Tuesday, March 29, 2011

personal finance budgets





Another day, another honking big funding for another online start-up (and yet another broken embargo too!).


It’s like Groundhog Day in Silicon Valley as usual.


Today, Cambridge, Mass.-based HubSpot wins tech’s version of the lottery, grabbing $32 million from Sequoia Capital, Google Ventures and also Salesforce.com.


It is unclear what the valuation for HubSpot is now, although it is likely high given it has raised $65 million now.


HubSpot makes marketing software for businesses, who use it to find prospects and generate leads, along with tools to analyze the process. It claims it has “4,000 customers, over 50 percent market share, five million leads managed, and 70 million page views tracked monthly.”


The Series D financing included HubSpot’s existing venture investors–General Catalyst Partners, Matrix Partners, and Scale Venture Partners–and part of it will be used to cash out existing shareholders. In previous rounds, the start-up has raised $33 million.


Here is the official press release:


Sequoia, Google Ventures, and Salesforce.com Invest $32 Million in HubSpot

Marketing Software Company Attracts New Strategic Investors


CAMBRIDGE, MA–(Marketwire – March 8, 2011)–Today, for the first time ever, Sequoia Capital, Google Ventures and Salesforce.com all invested together in one company, providing HubSpot with a Series D round of financing through a $32 million investment. HubSpot provides all-in-one marketing software used by over 4,000 businesses to get found by more prospects, convert them into leads and sales, and analyze the entire marketing process.


“The fundamental way that people shop, learn, and buy has changed radically in the last few years. HubSpot helps transform the way businesses market from outbound marketing (cold calls, email blasts, and direct mail) to inbound marketing (Google, blogs, social media, mobile, etc.),” said Brian Halligan, co-founder and CEO of HubSpot.


Sequoia Capital has a long history of partnering with founders to help them build long-term, multi-billion dollar companies, including Google, LinkedIn, AdMob, YouTube, Yahoo!, Apple, and Oracle. “We back companies that are transforming their industries,” said Jim Goetz, General Partner at Sequoia Capital. “HubSpot is the emerging category leader in the SaaS marketing sector. Their customer base exceeds that of all the other relevant marketing software companies combined, including Eloqua, Marketo, Genius, and Manticore.”


“Today, every company needs to succeed in search, social, sales, and marketing–I can’t think of a more powerful trifecta than Google, Salesforce.com, and HubSpot. With 4,000 customers, HubSpot is already a clear marketing leader–now, with this new infusion of capital and recognition by Google’s venture arm and Salesforce.com, HubSpot has a great opportunity to separate itself from the pack and become the leading marketing platform in the small and medium business space,” said Brent Leary, co-founder of CRM Essentials.


Google Ventures Partner, Rich Miner (formerly co-founder of Android) said, “We agree with HubSpot’s belief that search engines, social media, and mobile devices have fundamentally changed how businesses should market themselves. We’re thrilled to support their efforts to help thousands of small and medium businesses reach potential customers.”


Dharmesh Shah, co-founder and CTO of HubSpot commented, “We founded the company based on a simple premise: Businesses want an easy-to-use, complete and integrated marketing platform that helps them get more leads and customers. We plan to use this new capital to further invest in this ambitious vision and further our existing lead in the marketing software category.”










Another day, another honking big funding for another online start-up (and yet another broken embargo too!).


It’s like Groundhog Day in Silicon Valley as usual.


Today, Cambridge, Mass.-based HubSpot wins tech’s version of the lottery, grabbing $32 million from Sequoia Capital, Google Ventures and also Salesforce.com.


It is unclear what the valuation for HubSpot is now, although it is likely high given it has raised $65 million now.


HubSpot makes marketing software for businesses, who use it to find prospects and generate leads, along with tools to analyze the process. It claims it has “4,000 customers, over 50 percent market share, five million leads managed, and 70 million page views tracked monthly.”


The Series D financing included HubSpot’s existing venture investors–General Catalyst Partners, Matrix Partners, and Scale Venture Partners–and part of it will be used to cash out existing shareholders. In previous rounds, the start-up has raised $33 million.


Here is the official press release:


Sequoia, Google Ventures, and Salesforce.com Invest $32 Million in HubSpot

Marketing Software Company Attracts New Strategic Investors


CAMBRIDGE, MA–(Marketwire – March 8, 2011)–Today, for the first time ever, Sequoia Capital, Google Ventures and Salesforce.com all invested together in one company, providing HubSpot with a Series D round of financing through a $32 million investment. HubSpot provides all-in-one marketing software used by over 4,000 businesses to get found by more prospects, convert them into leads and sales, and analyze the entire marketing process.


“The fundamental way that people shop, learn, and buy has changed radically in the last few years. HubSpot helps transform the way businesses market from outbound marketing (cold calls, email blasts, and direct mail) to inbound marketing (Google, blogs, social media, mobile, etc.),” said Brian Halligan, co-founder and CEO of HubSpot.


Sequoia Capital has a long history of partnering with founders to help them build long-term, multi-billion dollar companies, including Google, LinkedIn, AdMob, YouTube, Yahoo!, Apple, and Oracle. “We back companies that are transforming their industries,” said Jim Goetz, General Partner at Sequoia Capital. “HubSpot is the emerging category leader in the SaaS marketing sector. Their customer base exceeds that of all the other relevant marketing software companies combined, including Eloqua, Marketo, Genius, and Manticore.”


“Today, every company needs to succeed in search, social, sales, and marketing–I can’t think of a more powerful trifecta than Google, Salesforce.com, and HubSpot. With 4,000 customers, HubSpot is already a clear marketing leader–now, with this new infusion of capital and recognition by Google’s venture arm and Salesforce.com, HubSpot has a great opportunity to separate itself from the pack and become the leading marketing platform in the small and medium business space,” said Brent Leary, co-founder of CRM Essentials.


Google Ventures Partner, Rich Miner (formerly co-founder of Android) said, “We agree with HubSpot’s belief that search engines, social media, and mobile devices have fundamentally changed how businesses should market themselves. We’re thrilled to support their efforts to help thousands of small and medium businesses reach potential customers.”


Dharmesh Shah, co-founder and CTO of HubSpot commented, “We founded the company based on a simple premise: Businesses want an easy-to-use, complete and integrated marketing platform that helps them get more leads and customers. We plan to use this new capital to further invest in this ambitious vision and further our existing lead in the marketing software category.”







Surface Encounters

Purdue coach Matt Painter to meet with Missouri Tigers


Purdue basketball coach Matt Painter will meet with Missouri officials regarding Mizzou's vacant coaching position.


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Jon Stewart Calls Out NBC <b>News</b> For Not Reporting on GE&#39;s $0 Tax <b>...</b>

On Friday, The New York Times reported that General Electric paid no U.S. federal income tax in 2010, despite earning $14.2 billion in profits. While.


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REPORT: <b>News</b> Corp. In Talks To Hand Over Control Of MySpace To <b>...</b>

News Corp. is in preliminary talks to give control of Myspace to Vevo.com, the site partly owned by top record companies, including Universal Music and Sony Music, according to a Bloomberg report. News Corp. has been looking to unload ...


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Apple advertises its products as magical. They’re at the intersection of “technology and the liberal arts,” Steve Jobs said today. Something that moves your heart, not just your lust for technology. Will consumers still buy that in 2011?


