Seek No More

File a Claim for Delayed Flights

2012-05-30T08:44:00.000+08:00

In the Philippines, airline companies require strict punctuality from their passengers. They must check in at least 45 minutes before the flight and be at the boarding gate 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. If any of these requirements are not complied with, the passenger may be refused boarding. Worse, the passenger's airplane passage shall be considered "flown" without any refund or travel fund entitlement.

Another restrictive policy for the passenger is the policy that they may cancel a reservation only if it is more than four hours before the flight otherwise the ticket is considered "used."

However, this stringent requirement is applicable to the airline companies. For instance, these companies may cancel, terminate, or delay any flight at any time after a passenger has made a reservation on that that flight without the airline having any liability to the passenger. In addition, the window for getting a full refund or of being able to rebook on another flight without any penalty becomes very tight.

The airline companies' usual argument is that the incident was caused by "force majeure" or a "a superior force." This means airline companies are exempted from paying out compensation if cancellations are due to "extraordinary circumstances". Basically, this covers unpreventable events such as extreme weather conditions, security risks and workers going on strike.

In the event that either a cancellation or flight delay was caused by the companies themselves, then the passengers may find it worth putting a claim in at the time in order to get it logged.

The first thing to do is to contact the company directly and make it known to them that a claim for compensation is in order. If the flight operator does not resolve the matter, then the passenger may contact the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Manila International Airport Authority.

There are no official standard yet, but the compensation a passenger can claim should depend on the flight distance and length of delay. On top of this, airlines must provide passengers with free meals, drinks and two phone calls, emails, or faxes, plus overnight accommodation if needed.

The passenger has rights and legitimate expectations. Regardless of interpretation, being aware of these rights gives consumer power.

Why Branded Tablets are Better?

2012-05-26T09:36:00.000+08:00

There is an old saying which states that, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

However, there are cases that these words may not be applicable. For instance, why would anybody spend US$ 500 on an iPad or even US$ 200 on a Kindle Fire when you can get the Pandigital Planet 7-inch Android tablet for US$ 99? Or a MID 70009 Android tablet for $72.95?

A tablet is a tablet is a tablet, right? Wrong.

Most of these dirt-cheap tablets have excruciatingly slow processors; you tap an icon, and nothing happens for several seconds. Scrolling a Web page can be an unresponsive exercise in frustration. The usability here pales in comparison to what you get from a more mainstream tablet. In short, cheaper versions of iPad or Kindle are just horribly terrible.

What's more, some bargain tablets employ resistive touch screens, which require physical pressure. That is in contrast to the capacitive screens used in better tablets, which respond to the slightest brush of your fingertip. With a resistive screen, you have to push -- and that ruins the entire experience. Plus, with those slow processors, it's very difficult to tell if the tablet has registered your input, so you end up push-tapping again -- often with unwanted results. Bleh.

Another big issue: no Google Play (aka Android Market), meaning you're severely limited in the apps you can add. They might have knockoff app stores, but with none of the apps you'll want. No Angry Birds, No Kindle, no Facebook. Double-bleh.

Recently there has been an upsurge of attractively priced 7- and 10-inch models with fast processors, capacitive screens, and even Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), but still no Google Play (or, for that matter, Amazon Appstore). Trust me: You won't be happy without at least one of them.

Phillips Wins American Idol Title

2012-05-24T11:05:00.001+08:00

Did the one save of the season pave the way for a title for Jessica Sanchez? The answer, it did not.

The guitar-playing Phillip Phillips, 21, from Leesburg, Georgia, was just named the new "American Idol." After a record-breaking 132.3 million votes were cast by viewers, Phillips proved that the "White Guy With Guitar" type is still the favored hype by American music consumers. It has also been characterized by recent winners, such as David Cook, Kris Allen, and Lee DeWyze.

The final performance episode was kind of a sleeping-fest, with fairly decent performances by both finalists, but there was really nothing that jumped out and really got the audience's attention. Maybe they were saving their energy for tonight's big show which is a a two-hour performance with look-backs, reminders of eliminated contestants everyone barely got to know, and of course, the big revelation.

The finale was typically star-studded with John Fogerty, Fantasia Barrino, Chaka Khan, Reba and Neil Diamond among the guest performers who took the stage along with the two finalists and the previously eliminated contestants for various musical numbers.

After all of the performances and amusing segments, everyone came back to where it all started, with two singers vying for the grand prize. It cannot be argued that both have earned their place in the finale, but only one can be declared the winner.

After the last of the 132,300,000 votes were counted, Phillip Phillips was announced as the winner. Jessica Sanchez is the runner-up.

The 16-year old Sanchez, a Filipino-Mexican-American who grew up in Chula Vista, California may have lost in the votes, but she has nothing to be ashamed of. She has consistently done well in the competition. She has brought honour to many Filipinos. For her fans, she will always be their "American Idol".

"Digital Wallet" Over Cash and Cards?

2012-05-20T13:04:00.001+08:00

Do you think that the time for cash, coins and credit cards are over? Well, that is the same opinion that electronics manufacturers, phone companies, banks and credit card issuers wanted everyone to think. They also expect cellphones to be the main way consumers pay for purchases in the not-so-distant future.

The only problem is that not all buy this futuristic scenario. This vision-of-tomorrow is still somewhat blurry to many, especially after what happened during the US cellphone industry trade show held recently in New Orleans where there were lots of ideas, but little agreement.

The stakes, however, are high.

"Eighty-five percent of the world's transactions are still made with cash and checks. We have a wonderful opportunity to convert those," said Gary Flood, MasterCard’s president of global products and solutions, in a keynote speech at the show.

One concept that gets a lot of attention is the "digital wallet"– a virtual repository for our credit card numbers, receipts, coupons.

It's not much different from a PayPal account, which can be linked to different cards. A lot of companies see the wallet as the key to influence in the world of mobile payments, especially if it sits on a cellphone, not just on a PC. Google introduced its Wallet last year.

It's available on a few phones that can be tapped against certain payment terminals to complete a payment.

Andrew Lorentz, a lawyer at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP who works with the payments industry, said at the show that if he had a dime for every digital wallet that’s been announced, he’d be rich.

"I can have more wallets than cards," he said.

How to Succeed as an Affiliate?

2012-05-16T08:48:00.000+08:00

Many readers of this site have asked me several time what I think about working at home using the affiliate opportunities available online. I tried some of these sites to find out if it is really worthwhile working in the comforts of one's residence as an affiliated worker. The question is, is it really worth the time and effort to set up a viable home-working environment?

After a few days, it appears that there are some basic things that need to be done in order to be successful in this kind of system. These recommended actions may not be exhaustive, but it may be worth reading for those who want to maximize what they can get from online affiliation opportunities.

The first three things I suggest are the following:

Don't leave money on the table

The number 1 difference between successful and less successful home-based affiliate work, is the amount of time put into posting links, tracking results and making adjustments. Less successful affiliates don't do much after posting links and count on providence to drive in sales. These people are leaving 'money on the table'.

