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Pakistan Has a New PCB Chairman

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:02:00 +0000

Pakistan has a new PCB chairman, and the winner is, Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf. Many fans are nervous about this decision because Ashraf has never before now been associated with the sport. So the feeling is, what can he bring to the table that the other runner ups could not?

Others are confident that with a money background he just the person to help the sport out of the funk it’s been in the last few years.

Ashraf wants to bring Pakistan cricket back to the top and bring the name back into households around the world. He feels it’s important to show the world that the incident in 2009 does not define the country. Ashraf is confident he will bring cricket back to Pakistan and make the fans proud.

How do you think this decision will affect the sport? Are you happy with who they picked? Or would you have wanted someone else?

StanaCard loves to help celebrate new beginnings, so we have decided to lower our rates to Pakistan. The new rate is 4.70 . Now with $5 you can call Pakistan for 106 minutes.

StanaCard has amazing voice quality and a no fees policy. That means you will never have to pay connection fees or disconnection fees like Skype and other calling cards. So login or sign up today and get calling.

Aakash! The World's Cheapest Tablet

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

On Wednesday October 5^th India launched the world’s cheapest tablet, the Aakash. The government will be giving away 100,000 tablets for free to students and the first 500 given to the launch attendees. Once it goes on sale students will receive a subsidized price of $35 and the rest of India will pay only $60.

The new device will have 2 USB ports, support video conferencing and have a three-hour battery life. The first 500 testers had mix responses to the device; with some saying it was slow. Most people would agree that the speed of the device will not affect their decision to purchase. Most will be going from no technology to the Aakash so they feel it’s already an improvement.

Suneet Singh, DataWind CEO, has discussed that in future versions of the tablet they would include a mobile phone connection which will make it even more useful in rural areas. When this is implemented people in rural India will now have access to more of the world than ever before.

StanaCard wants to help celebrate this fantastic jump in technology for India, so we have lowered our rates. Now you can call India for 1.89 cents per minute. That means that $5 gives you 265 minutes. So take advantage of our no fees policy and great voice quality, Sign up today!

Liberia is Running Free!

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 00:30:00 +0000

A few weeks ago Liberia was running, not for their lives, but for the lives lost. The nation’s first marathon took place with over 1,000 participants.

Two days before the race the weather was beautiful and perfect for racing. Then the day of the race came and it started to pour. Participants, both Liberian and International, didn’t let something like a little rain dampen the mood. Everyone running that day ran with a purpose and knew that a little rain wasn’t going to stop them from honoring their loved ones, or just the country they love.

Among the joggers was Africa’s elected president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first woman president. Sirleaf inaugurated the marathon and cheered all the participants on while she walked with the group to the finish.

There were two sets of participants that day, the runners, and everyone else. Among the non-runners were disabled veterans of the war. Most of them said they were running for friends and family lost, but others were running for themselves. Everyone had a story, someone or something they were running for, and each and every one of those stories just as important and touching as the next.

To honor the participants of the race and the nation of Liberia, StanaCard has lowered their rates to Liberia mobile. The new rate is 16.96 cents per minute, that’s 20% cheaper than Skype, but unlike Skype and other calling cards StanaCard doesn’t charge connection fees. What you pay for is what you get.

Thinking about running the next race? Try our International Forwarding service. Now you can take StanaCard with you and never worry about roaming charges. Your friends and family can cheer you on for free and you only pay StanaCard’s low rates!

Pakistan Wins International Series with New Coach in the Horizon

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 00:30:00 +0000

On Wednesday Pakistan played Zimbabwe in a one-day international (ODI) series. Pakistan came into the series with a relatively fresh team, which is a risky move at this point in the season. The move seemed to pay off this time, Pakistan winning with 270/5.

Throughout the match Pakistan seemed to be the dominating side, with a five-run win in the opening match and then with the second by 10 wickets. Then with Khan pulling in an amazing last over, bowling five low tosses to win the match for Pakistan.

The PCB has put together a committee to decide who the next coach for Pakistan will be. So far the committee consists of Zaheer Abbas, Intikhab Alam and Naushad Ali. Waqar, the current coach for Pakistan, will be leaving for medical reasons after Pakistan’s tour of Zimbabwe is complete. People are wondering whether these events are what helped to sway the decision to bring in a fresh team against Zimbabwe.

The committee only has until October to find a replacement, that’s when their next tour in the UAE begins. Ramiz Raja, Pakistan’s former captain has agreed to help the committee come to a decision.

The committee says they are open to selecting a foreign coach. Pakistan has not had a foreign coach since Ijaz Butt removed Geoff Lawson, of New South Wales. Geoff was appointed after Bob Woolmer’s death in 2007.

Waqar’s departure means nine coach changes in the last decade for Pakistan. What do you think? Does Pakistan need another foreigner or should the committee choose some from within the country?