The big picture question of the day is whether Apple has done it again. With the original iPad, Apple crushed its rivals, taking more than 90 percent of the tablet market in 2010 and selling more than 15 million units. Jobs predicted today that 2011 will be the year of the iPad 2. Based on what I have seen today, I think he’s mostly, but not entirely, right.


Competitors will discover that Apple has a lot of inherent financial advantages, including being a low-cost leader. That may not sound intuitive, but I believe it has to be true. It is selling so much volume of its products that it can get discounts on parts and manufacturing services that no one else can get.


When it sells its products in stores, it also doesn’t have to give away 20 percent of the margin to a retailer. That is a huge financial advantage. Carriers are also willing to subsidize the costs of Apple products in a way that they won’t with other tablet vendors. All of these things may explain why the Motorola Xoom, a very cool product, is selling for $800 while Apple has priced its new devices at $499 to $829, (and dropped the price of the old iPad to $399). Apple has also left very little room for rivals here, since it has signed up both AT&T and Verizon. Perhaps there is room for rivals to sell $199 machines, but users probably aren’t going to like them.


Those are reasons why any cool Apple mobile product could beat other rivals. But Apple has also done some smart things with the iPad 2. It has created another rev of its microprocessor, the A5, which has two cores, or computing brains. And it has nine times faster graphics than its old A4 chip. Since Apple designs this chip itself, it doesn’t have to give away much margin to a chip design firm. It only has to give a small margin to a chip manufacturer such as Samsung to make the chips.


Apple has also custom-designed the A5 to run Apple applications on a device with a 10-hour battery life. Apple should have an edge there, as it won’t sell the A5 to rivals. But if this is an advantage, it isn’t likely to last long, as Nvidia is being very aggressive with a new quad-core chip that it could sell to any Android rivals.


The design of the iPad 2 is where Apple has more advantages. The iPad 2 will have faster web-browsing with a new version of Safari. It has two cameras that will inspire a lot of video and photo-related apps. The availability of the Mac applications — iMovie, Garage Band, and Photo Booth — on the iPad 2 will make a lot of users happy. More interesting features will come with new releases of the iOS, or Apple’s operating system in the fairly near future.


There are some users who won’t like the restrictions of Apple’s ecosystem. If they want universal serial bus (USB) and SD card ports, they are out of luck. Apple didn’t change the resolution of its screen either, leaving it at 1024 x 768. Competitors could add these options and put emphasis on them as selling points. (Critics are disappointed that Apple did not improve the display, but that’s a big cost issue others have too).


Apple has also made great improvements in the feel of the product. It’s 33 percent thinner, 2 ounces lighter, and it has a wonderful new screen cover that doubles as a stand for the device. (It wakes up the device when you peel it back and it has micro-fibers that clean the screen when the cover is on).


Now here is why Jobs is not entirely right. Apple has come up with a stunning machine at prices that the competitors will have a hard time beating. But it is almost inevitable that Android-based tablets will gain market share on Apple.


So far, I don’t see the Android machine that will beat the iPad 2. But the potential is there, given ingredients such as Android 3.0, Nvidia Tegra 2 chips and other fast microprocessors, and 4G LTE. The latter is the main weakness in Apple’s armor.


LTE is fast, with a minimum speed on Verizon at around 12 megabits a second and actual speeds running much higher than that now. Getting access to 4G LTE is as big a benefit as having access to lots of cool apps, from my point of view. Right now, the timing of the still-young LTE technology means that Apple cannot yet put it into its mass-produced, lowest-cost tablet computers.


If LTE costs come down sometime soon, then Apple can launch a new version of the iPad to incorporate the technology. But it’s not a simple upgrade, as it means that the hardware of the machine — including the radio chip — has to change. And for now, LTE chips are larger than their 3G equivalents, so the heat dissipation and product size are affected. In other words, LTE can force Apple to redesign the iPad.


Apple can do that. But Android tablet makers might be able to move faster than Apple directly into the 4G LTE tablet market. If they do that, then they will have found a scenario where they could steal a march on Apple. Apple is not likely to let that gap last for a long time, but it might be enough for Apple to lose some share this year.


Apple’s leadership position in this market will be hard to beat, but the collective weight and reach of Android rivals could erode it. And here’s a sobering thought: If Apple eventually winds up with only 30 percent of the tablet market, it could still be No. 1, and its place as the largest technology company in the world will not be at risk.


Check out Apple’s overview video on the iPad 2 and Jobs’ comments on technology and the liberal arts below.




Next Story: Loot Drop banks on talented game designers as it takes on social gaming’s giants (exclusive) Previous Story: Electric car startups to square off against Big Auto competition




Dirty Percent




It’s not hard to make the case that Apple’s new in-app subscription system offers numerous benefits to users, developers, and publishers. But whatever those benefits, they stem from the mere existence of these new subscription APIs. What’s controversial is the size of Apple’s cut: 30 percent.



No one is arguing that Apple shouldn’t get some cut of in-app purchases that go through iTunes. And, if Apple were taking a substantially smaller cut, there would be substantially fewer people objecting to Apple’s rules (that subscription-based publishing apps must use the system; that they can’t link to their external sign-up web page from within the app; and that they must offer in-app subscribers the same prices available outside the app).



The reasonable arguments against Apple’s policies seem to be:




  • Apple should be taking less, perhaps far less, than 30 percent.


  • Apple should not require subscription-based apps to use the in-app subscription APIs. If it’s a good deal for publishers, they’ll choose to use the system on their own.


  • Apple should not require price-matching from subscription offers outside the app. Publishers should be allowed to charge iOS users more money to cover Apple’s cut.


  • Apple should consider business models that simply can’t afford a 70/30 revenue split.




Let’s consider these in reverse order.



Apple Should Consider Business Models That Can’t Afford a 70/30 Revenue Split



Apple doesn’t give a damn about companies with business models that can’t afford a 70/30 split. Apple’s running a competitive business; competition is cold and hard. And who exactly can’t afford a 70/30 split? Middlemen. It’s not that Apple is opposed to middlemen — it’s that Apple wants to be the middleman. It’s difficult to expect them to be sympathetic to the plights of other middlemen.



Some of these apps and services that are left out might be ones that iOS users enjoy, though. This is the leading argument for how this new policy will in fact hurt users, and, as a result, Apple itself: it’ll drive good apps off the platform. Frequently mentioned examples: Netflix and Kindle. For all we know, though, Netflix may well be fine with this policy. Apple would only get a 30 percent cut of new subscriptions that go through the Netflix iOS app, and that might be a bounty Netflix can live with in exchange for more subscribers. Keep in mind, too, that Netflix and Apple seemingly get along well enough that Netflix is built into the Apple TV system software.



Kindle, and e-book platforms in general, are a different case. For one thing, Kindle doesn’t use subscriptions. Kindle offers purchases. Presumably, given Apple’s rejection of Sony’s e-book platform app last month, Apple is going to insist on the same rules for in-app purchases through apps like Kindle as they do for in-app subscriptions. If so, something’s got to give. The “agency model” through which e-books are sold requires the bookseller to give the publisher 70 percent of the sale price. So if the publisher gets 70 and Apple gets 30, that leaves a big fat nothing for Amazon, or Barnes & Noble, or Kobo, or anyone else selling books through native iOS apps — other than iBooks, of course.



But leaving aside the revenue split, there are technical limitations as well. The existing in-app purchasing system in iOS has a technical limit of 3,500 catalog items. I.e. any single app can offer no more than 3,500 items for in-app purchase. Amazon has hundreds of thousands of Kindle titles.



