Tuesday, 29 March 2011

Making Money Online Easy

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.

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

Josh Pastner of Memphis Tigers gets new 5-year deal

Memphis coach Josh Pastner receive a new five-year contract Tuesday.

Surface Encounters

Japan Nuke Accident Seen From Seattle - Science News

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

Surface Encounters

This Week's Health Industry News - NYTimes.com

A look at what's coming up in the drug and health fields.

Surface Encounters

Dirty Percent

Tuesday, 1 March 2011

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.

Titles from major book publisher Random House will now appear in Apple’s iBooks store. The news was one of many talking points covered earlier today at Apple’s media event. Random House had previously been the only major publisher not represented in Apple’s popular iOS book store, as it was not willing to grant Apple the 30% cut taken on titles sold through iBooks. The addition of Random House is a major coup for Apple as it looks to compete with the likes of Amazon’s Kindle bookstore and other popular offerings. Hit the break for Apple’s full press release.

Random House, Inc. Makes Entire US Catalog of 17,000 ebooks Available on Apple’s iBookstore

iBookstore Now Features More than 2,500 Publishers, Including All Six Major Trade Publishers

SAN FRANCISCO—March 2, 2011—Apple® today announced that Random House, Inc., the largest trade book publisher in the US, has made its full catalog of 17,000 ebooks available on Apple’s iBookstore℠, including bestsellers by Stieg Larsson, John Grisham, Dan Brown, Danielle Steel, Laura Hillenbrand, Cormac McCarthy, Lee Child and many more of the world’s preeminent authors. Starting today, customers can pre-order upcoming releases from Random House including Lisa Gardner’s “Love You More,” Suze Orman’s “The Money Class” and Jean Auel’s “The Land of Painted Caves.” With the addition of Random House, the iBookstore now offers ebooks from all six major trade publishers and thousands of independent publishers.

“We are delighted that Apple’s iBookstore now will be carrying Random House’s US ebooks for the first time,” said Markus Dohle, Random House’s Chairman and CEO. “And we look forward to bringing our 17,000 ebooks to Apple customers.”

“We’re thrilled to offer Random House on the iBookstore,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “iBookstore customers have already downloaded more than 100 million books in less than one year, and we think they’ll love being able to choose from Random House’s incredible selection of titles to enjoy on their iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.”

iBookstore customers can choose from a wide selection of illustrated and video-enhanced books that look incredible on iPad™, including Jay-Z’s memoir “Decoded” and Bing West’s “The Wrong War”; bestselling children’s series such as Magic Tree House and Junie B. Jones; and cookbooks by Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray, and the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. Random House, Inc. comprises more than 80 adult and children’s US publishing imprints including Alfred A. Knopf, Doubleday, Crown, Pantheon Books, Vintage, Ballantine and Bantam.

The iBookstore, included in Apple’s free iBooks® app, is the best way to browse, buy and read books on your iPad, iPhone® and iPod touch®. iBookstore offers ebooks from more than 2,500 publishers in more than 20 categories, including Mysteries & Thrillers, Biographies & Memoirs, Cookbooks, Children’s & Teen, Humor, Romance, Business and Travel.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Tags: announcement, Apple, books, e-books, e-reader, ebooks, eReader, Event, iBooks, Random House

Surface Encounters

Surface Encounters

What is your social media brand? Do you have one? Sure, many small business owners and entrepreneurs are coming around to the enormous importance of social media as a marketing, customer service, and, yes, even sales tool. But if you haven’t thought about how social media can define your brand, you are probably missing a HUGE part of what social media tools can do for your business. Here’s more…

Tools & Techniques

Creating a great brand with these blog tools. Tools that improve the look and functionality of your blog also improve your brand. A well-maintained small business blog is one of the most obvious and least expensive branding tools at the entrepreneur’s disposal even more so than social media channels like Facebook and Twitter because of how a blog can be customized to fit your needs and personality. This list of tools is a great way to start. EpicLaunch

What Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi can teach you about social media. One of the stars of the hit reality show “Jersey Shore”, “Snooki” is a perfect example of personal brand, but social media entrepreneurs could also learn much about building their own online presence from Snooki. Being yourself and using a simple, short tag to indelibly brand your identity are also great techniques in social media. One site is already trying to apply the starlets techniques in the social media space. Brand-Yourself

Tito Philips doesn’t want your comments on his blog! At least, not if they’re the wrong kind. And the wrong kind would be comments left for no other purpose than to get the blogger and his/her readers to visit your blog and perhaps comment on it in return. Why is comment trading bad? Don’t get Tito started! There are many ways to engage in social media marketing. Be sure you understand and respect some of the attitudes you may face. Blogging Bookshelf

News & Trends

The best of the best. Want to get a look at arguably the 20 best Facebook fan pages for business on the planet? By now you should know the value of a Facebook fan page to your branding efforts. What’s also true, however, is that not all Facebook sites are created equal. If you want to take your social media marketing to the next level, have a look at this list of cream of the crop sites. Inc.com

Even churches use social media marketing! In this article on the growing market for tech services among religious organizations, we learn that many churches have also already entered into the social media space. As houses of worship, particularly huge mega-churches, expand and build congregations, it’s easy to see how social media can work as a marketing tool here as well. Is your religious organization using social media for branding? WSJ

