elected official in the country. And it was easy to see that going in. Stay tuned.


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digby 3/08/2011 10:00:00 AM


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I know that memories are short on Wall Street. But are they short on Main Street too? Reading Linda Stern’s latest paean to leverage and housing risk, it certainly seems that way. Saving for a down payment is hard, she says. It can take time!

And that doesn’t seem to pay. If you think about the cost of paying rent for five or more years, you may be better off jumping into a home with a low down payment now. That’s true even if you have to spend more money on fees and mortgage insurance to get one of those low down payment loans.

Well, yes, let’s think about the cost of paying rent for five or more years. In fact, let’s plug all our numbers into a rent-vs-buy calculator and see where we’re at after five years. The problem with Linda’s formulation here is that it helps to reinforce the common fallacy that 100% of rent payments are “wasted,” in a way that mortgage payments are not. But that’s simply not true. In both cases you’re paying money every month for your shelter; in the rental case that money goes to the landlord, while in the ownership case it goes to the bank.

Some small part of your monthly payment may or may not end up helping you build equity in your home, if house prices move up rather than down and depending on how much of your payment goes towards principal. But remember that the alternative here is saving up for a down payment — which is essentially the same thing as building up equity in a future home. If you save up $250 per month for five years and then put down $15,000 as a down payment, then you immediately start off with $15,000 of equity in your home. By contrast, if you buy today with no money down and start making mortgage payments, there’s a good chance your equity will be much less than $15,000 in five years’ time.

But Linda’s on a roll here, and manages to come out with one of the most astonishing pieces of personal-finance advice I’ve seen since the crisis hit:

Even if you have the money for a bigger down payment, there can be good reasons to save your cash. Mortgage rates continue to skirt all-time lows: Why not put your money to work for yourself and borrow as much as you can reasonably afford, on a monthly basis, at today’s rates? You can put the money you’re not paying into a down payment to work elsewhere. If home values rise, you will have done your best to leverage a small down payment into bigger equity. If they fall, you’ll have less skin in the game, and that could put more pressure on your banker to improve your loan terms lest you walk away.

This, in a nutshell, is everything that was wrong with the housing market before the crash — everything that we want to avoid going forward. Can’t Linda look around at the current devastated state of many people who bought with little or no money down, and see the dangers here? Evidently not. Instead, she seems to think it’s a bright idea to borrow more money than you need, to the point at which you’re pushing the envelope of what you can reasonably afford. And then take the cash you’re not using for a down payment, and “put your money to work for yourself.”

I barely know where to start on this. Here’s one way of thinking about it: banks are not charities, and that they expect to make money from their loans. They have a cost of funds which is lower than the mortgage rate that you’re paying; the difference between the two rates is their profit. You, however, if you follow Linda’s advice, have a cost of funds which is your mortgage rate: if you wind up getting a lower return on your savings than you’re paying on your mortgage, you would have been better off just using the money for a down payment. Needless to say, if there was an easy way of getting a higher return on capital than the mortgage rate, the banks would have done it already, rather than lending you the money. And it’s pretty delusional, frankly, to think that you can invest better than say JP Morgan. Yes, there are tax benefits to having lots of mortgage-interest payments. But they’re not sufficient to make the difference here.

Here’s another way: let’s say you own your home outright. Would you take out a mortgage against 95% of your home’s present market value, and then invest that money in the market somehow, trying to “put it to work for yourself “? Of course not: you don’t have remotely that kind of risk appetite. Borrowing money against your house to invest in the market is, always, stupid. But that’s exactly what Linda’s proposing you do.

And here’s one more: shit happens. Sometimes, you end up needing money, in an emergency. If you’re already borrowing as much as you can reasonably afford, that’s a big problem. If you have a bit of fiscal breathing room, you’re much better off. If you end up in a situation where you’re in a position to put pressure on your banker to improve your loan terms lest you walk away, that’s not a good situation to be in. It means you’re broke. It’s something you want to avoid, whereas in Linda World it seems to be something to actively court.

Linda’s also convinced that house prices are going to rise: if you buy now rather than later, she writes, that means you’re buying “while housing prices are low.” That’s debatable — they still seem quite expensive, on some measures: the price-to-rent ratio, for instance, is still well above its historical average. And more generally, buying low doesn’t help you in the slightest if prices just continue to grind lower.

Linda’s conclusion is that “the less you put down, the better off you are.” Which is true so long as you keep on making all your mortgage payments without any problem, and nothing goes very wrong either with your personal economic situation or with the US economy as a whole. That’s the way that leverage works: it makes everything sunny, so long as things go right. And then it plunges you into misery when things go wrong.

The scariest part of Linda’s post, for me, is when she talks about how it’s a good idea to “do your best to leverage a small down payment into bigger equity.” It’s not the dollar amount of the equity she’s talking about here, it’s the leverage used to get there, and the higher the leverage the better off you are. Following that advice got us into our current mess. And taking it now is a recipe for disaster.

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Search engine optimization Vancouver For A Better Marketing Solution

 

When you begin your personal website there are lots of ways you will have to market it and one the best way is by using Search engine optimization Vancouver if you maintain that area. The SEO or search engine optimization services will be the top method of getting good traffic to your site and therefore making more sales.

 

Now, you need to know that you won't use SEO service if you're no internet business - but then again, if you do not have an online presence if you are an offline business, then you will not allow it to be very far.

