Meet four social networks bigger than Facebook (in some countries)

14 hrs.

Helen A.S. Popkin

With its billion or so active members, Facebook once again dominates?the?World Map of Social Networks. As the No. 1-ranked social network in 127 countries out of the 137 tracked, Faceboook?seemingly swallows its competition in its march towards world dominance. But Facebook's competitors have over a billion members of their own ? you just haven't heard of most of them.

A quick look at the?December?2009 version of a social media map, composed bi-annually by strategist Vincenzo Cosenza using info from Internet metrics firm Alexa, notes that while Facebook was on top even?way back then, it had 16 competitors that bested it in various countries. Now there are only four that have bigger numbers, and in just?10 countries. Four plus Twitter, that is ? did you know that China is one of?Twitter's most active countries, even though it's blocked there?

It seems Facebook's planetary ubiquity is?inevitable?... until you take a look at the sheer size of?those competitors:?Total membership of the four major non-U.S. networks is?778 million.?Combine that with Twitter's 500 million active users around the globe, and you've got a social horde?that eclipses Facebook's.?Besides Twitter,?who are these plucky social networks standing firm outside the U.S.? Let's have a look.

Qzone - 552 million users
A massive social network that?dominates China and South Korea,?Qzone is sort of a cross between Facebook and Myspace. Users are encouraged to keep both diaries and blogs, share photos and listen to music, and as such,?attracts?mostly 18- to?24-year-olds. Qzone is owned by ?Shenzhen-based Internet portal Tencent, which also operates China's extremely popular instant-messaging service QQ.

The synergy of the social media platforms no doubt aids Qzone's popularity, but?of course, it also?helps that Facebook, Google, YouTube and Twitter are among the 2,600 websites blocked in mainland China. (As we noted earlier, however,?Twitter's most active users are reportedly in China, subverting government filters by using proxy servers. So if people in China really did want to use Facebook, it seems they'd find a way.)

V Kontakte - 190 million users?

Mark Zuckerberg took a tour of Russia last October, meeting with Russian Prime?Minister?Dmitry Medvedev, but the Facebook founder and CEO has a tough road ahead of him when it comes to establishing a foothold in that country. Unabashed Facebook clone?V Kontakte?(know these days as "VK") is not only the dominant social network in the Russian territories, it's also the second-most visited website in that part of the world (mostly by men, 35 and younger).?And since VK looks and operates a lot like Facebook, with profiles, messages, photo sharing and even a "Like" button, users have little reason to migrate.

Odnoklassniki - 45 million users
VK?isn't the only competition Facebook faces in the Russian territories.?Odnoklassniki?( "Classmates" in Russian), is also among the top five social networks. Designed?to reunite school chums and old friends,?Odnoklassniki gets its traffic mostly from?25- to?34-year-olds with kids and graduate degrees. It's also?is the?7th most-visited website in Russian, 60th worldwide, according to Alexa,?and a two-time winner of the Runet Prize, a mass-media award from the Russian government. Odnoklassniki's focus is largely on sharing photographs, and allows users to interact by rating those photos.

Cloob - 1 million users
Though?its user base is comparatively minute, Cloob is the top?social network in Iran, where its primary users are men over 65. Cloob is one of several social networks that emerged after the Iranian government blocked the former top network in that country,?Orkut (yes, Orkut), along with Facebook, Twitter and?other social networks. Cloob states on its site that it operates within the laws of the Iranian government. It is invitation-only and offers many social media features found elsewhere, including email, communities, photo sharing, news sharing, classifieds and resumes.

Qzone,??V Kontakte,?Odnoklassniki?and Cloob aren't the only social networks that challenge Facebook's hegemony. We talked about Twitter earlier, and there's also a little thing called Pinterest, which has about 25 million users.?Earlier?this week, we learned from Google Trends that "Tumblr" ??the short-form blogging platform ??recently surpassed "blog" in Google searches. Speaking of Google, the search giant is adding to its social ranks by forcing people into signing up for Google+, even if they just?want to use Gmail, YouTube and other services, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Even though it often feels like?it's all about Facebook,?there's lots more going on out there in the social media eco-system. Think of it this way:?You know everybody in the U.S. is all "Oh, that PSY with his 'Gangam Style' is just a one-hit wonder blah blah blah!"? In South Korea, he's been selling hit records since 2001. Just because it doesn't happen in the U.S. doesn't mean it's not happening.

