Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Facebook Loosing U.S. Users
Facebook the world’s largest social network site with more than 800 million active users around the world and roughly 200 million in the United States or two-thirds of the population, as of December 2011. According to Inside Facebook, a leading source of news and analysis on Facebook’s global growth says, Facebook in the U.S. has lost nearly 6 million users, falling from 155.2 million at the start of May 2011 to 149.4 million at the end of it.
This is the first time that Facebook has lost the U.S. users. Even Canada also fell significantly, by 1.52 million down, although it has been fluctuating around that number. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, Norway and Russia all posted losses of more than 100,000 users.
Facebook has prepared most-expected public offering and it is eager to show off its thrust by building on its huge membership. But the company is still losing its users in U.S. Some people just refuse to participate and including people who have given it a try.
A study from eMarketer has released expressing user’s dissatisfaction over recent changes in Facebook. Many of the users mention concerns about privacy settings, confusing changes to the newsfeed. The study also reveals that 42 percent of users will use Facebook less than what they used to do and with 17 percent claiming they are stopped Facebook outright.
Inside Facebook also said, it could be even mean people have secret account that they made to spy on someone and maybe it is government shutting down spy operations or something bot accounts getting deleted or fake accounts of famous celebrities account are being suspended. Despite the possible losses, Facebook is still growing with more than 800 million users, having reached 687 million monthly actives.
Source:- siliconindia
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Is Twitter Killing English?
Are social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook freezing our brains? Is the younger generation turning into slobbering nerd? Recently, Hollywood Actor Ralph Fiennes held social networking websites such as Twitter responsible for thudding down the English language. The social media debate over language skill is there to stay for some time now.
The 48-year-old actor, best known as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films, does not own a Twitter account, but he believes, "Our expressiveness and our ease with some words is being diluted so that the sentence with more than one clause is a problem for us, and the word of more than two syllables is a problem for us."
During the premier of Coriolanus, his directorial debut at London Film Festival, he gave words to his worries regarding the language used by today's youth. It looks like a side-effect of being a classically trained Shakespearean actor and turning out as a pretentious defender of the English language. Throughout his speech at the British Film Institute's London Film Festival, Fiennes lectured on the current state of the English language and how it's being wrecked. He thanked the social networking sites for making the students suffer at the drama school. "I hear it, too, from people at drama schools, who say the younger intake find the density of a Shakespeare text a challenge in a way that, perhaps, (students) a few generations ago maybe wouldn't have."
It's not only Fiennes who advances on this theory. Recently JP Davidson, author of Planet Word, debated that longer words are no more favored as shorter. The text language is slowly turning into the real language; the standard words are now Twitterised abbreviations. He said, "You only have to look on Twitter to see evidence of the fact that a lot of English words that are used say in Shakespeare's plays or PG Wodehouse novels " both of them avid inventors of new words " are so little used that people don't even know what they mean now."
Linguist Noam Chomsky in an interview with DC blog Brightest Young Things calls Twitter "very shallow communication". He says, "It requires a very brief, concise form of thought and so on that tends toward superficiality and draws people away from real serious communication. It is not a medium of a serious interchange."
Language has always been subjective to changes, feel some critics. Text messaging and tweeting are only accelerating the pace of this change. Social media is just making these changes visible as they arise. We no more speak high polished English like hundred years ago; sometimes we slip back to slang instead of soliloquies. It?s unlikely to halt any changes or reverse them, and there?s nothing bad in changing. Some feel Twitter is not demolishing the English language, rather it's making it better. It only allows for 140 character musings, providing abbreviations that don't accurately chase usual spelling or grammar rules.
It does not matter much if this type of communication doesn?t live up to English ideals. The New York Times's Ben Zimmer points out, "Social scientists can simply take advantage of Twitter?s stream to eavesdrop on a virtually limitless array of language in action.? Whether people approve or not, Twitter is happening and it's really not all that bad. Language evolves and Twitter is presently making it easier to pathway what's happening.
Source:- http://www.siliconindia.com/
The 48-year-old actor, best known as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films, does not own a Twitter account, but he believes, "Our expressiveness and our ease with some words is being diluted so that the sentence with more than one clause is a problem for us, and the word of more than two syllables is a problem for us."
During the premier of Coriolanus, his directorial debut at London Film Festival, he gave words to his worries regarding the language used by today's youth. It looks like a side-effect of being a classically trained Shakespearean actor and turning out as a pretentious defender of the English language. Throughout his speech at the British Film Institute's London Film Festival, Fiennes lectured on the current state of the English language and how it's being wrecked. He thanked the social networking sites for making the students suffer at the drama school. "I hear it, too, from people at drama schools, who say the younger intake find the density of a Shakespeare text a challenge in a way that, perhaps, (students) a few generations ago maybe wouldn't have."