Tips & Tricks

20 tips that will make you a Twitter star. Among the tools popular in the new digital space is Twitter. The microblogging platform can be used for business or non-business purposes and it can be the key to your small business’s success. Learn how to use Twitter like a pro and you may be surprised at the benefits your small business gains as a result. Global Copywriting

Valuable lessons in social media. Gary Vaynerchuk, author of The Thank You Economy and a successful social media entrepreneur in his own right, has many insights to share with small business leaders seeking a new way to define their brands in an age of social communications. Read some of the takeaways Vaynerchuk shares with those trying to define their businesses with social media. E-Marketing Associates

Success Stories

Doubt the power of FB to create brand for almost anyone? You won’t after you read the story of Princeton English Professor Jeff Nunokawa and “Jeffbook”, a collection of 3,221 brief literary essays on Facebook, that have created an incredible cult status for Nunokawa in the process. His motivation? Not too different from those of most marketers. Nunokawa simply started sharing where he knew his audience already spent lots of their time. The results speak for themselves. Fast Company

Increase exposure with niche social media. Blogger Mavis Nong talks about the importance of niche social media sites including social bookmarking sites as a key method of creating exposure for your online business. Mavis talks about her experience with our sister site BizSugar.com (thanks for the shout out! ) and explains how smaller more focused social sites can sometimes have a surprising impact even larger than the big guys. Attraction Marketing Online

Opportunities

Sponsors wanted for new SugarTone Sweet Business Blogging Contest. Put the power of social media to work for your brand. We’re looking for sponsors to help with a brand new blogging contest involving two of the fastest growing small business communities on the Web, BizSugar.com and Bloggertone.com. Learn more about the contest by reading the full announcement and get in touch today! BizSugar Blog

From Small Business TrendsSmall Business News: Social Media Brand

Recognizing Women's History Month, New Deal 2.0 tells the surprising story of how women became citizens -- and how their economic lives have evolved along with their rights. Allida Black urges action on UN Resolution 1325, which ensures equal citizenship for women across the globe.

The monumental elections of Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia), Roza Otunbayeva (Krygyzstan), Dilma Rousseff (Brazil), and Prime Minister Julia Gillard (Australia) and the game-changing appointments of Dr. Michelle Bachelet as Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UNWomen and Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State proved that women can govern, run preeminent human rights organizations, set international policy, and place women at the center of diplomacy, development, and peace.

But the question remains -- if women can be president, why can't they be citizens? Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and in rights." Yet it took another twenty years after its signing to get the international conventions on political and civil rights and on economic, social and cultural rights -- and, in the United States, another twenty plus years for Congress to adopt legislation ensuring women's political and economic rights. It took another thirteen years for the United Nations to ratify (without the support of the United States) the Convention to End All Forms of Discrimination against Women. And in 2011, the US House of Representatives and other foreign governing bodies still toy with legislation essential to women's identities, ranging from limiting access to reproductive health services and marriage to crafting sentencing guidelines that treat girls and women as felons and charges those that have abducted and abused them with misdemeanors.

In a 1946 column, written before she joined the UN Commission on Human Rights, Eleanor Roosevelt urged women to "call on the Governments of the world to encourage women everywhere to take a more conscious part in national and international affairs, and on women to come forward and share in the work of peace and reconstruction as they did in the war and resistance." More than fifty years later, at the dawn of a new century, the UN Security Council -- pressured by a well-organized international women's lobby, Hillary Clinton, and other stateswomen and embarrassed by the rampant use of rape and genital dismemberment as tools of war -- adopted Resolution 1325. It urged "Member States to ensure increased representation of women at all decision-making levels in national, regional and international institutions and mechanisms for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflict."

Now ten years later, the campaign -- indeed the struggle -- to enforce this resolution rages across the United States as much as it does across Egypt or the Congo or Afghanistan.

It is tempting to construct this resolution narrowly -- to see it as a tool of armistice rather than reconstruction, as a vehicle to protect women rather than empower them. To do so, to paraphrase Albus Dumbledore, would be to do what is easy rather than what is right.

UN1325 is on the front line in the campaign for women's citizenship. It is a battle to ensure that economic, social and cultural rights cannot be divorced from, or considered separately from, political and civil rights. It is the struggle to reclaim democracy promotion away from post-Cold War politics, self-interested development and the campaign against terror and place it at the heart of citizen participation.

Just as important, it is a campaign to ensure women's rights as citizens as much as it is a campaign to force governments to act responsibly to all its citizens. While equality and human dignity have no sex, policy designed without taking stock of gender differences often perpetuates discrimination.

As Eleanor Roosevelt would say, both citizens and governments must "recognize that the goal of full participation in the life and responsibilities of their countries and of the world community is a common objective" and one "which the women of the world should assist one another" in achieving.

This post originally appeared on New Deal 2.0.

Surface Encounters

New York Yankee News: Granderson, Chavez, Joe West and Barry Bonds ...

All the Yankee news you need. ... New York Yankee News: Granderson, Chavez, Joe West and Barry Bonds. Dsc00073_tiny by jscape2000 on Mar 29, 2011 6:00 AM EDT in News � Tweet. 12 comments; Story-email Email; Printer Print. "I got it! ...

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Surface Encounters

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Fox News Bureau Chief: I Thought It Was 'Far-Fetched' When I ...