Succesful affiliates work the program like a professional business, and they receive professional results. They track their referrals all the way through the process via the 'my pipeline' feature of their affiliate account like the one found in vWorker.com. They monitor results and make adjustments to learn what types of promotional ads work best on their site. And when they notice problems, they act BEFORE it impacts their bottom line. Taking these small steps can make a huge difference in your bottom line!

The numbers game

Affiliate sales are like any other type of sales...100% of all prospects will not convert into back end profits. However it's also true that the more prospects you bring in through the front end, the more money you will end up making on the back end. Successful affiliate understand that bidders will drop out for various reasons, and refer as many employers as they can--knowing that they can count on the percentages to work in their favour.

Thinking outside the box pays big

There are some sites that reward the most successful affiliates by giving them an even larger percent of the profits than normal. Most of these 'super affiliates' have been very creative with the ways they send traffic to the site, and can teach us all good lessons on increasing affiliate profits.

Some have created 'doorway pages' to the site and registered them with search engines on relevant keywords to drive in large amounts of sales. Others have created valuable reference pages on freelancing and outsourcing IT and gotten many sites to link to them (and of course at the bottom is their affiliate link to site itself). And others have purchased keywords on cost per click providers such as Overture.com and make money off by driving in large quantities of referrals that way. Thinking outside the box can pay big...so see if you can brainstorm your way to larger profits!

A Businessman Named T-REX

2012-05-11T15:05:00.000+08:00

Experienced marketers and entrepreneurs know that name recognition and name recall are really big in the world of small business. They are important aspects in choosing or keeping a company name and in considering how to package a product, what name to give it, and how to market it.

The process of choosing the right name can be as simple as choosing between star and stellar when labelling a prime product; or it can be as complex as choosing what colors can best convey the worth and mission of a company. If you play your cards right, your company image can stick indelibly to your prospective customers minds, and you can have them coming back for more.

However, going so far as to legally change your name to one of the most iconic creatures ever to walk the planet might be a bit of overkill.

This is exactly what happened to a 23-year-old Nebraska native who was born Tyler Gold and left that moniker behind in favor of Tyrannosaurus Rex. His name change was even approved by a judge, though it was reported that they had a hard time trying to keep from busting out in laughter.

Gold had to field a series of questions regarding his request, including whether he was choosing to change his name to avoid creditors or law enforcement. He noted that he had no troubles in either the legal scene or with bad debt, and he merely wanted a recognizable name to help promote himself as an entrepreneur.

If Gold is really serious in attracting clients to his services or products and sustain that momentum further, then he needs know his strengths and weaknesses before venturing in a name-changing venture. What are his goals? What is his company’s mission and vision? Is he offering products that will last through the long term, or is he making products that will be updated regularly? Is he offering services that can be carried out online, or is he offering services that will take place in a brick-and-mortar store?

As soon as he has all this information, he can decide on a name that fits his companys needs, and to brand it in the market. The key to successful branding is to create an image that will be remembered, and that will allow easy recall.

Whether prospective clients will now see him as a valuable business partner — rather than a complete fool — remains to be seen. Tyrannosaurus Rex Joseph Gold (his full name) will certainly have a fun time proving his identity when purchasing alcohol or after getting pulled over for speeding. Perhaps he'll just bite them in half instead.

Opportunities when Working with NGOs

2012-05-09T14:11:00.000+08:00

Working directly for non-profit organization is a great experience and can be very rewarding financially and emotionally. It is because these institutions have played a major role in pushing for sustainable development at the international level. They became key drivers of inter-governmental negotiations, ranging from the regulation of hazardous wastes to a global ban on land mines and the elimination of slavery.

Through the years, these groups offering Non profit jobs, such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), have evolved and are not only focusing their energies on governments and inter-governmental processes. With many governments reducing their policies from a number of public functions and regulatory activities, NGOs have begun to fix their sights on powerful corporations - many of which can rival entire nations in terms of their resources and influence.

Unfortunately, NGO work is in high demand among specialists building out their careers nonprofit portfolios. NGOs recognize that in many cases (not all), the specialist benefits more from the relationship with other networks and donors than the institution. Hence, there is a need to overcome their doubts over the true motivation of the specialist for working with them.

Recruiting and retaining a high-quality staff for non-profit groups can also be challenging. Understanding (and learning from!) the challenges recruiters face should therefore not just be a priority for human resources professionals, but for all job seekers in this area.

Fortunately, the NonProfit Times, the flagship publication of NPT Publishing Group in Morris Plains, N.J., delivers news, business information and original research on the daily operations of various non-profit organizations. Their website for those looking for Nonprofit Jobs or exploring a shift to nonprofit careers has been providing weekly e-letter with human resource information and newly posted job opening for several years now.

The NonProfit Times explore common challenges aid groups and their recruiters face in several of their articles — on everything from hiring innovators to hiring for hardship posts. Look at it from their perspective to find out that the old line that “your work will help increase awareness of NGO cause which, in turn, will result in more funding,” just does not cut it anymore.

A Stronger Pera Padala Network

2012-05-07T07:50:00.000+08:00

Last month, Cebuana Lhuillier Services Corporation became an official agent of RIA Financial Services, the third-largest global money transfer company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Euronet Worldwide Inc.

With the new partnership between the money remittance arm of the PJ Lhuillier Incorporated (PJLI) and the third-largest money transfer company in the world, monetary transactions made through RIA can now be received through any of the over 1,500 Cebuana Lhuillier branches nationwide and Pera Padala Network.

A press briefing was held last 20 April 2012 in Makati City and attended by officials from both companies. In the photo above (from left) are Andre Diago Lhuillier, vice president of Cebuana Lhuillier Services Corporation; John Ashton, chief information officer of RIA Financial Services; Jean Henri Lhuillier, president and CEO of P.J Lhuillier Incorporated; Juan Bianchi, president and CEO of RIA Financial Services; and Ambassador Philippe Lhuillier, chairman of P.J Lhuillier Incorporated.

"We are very pleased to announce the addition of RIA Financial Services to our growing network of international money remittance service providers," said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of PJLI.

"And as we celebrate Cebuana Lhuillier's 25th founding year, we promise our clients that we'll continue to provide every Filipinos here and abroad a Pera Padala experience that is guaranteed fast, reliable and affordable," he added.

Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshop is the Philippines' largest pawnshop chain, with branches from Aparri to Tawi-Tawi. From its humble beginnings in 1968, Cebuana Lhuillier grew to over 1,500 branches nationwide serving 100,000 clients daily.

Under the leadership of its chairman, former Philippine Ambassador to Italy, Philippe J. Lhuillier and his sons, Jean Henri Lhuillier and Philippe Andre Lhuillier, the pawnshop diversified and evolved into a one-stop financial services provider offering pawnbrokering, domestic and international money remittance, foreign exchange, micro insurance, electronic loading, bills payment, and collection services.

