Tom Miale and Thomas Hynes recap their fourth day at SXSW Interactive 2012. Hear them discuss branding opportunities, the future of Facebook, the business of journalism and everything else they saw, learned and heard.
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Friday, March 30, 2012
The Future of Facebook and the Business of Journalism
Tom Miale and Thomas Hynes recap their fourth day at SXSW Interactive 2012. Hear them discuss branding opportunities, the future of Facebook, the business of journalism and everything else they saw, learned and heard.
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RIM To Give Away 2000 BlackBerry 10 Phones at BlackBerry Jam in May
Research in Motion (RIM) To Give Away 2000 BlackBerry 10 Phones at BlackBerry Jam in May.
BB spectrum of beauty and technology.
Research in Motion has decided to go for broke by giving away 2, 000 handsets of the new BlackBerry 10 according to reports from the troubled Canadian multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario.
But the 2, 000 phones are not for every Tom, Dick and Harry.
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Africa - The Land of Lion's Prides, Breath-Taking Scenery and Exotic Wildlife
30 Mar 2012 10:41 Africa/Lagos
Africa - The Land of Lion's Prides, Breath-Taking Scenery and Exotic Wildlife
LONDON, March 30, 2012/PRNewswire/ --
Kenya is a place of remarkable diversity of landscapes, wildlife and cultures. As we look towards the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in May, this great country is most poignantly remembered as the place that Princess Elizabeth first learnt that she would become Queen. To commemorate this occasion, Bales Worldwide have designed an exclusive Queen's Diamond Jubilee tour with four departures from April to June 2012.
Kenya has long resonated with the Royal Family and you will understand why as you venture into the pulsating heartland of northern Kenya, Samburu, absorb the wealth of animal life in Lake Nakuru National Park and explore the game lands of the Masai Mara. Dine at the famed Aberdare Country Club, experience traditional Masai culture and enjoy luxury accommodation [http://www.balesworldwide.com ] such as the SamburuSimba lodge, which overlooks the Buffalo springs and the UasoNyiro River, and the truly unique tree-lodge, The Ark.
Don't Miss: Tanzania has long been a must for any wildlife enthusiast and May is a fantastic time to experience the electrifying annual spectacle of the annual migrations across the Serengeti and the Masai Mara. See game in their thousands moving across the plains in search of fresh grazing land, an incredible journey that brings with it predators in their hundreds.
Lying off the coast of Tanzania, amidst the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar is an exotic mix of tranquil beaches, turquoise seas and the romantic scent of spices. It is a fascinating cultural hotchpotch of Arabic, African and European influences, melded together to create the perfect getaway destination to add to the end of your East African journey.
Don't Miss: Namibia is a land of ancient bushmen and sand dunes of the Namib Desert [http://www.balesworldwide.com/destinations/africa/namibia ]. Some of the tourist attractions include:
Skeleton Coast Park - This park contains the world's most spectacular coastal landscapes. Spooky sea mists and dangerous current dominate this area making it a ghostly and treacherous stretch of water for ships.
Fish River Canyon - Not only is it Namibia's amazing sight, but it is one of Africa [http://www.balesworldwide.com/destinations/africa ]'s natural marvels. As the second largest canyon in the world, it is a favoured destination for hiking and bird watching as the area is home to a diversity of wildlife.
Bales Worldwide is a pioneer in the touring market that provides tailor made holidays, small escorted group tours, arrangements for special groups and chartered adventures to over 50 destinations worldwide.
Bales Worldwide are committed to inspire you and provide you with a holiday that meets and exceeds your expectations - holidays of a lifetime. We are constantly exploring each region to find interesting paths for you to explore whilst ensuring they are brought to life by local guides and our experienced and enthusiastic staff.