In 2009, current Fox News DC Bureau Chief Bill Sammon admitted that he didn't really believe charges that Obama was a "socialist" when he encouraged Fox News staff to use the term. But, he claims, he soon realized it was true.

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foreclosure auctions

bench craft company reviews

'Know Your Meme' Acquired By Cheezburger in Seven-Figure Deal

Cheezburger Networks has acquired online meme database (and popular web series) Know Your Meme from Rocketboom in a seven-figure deal.

Iranian Video Says Mahdi is 'Near' - World - CBN News - Christian ...

New evidence has emerged that the Iranian government sees the current unrest in the Middle East as a signal that the Mahdi--or Islamic messiah--is about to appear.

Out This Week – 01/04/2011 News - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our news of Out This Week – 01/04/2011. ... Latest Videos. Shift 2 trailer gears up for launch [5] 25 March, 2011. Latest News. Shift 2: Unleashed delayed by a week [16]. Shift 2: Unleashed nets Pagani Huayra [19] ...

Monday, 28 March 2011

Search engine optimization Vancouver For any Better Marketing Solution

When you start your own website there are lots of ways you'll have to sell it off and something the best way is to use Search engine optimization Vancouver if you happen to maintain that area. The SEO or search engine optimization services would be the top method of getting good traffic to your website and therefore making more sales.

Now, you need to know that you will not use SEO service if you're no internet business - but then again, if you do not have an online presence if you are an offline business, then you will not make it very far.

It is a popular proven fact that if you are going to really make it in the offline world you must have an online business. This is something which all business people are learning hard way. Something that you ought to also know is the fact that it's not as easy as just setting up the web site and leaving it to complete its things.

You can do this in most sorts of ways, but these companies usually take advantage of multiple techniques to create the perfect marketing technique online. It is possible to hire these phones write articles for you personally, post on forums and blogs, create meta data and meta descriptions, cleanup the code, add alt tags towards the images plus much more.

It is crucial that you simply do this because otherwise the company you have worked so hard for could end up losing all the money. When you have a website you want to produce, then you'll also employ the services of a search engine optimization company, which means search engine optimization company. What the corporation does is actually go ahead and take best parts of your website, check the code, create keywords and write various articles and documents to ensure that your website is placed near the top of the list for that major search engines.

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

If you wish to use the Search engine optimization Vancouver then all you've got to complete is find the top companies. It's through these how the SEO gets done effectively and efficiently. With so many SEO companies to select from you have to be certain the one you're going for is reliable. You ought to be in a position to request a breakdown of what you want, and also the company should also be able to let you know know long they have been operating for. This will limit their email list to reveal the top ones.

What to Expect Whenever Hiring a Roofers

When it comes time to correct or replace your homes roof, it can be a daunting job to locate somebody that is competent to do the job. There are lots of roofing companies available, however the types who'll perform a congrats for any sensible cost aren't frequently simple to find. If you're in the marketplace for the contractor, use the tips beneath for interviewing and hiring the correct one.

Job interview as well as Discussion

Most roofing contractors provide free consultations. This is especially essential, because it provides them a chance to assess what your roof requirements, also it gives you a chance to evaluate them. As with all of companies, trust your intuition about the individuals a person let up on your roofing. No issue how great the contractor's reputation or even recommendation, he or she should begin by presenting you with a business card. If a contractor occurs searching and speaking within an unprofessional manner, chances are that the job he is going to perform may also be less than professional. This is not to express that you ought to expect companies to arrive in suits. They will be hiking in your roofing, therefore most is going to be dressed in jeans and function boots or athletic shoes. If the service provider appears to be more interested in speaking upon their cell phone during your roof compared to he is within evaluating your roof's requirements, which may be an additional sign that he is not really the main one to do the job. For the legal safety, make sure that the actual contractor offers sufficient liability insurance coverage.

Roofing Evaluation

Anticipate that the contractor will be going up on your roofing. In fact, any service provider who not need to increase on your roofing to evaluate the issue ought to be instantly reduced. Those who are seriously interested in their own function may possibly create a sketching of the roof's surface as well as tag problem areas onto it because they go through their own evaluation, or they'll consider photos or video from the surface while they are up there. This is an extremely essential action, because it enables you to see exactly what the troubles are and know how they will be set.

Estimation

The next phase would be the created estimate. The service provider will take out their calculator and are available up with an itemized estimation. Some contractors goes to their own truck or even van as well as write up the actual suggestion, while some will crunch the amounts for the job in front of you. Once you're because of the suggestion, ensure that you comprehend which products will be used, how long the task will require and when you will find any additional or even hidden expenses that may arise throughout the repair of the roofing. The contractor should be able to answer all of these questions with ease and forewarn you associated with a extra costs that might be incurred if the roof's integrity be damaged within.

After you have obtained several created estimations from roofers, evaluate what every company or even contractor would like to provide for that price. Do not necessarily discount the greatest bid, because occasionally the greatest bid will in reality function as the contractor who does the job properly. Also, be wary of prices for bids that are significantly less than other people. They might be using substandard items or be untruthful about the chance of hidden expenses. Above all, believe in intuition as well as go with the actual contractor that makes you feel most comfy about giving over your hard earned 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.