Cebuana Lhuillier, the flagship company of PJ Lhuillier, Inc., is also the first to introduce a loyalty rewards program in the pawnshop and money remittance industry.

RIA Financial Services, on the other hand, was founded in 1987 and now has a global network of 146,000 locations in 136 countries on 6 continents. In addition to money transfer services, RIA offers bills payment, mobile top-ups, prepaid debit cards, check cashing and money orders.

Meanwhile, Euronet Worldwide, Inc. is a company that facilitates the movement of payments around the world and serves as a critical link between its partners — Financial Institutions, Retailers, Service Providers — and their end Consumers, both locally and globally.

Founded in 1994, Euronet has established itself as a leading electronic payments provider. Euronet’s customers are served from three core business segments: Electronic Financial Transactions (EFT – including Payments Software), Prepaid (ePay) and Money Transfer.

In 2009, the Company processed approximately $50 billion in ATM, prepaid and money transfer payments for more than 115 financial institutions, 200 mobile operators, approximately 320,000 retailer and agent locations, and millions of individual consumers in 46 countries.

Former Conjoined Twins Going Home

2012-05-03T13:10:00.001+08:00

Do you remember the twin sisters who had been joined at the chest last year before they were operated at a California hospital? Guess what? They are now preparing to leave the hospital two weeks after surgery — each in their own car seat.

Angelica and Angelina Sabuco have been recovering at a California hospital since their 1 November 2011 operation. Both were born in the Philippines and now live in California.

"They are recovering very, very well," said lead surgeon Dr. Gary Hartman. "Our goal is to return as many children as we can to happy, healthy lives."

Dr. Hartman said the girls are off pain medications and their livers are functioning normally. He will continue seeing the girls for weekly outpatient therapy, and they will see a plastic surgeon, Dr. Peter Lorenz, for follow-up procedures. Lorenz said the girls' chest walls have a bit of an abnormal shape but it can be molded as they grow.

Angelina and Angelica also will continue physical and occupational therapy to build up their strength and develop their motor skills, the hospital said.

The sisters were presented to the public after their surgery during a news conference at the hospital on 14 November 2011.

Wearing bright red dresses with bows in their hair and held by their mother and aunt, the girls appeared at ease with the all the attention. Their mother, Ginady Sabuco, smiled and laughed and urged her daughters to wave and say hello as they approached reporters.

"We're so excited now to go home and see them sitting in their own car seats," she said. "We cannot wait to see them playing, walking and running."

Manila is 3rd Worse City for Driving

2012-04-29T07:11:00.000+08:00

A non-scientific way of ranking the world’s worst cities for driving puts Manila on the news again.

According to CNNGo, a travel and lifestyle website, the Philippine capital is the world's third-worst city for driving. It highlights the perception of many commuters, which cite traffic congestion as their number one problem, followed by air pollution, garbage collection, flood control and the need for security.

CNNGo also utilized the IBM's 2011 Commuter Pain survey, World Bank statistics and other Internet sources to put together a list for those who want to maintain a perception that there's still any romance left in driving.

According to the survey, worse than Manila were two other Asian cities like New Delhi, India and Beijing, China which topped the list.

Mexico City, Mexico placed fourth while Johannesburg, South Africa was the fifth worst.

The exact description of traffic of Manila is quoted below from the site:

In 2001, Manila borrowed US$60 million from the World Bank for transit-related activities. Among other things, the funds were meant to "promote the use of non-motorized transport."

A campaign asking locals to "Please stop driving," however, wasn't necessarily the best approach to traffic management.

According to one report, "Residents perceive traffic congestion as their number one problem, followed by air pollution, garbage collection, flood control and the need for security."

So, Filipinos care more about getting to work on time than they do about respiratory ailments, mounting trash heaps, drowning or being assaulted? Capitalism wins again!

Redeeming quality: You're in a country in which smooth-flowing traffic is apparenly of utmost importance to residents. So, you gotta figure somebody, somewhere is working on the problem. Right?

Building Your Own Cloud Infra

2012-04-24T17:42:00.000+08:00

Cloud computing has really reached a period of incredible growth that compelled many IT organizations to increasingly take on a service provider role within their enterprises, with many transforming from cost centers to business units. Cloud computing provides such flexibility that made many IT organizations take a closer look at adopting cloud technology.

The silent shift brings with it heightened accountability to internal customers and a consequent move away from the mere management of hardware toward the delivery of accurately sized workloads to meet business units' needs. This "provide only what's needed" model calls for flexibility at the resource end.

Designed to deliver software, infrastructure and platform resources as on-demand services from a shared pool with a high degree of efficiency, cloud computing is inherently flexible. This enables IT organizations — and even users themselves — to provide/requisition the exact computing power and capacity needed to dynamically support products and services.

The potential rewards are great. Besides enabling IT organizations to fulfill their new charter as a provider of high-quality services, cloud computing can help enterprises reduce IT infrastructure maintenance costs (in some cases, to less than 50 percent of IT spending) while enhancing organizational agility.

Moreover, having a cloud infrastructure also allows enterprises to leverage third-party cloud services such as hosted software or offsite disaster recovery with nil or minimal capital investment.

Understanding IT infrastructure options is the critical first step of any journey into the cloud. Cloud technology is necessarily flexible so one size definitely does not fit all.

Deployment Model, Services

The first thing CIOs and their teams need to decide is which cloud deployment model to use. There are three to choose from — private, public, and hybrid — and each has its own advantages, drawbacks, and potential usage scenarios.

A private cloud is designed for the exclusive use of a single organization and can be operated and hosted either by the enterprise itself or by an external provider. A public cloud, on the other hand, is used by multiple organizations (called tenants) that lease cloud space from a cloud provider. The hybrid cloud model refers to when an enterprise turns to a public cloud for additional processing capacity when its own private cloud is stretched to the limit.

The next thing that needs to be decided is the services that the enterprise wants its cloud to deliver. Three types of services are commonly delivered by clouds: software (e-mail, data backup, etc.), infrastructure (virtual servers, virtual clients, remote storage, etc.), and platform (application development, deployment and hosting).

After deciding which cloud deployment model to use, choosing the combination of the services to be delivered, considering the impact of cloud computing on all areas of the business, and establishing clear goals, the enterprise can then come up with a desktop-to-data center cloud infrastructure that meets its particular needs.

Infrastructure Design

When designing cloud infrastructure, CIOs need to bear in mind that cloud success and efficiency improves when the correct building blocks, integrated management tools, and service delivery mechanisms are used.

Cloud-enabled data centers are distinctly different from traditional ones, with high performance, maximum hardware density, and high scalability among the critical considerations.

Accordingly, standardized cloud-optimized servers with a dense, energy-efficient design are needed at the core, not general-purpose servers used in traditional data centers.

And because high availability in cloud environments is typically achieved in the software layer, many system features and components that are often found in general-purpose servers are not needed in the servers that form the heart of cloud-enabled data centers.

