Facebook Removes Microsoft Banner Ads From Site

Facebook is taking full control of display ads on the world's No. 1 social networking website, cutting short an exclusive deal that had allowed Microsoft Corp to manage part of that business.

However, Microsoft - the exclusive provider of Web search on Facebook - will continue to sell text-based search ads on the website as the partners extended the arrangement beyond 2011, when it had been due to expire. A Facebook spokesman declined to say how long the deal has been extended. Microsoft also said it will further integrate its Bing search engine into Facebook while expanding its reach beyond the United States.

Facebook, which counts nearly 400 million users, said its own display ads feature interactive aspects and can target viewers based on their personal information, making them better suited to its social networking service than Microsoft's standard Web banner ads. "Ad formats that feature social actions perform better and provide a better user experience since they are more consistent with the look and feel of Facebook," the company said in a statement. "This combination of targeting and social relevance is the primary driver behind the shift in strategy." Facebook said it stopped displaying Microsoft banner ads in some international markets recently, and following additional talks with Microsoft, has agreed to stop running the banner ads across all of Facebook. The change will take place over the next 30 days. Facebook has long sold its own display ads on users' profile pages and other parts of the site, but the company allowed Microsoft to sell banner ads in certain sections of its website in 2006. The deal, which was extended in 2007, was supposed to run until 2011.

A Facebook spokesperson would not provide details on whether the advertising deal with Microsoft entailed any revenue sharing agreement, or whether Facebook would pay Microsoft a fee for altering the deal early. The news comes as Facebook has increased its focus on its financial performance. In September, Facebook said it had become free cash flow positive - meaning that the company makes enough money to cover the costs associated with running the service -- ahead of schedule. Microsoft said on its corporate blog on Friday that Web searches within Facebook will bring up information from Bing beyond just links to websites. Microsoft's search technology will be available on Facebook worldwide, instead of just the United States, it added. Facebook, which lets users connect and share information with friends online, has emerged as one of the Internet's most popular destinations and is increasingly challenging the Web's established powerhouses like Yahoo Inc and Google Inc. Microsoft invested $240 million in Facebook for a 1.6 percent stake in the company in October 2007. On Thursday, Facebook said it expected to reach 400 million active users of its site within the week, representing a gain of 50 million new users since December. The company also announced a new design to its homepage.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak - Freedom Fighters

Born in a well-cultured Brahim family on July 23, 1856 in Ratangari, Maharashtra, Bal Gangadhar Tilak was a multifacet personality. He is considered to be the ‘Father of Indian Unrest’. He was a scholar of Indian history, Sanskrit, mathematics, astronomy and Hinduism. He had imbibed values, cultures and intelligence from his father Gangadhar Ramchandra Tilak who was a Sanskrit scholar and a famous teacher. At the age of 10, Bal Gangadhar went to Pune with his family as his father was transferred. In Pune, he was educated in an Anglo-Vernacular school. After some years he lost his mother and at the age of 16 his father too he got married to a 10-year-old girl named Satyabhama while he was studying in Matriculation. In 1877, Tilak completed his studies and continued with studying Law.

With an aim to impart teachings about Indian culture and national ideals to India’s youth, Tilak along with Agarkar and Vishnushstry founded the ‘Deccan Education Society’. Soon after that Tilak started two weeklies, ‘Kesari’ and ‘Marathi’ to highlight plight of Indians. He also started the celebrations of Ganapati Festival and Shivaji Jayanti to bring people close together and join the nationalist movement against British. In fighting for people’s cause, twice he was sentenced to imprisonment. He launched Swadeshi Movenment and believed that ‘Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it’. This quote inspired millions of Indians to join the freedom struggle. With the goal of Swaraj, he also built ‘Home Rule League’. Tilak constantly traveled across the country to inspire and convince people to believe in Swaraj and fight for freedom. He was constantly fighting against injustice and one sad day on August 1, 1920, he died.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak was one of the prime architects of modern India and is still living in the hearts of millions of India.

Source:indianfreedomfighters.in

Bhikaji Cama - Freedom Fighters

Bhikaji Cama, also known as Madam Cama, was an outstanding lady of great courage, fearlessness, integrity, perseverance and passion for freedom. Madam Bhikhaji Cama was a pioneer amongst those who martyred their lives for India’s freedom and was considered the mother of Indian Revolution.

Cama was born on September 24, 1861 in a rich Parsi family at Bombay. She had her early education from Alexandra Native Girl’s English Institution and was open to learn all languages. She got married to a British lawyer Rustom Cama in 1885 but unfortunately they were poles apart and she involved herself in various social activities.