Wikileaks and also the Uyghur

through henry on December Twenty, 2010
Henryk Szadziewski, Supervisor, Uyghur Human Rights Project

If it had been actually uncertain, information obtained through the whistleblower website, Wikileaks, has verified Chinese language federal government worries over its continued control of the location this calls Xinjiang, which is also known as East Turkestan. The leaked out wires through Ough.S. diplomats show the actual degree that Chinese language authorities make an effort to persuade governments globally to adopt it's position upon problems impacting Uyghurs. The actual wires also show the actual United States' issues and sights concerning the ongoing repressive measures in the region.

Most lighting associated with Chinese language government pressure would be the wires directed to Chinese anger, or the specter of Chinese language ire, within the release of Uyghur detainees within Guantánamo to 3rd countries. The December 29, 08 cable relates how Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi fulfilled using the U.Utes. Ambassador to The far east to voice Beijing's powerful competitors of release to any country other than The far east, which if the U.S. did indeed accede for this ask for it might "avoid injury to bilateral relations and to cooperation ‘in essential areas'". In addition, a February 2009 cable describes the way the Chinese Ambassador in order to Kyrgyzstan, Zhang Yannian, regarded the actual feasible discharge of Uyghur Guantánamo detainees because "an unfriendly act towards us" along with a "slap within the face". The Ough.S. federal government was firm in not really liberating the actual detainees in order to China illustrates the actual extent of the politicized character from the Chinese judicial system. Genuine issues over terrorism are understandable, however in the actual U.Utes. government's view the detainees might most likely encounter torture as well as delivery when they returned in order to The far east

Chinese language government stress in regard to the actual Uyghur Guantánamo detainees was not just put on the actual Ough.S. government, but additionally to New Zealand along with a handful of Western government authorities that were thinking about resettlement. Albania, Germany as well as Finland, as well as European Union fellow member says all appear to have paid for the brunt of Chinese language government disappointment. In the case of Indonesia, that was initially willing to think about two Uyghurs upon solely relief reasons, Uyghur Guantánamo instances were much less preferable to additional detainees because of the negative effects accepting Uyghurs might have on relationships with The far east. A May 8, '09 cable relates how "German Ambassador Erina Schaefer reported which Germany experienced knowledgeable China of the U.S. ask for to simply accept some Uighur detainees kept from Guantánamo and had been subsequently cautioned through The far east of ‘a large load upon bilateral relations' in the event that Germany were to accept any detainees".

The diplomatic cables additionally discuss the actual unrest in Urumchi, the actual regional capital, in July '09. The This summer 13, '09 cable talking about mass occurrences in China states:

"Ethnic riots such as those in Xinjiang July 5-7 as well as in Tibet in 03 of 08 vary markedly within source and nature through bulk incidents, XXXXXXXXXXXX stressed in order to PolOff [Political Officer] on XXXXXXXXXXXX. Each existing severe problems for the Party, XXXXXXXXXXXX stated, however the Party management would not hesitate to spread out fireplace upon Uighurs or even Tibetans if they considered this essential to recover purchase. Mass incidents present a different kind of risk, he explained, as the leadership is actually ‘afraid' to fireplace on Han rioters for fear of sparking huge public outrage that would turn from the Celebration."

This is a chilling viewpoint, particularly when one considers the evidence offered in two reports released this year through the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) and Amnesty International which fine detail eyewitness accounts from the use of deadly live fire towards Uyghur protestors in This summer 2009. Additionally, the actual declaration that fireplace would not be used towards Han Chinese language protestors offers resonances for the different approach taken through Chinese language security causes within Urumchi to Han Chinese direct orders within Sept '09. During those direct orders, after that Party Secretary, Wang Lequan, tackled protesters, who experienced required that he inform them regarding government reactions to security issues. An identical ask for to satisfy with the Celebration Assistant by Uyghur demonstrators within This summer was not met.

The actual wider consequences from the unrest also noticed a short discussion on the impact it would possess upon Iran-China relationships, and on relationships along with Australia following World Uyghur Our elected representatives Leader, Microsoft. Rebiya Kadeer, talked at the National Press Membership in Canberra within July '09. In the latter situation, the Chinese government "privately warn[ed] a major Aussie financial institution which sponsors the National Press Membership to make use of its impact to bar the Kadeer talk there".

The actual United States' concerns concerning the situation in the Uyghur region also come via within the cables. In a dialogue on plan direction within Tibet, Ough.S. officials clarify that it'll end up being not possible for Chinese frontrunners to adopt the softer line "if they look like they are doing so below worldwide pressure". The actual cable television dated 04 16, 2008, 30 days following the outbreak of unrest in Tibetan areas, additionally relayed the observation "that domestic balance remains the leadership's main concern most of all, which means there will ‘almost surely' be no rest from the present difficult line on Tibet or perhaps in locations such as Xinjiang." The information contained in the cable television also storage sheds gentle on the severe level of sensitivity with which china government sights territorial ethics, and also the feasible drip over associated with unrest from Tibet.