Something’s got to give here. I don’t know what, but there must be more news on this front coming soon. I don’t believe Apple wants to chase competing e-book platforms off the App Store.



Apple Should Not Require Price Matching



Why not allow developers and publishers to set their own prices for in-app subscriptions? One reason: Apple wants its customers to get the best price — and, to know that they’re getting the best price whenever they buy a subscription through an app. It’s a confidence in the brand thing: with Apple’s rules, users know they’re getting the best price, they know they’ll be able to unsubscribe easily, and they know their privacy is protected.



Credit card companies insist on similar rules: retailers pay a processing fee for every credit card transaction, but the credit card companies insist that these fees not be passed on to the customer. Customers pay the same price as they would if they used cash — which encourages them to use their credit card liberally. (Going further, many charge cards offer cash back on each purchase — they can do this because the cash-back percentage refunded to the customer is less than the transaction processing fee paid by the retailer.)



So the same-price rule is good for the user, and good for Apple. But Matt Drance argues that Apple could dissipate much of this subscription controversy by waiving this rule:




The requirement that IAP content be offered “at the same price
or less than it is offered outside the app,” combined with the
70/30 split, means developers must make less money off of iOS by
definition
. They can’t price their IAP content higher to offset
the commission, nor can they price their own retail content lower.



If I am interpreting this correctly, I can’t bring myself to see
it as reasonable. […] I think a great deal of this drama could
go away if Apple dropped section 11.13 while keeping section
11.14: Your prices on your store are your business; just don’t
be a jerk and advertise the difference all over ours.




And I agree with him. Yes, the same-price rule is good for users and for Apple, but waiving this rule wouldn’t be particularly bad for users or for Apple, either — and it would give publishers some freedom to experiment.



I suspect one reason Apple won’t budge is that their competitors — like Amazon — insist on best-price matching.



Apple Should Not Require Apps to Offer In-App Subscriptions



I’m sympathetic to this argument, too. “If you don’t like our terms, don’t use our subscription system.” But it has occurred to me that this entire in-app subscription debate mirrors the debate surrounding the App Store itself back in 2008 — that 30 percent was too large a cut for Apple to take, that it shouldn’t be mandatory, etc. The same way many developers wanted (and still want) a way to sell native iOS apps on their own, outside the App Store, many publishers now want a way to sell subscriptions on their own, outside the App Store.



The fact is, the App Store is an all-or-nothing affair. You play by Apple’s rules or you stick to web apps through Mobile Safari. This alternative is no different for periodical publishers than it was (and remains) for app developers in general. A lot of these demands boil down to a desire for more autonomy for native iOS app developers. Apple has never shown any interest in that.



There’s one striking difference between the subscription controversy today and the App Store controversy in 2008: with subscriptions, Apple is taking away the ability to do something that they previously allowed. There was never a supported way to install native apps for iOS before the App Store. Subscriptions sold outside the App Store, on the other hand, were allowed until last month.



Apple Should Be Taking Less, Possibly Far Less, Than 30 Percent



Another difference between the App Store itself and in-app subscriptions is that with apps, Apple hosts and serves the downloads. Apple covers the bandwidth, even for gargantuan gigabyte-or-larger 99-cent games. The OS handles installation.



With in-app subscriptions (and purchases), however, the app developer is responsible for hosting the content, and for writing the code to download, store, and manage it. So — one reasonable argument goes — given that Apple is doing less for subscription content than it does for apps (or for music and movies purchased through iTunes), Apple should take less of the money.



Taken further, the argument boils down to this: that for in-app subscriptions and purchases, Apple is serving only as a payment processer — and thus, a reasonable fee for transactions would be in the small single digits — 3, 4, maybe 5 percent, say. More or less something along the lines of what PayPal charges.



Apple, I think it’s clear, doesn’t see it this way. Apple sees the entire App Store, along with all native iOS apps, as an upscale, premium software store: owned, controlled, and managed like a physical shopping mall. Brick and mortar retailers don’t settle for a single-digit cut of retail prices; neither does the App Store.



Seth Godin argues that Apple’s 30 percent cut is too big to allow publishers to profit:




Except Apple has announced that they want to tax each subscription
made via the iPad at 30%. Yes, it’s a tax, because what it does is
dramatically decrease the incremental revenue from each
subscriber. An intelligent publisher only has two choices: raise
the price (punishing the reader and further cutting down
readership) or make it free and hope for mass (see my point above
about the infinite newsstand). When you make it free, it’s all
about the ads, and if you don’t reach tens or hundreds of
thousands of subscribers, you’ll fail.




Godin’s logic strikes me as questionable. For one thing, he freely switches between a newsstand metaphor (arguing, perhaps accurately, that the App Store is too large for publishers to gain attention from potential readers in the first place — you won’t read what you never notice) and the economics of subscriptions. But subscribers are the opposite of newsstand readers. Newsstand readers are buying a single copy, often on impulse. Subscribers are readers who are already hooked, and who know what they want. Put another way, the size of Apple’s cut of subscription revenue — whether it were higher or lower — has no bearing on the “attention at the newsstand” problem.



Second, the problem facing traditional publishers today is that circulation is falling. Newsstand sales and subscriptions are falling, under pressure from free-of-charge websites and other forms of digital content. The idea with Apple’s 70-30 revenue split is that developers and publishers can make it up in volume — that people aren’t just somewhat more willing to pay for content through iTunes than other online content stores, they are far more willing. The idea is that Apple has cracked a nut no one else1 has — they’ve created an ecosystem where hundreds of millions of people are willing to pay for digital content. Thus, potentially, publishers won’t just make more money keeping only 70 percent of subscription fees generated through iOS apps than they are now with 96 percent (or whatever they’re left with after payment processing fees) of subscription fees they’re selling on their own — they stand to make a lot more money.



I’m not guaranteeing or even predicting that it’s going to work out that way. I’m just saying that’s Apple’s proposition.



Godin’s assumption is that iOS in-app subscriptions won’t significantly increase the number of subscribers. If he’s right about that, then he’s right that Apple’s 30 percent cut will prove too expensive for publishers. But Apple’s bet is that in-app subscriptions can dramatically increase the number of subscribers. Consider the app landscape. Apple’s 30 percent cut didn’t drive the price of paid apps up — the nature of the App Store drove prices down. It’s a volume game.



The App Store itself proves that Apple might be right. Like with app sales, in-app subscriptions won’t work for every publication. But it could work for many. It really is possible to make it up in volume.



And if a 70-30 split for in-app subscription revenue doesn’t work, the price will come down. That’s how capitalism works. You choose a price and see how it goes. I’ll admit — when the App Store launched in 2008, I thought Apple’s 70-30 split was skewed too heavily in Apple’s favor. Not that it was wrong in any moral sense, but that it was wrong in a purely economic sense: that it might be more than developers would be willing to bear. Apple, clearly, has a better sense about what prices the market will bear than I (and, likely, you) do.



Competition vs. Anti-Competition



One last argument I’ve seen regarding these in-app subscription rules is that it’s further evidence of anti-competitive behavior from Apple. That makes sense only if you consider iOS to be the entire field of play. Apple, though, is competing at a higher level. They’re competing between platforms: iOS vs. Kindle/Amazon vs. Android/Google vs. Microsoft, and in some ways, vs. the free web. Why should publishers make an app rather than just a mobile web site? For happier customers and more money.