It's not only Fiennes who advances on this theory. Recently JP Davidson, author of Planet Word, debated that longer words are no more favored as shorter. The text language is slowly turning into the real language; the standard words are now Twitterised abbreviations. He said, "You only have to look on Twitter to see evidence of the fact that a lot of English words that are used say in Shakespeare's plays or PG Wodehouse novels " both of them avid inventors of new words " are so little used that people don't even know what they mean now."
Linguist Noam Chomsky in an interview with DC blog Brightest Young Things calls Twitter "very shallow communication". He says, "It requires a very brief, concise form of thought and so on that tends toward superficiality and draws people away from real serious communication. It is not a medium of a serious interchange."
Language has always been subjective to changes, feel some critics. Text messaging and tweeting are only accelerating the pace of this change. Social media is just making these changes visible as they arise. We no more speak high polished English like hundred years ago; sometimes we slip back to slang instead of soliloquies. It?s unlikely to halt any changes or reverse them, and there?s nothing bad in changing. Some feel Twitter is not demolishing the English language, rather it's making it better. It only allows for 140 character musings, providing abbreviations that don't accurately chase usual spelling or grammar rules.
It does not matter much if this type of communication doesn?t live up to English ideals. The New York Times's Ben Zimmer points out, "Social scientists can simply take advantage of Twitter?s stream to eavesdrop on a virtually limitless array of language in action.? Whether people approve or not, Twitter is happening and it's really not all that bad. Language evolves and Twitter is presently making it easier to pathway what's happening.
Source:- http://www.siliconindia.com/
10 Countries with Most Economic Freedom
Economic freedom is a very important term for any country to grow its economy and economic polices. Economic freedom of country emphasizes on free markets and easier trade policies to follow. It also means distributive justice and basic freedom to all individuals. Two thirds of the world's population's economic freedom is inhibited by bureaucracy, limited credit, and corruption.
In the case of India, economic reforms were made in the early 1990s which led to India's current economic growth.
There are several indices of economic freedom that attempt to measure free market economic freedom. Some empirical studies based on these rankings have found higher living standards, economic growth, income equality, less corruption and less political violence to be correlated with free markets. However, these results and their interpretation remain controversial.
Further, an open market attracts more investment. All these factors add up to long-term economic growth. Protectionism in economic policies holds off development, while economic freedom leads to prosperity.
Here is the list of the countries which enjoy the most economic freedom:
1. Hong Kong
Hong Kong has remained as the world's freest economy, according to Index of Economic Freedom since the inception of the index in 1995. As one of the world's leading international financial centers, Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterized by low taxation and free trade, and the currency, Hong Kong dollar, is the ninth most traded currency in the world. Hong Kong's economic strengths, including a sound banking system, virtually no public debt, a strong legal system, ample foreign exchange reserves, rigorous anti-corruption measures and close ties with the mainland China, enable it to quickly respond to changing circumstances. Its economy size is slightly bigger than Israel and Czech Republic and its GDP per capita at purchasing power parity is the 7th highest globally, more than Switzerland and Netherlands and slightly lower than the United States. Hong Kong has also had an abundant supply of labor from the region nearby. A skilled labor force coupled with the adoption of modern British/Western business methods and technology ensured that opportunities for external trade, investment, and recruitment were maximized.
2. Singapore:
Singapore remains the second freest economy in the world but ranks first in labor freedom in the 2010 Index of Economic Freedom. Singapore was ranked the second least corrupt country in the world, with a score of 92 out of 100. Flexibility and openness have been the foundation of Singapore's transformation into one of the most competitive and prosperous economies in the world. An efficient regulatory environment encourages vibrant entrepreneurial activity. Singapore's very competitive tax regime and highly flexible labor market encourage investment, attracting global companies and enhancing innovation. Foreign and domestic investors are treated equally, and Singapore's legal system is efficient and highly protective of private property.
3. New Zealand:
New Zealand has an impressive record of economic freedom and benefits from its openness to global trade and investment. The 2011 World Bank 'Doing Business' report ranked New Zealand third in the world for ease of doing business, first for ease of starting a business and first in the world for protecting investors. The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal, ranked New Zealand as the fourth freest economy in the world and as number one for business freedom. New Zealand has a very simple taxation system, with no capital gains tax and no payroll taxes. New Zealand went up 0.2 on last year's score with 99.9 for business freedom, 86.6 for trade freedom, 64.7 for fiscal freedom, 49.3 for Government spending, 84.8 for monetary freedom, 80.0 for investment freedom, 80.0 financial freedom, 95.0 for property rights, 94.0 for freedom from corruption and 89.2 for labor freedom.