StanaCard has decreased its rate to Pakistan to 5.49 cents per minute. So with $5 you can argue with your family and friends about the new cricket coach for 91 minutes.

Remember, with StanaCard you never have to worry about connection fees, expired credit, pin codes or long international numbers. The credit you purchase is exactly what you get, and it never expires so use it anytime.

Call Nigeria Mobile for only 7.9c per minute!

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:22:00 +0000

FIFA released new rankings yesterday and that brings good news to Nigerians. For August 2011 Nigeria is ranked number 38 in the men’s division, bringing them up 5 points. That puts them at number 4 among other African counties, below Ghana and above Burkina Faso.

Nigeria has made 4 FIFA World Cup™ appearances, 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2010. They are hoping to make this their first consecutive appearance this year.

The Nigerian woman’s division is currently number 1 in their country and ranked number 27 in the world. They are also fighting to make this year their first consecutive appearance at the FIFA world cup.

Nigeria only houses 52 official clubs, but has over 6 million players. That puts Nigeria among the top countries in the world for football players.

Congratulations to both teams! StanaCard would love to help celebrate so we have dropped our rates to Nigeria mobile phones to 7.9 cents per minute. So take advantage and call your friends and family to talk about your favorite Premier League or how well the national team is doing.

Planning on taking a trip to the next FIFA games? Well take StanaCard with you and never worry about roaming charges, by using our international forwarding services.

Now call Kenya Mobile for 8.9c

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:17:00 +0000

The National Kenyan girls volleyball team has once again won the Woman’s African Nations Championship, beating Algeria, the defending champions. That makes this their 7^th cup win. They have won themselves a spot in the FIVB Volleyball Woman’s World Cup.

The World Cup will be held this year in Japan, November 4th to 18^th.

The first set Kenya came in strong, and Algeria needed to step up their game in order to keep up. The first set was won with 25-11 score line.

The second time around Algeria was ready and came back fighting, and won the set 25-17.

The third set was evenly played, tying on 5-5, 10-10, 13-13 and 15-15, but then Kenya came back to win the set 25-21

The fourth set was dominated by Kenya. They were determined to grab that 7^th cup win and ended up winning the set 24-11.

Congratulations Kenya! StanaCard would like to help everyone celebrate by dropping our rates to Kenya Mobile phones. The new rate is 8.9 cents per minute giving you 55 minutes for a $5 credit.

Traveling to see your girls in person? Don’t forget to take StanaCard with you. Take advantage of our international forwarding service and never worry about roaming charges while you are traveling.

Happy Father's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:21:00 +0000

Happy Father’s Day weekend everyone! This Sunday, the third Sunday in June, is celebrated as Father’s Day in the U.S. and over 60 other countries all around the world, including Nigeria, Pakistan, India, China, United Kingdom, Cuba, and Brazil.

In the USA, the first Father’s Day was technically held on July 5, 1908 in Fairmont, West Virginia. The one day holiday was created to honor the 210 fathers who had died in a mining disaster late in 1907. The day was not registered as a holiday though, and Sonora Dodd was credited for creating the holiday in Spokane, Washington two years later. Though it was regularly celebrated by many around the nation for many years after, it wasn’t proclaimed a national holiday until 1966 when Lydon B. Johnson designated the third Sunday of June as the holiday. It was then signed into law by Richard Nixon six years later in 1972, making it a permanent national holiday.

Though the languages and cultures are different, the holiday is celebrated similarly no matter where you are in the world. It is simply a day to honor the all of the Father’s out there and let them know that they are very much appreciated.

With Stanacard, getting in touch with your Father this weekend is easier than ever, no matter where he is in the world. Simply dial a local number to make an international call and reach your Father. Our rates are over 75% cheaper than Skype and we have absolutely NO hidden fees or charges – with Stanacard you pay for what you get. Sign up now for free and tell your friends – each one who signs up will earn you a $10 referral bonus!

Happy Mother's Day Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Fri, 06 May 2011 22:17:00 +0000

Happy Mother’s Day Weekend everyone! This Sunday, many countries around the world will celebrate Mother’s Day, recognizing the accomplishments and value of Mother’s everywhere. Over 50 countries recognize the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day, while others celebrate on one of the surrounding weeks or months.

The holiday can be traced all the way back as far as 6,000 BC, with some form of worshipping of Mother’s evident in numerous ancient societies. Ancient Greece had a holiday to worship Cybele, the great mother of Greek gods, which would be held around the vernal equinox every year. Ancient Roman’s even carried on the holiday in the form of Matronalia, which was dedicated to Juno, and early Christians developed the festival of Mothering Sunday, which still exists today and is the day that the UK and many other countries celebrate Mother’s Day.