As for setting up cloud infrastructure, CIOs can take one or both of two implementation approaches: revolutionary or evolutionary. The choice depends on the number of traditional enterprise applications that need to be accommodated in the new cloud regime, how supportive existing infrastructural assets are of cloud computing, and on the benefits the enterprise wants to achieve.

The revolutionary approach is ideal for those building greenfield data centers or who have no need to accommodate traditional enterprise applications.

Its evolutionary cousin, which involves incremental migration toward cloud computing, is more suited for those with existing traditional enterprise applications and that want to build on infrastructure they already have.

Today, the evolutionary approach is the predominant approach but as more and more cloud-native applications are developed, the balance is expected to tip in favor of the revolutionary approach.

Athletes to Watch in London Olympics

2012-04-19T14:36:00.002+08:00

Do you know that there are 100 days left before the biggest sports event this year? The London Olympics 2012 is just around the corner and a total of 70,000 volunteers were already mobilized. These volunteers were primed to render eight million hours of volunteering to serve the needs of over eight million people who will cheer for the participants.

As London organizers put the finishing touches on the venues, city officials prepare for an invasion of visitors from around the world and competitors are training for the big moment, this will also be a good time to check out the athletes who bring thrill to millions of sports fans this summer.

From the track to the pool to the hardwood, The Associated Press list down 11 notable athletes to watch out for as they try to grab those rare gold medals:

USAIN BOLT: Surprise, surprise. Any talk of the Olympics has to start with the flashy Jamaican sprinter. His performance in Beijing four years ago was magical — gold medals and world records in the 100 meters, 200 meters and sprint relay. Sure, Bolt hasn't been as supernatural the past couple of years, but expect him to peak just in time for the big show in London. There's no reason he can't win another three golds, though world records may be too much to ask. His toughest competition in the 100 and 200 is likely to come from countryman Yohan Blake.

MICHAEL PHELPS: Another no-brainer. After winning a record eight gold medals in Beijing, the 26-year-old American is back for his final big splash before retirement. With a career total of 16 medals, Phelps needs just three more of any color to become the most decorated Olympian in any sport. He called his results over the past three years "horrendous," but he was back in top form at last month's Indianapolis meet. US teammate Ryan Lochte, who won five golds at the 2011 worlds, is Phelps' top rival.

OSCAR PISTORIUS: The South African double-amputee athlete, who runs on carbon-fiber blades, is looking to make history by becoming the first amputee runner to compete in an Olympics. The "Blade Runner" has already gone under the 400-meter Olympic qualifying time of 45.30 seconds and needs to do it once more at an international meet to be eligible for Olympic selection. Pistorius also plans to run in able-bodied IAAF events in Europe and the US ahead of the Olympics. He'll compete in the Paralympics, too.

HIROSHI HOKETSU: At the age of 71, the Japanese equestrian will be the oldest competitor in London. Hoketsu has qualified for the individual dressage competition, riding a 15-year-old mare called Whisper. He competed in his first Olympics in 1964 when he was 23. Hoketsu was 67 when he competed in Beijing, finishing ninth in the team event and 35th in the individual competition. He still won't break the record as the oldest Olympian ever. That distinction belongs to Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn, who was 72 when he won a silver medal at the 1920 Antwerp Games.

KERRI WALSH/MISTY MAY-TREANOR: Beach volleyball will be one of the main attractions in London, with the competition taking place at a temporary venue in Horse Guards Parade, a stone's throw from Downing Street and Buckingham Palace. No one will get more time in the spotlight than Walsh and May-Treanor, who won gold medals in Athens and Beijing and are favorites for a third title in London. And, yes, the Americans will still be wearing the standard bikini uniforms — not the more modest attire approved recently by the international volleyball federation.

CHRIS HOY: Winner of three gold medals in Beijing, the British track cyclist is one of the host nation's top hopes for glory on home turf in the spectacular new velodrome. The Scot was knighted "Sir Chris" by Queen Elizabeth II in 2009 and could become Britain's most decorated Olympian. The "Real McHoy" is expected to compete in the keirin and the team sprint events, and possibly the individual sprint. With a career total of four gold medals and a silver, Hoy could eclipse rowing great Steve Redgrave's British record of five golds and a bronze.

NEYMAR: Argentina failed to qualify for the Olympic soccer competition, meaning Lionel Messi won't be coming. But Brazil did qualify and Neymar is the player to watch. "The Prince" is a prolific goal-scoring striker for Santos, the Brazilian club that Pele, "The King," made famous in the 1960s. The 20-year-old Neymar has already scored nearly 100 goals for Santos in less than three seasons. Pele recently called Neymar the best player in the world — better than three-time FIFA player of the year Messi. The Olympic title is the only significant soccer competition Brazil has yet to win.

KEVIN DURANT: It's hard to single out any single player from the star-studded US basketball team. Kobe, LeBron and D-Wade are back from the group that won the 2008 gold medal. So this will be the chance for Oklahoma City Thunder forward Durant to show his Olympic credentials. KD led the US to gold at the 2010 world championships, but the Olympic title is what really matters. Durant, a two-time NBA scoring leader, is averaging nearly 28 points per game this season and should be a key in coach Mike Krzyzewski's lineup for London.

LIN DAN: Widely considered the greatest badminton player of all time, China's "Super Dan" is a four-time world champion, five-time All England winner and the reigning Olympic gold medalist. Standing in the way of 29-year-old Lin's quest for a second Olympic title will be his main rival, Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia. The competition will be held at the Wembley Arena. Get ready for a dose of, you guessed it, "Lin-Danity."

STEVEN LOPEZ: With five world championships, two Olympic gold medals and a bronze to his name, Lopez is the face of taekwondo in the US He's back for his fourth Olympics and a chance to medal at a fourth games. His sister, Diana, qualified for her second Olympics but brother Mark missed out this time. In Beijing, the Lopez siblings became the first trio from the same family to represent the US at the Olympics since 1904 — and all won medals. Steven Lopez, 33, will be motivated to win gold again this time after settling for bronze in China.

Titanic's 100th Anniversary

2012-04-13T17:45:00.000+08:00

For nearly a century, people's fascination with the largest passenger ship in its time has grown strong. The popularity of RMS Titanic testifies to the depth and breadth of the public's fascination with the ship. It also shows how, on the first major anniversary since the last survivor's death — and since 9/11 — the disaster's meaning is changing.

The great ship sank 100 years ago, 15 April 1912, after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York. Of more than 2,200 passengers and crew — the exact number, like much about Titanic, is still in dispute — only 712 (or 713) survived, largely for lack of lifeboats.

The sinking of the RMS Titanic is considered as one of the largest peacetime maritime tragedies in history. Titanic historians everywhere remembers the lives lost on that day and the historical icon that the Titanic has become to the world.