 

It's a well known proven fact that if you are planning to really make it in the offline world you must have an online business. This really is something that all people are learning hard way. Something that you ought to also know is the fact that it is not as easy as just setting up the web site and leaving it to do its things.

 

This can be done in all types of ways, however these companies usually make use of multiple techniques to create the perfect marketing technique online. You will be able to employ them to write articles for you personally, post on forums and blogs, create meta tags and meta descriptions, clean up the code, add alt tags to the images and much more.

 

It is crucial that you simply do this because otherwise the company that you have worked so difficult for could wind up losing all the money. When you have an internet site that you want to create, then you'll also use the expertise of an SEO company, which means seo company. What the corporation does is actually go ahead and take best areas of your website, look into the code, create keywords and write various articles and documents to ensure that your site is placed close to the the surface of the list for that major search engines like google.

As a result the SEO company can not only improve your traffic, but also make sure that your site is fully optimized for that internet search engine spiders that will be introduced to it. These spiders are used to analyze your website and place it in certain positions determined on certain keywords.

 

If you wish to make use of the Search engine optimization Vancouver then all you have to complete is find the top companies. It's through these how the SEO gets done effectively and efficiently. With so many SEO companies to choose from you have to be sure that the main one you are going for is reliable. You ought to be in a position to ask for a breakdown of what you want, and the company should also be able to let you know know long they have been operating for. This will limit the list to reveal the very best ones.

 

Search engine optimization Offered by Different Vancouver Web Companies

The Vancouver SEO company services are very good for business growth because they provide quality services. If you're planning to create a website for your online business, then you have come to right article as I will be explaining below how SEO Vancouver company services can improve your website ranking making it popular.

Before that, you should know what Search Engine Optimization is. It's not that complicated and I'm sure you're going to get a grasp from it after reading my article. The primary goal of SEO is to get more traffic aimed at your website and audience. It is a good decision to select a Vancouver SEO company that specializes in this sort of work, so that your website can be listed in search engines.

There isn't any point in you using a website with no website ranking at all as you won't have any business and profits to outlive. It's a very tough atmosphere out there as there are a lot of internet business people just like you, who desire their share of pie. You have to be aware of the fact that nearly 85% of web traffic could be got from websites.

Whenever a user types inside a keyword or keywords for what he/she really wants to know in different sites, these use crawlers to obtain websites using the relevant content and index them based on algorithms. You don't have to worry about the algorithms which these websites use as that is not important.

To look in the first page from the search result, you will have to hire professionals and experts who can do the needful to maintain your site one of the good books during these websites. These professionals can optimize your website content to ensure that your site gets increased traffic.

Once the traffic gets high, it's a sign that you are obtaining a service that will enable you to get more revenues. SEO Vancouver company do the following to make your site appear within the first page of search engine results.

Use keywords that are popularly used on search engines on your website content.
Have a web design for the website that is simple because top sites are allergic to flash and weird designs.
Submit your site to directories.
Submit your site to directory websites.
Postings on blogs and forums with back links for your websites. This is considered as an effective method of getting more traffic to your website as numerous online users use blogs and forums.

SEO Vancouver company also perform site diagnostics that is a significant part in online optimization as research and analysis on finding keywords is the way to start a SEO campaign. So, be sure you choose the best SEO Vancouver service company.

Are you searching for more information regarding SEO Vancouver? Visit http://www.seo4vancouver.com/seo-services.asp today!

 

What to Expect When Getting a Roofing Contractor

When the time comes to correct or even replace your homes roof, it's really a daunting task to locate someone who is qualified for the job. There are many roofing companies available, however the ones who'll do a great job for any sensible price are not often easy to find. If you're in the marketplace for the contractor, use the ideas beneath with regard to meeting with as well as employing the right one.

Job interview and Discussion

The majority of roofing contractors offer free consultation services. This is particularly essential, because it gives them a chance to evaluate what your roof requirements, also it gives you a chance to evaluate all of them. As with all of companies, trust your intuition concerning the people a person allow up onto your roof. No issue how good the contractor's reputation or recommendation, he should start by showing you having a business card. If a contractor arrives looking as well as talking within an unprofessional method, chances are that the job he's going to perform will also be unprofessional. This isn't to say that you should expect companies to arrive in fits. They will be climbing in your roofing, therefore most will be dressed up in jeans and function boots or athletic shoes. If the contractor appears to be interested in talking upon their mobile phone during your homes roof than he is within evaluating your roof's requirements, that may be another sign that he is not the main one for the job. For your legal protection, make sure that the actual contractor has sufficient liability insurance.

Roofing Assessment

Expect that the service provider will be rising in your roof. In fact, any kind of contractor who does not need to increase in your roofing to judge the issue ought to be immediately discounted. Those who are serious about their work will possibly make a drawing of the roof's surface and tag trouble spots onto it because they undergo their assessment, or they'll consider pictures or even video of the surface while they are up there. This is a very essential step, since it enables you to observe exactly what the problems are and understand how they'll be fixed.

Estimate

The next step will be the created estimate. The service provider will take away their calculator and are available track of a written estimate. Some contractors will go to their truck or even truck as well as write up the actual suggestion, while others may crunch the actual amounts for the job prior to you. Once you're given the suggestion, make sure that you understand exactly which products will be utilized, how long the job will require and if you will find any additional or even concealed expenses that could arise during the repair of the roof. The service provider should be able to solution many of these questions with ease and forewarn a person of any extra costs that could be incurred should the roof's ethics end up being damaged inside.