Helen A.S. Popkin?goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job on?Twitter?and/or?Facebook.?Also,?Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/meet-four-social-networks-bigger-facebook-some-countries-1B7812869

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chapelhillnews.com | Plunging into the new year

Plunging into the new year
A look at what?s coming up early in 2013 in local recreation

There are a couple ways to plan your recreation schedule for early 2013. You could read the following, perhaps do some further research, and make a semi-informed decision based on your schedule and fitness goals. Or, you could remove the pets from the room, grab a handful of darts, hang up the new calendar, and take aim. But that way, you might end up running a 5K on an odd Tuesday at 3 a.m., so you may want to try reading on first.Blue Skies in JanuaryThe Carolina (Blue Sox) Baseball Club (CBC) will hold its fourth annual hot stove banquet at UNC?s Fetzer Gym from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 26. Open to the public, the banquet will feature notable guest speakers, a silent auction, a raffle, and great food. Also of note, the 10U Blue Sox squad has announced open tryouts this Saturday. Check back for further details on the Blue Sox website at stayandplaysnackcafe.com/ or email info@carolinabaseballclub.org.Rec Rocks!Registration for Chapel Hill Park and Recreation spring, 2013 programs for Orange County residents begins Monday.?We?re starting baseball and softball registration in January,? athletics specialist Michael Troutman said. Monday is the date registration starts for Orange County residents; it will start two weeks later (Jan. 21) for non-residents.?Troutman said the Dixie Rock Indoor Rock Climbing competition is still on at the Community Center and a spring Ultimate Frisbee league is in the works.Visit the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation website for more information at chapelhillparks.org. Brochures are also available at the Plant Road offices.Carrboro Recreation and Parks recreation supervisor Charles Harrington said his agency will have all of the usual offerings for this spring: girls? field hockey, girls? volleyball, spring baseball, adult co-rec softball, all with registration beginning today for Carrboro residents and Thursday for non-residents.?We have CLASS (Children Learning Athletics Sports Skills) basketball,? Harrington said, ?and we have a series of Sunday basketball skill-based clinics for shooting, and then also for dribbling, passing, and rebounding?Carrboro will also offer clinics for the First-Tee SNAG Golf, fishing and disk golf coming up during the spring, with tennis programs coming up at Wilson Park as well.?One big thing for this registration is summer camps,? Harrington added. ?Registration for both our regular (summer) day camps and athletic camps is due with this next registration period.?Y?s MoveAt the Chapel Hill / Carrboro YMCA, fitness opportunities abound in early 2013.?We?re offering a membership special throughout January,? senior membership and marketing director Greg Lee said. ?Whatever the day of the month is, that?s what the joining fee is. For a typical family, the joining fee might be $100, but if they join on Jan. 3, it?s just $3.?Lee said the Y will offer an ?Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less? nutrition/fitness program in January. In February, the proven ?Women on Weights? program returns, as well as a TRX program designed by Navy Seals.While youth basketball will have already begun in January, spring soccer sign-ups begin Jan. 10 for a season starting April 6. The Y?s Healthy Kids Day is April 28.A Running EngagementOn Feb. 2 at 9 a.m., it?s the KE Caring Community 5K, run from UNC?s Old Well. Registration and further information is through signmeup.com. On Feb. 23, it?s the 20th running of Kappa Delta Shamrock ?n Run 5K ( kdchapelhill.org) at UNC, to raise funds for the Durham Center for Child and Family Health and Prevent Child Abuse America.On March 2, it?s the 24th staging of the Zeta Tau Alpha Franklin 5K ( unc.zetataualpha.org). Also March 2, the first annual St. Paul AME 5K Walk/Run will start and finish at Carrboro?s McDougle Middle School. Learn more at stpaulamechapelhill.org or by calling 919-967-3961.On March 16, the Kidney Kare 5K ( unckidneycenter.org) is off and running once again from Carrboro?s McDougle Middle School. On March 23, the UNC campus teems with Heels for Healing 5K, staged by the UNC Nursing Students Association. Registration is through sportoften.com/, or call 336-414-5149.The Tar Heel 10-Miler presented by CEP Compression Sportswear and the Fleet Feet Four-Mile road races will be held on April 20 to benefit the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center and the YMCA?s ?We Build People? campaign. Also on April 20, the Briar Chapel 5K rolls along the roads of Briar Chapel neighborhoods south of Cole Park Plaza. Registration is through runtheeast.com.May 18 at 9 a.m. at UNC, it?s the first annual NC DNA Day 5K ( ncdnaday.org/5k/). Cedar Ridge High fans can show Red Wolf pride at the second annual ?Run at the Ridge? 5K and Mile Fun Run/Walk on May 18. Registration is through sportoften.com.Finally, the Swim for Smiles Youth Triathlon will be held on May 18 (short course) and 19 (long course). For more information, visit swimforsmiles.org.As part of its Winter Series, the Carolina Godiva Track Club will stage its Eno Equalizer on Sunday, Jan. 15 at 10 a.m., its annual Geezer Pleezer run will be on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m., and its Hard Climb Hill will run in March (date tba.). For more information, visit carolinagodiva.org.At the Starting LineRegistration deadlines are looming for Girls on the Run?s spring programs (no refunds will be issued after Jan. 11). Twelve-week programs begin Jan. 28 and culminate with a non-competitive 5K walk/run on April 13. Spaces are still available in Chapel Hill and Carrboro at Ephesus School, Morris Grove, Rashkis, and Seawell Elementary Schools and McDougle Middle School.The Chapel Hill / Carrboro Pacers Running Club offers track and field training to boys and girls aged 7-18 for a competitive edge, exercise, or just for fun. Those interested in the Pacers? spring track and field season beginning in March should visit the club website ( ccpacers.org) and, if they haven?t already, join the mailing list before Feb. 1 by emailing ccpacers@gmail.com.Carrboro?s Fleet Feet Sports will again offer training for young runners through its ?Mini-milers? program. Registration is through Fleet Feet Sports in Carrboro: fleetfeetcarrboro.com.