To commemorate the triumph, tragedy and to remember and pay tribute to all who have been involved with her, this blog will highlight some spooky facts about the ship:

In the aftermath of the Titanic tragedy, search and rescue teams recovered 328 Titanic victims and temporarily brought their bodies to the Snow & Co. Funeral Parlour in Halifax, Nova Scotia. According to Encompass Magazine, the funeral home is now the Five Fisherman Restaurant, and the original pulley used to hoist the Titanic cadavers to the building's upper level still hangs in the wine room ceiling. Today, bizarre occurrences such as glass flying off a shelf and cutlery falling to the floor when no one is near are common occurrences at the restaurant. Manager Gary MacDonald has said of the building's ghosts: "You must acknowledge them or they will pull stunts."
In 2008, the Atlanta Constitution Journal published a story about the Georgia Aquarium after the "Titanic Aquatic" exhibit was featured there. Several aquarium volunteers reported strange encounters as they worked on the exhibit, which featured hundreds of Titanic-related artifacts. The aquarium staff brought in paranormal investigators, who determined that the Titanic exhibit was indeed a spirit dwelling.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, in the 1990s a San Francisco man named Jaime Rodriguez claimed that he was being haunted by a ghost, before finding that a Titanic survivor once inhabited his apartment. But former tenant Dr. Henry Washington Dodge was not considered a Titanic hero. While Dr. Dodge claimed that he called out for women and children to take a spot in the lifeboat that housed his wife and son on that fateful night, he inevitably climbed into the boat and endured public scrutiny for the rest of his life. After undergoing a lawsuit and a financial beating, Dodge sunk into a depression and committed suicide in his San Francisco apartment in 1919. His ghost appeared in the apartment every summer for years, and always in the same spot.
Legendary socialite Margaret "Molly" Brown survived the Titanic sinking, but her former Denver home is said to be the site of some unusual happenings. According to a blog on Mysterious Colorado, paranormal oddities occur regularly at Molly Brown House Museum in Denver, including furniture disturbances and alleged sightings of the ghosts of Molly and her husband James Joseph Brown. Sightings of Molly's mother in an upstairs window have also been reported, as well as mysterious smells such as Mr. Brown's tobacco and his wife's favorite rose-scented perfume.
According to the Daily Mail, the house in England where the Titanic's captain was born also has a haunting history. It may come as no surprise that the childhood home of Captain Edward John Smith has been riddled with mysterious floods and unexplained icy chills, as well as ghostly sightings.

Big Quake in Indonesia, Tsunami Alert Up

2012-04-11T18:49:00.001+08:00

A report just came in a few minutes ago that an 8.7 magnitude earthquake has struck the coast of Indonesia, sending residents around the region dashing out of their homes and offices in fear.

According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, a tsunami watch was in effect for the entire Indian Ocean and individual countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India, have already issued tsunami warnings. People near the coast in six Thai provinces were also ordered to move to higher ground as soon as they can.

The quake struck 308 miles (500 km) southwest of the city of Banda Aceh, on the northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island, at a depth of 20.5 miles (33 km), the U.S. Geological survey said.

Indonesia's disaster management agency also reported that power is currently down in Aceh province and people were gathering on high ground as sirens warned them of the danger.

"The electricity is down, there are traffic jams to access higher ground. Sirens and Koran recitals from mosques are everywhere," said Sutopo, spokesman for the agency.

Social network members posted that the quake was felt as far away as the Thai capital, Bangkok, and in southern India. They are also using the internet to reach and warn as many people as they can before a possible tsunami reach the coast.

Meanwhile, hundreds of office workers in the Indian city of Bangalore left their buildings while the Indian port of Chennai closed down because of the danger of a tsunami.

The quake was in roughly in the same area as a the deadly 26 December 2004, quake of 9.1 magnitude, which sent huge tsunami waves crashing into Sumatra, where 170,000 people were killed, and across the Indian Ocean. The total casualty in 2004 was estimated at around 230,000 people in 13 Indian Ocean countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.

The 2004 quake was at a depth of 18 miles (30 km) along a fault line running under the Indian Ocean, off western Indonesia and up into the Bay of Bengal.

The quake was also felt in Sri Lanka, where office workers in the capital, Colombo, fled their offices, and the southern Thai holiday island of Phuket, both of which were hit hard by the 2004 tsunami.

In Bangladesh, where two tremors were felt, authorities said there appeared to be no threat of a tsunami. Australia also said there was no threat of a tsunami there. However, they all suggest that the public take every precautionary action possible.

Survey: PHL Residents Pay High Energy Rates

2012-04-06T09:45:00.000+08:00

Before Filipinos bear the brunt of another power rate increase this coming May 2012, which could go as high as PhP 8.30 for those consuming an average of 200kWh, Metro Manila residents are already known as the highest paying consumers in Asia and Oceania.

According to a 2011 survey by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Metro Manilans are charged by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) US$ 0.23 per kilowatt hour (kWh) or an average of PhP 8.48 per kWh.

The JETRO survey is the second conducted by an international agency where the Philippines ranks as having the most expensive electricity rates in Asia. In 2010 an Australian consulting firm found that Manila's residential rates surpassed those of Tokyo's.

The JETRO study also found that Meralco's power rates for businesses of US$ 0.12 to US$ 013 per kWh to be generally competitive with other countries, such as those in Beijing and Shanghai, China's US$ 0.12- US$ 0.13 per kWh and Thailand's US$ 0.12 per kWh.

However, ranking-wise, Meralco's rates for business could skid to 5th or 6th place, based on the ranges presented in the survey.

Karachi, Pakistan, has the highest rate in the business category with US$ 0.94, followed by Phnom Penh (Cambodia) with US$ 0.19 per kWh; and Singapore with US$ 0.18 per kWh.

The JETRO study noted the presence of peak and off-peak rates of the cities surveyed and it noted that the estimated rates still excluded basic charges.

Next to Manila and Tokyo's high residential power rates would be Singapore at US$ 0.20 per kWh; Sydney (Australia) and Cebu (Philippines) at US$ 0.19 per kWh; Colombo (Sri Lanka) at US$ 0.18 per kWh; Mumbai (India) at US$ 0.16 per kWh; Phnom Penh at US$ 0.15 per kWh; HongKong at US$ 0.14 per kWh; Auckland (New Zealand) and Taipei (Taiwan) at US$ 0.12 per kWh; Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Karachi at US$ 0.11 per kWh; Shenzhen (China) and Chennai (India) at US$ 0.10 per kWh; and Jakarta (Indonesia); Shanghai and Guangzhou (China) and New Delhi (India) at US$ 0.09 per kWh.

The Asian city residents paying the lowest electricity rates are those in Dhaka (Bangladesh) at US$ 0.06 per kWh; followed by Seoul (Korea), Beijing (China), Batam (Indonesia) as well as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang (Vietnam) at US$ 0.07 per kWh. The next ones at US$ 0.08 per kWh are Dalian, Shenyang and Qingdao (China); Bangkok (Thailand); Yangon (Myanmar); and Bangalore (India).