While many countries have their own unique ways to celebrate Mother’s Day, the idea of the holiday is universal. At StanaCard, we have created a special promotion for our customers where we give them 10% of the money they spend over the weekend back. We are also giving customers $10 when they send a $25 gift to a new customer over the weekend. We hope that all of you call your Mother or any Mother’s you know on this holiday.

If you are an international caller and aren’t yet a customer of StanaCard, now you know why you should be! This will certainly not be the last of our great promotions. We run some promotions all year ‘round, such as our referral bonus where we give $10 to anyone who refers a friend, and we give another $10 to the person they refer as a welcome gift! To sign up, please go to www.stanacard.com.

StanaCard is Forced to Increase Rates to Gambia; Still Lower Than Competitors

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Fri, 06 May 2011 14:45:00 +0000

Due to unforeseen actions taken by the Government of Gambia that are beyond our control, all telecom operators are increasing their rates to Gambia. StanaCard finds these developments very unfortunate and we want to express our sincere frustration to our customers with friends and family in the Gambia. If there was anything we could do to avoid this increase, we absolutely would, but since it is Government backed, there is no way around it.

This comes at a bad time for Gambian’s living abroad, as in the past week many of you have had a lot of trouble reaching friends and family at home. We want you to know that this was not a problem with StanaCard, but it was a problem rooted in Gambia. To find out more about the rate increase and the connection trouble in the past week, please read this article from Senegambia News here.

The new rate to Gambia is 36.99 cents per minute.

Now for some good news – with StanaCard – unlike any other company – there is always a way to make all of your international calls for FREE. With our referral program, you can earn up to $10 in free bonus credit for each friend you refer – and we’ll give your friends the same bonus just for signing up! The more friends you sign up, the more free calls you can make, and it is easy to sign friends up when they will be getting a free $10. You can send out a mass referral email to all your contacts, and each one that signs up can make you $10.

Thank you so much for being a great customer, we look forward to serving your international calling needs, and we hope that someday in the future we will be able to lower rates again.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Thu, 05 May 2011 21:11:00 +0000

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! Today we celebrate Cinco de Mayo throughout the United States and in many parts of Mexico. Contrary to popular belief, today is not Mexican Independence Day, or Grito de Dolores. Grito de Dolores is actually celebrated on September 16th annually, and is Mexico’s most celebrated and important national holiday.

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in a few areas, but primarily in the state of the Puebla, and there are also widespread celebrations in the US by Americans and Mexican-Americans. The day marks the Mexican Army’s underdog victory over France in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. On this day, a small Mexican army of about 4,000 defeated a highly-trained French army twice their size, signifying a great victory in the resistance.

In the US, the holiday has become more of a celebration of Mexican heritage, and of course, an excuse to go out and have a couple margaritas. The holiday is said to have been spread to America originally by Mexican’s living in California during the American Civil War. Since then, the event has become similar to a St. Patrick’s Day in America, where citizens of all ethnic backgrounds come together and celebrate. The holiday has even inspired events in many other places in the world, including numerous countries in Central America, Canada, the Cayman Islands, and even Malta.

We hope you all have a fun and safe Cinco de Mayo! Today is a great day for Mexican-Americans to call their friends and family and see if they are celebrating. With StanaCard, you can call abroad by just dialing a local number, and you can always count on us to bring you the lowest rates and best connection. Also, if you tell your friends about StanaCard, we will give you a $10 bonus for each friend who signs up, and we’ll give each of your friends the same bonus to welcome them to the service!

Nigerian Hip-Hop Quickly Gains Ground Worldwide

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Wed, 04 May 2011 22:17:00 +0000

The Associated Press released an interesting article today about the growing popularity worldwide of Nigerian hip-hop. Traditionally, the youth of Nigeria and most other African nations have listened to American hip-hop artists or African artists who modeled themselves after them. Now though, many Nigerian hip-hop artists are rising to worldwide fame with their own brand of culturally-infused hip-hop, and many are becoming quite successful.

Nigeria has always been a cultural leader of Africa, especially with the youth, which is why it is no surprise that their music is catching on so quickly. The country is Africa’s most highly populated with over 150 million people, and is home to Africa’s largest film industry, sometimes called “Nollywood.”

Artists such as D’banj, who has recently collaborated with American hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg, have become very successful overseas in both America and Europe. These Nigerian artists are also spreading all over the continent, with songs being popular in clubs throughout Ghana, Uganda, and South Africa. As one Nigerian DJ mentioned in the article, “When I started out in the `90s, I struggled to play Nigerian music, but now I find it difficult to play anything else.”

Nigeria itself is not easy to conquer as a whole for any artist, due to the country still feeling somewhat split after its Civil War, even though it ended 40 years ago. There are different regions all throughout the country with different religions, beliefs, and cultures. The expanding popularity of Nigerian-made music is helping unite the youth of the country and have pride in the nation as a whole instead of a specific region.