Source: Bales Worldwide
Natalie Wilson, PR Assistant, Virgin Holidays, Tel: +44(0)1293-744228, Email: natalie.wilson@virginholidays.com
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Airtel Launches Mobile Services in Rwanda
30 Mar 2012 10:21 Africa/Lagos
Airtel launches mobile services in Rwanda
KIGALI, March 30, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Committed to adding value to the economy and community:
• 83 days to build network from start – fastest Greenfield launch in history of Sub-Saharan Africa
• To invest USD 100 million over the next three years
• Operation to generate direct and indirect employment opportunities in the country
• Airtel to contribute to the Rwandan government's vision of transitioning to a knowledge-based economy
Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”) (http://www.airtel.com) today announced the launch of its operation in Rwanda, expanding its footprint on the African continent to 17 countries. Airtel has already said that it will invest over USD 100 million in its operations over the next three years and generate direct and indirect employment opportunities.
Logo: http://www.apo-mail.org/airtel.jpg
Commenting on the launch, Mr. Manoj Kohli, CEO (International) & Joint MD, Bharti Airtel said, “We are delighted to launch our operations and bring Airtel to the people of Rwanda. We believe that Rwanda is an extremely promising market and this launch further strengthens our footprint in eastern Africa. It will be our endeavour to bring world-class and affordable services to our customers in Rwanda and add value to the economy. We would like to thank the Rwandan government for giving us this opportunity, and we are committed to contributing to their aim of bridging the digital divide in the country.”
“The government welcomes Airtel into our country. We are looking to partner with the private sector to provide good quality, accessible and affordable telecommunications services,” says Right Hon. Dr. Pierre Damien Habumuremyi, Prime Minister, Rwanda.
Hon. Dr. Habumuremyi added: “We are especially excited about the prospect of connecting Rwanda with the rest of the East African region and, indeed, with the rest of Africa. As Rwandans begin engaging in business ventures and looking for regional partners, telecommunications companies – like Airtel – that are able to provide access to a pan-African wireless network, become a crucial part of expansion.”
Airtel has also partnered with IBM in a move that will enable the teleco to offer superior customer experience in Rwanda. The partnership will see IBM deploy and manage the information technology (IT) infrastructure and applications to further support Airtel's goal of providing innovative mobile services.
“As part of our strategic services agreement, we are happy to assist Airtel with its entry into the Rwandan market and ensure the very highest levels of support,” says Steve Martin, IBM Vice President and Senior Project Executive, Airtel Africa. “Rwanda is an important market for IBM and we are actively strengthening our local presence and increasing our ability to serve our customers and partners in the country.”
Ericsson, the world's leading provider of services and technology to telecom operators, was selected to manage the network from end-to-end, including OSS/BSS solutions and managed services.
Lars Lindén, head of Region Sub-Saharan Africa for Ericsson, says: “This solution is using the latest Ericsson portfolio, and will be the first Airtel network designed as an all-IP solution. That means Airtel will be able to provide advanced services to its subscribers, expand quickly to accommodate quick growth, and keep operating expenses down.”
Additionally, this launch has set a record. Lindén adds: “The inaugural call was placed on the system on March 7. It took just 83 days to build this network from the start – the fastest Greenfield launch in history in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Rwanda is among the fastest growing telecom markets in Africa and, according to the National Statistics Institute of Rwanda, mobile penetration in the country was at 38.4 per cent as of July 2011. The rapidly growing private sector – which includes telecommunications infrastructure and ICT – presents many opportunities for the development of the industry and the country's economy. In fact, according to the World Bank, each 10 per cent of broadband penetration results in a 1.3 per cent increase in per capita GDP growth in developing countries.
Airtel was awarded the license by the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) last year to operate 2G and 3G GSM mobile services. Currently, the Airtel brand is present in both Francophone and Anglophone markets across the continent, spanning Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Bharti Airtel Limited.
About Bharti Airtel Limited
Bharti Airtel Limited (http://www.airtel.com) is a leading integrated telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 5 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include 2G & 3G mobile services, fixed line, high speed broadband through DSL, IPTV, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G & 3G mobile services. Bharti Airtel had over 246 million customers across its operations at the end of February 2012. To know more please visit, http://www.airtel.com
For more information, please contact:
Michael Okwiri
VP, Corporate Communications
Airtel Africa
michael.okwiri@africa.airtel.com
Source: Bharti Airtel Limited
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Nigerian Hackers on the Prowl on Facebook
Nigerian Hackers on the prowl on Facebook and specific messages have been removed from my inbox and the hackers even went as far as hacking my private business email and removed the same specific messages. The suspects have been tracked and will be exposed once indicted.