In 1896, Bombay Presidency was adversely hit by plague. Being a nationalist and a social worker Cama voluntarily worked for the victims of plague and at the end she herself was caught by the disease. She was saved but became very weak and was advised to go to Europe for rest and further treatment. In 1902 she left for London and there too she worked for promoting India’ freedom struggle. For some time, she worked as private secretary to Dadabhai Navaroji, a great Indian leader.

She was constantly making people realize the importance of freedom from British rule. Britishers unpleased with her popularity concocted an assassination but fortunately Cama came to know about the planned murder and escaped to France.

In France, she made her house a secret shelter for revolutionaries around the world. She was constantly helping revolutionaries by sending materials and money across the seas as and when required. As the British saw her influence they requested French Government to send her back but the request was refused. In return, the Britishers exiled Cama from her motherland.

In 1905, Cama along with her friends designed the India’s first tricolor flag with green, saffron and red stripes bearing the immortal words – Bande Matram. This flag was raised by Madam Cama On August 22, 1907, for India's Independence at the International Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany. After 35 years fighting for India’s independence on foreign land she returned to India and died on August 13, 1936.

Tricky Questions & Answers

Tricky Questions :

1. The maker doesn't want it; the buyer doesn't use it; and the user doesn't see it. What is it?
2. A child is born in Boston, Massachusetts to parents who were both born in Boston, Massachusetts. The child is not a United States citizen. How is this possible?
3. Before Mount Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain on Earth?
4. Clara Clatter was born on December 27th, yet her birthday is always in the summer. How is this possible?
5. Captain Frank and some of the boys were exchanging old war stories. Art Bragg offered one about how his grandfather led a battalion against a German division during World War I. Through brilliant maneuvers he defeated them and captured valuable territory. After the battle he was presented with a sword bearing the inscription "To Captain Bragg for Bravery, Daring and Leadership. World War I. From the Men of Battalion 8." Captain Frank looked at Art and said, "You really don't expect anyone to believe that yarn, do you?" What's wrong with the story?
6. What is one thing that all wise men, regardless of their religion or politics, agree is between heaven and earth?
7. In what year did Christmas and New Year's fall in the same year?
8. A woman from New York married ten different men from that city, yet she did not break any laws. None of these men died and she never divorced. How was this possible?
9. Why are 1990 American dollar bills worth more than 1989 American dollar bills?
10. How many times can you subtract the number 5 from 25?
11. A taxi driver was called to take a group of passengers to the train station. The station is normally an hour away, but with traffic being extra heavy, it took a full hour and a half. On the return trip the traffic was still as heavy and yet it took only 90 minutes. Why?
12. How could you rearrange the letters in the words "new door" to make one word? Note: There is only one correct answer.
13. Even if they are starving, natives living in the Arctic will never eat a penguin's egg. Why not?
14. Which is correct to say, "The yolk of the egg are white" or "The yolk of the egg is white"?
15. In Okmulgee, Oklahoma, you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why not?
16. There were an electrician and a plumber waiting in line for admission to the "International Home Show". One of them was the father of the other's son. How could this be possible?
17. After the new Canon Law that took effect on November 27, 1983, would a Roman Catholic man be allowed to marry his widow's sister?

Answers

1. A coffin
2. The child was born before 1776
3. Mount Everest, it just hadn't been discovered!
4. Clara lives in the southern hemisphere.
5. World War I wasn't called "World War I" until World War II.
6. The word "and".
7. They fall in the same year every year, New Year's Day just arrives very early in the year and Christmas arrives very late in the same year.
8. The lady was a Justice of the Peace.
9. One thousand nine hundred and ninety dollar bills are worth one dollar more than one thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine dollar bills.
10. Only once, then you are subtracting it from 20.
11. An hour and a half IS 90 minutes.
12. "one word"
13. Penguins live in the Antarctic.
14. Neither, the yolk of the egg is yellow.
15. You have to take a picture of a man with a camera, not with a wooden leg.
16. They were husband and wife.
17. He can't because he's dead.

