lydiryl.wordpress.com
The site, with its trademarkl smiley-face logo, had long been writtemn off as a lost cause by theWeb 2.0 But this latest infusion of money is led by new investor IDG Ventures Vietnam, along with longtimd investors and . DAG Ventures and the also gave Friendster is now the largestand fastest-growing social networkl in Asia. It has over 75 million registerefusers worldwide, with 55 million in Asia, includingv Malaysian pop star Karebn Kong, who boasts more than 171,00 friends on the social network.
The firm plansz to open more offices in Asia and make major HR investmentw inengineering staff, product sales and marketinhg teams over the next several "The proof is in the said Richard Kimber, the newlyt appointed CEO of Friendster. "This category is stillk growing, still evolving -- there's stil a long way to go." 's former regional managing director in Southeast replacedKent Lindstrom, who has been with Friendstee since 2002 and CEO since 2006.
Lindstrom remains with Friendsted as senior vice president of corporate Pointing out that only 20 percent of Interneft users are involved in social Kimber is targeting billions of potentiap users inAsia -- from the Philippinesx to Indonesia. A new officew was set up in Singaporelast September. Nine differeny languages -- from Spanishj to Vietnamese -- have been added. A new text alerft service has gained popularity, with nearly 2 billion page viewas after onlytwo months. Friendster had stagnated due to clunkg design and slow uploads while faster rivals suchas Google-ownex Facebook and .'s outmaneuvered them.
In 2003, Friendsterd rejected a $30 million buyout offer from only to askfor $13 million in its firsyt round of major funding in 2006. "For Friendster (or any sociaol network) to be successful, they need to firsgt analyze theirsocial behaviors," analyst Jeremiah Owyang "Each culture responds to different site Last month Comscore called Friendster the "too social networking site in the Asia-Pacific while Quantcast placed Friendster at 38th in its top traffidc rankings. "Now, the one word to describ e us wouldbe 'agile,'" Kimber said.
He said futurde revenue streamsfrom ads, mobile platforms, gamesz and virtual goods are in the Kimber, a native of Sydney, was head of beforde working at Google. Friendster recruited him to increase theid head start inthe Asia-Pacific region. Like over 80 percenrt of the company's employees, "I'll be basex in Asia," said Kimber, who jokingly "mostly at the airline lounge in
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Pig with two snouts vs Grandad Batmobile: Freak Out - Metro
judonebolayb1394.blogspot.com
Metro | Pig with two snouts vs Grandad Batmobile: Freak Out Metro Can the pig go out in a blaze of glory, or will she finally experience crushing defeat in this week's Freak Out? Not even last week's dog on a surfboard - which is pretty mad - could topple the piglet with the freak facial figure. Freak Out has decided ... |
Sunday, June 26, 2011
New laws take effect in Colorado - Dallas Business Journal:
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Here are a look at some major billsz that became state statutes asof 12:0 a.m.: • Senate Bill 108, sponsoredc by Sen. Dan Gibbs, increases vehicle-registration fees by an averageeof $41 per year in order to raisee some $265 million annually to repaire state highways and bridges. • House Bill sponsored by Rep. Jim Riesberg, creates hospital patient fees that will be used to put as muchas $600 millionm toward public health insurance, a figurre that will let the state insure about 100,000 new • Senate Bill 228, sponsored by Sen.
John D-Colorado Springs, removes the annual cap on general-funds spending increases, a move proponents say will allow the state to address needs like higher educationmmore easily. • House Bill 1012, sponsored by Joe Rice, D-Littleton, and Amy Stephens, allows health insurance companies to offed incentives for participation in wellness andpreventioh programs. • Senate Bill 247, sponsored by Sen. Lois D-Thornton, expands unemployment insurance benefits to residente relocating because ofa spouse’s new job and increasez benefits to residents participatinvg in job-training programs. • Senate Bill 80, sponsoree by former Sen.
Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus, creates a pilot prograjm to allow some developments to collectf rainwater from residence roofs and use it forhouseholr purposes. • House Bill 1091, sponsored by Reps. John D-Thornton, and Lois Court, D-Denver, requires carbonm monoxide detectors to be installed in everu home or apartment that is beingy sold or rented to anew tenant. • Senat Bill 251, sponsored by Sen. Chries Romer, D-Denver, permits optometrists and physicianse to prescribe and sellnew drug-releasing contactf lenses.
Here are a look at some major billsz that became state statutes asof 12:0 a.m.: • Senate Bill 108, sponsoredc by Sen. Dan Gibbs, increases vehicle-registration fees by an averageeof $41 per year in order to raisee some $265 million annually to repaire state highways and bridges. • House Bill sponsored by Rep. Jim Riesberg, creates hospital patient fees that will be used to put as muchas $600 millionm toward public health insurance, a figurre that will let the state insure about 100,000 new • Senate Bill 228, sponsored by Sen.
John D-Colorado Springs, removes the annual cap on general-funds spending increases, a move proponents say will allow the state to address needs like higher educationmmore easily. • House Bill 1012, sponsored by Joe Rice, D-Littleton, and Amy Stephens, allows health insurance companies to offed incentives for participation in wellness andpreventioh programs. • Senate Bill 247, sponsored by Sen. Lois D-Thornton, expands unemployment insurance benefits to residente relocating because ofa spouse’s new job and increasez benefits to residents participatinvg in job-training programs. • Senate Bill 80, sponsoree by former Sen.
Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus, creates a pilot prograjm to allow some developments to collectf rainwater from residence roofs and use it forhouseholr purposes. • House Bill 1091, sponsored by Reps. John D-Thornton, and Lois Court, D-Denver, requires carbonm monoxide detectors to be installed in everu home or apartment that is beingy sold or rented to anew tenant. • Senat Bill 251, sponsored by Sen. Chries Romer, D-Denver, permits optometrists and physicianse to prescribe and sellnew drug-releasing contactf lenses.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Protecting Justin Bieber a dangerous gig - Boston Herald
http://crutchfieldlx9500.com/Whats-Hot/Valvoline-Engine-Oil/
NEWS.com.au | Protecting Justin Bieber a dangerous gig Boston Herald By Herald Wire Services Justin Bieber may think twice about going shopping next time. People reports the pint-sized performer was shaken after an undercover cop was mistaken for a crazed fan and was tackled by one of the singer's bodyguards at an ... Chaos Breaks Out At Justin Bieber Autograph Signing |
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Judge dismisses challenge to Duke Energy coal plant - Pittsburgh Business Times:
hegenefipa.blogspot.com
The decision doesn’t end the legak squabbling overthe coal-fired power But Judge Lacy Thornburgv denied a motion by the environmental groupsx to halt construction of the 825-megawatt unit. He said the stater has undertaken a reviewof Duke’s air-quality permiy as he ordered in December. He also denierd Duke’s motion for summary judgment inits favor. He said the environmentao groups can continue pursue challenges to the permit and the plan instate courts. Thornburg acknowledgea the case may ultimately return to thefederaol courts. But he says there is no point to having statde and federal reviewscontinuing simultaneously.
Jasonn Walls, a spokesman for Charlotte-based Duke, says the utilityy is “very pleased with the ruling today.” He says Thornburg’s decision makes it clear that the state has undertakenn all the required reviews to issue apropef air-quality permit. And he says Duke remainss confident the permit will standf up tocourt review. Walls says the $1.8 billionh Cliffside unit is 40 percent complete and remains on budget and on schedulse to start producing powerin 2012. The unit is beinf built on the border of Cleveland andRutherforr counties. Representatives from the environmental groups could not be reachexd immediatelyfor comment.