After you have received several written estimations from roofers, assess what each organization or contractor is willing to provide for the cost. Do not necessarily low cost the highest bid, simply because sometimes the highest bid will actually be the contractor who the task properly. Additionally, be skeptical associated with prices for bids that are not nearly as expensive other people. They might be utilizing substandard products or perhaps be untruthful about the possibility of concealed costs. Above all, believe in instincts and go with the service provider who makes you feel most comfortable about handing more than your hard earned money.

 

Seven Uyghurs Sentenced to Death

2011-03-23

Critics of the sentences say China has politicized the robberies as acts of terrorism.

 

AFP

A Uyghur man walks past armed Chinese security forces in Urumqi, July 17, 2009.

Chinese authorities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang have ordered the executions of seven ethnic minority Uyghur men convicted of "violent" crimes, official media said on Wednesday.

 

The death sentences were handed down by the Supreme People's Court in recent days, according to state media in the regional capital, Urumqi.

 

The men were accused in connection with three separate attacks late last year in the Silk Road city of Kashgar, according to the news website Urumqi Online.

 

According to another website, the Xinjiang-based Tianshan news site, Aimaiti Tuheti, Yiming Dawuti, and unnamed "others" killed a security guard at a pedestrian mall as part of a failed Aug. 7 robbery attempt.

 

In a separate incident on Oct. 12, it said, Nuermaimaiti Aobulikasimu and 11 others broke into a house, bound and killed the couple living in it, and took their possessions.

 

It said the group also broke into the homes of two brothers, robbed them, and killed six people in a Nov. 11 attack in Kashgar.

 

The report gave no information about the victims or the schedule for the executions.

 

Three of the men were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, a sentence that is normally commuted to life imprisonment in China's judicial system.

 

They were convicted of deliberate homicide and armed robbery by the Kashgar Intermediate People's Court in the first instance.

 

'Strike hard' campaign

 

A Han Chinese resident of Urumqi surnamed Yang said a reference to "terrorism" in official news reports on the case showed that it was being politicized by the authorities, who have launched a series of "strike hard" campaigns in Xinjiang following deadly ethnic violence in July 2009.

 

"There is an implied political meaning; that they were somehow engaged in separatist activities or ethnic divisions," said Yang.

 

Exile Uyghur groups said the trials had been conducted behind closed doors, with scant opportunity for public scrutiny.

 

"The entire process against these men, from the trial through to the judgment, was opaque," said Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the Munich-based World Uyghur Congress.

 

"There was also very little reasonable evidence to convict them on a legal basis, because all the evidence came from one side of the case," he said.

 

"We strongly condemn the Chinese government for continuing to pursue their policies of ethnic division," said Raxit.

 

"We are also strongly opposed to the death penalty in this case."

 

Earlier cases

 

Last month, the Supreme Court sentenced four Uyghurs to death for alleged involvement in an Aug. 19 bomb attack in Xinjiang’s western Aksu city.

 

The World Uyghur Congress pointed to concerns over lack of transparency in those cases too.

 

The Aksu blast left eight people dead, including two of the bombers, and 15 wounded after a man riding a three-wheeled vehicle threw explosives at a group of uniformed patrolmen. Four Uyghurs were arrested shortly after the attack.

 

State media characterized the cases as acts of terrorism and unrelated to longstanding ethnic tensions between Uyghurs and Han Chinese in the region.

 

Exiled Uyghur dissident Rebiya Kadeer has warned that attacks like those in Aksu will continue to occur until Beijing addresses the underlying source of tension in the region.

 

Millions of Uyghurs—a distinct, Turkic minority who are predominantly Muslim—populate Central Asia and Xinjiang.

 

Uyghurs say they have long suffered ethnic discrimination, oppressive religious controls, and continued poverty and joblessness despite China's ambitious plans to develop its vast northwestern frontier.

 

Those frustrations erupted in July 2009 in deadly riots that left nearly 200 people dead, by the Chinese government's tally.

 

At least 26 people, mostly Uyghurs, were sentenced to death in the aftermath of the riots, many of whom have been executed, according to state media.

 

China is believed to execute more people each year than the rest of the world’s countries combined, although the government does not publish official figures.

 

Rights groups say Beijing may execute as many as several thousand prisoners annually.

 

Chinese authorities blame Uyghur separatists for a series of deadly attacks in recent years and accuse one group in particular of maintaining ties to the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

 

New training scheme

 

China on Wednesday also announced a training scheme which places ethnic minority graduates from Xinjiang in work elsewhere in China.

 

Governments of the destination cities will spend 450 million yuan (U.S.$ 69 million) for the program, while Xinjiang will spend 400 million yuan (U.S.$ 61 million), the official Xinhua news agency reported.

 

The program targets some 60,000 jobless college graduates in Xinjiang, around 80 percent of whom are from ethnic minorities, and 60 percent of whom are women.

 

However, some commentators see the move as an attempt to assimilate non-Han Chinese into mainstream Chinese culture.

 

"From the point of view of ethnic minorities, the graduate work scheme is really taking the cream of youth from the minorities and using them to 'further cultural development,'" wrote one ethnic minority user on a popular microblogging service.