Energy Secretary Rene D. Almendras conceded that the country's rates for residential consumers remained the highest in Asia, and suggested that the diversification of technology utilization in power generation can eventually bring down prices.

MVP Supports Filipino Tech Start-Ups

2012-04-02T07:41:00.000+08:00

Philippine tycoon, Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP), is embarking right now on a personal crusade to promote a science and technology culture by launching a multi-million-dollar, long-term program for the country.

The First Pacific Company Limited (First Pacific) Managing Director and Chief Executive announced a few days ago the launch of IdeaSpace, a multimillion dollar program that will help Filipino entrepreneurs develop groundbreaking technologies, and transform these into successful commercial products.

IdeaSpace is being envisioned as an incubator and accelerator program to support technology entrepreneurs and for the global market through partnerships between the MVP Group of companies and global IT companies. Aside from the seed fund being invested, successful ideas will also be augmented with parallel activities for mentorship, resources, and support from the likes of SMART, TV5, PLDT, ePLDT, Meralco, etc.

“This is part of our commitment to the future of this country. We want to help jumpstart the creation of a Silicon Valley-like ecosystem in the Philippines. This program will support innovative Filipino ‘technopreneurs’ with great ideas that promises the potential of global and national commercial potential,” said Pangilinan.

Pangilinan also said that this program for innovation and technopreneurship will go beyond commercial products and services but will also include solutions which can support social development and poverty alleviation.

The program will be run by IdeaSpace Foundation, Inc., a non-profit foundation established exclusively to implement the program. The Foundation is supported by the following companies: First Pacific, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), MPIC hospital group, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), Meralco, Smart Communications, Inc (Smart), Digitel, Sun Cellular, SPI Global, ePLDT, Indofood, Philex Mining, Maynilad, MediaQuest, and TV5.

IdeaSpace targets start-ups that can scale in the industries of water and power utilities, toll roads and transportation, healthcare, mining, telecommunications, media and food.

The program is also open to applicants focused on solutions for other industries but have potentially significant global potential.

Under IdeaSpace, the group will soon launch a national competition for the first batch of start-ups who will be immersed in an incubator program, which will include provision for office and IT space and facilities in Makati and in the Group's Leadership Academy in Antipolo.

Painstakingly Long Flights

2012-03-30T08:50:00.002+08:00

"The plane, the plane!" is the iconic line of Tattoo in each episode of the 70’s long-running fantasy television series, Fantasy Island. But aboard these 11 flights, even the families of the arriving passengers would be willing to run up the main tower to ring the bell and pester ground attendants with such announcements.

The U.S. News Travel recently released a list of the most painstakingly long journeys in the sky. While some people measure length by mileage, they believed, and this blog concurs, that the flight's duration is much more important to travellers. After all, who would want to be stuck on a plane with strangers for so long.

Take note that the numerical data below was provided by each airline and the list is arranged from the shortest to the longest flights.

New York to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific (Tie)
-- Miles: 8,059
-- Scheduled Duration: 16 Hours
Houston to Brisbane on Qantas (Tie)
-- Miles: 8,584
-- Scheduled Duration: 16 Hours
Johannesburg to New York on South African Airways (Tie)
-- Miles: 7,970
-- Scheduled Duration: 16 Hours
Newark to Hong Kong on United Airlines (Tie)
-- Miles: 8,065
-- Scheduled Duration: 16 Hours
Atlanta to Johannesburg on Delta Airlines (Tie)
-- Miles: 8,433
-- Scheduled Duration: 16 Hours 15 Minutes
Doha to Houston on Qatar Airways (Tie)
-- Miles: 8,047
-- Scheduled Duration: 16 Hours 15 Minutes
Dubai to Houston on Emirates Airways
-- Miles: 8,164*
-- Scheduled Duration: 16 Hours 20 Minutes
Dubai to Los Angeles on Emirates Airways
-- Miles: 8,335*
-- Scheduled Duration: 16 Hours 30 Minutes
Los Angeles to Bangkok on Thai Airways
-- Miles: 8,260*
-- Scheduled Duration: 17 Hours 30 Minutes
Newark to Singapore on Singapore Airlines
-- Miles: 10,371
-- Scheduled Duration: 18 Hours
Los Angeles to Singapore, Singapore Airlines
-- Miles: 9,500
-- Scheduled Duration: 18 Hours 30 Minutes

*These figures were taken from third-party sources, as the airline was unavailable for confirmation.

Online Business Name Registration

2012-03-26T10:36:00.000+08:00

The time for long queues and endless period of waiting for business name registration, hopefully, will soon be a thing of the past in the Philippines. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is planning to launch next week its online business registration portal, called Philippine Business Registry or PBR.

The PBR is a government-initiated project that facilitates business registration-related transactions by integrating the services of all agencies involved in business registration such as the DTI, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Social Security System (SSS), Pag-IBIG Fund, PhilHealth, local government units (LGUs), and other permit/license-issuing agencies.

The Web-based system would first serve as a one-stop shop for transactions involving national government agencies, except those that involve most LGUs. All processes will be interlinked so that applicants need not physically go to each agency to register their businesses.

For LGUs whose business permit processing system is not yet interlinked with the PBR, applicants still need to get their business permits from the local government where they wish to operate

With fewer steps and easier and faster processing, the DTI said PBR will strengthen government efforts to give the people the quality of service they deserve. This would make the Philippines more attractive to investors and eventually improve its global competitiveness ranking.

The DTI is streamlining business permits registration this year, especially in areas that show potential for attracting more investments in tourism and agribusiness.

Packing Tips for Holidays

2012-03-20T09:35:00.000+08:00

During the Holy Week or summer, Filipinos usually want to travel to different destinations to have fun and relax. But sometimes, traveling becomes a pain when they want to bring almost everything and fit it in their luggage.

At times like this, consider the essential things that you need to bring along. Enjoy trips to the fullest with all the right stuff in your bag.

Want to have a worry-free vacation? Here are tips on how to save space in your bag and pack more efficiently.