4. Switzerland:
Switzerland ranked as the European country with the highest degree of economic freedom. Switzerland is ranked 1st out of 43 countries in the Europe region, and its overall score is much higher than the world average. Switzerland's openness to foreign trade and investment continues to provide real stimulus for a dynamic and resilient economy. A sound regulatory environment and minimal barriers to trade have contributed to the country's status as one of the world's most competitive and innovative economies. Macroeconomic stability and a highly developed and competitive financial sector reinforce Switzerland's position as a global financial hub. Switzerland, one of the world's richest and most investment-friendly destinations. Well-secured property rights, including for intellectual property, promote entrepreneurship and productivity growth. Flexible labor regulations and the absence of corruption also sustain vibrant entrepreneurship.
5. Australia:
While many large advanced economies have emerged from the recent economic downturn with growing debt burdens, Australia's gross public debt stands at less than 25 percent of GDP. With robust supervision and sound regulation, the banking system has coped well with the financial turmoil, and the government's budget deficit is much lower than those of other major economies. Australia's modern and competitive economy performs well on many of the 10 economic freedoms. The country has a strong tradition of openness to global trade and investment, and transparent and efficient regulations are applied evenly in most cases. An independent judiciary protects property rights, and the level of corruption is quite low. Australia is one of the Asia Pacific's richest countries. With a population of about 22 million and a land mass of 3 million square miles, it is one of the world's least densely populated countries and one of the most urbanized, with most of the population concentrated in coastal cities.
6. Canada:
Canada is ranked 1st out of three countries in the North America region. The Canadian economy continues to sharpen its long-term competitiveness. Scoring high in many of the 10 economic freedoms, Canada performs particularly well in business freedom, financial freedom, property rights, and freedom from corruption. Straightforward regulations and the competitive tax regime facilitate entrepreneurial activity and lure dynamic investment. The corporate tax rate is scheduled to decline further to 15 percent in 2012. Canada's strong and stable democratic political system is currently led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and a conservative minority government. With rich natural resources and strong manufacturing and high-technology sectors, it is one of the world's leading free-market economies and a major exporter of oil, minerals, automobiles, manufactured goods, and forest products. Nearly 75 percent of its exports are to the United States.
7. Chile:
The Chilean economy has demonstrated great resilience in coping with the global economic downturn and the February 2010 earthquake. With openness to global trade and investment firmly established, economic recovery has resumed at a steady pace, and the earthquake caused only a transitory dip in Chile's healthy economic growth. Chile's dynamic economy has long reflected a solid commitment to economic freedom. Chile has pursued free trade agreements with countries around the world. The financial system remains stable, and prudent regulations allowed banks to withstand the global financial turmoil with little disruption. Other institutional strengths include sound public finance management and strong protection of property rights. There is room for improvement in business and labor freedom.
8. United Kingdom:
A dramatic expansion of government intervention has taken place in the U.K. in response to the global financial and economic crisis. The government has nationalized or seized ownership positions in some of the major banks. Public finance has deteriorated markedly. Newly elected Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron's coalition government has unveiled a series of major austerity measures designed to stem the loss of economic freedom. Proposed spending cuts are an encouraging first step toward reforming the bloated public sector and the costly welfare system, but policies conducive to private-sector investment will be critical to reviving vibrant economic expansion and job creation.
9. Mauritius:
Mauritius is ranked 1st out of 46 countries in the Sub-Saharan African region, and its overall score is well above the world average.Mauritius is a regional leader in economic freedom. Efficient and transparent regulations underpin its status as one of the world's 20 freest economies and support broad-based economic development. Competitive tax rates and relatively flexible labor regulations promote innovative private-sector growth. While privatization of state-owned monopolies has stalled, the state does not play an overwhelming role in the economy, minimizing the drag on dynamic business activity. Corruption, the bane of many other countries in the region, is relatively low. Public financial management is generally sound. Public debt, at 60 percent of GDP, is nearly all held by the National Pensions Fund and commercial banks.
10. United States:
The U.S. economy faces enormous challenges. The government's recent spending spree has led to fragile business confidence and crushing public debt. Interventionist responses to the economic slowdown have eroded economic freedom and long-term competitiveness. Drastic legislative changes in health care and financial regulations have retarded job creation and injected substantial uncertainty into business investment planning. Ongoing regulatory changes, coupled with fading confidence in the direction of government policies, discourage entrepreneurship and dynamic investment within the private sector. The U.S. economy is the world's largest. While services account for more than 70 percent of economic activity, the U.S. remains the world's largest producer of manufactured goods.