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Source: http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2013/01/01/74386/recreation-plunging-into-the-new.html

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Your lifestyle distinctive type of society | Pure Opinion

Energy may be a sort of strength comparable to heat and lightweight. However, effortlessly found energy means take time and to seek out, and lots of exclusively make very little energy. Case in point, the particular disturbance strength that makes your individual flexible fee mortgage head of hair stand it an excellent air-conditioned bedroom. Vigor may be the way of life exceptional distinctive line of society. We all try to eat it as being if you have absolutely no the next day. Even so, many of us have not really viewed carrying out ?homemade electric power.Inches width Exactly how should we produce self-made energy? Working on your personal electrical author is extremely considerably any implausible concept. Is it most likely possible to create this project? Of course it can be. We require some information regarding create your own electricity creating practical electricity.
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The good news is, one particular simple policies about vigor is that it is generally submitted one variety to a different. As a result, your electric energy is just products involving converting any type of heats up so that you can stimulate. These types of web-sites that may, we can quickly miniaturize energy generation.
Solar power panels are comprised electricity cells, or perhaps in simplest conditions, mild strength to help you energy converters. The most widespread method of crank out do-it-yourself electric power is from using a display screen. Light-weight the sun?s rays about the sun switch on the actual cells which make current. The voltage constructed from every mobile is actually moderate. Because of this, cellular material might be affixed through sequence or maybe concurrent to be able to make the sought after current amount. Surely, solar panels find damaging facets. For all those situations you?re planning to build versions hand made electricity utilizing solar power systems, merely ready your spending budget. Primary is it is quite expensive to receive. Eventually, it provides a very low production status in comparison with a few other electric powered machines.? An more popular means to fix generate self-made electricity is always to switch this blowing wind to be able to electricity. ?
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The particular wind generator is required for this purpose approach. Generally, a new wind mill just generator (the standard reputable name any motor and even turbine) connected to an electrical generator that may be unique from the wind?s push. This specific generator gathers the breeze vitality, whilst the generator modifications this kind of automatic tension within the the wind to electricity. When the dynamo changes energy so as to components power, it is a electrical power seed. Definitely, because i have previously stated, the particular dynamo will be the standard period of your serp. If the change technical energy to help power, that is a power generator.? Compared to be able to solar power sections, wind turbines give a somewhat better skills. Even so, the wind mill ought to be focused to suit your needs the particular wind flow are going to be stronger related to much better power creation. Creating your own electricity has many benefits.

