If your friends and family joke that you're addicted to Facebook, they may be right. Researchers in Norway have identified six signs that you may be addicted. They've used those signs to develop a test to help you figure out of your suffer from a social media addiction.
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| Facebook Addiction |
• You spend a lot of time thinking about Facebook or plan use of Facebook.
• You feel an urge to use Facebook more and more.
• You use Facebook to forget about personal problems.
• You have tried to cut down on the use of Facebook without success.
• You become restless or troubled if you are prohibited from using Facebook.
• You use Facebook so much that it has had a negative impact on your job/studies.
If you are, indeed, addicted, you're not alone, the researchers say.
"The use of Facebook has increased rapidly. We are dealing with a subdivision of Internet addiction connected to social media," said Cecilie Schou Andreassen, who conducted the study.
Andreassen heads the research project "Facebook Addiction" at the University of Bergen (UiB) in Norway. The results of her research have just been published in the journal Psychological Reports.
Andreassen said she sees some clear patterns in Facebook addiction.
"It occurs more regularly among younger than older users. We have also found that people who are anxious and socially insecure use Facebook more than those with lower scores on those traits, probably because those who are anxious find it easier to communicate via social media than face-to-face," she said.
People who are organized and more ambitious tend to be less at risk from Facebook addiction. They will often use social media as an integral part of work and networking.
"Women are more at risk of developing Facebook addiction, probably due to the social nature of Facebook," Andreassen said.
Andreassen said the research also shows that Facebook addiction was related to extroversion. People with high scores on the new scale further tend to have a somewhat delayed sleep-wake rhythm.
The study was based on 423 students — 227 women and 196 men.
Despite Andreassen's findings, others are not as convinced about Internet-based addictions.
"There are often underlying or co-occurring psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety, depression or a disturbance in interpersonal relationships, all of which may explain the person's Internet problems,” Ronald W. Pies, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Tufts University told BusinessNewsDaily sister site LiveScience for a 2009 article. "The question is, do we need another 'disorder' in the APA's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), if the manifestations of Internet addiction can already be accounted for by well-described and better-validated conditions?"
That, however, doesn’t mean that Pies is writing off the possibility of Internet-based addictions. Rather, he believes that better research is needed to quantify these behaviors.
"We may eventually come around to the view that Internet addiction is a discrete mental disorder, but that will require carefully designed research aimed at linking Internet addiction with family and genetic factors, biological concomitants and responses to specific treatments," Pies said.
Maintaining his high standards and living up to his own expectations still gives Sachin Tendulkar sleepless nights, and it is this restlessness that has brought the best out of him, revealed the Indian maestro in an interview published in the Timemagazine. Tendulkar is on the cover for the editions in the Indian subcontinent, Singapore and Australia and New Zealand.
| Sachin Tendulkar to appear on TIME magazine cover page |
StarTek, Inc today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012. The Company reported first quarter 2012 revenue of $50.9 million and adjusted EBITDA of $1.2 million. As of March 31, 2012, the Company had approximately $10.5 million in cash and cash equivalents and no debt.
Tip :Stock jumped more than 40% intraday and may see more upside.
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| Startek Inc |
Highlights
* Garments, gems and jewellery exports shrink, hits growth
* Gold, jewellery imports plummet as demand slows
* Trade sec says "lucky" if 2012/13 exports grow 10-15 pct y/y
* Trade deficit may be slightly lower in 2012/13 - Trade sec (Adds quotes, details)
India's exports picked up in April after falling in March but only grew 3.2 percent from a year earlier and garment, gems and jewellery shipments shrank, highlighting the challenge facing Asia's third-biggest economy in the face of weak global demand.
India's foreign trade has slowed sharply from levels a year ago when exports jumped nearly 32 percent in April from a year earlier, and the country's trade secretary said on Thursday that the country would be "lucky" to achieve 10-15 percent export growth this fiscal year.
Imports were also surprisingly weak in April, rising just 3.8 percent from a year earlier, according to provisional data released on Thursday, reflecting weakening domestic demand and cooling after a 24.3 percent jump in March.