The prospect of methods to tensions within Tibet as well as Xinjiang as a result of municipal society are discussed inside a Feb Twenty-four, 08 cable. While recommending that China's financial achievement will increase it's potential to deal with democratic reform, the actual cable television also discusses how Chinese language leaders see the usefulness associated with "a limited growth associated with civil culture, including improvements in the guideline associated with regulation along with a stronger role with regard to authorized beliefs, NGOs, charities along with other actors in places which contribute to sociable balance and do not challenge Communist Party rule." This is a notable alternation in considering, that has seen Ough.S. authorities market the notion that Chinese language economic development, as well as economic relations with The far east brings in regards to a steadily democratic culture; nevertheless, much more faith seems to be placed in the grassroots movement than one that starts in the top quantity of a Chinese language federal government. Nonetheless, the actual cable television concludes which "[i]n areas such as Tibet and Xinjiang, the fear of separatism results in tight restrictions about the development of civil society." This approach is viewed as counter-productive through the official, that suggests that the actual U.Utes. federal government "should continue to express...serious issues more than Beijing's individual privileges record as well as appeal to China's growing consciousness which higher respect with regard to human privileges, spiritual independence and the rule of law assists to promote the development and sociable stability that China looks for as well as to enhance China's worldwide image." Such a technique might consider considerable diplomatic abilities thinking about "China's weird concern the Usa secretly encourages routine change and ‘separatists' within Taiwan, Tibet as well as Xinjiang".

The actual wires provide understanding of the every day company associated with diplomacy that is rarely afforded to everyone, and it is fascinating to note the amount of function done behind closed doors on Uyghur issues. The importance of the actual part of the us like a keep track of of Uyghur human rights problems within private discussions is made clear, and contrasts using its sensible public position. The staff from the Uyghur Individual Privileges Project is well aware of pressure the Chinese federal government puts upon Uyghur activists; still, the facts of Chinese federal government stress on its counterparts is illustrative from the degree which Chinese officials attempt to suppress contrary stories. With more facts to come through Wikileaks, issues over Uyghurs may not get the actual headlines, however the wires have shed brand new light about the paperwork of individual rights conditions in the Uyghur region.

Sunday, 27 March 2011

Wikileaks and the Uyghur

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

Whether it were actually uncertain, info obtained by the whistleblower website, Wikileaks, has confirmed Chinese government fears more than its ongoing control of the location this phone calls Xinjiang, which is also referred to as East Turkestan. The leaked cables through U.Utes. diplomats demonstrate the actual degree that Chinese language authorities make an effort to convince governments worldwide to consider it's stance upon issues affecting Uyghurs. The actual wires additionally show the United States' concerns and views concerning the on going repressive steps in the area.

The majority of illuminating of Chinese language government pressure would be the wires directed to Chinese anger, or even the specter associated with Chinese language ire, over the release of Uyghur detainees within Guantánamo to third countries. A Dec 29, 2008 cable television relates exactly how Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi met using the U.S. Ambassador in order to The far east in order to tone of voice Beijing's powerful competitors associated with release to any kind of nation other than China, and that when the Ough.S. did indeed accede to this request it would "avoid injury to bilateral relations and also to co-operation ‘in important areas'". Furthermore, a February 2009 cable television explains how the Chinese language Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Zhang Yannian, regarded the actual possible discharge of Uyghur Guantánamo detainees because "an unfavorable behave towards us" and a "slap in the face". The Ough.S. government stood company within not really liberating the detainees in order to The far east demonstrates the actual degree of the politicized nature of the Chinese language judicial program. Genuine concerns more than terrorism are understandable, however in the U.Utes. government's observe the detainees might most likely face torture as well as execution if they came back to The far east

Chinese language government pressure in regard to the Uyghur Guantánamo detainees was not only put on the Ough.S. government, but additionally in order to Brand new Zealand and a number of Western government authorities that were considering resettlement. Albania, Indonesia as well as Finland, as well as European Union member says just about all appear to have borne the brunt associated with Chinese language federal government disappointment. Regarding Indonesia, that was at first prepared to think about two Uyghurs on purely relief grounds, Uyghur Guantánamo cases had been much less preferable to additional detainees due to the negative effects accepting Uyghurs might have on relationships with The far east. A Might 8, '09 cable applies how "German Ambassador Erina Schaefer reported which Germany experienced informed China from the U.Utes. ask for to simply accept a few Uighur detainees held at Guantánamo and had been subsequently warned through The far east associated with ‘a heavy burden on bilateral relations' in the event that Indonesia were to simply accept any kind of detainees".

The diplomatic cables also discuss the unrest in Urumchi, the actual regional funds, within This summer '09. A This summer Thirteen, 2009 cable talking about mass incidents within China states:

"Ethnic riots like those in Xinjiang July 5-7 as well as in Tibet within March associated with 08 vary substantially in origin and nature from mass incidents, XXXXXXXXXXXX emphasized to PolOff [Political Officer] upon XXXXXXXXXXXX. Both existing serious trouble for the actual Celebration, XXXXXXXXXXXX said, however the Party leadership would not hesitate to open fire on Uighurs or even Tibetans if they deemed this necessary to restore order. Mass incidents pose another kind of threat, he said, as the management is actually ‘afraid' to fire upon Han rioters for fear of sparking huge open public outrage that will turn from the Celebration."

This is a relaxing viewpoint, especially when one views the evidence presented by 50 percent reports launched this year by the Uyghur Individual Privileges Task (UHRP) as well as Amnesty Worldwide that fine detail eyewitness company accounts of the utilization of deadly reside fire towards Uyghur protestors in This summer 2009. In addition, the actual declaration which fireplace would not be used towards Han Chinese protestors has resonances for the various strategy used through Chinese security forces within Urumchi in order to Han Chinese direct orders within September '09. Throughout those protests, after that Celebration Secretary, Wang Lequan, addressed demonstrators, who experienced demanded that he let them know about federal government reactions to protection concerns. An identical request to meet with the Celebration Assistant by Uyghur protesters within July was not met.