This entry was posted in Business and tagged create your own electricity. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://pureopinion.tk/2012/12/31/your-lifestyle-distinctive-type-of-society/

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Hugh Hefner Marries Crystal Harris On New Year?s Eve! (Photos)

Hugh Hefner Marries Crystal Harris On New Year’s Eve! (Photos)

Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner tied the knot to Playboy playmate Crystal Harris just eighteen months after she called off her original wedding. But Crystal Harris wasn’t a runaway-bride this time around, exchanging vows with Hefner in an intimate ceremony at the Playboy mansion. Crystal tweeted to fans about her excitement about the wedding, showing photos ...

Hugh Hefner Marries Crystal Harris On New Year’s Eve! (Photos) Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/01/hugh-hefner-marries-crystal-harris-on-new-years-eve-photos/

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Lovie fired after missing playoffs

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The day after the 2012 NFL regular season ended, Judge David Doty convened a hearing on the question of whether the NFLPA should be able to pursue a collusion claim arising from the salary-cap penalties imposed in March on the Cowboys and the Redskins.? The day after the 2012 NFL regular season ended, Judge Doty issued a decision.

In short, the NFL removed a total of $46 million in cap space from the two teams for treating the uncapped year of 2010 as, well, uncapped.? The NFLPA, despite agreeing to the cap penalties in exchange for an agreement by the league to artificially increase the 2012 salary cap to a level north of the 2011 number, claimed that comments made in the aftermath of the announcement of the cap penalties disclosed for the first time that shenanigans were occurring in 2010.

The NFL argued that any potential claim for collusion was barred by the simple fact that the parties agreed in 2011 to end all litigation when finalizing a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.? Judge Doty agreed, finding that ?the NFLPA released the claims it attempts to assert in the underlying action.?

As a result, the settlement agreement won?t be reopened, and the NFLPA won?t be able to pursue upwards of $1 billion in damages from the NFL.

While the union may now appeal the outcome, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has a reputation for being conservative and, thus, pro-business.? Which makes it highly unlikely that Judge Doty?s decision would be overturned.

Indeed, most judges regardless of politics prefer to see settled cases remain settled.? In this case, the NFL and the NFLPA resolved their differences, including any claim that there was collusion in 2010 regarding the uncapped year that, based on the penalties imposed on the Cowboys and Redskins, wasn?t really uncapped.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/31/bears-fire-lovie-smith/related/

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Earl Stewart On Cars: Nobody Knows What Your Used Car Is Worth

A lot of people think that all used cars have a specific value and they can learn this by looking it up in the ?Blue Book? or some other used car wholesale book. Nothing could be further from the truth. The wholesale books that dealers use and those that are available online to consumers have varying degrees of accuracy, but you can?t rely on a book tell you the best price at which you can sell or trade in your car. The most accurate book is the Manheim Auto Guide because it?s based on the latest wholesale auctions nationwide and it?s updated weekly and daily online. The least accurate book is the NADA guide which relies solely on surveys sent to dealers. The dealers exaggerate the wholesale value of their make to make it easier to take in trades.