Source:- http://www.siliconindia.com/
In the case of India, economic reforms were made in the early 1990s which led to India's current economic growth.
There are several indices of economic freedom that attempt to measure free market economic freedom. Some empirical studies based on these rankings have found higher living standards, economic growth, income equality, less corruption and less political violence to be correlated with free markets. However, these results and their interpretation remain controversial.
Further, an open market attracts more investment. All these factors add up to long-term economic growth. Protectionism in economic policies holds off development, while economic freedom leads to prosperity.
Here is the list of the countries which enjoy the most economic freedom:
1. Hong Kong
2. Singapore:
Singapore remains the second freest economy in the world but ranks first in labor freedom in the 2010 Index of Economic Freedom. Singapore was ranked the second least corrupt country in the world, with a score of 92 out of 100. Flexibility and openness have been the foundation of Singapore's transformation into one of the most competitive and prosperous economies in the world. An efficient regulatory environment encourages vibrant entrepreneurial activity. Singapore's very competitive tax regime and highly flexible labor market encourage investment, attracting global companies and enhancing innovation. Foreign and domestic investors are treated equally, and Singapore's legal system is efficient and highly protective of private property.
3. New Zealand:
New Zealand has an impressive record of economic freedom and benefits from its openness to global trade and investment. The 2011 World Bank 'Doing Business' report ranked New Zealand third in the world for ease of doing business, first for ease of starting a business and first in the world for protecting investors. The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal, ranked New Zealand as the fourth freest economy in the world and as number one for business freedom. New Zealand has a very simple taxation system, with no capital gains tax and no payroll taxes. New Zealand went up 0.2 on last year's score with 99.9 for business freedom, 86.6 for trade freedom, 64.7 for fiscal freedom, 49.3 for Government spending, 84.8 for monetary freedom, 80.0 for investment freedom, 80.0 financial freedom, 95.0 for property rights, 94.0 for freedom from corruption and 89.2 for labor freedom.
4. Switzerland:
Switzerland ranked as the European country with the highest degree of economic freedom. Switzerland is ranked 1st out of 43 countries in the Europe region, and its overall score is much higher than the world average. Switzerland's openness to foreign trade and investment continues to provide real stimulus for a dynamic and resilient economy. A sound regulatory environment and minimal barriers to trade have contributed to the country's status as one of the world's most competitive and innovative economies. Macroeconomic stability and a highly developed and competitive financial sector reinforce Switzerland's position as a global financial hub. Switzerland, one of the world's richest and most investment-friendly destinations. Well-secured property rights, including for intellectual property, promote entrepreneurship and productivity growth. Flexible labor regulations and the absence of corruption also sustain vibrant entrepreneurship.
5. Australia:
While many large advanced economies have emerged from the recent economic downturn with growing debt burdens, Australia's gross public debt stands at less than 25 percent of GDP. With robust supervision and sound regulation, the banking system has coped well with the financial turmoil, and the government's budget deficit is much lower than those of other major economies. Australia's modern and competitive economy performs well on many of the 10 economic freedoms. The country has a strong tradition of openness to global trade and investment, and transparent and efficient regulations are applied evenly in most cases. An independent judiciary protects property rights, and the level of corruption is quite low. Australia is one of the Asia Pacific's richest countries. With a population of about 22 million and a land mass of 3 million square miles, it is one of the world's least densely populated countries and one of the most urbanized, with most of the population concentrated in coastal cities.
6. Canada:
Canada is ranked 1st out of three countries in the North America region. The Canadian economy continues to sharpen its long-term competitiveness. Scoring high in many of the 10 economic freedoms, Canada performs particularly well in business freedom, financial freedom, property rights, and freedom from corruption. Straightforward regulations and the competitive tax regime facilitate entrepreneurial activity and lure dynamic investment. The corporate tax rate is scheduled to decline further to 15 percent in 2012. Canada's strong and stable democratic political system is currently led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and a conservative minority government. With rich natural resources and strong manufacturing and high-technology sectors, it is one of the world's leading free-market economies and a major exporter of oil, minerals, automobiles, manufactured goods, and forest products. Nearly 75 percent of its exports are to the United States.
7. Chile:
The Chilean economy has demonstrated great resilience in coping with the global economic downturn and the February 2010 earthquake. With openness to global trade and investment firmly established, economic recovery has resumed at a steady pace, and the earthquake caused only a transitory dip in Chile's healthy economic growth. Chile's dynamic economy has long reflected a solid commitment to economic freedom. Chile has pursued free trade agreements with countries around the world. The financial system remains stable, and prudent regulations allowed banks to withstand the global financial turmoil with little disruption. Other institutional strengths include sound public finance management and strong protection of property rights. There is room for improvement in business and labor freedom.