Facebook password_change+kjdmu5w5-hpm@facebookmail.com
Mar 17 (13 days ago)
to me
Hey Re-Branding Nigeria,
You recently changed your Facebook password on March 17, 2012 at 9:07am.
As a security precaution, this notification has been sent to all email addresses associated with your account.
If you did not change your password, your account may have been the victim of a phishing scam.
Please follow the link to regain control over your account:
https://www.facebook.com/checkpoint/checkpointme?u=100000165695211&n=mS6INYVx
Your password was changed from the following location:
Abuja, NO REGION, NG (IP=41.220.69.8)
Thanks,
The Facebook Team
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Thursday, March 29, 2012
Outsmarting the Scam Artists
29 Mar 2012 18:39 Africa/Lagos
AARP's Outsmarting the Scam Artists
How to Protect Yourself from the Most Clever Cons
By Doug Shadel, Fraud Expert, State Director of AARP Washington
WASHINGTON, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Think you're too smart to fall for a scam? That's just what the con artists are hoping. According to new research, plus interviews with dozens of con artists and thousands of victims, basic consumer smarts are no match for the emotional appeals that clever cons use to defraud consumers of millions of dollars every year. No matter how successful or intelligent, anyone can fall victim to a crime.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120329/DC79048)
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20070209/NYF043LOGO)
Doug Shadel, a nationally recognized fraud expert and State Director of AARP Washington, takes an insider's look into the evolution of scams and how to avoid them in this new book from AARP, Outsmarting the Scam Artists: How to Protect Yourself From the Most Clever Cons (Wiley; March 2012; ISBN: 978-1-1181-7364-0; Paperback Original & E-Book). Shadel includes both sides—testimonials from victims as well as convicted scam artists—giving the reader a solid perspective and unique peek into a scam artists' mind.
Understanding the artist behind the scam is a first step in protecting yourself and your loved ones from deceit. After conducting personal interviews with dozens of con artists and studying their personalities, Shadel has found consistent trends in the tactics they use to defraud their prey. What do they all have in common? For starters, a life filled with fast money and women, drugs and alcohol, and lots of lying and cheating. But the most successful cons are also masters of persuasion, using a sophisticated set of psychological tricks and tactics that work time and time again. Outsmarting the Scam Artists explains that while specific scams come and go, the underlying strategy and tactics never change. If you know them, you can protect yourself.
Think all victims look the same? Wrong. Outsmarting the Scam Artists explains how individual scams are carefully crafted and tailored to meet specific victim profiles. Recent research has uncovered who's most vulnerable to some of today's most prevalent scams – and the results will surprise you. Shadel offers an entire chapter titled "Who are the Victims?", digging deep into the lives of the most vulnerable. A "Fraud Vulnerability Quiz" gives readers a chance to assess their own risk along with ways to prevent being a victim based on their own behaviors.
Outsmarting the Scam Artists dedicates a chapter to some of today's most prevalent scams. But rather than stop at providing basic consumer tips, Shadel gets to the underlying emotional pitch that cons use to get consumers to throw logic out the window. Here are some examples to look out for:
Exploiting ego through the Oil-and-Gas Scam
TIP: Never make a buying decision when you are in a heightened emotional state
Exploiting faith through a Religious Ponzi Scheme
TIP: Beware of investments sold by friends or members of a group to which you belong
Exploiting fear through the Gold Coin Scam
TIP: Never buy coins from a telemarketer
Exploiting boredom through the Movie Scam
TIP: Find out if the investment deal is registered with the SEC
Exploiting hope through the Lottery Scam
TIP: Know that all foreign lottery offers are illegal in the US
Exploiting credit through the Identity Theft Scam
TIP: Limit having several credit cards
Outsmarting the Scam Artists is an insider's playbook for consumers to protect themselves and fight fraud. Readers will get a fascinating peek inside the mind of a con artist, debunking the most common myths of who is taken and why.
About the Author:
Doug Shadel is the State Director for AARP Washington and previously served as a fraud investigator and special assistant to the attorney general for the Washington State Attorney General's office.