Sony has a platform for e-books. Amazon has a platform for e-books. Barnes & Noble has a platform for e-books. Apple has a platform for e-books. But Apple is the only one which allows its competitors to have apps on its devices. And Apple is the anti-competitive one? I’m no lawyer, but if the iTunes Music store hasn’t yet been deemed a monopoly with Apple selling 70+ percent of digital music players, then I doubt the App Store will be deemed a monopoly for a market where Apple has never been — and, according to market share trends, may never be — the top-selling smartphone maker, let alone own a majority of the market, let alone own more than a single-digit sliver of the phone market as a whole. As for ruthless profiteering, consider that Amazon, with their e-book publishing, originally took the fat end of a 70-30 revenue split with authors.



One question I’ve been asked by several DF readers who object to Apple’s new in-app subscription and purchasing policies goes like this: What if Microsoft did this with Windows, and, say, tried to require Apple to pay them 30 percent for every purchase made through iTunes on Windows? To that, I say: good luck with that. Microsoft couldn’t make such a change by fiat. The whole premise of Windows (and other personal computer systems) is that it is open to third-party software. Apple couldn’t just flip a switch and make Mac OS X a controlled app console system like iOS — they had to introduce the Mac App Store as an alternative to traditional software installation. If Microsoft introduced something similar to the Mac App Store for Windows, Apple would simply eschew it. If Microsoft were to mandate an iOS App Store-like total control policy for all Windows software, they’d have a revolt in their user base that would make Vista look like a success.



iOS isn’t and never was an open computer system. It’s a closed, controlled console system — more akin to Playstation or Wii or Xbox than to Mac OS X or Windows. It is, in Apple’s view, a privilege to have a native iOS app.



This is what galls some: Apple is doing this because they can, and no other company is in a position to do it. This is not a fear that in-app subscriptions will fail because Apple’s 30 percent slice is too high, but rather that in-app subscriptions will succeed despite Apple’s (in their minds) egregious profiteering. I.e. that charging what the market will bear is somehow unscrupulous. To the charge that Apple Inc. is a for-profit corporation run by staunch capitalists, I say, “Duh”.



If it works, Apple’s 30-percent take of in-app subscriptions will prove as objectionable in the long run as the App Store itself: not very.




Surface Encounters

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The Found Animals Foundation is an LA-based non-profit devoted to saving the lives of animals and solving the problem of animal overpopulation. Founded by Dr. Gary Michelson, a billionaire entrepreneur with a lifelong love of animals, Found Animals blends compassion with innovation and business sense. The organization does everything from working with local shelters to finding homes for strays to offering multi-million dollar incentives for research on animal sterilization.



The foundation will be opening its first ever "Adopt and Shop" retail space next month, so we caught up with Aimee Gilbreath, Executive Director of Found Animals, to find out a little bit more about the foundation, its goals, and LA's newest "pet shop."



HP: What is Found Animals most committed to?



AG: Our mission at Found Animals is to minimize the number of pets killed in animal shelters. We believe that our society, in the 21st century, can do far better than killing 4 million animals each year at a cost to taxpayers of over $2 billion annually. We look for innovative, entrepreneurial approaches to solving this problem. Over the past three years we have built a world class team of business and science professionals and launched programs that include sterilization, microchipping, owner support, adoption and more. Found Animals considers Los Angeles our test market for programs with plans to export successful ideas.



HP: What is the one thing you are most proud of that Found Animals has been able to accomplish?



AG: I’m most proud of our accomplishments with the Michelson Prize and Grant program. It’s our own version of the X-Prize and offers $25 million in prize money for creating a low cost non-surgical sterilant for use in cats and dogs. In addition, we are offering up to $50 million in grant funding to help researchers develop a prize winning technology. Sterilization is one of the best tools we have in our arsenal to reduce the number of unwanted pets that crowd the shelter system and overwhelm available resources. Unfortunately, current surgical spay/neuter approaches are expensive and often difficult to access for the pets and people who need them most. A “doggie Depo Provera” or “Kitty Norplant” type of product would revolutionize how we manage the pet population.



We created the program from scratch and its world class. Our Director of Scientific Research, Dr. Shirley Johnston, is world renowned in small animal reproduction and our Scientific Advisory Board is comprised of experts in many fields. Our program staff has created a fantastic grant process and we do outreach to scientists worldwide. So far we’ve received over 140 grant applications and a dozen projects have been approved for funding totaling over $5 million.







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Japan Nuke Accident Seen From Seattle - Science <b>News</b>

Clues to events at crippled plant found in traces of radiation reaching Pacific Northwest.


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Q&amp;A: How dangerous is the plutonium found at Fukushima power plant <b>...</b>

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Monday, March 28, 2011

Making Money Without




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President Obama: Rich NFL Owners and Players Need to Get Their Act Together


March 03, 2011 3:14 PM








Hours before a likely owners’ lockout of National Football League players, President Obama at a press conference was asked to weigh in. He showed no inclination to do so, other than to tell both sides to get their acts together.


“You've got owners, most of whom are worth close to a billion dollars; you've got players who are making millions of dollars,” President Obama said. “At a time when people are having to cut back, compromise and worry about making the mortgage and, you know, paying for their kid's college education…the two parties should be able to work it out without the president of the United States intervening.”


The president, a Chicago Bears fan who refused to announce whom he was rooting for in the Super Bowl, said, “I'm a big football fan, but I also think that for an industry that's making $9 billion a year in revenue, they can figure out how to divide it up in a sensible way and be true to their fans, who are the ones who obviously allow for all the money that they're making.”


NFL owners take $1 billion off the top of the $9 billion for expenses, and NFL players take almost 60 percent of the remaining revenue. The owners want to take another $1 billion off the top.


President Obama said his expectation and hope is that two side would resolve the conflict “without me intervening -- because it turns out I've got a lot of other stuff to do."


The president made his remarks at a brief joint press availability with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who added that he isn’t an expert on the subject, though his wife is.


“I will ask her about it,” Calderon said. “I'm sure that she's very concerned about the situation.  But allow me to say that football is very important for many Mexicans.” Switching to English, Calderon said “with the exception of money you can count on help.”


President Obama noted that at the White House State Dinner for Calderon last May, “the first lady of Mexico seemed quite excited to see Mark Sanchez there,” a reference to the handsome New York Jets quarterback.


“I don't know if that was of concern to you,” President Obama joked with his Mexican counterpart.


-Jake Tapper


 






March 3, 2011
in Jake Tapper, Political Punch
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Marco Arment, the former CTO of the Tumblr blog platform, is best known these days for his time-shifting reading app Instapaper. But he could start a side-job as a financial advisor to start-ups. His motto: Get the money from your customers, not investors.


Arment’s more traditional take is built largely on the idea that if he puts out a good product, there’s no shame in asking customers to pay for it. And the more they pay, the less he needs to rely on outside investors. Arment said many developers are of the mindset that they need to amass a huge number of eyeballs through free services. But they don’t focus enough on building a solid product that can command loyalty and payment from consumers, and instead try to gain profitability through advertising and turning to outside venture capital.


By contrast, Arment says his efforts to monetize Instapaper have been successful because he was able to leverage the hard work he put into his paid versions and the good will he’s gotten back from consumers. And that has allowed him to avoid outside funding, something he plans on doing for the forseeable future.