8. United Kingdom:
A dramatic expansion of government intervention has taken place in the U.K. in response to the global financial and economic crisis. The government has nationalized or seized ownership positions in some of the major banks. Public finance has deteriorated markedly. Newly elected Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron's coalition government has unveiled a series of major austerity measures designed to stem the loss of economic freedom. Proposed spending cuts are an encouraging first step toward reforming the bloated public sector and the costly welfare system, but policies conducive to private-sector investment will be critical to reviving vibrant economic expansion and job creation.
9. Mauritius:
Mauritius is ranked 1st out of 46 countries in the Sub-Saharan African region, and its overall score is well above the world average.Mauritius is a regional leader in economic freedom. Efficient and transparent regulations underpin its status as one of the world's 20 freest economies and support broad-based economic development. Competitive tax rates and relatively flexible labor regulations promote innovative private-sector growth. While privatization of state-owned monopolies has stalled, the state does not play an overwhelming role in the economy, minimizing the drag on dynamic business activity. Corruption, the bane of many other countries in the region, is relatively low. Public financial management is generally sound. Public debt, at 60 percent of GDP, is nearly all held by the National Pensions Fund and commercial banks.
10. United States:
The U.S. economy faces enormous challenges. The government's recent spending spree has led to fragile business confidence and crushing public debt. Interventionist responses to the economic slowdown have eroded economic freedom and long-term competitiveness. Drastic legislative changes in health care and financial regulations have retarded job creation and injected substantial uncertainty into business investment planning. Ongoing regulatory changes, coupled with fading confidence in the direction of government policies, discourage entrepreneurship and dynamic investment within the private sector. The U.S. economy is the world's largest. While services account for more than 70 percent of economic activity, the U.S. remains the world's largest producer of manufactured goods.
Source:- http://www.siliconindia.com/
Monday, October 24, 2011
10 Rags to Riches Billionares
1. Sheldon Adelson, United States: Net Worth: $26.5 billion
2. Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong Net worth: $23 billion
Fled a turbulent China in 1940; settled in Hong Kong. At age 15, after the death of his father, was forced to leave school to work at a plastics factory. Later borrowed money to manufacture plastic flowers; eventually grew his Cheung Kong Industries into a conglomerate with stakes in supermarkets, property and cell phones. Old Hong Kong joke said that for every dollar spent in Hong Kong, five cents went to Li. Dubbed ''Superman,'' knighted by Queen Elizabeth. Despite enormous wealth, his secret wish is reportedly to be able to walk in the park
3. Roman Abramovich, Russia Net worth: $18.7 billion
Orphan by age four; grew up with uncle and grandmother. After military stint, dropped out of college to take part in controversial Russian oil-export deals. In 1995, teamed up with fellow Russian Boris Berezovsky to take over oil giant Sibneft for a reported $100 million; sold it to Russia's Gazprom for $13 billion a decade later. Passionate soccer fan owns U.K.'s Chelsea club; has many other toys, including jets, yachts and a home that reportedly cost $100 million. Recently made headlines for divorce from his second wife and speculation over how much of his fortune
4. Kirk Kerkorian, United States Net worth: $15 billion
Son of Armenian immigrants dropped out of eighth grade and took up boxing. Amateur fighter threw punches under the name ''Rifle Right Kerkorian.'' Flew planes across the Atlantic during World War II. Made first bundle selling Tran International Airlines in the 1960s; invested proceeds in Las Vegas. Today his MGM Mirage owns more than half the hotel rooms on the Las Vegas Strip. Continues to jab at auto industry; after failing to orchestrate turnaround at ailing general Motors, sold off shares and later made unsuccessful bid for Chrysler arm of DaimlerChrysler.
5. Francois Pinault, France Net worth: $14.5 billion
High school drop out started out as an unknown timber merchant from France's Brittany region. Speculation in commodities and ''predator'' business tactics helped him build a sprawling empire. Today he is the majority shareholder of luxury goods group PPR, whose brands includes Gucci, Balenciaga and Stella McCartney. His personal art collection is showcased in Venice in the Palazzo Grassi. Son Francois-Henri, who now runs the family business, recently announced that he is engaged to Mexican actress Salma Hayek, with whom he is expecting his first child.
6. Steve Jobs, United States Net worth: $5.7 billionAdopted into a working class family; grew up in apricot orchards that would later become Silicon Valley. Dropped out of Reed College because he couldn't pay the tuition; co-founded Apple in his parents' garage in 1976. Ousted from the iconic brand in 1985 after power struggle with chief John Scully. Returned to Apple in 1996, creating iPod sensation. In interim, started Pixar animation, creator of hits like Toy Story and Finding Nemo, that was later sold to Disney. Jobs now sits on Disney's board and is its largest shareholder.