He is a nationally recognized expert on financial fraud, having co-directed numerous studies for AARP, the AARP Foundation, the FINRA Investor Education Foundation and Stanford University. Shadel has presented his research findings at the National Academy of Sciences, the National Association of Attorneys General, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and at international conferences in Germany, the Netherlands and Great Britain.
He has co-authored six previous books including three on crime prevention: Schemes and Scams (with John T.), Outsmart Crime (with Al Ward) and Weapons of Fraud (with Anthony Pratkanis). In 2000, Shadel received the FBI Director's Award for his work fighting financial fraud. He holds a Ph.D. in social science and serves on the advisory board of the Financial Fraud Research Center at Stanford University. Shadel lives in Seattle with his wife Renee, son Nick and daughter Emily.
SOURCE AARP
CONTACT: Heather Condon, Publicist, WILEY, hcondon@wiley.com, +1-201-748-6017
Web Site: http://www.aarp.org
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Netflix Survey Exposes Dangers of Inappropriate Content on TV
The Netflix "Just for Kids" section lets parents and kids find a broad selection of great TV shows and movies that are age appropriate for children 12 and under. (PRNewsFoto/Netflix, Inc.)
29 Mar 2012 14:00 Africa/Lagos
More Than 40 Per Cent of Canadian Children Have Been Accidentally Exposed to Inappropriate Content on Television
Netflix Study Suggests Content Concerns Prevent Parents From Letting Their Kids Select TV Programming
TORONTO, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- According to new research from Netflix, 61 per cent of parents would like to give their children the ability to select their own programming, but 67 per cent worry about what they're watching.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120329/SF78636)
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101014/SF81638LOGO)
The research, conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of Netflix in Canada, takes a look at Canadian families' television viewing habits to understand how parents and children watch television together and alone.
The research reveals that parents are rightfully concerned about what their kids are watching. More than 40 per cent of kids have been accidentally exposed to something on TV that scared them or have seen commercials that were not suitable for them. Some kids have even seen a movie alone that required an adult present. On the other hand, the majority of parents admit that they find themselves watching children's programming even when their child is not in the room.
To help parents and kids find a broad selection of great TV shows and movies that are age appropriate for children 12 and under, the Netflix "Just for Kids" section lets Netflix members scroll through content that's selected especially for them. Using an easy-to-navigate system, TV shows and movies are organized by genres like superheroes, princesses, and dinosaurs, and feature clear and simple descriptions of the plot of each title. As always, there are never any commercials on Netflix.
"Canadian kids are watching an average of 69 minutes of programming alone," said David Watson, Director of Product Innovation, Kids and Family, Netflix. "The Netflix 'Just for Kids' section within the Netflix website ensures parents don't have to worry about what their kids are watching, when they're watching TV on their own or with friends."
The survey also reveals some interesting facts about what's important to parents when watching TV with their children:
Nearly 70 per cent of parents worry about what their children are watching on TV.
Three out of four parents are worried about the advertising their children are exposed to and four out of five parents say watching programming without commercials is important.
Three-quarters of parents find it important not to be restricted by traditional TV scheduling.
The overwhelming majority, 89 per cent, say it's important to be able to choose from a large selection of programming;
Letting their children select the TV shows and movies they watch together is important for 86 per cent of Canadian parents;
When it comes to selecting their own programming, 72 per cent of parents say their child typically asks for the name of a TV show or movie while 34 per cent say their child references a character instead; and
Parents' desire to give their children more discretion over what they watch increases as their child gets older, but the concern about what their children watch does not decrease.
The Netflix "Just for Kids" section is currently available in Canada on PC, Mac, Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation 3, and Apple TV devices. Other devices will follow this year.
Survey Methodology
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos-Reid poll conducted between March 20-23, 2012, on behalf of Netflix. For this survey, a sample of 1,013 parents of children aged 12 and under from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of parents in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error.
About Netflix:
With more than 23 million streaming members in the United States, Canada, Latin America, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) is the world's leading internet subscription service for enjoying films and TV programmes. For about US$7.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited films and TV episodes streamed over the internet to PCs, Macs and TVs. Among the large and expanding base of devices streaming from Netflix are the Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Sony PS3 consoles; an array of Blu-ray disc players, internet-connected TVs, home theatre systems, digital video recorders and internet video players; Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, as well as Apple TV and Google TV. In all, more than 700 devices that stream from Netflix are available. For additional information, visit www.netflix.com. Follow Netflix on Facebook and Twitter.