 

"In fact, the culture that is being advanced is Han culture, and this group of young people will have been totally brainwashed," the microblog update said.

 

An Urumqi resident surnamed Li agreed.

 

"They have run senior high school schemes like this before during the past few years," he said.

 

"Whether it's high-schoolers or graduate training programs, these are measures that are aimed at thought control and brainwashing, and the 'Partification' of their education," he said.

 

Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.

Copyright © 1998-2011 Radio Free Asia. All rights reserved.

 

Wikileaks and also the Uyghur

by holly upon December Twenty, This year
Henryk Szadziewski, Manager, Uyghur Human Rights Project

Whether it had been ever in doubt, info acquired through the whistleblower web site, Wikileaks, offers verified Chinese government worries over its ongoing control of the location this phone calls Xinjiang, also is known as East Turkestan. The actual leaked out wires through U.S. diplomats demonstrate the actual degree that Chinese language authorities make an effort to persuade governments worldwide to consider it's stance on issues impacting Uyghurs. The wires additionally display the U . s . States' issues as well as views regarding the on going repressive steps in the area.

Most illuminating of Chinese government pressure would be the cables pointing to Chinese language frustration, or the specter of Chinese ire, within the discharge of Uyghur detainees in Guantánamo to third nations. A Dec Twenty nine, 08 cable relates how Chinese Helper International Reverend Liu Jieyi met using the U.Utes. Ambassador in order to China to voice Beijing's powerful competitors associated with launch in order to any kind of country other than China, which if the U.S. did indeed accede for this ask for it would "avoid injury to bilateral relations and also to co-operation ‘in essential areas'". In addition, a February '09 cable describes how the Chinese language Ambassador in order to Kyrgyzstan, Zhang Yannian, regarded the possible release of Uyghur Guantánamo detainees as "an unfriendly act toward us" and a "slap in the face". The U.Utes. federal government was firm within not really liberating the actual detainees in order to The far east illustrates the actual extent from the politicized nature of the Chinese language judicial system. Genuine issues more than terrorism are understandable, but in the actual U.Utes. government's observe the detainees might most likely encounter do-it-yourself torture and delivery when they returned in order to The far east

Chinese language government pressure in regard to the Uyghur Guantánamo detainees was not only applied to the Ough.S. government, but also to Brand new Zealand along with a handful of Western government authorities which were considering resettlement. Albania, Indonesia and Finland, as well as European Union fellow member states all have the symptoms of borne the actual impact of Chinese government disappointment. In the case of Indonesia, which was at first prepared to consider 2 Uyghurs upon solely relief grounds, Uyghur Guantánamo instances had been much less preferable to additional detainees due to the negative effects taking Uyghurs might have upon relationships along with China. A May Eight, 2009 cable television applies exactly how "German Ambassador Erina Schaefer reported that Germany experienced informed The far east of the Ough.S. request to simply accept a few Uighur detainees held from Guantánamo coupled with been subsequently warned through The far east associated with ‘a large load upon bilateral relations' if Germany had been to simply accept any kind of detainees".

The diplomatic wires additionally discuss the actual unrest within Urumchi, the actual local capital, within This summer 2009. A July 13, 2009 cable television discussing mass occurrences within The far east says:

"Ethnic riots such as those who work in Xinjiang July 5-7 as well as in Tibet in 03 associated with 2008 differ markedly within source and character through bulk incidents, XXXXXXXXXXXX emphasized to PolOff [Political Officer] on XXXXXXXXXXXX. Each existing serious problems for the Celebration, XXXXXXXXXXXX stated, but the Party leadership wouldn't wait to spread out fireplace upon Uighurs or even Tibetans when they deemed this essential to restore order. Mass incidents pose another kind of risk, he said, as the leadership is ‘afraid' to fire upon Han rioters with regard to anxiety about sparking huge open public outrage that would change from the Celebration."

This is a chilling opinion, especially when 1 considers evidence presented in two reviews launched this season through the Uyghur Human Privileges Project (UHRP) as well as Amnesty International that fine detail eyewitness accounts of the use of lethal reside fireplace against Uyghur protestors within July 2009. Additionally, the actual declaration which fire would not be deployed towards Han Chinese language protestors offers resonances for the various strategy used by Chinese language protection causes within Urumchi in order to Han Chinese protests in Sept '09. Throughout individuals protests, then Party Assistant, Wang Lequan, addressed protesters, that experienced required he let them know about government responses in order to protection concerns. A similar request to meet using the Party Assistant through Uyghur demonstrators within July was not fulfilled.

The wider repercussions of the unrest additionally saw a short dialogue about the impact it might have upon Iran-China relations, and on relations along with Australia after World Uyghur Our elected representatives President, Ms. Rebiya Kadeer, talked at the Nationwide Press Membership in Canberra in July '09. In the second option situation, the Chinese federal government "privately warn[ed] a significant Aussie financial institution which vendors the nation's Push Club to use its impact to bar a Kadeer speech there".