Now is as good a time as ever to check in with your family and friends in Nigeria or anywhere in Africa to see if they have caught on to the new Nigerian hip-hop scene. With StanaCard, you can make cheap international phone calls by simply dialing a local number with our patented SmartDial technology. Also, with our referral program, you can earn up to $10 in free bonus credit for each friend you refer – and we’ll give your friends the same bonus just for signing up!

Cafu Announces Soccer Match in Qatar to Benefit Japan

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:48:00 +0000

It was recently announced that Qatar would host a all-star soccer match to benefit those affected by the detrimental earthquake and tsunami on March 11. In the aftermath of the natural disaster, it is now said that over 14,000 lives were taken, 5,000 were injured, and close to 12,000 people still remain missing.

The World Bank has estimated that the damage could range anywhere from US $120 billion to $235 billion, while the Japanese government has suggested that the cost could be as high as $309 billion, which would make it the most expensive natural disaster in history. Many people are doing all that they can to help the people of Japan who were tragically affected by this disaster, but the country still certainly needs all the help it can get.

Thankfully, celebrities and athletes all over the world are stepping up just like everyone else, including Brazilian soccer-great Cafu, who helped organize the event in Qatar and announced it alongside the Qatar Football Association (QFA). The match will be between a team comprised of players from the 2002 World Cup Finals between Brazil and Germany (which Cafu played in) and another team of international all-stars. The match is scheduled to be played this upcoming December, and none of the players will be paid for their appearance.

The QFA and the Asian Football Confederation have also stated that they are in the midst of planning separate events to benefit Japanese charities as well. While many celebrities and athletes have stepped-up and organized charities and benefits, there are always numerous ways to help no matter who or where you are. For a list of many of these options, please read click here, or you can simply text JAPAN to the number 864233 (UNICEF), and $10 will be added to your monthly cell phone bill.

Also, as we do offer local numbers in Japan, if anyone you know is looking for an easy, reliable way to make calls to or from Japan, feel free to tell them about StanaCard. If you refer a friend or family member, you will both receive $10 when your referral signs up and makes a call.

Earth Day 2011: How to Help!

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:54:00 +0000

Today, all around the world people are celebrating Earth Day in an effort to raise awareness about the state of our planet. April 22^nd has been officially named International Mother Earth Day since 2009 when it was named by the UN, but the tradition of Earth Day has been carried on since April 22, 1970. The day is promoted and coordination worldwide by Earth Day Network, and is currently celebrated by close to 200 countries around the world.

The biggest initiative to come from this years’ Earth Day is the “Billion Acts of Green” campaign run by the Earth Day Network. The campaign encourages people to pledge one act that would help “save the planet” ranging anywhere from pledging to take the bus more often to turning off lights before leaving a room. At the time of writing this article, there were just over 102 million pledged acts of green. To pledge your own act, please click here.

In StanaCard’s home, New York City, Times Square has become a “virtual forest” in honor of Earth Day. Most of the digital billboards covering Times Square’s busy landscape will be filled with images of forest and vegetation throughout the day, and some of the screens will also display the running total of the UN’s Year of Forest fundraiser. To donate to this cause, all you need to do is text “tree” to 85944, and $5 will automatically be added on to your next phone bill. The proceeds will fund tree plantings in struggling lands such as Mexico, Kenya, and India. There will also be a parade of green vehicles driving around the city in the pattern of an ‘E’, including hybrid garbage trucks, the world’s fastest electric sports car, and even a fully electric DeLorean.

Today is a day that we can all come together and recognize the fact that we have to be very conscience of how we treat the planet we all live on. It’s also a great day to get in touch with friends and family and see how they are acknowledging the day. Remember to use StanaCard when calling abroad, as we are not only far more reliable than our competition, but also much cheaper. No other company will give you $10 when you refer a friend AND give your friend $10 to get started.

Rates Decrease to Pakistan! Now 58% Cheaper Than Skype!

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:37:00 +0000

Pakistan and the West Indies will meet in their first ever Twenty20 cricket match today, about a month after Pakistan eliminated the squad from the World Cup on route to the semifinals. Pakistan is still the favorite, but with many new faces on the teams, many consider the game to be completely up in the air. The Pakistan Cricket Board also announced last week that they were in early talks to develop an in-country Twenty20 league similar to the Indian Premier League, in order to attract foreign teams and players back to competition in the country.

In the midst of all this exciting cricket news, at StanaCard we have decided to decrease our rates to Pakistan! The new rates have decreased 15%, and are now well over 58% cheaper than other providers, including Skype. The price to call Pakistan is now just 5.99 cents a minute, and that’s even before our Pakistan bonus. With our bonus, you can pay as little as 4.28 cents a minute by receiving up to 40% of your calls FREE! With our 40% bonus and the new 15% rate decrease, we might as well be giving away minutes to Pakistan!