What Men Really Mean

What Men Really Mean :

1. "It's a guy thing."
Really means...."There is no rational thought pattern connected with it, and you have no chance at all of making it logical."
2. "Can I help with dinner?"
Really means...."Why isn't it already on the table?"
3. "Uh huh," "Sure, honey," or "Yes, dear."
Really means....Absolutely nothing. It's a conditioned response.
4. "It would take too long to explain."
Really means..."I have no idea how it works.
5. "We're going to be late."
Really means...."Now I have a legitimate excuse to drive like a maniac."
6. "Take a break, honey, you're working too hard."
Really means...."I can't hear the game over the vacuum cleaner."
7. "That's interesting, dear."
Really means...."Are you still talking?"
8. "It's a really good movie."
Really means...."It's got guns, knives, fast cars, and beautiful women."
9. "That's women's work."
Really means...."It's difficult, dirty, and thankless."
10. "You know how bad my memory is."
"Really means.... "I remember the theme song to 'F Troop', the address of the first girl I ever kissed and the Vehicle Identification Numbers of every car I've ever owned, but I forgot your birthday."
11. "I was just thinking about you, and got you these roses."
Really means.... "The girl selling them on the corner was a real babe."
12. "Oh, don't fuss. I just cut myself, it's no big deal."
Really means.... "I have actually severed a limb, but will bleed to death before I admit I'm hurt."
13. "Hey, I've got my reasons for what I'm doing."
Really means.... "...And I sure hope I think of some pretty soon."
14. "I can't find it."
Really means.... "It didn't fall right into my outstretched hands, so I'm completely clueless."
15. "What did I do this time?"
Really means.... "What did you catch me at?"
16. "I heard you."
Really means.... "I haven't the foggiest clue what you just said, and am hoping desperately that I can fake it well enough so that you don't spend the next 3 days yelling at me."
17. "You know I could never love anyone else."
Really means.... "I am used to the way you yell at me, and realize it could be worse."
18. "You look terrific."
Really means.... "Oh, God, please don't try on one more outfit. I'm starving."
19. "I'm not lost. I know exactly where we are."
Really means.... "No one will ever see us alive again."
20. "We share the housework."
Really means.... "I make the messes, she cleans them up."

Source: TechShankar

Important Symbols in the World

Symbol	Significance
Maharaja	Air India
Red Triangle	Family Planning
Red Cross	Hospital/Medical Services
Lotus	Culture and Civilization
Olive Branch	Peace
Red Light	Traffic Sign of 'Stop'/Danger/Emergency
Green Light	Traffic Sign of 'Go'/Clear
Black arm-band	Sign of mourning
Blindfolded Woman Holding a Balance Scale	Justice
Dove	Peace
Black Flag	Protest
Flag at half mast	National mourning
Red Flag	Revolution/Danger
White Flag	Truce
Yellow Flag	Flown on ships carrying patients suffering from infectious diseases
Flag Upside Down	Distress

Blood Facts

• Two million red blood cells die every second.

• There are approximately 100,000 miles of blood vessels in the human body.

• Seven percent of a humans body weight is made up of blood.

• In the early nineteenth century some advertisements claimed that riding the carousel was good for the circulation of blood.

• Each day 400 gallons of recycled blood are pumped through the kidneys.

• By donating just one pint of blood, four lives can be saved.

• Blood is such a good stain that Native Americans used it for paint.

• The kidneys filter over 400 gallons of blood each day.

• The average life span of a single red blood cell is 120 days.

• Blood accounts for about 8% of a human's body weight.

• A woman has approximately 4.5 liters of blood in her body, while men have 5.6 liters.

• Your blood takes a very long trip through your body. If you could stretch out all of a human's blood vessels, they would be about 60,000 miles long. That's enough to go around the world twice.

• Half your body’s red blood cells are replaced every seven days.

• If all the blood vessels in your body were laid end to end, they would reach about 60,000 miles.

Bone Facts

• The smallest bone in the human body is the stapes bone which is located in the ear.

• There are 54 bones in your hands including the wrists.

• The only bone fully grown at birth is located in the ear.

• The human face is made up of 14 bones.

• The chances of getting a cavity is higher if candy is eaten slowly throughout the day compared to eating it all at once and then brushing your teeth.

• If an identical twin grows up without having a certain tooth, the other twin will most likely also grow up with that tooth missing.

• Humans are born with 300 bones in their body, however when a person reaches adulthood they only have 206 bones. This occurs because many of them join together to make a single bone.

• Gardening is said to be one of the best exercises for maintaining healthy bones.

• Enamel is hardest substance in the human body.

• Although the outsides of a bone are hard, they are generally light and soft inside. They are about 75% water.

• Adult human bones account for 14% of the body's total weight.

• In 2000 babies are born with a tooth that is already visible.

• Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails!

• Your thigh bone is stronger than concrete.

• The strongest bone in your body is the femur (thighbone), and it's hollow!