Don’t Take Funding if You Don’t Need It


“If a service can be profitable and breakeven without VC money, you don’t need to take it,” Arment told me in an interview. “There’s no reason for developers to get a lot of users without charging. There’s another path. My goal is to spread that message: Charge for something and make more than you spend.”


Arment launched Instapaper as a free website in January 2008 and became profitable later that fall when he first began selling a paid iPhone app alongside a free version. He’s been profitable ever since. Arment won’t disclose his revenue, but he said he can cover his expenses and can afford to hire a couple more people if he needed. He left his Tumblr job in September to devote himself to Instapaper.


Though Arment maintains a free iPhone app, he said the focus of the company has been on the paid versions which are updated first (a new update is expected in the next month or so). He has yet to release a free iPad version and has only gotten three emails about the lack of it. Most seem happy to pay for the $5 iPad version. Between 25 and 33 percent of people pay for the $5 paid iPhone version. In fact, as an experiment, he pulled the free iPhone app from the app store for a week a little while back and found that only one person emailed. Sales of the paid version didn’t go up, but they didn’t go down either, he said.


“The free version isn’t really competing as much as I expected with the paid version; a lot of people go straight to the paid version,” he said. “It was only a week but the people who were going to the free version would not have gone to the paid version.”


Let Users Thank You by Paying You


That’s what’s allowed Arment to really focus on the paid segment. In fact, he still questions the value of the free version at times because it can leave a more negative impression for users with its limited set of features. Arment said his paying users have surprised him with their support. He started a $1 a month subscription plan in October that didn’t actually offer much in the way of extra features. It was more of a way to let users show their support for Instapaper. He said the response was overwhelmingly positive.


“That was a huge surprise to me how well it’s doing given there’s no real incentive to do it besides good will. But it ends up that good will is powerful,” Arment said. “It shows that people will pay for something they like because they want to ensure its future.”


Arment is testing the theory again with a new API that leverages his subscription plan. For developers who want to build apps with Instapaper integration, Arment said last month he will require their users to subscribe to Instapaper. Again, the response has been very positive, said Arment. Two hundred developers have applied to get access to the API. All this money-making has allowed Arment to sidestep venture capital money. He has had repeated offers, but Arment said accepting VC funding is akin to taking on a new boss, and the act of raising and maintaining money is a full-time job, he said.


Venture Capital Is Like Having Another Boss


“If you can go without funding, you can be a one- or two-person shop without a whole level of bosses,” he said. “You’re not worried about getting more money and getting diluted anymore.”


Arment’s approach doesn’t work for everyone. He was fortunate to be able to this as a side job and build it up while at Tumblr. And he acknowledges that the lack of funding could be a problem if he wanted to build a staff quickly. But he believes his experience shows that a more old-school approach to building a business and developing a following with consumers is a viable one for entrepreneurs that should be explored more. He may not the biggest company, but he can be a profitable one for a while.


“I don’t need the entire market,” Arment said. “I can get five percent of the market and be rich.”


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Search engine optimization Vancouver For any Better Marketing Solution

 

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

 

Now, you need to know that you won't use SEO service if you're not an online business - but then again, if you do not come with an online presence if you are an offline business, then you'll not make it very far.

 

It's a well known proven fact that if you are planning to make it in the offline world you must have an online presence. This really is something which all business people are learning the hard way. One thing that you should also know is the fact that it's not as easy as just establishing the website and leaving it to do its things.

 

You can do this in most types of ways, however these companies usually make use of multiple techniques to create an ideal marketing technique online. You will be able to employ these phones write articles for you, post on forums and blogs, create meta tags and meta descriptions, clean up the code, add alt tags towards the images and much more.

 

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As a result the SEO company cannot only improve your traffic, but additionally ensure that your site is fully optimized for that search engine spiders that will be brought to it. These spiders are utilized to analyze your website and place it in a few positions determined on certain keywords.

 

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

 

Search engine optimization Offered by Different Vancouver Web Companies

The Vancouver SEO company services are extremely beneficial for business growth because they provide quality services. If you are planning to create a website for your online business, then you've arrived at right article as I is going to be explaining below how Web optimization Vancouver company services can increase your website ranking and make it popular.


Manchester SEO Copywriter UK by Copywriter UK

Before that, you need to know what Seo is. It's not that complicated and i am sure you're going to get a grasp of it after reading my article. The primary goal of SEO is to get increased traffic aimed at your website and target audience. It's a good decision to choose a Vancouver SEO company that specializes in this kind of work, so that your website could be listed in search engines.

There isn't any point in you having a website with no website ranking whatsoever as you won't get any business and profits to survive. It is a very tough atmosphere available because there are so many online business people just like you, who desire their share of pie. You have to be familiar with the fact that nearly 85% of online traffic could be got from web-sites.

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

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

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Use keywords that are popularly used on search engines like google on your website content.
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Submit your website to directories.
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SEO Vancouver company also perform site diagnostics that is a significant part in online optimization as research and analysis on finding keywords is the way to start a SEO campaign. So, be sure you select the right SEO Vancouver company.

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

 

What to Expect When Hiring a Roofing Contractors

When the time comes to repair or substitute your homes roof, it can be a daunting task to locate someone who is qualified to do the job. There are many roofers available, but the ones who'll do a congrats for any sensible price aren't frequently easy to find. If you are in the market for the contractor, use the ideas below with regard to meeting with and hiring the right one.


Interview and Consultation


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Most roofers provide totally free consultations. This is particularly important, since it provides them an opportunity to assess exactly what your roof needs, and it gives you a chance to assess them. As with all businesses, believe in intuition concerning the people you let up onto your roof. No issue exactly how great the contractor's reputation or even suggestion, he ought to begin by showing a person having a company greeting card. If a contractor occurs looking and talking within an unprofessional manner, most likely the task he's going to do may also be less than professional. This isn't to say that you ought to anticipate companies to reach in fits. They will be climbing in your roof, so most will be dressed up in denim jeans as well as work footwear or sneakers. If the contractor seems to be more interested in talking upon their mobile phone while on your roof compared to he's in evaluating your roof's requirements, which may be another indication that he is not the main one to do the job. For your legal safety, make sure that the actual service provider offers adequate legal responsibility insurance.

Roof Assessment


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Anticipate the contractor is going to be rising on your roofing. Actually, any kind of contractor who does not want to increase on your roof to evaluate the issue ought to be immediately discounted. Those who are seriously interested in their own work may either create a sketching of the roof's surface area as well as tag trouble spots on it as they undergo their own assessment, or even they will consider photos or even video of the surface area while they are up there. This is a very important step, because it allows you to see exactly what the troubles are and understand how they'll be set.

Estimation


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The next step would be the created estimation. The contractor will take away his calculator and are available up with a written estimation. Some contractors will go out to their vehicle or van as well as write up the actual suggestion, while others may crisis the actual amounts for the job prior to you. Once you're given the proposal, ensure that you comprehend which products will be utilized, how long the job will take and when there are any extra or even concealed costs that may occur throughout the repair of the roofing. The contractor will be able to solution many of these questions with ease as well as forewarn you associated with a extra expenses that could be incurred if the roof's integrity end up being damaged within.

Once you have obtained a few written estimates from roofing companies, assess exactly what every company or contractor would like to offer you for the price. Do not always low cost the greatest bet, because occasionally the highest bid will actually function as the service provider who the task properly. Also, be skeptical of prices for bids which are not nearly as expensive other people. They might be using inferior items or be untruthful about the chance of hidden costs. Most importantly, believe in instincts as well as go with the contractor who makes you feel quite comfortable regarding giving over your money.