A $20 credit will now let you call Pakistan for up to 367 minutes! Not only are our rates far less expensive, but unlike Skype and most calling cards, we charge absolutely no connection fees. You pay only for what you use.

Also, be sure to get even more free bonuses by taking advantage of our unmatched referral program. Simply refer us to friends, their first purchase is doubled and you get up to $10 worth of bonus credit as soon as they make their first call with us. For more information, check out our blog.

Traveling abroad soon? See how to avoid all roaming charges no matter where you go.

2011 Cannes Jury Announced

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 21:40:00 +0000

Famed international film event, Festival de Cannes, has released the list of high-profile jury members from all over the world. It had been announced earlier that legendary American actor, director, and producer Robert De Niro would preside over the eight-member team, which will include international stars from many different areas of the film world.

The jury includes American actress/screenwriter Uma Thurman, British actor Jude Law, Argentinean actress/producer Martina Gusman, Chinese producer Nansun Shi, Norwegian critic Linn Ullmann, French director Olivier Assayas, Chadian director Mahamat Saleh Haroun, and director/producer Johnny To of Hong Kong.

This years’ festival will take place from May 11 to May 22. Along with the jury panel for the main competition, French director Michel Gondry will head the jury for the short film competition and South Korean film director Bong Joon-ho will head the Camera d’Or jury, which selects the best film by a first-time filmmaker.

The festival will open with a new Woody Allen film called Midnight in Paris, and Italian film director Bernardo Bertolucci will be awarded the Honorary Palme d’Or at the opening ceremony. The main competition feature 19 films from countries all over the world including Spain, France, Israel, Turkey, Belgium, Finland, Japan, Australia, U.S., Italy, UK, Austria, and Denmark, which films directed by many famed directors such as Pedro Almodovar, Terrence Malick, and the Dardenne brothers.

The "Indo-Pak Express" Rolls on to Victory, Promotes Peace

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:03:00 +0000

After the successful, peaceful cricket match between India and Pakistan which we wrote about earlier this month, Pakistani tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi has resumed calls for a match to be played on the Indian border to further the peaceful resolution of the two countries differences. Qureshi and his doubles partner – Rohan Bopanna, who is Indian, are currently ranked number 17 in the ATP double rankings.

The team, which has been aptly named the “Indo-Pak Express,” has been very successful in recent years, and made a well publicized run to the finals of the US Open last year, where they ultimately lost to the famous Bryan brothers. Earlier today, the team defeated the number 2 seed to move on to the semifinals in the ATP Monte-Carlo Masters Tournaments. They will now meet the unseeded team of Chela-Soares in the semifinals.

In the midst of this run, Qureshi has not lost sight of his true goal, which is doing whatever he can to promote peace between Pakistan and India. He recently wrote to Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani informing him of his idea of a “tennis for peace” match to be played on the India-Pakistan border. The pair has always been vocal about promoting peaceful relations, as last year the advocated for an idea to put up a tennis net across the Wagah boarder as part of an initiative they called “Stop War, Start Tennis.”

These ideas have gotten support from many people and organizations including the International Tennis Federation and Peace and Sport, along with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

With all of this support and goodwill, it is certainly very likely that these two countries will be able to peacefully settle their differences. Now is a great time to call your family and friends back in India or Pakistan, especially since you can do it by simply dialing a local number with StanaCard! Also, when you recommend your friends or family, we’ll not only give you $10 to thank you, we’ll also give them $10 just to welcome them aboard!

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 21:38:00 +0000

Today, all of us at StanaCard wish a Happy New Year to Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. All four countries have kicked off their New Year’s celebrations today, and people from each nationality all around the world have begun to take part in their respective traditions.

The Cambodian New Year, or Chol Chnam Thmey in Khmer, takes place today and will last until the 15th. Traditionally, the first day of the New Year, known as Maha Songkran, is a quiet, religious holiday where family members come together to pay respects to Buddha. On the second day, Virat Wanabat, people volunteer their time to charities and attend a ceremony for their ancestors. On Tngay Leang Saka, the final day of the celebrations, families cleanse their Buddha statues and elders with perfumed water, believing that they will then obtain their good fortune for the future.

Songkran, the Thai New Year’s holiday, is also celebrated over a three day period starting today, April 13. One of the main and undoubtedly most fun traditions of Songkran are the massive water fights that constantly go on in this three day holiday. Thais wander around the streets with buckets and water guns and try to soak each other, while celebrating the start of the New Year the way many of us Westerners ring in the New Year – with parties and drinks.

In Myanmar, the Burmese people celebrate their New Year with a four or five day celebration leading up to the actual day of the New Year called Thingyan. Thingyan is celebrated very similarly to the way Songkran is celebrated in Thailand; with country-wide water fights. Before and after the water festival, the Burmese visit their families and pay religious respects, as well as give back to charity and volunteer their time.