The actual wider repercussions from the unrest also noticed a brief discussion on the impact it would have on Iran-China relationships, and on relationships along with Australia following Globe Uyghur Congress President, Microsoft. Rebiya Kadeer, spoke at the National Press Club within Canberra within July 2009. In the second option case, the Chinese government "privately warn[ed] a significant Aussie financial institution which sponsors the National Push Membership to use it's influence to bar the Kadeer talk there".

The United States' issues about the scenario in the Uyghur area also come through in the cables. In a dialogue upon policy path in Tibet, U.Utes. authorities clarify that it'll be impossible with regard to Chinese frontrunners to consider a softer collection "if they appear like doing so below worldwide pressure". The cable dated April Sixteen, 08, one month after the outbreak associated with unrest in Tibetan regions, additionally relayed the actual declaration "that domestic stability continues to be leadership's main concern above all else, meaning there'll ‘almost surely' end up being absolutely no relaxation from the present difficult collection on Tibet or perhaps in locations like Xinjiang." The info contained in the cable television additionally sheds light about the severe sensitivity with which the Chinese federal government views territorial integrity, and also the feasible spill more than associated with unrest through Tibet.

The prospect of methods to stress in Tibet and Xinjiang as a result of municipal society are debated in a Feb Twenty-four, 08 cable television. While recommending which China's financial achievement increases it's potential to deal with democratic change, the actual cable television also discusses how Chinese leaders begin to see the effectiveness associated with "a restricted growth of municipal society, such as improvements in the rule of law and a more powerful role with regard to approved religions, NGOs, charities along with other actors within places which contribute to social balance and don't challenge Communist Party guideline." This can be a significant change in considering, that has seen U.Utes. authorities promote the idea that Chinese language economic development, and financial relations along with China will bring in regards to a steadily democratic culture; nevertheless, more belief seems to be placed in a grassroots movement than one which starts in the best quantity of a Chinese federal government. Nonetheless, the cable proves that "[i]n areas such as Tibet and Xinjiang, the fear associated with separatism results in tight restrictions on the growth of civil culture." This approach can be regarded as counter-productive through the recognized, who suggests that the actual Ough.S. federal government "should continue to express...serious issues over Beijing's individual rights record and appeal to China's developing awareness that greater regard for individual privileges, spiritual freedom and the rule associated with regulation assists to advertise the very development and sociable stability that China looks for as well as to improve China's worldwide picture." This type of strategy would consider considerable diplomatic skills considering "China's weird concern that the Usa secretly encourages regime change as well as ‘separatists' within Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang".

The wires offer insight into the actual every day business of diplomacy that's rarely owned by the general public, and it is fascinating to note the quantity of function carried out behind closed doors upon Uyghur issues. The significance of the actual role of the United States like a monitor of Uyghur individual rights problems in personal discussions is created clear, and contrasts using its sensible open public position. The staff of the Uyghur Individual Rights Task is actually comfortable with the pressure china government puts on Uyghur activists; still, the details associated with Chinese language federal government stress on its counterparts is actually illustrative of the degree which Chinese authorities make an effort to control contradictory narratives. With more revelations in the future from Wikileaks, issues more than Uyghurs might not grab the headlines, however the cables have shed new gentle on the documentation of human privileges problems within the Uyghur region.

Wednesday, 23 March 2011

Search Engine Optimization And Marketing with articles Will Place Yourself on Page 1

Seo and article promotion are two of the most powerful strategies which you can use in promoting your internet site and get the revenue and success that you desire for your online business. Both of these everything has been around to get a really while already however they still remain to be really effective. In reality, these have helped lots of people free themselves in the traditional ways of money-generating options of society.

In the following paragraphs, I will be showing the ways on how it is possible to properly execute search engine optimization and article marketing for the betterment of your business website. Additionally, I will be also discussing the various points that you must consider when you are using these two online marketing strategies to promote your website and get customers. Even though article marketing and Seo have been established for a long time already, you need to know that the trends and preferences concerning how they are performed are continually changing, and that's why you should stay up to date with these items through the help of Search engine marketing forum sites so that you can quickly adjust and learn to make your strategies far better.

In the past marketing with articles to different web-sites used to be so simple the effects they produce for web-sites was really powerful. However, stuff has changed a whole lot today. Currently submitting the identical article to different websites has stopped being advisable because engines like google have now changed to some huge extent in the manner they rank pages. They no more rank contents which are identical like they accustomed to in the past. This is among the best types of changes that occur in web marketing trends. This change has given birth to wide plethora of methods that web marketers are using today. Nearly all of web marketers now produce articles and publish them in really popular article directory sites and await targeted traffic to come to their pages. Be thought of as that most reliable Search engine optimization strategy that you can use. Aside from being effective, this also delivers positive outcomes frequently. A small problem using this technique is the caliber of traffic that you will get using this defintely won't be that good if you do not do proper keyphrase research beforehand and use in-links. You need for attending these two things before you decide to submit your posts so that you won't find yourself losing considerable amounts of targeted prospects. Because of this you need to practice good amounts of diligence if you would like your advertising initiatives to be effective.