The actual United States' issues about the scenario in the Uyghur region also come through within the cables. Inside a dialogue on plan direction in Tibet, Ough.S. authorities clarify that it'll be impossible with regard to Chinese language frontrunners to adopt the softer collection "if they appear like they are doing this under international pressure". The cable dated 04 Sixteen, 2008, 30 days after the episode associated with unrest in Tibetan regions, also relayed the actual declaration "that household stability remains the leadership's top priority above all else, which means there will ‘almost surely' be absolutely no rest of the current difficult collection on Tibet or in places such as Xinjiang." The info contained in the cable television additionally storage sheds gentle on the severe sensitivity that china government sights territorial ethics, and the possible spill over associated with unrest through Tibet.

The prospect associated with methods to stress in Tibet and Xinjiang arising from municipal culture tend to be discussed inside a Feb 24, 08 cable television. Whilst recommending that China's financial success increases it's resistance to democratic change, the cable television additionally discusses how Chinese language frontrunners see the effectiveness of "a limited expansion of civil society, including enhancements in the guideline associated with regulation and a more powerful role with regard to authorized beliefs, NGOs, charities along with other stars in areas which contribute to sociable stability and do not problem Communist Celebration guideline." This can be a notable alternation in thinking, which has observed U.S. officials market the notion that Chinese economic improvement, and financial relationships along with The far east will bring about a steadily democratic culture; however, much more belief appears to be placed in the grassroots movement compared to one that starts in the best quantity of a Chinese government. Nonetheless, the cable television concludes which "[i]n places such as Tibet and Xinjiang, the fear of separatism results in tighter limitations on the growth of municipal society." This method can be regarded as counter-productive by the recognized, that shows that the actual U.Utes. federal government "should continue to express...serious concerns more than Beijing's human rights report and attract China's growing consciousness that higher regard for individual rights, religious independence and also the guideline of law assists to advertise the improvement and social balance which The far east seeks as well as to enhance China's worldwide image." This type of technique might consider considerable diplomatic abilities thinking about "China's paranoid fear the Usa privately promotes routine change as well as ‘separatists' within Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang".

The cables offer understanding of the every day business of diplomacy that's hardly ever afforded to the general public, and it is fascinating to notice the quantity of work carried out behind closed doors on Uyghur problems. The importance of the actual part of the United States like a monitor associated with Uyghur human privileges conditions within personal conversations is made obvious, as well as contrasts using its tactful public position. Employees from the Uyghur Human Rights Project is comfortable with pressure the Chinese federal government exerts upon Uyghur activists; still, the facts of Chinese language government stress upon its counterparts is actually illustrative from the degree which Chinese language authorities make an effort to suppress contrary narratives. With more facts in the future through Wikileaks, concerns more than Uyghurs may not get the headlines, but the wires have get rid of new gentle about the paperwork associated with individual privileges problems within the Uyghur region.

 

Wikileaks and also the Uyghurs

through holly on Dec 20, This year
Henryk Szadziewski, Manager, Uyghur Human Rights Project

Whether it were ever in doubt, information acquired by the whistleblower website, Wikileaks, offers verified Chinese language government fears more than it's ongoing charge of the location it phone calls Xinjiang, which is also referred to as East Turkestan. The leaked wires through Ough.Utes. diplomats show the actual extent that Chinese authorities attempt to persuade government authorities globally to adopt it's stance on problems affecting Uyghurs. The actual cables additionally show the actual U . s . States' issues and sights regarding the ongoing repressive measures in the area.

The majority of lighting of Chinese government stress would be the cables pointing to Chinese language anger, or even the specter of Chinese language ire, over the discharge of Uyghur detainees within Guantánamo to 3rd countries. The December 29, 08 cable television applies how Chinese Helper International Reverend Liu Jieyi met using the Ough.Utes. Ambassador to The far east in order to voice Beijing's strong opposition associated with launch to any kind of nation other than China, which when the U.Utes. do certainly accede to this ask for it might "avoid harm to bilateral relations and also to co-operation ‘in essential areas'". Furthermore, a Feb '09 cable describes how the Chinese language Ambassador in order to Kyrgyzstan, Zhang Yannian, regarded the possible discharge of Uyghur Guantánamo detainees as "an unfriendly act toward us" along with a "slap within the face". That the U.S. federal government was firm in not really liberating the actual detainees to China illustrates the degree of the politicized character of the Chinese judicial program. Genuine issues over terrorism are understandable, however in the Ough.S. government's view the detainees might most likely face do-it-yourself torture as well as execution if they returned to The far east

Chinese government stress in regard to the actual Uyghur Guantánamo detainees was not just applied to the actual Ough.S. government, but additionally to New Zealand along with a number of Western government authorities which were considering resettlement. Albania, Indonesia as well as Finland, in addition to European Union fellow member states all have the symptoms of paid for the brunt associated with Chinese government unhappiness. In the case of Indonesia, which was at first prepared to think about two Uyghurs on purely relief reasons, Uyghur Guantánamo cases had been much less preferable to additional detainees because of the unwanted effects taking Uyghurs would have upon relations along with China. The May 8, '09 cable television relates how "German Ambassador Erina Schaefer reported that Germany experienced informed The far east from the U.Utes. ask for to accept a few Uighur detainees kept from Guantánamo and had already been consequently warned by The far east associated with ‘a large burden upon bilateral relations' in the event that Indonesia had been to simply accept any detainees".