7. Ralph Lauren, United States Net worth: $5 billion
Son of Russian immigrants was born and raised in the Bronx where he shared a bedroom with two of his brothers. By age 12, worked after school to help pay for his fancy taste in clothes. At one time worked in department stores. Eventually dropped out of City College to launch Polo Fashions with a $50,000 loan. Took group public a decade ago.
8. James Cayne, United States Net worth: $1.3 billion
Dropped out of Purdue University; sold scrap iron. Moved to New York to play bridge full-time; spotted by Wall Street legend Alan "Ace" Greenberg for his card skills. Greenberg hired Cayne as a Bear Stearns stockbroker in 1969. Thirty-two years later, Cayne assumed the chairman's mantle from Greenberg. Still plays bridge; the national champion is ranked as one of the world's best.
9. Richard Desmond, United Kingdom Net worth: $1.3 billion
After parents divorced, went to live in a garage apartment with his mother. Quit school at age 14 to become a drummer and help pay the bills. ''I wanted money and self-esteem, and I needed something to get me there quick,'' he has said. Worked in coat-check room for tips. Started International Musician magazine at age 22. Dozens of titles followed suit. Now expanding his celebrity magazine OK! around the world. Still drumming; his band RD Crusaders, which includes musicians from The Who and Led Zeppelin, plays charity events.
10. J.K. Rowling, United Kingdom Net worth: $1 billion
Born in Bristol, England into a middle class family. Hit hard by the death of her mother, who suffered from multiple sclerosis, and left for Portugal where she married and had a daughter. Returned to Edinburgh a single mom; lived on welfare while finishing her first Harry Potter tale. The seventh and last book in the series will be published this July along with the release of the fifth film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The magic will continue at a new Orlando theme park set to open in 2009
Source:- http://www.siliconindia.com/
Sheldon, son of a Boston cab driver borrowed $200 at age 12 to start selling newspapers. He later went on to do many roles as a mortgage broker, investment advisor and financial consultant. Sheldon was a high school drop out but was a Broadway enthusiast who went to study voice in his teens. But it was another kind of stage that called him: trade shows, where he made his first fortune. Later gambled on casinos in Las Vegas, Macau and Singapore. Took his Las Vegas Sands public in December 2004.
2. Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong Net worth: $23 billion
Fled a turbulent China in 1940; settled in Hong Kong. At age 15, after the death of his father, was forced to leave school to work at a plastics factory. Later borrowed money to manufacture plastic flowers; eventually grew his Cheung Kong Industries into a conglomerate with stakes in supermarkets, property and cell phones. Old Hong Kong joke said that for every dollar spent in Hong Kong, five cents went to Li. Dubbed ''Superman,'' knighted by Queen Elizabeth. Despite enormous wealth, his secret wish is reportedly to be able to walk in the park
3. Roman Abramovich, Russia Net worth: $18.7 billion
Orphan by age four; grew up with uncle and grandmother. After military stint, dropped out of college to take part in controversial Russian oil-export deals. In 1995, teamed up with fellow Russian Boris Berezovsky to take over oil giant Sibneft for a reported $100 million; sold it to Russia's Gazprom for $13 billion a decade later. Passionate soccer fan owns U.K.'s Chelsea club; has many other toys, including jets, yachts and a home that reportedly cost $100 million. Recently made headlines for divorce from his second wife and speculation over how much of his fortune
4. Kirk Kerkorian, United States Net worth: $15 billion
Son of Armenian immigrants dropped out of eighth grade and took up boxing. Amateur fighter threw punches under the name ''Rifle Right Kerkorian.'' Flew planes across the Atlantic during World War II. Made first bundle selling Tran International Airlines in the 1960s; invested proceeds in Las Vegas. Today his MGM Mirage owns more than half the hotel rooms on the Las Vegas Strip. Continues to jab at auto industry; after failing to orchestrate turnaround at ailing general Motors, sold off shares and later made unsuccessful bid for Chrysler arm of DaimlerChrysler.
5. Francois Pinault, France Net worth: $14.5 billion
High school drop out started out as an unknown timber merchant from France's Brittany region. Speculation in commodities and ''predator'' business tactics helped him build a sprawling empire. Today he is the majority shareholder of luxury goods group PPR, whose brands includes Gucci, Balenciaga and Stella McCartney. His personal art collection is showcased in Venice in the Palazzo Grassi. Son Francois-Henri, who now runs the family business, recently announced that he is engaged to Mexican actress Salma Hayek, with whom he is expecting his first child.