Aside from articles, you may also use blogs, which can be another really powerful form of online marketing strategy today since it is highly favored by the major search engines. Within this technique, it is possible to choose to create a single blogging site that specifically targets your chosen market otherwise you can contribute to other blogs which can be called experts inside your niche.

Learn effective Vancouver search engine marketing techniques at the Vancouver SEO website.

Roofing Contractors Vancouver WA

There are lots of things to think about when looking for a roofing contractor. Cost, experience, and referrals are a few of the things you will likely be concerned about. Keep reading for even other great ideas.

Finding a Roofers

Before hunting for a roofing contractor, ensure you have a standard idea of the work that you need to do. By no means must you be an authority. If you have any Roof Document, read it carefully to find the information regarding your current roof. Should you not have a Roof Certificate, refer to documents closed during closing to locate your homes Inspection page. These documents should provide everything you need to find out about your roof. Prior to contacting any roofing contractor, you should have a list of needs and requirements to help you determine exactly who is acceptable for your roofing project. Make sure to write down each potential roof covering contractor's answers along with check them against one another. If you'll find any discrepancies, be sure to take note this and take this into consideration when making a final selection. There are no surefire ways to choose a roofing contractor, but when you take pay attention to to the details provided, your chances of a successful covering project are generally greatly increased.

One of the best strategies to finding a roofing contractor is by recommendations. Try requesting a friend or relative who may have had roofing work performed, and has been satisfied with the work. Get the brand of the business and their particular contact details. If you have not sure of mouth referrals, test first looking in the mobile phone book and internet based. A large advertising or expensive website just isn't necessarily an indication of the high quality of work, but could be a very good tool for measuring the amount of time and devotion they have put into their particular profession. Also, try locating current worksites and look at the roofer work that is done or perhaps in the process of being finished. If you are visually amazed, ask the exact property manager for that name from the roofing contractor along with their make contact with information.

Research

When looking for any roofing contractors, it's imperative to initial do your background research. While looking in the yellow pages or on the web is a suitable destination to find a company, finding important information on these types of businesses will be found in other areas. Very first, check with spots like the Better Business Bureau, city, point out, and county public records, and also local accreditation agencies. Ask your roofing contractor if they are a member of any roofing contractor associations. These types of precautions will mitigate the risks. Furthermore ask them what forms of roofing that they specialize in. In addition ask your current roofing contractor regarding any extended auto warranties they offer on the installed rooftops. Find out what measures they choose to use avoid damage done to other regions of the home by workers. Things such as gutters, house siding, and fireplaces are close in proximity and therefore susceptible to unintended damages.

Ensure all of this info is included in your composed contract. Check if you need a roofing permit and/or authorization from your homeowners association before hand. These people will let you know who is responsible for getting these permits and authorizations. If it is the responsibility of the roofer, also have that included as part of your contract. If it's your obligation, get mentioned permits along with permissions collated using the estimated roofer project and still have it evidently posted or perhaps readily available.

Certification and Professional references

Roofing Contractors are not necessary to be qualified in all claims. Contact neighborhood licensing businesses that govern general design contractors for any list of needs. Once you have acquired the requirements, build a list of comprehensive questions to ask the potential roofer. This simple listing should right away help you to get rid of the skilled from the untrained roofing companies. Qualified companies should be able to very easily answer questions as well as tell you that they need to do more research just before giving a new definitive reply.

Even if any roofing contractor offers all required licensing, you ought to ask to see pictures involving completed roofer jobs and speak to fulfilled clients. Possess a list of inquiries handy ought to recent consumers, such as the mother nature of the job, timeliness, and all round satisfaction. Ensure these are recent clients along with cross reference if possible. In the matter of commercial roof covering, make sure that the particular roofing contractor can be bonded. Examining these references is another additional measure of safety to narrow down the list of potential roofer contractors.

Search engine optimization Through Article marketing

Articles could be a very powerful form of Seo for the company websites. Quality written articles are able to transform your websites SERP and add quality to your company website. Writing informative keyword rich articles is vital in gaining new backlinks to your business website. Articles can and really should be written on topics which can be unique to your business or industry. The articles can discuss a range of issues and ideas within your industry. Articles that offer the various readers using a resource are always one of the most popular and most likely varieties of articles which will result in backlinks aimed at your web.

Focus your posts on your own potential readers or customers. Seo articles should address real questions which are asked by current or best buyers. Each article you are writing for you company should include detailed analysis and Search engine optimization keywords that can help associate your website using the content within the site. Focus your articles on approximately 3 keywords and do not stray from their store. Consistency is essential when writing Seo articles. In case you are writing about Vancouver Seo make sure your continue to come up with information strongly related the keyword.

Give each of your Search engine optimization Articles an engaging Title that can encourage people to learn and bookmark your posts. Ideally, the articles you're writing can become as links off their websites which are much like yours. This one thing will help raise the power of each link and will assist your SERP. Make sure to end each article with a keyword anchored link (see Easy Business Seo). This link will increase your rankings in Google and other major search engines like yahoo to the keyword connected to the link. Submit the articles to some submitted article directory and Voila! Before you know it, your web site could possibly be about the first page of Google.

Thanks for reading. Can't wait to talk to your Search engine optimization articles!