The actual diplomatic wires also discuss the unrest within Urumchi, the local capital, within July '09. A This summer 13, 2009 cable discussing mass incidents within The far east says:

"Ethnic riots such as those who work in Xinjiang This summer 5-7 as well as in Tibet in 03 associated with 2008 differ substantially in source as well as character from bulk incidents, XXXXXXXXXXXX emphasized in order to PolOff [Political Officer] on XXXXXXXXXXXX. Both existing severe trouble for the Celebration, XXXXXXXXXXXX said, but the Party management wouldn't hesitate to open fire on Uighurs or Tibetans when they considered this essential to restore purchase. Mass occurrences pose a different type of threat, he said, since the management is ‘afraid' to fire upon Han rioters for fear of causing huge public outrage that will turn from the Celebration."

This can be a relaxing viewpoint, especially when 1 considers the evidence presented in two reviews released this year through the Uyghur Individual Privileges Task (UHRP) as well as Amnesty International which fine detail eyewitness company accounts of the use of lethal live fire towards Uyghur protestors in July 2009. Additionally, the declaration that fire would not be deployed towards Han Chinese language protestors has resonances for that various approach used through Chinese protection causes within Urumchi in order to Han Chinese language protests in September 2009. During those protests, after that Celebration Assistant, Wang Lequan, tackled demonstrators, that had demanded that he let them know regarding federal government reactions in order to security concerns. An identical request to satisfy with the Celebration Secretary through Uyghur demonstrators in July wasn't met.

The actual wider consequences of the unrest also saw a short discussion about the effect it would possess on Iran-China relationships, as well as on relationships along with Australia following World Uyghur Congress Leader, Microsoft. Rebiya Kadeer, spoke in the Nationwide Push Membership within Canberra within July '09. Within the latter case, china government "privately warn[ed] a major Aussie bank that sponsors the nation's Press Membership to use it's impact to bar the Kadeer speech there".

The U . s . States' concerns concerning the scenario within the Uyghur area are available via in the wires. In a dialogue on policy direction in Tibet, Ough.S. authorities clarify that it will end up being not possible with regard to Chinese leaders to adopt the much softer line "if they appear like doing so below international pressure". The cable television out dated April 16, 08, 30 days following the episode of unrest within Tibetan areas, also relayed the actual observation "that domestic stability continues to be leadership's top priority most of all, meaning there will ‘almost surely' be absolutely no rest from the present hard collection on Tibet or perhaps in locations such as Xinjiang." The info contained in the cable additionally storage sheds gentle on the severe sensitivity that the Chinese government sights territorial integrity, and also the feasible drip more than of unrest through Tibet.

The chance of methods to tensions within Tibet and Xinjiang arising from civil culture tend to be debated in a February 24, 08 cable. Whilst suggesting which China's financial success will increase it's potential to deal with democratic reform, the actual cable also talks about exactly how Chinese language leaders see the effectiveness associated with "a restricted growth associated with municipal society, including improvements in the guideline of regulation along with a more powerful role for approved beliefs, NGOs, charities along with other actors within places that contribute to social stability and don't challenge Communist Party rule." This is a notable alternation in considering, which has observed U.Utes. officials promote the notion which Chinese financial development, as well as economic relationships along with China will bring about a progressively democratic society; nevertheless, much more belief appears to be placed in a grassroots movement than one which begins from the best levels of the Chinese language government. Nevertheless, the cable television concludes that "[i]n areas for example Tibet and Xinjiang, the fear associated with separatism results in tight limitations on the growth of civil culture." This method is viewed as counter-productive through the recognized, that suggests that the actual U.Utes. federal government "should still express...serious issues over Beijing's human rights report and attract China's growing awareness which greater regard for individual rights, spiritual freedom and also the rule of regulation will serve to advertise the very improvement as well as sociable stability that The far east seeks in addition to to enhance China's worldwide image." Such a strategy might consider substantial diplomatic skills thinking about "China's paranoid concern the Usa secretly encourages regime change as well as ‘separatists' in Taiwan, Tibet as well as Xinjiang".

The actual cables offer insight into the every day business of diplomacy that is rarely afforded to the general public, which is fascinating to note the quantity of work done nowadays upon Uyghur issues. The significance of the role of the United States like a monitor associated with Uyghur human privileges problems within personal discussions is made obvious, as well as contrasts with its tactful open public stance. The staff from the Uyghur Human Privileges Task is comfortable with the pressure the Chinese government puts on Uyghur activists; still, the facts of Chinese language government pressure upon its counterparts is illustrative from the diploma which Chinese authorities make an effort to control contradictory narratives. With increased facts in the future from Wikileaks, concerns more than Uyghurs might not grab the actual headlines, however the cables have shed brand new gentle on the documentation of human privileges conditions within the Uyghur region.

 

Search Engine Optimisation And Marketing with articles Will Place Yourself The First Page

Search engine marketing and marketing with articles are two of the strongest strategies that you can use to promote your website and get the revenue and success that you desire for your internet business. Both of these everything has been around to get a really very long time already however they still still be really effective. Actually, these have helped many people free themselves from the traditional methods for money-generating options of society.

In this post, I will be showing the ways how you are able to properly execute seo and marketing with articles for the betterment of one's business web site. In addition, I will also be discussing the various points that you must consider when you are using these two internet marketing strategies to promote your website and acquire customers. Even though marketing with articles and Search engine marketing have been in existence for a long time already, you have to know that the trends and choices regarding how they are carried out are continually changing, which explains why you have to remain up to date with these items through the help of Search engine optimization forum sites to be able to quickly adjust and learn how to make your strategies more effective.