Be smart. Think about what items you might be duplicating. Instead of bringing along several devices like MP3 player, HD video recorder and digital camera along with different chargers, save space by carrying along one handy device.
Make packing a priority. Don't be hasty when packing for your vacation. Make a list and check that you have packed the most important items first — like passport and money — before moving onto the non-essentials. Set reminders on your phone to make sure you don't forget anything important.
Share the load. If traveling with a friend or partner, see if there any items you can share like toothpaste and hairdryers. Take only one of each to save more space for your other essentials.
Leave space for souvenirs. If you've followed the tips above — like using the city guides on your phone rather than bringing a separate guidebook — you'll have saved some space in your bag for stocking up on souvenirs on the way home.
Wear large clothes for traveling. Wear your bulkier clothes to keep the weight of your bag down. If you plan on bringing a jacket, keep it on instead of putting it in your bag. By doing this, you not only save bag space but also stay warm on the plane.
Check the weather. Check the weather before you depart using apps like WeatherHere. This free Internet-enabled app allows users to see current weather and forecast for the next three days of their current location or a city that they are about to visit. This is will also help plan outfits so that you don’t bring a jacket if it’s going to be sunny all week.
Make a list of itineraries. Plan your activities and research about your vacation destination to help you plan the things you need or need not bring. You might want to bring some mosquito anti-repellant lotion if you're sleeping in the broad outdoors or leave your scuba gear if there's a rental store nearby.
Check hand baggage rules. Call the airline or check online the hand baggage rules and regulations before you go to make sure you're up to date on their latest liquid allowances and other restrictions because these often

Booth Options for Trade Shows

2012-03-19T09:48:00.000+08:00

Small and medium enterprise owners know that a trade show exhibition booth can be a valuable element in their company's success. If they can capture the attention and interest of their targeted customer group, they have the perfect opportunity to educate them on the benefits of their product or service.

Hence, it is important for their personnel deployed in the trade show exhibits to see and speak to as many of their potential customers as possible, without making anyone feel rushed or like a number. Industry experts recommend that these staffs should first determine the identity of the person with whom they are speaking - including the company they represent and their position (and likely their decision-making ability).

If the person is not in a decision-making position, it is best the skilled staff to get the conversation to a polite end as quickly as possible. If the prospect is in a decision-making position, they should focus on learning more from her or him than on talking themselves. They should also try to keep control of the conversation by guiding it along quickly, so that each exchange lasts less than five minutes.

It is not as easy as others portray them to be. Managing a business booths in trade shows and social events takes a lot of patience because this is the time to learn everything about the prospect's needs.

To help pull off a huge success and ease the pressure of ensuring that no major operation will go wrong in these business events, Camelback Displays, Inc.™ offers a viable solution.

After helping more than 16,000 since 1999, Camelback Displays, Inc.™ is aware how difficult it is to choose the right tools and equipment required for a successful exhibit, including the designs suited for table covers.

An attractive table top display can be an excellent source of sales inquiries. It can demonstrate to customers the products or services that they may need and they can immediately get instant inquiries from the technical staff operating it. It is also at these booths that they can follow up on their request.

Camelback Displays, Inc.™ offers all styles of truss for lighting, displays trade shows, concerts, special events and more. Since they represent all major suppliers, they offer every type of system including aluminum and steel trusses.

They also offer pipe and drape, which is usually preferred at several venues to make trade show booths because of their inherent characteristics, and a full line of logo floor mats for indoor or outdoor displays as well as directors chairs.

Prospects are High for Cloud Computing Service

2012-03-16T13:58:00.000+08:00

I just finished an article on cloud computing in TechCrunch and it appears to me that the service could become the saving grace for millions of unemployed worldwide. According to Microsoft and IDC, cloud computing service will generate nearly 14 million jobs worldwide by 2015, and that in 2012 that number is already at 6.7 million. That development, IDC says, could account for US$ 1.1 trillion annually in new business revenues.

That will come in the form of more efficiency for people whose jobs would have originally had more tie-in with IT — now outsourced in the form of cloud-services — but also completely new opportunities: half of the jobs that will be created, says IDC, will be in China and India.

Microsoft, of course, has a big agenda to push here with its own cloud applications, but IDC is attempting to focus on the bigger picture, where companies like Dropbox, Box and Apple will sit alongside more enterprise-focused offerings, and those findings essentially go beyond what Microsoft will achieve with its own services.

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility (like the electricity grid) over a network (typically the Internet). It provides computation, software applications, data access, data management and storage resources without requiring cloud users to know the location and other details of the computing infrastructure.

IDC predicts that new jobs will be split equally between small and large business, with more than one-third of jobs in three specific sectors: communications/media (2.4 million jobs); banking (1.4 million jobs) and discrete manufacturing (1.3 million jobs). Sectors like banking will focus on cloud-based security and private implementations rather than public cloud services — the latter, on the other hand, are getting adopted not only by other businesses but by consumers, too.

It is interesting to note, however, that U.S. appears to be more of a consumer of apps than a creator of cloud jobs. The country accounted for 62 percent of cloud services spend in 2011, but by 2015 will only account for seven percent of cloud jobs, or 1.09 million jobs created as a result of cloud services.

In contrast, IDC says that the real growth will come in developing countries. Indeed, given that we’ve already seen years of IT outsourcing to countries like China and India, it’s not really surprising that countries like this will lead the way in terms of more job creation in the area of cloud services. IDC predicts that China will see 4.6 million and India 2.1 million new jobs by 2015, accounting for nearly half of all the new cloud-related jobs.

Cleaning Time, Naked Time

2012-03-10T20:45:00.000+08:00

"Cleaning time is never fun, bare from morn till set of sun; Cannot stand and cannot sit, cannot rest a little bit ..." This rephrased version of a popular song in the Philippines about planting rice could never have been fully appreciated anywhere else than in South Africa.

After struggling to find work in a country with a 23.9 percent unemployment, entrepreneur Jean-Paul Reid founded accompany that bills itself as "the world's only all-naked service company." The Natural Cleaning Company provides clients with maids who buff in the buff and plumbers who strip off more than just the grime in your pipes.

"Cleaning is the popular one, and then handyman services for the ladies," Reid, 29, told AFP.

He also added that he currently gets about one client per day, typically white middle-aged men. He also describes the company employees, who worked part-time, as regular people with day jobs ranging from modelling to personal trainer to law student to accountant.

The service is "purely entertainment", Reid stressed, saying: "We don't offer prostitution or anything like that."

The company's website, naturalcleaning.wozaonline.co.za, features a svelte shirtless man thrusting a vacuum across a rug, a slender young woman ironing in nothing but socks, a nude chef with a tastefully placed salad bowl, and a host of other naked services available in the country's four largest cities.

Prices range from 175 rand (US$ 23, 17 euros) per hour for "semi-naked services" to 450 rand for professionals like lawyers, accountants and plumbers.

"You choose your service provider and what they wear," the site advertises.

Reid said he takes about 20 percent and workers keep the rest. "I'm making ends meet. I'm not making lots of money, but I'm covering the expenses. It's still early days."

BlogWorld and New Media Expo NYC 2012

2012-03-06T13:16:00.000+08:00

Bloggers all over the world are always looking forward to attending the annual social media event known as BlogWorld and New Media Expo NYC 2012 It is a must-attend activity that hosts thousands of attendees plus more than 200 quality speakers. As announced during the regular press conference, BlogWorld 2012 is taking place at the Jacob Javits Center, New York on 5-7 June 2012.

Now on its second year in the Big Apple, BlogWorld is planning a 3-day cutting-edge conference sessions and eye-opening keynotes. It’s not just the conference content that BlogWorld attendees boast about, 2012 attendees will also find a thriving tradeshow and great evening networking mixers. This is the only industry-wide event bringing the global community of content creators and publishers together all under one roof.