The Laos New Year, also a three-day celebration beginning on the 13th, is the country’s most widely celebrated and most anticipated. This holiday is celebrated all across the world by Laotians. In Laos, people also cleanse their elders, along with monks, and then each other with perfumed water. Sand is made into stupas and then decorated and given to the monks, and animals all over the country are set free. There are also many large beauty pageants where Miss Lao New Year is crowned, the most famous one taking place in Luang Prabang.

For all of you from these Southeastern Asian countries, now is the perfect time to call home. Luckily for you, StanaCard offers a cheap, simple, and reliable way to call abroad. Check out our site now or click here to find out how to get $10 free to make your international calls with!

Rumors of Facebook Deal in China Fly Around the Web

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:27:00 +0000

Many rumors have been posted all over the internet today about developments between Facebook and Chinese search engine Baidu striking some sort of deal over a social networking site in China. Original reports stated that Facebook and Baidu had, in fact, agreed on and signed a deal to start a joint social network unrelated to Facebook specifically for the Chinese market. Facebook has been very vague when it comes to these rumors, telling one source “We are currently studying and learning about China, as part of evaluating any possible approaches that could benefit our users, developers and advertisers.”

The Facebook spokesperson would neither deny or confirm the news, so for now it can only officially be seen as a rumor, though it’s clear that many are hopeful that the deal will go through, as Baidu’s stock has already significantly risen.

Even if a deal is struck, the joint venture would have to be approved by the Chinese government, and even if it is both sides will then have to agree on staffing choices for the new company. If the deal goes through, it could be very beneficial to everyone involved, as Baidu is China’s most popular search engine, Facebook is by far the largest social networking site in the world, and China is the most populous country in the world, and home to the most internet users. If this joint venture site attracted the same percentage of the population that Facebook has so far in the U.S., they could gain over 530 million users.

What do you think about these rumors, and do you think a Facebook/Baidu joint venture would be approved by the Chinese government? Feel free to discuss in our comments section below. Also, if you plan on getting in touch with friends or family in China or anywhere else in the world, check out StanaCard. StanaCard is the only service where you can simply dial a local number to reach anywhere in the world, and make $10 for both you AND a friend without leaving your computer.

Japan Safe After Second Large-Scale Earthquake in the Month Gives a Scare

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 21:46:00 +0000

As many of you know by now, at around 10:30 AM EST (11:30 PM local time), Japan was hit by yet another powerful earthquake not far from where the original earthquake struck on March 11. Though initial reports seemed were negative and warning of another tsunami, it seems as though there have been no deaths or injuries, and the tsunami warning has now been called off. The earthquake has been reported as a 7.1 magnitude quake and struck off the coast of the Miyagi Prefecture, an area already terribly affected by the March 11 tsunami.

This has been the strongest in the many aftershocks that have been reported in the area, and certainly brought back fear for the local citizen and all people around the world hoping for a fast recovery for Japan. The other worry, of course is the affect that this quake would have on the troublesome Daiichi nuclear power plant. Luckily, there has been no further damage reported, and all workers were evacuated as a precautionary measure. This quake stuck about 96 kilometers east of Sendai, close to the site of the March 11 quake, and was about 49 kilometers below sea level.

All of us at StanaCard are very glad to hear that this earthquake has not caused any further damage to the country or any further hardship to its people. We know that now is a time that family and friends need to stick together however they can. We hope any of you who are living abroad with friends and family in Japan have found affordable and reliable ways to communicate, but if you have not we would be happy to introduce you to StanaCard. Since we also have local access numbers in Japan, our service works for people making calls from there as well, so people in Japan can call you abroad by just dialing a local number, just like you can from the US. If you or anyone you know might benefit from this service, feel free to email us with any questions you may have.

Schalke Shocks Inter in UEFA Champions League; Two Giants Clash

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:20:00 +0000

Today is a big day for football fans worldwide, as it’s the second day of the 2011 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, and Chelsea and Manchester United–two of the most storied clubs in the world–met today. For many American’s, the sheer amount of leagues alone is confusing, but all football fans around the world, and certainly in Europe, know the importance of the Champions League. For me, the Champions League is by far the most thrilling, as teams from all over Europe that rarely meet are able to play each other, and many times the team from the lesser-league comes out ahead, as the German squad Schalke did yesterday.

For lack of a better comparison, the Champions League is like the NCAA tournament, in that it gathers the best from all different leagues, whether they play in the powerhouse leagues like the Premiership, La Liga, Serie A, or the Bundesliga, or smaller leagues in countries all around Europe such as Sweden, Albania, Isreal, and Armenia among many others. Football fans were as thrilled to see Schalke shock defending champs Inter Milan yesterday as basketball fans were to see small-conference VCU take down Big 12-giant Kansas on-route to the Final Four.