 

Seven Uyghurs Sentenced to Death

2011-03-23

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

 

AFP

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

'Strike hard' campaign

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Earlier cases

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

New training scheme

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

An Urumqi resident surnamed Li agreed.

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

Wikileaks and also the Uyghur People

through holly on Dec 20, 2010
Henryk Szadziewski, Supervisor, Uyghur Human Rights Project

If it had been actually uncertain, info obtained through the whistleblower web site, Wikileaks, has confirmed Chinese government worries more than it's ongoing control of the location it calls Xinjiang, which is also known as East Turkestan. The leaked out cables from Ough.Utes. diplomats demonstrate the actual extent that Chinese government bodies attempt to persuade government authorities worldwide to consider it's position on problems affecting Uyghurs. The actual cables also show the U . s . States' issues as well as views concerning the on going repressive steps in the region.


uyghur by sarvaz

The majority of lighting associated with Chinese language federal government stress are the wires directed in order to Chinese language frustration, or the specter associated with Chinese ire, within the release of Uyghur detainees within Guantánamo to third nations. A December Twenty nine, 2008 cable applies exactly how Chinese language Assistant International Minister Liu Jieyi fulfilled using the U.Utes. Ambassador to China in order to tone of voice Beijing's powerful opposition of release to any kind of country other than The far east, and that if the Ough.S. did certainly accede for this request it would "avoid harm to bilateral relationships and to co-operation ‘in important areas'". In addition, the February 2009 cable television describes how the Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Zhang Yannian, regarded as the feasible release of Uyghur Guantánamo detainees as "an unfriendly behave towards us" along with a "slap within the face". That the U.Utes. federal government was company in not liberating the detainees in order to China illustrates the actual degree from the politicized character of the Chinese judicial program. Genuine issues over terrorism are easy to understand, but in the Ough.Utes. government's observe the detainees might probably encounter do-it-yourself torture and delivery when they came back to China

Chinese language federal government stress in regard to the actual Uyghur Guantánamo detainees wasn't only applied to the U.Utes. federal government, but also in order to Brand new Zealand along with a number of European governments which were considering resettlement. Albania, Germany as well as Finland, in addition to European Union fellow member says all appear to have paid for the impact of Chinese federal government unhappiness. Regarding Germany, that was initially willing to consider two Uyghurs upon solely humanitarian reasons, Uyghur Guantánamo cases were much less better than other detainees due to the negative effects accepting Uyghurs might have on relations along with China. A May 8, '09 cable television applies exactly how "German Ambassador Erina Schaefer documented that Germany experienced informed China of the U.S. request to accept a few Uighur detainees held at Guantánamo and had been subsequently warned by The far east associated with ‘a heavy load upon bilateral relations' in the event that Indonesia were to simply accept any kind of detainees".

The diplomatic cables additionally talk about the actual unrest in Urumchi, the local funds, within July '09. A July 13, 2009 cable television talking about bulk occurrences within The far east says:

"Ethnic riots such as those in Xinjiang This summer 5-7 as well as in Tibet in March of 08 vary substantially in source as well as character from bulk incidents, XXXXXXXXXXXX emphasized to PolOff [Political Officer] on XXXXXXXXXXXX. Each present serious trouble for the actual Party, XXXXXXXXXXXX stated, however the Celebration management would not hesitate to spread out fireplace on Uighurs or even Tibetans when they deemed it essential to recover order. Bulk incidents pose a different kind of threat, he explained, since the leadership is ‘afraid' to fire upon Han rioters for fear of causing massive open public outrage that would turn against the Celebration."

This is a chilling opinion, particularly when 1 views evidence presented by 50 percent reviews launched this season through the Uyghur Human Privileges Task (UHRP) and Amnesty International which detail eyewitness company accounts of the utilization of deadly reside fire towards Uyghur protestors within July '09. Additionally, the actual observation that fire wouldn't be deployed towards Han Chinese protestors offers resonances for the different strategy used through Chinese security forces in Urumchi to Han Chinese protests in September '09. During those protests, after that Party Secretary, Wang Lequan, tackled demonstrators, that had required that he inform them regarding government responses to protection issues. A similar ask for to meet with the Party Assistant by Uyghur protesters in July was not met.

The actual wider consequences of the unrest additionally saw a brief dialogue about the effect it might possess upon Iran-China relations, and on relationships with Sydney after World Uyghur Congress President, Microsoft. Rebiya Kadeer, talked at the National Push Membership in Canberra in August 2009. In the second option situation, china federal government "privately warn[ed] a major Aussie bank which sponsors the nation's Push Membership to use its impact to bar a Kadeer speech there".

The United States' issues about the situation in the Uyghur area also come via within the cables. Inside a discussion on policy direction in Tibet, Ough.Utes. officials explain that it will be not possible for Chinese leaders to consider the softer collection "if they appear like they are doing so under worldwide pressure". The actual cable television out dated April 16, 08, one month after the outbreak of unrest within Tibetan regions, also relayed the actual declaration "that household balance remains the leadership's main concern above all else, which means there'll ‘almost surely' end up being no relaxation from the current hard line upon Tibet or perhaps in locations like Xinjiang." The information included in the cable additionally sheds gentle about the extreme level of sensitivity with which china government sights territorial integrity, and the possible spill more than associated with unrest from Tibet.

The chance associated with methods to tensions within Tibet as well as Xinjiang as a result of municipal culture are debated in a Feb Twenty-four, 08 cable television. Whilst recommending that China's economic achievement will increase it's resistance to democratic change, the actual cable television additionally discusses exactly how Chinese leaders see the usefulness associated with "a limited expansion associated with municipal society, including improvements in the rule of law along with a more powerful part for authorized religions, NGOs, charities along with other actors in areas that bring about social stability and don't problem Communist Party rule." This is a notable change in considering, that has observed Ough.S. authorities promote the idea which Chinese economic development, and economic relationships with The far east will bring in regards to a steadily democratic society; nevertheless, much more faith appears to be placed in a grassroots motion compared to one which begins in the best levels of the Chinese language government. Nevertheless, the actual cable television concludes that "[i]n places for example Tibet as well as Xinjiang, the fear of separatism results in tight limitations on the development of civil culture." This approach is viewed as counter-productive by the official, who suggests that the actual U.S. federal government "should continue to express...serious concerns over Beijing's human privileges record and appeal to China's growing consciousness which higher respect for human rights, religious independence and also the guideline of regulation will serve to promote the very improvement as well as sociable balance that The far east looks for in addition to to enhance China's international image." Such a strategy might consider considerable diplomatic abilities thinking about "China's weird concern that the Usa secretly promotes routine alter and ‘separatists' in Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang".

The actual wires provide understanding of the actual every day company associated with diplomacy that's hardly ever afforded to the general public, and it is fascinating to notice the amount of work carried out behind closed doors on Uyghur issues. The importance of the actual part of the United States like a keep track of of Uyghur human rights problems in personal conversations is made clear, and contrasts with its tactful public stance. The staff from the Uyghur Human Privileges Task is comfortable with the pressure china federal government puts upon Uyghur activists; nevertheless, the facts associated with Chinese language government pressure on its alternatives is illustrative of the diploma which Chinese authorities make an effort to control contrary stories. With increased revelations in the future from Wikileaks, issues more than Uyghurs might not grab the headlines, however the cables possess get rid of new light on the documentation of individual privileges conditions within the Uyghur region.