SOURCE Netflix, Inc.
CONTACT: Kiel Hume, +1-416-969-2807, khume@environicspr.com, or Nicole Tuschak, +1-416-969-2712, ntuschak@environicspr.com, both of Environics, for Netflix
Web Site: http://www.netflix.com
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What are Amusing Ben Murray-Bruce and Lynn Whitfield?
What is on the laptop amusing Ben Murray-Bruce and Lynn Whitfield?
I wonder what was amusing Ben Murray-Bruce, the Mr. Entertainment of Nigeria and famous American actress Lynn Whitfield during the closing gala of the second edition of the AFRIFF International Film Festival at the Lagos Oriental Hotel on December 3, 2011, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
Something they were viewing on the laptop held by the man in front of them must be quite amusing.
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Outrage Over Iraq Welcoming of Wanted War Criminal Bashir
Wanted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 29, 2012
ADVOCACY GROUP CALLS ON UNITED STATES TO EXPRESS OUTRAGE OVER IRAQ WELCOMING OF WANTED WAR CRIMINAL BASHIR
(Washington, DC) – United to End Genocide denounced Iraq for allowing the visit of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, and called upon the United States to express outrage over the visit. Bama Athreya, United to End Genocide’s Executive Director, made the following statement:
“Is this what the United States went to war in Iraq for -- to allow a wanted war criminal to visit? The U.S. government should issue a statement of outrage.
“This is the third visit of Bashir to a close U.S. ally in recent months and should be seen as a slap in the face to U.S. standing, if not outright U.S. commitment to justice for one of the world’s worst criminals. Nor are the consequences of this simply historical. Even today Omar al-Bashir continues to drop bombs indiscriminately on the people of Sudan and to put hundreds of thousands at risk of starvation by refusing to allow humanitarian aid into his own country.
“Bashir should not be visiting countries like Malawi, Libya, and Iraq that the United States has so robustly supported. The next headline we see should not be about a war criminal being welcomed by a U.S. ally, but rather that Bashir is welcomed to the seat of the International Criminal Court in the Hague.”
Background:
On March 28th, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir traveled to Baghdad, Iraq for an Arab League Summit. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Bashir for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Darfur, where over 300,000 people have died since 2003. Iraq is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court so does not have a legal obligation to arrest Bashir, however such visits have resulted in diplomatic pressure and canceled visits to non-signatory countries in the past. The United States recently announced that it is suspending $350 million in aid to Malawi under the Millennium Challenge Corporation, citing deteriorating economic and political conditions, but also concern for Malawi allowing a visit by Omar al-Bashir as a contributing factor. Ongoing violence against civilians in Abyei, South Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Darfur regions of Sudan displaced over half a million people last year and USAID’s Famine Early Warning System has warned of hundreds of thousands of people being at risk of emergency hunger levels one step below famine as the Sudanese government continues to block access for international humanitarian aid in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
###
The Save Darfur Coalition and Genocide Intervention Network are now United to End Genocide. The organization remains committed to its work to end the crisis in Darfur and bring peace to all of Sudan as well as to end violence in other areas of mass atrocities. The merger creates the world's largest anti-genocide activist organization, with a membership base of hundreds of thousands of committed activists, an unparalleled nationwide student movement, more than 190 faith-based, advocacy and human rights partner organizations, and a network of institutional investors collectively representing more than $3 trillion in assets under management.
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How Smart Phones Expose Cheating Lovers and Spouses
Fact: 70% of married women and 54% of married men had no idea of their spouse’s extramarital activity.
Source: Associated Press
The progress in mobile technology has made it possible to find out whether your spouse is cheating or not. Playing a majoir role in cheating spouse activity, cell phones may speak louder than their owners.
mSpy is the most modern and advanced smartphone monitoring software that allows you to reveal the truth following 3 simple steps:
Photo Credit: Mobile Monitoring Apps.
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