Vancouver Search Engine Optimization Company Aims For Google Places With Total Good results

When we type in looking term searching for a business within their local area, they will find that Google places and Google maps is showing listings of local businesses. It is very eminent to allow them to be optimized and for auction on this first page if they desire to generate business. Vancouver SEO companies need to be educated of this type for their clients.

There seems to be a large amount of new Vancouver SEO companies starting, simply because the importance is there. Finding a search engine optimization firm that has the client's interest at heart may be tedious. What number of keywords do they optimize for? Which are the keywords as well as the corresponding amount of searches? Do they understand how to optimize for Google places? And so forth. Search engine optimization will be the business of landing at the top and Maxim Edge provide there.

"My wife i started our Vancouver Search engine optimization company by accident. We now have learned over the school of hard knocks and trial and error how to utilize the web to market any business. We began using the website, then a competition, then of course building quality back-links to push an internet site up inside the rankings. It's not pushing control button and watching how are you affected type of business. It requires a lot of effort, lots of research and plenty of commitment. We strive for our clients and we are very pleased with a high retention rate." Randy Neale says.

For extra information on Michael, a Vancouver Search engine optimization company, please visit their site today at seo4vancouver.com

Tuesday, 22 March 2011

Portraits of Uyghurs

In the middle of the desert landscapes of Taklamakan, in the northern-west part of China, the province of Xinjiang is a least populated province while it covers close to a sixth from the country's territory. Having resisted while in hundreds of years the Han Chinese domination, Xinjiang, or Old Eastern Turkestan, fell into under the Chinese Han control in 1949. From then, its population is mainly Uyghur People and Turkic - speaking System.

Islamic above all, the Uyghurs have a solid religious identification which usually, in specific, allowed them to keep a solid difference towards the Chinese enemy. Of course, the Uyghur Kingdom of Mongolia knew a brilliant civilization, until its absorption by the Mongolian Empire in the XIIIth century.

While in their historical past, the Uyghurs successively adopted Shamanism, Manicheism, Buddhism and the Nestorianism before finally moving to Islam when the Arab conquerors beat the Chinese in year 751 BC., thus beginning the way to the Islamization of the entire Central Asia.

Under the influence of the religions which they taken on, the Uyghurs used successively, and at times in a competing way, a great number of written forms (turco-runic, brahmi, tokharien, soghdien) before developing their own unique graphic system.

The entrance of Islam was a great change because it was followed by the assimilation of the Uyghur land in the enormous Turco-Mongolian and Islamic Kingdom. Thus, the descendants of Genghis Khan progressively replaced their writing by a Arabo-Persan alphabet, still used nowadays.

If their writing, their own language and their religion mark a real big difference with the culture of Chinese Han, the Uyghurs also differ from their aspect, so characteristic of Central Asia's people. A shiny skin, eyes representing a whole pallet of colors, from black to deep blue, features directing out to the Mongolian, Turkish or Uzbek roots of these men and these women.

For a few years, China has integrated the proper identity of these remote people, although they represent only 9 million inhabitants - a trifle for this specific large land. Thus, the Uyghurs are now part of the fifty six ethnic minority groups having been known in an official way by China.

This particular law will allow them a few privileges in a land where their difference is very often repressed. Thus, Uyghur families escape the "single child policy" and their language is known as the second official language in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The integration of the Uyghur people and their culture in China, however, appears really illusory. The presence of natural resources in Xinjiang, and its distance with locations well-known as sensitive, strongly motivated the government to speed up the sinicization of this area. Million of Han thus came to settle in this new Chinese eldorado, monopolizing the larger responsibility job opportunities.

In reaction to this true will to assimilate the Uyghurs into the Chinese culture, an independent party like East Turkistan Islamic Movement(ETIM) was born in the early 1990.

Saying more freedom, but mainly the recognition of their true identity, this movement was severely repressed by the power authorities in location Xinjiang.

The events of September 11, 2001, were the perfect occasion for the Chinese government to justify true reprisals: they declared the "Uyghur freedom fighters" as dangerous terrorists linked to Al Quaida because of their Muslim origins and their proximity with Pakistan and Afghanistan... However, the terrible repression which followed did not calm down the anger. The Uyghurs population continues today to proudly keep their identity and their tradition , although they become a minority on their own land.

For further information about Uyghur people, you can visit a Uyghur website called Uyghur News at http://www.uyghurnews.com

ation|Web optimization|Website seo|Seo optimization|Seo optimisation} Expert consultancy - Getting Ahead Using SEO

With regards to success, among the mot important things is planning well ahead of time. The same as in other things, preparation is paramount. Whenever you prepare with determination you'd be capable of getting in front of the competition, even just in the world of online business. Websites today are trying to do their finest to get ahead of competition for targeted keywords through meticulous planning. Seo is the best tool which you can use in order to achieve your goals and fortunately, the Search engine optimization expert advice and tips which were discussed here can make things easier for you.

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Through Seo training you will be able to learn several concepts and tips like placing keywords within the right put in place the content of sites. Another topic that's often tackled by such courses is linking strategy because it will also assist you to rank higher. These Seo trainings and courses could be taken either online or perhaps in the traditional format in classrooms, depending on your own serious amounts of preferences. You will be able to help your website and enjoy better traffic and better profits while using concepts which can be taught by these courses by an seo expert wales.

The author is fulltime Search engine optimization Expert, you'll be able to know more about him and services they feature on their website http://www.seo4vancouver.com/.