 

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Wikileaks and the Uyghur People

through henry on Dec Twenty, This year
Henryk Szadziewski, Supervisor, Uyghur Human Rights Project


Uyghur painting by S L James

Whether it had been actually uncertain, information obtained by the whistleblower website, Wikileaks, has verified Chinese language federal government worries more than its ongoing control of the location it calls Xinjiang, also is known as East Turkestan. The leaked cables from Ough.Utes. diplomats show the actual extent to which Chinese language government bodies make an effort to convince government authorities worldwide to adopt it's stance upon problems impacting Uyghurs. The wires additionally show the actual U . s . States' concerns and sights concerning the ongoing repressive measures in the region.

The majority of lighting associated with Chinese federal government pressure would be the cables pointing in order to Chinese frustration, or the specter of Chinese ire, within the release of Uyghur detainees within Guantánamo to 3rd nations. A December Twenty nine, 2008 cable television relates how Chinese Helper Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi met with the Ough.Utes. Ambassador to China to tone of voice Beijing's powerful competitors of launch to any country apart from China, which when the Ough.Utes. did indeed accede to this request it would "avoid harm to bilateral relations and to cooperation ‘in essential areas'". Furthermore, the February 2009 cable explains the way the Chinese language Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Zhang Yannian, regarded the feasible release of Uyghur Guantánamo detainees because "an unfavorable behave towards us" and a "slap in the face". The Ough.Utes. federal government stood company within not really releasing the detainees in order to China illustrates the actual extent from the politicized character of the Chinese judicial system. Legitimate concerns more than terrorism tend to be easy to understand, however in the actual Ough.Utes. government's view the detainees might probably face do-it-yourself torture as well as execution when they returned in order to The far east

Chinese government stress in regard to the Uyghur Guantánamo detainees was not just put on the actual Ough.S. government, but additionally to Brand new Zealand along with a handful of Western governments which were thinking about resettlement. Albania, Germany and Finland, in addition to Eu member says all appear to have borne the actual brunt of Chinese federal government disappointment. In the case of Indonesia, which was initially willing to consider two Uyghurs on purely relief grounds, Uyghur Guantánamo instances were less better than additional detainees due to the unwanted effects accepting Uyghurs might have upon relations with The far east. A May Eight, 2009 cable applies exactly how "German Ambassador Erina Schaefer reported that Germany had knowledgeable The far east of the Ough.Utes. ask for to accept some Uighur detainees held from Guantánamo coupled with been consequently cautioned through China of ‘a large burden upon bilateral relations' in the event that Germany had been to simply accept any kind of detainees".

The diplomatic wires additionally discuss the actual unrest in Urumchi, the regional funds, in This summer 2009. The July Thirteen, 2009 cable discussing bulk occurrences within The far east states:

"Ethnic riots such as those in Xinjiang July 5-7 and in Tibet within March associated with 2008 differ markedly within origin as well as nature through bulk incidents, XXXXXXXXXXXX stressed in order to PolOff [Political Officer] on XXXXXXXXXXXX. Both present serious trouble for the actual Party, XXXXXXXXXXXX said, but the Party leadership wouldn't wait to spread out fire on Uighurs or Tibetans if they considered this essential to restore purchase. Mass incidents present another kind of threat, he explained, since the leadership is actually ‘afraid' to fireplace on Han rioters with regard to anxiety about causing huge public outrage that will turn against the Party."

This is a relaxing opinion, particularly when 1 considers the evidence presented by 50 percent reviews released this year by the Uyghur Human Privileges Task (UHRP) as well as Amnesty Worldwide which fine detail eyewitness company accounts from the utilization of lethal reside fireplace against Uyghur protestors in This summer '09. In addition, the declaration which fireplace would not be deployed towards Han Chinese protestors offers resonances for the various strategy used through Chinese language protection forces in Urumchi to Han Chinese language direct orders in September '09. During those protests, after that Celebration Secretary, Wang Lequan, tackled protesters, who had required that he inform them regarding government reactions in order to security concerns. A similar ask for to satisfy using the Celebration Assistant by Uyghur demonstrators within This summer was not met.

The broader consequences of the unrest additionally saw a brief discussion on the impact it might possess on Iran-China relationships, and on relationships with Sydney following Globe Uyghur Our elected representatives President, Microsoft. Rebiya Kadeer, talked in the National Push Membership in Canberra within July '09. In the latter situation, china federal government "privately warn[ed] a significant Australian bank which vendors the nation's Push Club to make use of its influence to bar the Kadeer talk there".

The actual U . s . States' issues about the situation within the Uyghur area are available through within the wires. Inside a dialogue on plan direction in Tibet, Ough.Utes. authorities clarify that it'll end up being impossible for Chinese language leaders to adopt a softer collection "if they appear like they are doing this under worldwide pressure". The cable television out dated April 16, 2008, 30 days after the episode associated with unrest in Tibetan areas, also relayed the actual declaration "that domestic stability remains the leadership's top priority above all else, meaning there will ‘almost surely' end up being absolutely no rest of the present difficult line upon Tibet or in places such as Xinjiang." The information included in the cable television additionally sheds gentle on the extreme level of sensitivity with which china federal government sights territorial ethics, and the possible drip over associated with unrest from Tibet.

The prospect associated with methods to stress within Tibet as well as Xinjiang as a result of municipal society tend to be discussed in a Feb 24, 2008 cable. While recommending that China's economic success increases it's potential to deal with democratic change, the cable television additionally talks about exactly how Chinese language frontrunners begin to see the usefulness of "a limited expansion of civil society, including improvements in the rule of regulation and a more powerful part with regard to authorized beliefs, NGOs, non profit organizations along with other actors within areas that bring about sociable stability and don't challenge Communist Party guideline." This is a notable alternation in thinking, that has observed U.Utes. authorities market the notion that Chinese language economic improvement, as well as financial relations with China brings in regards to a progressively democratic society; however, much more belief appears to be placed in the grassroots motion than one that begins in the best levels of the Chinese language government. Nonetheless, the actual cable television concludes that "[i]n places such as Tibet and Xinjiang, the fear of separatism results in tighter restrictions on the development of municipal society." This approach is viewed as counter-productive through the official, who shows that the actual Ough.Utes. federal government "should still express...serious concerns more than Beijing's individual privileges record and appeal to China's growing awareness that greater regard with regard to human rights, religious independence and also the rule of law will serve to advertise the development as well as sociable balance that The far east looks for in addition to to enhance China's international image." Such a strategy might consider substantial diplomatic abilities thinking about "China's paranoid concern the United States privately promotes routine change as well as ‘separatists' within Taiwan, Tibet as well as Xinjiang".

The actual cables provide understanding of the daily company associated with diplomacy that is hardly ever owned by the general public, which is fascinating to notice the quantity of function carried out behind closed doors on Uyghur problems. The importance of the actual part of the us like a monitor of Uyghur individual privileges problems within personal discussions is created obvious, as well as contrasts using its tactful public stance. The staff of the Uyghur Human Rights Task is actually comfortable with pressure china government puts upon Uyghur activists; nevertheless, the facts of Chinese language federal government stress on it's counterparts is illustrative of the degree which Chinese authorities make an effort to control contrary narratives. With more facts to come from Wikileaks, concerns more than Uyghurs may not grab the headlines, however the cables possess shed new gentle on the documentation of human rights problems within the Uyghur area.