6. Steve Jobs, United States Net worth: $5.7 billionAdopted into a working class family; grew up in apricot orchards that would later become Silicon Valley. Dropped out of Reed College because he couldn't pay the tuition; co-founded Apple in his parents' garage in 1976. Ousted from the iconic brand in 1985 after power struggle with chief John Scully. Returned to Apple in 1996, creating iPod sensation. In interim, started Pixar animation, creator of hits like Toy Story and Finding Nemo, that was later sold to Disney. Jobs now sits on Disney's board and is its largest shareholder.
7. Ralph Lauren, United States Net worth: $5 billion
Son of Russian immigrants was born and raised in the Bronx where he shared a bedroom with two of his brothers. By age 12, worked after school to help pay for his fancy taste in clothes. At one time worked in department stores. Eventually dropped out of City College to launch Polo Fashions with a $50,000 loan. Took group public a decade ago.
8. James Cayne, United States Net worth: $1.3 billion
Dropped out of Purdue University; sold scrap iron. Moved to New York to play bridge full-time; spotted by Wall Street legend Alan "Ace" Greenberg for his card skills. Greenberg hired Cayne as a Bear Stearns stockbroker in 1969. Thirty-two years later, Cayne assumed the chairman's mantle from Greenberg. Still plays bridge; the national champion is ranked as one of the world's best.
9. Richard Desmond, United Kingdom Net worth: $1.3 billion
After parents divorced, went to live in a garage apartment with his mother. Quit school at age 14 to become a drummer and help pay the bills. ''I wanted money and self-esteem, and I needed something to get me there quick,'' he has said. Worked in coat-check room for tips. Started International Musician magazine at age 22. Dozens of titles followed suit. Now expanding his celebrity magazine OK! around the world. Still drumming; his band RD Crusaders, which includes musicians from The Who and Led Zeppelin, plays charity events.
10. J.K. Rowling, United Kingdom Net worth: $1 billion
Born in Bristol, England into a middle class family. Hit hard by the death of her mother, who suffered from multiple sclerosis, and left for Portugal where she married and had a daughter. Returned to Edinburgh a single mom; lived on welfare while finishing her first Harry Potter tale. The seventh and last book in the series will be published this July along with the release of the fifth film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The magic will continue at a new Orlando theme park set to open in 2009
Source:- http://www.siliconindia.com/
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Century Old Problem Solved
Poincare conjecture is one of the mathematical theorems that has been demonstrated recently passably to the point that it can be taken as a full theorem. You can find various definitions for Poincare Conjecture on different websites. For example, according to Wikipedia "In mathematics, the Poincare conjecture (French, ) is a theorem about the characterization of the three-dimensional sphere among three-dimensional manifolds."
Poincare conjecture has been one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems and above all, this is the first ever and only Millennium Prize Problem that has been solved. The Poincare Conjecture states that if a compact 3-D manifold has no boundary and is simply connected, then it is said to be homeomorphic to a 3-D sphere. This conjecture is believed to have been formulated in 1904 by Henri Poincare, a French mathematician, as an elemental for achieving a perceptive of three dimensional shapes, 3-D sphere being the simplest one.
This conjecture was recently provided with a breakthrough proof by numerous new elements introduced by Perelman. He gained complete perceptive of singularity formation in Ricci flow, in addition to the manner of collapsing of the parts of a shape onto lower-dimensional spaces. He solved the problem by introducing entropy as a new quantity. This entropy measures the disorder in the space's global geometry instead of measuring the disarray at the atomic level. Besides, he also pioneered a related local quantity, the L-functional, which was used that proved that the time between the configuration of singularities could not become smaller and smaller.
Perelman has enriched mathematics by deploy his new ideas and methods with utmost technicalities and describing the obtained results with elegant succinctness.
The interesting fact is that Grigory Perelman declined the prize of one million dollars which comes with the Fields medal which is equivalent of the Nobel Prize for mathematics. Perelman is currently unemployed living with his mom in a small apartment near St. Petersburg. Interfax, a Russian news agency, quoted him as saying. "To put it short," he said, "the main reason is my disagreement with the organized mathematical community. I don't like their decisions; I consider them unjust."
source:interestingfacts.org
Poincare conjecture has been one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems and above all, this is the first ever and only Millennium Prize Problem that has been solved. The Poincare Conjecture states that if a compact 3-D manifold has no boundary and is simply connected, then it is said to be homeomorphic to a 3-D sphere. This conjecture is believed to have been formulated in 1904 by Henri Poincare, a French mathematician, as an elemental for achieving a perceptive of three dimensional shapes, 3-D sphere being the simplest one.