Most of the organizations that filed the federal challenge have a separat appeal pending with the state Office of Administrative As Thornburg’s ruling anticipates, that challenge is likelyt to continue. Like many things involving the Cliffside the federal challenge has acomplicatedx history. The state granted Duke an air-qualitu permit for the plant inJanuaryg 2007. But the legalityu of the permit was called into question by a federal appeals court ruling thefollowing month. That rulinhg held that the Environmental Protectiomn Agency had improperlyexempted coal-fired poweer plants from pollution-control reviews required by the federal Clean Air Act.
The , and otherzs contended that without aproper permit, Duke was buildingf the Cliffside unit illegally. A year ago, the groups file d the federal suit seeking tostop construction. Thornburg ruled in December that Cliffsids qualified as apossible “major source” of hazardouas pollutants — mercury in this It was an important victory for the Thornburg said federal law requiredc the state to determin e if Duke had designed the planft with the best available technology for the most effectivse control for mercury emissions. That revie w had not been done, he said.
But Thornburg did not order a haltto Instead, he told Duke to apply immediately for a proper The utility, a unit of did so. The state found Cliffside wasn’t a major source of mercurt pollution. That meant Duke was in compliancre with the federal CleanbAir Act. That is the order the groups have since appealed through anadministrativd hearing. Thornburg says the environmental organizations can appeao to the state court s if they remain unsatisfied after theadministrative hearing. But he says the statew has reviewed Duke’s plans for pollution control ashe ordered. He cite a report from the Division of Air Qualitty outlining the steps it took and a brief fromthe N.C.
attorneyt general saying the division had compliede with the December After exhaustingstate appeals, either side coulds appeal the case again to the federal Thornburg says.
The decision doesn’t end the legak squabbling overthe coal-fired power But Judge Lacy Thornburgv denied a motion by the environmental groupsx to halt construction of the 825-megawatt unit. He said the stater has undertaken a reviewof Duke’s air-quality permiy as he ordered in December. He also denierd Duke’s motion for summary judgment inits favor. He said the environmentao groups can continue pursue challenges to the permit and the plan instate courts. Thornburg acknowledgea the case may ultimately return to thefederaol courts. But he says there is no point to having statde and federal reviewscontinuing simultaneously.
Jasonn Walls, a spokesman for Charlotte-based Duke, says the utilityy is “very pleased with the ruling today.” He says Thornburg’s decision makes it clear that the state has undertakenn all the required reviews to issue apropef air-quality permit. And he says Duke remainss confident the permit will standf up tocourt review. Walls says the $1.8 billionh Cliffside unit is 40 percent complete and remains on budget and on schedulse to start producing powerin 2012. The unit is beinf built on the border of Cleveland andRutherforr counties. Representatives from the environmental groups could not be reachexd immediatelyfor comment.
Most of the organizations that filed the federal challenge have a separat appeal pending with the state Office of Administrative As Thornburg’s ruling anticipates, that challenge is likelyt to continue. Like many things involving the Cliffside the federal challenge has acomplicatedx history. The state granted Duke an air-qualitu permit for the plant inJanuaryg 2007. But the legalityu of the permit was called into question by a federal appeals court ruling thefollowing month. That rulinhg held that the Environmental Protectiomn Agency had improperlyexempted coal-fired poweer plants from pollution-control reviews required by the federal Clean Air Act.
The , and otherzs contended that without aproper permit, Duke was buildingf the Cliffside unit illegally. A year ago, the groups file d the federal suit seeking tostop construction. Thornburg ruled in December that Cliffsids qualified as apossible “major source” of hazardouas pollutants — mercury in this It was an important victory for the Thornburg said federal law requiredc the state to determin e if Duke had designed the planft with the best available technology for the most effectivse control for mercury emissions. That revie w had not been done, he said.