 

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Search Engine Optimization And Article promotion Will Place Yourself Page 1

Search engine marketing and article promotion are two of the strongest strategies that you can use promoting your website and get the revenue and success that you need for your online business. These two things have been around for a really while already however they still remain to be really effective. In reality, these have helped a lot of people free themselves from your traditional methods for money-generating options of society.

In this post, I will be showing the ways how it is possible to properly execute seo and marketing with articles for the betterment of one's small business website. Furthermore, I will be also discussing the different points that you must consider when you're using these two website marketing strategies to promote your website and acquire customers. Despite the fact that article promotion and Search engine marketing have been in existence for a long time already, you need to know that the trends and preferences regarding how they are performed are continually changing, which explains why you have to remain up to date with these items through the help of Seo forum sites so that you can quickly adjust and discover ways to make your strategies more efficient.

In the past article marketing to various web-sites was previously so simple the effects they produce for web sites was really powerful. However, things have changed a great deal today. Nowadays submitting the same article to various websites is no longer a good suggestion because engines like google have now changed to some huge extent in the manner they rank pages. They will no longer rank contents which are identical like they accustomed to in the past. This really is among the best samples of changes that exist in web marketing trends. This change has given birth to wide plethora of methods that internet marketers are using today. The majority of web marketers now produce articles and publish them in really popular article directory sites and wait for targeted traffic arrive at their pages. Perhaps that most reliable Search engine marketing strategy that can be used. Aside from being effective, this also delivers positive benefits on a regular basis. The only problem using this technique is the caliber of traffic that you'll get out of this defintely won't be so good unless you do proper keyword research beforehand and use in-links. You first need for attending these two things prior to deciding to submit your articles so that you won't end up losing large amounts of targeted traffic. This means that you must practice good levels of diligence if you'd like your advertising initiatives to function.

In addition to articles, you may also use blogging, which is another really powerful kind of online marketing strategy today because it's highly well-liked by search engines. In this technique, you are able to choose to create a single blogging site that specifically targets your best market or else you can give rise to other blogs which can be labeled as experts within your niche.

Learn effective Vancouver search engine optimization techniques in the Vancouver SEO website.

Roofing Companies Vancouver British Columbia

There are lots of things to take into consideration when looking for a new roofing contractor. Value, experience, as well as referrals are a handful of the things you'll probably be concerned about. Keep reading for even other great ideas.

  • Finding a Roofers


Roofing And Roofing Contractor In DALLAS, TX by roofinghub

Before buying roofing contractor, make sure you have a general idea of the work that you need to did. By no means is it necessary to be an authority. If you have a new Roof Certificate, read it completely to find the specifics of your existing roof. Unless you have a Ceiling Certificate, make reference to documents closed during final to locate your homes roof Inspection linen. These files should give you everything you need to learn about your roof. Just before contacting a new roofing contractor, you have to have a list of needs and features to help you decide exactly who works for your covering project. Make sure to write down each and every potential roofer contractor's answers as well as check these people against the other person. If there are any mistakes, be sure to note this as well as take this into consideration when creating a final choice. There are no guaranteed ways to go with a roofing contractor, but if you take attention to the information provided, your chances of a successful covering project are usually greatly increased.

One of the best ways of finding a roofers is by word of mouth. Try asking a friend or relative who has had roofing work done, and has been satisfied with the task. Get the identify of the business and their own contact info. If you have not sure of mouth area referrals, try out first seeking in the phone book an internet-based. A large ad or expensive website is not necessarily indication of the top quality of work, but could be a excellent tool regarding measuring the amount of time and determination they have placed in their individual profession. Furthermore, try discovering current worksites and appear at the roofer work that's done maybe in the process of becoming finished. If you're visually amazed, ask the property manager to the name in the roofing contractor as well as their speak to information.

  • Research


New Roof by Wyscan

When looking for the roofing contractors, it is imperative to very first do the background research. Costly in the phonebook or on the web is a suitable destination for a find a service provider, finding essential information on most of these businesses will likely be found in many areas. Very first, check with locations like the Bbb, city, condition, and region public records, and local accreditation agencies. Ask your roofer if they are an affiliate of any roofer associations. These kinds of precautions will certainly mitigate your current risks. Furthermore ask them what types of roofing that they specialize in. Furthermore ask your current roofing contractor about any extended auto warranties they offer on their installed roofing. Find out what safeguards they decide to use avoid destruction done to other regions of the home by simply workers. Goods such as gutters, siding, and fireplaces are close in proximity and so susceptible to unintentional damages.

Be sure all of this info is included in your written contract. Find out if you need a covering permit and/or permission from your homeowners association ahead of time. These entities will let you know that's responsible for getting these allows and authorizations. If it is the obligation of the roofing contractor, also have it included inside your contract. If it's your responsibility, get stated permits along with permissions collated with all the estimated roofer project and also have it obviously posted or readily available.

  • Accreditation and References

Roofing Companies are not required to be qualified in all declares. Contact neighborhood licensing agencies that control general design contractors for the list of specifications. Once you have received the requirements, build a list of comprehensive questions to ask your current potential roofing contractor. This simple listing should immediately help you to discount the qualified from the unqualified roofing installers. Qualified companies should be able to quickly answer questions as well as tell you that they have to do additional research just before giving a definitive answer.

Even if the roofing contractor has all necessary licensing, you must ask to find out pictures regarding completed covering jobs as well as speak to pleased clients. Have a very list of inquiries handy ought to recent clientele, such as the nature of the employment, timeliness, and all round satisfaction. Make certain these are current clients and cross reference point if possible. When it comes to commercial covering, make sure that your roofing contractor is actually bonded. Checking out these references is another additional measure of stability to narrow down the list associated with potential roofing contractors.

Seo Through Articles

Articles can be a very powerful kind of Search engine optimization for your company web site. Quality written articles be capable of improve your websites SERP and add quality for a company website. Writing informative keyword rich articles is important in gaining new backlinks for a business website. Articles can and really should be written on topics which can be unique for your business or industry. The articles can discuss a range of issues and ideas inside your industry. Articles offering the various readers which has a resource will almost always be the most popular and a lot likely forms of articles that will cause backlinks to your website.


Search Engine Optimization - An OverviewSlide7 by doggy00123

Focus your articles on your potential readers or customers. Seo articles should address real questions which can be asked by current or past clients. Each article you're writing in your case company ought to include detailed analysis and Search engine optimization keywords which will help associate your website using the content contained in the site. Focus your articles on around 3 keywords and stray from them. Consistency is vital when writing Search engine optimization articles. If you are writing about Vancouver Search engine optimization ensure your still reveal information tightly related to the keyword.

Give every one of your Seo Articles an engaging Title that can persuade folks to learn and bookmark your articles. Ideally, the articles you are writing can become as links using their company websites which are comparable to yours. This one thing can help boost the power of each link and can aid in increasing your SERP. Make sure to end each article with a keyword anchored link (see Easy Small enterprise Search engine optimization). This link will help to improve your rankings in the search engines and other major search engines to the keyword coupled to the link. Submit the articles to your submitted article directory and Voila! In no time, your internet site could possibly be about the first page of Google.

Appreciate your reading. Can't wait to visit your Seo articles!