This conjecture was recently provided with a breakthrough proof by numerous new elements introduced by Perelman. He gained complete perceptive of singularity formation in Ricci flow, in addition to the manner of collapsing of the parts of a shape onto lower-dimensional spaces. He solved the problem by introducing entropy as a new quantity. This entropy measures the disorder in the space's global geometry instead of measuring the disarray at the atomic level. Besides, he also pioneered a related local quantity, the L-functional, which was used that proved that the time between the configuration of singularities could not become smaller and smaller.
Perelman has enriched mathematics by deploy his new ideas and methods with utmost technicalities and describing the obtained results with elegant succinctness.
The interesting fact is that Grigory Perelman declined the prize of one million dollars which comes with the Fields medal which is equivalent of the Nobel Prize for mathematics. Perelman is currently unemployed living with his mom in a small apartment near St. Petersburg. Interfax, a Russian news agency, quoted him as saying. "To put it short," he said, "the main reason is my disagreement with the organized mathematical community. I don't like their decisions; I consider them unjust."
source:interestingfacts.org
About Skype
Skype is a medium of voice communication which can be used with the aid of the Internet. Skype has been designed based on the Kazaa file sharing program. The headquarters of Skype is in Luxembourg and France. It also has offices in many other parts of Europe, Asia as well as the United States of America. In October 2005, Skype was taken over by eBay.
There are two main kinds of machines which will be used as a part of the Skype network. One is known as the ordinary host or the Skype client while the other is the super node or SN. Any normal person who is making use of Skype will be considered as an ordinary host which has been connected to the super node. These super nodes are the names which have been given to the various servers of Skype which can be found in many different parts of the world. However the Skype client should also be aware of the server to which the connection needs to be established.
Every Skype client will have a table which will contain the IP addresses and port numbers of all the super nodes which are available. This is also known as the host cache and it will be found in the windows registry of the Skype client. Every time, a user logs into Skype from his computer, the data from the host cache will be read first and the first IP port will be selected. Then the Skype client will connect to that super node.
It is not possible to conduct a trace of a Skype client very easily. However if a policeman or a law enforcement officer has managed to obtain a court order then the people working at Skype will be forced to reveal details which can be obtained from their logs starting from the name and address of the user to the time at which the call has been made.
A lot of people decide to make use of vouchers in order to make Skype payments. But some people will provide a false name and address when they are making these voucher payments on Skype. But these false names and addresses will definitely appear on the Skype logs. It is also possible for law enforcement people to obtain a court order and ask the Internet service provider to provide the name and address of the specific person who is being investigated. It is not possible to trace a Skype user who has provided a false name and address in order to create a Skype id and paid using a voucher. He/she can make a Skype call from an Internet cafe which has the facility of Wi-Fi.
There is no method of tracing the original user of the Skype id when the call has been made in this manner. More than one billion people have downloaded Skype onto their computers during the year 2008 and now Skype has become one of the most popular software applications which is being used by people all over the world.
source: interestingfacts.org
There are two main kinds of machines which will be used as a part of the Skype network. One is known as the ordinary host or the Skype client while the other is the super node or SN. Any normal person who is making use of Skype will be considered as an ordinary host which has been connected to the super node. These super nodes are the names which have been given to the various servers of Skype which can be found in many different parts of the world. However the Skype client should also be aware of the server to which the connection needs to be established.
Every Skype client will have a table which will contain the IP addresses and port numbers of all the super nodes which are available. This is also known as the host cache and it will be found in the windows registry of the Skype client. Every time, a user logs into Skype from his computer, the data from the host cache will be read first and the first IP port will be selected. Then the Skype client will connect to that super node.
It is not possible to conduct a trace of a Skype client very easily. However if a policeman or a law enforcement officer has managed to obtain a court order then the people working at Skype will be forced to reveal details which can be obtained from their logs starting from the name and address of the user to the time at which the call has been made.
A lot of people decide to make use of vouchers in order to make Skype payments. But some people will provide a false name and address when they are making these voucher payments on Skype. But these false names and addresses will definitely appear on the Skype logs. It is also possible for law enforcement people to obtain a court order and ask the Internet service provider to provide the name and address of the specific person who is being investigated. It is not possible to trace a Skype user who has provided a false name and address in order to create a Skype id and paid using a voucher. He/she can make a Skype call from an Internet cafe which has the facility of Wi-Fi.
There is no method of tracing the original user of the Skype id when the call has been made in this manner. More than one billion people have downloaded Skype onto their computers during the year 2008 and now Skype has become one of the most popular software applications which is being used by people all over the world.
source: interestingfacts.org
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