All of the wholesale books, except NADA, are based on prices of cars sold at auction. However, you must understand that those prices don?t give you an accurate price that you should expect for your trade. A car sells at an auction for the price offered by the highest bidder if the seller chooses to accept that bid. I often don?t sell my used cars to the highest bidder that week because I might get a much higher price the next week. Lots of things affect the level of prices at a car auction?the weather, holidays, bribing the auctioneer and bribing the buyers. On a cold, rainy day when few dealers show up to buy or sell cars, prices are lower as well as shortly before and after holidays. Sometimes it happens that a buyer ?greases the palm? of the auctioneer so that he ?doesn?t hear? (fast gavel) the higher bid from another dealer who bids higher than the dealer who has let the auctioneer know the price at which he wants to buy the car. Sometimes the sellers pay the buyers cash under the table to bid an unrealistically high price for their car. A car doesn?t even have to go through the auction block for the owner to believe it was ?sold at the auction?. Buyers and sellers can make a deal before it goes ?through the block??very cozy, only one bidder. Why would they do that? Often the buyers and sellers are employed by the dealer who actually owns the car. The used car manager or wholesale buyer employed by the dealer might pay $2,000 too much for a car if he can earn $500 cash in his pocket from the seller. His boss, the dealer, is never the wiser. Let me hasten to add that the Manheim auctions are very careful to police these kinds of shenanigans and never encourage them. However, as in every large organization (Manheim is the auto auction in the world), there are a few rotten apples.

OK, then if the books are wrong and the auctions are wrong, then surely the car dealer must know the value of my trade-in?.WRONG AGAIN. I have a little ?test? on used car appraisal knowledge that I administer to my sales managers from time to time. By the way, my managers are among the most knowledgeable and competent anywhere. This isn?t just my opinion but that of all of their peers in this market. My test goes like this. Without prior notice I randomly select a car from among the 100 or so that come into my service department each day. I ask each of my 8 mangers individually to appraise this car for what they think the current wholesale market value is. They keep their appraisal secret from the others and write it down on a piece of paper and hand it to me. I?ve been doing this for 30 or more years and I?ve never had a variance in appraisals of less than $3,000. Some have been greater than $10,000! The reason I do this is to remind all of my mangers of exactly what I?m explaining in this article?.Nobody knows the exact value of a used car. That?s important to my managers because under appraising a used car can cost us a sale. Over appraising a used car can cost us a wholesale loss at the auto auction. Therefore we always check and recheck our appraisals and go so far as to call other dealers and even put cars on Ebay. Another good reason not to accept only one dealer?s appraisal is that dealers will often knowingly undervalue your trade-ink, especially if you?ve negotiated a very low price for your new car. The dealer vernacular for his is ?stealing the trade?.

Now that we?ve established that nobody has any idea what your trade-in is worth, what does that mean to you? It means you should stop worrying about getting an accurate appraisal because there?s no such thing. However, what you should positively insist on is getting the highest appraisal. In fact, you should hope that the guy who gave you the highest appraisal was very inaccurate and made a huge mistake that will cost his dealership a large wholesale loss at the auction. You accomplish this by never accepting only the appraisal by the car dealer from whom you?re buying your next car. Before you allow him to appraise your car, you should get at least two other bids from dealers of the make of car you are buying. For example, a Ford dealer will usually appraise a Ford for more than a Honda dealer because more people wanting to buy a used Ford will shop the larger selection at a Ford dealer. Deal directly with the used car department at these other dealerships. Tell the used car manager that you need to sell your car for cash and that you?re getting two more bids from two other dealers. If you have the time to get more than two more bids it?s even better. Another good place to get a bid on your used car is from CarMax, the largest retailer of used cars in the world. They buy lots of cars directly from owners even when they don?t buy a car from CarMax. Their prices are sometimes higher than dealers will offer you.

After you determine the highest bidder, if it?s not the dealer from whom you?re buying, give him the right of last refusal. If he can match the price from his competitor, you save the sales tax on the price of your trade.

Source: http://oncars.blogspot.com/2012/12/nobody-knows-what-your-used-car-is-worth.html

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Jessica Simpson Bikini Photo of the Day: Naked Baby Bump Alert!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/jessica-simpson-bikini-photo-of-the-day-naked-baby-bump-alert/

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