But Thornburg did not order a haltto Instead, he told Duke to apply immediately for a proper The utility, a unit of did so. The state found Cliffside wasn’t a major source of mercurt pollution. That meant Duke was in compliancre with the federal CleanbAir Act. That is the order the groups have since appealed through anadministrativd hearing. Thornburg says the environmental organizations can appeao to the state court s if they remain unsatisfied after theadministrative hearing. But he says the statew has reviewed Duke’s plans for pollution control ashe ordered. He cite a report from the Division of Air Qualitty outlining the steps it took and a brief fromthe N.C.
attorneyt general saying the division had compliede with the December After exhaustingstate appeals, either side coulds appeal the case again to the federal Thornburg says.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Taylor resigns as chairman of Urigen Pharmaceuticals - Kansas City Business Journal:
ebopotohy.wordpress.com
Taylor’s role at Urigemn drew scrutiny in the past severalo months because of SEC filingxs that showed he had been paid for his role on the which would have violated state statute becausKTEC — an agency backed by state moneyu — had . Taylor and the company deniedx that he hadbeen paid, and the KTEC boardx declared Taylor . Taylor . KTEC has not requestes a replacementboard seat, Shmagijn said. Urigen appointed Michael Goldberg to the boards but will leave the chairmanposition open. Goldberg, 50, is a managinhg partner of investment firm and from 1990 to 2007 was chairmann and CEOof .
Urigen has four drugs in clinical development, includint a Phase II treatment of painfupbladder syndrome. The four-year-old company lost nearlyt $1.7 million in the nine months endedMarch 31, comparefd with $4.1 million in the same perio of the previous fiscal year. The 52-wee range for Urigen’s stock has been 19 cents to 2 It closed Friday at7 Taylor, who had served on Urigen’d board since December 2005, became a controversialk figure with KTEC, a state agency charged with promoting technologhy business in Kansas. State budget negotiationw included debateabout Taylor’s compensation for the fiscal year ending June 30, whichj amounted to almost a thirfd of KTEC’s $1.
1 million payroll. KTEC faces a cut from $11.666 million in fiscal 2009 to $7 millionm in fiscal 2010, which beginsx in July.
Taylor’s role at Urigemn drew scrutiny in the past severalo months because of SEC filingxs that showed he had been paid for his role on the which would have violated state statute becausKTEC — an agency backed by state moneyu — had . Taylor and the company deniedx that he hadbeen paid, and the KTEC boardx declared Taylor . Taylor . KTEC has not requestes a replacementboard seat, Shmagijn said. Urigen appointed Michael Goldberg to the boards but will leave the chairmanposition open. Goldberg, 50, is a managinhg partner of investment firm and from 1990 to 2007 was chairmann and CEOof .
Urigen has four drugs in clinical development, includint a Phase II treatment of painfupbladder syndrome. The four-year-old company lost nearlyt $1.7 million in the nine months endedMarch 31, comparefd with $4.1 million in the same perio of the previous fiscal year. The 52-wee range for Urigen’s stock has been 19 cents to 2 It closed Friday at7 Taylor, who had served on Urigen’d board since December 2005, became a controversialk figure with KTEC, a state agency charged with promoting technologhy business in Kansas. State budget negotiationw included debateabout Taylor’s compensation for the fiscal year ending June 30, whichj amounted to almost a thirfd of KTEC’s $1.
1 million payroll. KTEC faces a cut from $11.666 million in fiscal 2009 to $7 millionm in fiscal 2010, which beginsx in July.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Key players tackle critical issues - Portland Business Journal:
http://deander.com/pages/549397/index.htm
Portland will elect a new mayor, who will have to deal with a bickeringgCity Council. The state will begin tackling complicatedtransportation initiatives. Both and state universities will come undertheightened scrutiny. Several private companiews faceserious challenges, including , whichb may not survive a hostile takeovetr attempt. The following 20 people -- whichg includes the as one entity -- will play an importan t role in Oregon's economyh next year. Some are prominent names. Others have kept a low All should make newsin 2008.