This year, 52 countries were represented in the league, while teams from 13 different countries made the 32 team group stage, and at the beginning of the quarterfinals we are left with five different countries being represented. Yesterday was a surprising day and certainly a very disappointing one for Tottenham and defending champion Inter Milan. Milan went down in front of its home crowd to huge underdog Schalke by a humiliating score of 5-2, while Ronaldo and Real Madrid easily shut down Tottenham 4-0. Because of the goal differential format, both losing teams would need a miracle to advance to the semifinals.

Today’s action was a bit more predictable, as Barcelona ran all over Ukrainian side Shakhtar, playing to a final score of 5-1. Rooney put away an early goal and Manchester was able to hold off Chelsea to win on the road 1-0. Chelsea will now have to come back strong with a high scoring win when they play at Manchester’s Old Trafford this coming Tuesday, which–judging by today’s performance–seems unlikely at best. With all the other matches being completely one-sided, this epic matchup between powerhouses Chelsea and Man U will be easily the most anticipated quarterfinal fixture.

Football is certainly the sport that brings the world together, and UEFA is a unique way to unite an entire continent with the spirit of competition. Now is as good a time as any to check in with your friends and family back home, whether it be to gloat about your team topping theirs, or just to catch up. With StanaCard, you can simply dial a local number to reach anywhere in the world, and when you tell a friend about our service, we give you both $10. Enjoy the rest of the football action!

Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly Elected President of Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 21:01:00 +0000

Today will go down as an historic day for the entire country of Haiti, as they have finally completed a long and controversial presidential election process. Though it has been stated that the official results would not be released until April 16th, the preliminary election results show that Michel Martelly won the election by a long shot, gaining over 67% of the vote.

The runner-up is former first lady Mirlande Manigat, who received about 31.5% of the vote. Michel Martelly, also known by his former entertainer name “Sweet Micky,” is a favorite among the Haitian youth and is expected to bring change and transparency to the government, long-suspected as corrupt by many. Before entering politics, Martelly was a popular singer with a bit of a bad-boy persona, which he claims he invented solely for the stage.

Martelly used his image as a government outsider to gain his popularity with the countries youth, eager for a change. Martelly placed third behind Manigat and current President Rene Preval-backed Jude Celestin in the original vote on November 28, 2010, the election committee decided to hold a second, “runoff” election between just Manigat and Martelly after widespread allegations of election fraud by the increasingly large group of Martelly supporters. Because of his affiliation with the extremely unpopular current President Preval and many allegations of wrongdoing, Celestin was forced to back out of the race by his own party and the election committee.

Michel Martelly is very hopeful about his upcoming presidency, as are the people of Haiti. Many Haitian’s took to the street to celebrate, chanting “Tet Kale,” or “bald head” in Creole in support for their new leader. Martelly is confident that he has what it takes to lead his people through this extremely difficult time in Haiti’s history, stating “I've been on the ground with them for 22 years. The people know me. I represent the light at the end of the tunnel.”

All of us at StanaCard wish Haiti the best and hope that the country can navigate through these difficulties with the help of this new, optimistic leader. Now’s a great time to call friends and family in Haiti and discuss the results! With StanaCard all you have to do is dial a local number to reach abroad, and when you tell your friends and family about our service, you can get $10 for each person who joins!

ABC News and Consumer Reports Reveal Dirty Calling Card Secrets

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:45:00 +0000

Last night, the local New York ABC 7 News ran a short segment on calling cards that would certainly be of interest to our readers and anyone else making international calls on a regular basis. The segment outlined some of the difficulties in using calling cards, and the hidden fees that some people don’t even realize they are being charged. The basis of the story came from a Consumer Reports article about the downsides of calling cards when making international calls.

As the reporters explain, calling cards can tend to appear to be inexpensive, but most of the time you end up paying a lot more than you think due to connection fees, hang-up fees, daily or monthly charges, and/or ridiculous rounding fees, meaning cards that will round your call up by three minutes or more, often doubling your total call time.

The newscasters and Consumer Reports recommend making sure to closely read the terms and conditions of the calling cards, but as they also point out, this can be difficult to do when the cards are sold behind the counter like they are at many convenience stores. Also, the terms and conditions of calling cards have been found to use tricky and deceptive language to try to disguise their fees and make it difficult for people to understand.

Luckily for all you international callers out there, there is a service out there where you can avoid all of this AND get better rates and clearer calls. This service, of course, is StanaCard. While Consumer Reports mentioned that Skype is a great way to make international calls, they failed to mention that Skype is generally close to 50% more expensive per minute than StanaCard. Pingo, which is also mentioned, is also more expensive on average and they do not use the local SmartDial technology that StanaCard does, meaning you have to dial the long international number every time you want to make a call!

So if you or any of your friends or family needs to make calls abroad, make the right decision and go with StanaCard. Not only do we have extremely low rates and great connection, but we also give $10 to any customer who refers someone, and we also give $10 to the person who they refer! To check out the video, see below.