In the past submitting articles to various websites used to be so simple the effects that they produce for web-sites really was powerful. However, everything has changed a lot today. Nowadays submitting exactly the same article to various websites is not a good idea because engines like google have now changed to a huge extent in the way they rank pages. They will no longer rank contents which are identical like they used to in the past. This really is among the best examples of changes that occur in internet marketing trends. This change has given birth to wide plethora of methods that online marketers are using today. Nearly all of online marketers now produce articles and publish them in really popular article directory sites and await targeted traffic arrive at their pages. Perhaps that most reliable Search engine optimization strategy that can be used. Aside from being effective, this provides favorable benefits frequently. A small problem with this strategy is how the caliber of traffic that you will get using this will not be so good if you don't do proper keyphrase research beforehand and use in-links. You need for carrying on these two things before you decide to submit your articles so that you won't end up losing considerable amounts of targeted traffic. Because of this you need to practice good levels of diligence if you would like your advertising initiatives to be effective.

Aside from articles, you can also use writing a blog, which can be another really powerful form of online marketing strategy today because it's highly well-liked by search engines. Within this technique, you can choose to create a single weblog that specifically targets your selected market or else you can give rise to other weblogs that are labeled as experts in your niche.

Learn effective Vancouver seo techniques on the Vancouver SEO website.

Roofing Companies Vancouver Washington

There are many things to take into account when looking for a roofing contractor. Cost, experience, along with referrals are a few of the things you'll likely be concerned about. Please read on for even other great ideas.

• Finding a Roofing Contractors

Before searching for a roofing contractor, ensure you have a standard idea of the work that you need to have inked. By no means do you have to be an expert. If you have a Roof Qualification, read it carefully to find the information about your present roof. Unless you have a Ceiling Certificate, refer to documents authorized during shutting to locate your homes roof Inspection page. These files should give you everything you need to learn about your roof. Prior to contacting the roofing contractor, you have to have a list of needs and specifications to help you determine exactly who is acceptable for your covering project. Be sure to write down every single potential covering contractor's answers and check all of them against each other. If you'll find any mistakes, be sure to notice this and also take this into consideration when coming up with a final choice. There are no guaranteed ways to choose a roofing contractor, in case you take attention to the information provided, your odds of a successful roofer project tend to be greatly increased.

One of the best strategies to finding a roofing contractor is by recommendations. Try asking a friend or relative who has had roof covering work done, and ended up being satisfied with the task. Get the identify of the company and their own contact details. If you have no word of jaws referrals, try out first seeking in the mobile phone book an internet-based. A large advertising or fancy website just isn't necessarily an illustration of the good quality of work, but tend to be a good tool for measuring just how long and devotion they have used in their respective profession. In addition, try locating current worksites and look at the roofing work that may be done or in the process of being finished. If you are visually amazed, ask the house manager for your name from the roofing contractor along with their contact information.

• Background Research

When looking for a roofing contractors, it really is imperative to initial do the background research. Purchasing in the yellow pages or on the Internet is a suitable destination for a find a company, finding essential information on most of these businesses is going to be found in several other areas. Very first, check with locations like the Bbb, city, express, and region public records, and local certification agencies. Request your roofer if they are an associate of any roofer associations. These kind of precautions will mitigate your risks. Furthermore ask them what sorts of roofing they specialize in. In addition ask your roofing contractor about any extended auto warranties they offer on his or her installed roofing. Find out what safeguards they decide to use avoid destruction done to other parts of the home by workers. Things such as gutters, siding, and chimneys are close in proximity and for that reason susceptible to unintended damages.

Make sure all of this info is included in your written contract. Determine if you need a roofing permit and/or authorization from your home owners association ahead of time. These entities will let you know who is responsible for acquiring these permits and permissions. If it is the duty of the roofer, also have the idea included inside your contract. When it is your obligation, get stated permits and also permissions collated using the estimated roof covering project and have it plainly posted as well as readily available.

• Licensing and References

Roofing Companies are not necessary to be accredited in all declares. Contact neighborhood licensing companies that rule general design contractors for a list of specifications. Once you have acquired the requirements, build a list of detailed questions to ask your potential roofer. This simple list should immediately help you to weed out the qualified from the dodgy roofing contractors. Qualified companies should be able to very easily answer questions or perhaps tell you that they need to do additional research ahead of giving any definitive response.

Even if the roofing contractor provides all necessary licensing, you ought to ask to see pictures regarding completed roofing jobs as well as speak to satisfied clients. Use a list of questions handy to ask recent clientele, such as the dynamics of the job, timeliness, and all round satisfaction. Ensure these are current clients along with cross reference point if possible. When it comes to commercial roofing, make sure that the particular roofing contractor is actually bonded. Checking these personal references is another included measure of safety to narrow down the list involving potential covering contractors.

Seo Through Articles

Article writing can be a very powerful way of Seo for your company web site. Quality written articles manage to increase your websites SERP and add quality in your company website. Writing informative keyword rich articles is important in gaining new backlinks in your business website. Articles can and may be written on topics which can be unique for a business or industry. The articles can discuss a multitude of issues and ideas inside your industry. Articles that offer the reader which has a resource are always the most popular and a lot likely kinds of articles which will bring about backlinks aimed at your website.