Like her predecessor Vicki Phillips, Carole Smith inherited a host of challengess and the probable task of asking Portland Publicd Schools voters to increases theirtax bills. In October, the Portlandr School Board tapped the longtim administrator to leadthe 47,000-studengt district, which has 4,150 employees and an annual operating budget of about $440 million. Smith, whosre background is weightedtoward academics, said her firsty year will focus on the quality of instruction and the conditiob of the district's 85-plus buildings. Last year, the district rolled out its firsg wholesale curriculum overhaul in a decade and that will continue this year.
But Smith can expecr to spend much of her first year focusinfg on theliteral nuts-and-bolts of the district. Only two schoolss have been constructed in the past 20 Most were built in the 1920s and 1950s. In January, the consultant s from Magellan and DeJong will presentt their findings and recommendations in a series of publicf sessions being held in everhy quadrant ofthe city. The schoolo board is set to adopt a finalp facilities planby May. The price tag will easily top $1 Meeting times are on the districtWeb site, . "It'z important for people to show up for Smith said. In addressinv the Oregon Business Plan summit earlierthis month, Gov.
Ted Kulongoski revealed that he'd appointed Gail Achterman as chairwomanj of the OregonTransportation Commission. one attendee sitting at a back table whisperedto another. "He's gettinf serious." Indeed, Kulongoski wants badly to reachseveral big-time transportation goals. Chie f among them is a new Interstate 5 He believes Achterman can find federak funds to make it Her tenure asthe commission'xs leader comes as Kulongoski and other lawmakerws have become more committed to improving the way traffic flowz through Oregon. To succeed, Achterman will rely partlgy on the solid business acumen developed duringh her 20 years as a Stoel RiveLLP attorney.
Achterman also showee a sense of humor that may help her deal with her Atthe summit, she recommended that people drive
Portland will elect a new mayor, who will have to deal with a bickeringgCity Council. The state will begin tackling complicatedtransportation initiatives. Both and state universities will come undertheightened scrutiny. Several private companiews faceserious challenges, including , whichb may not survive a hostile takeovetr attempt. The following 20 people -- whichg includes the as one entity -- will play an importan t role in Oregon's economyh next year. Some are prominent names. Others have kept a low All should make newsin 2008.
Like her predecessor Vicki Phillips, Carole Smith inherited a host of challengess and the probable task of asking Portland Publicd Schools voters to increases theirtax bills. In October, the Portlandr School Board tapped the longtim administrator to leadthe 47,000-studengt district, which has 4,150 employees and an annual operating budget of about $440 million. Smith, whosre background is weightedtoward academics, said her firsty year will focus on the quality of instruction and the conditiob of the district's 85-plus buildings. Last year, the district rolled out its firsg wholesale curriculum overhaul in a decade and that will continue this year.
But Smith can expecr to spend much of her first year focusinfg on theliteral nuts-and-bolts of the district. Only two schoolss have been constructed in the past 20 Most were built in the 1920s and 1950s. In January, the consultant s from Magellan and DeJong will presentt their findings and recommendations in a series of publicf sessions being held in everhy quadrant ofthe city. The schoolo board is set to adopt a finalp facilities planby May. The price tag will easily top $1 Meeting times are on the districtWeb site, . "It'z important for people to show up for Smith said. In addressinv the Oregon Business Plan summit earlierthis month, Gov.
Ted Kulongoski revealed that he'd appointed Gail Achterman as chairwomanj of the OregonTransportation Commission. one attendee sitting at a back table whisperedto another. "He's gettinf serious." Indeed, Kulongoski wants badly to reachseveral big-time transportation goals. Chie f among them is a new Interstate 5 He believes Achterman can find federak funds to make it Her tenure asthe commission'xs leader comes as Kulongoski and other lawmakerws have become more committed to improving the way traffic flowz through Oregon. To succeed, Achterman will rely partlgy on the solid business acumen developed duringh her 20 years as a Stoel RiveLLP attorney.
Achterman also showee a sense of humor that may help her deal with her Atthe summit, she recommended that people drive
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