India and Pakistan Prepare for Their Historical Matchup in the World Cup Semifinals

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:09:00 +0000

At 2:30 local time in Mohali, a city in the Punjab region of India, cricket powerhouses India and Pakistan will meet in the second semifinal of the 2011 Cricket World Cup. For any follower of cricket, this is certainly not new news. India and Pakistan have a history of conflict, but with a new session of peace talks commencing yesterday in New Delhi and the fact that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan’s Yousef Raza Gilani will be watching the historical match together, residents of each country have much to be hopeful for.

Both countries are buzzing with anticipation, and television executives in the region are already predicting record audiences to tune into the event – some expecting up to 800 million Indians alone. Many are hoping that this event will help unite the two countries in the spirit of competition and help aid the current peace talks, which have been described as “positive” as of yet.

There is no clear favorite heading in to Wednesday’s match, as India is the number two seed of the tournament and Pakistan is ranked third. Both India and Pakistan played close matches in the quarterfinal rounds against Australia and the West Indies, respectively, and historically the teams have been well-matched, and have each taken home one World Cup Championship.

The match will take place at India’s Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in front of a crowd of close to 45,000 tomorrow at 2:30 local time, or 5 AM EST. Now is as good a time as ever to call your family and friends in India or Pakistan and see what they’re doing for the big match. Thankfully, StanaCard is currently offering up to 40% off when calling India and Pakistan! Also, when you tell a friend about this great deal, both you and your friend can get up to $10 free when he opens an account!

Happy Greek Independence Day!

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:23:00 +0000

Today marks the 190^th year of Greece declaring their independence from the Ottoman Empire after the 11 year Greek Revolution. Greece won the war and was able to officially declare independence on March 25, 1821.

Today is celebrated by Greeks living all over the world, including many celebrations throughout America. Hillary Clinton announced earlier today that March 25^th would now be known in America as “National Day of Greek and American Democracy,” to honor Greece for their efforts to sustain peace around the world and its effectiveness in running a democracy.

There are many celebrations in cities all over the US, including Detroit, Miami, and Washington D.C., but the largest and most widely attended of these events will take place in New York, just a few blocks from the offices of StanaCard. The Greek Independence Day Parade in New York started in 1939 and has been an annual event ever since. The parade takes place on Sunday, March 27 on Fifth Avenue and is expected to attract over 100,000 spectators to see the floats, bands, and marchers.

What better time to call your friends and family back in Greece than on Independence Day? Luckily, with StanaCard, you can reach Greece by just making a local call. Also, since we do have local numbers in Greece, your friends and family can also use StanaCard and make local calls in Greece that will connect to you in the US! So go ahead and tell them about our great service, and when they sign up you will each get a free $10 bonus!

Reasons Why Some Countries are More Expensive to Call than Others

noreply@blogger.com (StanaCard) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:51:00 +0000

Recently there have been some questions as to why calls to some countries are more expensive than others, and why we were recently able to lower rates for some countries but not others. Unfortunately, we do not have full control over the rates. There are many factors in the process of determining a rate to a country. It depends mostly on how connected the country is to the outside world, and how competitive the telecommunications industry is in the country. For example, Gambia and Sierra Leone are more expensive to call no matter what service you use, because the countries are not connected to the South Atlantic 3/West Africa Submarine Cable which connects many other ECOWAS countries, and they are also dominated by provider Africell, which has over a 69% market share in Gambia and 55% in Sierra Leone. Because they control the markets’, Africell can charge high termination fees, which are the fees that providers charge other providers to allow calls in their network. This makes it more expensive to transfer calls from other countries to Gambia and Sierra Leone, which is why the rates are higher. Other ECOWAS countries, such as Nigeria, are connected to the cable, and have far more competition in their telecommunications industry, which allows calling rates to Nigeria to be significantly less expensive. Many African countries have the problem or market domination and limited connectivity, which will hopefully be improved in the near future.

StanaCard finds this gap in technology and pricing as upsetting as you do, and we want to express our sincere frustration to our customers. We understand how expensive international calls can be, and if there were any way we could lower the rates all-around, we certainly would. Thankfully, with StanaCard you never have to worry about disconnection or connection fees. There are never any hidden charges, unlike many less customer-friendly services and calling cards. We assure you we will continue to offer extremely competitive rates and provide you with high quality service.

Please tell your friends and family about our great service, as the more people who call, the better the rates we can offer. Don’t forget there are always ways to save money with StanaCard. Our unmatched referral program doubles the first purchase of your friend and offers you the same amount as a bonus, which you can use as credit or even cash out using PayPal. Just think; all of your calls back home could be completely free! Also, with our new Gifting service, everyone can use StanaCard, even if they don’t have a credit card.