Focus your posts on your potential readers or customers. Search engine optimization articles should address real questions which might be asked by current or previous customers. Each article you're writing for you company will include detailed analysis and Seo keywords that can help associate your internet site with the content seen in the website. Focus your posts on as much as 3 keywords and do not stray from their website. Consistency is vital when writing Seo articles. If you are covering Vancouver Seo make sure your continue to come up with information highly relevant to the keyword.

Give all of your Seo Articles an engaging Title which will encourage people to learn and bookmark your posts. Ideally, the articles you write will end up as links from other websites which might be comparable to yours. This alone might help boost the power of each one link and definately will assist in your SERP. Make sure to end each article using a keyword anchored link (see Easy Small company Seo). This link will enhance your rankings in the search engines as well as other major search engines like yahoo for that keyword connected to the link. Submit the articles to your free article directory and Voila! Before long, your web site could be around the first page of Google.

Thanks for reading. Can't wait to see your Search engine optimization articles!

Vancouver Search Engine Optimization Company Aims For Google Places With Total Achievement

When people type in research online term looking for a business in their local area, they may find that Google places and Google maps is showing listings of local businesses. It is rather eminent to enable them to be optimized and from this first page if they desire to generate business. Vancouver SEO companies should be educated in this area for their clients.

There appears to be a great deal of new Vancouver SEO companies establishing, simply because the requirement is there. Finding a search engine firm containing the client's best interest at heart might be tedious. The amount of keywords will they optimize for? Which are the keywords along with the corresponding search volume? Do they discover how to optimize for Google places? And so forth. Search engine optimisation may be the business of landing towards the top and Maxim Edge can get you there.

"My wife and I started our Vancouver Seo agency by accident. We now have learned over the school of hard knocks and learning from your errors how to use the web to market any business. We began using the website, then your competition, and of course building quality back-links to push a web site up in the rankings. It is not pushing a control button and watching how are you affected type of business. It requires a lot of effort, a great deal of research and plenty of commitment. We work tirelessly for our clients and that we are very pleased with a high retention rate." Randy Neale says.

For really info on Michael, a Vancouver Seo agency, please visit the website today at seo4vancouver.com

The Uyghurs from East Turkistan

In the center of the desert landscapes of Taklamakan, in the north-west part of China, the land of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is a very least populated land while it covers close to a sixth of the country's area. Getting resisted while in centuries the chinese domination, Xinjiang, or Old East Turkistan, fell into within the Chinese Han control in 1949. From then, its population is mainly Uyghur People and Turkic - speaking System.

Islamic especially, the Uyghurs have a very good religious identification that, in particular, allowed them to maintain a solid difference towards the Chinese invader. In fact, the Uyghur Kingdom of Mongolia knew a amazing civilization, until its absorption by the Mongolian Empire in the XIIIth century.

While in their own background, the Uyghur People successively adopted Shamanism, Manicheism, Buddhism and the Nestorianism before lastly converting to Islam when the Arab conquerors beat the Chinese in year 751 BC., thus beginning the way to the Islamization of the complete Central Asia.

Under the influence of the beliefs which they taken, the Uyghurs used successively, and sometimes in a competing way, a large number of written forms (turco-runic, brahmi, tokharien, soghdien) before developing their own unique graphic system.

The coming of Islam was a great modification mainly because it was supported by the assimilation of the Uyghur land in the immense Turkic and Islamic Empire. Thus, the descendants of Genghis Khan slowly replaced their writing by a Arabo-Persan alphabet, still used at present.

If their own writing, their language and their religion mark a real difference with the tradition of Chinese Han, the Uyghurs also are different from their aspect, so aspect of Central Asia's people. A matt skin, eyes representing a whole pallet of colors, from black to deep blue, features going out to the Mongolian, Turkish or Uzbek origins of these men and these women.

For a few years, China has integrated the proper identity of these remote people, although they represent only nine million people - a trifle for this specific huge region. Therefore, Uyghur people are now part of the fifty six ethnic minority groups having been well-known in an official way by China.

This law will allow these people a few privileges in a country exactly where their difference is very often repressed. Thus, Uyghur families escape the "single child policy" and their language is accepted as the second official language in Xinjiang.

The integration of the Uyghur people and their culture in China, however, looks really illusory. The presence of all natural sources in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and its closeness with nations well-known as sensitive, highly urged the government to accelerate the sinicization of this area. Million of Han thus came to settle in this new Chinese eldorado, monopolizing the higher responsibility jobs.

In response to this true will to assimilate the Uyghurs into the Chinese culture, an independent party like East Turkistan Islamic Movement(ETIM) was born in the early 1990.

Asserting more freedom, but primarily the recognition of their true identity, this movement was seriously repressed by the power authorities in location Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The events of September 11, 2001, were the perfect occasion for the Chinese government to justify true reprisals: they declared the "Uyghur freedom fighters" as dangerous terrorists linked to Al Quaida because of their Muslim origins and their proximity with Pakistan and Afghanistan... However, the terrible repression which followed did not calm down the anger. The Uyghurs population continues today to proudly maintain their identification and their civilization , despite the fact that they become a minority on their own territory.

For further information and facts about the Uyghurs, you can visit a Uyghur website called Uyghur News at http://www.uyghurnews.com