Who attends this important event?
Bloggers, Podcasters, Web TV & Radio Broadcasters, Social Media Networkers and all types of content creators from every major genre attend BlogWorld. The conference has become known for covering all the latest strategies, best practices, and proven techniques for content creation, distribution and monetization. This is your opportunity to learn from thought leaders and the most successful content creators in the Internet industry. Check out who is speaking at Blog World Expo in June!

Business focused content and actionable strategies…
Social Media Business Summit, presented by BlogWorld, focuses on how businesses can leverage social media strategies to increase their revenues and better service their customers. Business focused attendees will walk away with in-depth knowledge of the latest trends in digital publishing and broadcasting. The Social Media Business Summit will feature case studies from leading brands in social media, discussions on how to evolve your online marketing strategies, sessions on innovative ways to reach new customers, and an environment focused on teaching you how to cultivate brand evangelists in digital media.

Come learn from leading social media marketing experts, leave with actionable plans for growing your business now.

Why sponsors keep coming back to be a part of BlogWorld?
This is the place where new media becomes new business. If your company provides a product or service content creators need, you cannot afford to miss the exhibiting opportunities at the new media Expo. Connect face-to-face with thousands of early adopters, key influencers, potential customers, and reporters throughout the exhibition. This is your time to generate new business with qualified buyers who spend serious time and money growing their online business.

Don’t wait, the previous Expo sold out … REGISTER NOW BEFORE EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS: Don't miss out, get your BlogWorld NYC Conference Pass today!, and be sure to ask about integrated sponsorship opportunities to launch your brand, business, or new service! The Expo is where online influencers, voracious technology consumers, industry leaders and innovators come looking for resources.

FB Users Get More Than They Give

2012-03-01T11:48:00.000+08:00

When you look at yourself internally, your conscience will immediately tell you that it is better to give than to receive. However, that appears to be not the case for the average Facebook user.

A study released on 10 February 2012 found that the average user of the world's biggest online social network gets more than they give. That means more messages, more "likes" and more comments. Yes, even more "pokes."

Behind all that is Facebook's relatively small group of "power users," who do more than their share of tagging, liking and uploading. The report from the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project comes two days after Facebook filed for a US$ 5 billion initial public offering of stock that could eventually value the company at US$ 100 billion.

Key to that mammoth valuation will be Facebook's ability to convince advertisers they can make money from the billons of connections and interactions that people partake in on its website and beyond. Though Pew's findings don't address the commercial side of people's activities, they shed important light on how people use the site and what they get out of it.

The study is the product of Pew's analysis of Facebook users' activities in November 2010. It consisted of data that Facebook provided to Pew after 269 users gave their permission. Those users were identified through a random telephone survey about broader Internet issues.

The researchers found that about 20 percent to 30 percent of Facebook users fell into the "power user" category, though they tended to specialize in different types of activities on Facebook. Some of them sent a lot of friend requests, while others tagged more photos than the average user. Only 5 percent were power users in every activity that Pew logged.

The way this plays out is that the average user is more "liked" than they click "like" on other's posts. They receive more friend requests than they send. On average, 63 percent of Facebook users studied received friend requests in the survey month while only 40 percent made a friend request.

The result? It feels good to be on Facebook. It might even feel better than life off Facebook. After all, there's no dislike button, and friends are unlikely to post harsh comments on your page. Instead, people you might not have seen in years bombard you with positive affirmations day after day, year after year.

"You keep getting all these wonderful positive rewards," said Keith Hampton, the study's main author and a Rutgers University professor. "That's pretty hard to give up."

Getting more than you are giving, in terms of emotional support, "is kind of what you are looking for," he added.

This might be the lure of Facebook, the reason it could be worth $100 billion and the reason it has 845 million users who are not leaving even if they've been on the site for years. The study found no evidence of "Facebook fatigue," the idea that people get tired of Facebook after they've been on it for a long time.

In fact it was the opposite. The longer someone had been using Facebook, the more frequently they posted status updates, pressed "like" and commented on friends' content.

"For most people, the longer they are on Facebook, the more they do on Facebook," Hampton said.

The researchers also looked at poking, the weird, perhaps least-understood and easily joked-about activity on Facebook. They found that the "poke" button was among the least-practiced activities. Only 6 percent of users poked a friend, while 7 percent were poked during the month.

"While uncommon, some Facebook users are frequent pokers," the report says. "Five participants from our sample poked nearly once a day, being poked themselves a nearly equal number of times."

The original phone survey of 2,255 adults was done in October and November of 2010 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points. At the end of that survey, users were asked for consent for Facebook to share data. Twelve percent of the survey participants agreed.

A Look at the Electronic Industry's Performance

2012-02-23T09:54:00.001+08:00

Let us now take a look at some of the data that tells us in so many ways how selected makers of phones and other consumer-electronic gadgets are faring so far this year:

19 January: Microsoft Corp. says it shipped 8.2 million Xbox 360 video game consoles in the latest quarter, compared with 6.3 million a year earlier.

24 January: Apple Inc. says it sold 37 million iPhones in the latest quarter, double the figure of the previous quarter and more than twice as many as it sold in the holiday quarter of 2010. The iPhone 4S launched during the quarter, and Sprint Nextel Corp. joined as an iPhone carrier in the U.S. Apple shipped 15.4 million iPads in the quarter, again more than doubling sales from a year earlier. Apple sold 5.2 million Macs during the quarter, up 26 percent from a year earlier. The company sold 21 percent fewer iPods, at 15.4 million.

26 January: Nokia Corp. says it sold 19.6 million smartphones in the quarter, down from 28 million a year earlier. That includes more than 1 million Lumia devices running Microsoft's Windows software. The Lumia 800 and Lumia 710 hit stores in Europe and Asia in November, while T-Mobile started offering the 710 in the U.S. in January.

Nintendo Co. says worldwide sales of the 3DS handheld totaled 11.43 million in the last nine months of 2011. The company is now forecasting sales of 14 million machines for the fiscal year through March 2012, down from an earlier 16 million, despite an August price cut. Nintendo sold 9 million Wii machines during the nine-month period. It is now expecting to sell 10 million Wii machines in the year ending March, down from an initial estimate of 13 million, which was revised lower to 12 million in July. The company did not provide quarterly breakdowns.

Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. says it shipped 10.5 million mobile devices in the quarter, including 5.3 million smartphones and 200,000 tablet computers. A year earlier, the company shipped 11.3 million devices, including 4.9 million smartphones.

27 January: Samsung Electronics Co., maker of the Galaxy line of phones and tablet computers, doesn't disclose the number of smartphones it sells, but it says shipments rose by about 30 percent in the latest quarter, compared with the third quarter. No comparison to the previous year was given.

Sony Corp. says it sold 6.5 million PlayStation 3 units, on par with the 6.3 million in the 2010 holiday quarter. Sales of the PlayStation Portable declined to 2.4 million, from 3.6 million a year earlier.