"We will be lucky if we can achieve 10-15 percent growth in exports this year," Rahul Khullar told a press conference. Exports rose 21 percent in 2011/12.
In March, exports fell for the first time in four months, dropping 5.7 percent year-on-year.
Besides a slowdown in exports, the economy is seeing a decline in capital inflows, which is putting pressure on the central bank to support the rupee - which has lost nearly 8 percent against the dollar since March.
On Thursday the Reserve Bank of India took further measures to prop up the battered currency, requiring exporters to sell half the foreign currency in their accounts.
Khullar said a falling rupee would affect imports in the next two to three months.
Analysts said amid a policy gridlock and global economic uncertainty, the central bank would find it tough to support the rupee.
GOLD IMPORTS PLUNGE
The country's trade deficit was $13.4 billion in April, Khullar said, as exports totalled $24.5 billion and imports amounted to $37.9 billion. The deficit was down slightly from $13.9 billion in March.
"It (the RBI) is battling a combination of an unsustainably large current account deficit of around 4 percent of GDP, weak/inadequate capital inflows and a government that is doing less of what it should do and more of what it should not do," said Rajeev Malik, a senior economist at CLSA in Singapore.
India's garment exports fell 20.4 percent in April from a year earlier, while gems and jewellery exports slumped 25.7 percent.
Imports of gold and silver declined by nearly a third to $3.1 billion in April, from $4.7 billion a year ago, as higher gold prices and an increase in import duties crimped local demand.
Oil imports grew 7 percent in April to $13.9 billion, while coal imports grew 5.5 percent to $1.5 billion from a year ago, Khullar said.
The trade deficit could narrow slightly in the current fiscal year which ends in March, from nearly $185 billion in 2011/12, assuming gold imports decline by at least 20 percent this year and there are no oil price shocks, Khullar said.
* Garments, gems and jewellery exports shrink, hits growth
* Gold, jewellery imports plummet as demand slows
* Trade sec says "lucky" if 2012/13 exports grow 10-15 pct y/y
* Trade deficit may be slightly lower in 2012/13 - Trade sec (Adds quotes, details)
India's exports picked up in April after falling in March but only grew 3.2 percent from a year earlier and garment, gems and jewellery shipments shrank, highlighting the challenge facing Asia's third-biggest economy in the face of weak global demand.
India's foreign trade has slowed sharply from levels a year ago when exports jumped nearly 32 percent in April from a year earlier, and the country's trade secretary said on Thursday that the country would be "lucky" to achieve 10-15 percent export growth this fiscal year.
Imports were also surprisingly weak in April, rising just 3.8 percent from a year earlier, according to provisional data released on Thursday, reflecting weakening domestic demand and cooling after a 24.3 percent jump in March.
"We will be lucky if we can achieve 10-15 percent growth in exports this year," Rahul Khullar told a press conference. Exports rose 21 percent in 2011/12.
In March, exports fell for the first time in four months, dropping 5.7 percent year-on-year.
Besides a slowdown in exports, the economy is seeing a decline in capital inflows, which is putting pressure on the central bank to support the rupee - which has lost nearly 8 percent against the dollar since March.
On Thursday the Reserve Bank of India took further measures to prop up the battered currency, requiring exporters to sell half the foreign currency in their accounts.
Khullar said a falling rupee would affect imports in the next two to three months.
Analysts said amid a policy gridlock and global economic uncertainty, the central bank would find it tough to support the rupee.
GOLD IMPORTS PLUNGE
The country's trade deficit was $13.4 billion in April, Khullar said, as exports totalled $24.5 billion and imports amounted to $37.9 billion. The deficit was down slightly from $13.9 billion in March.
"It (the RBI) is battling a combination of an unsustainably large current account deficit of around 4 percent of GDP, weak/inadequate capital inflows and a government that is doing less of what it should do and more of what it should not do," said Rajeev Malik, a senior economist at CLSA in Singapore.
India's garment exports fell 20.4 percent in April from a year earlier, while gems and jewellery exports slumped 25.7 percent.
Imports of gold and silver declined by nearly a third to $3.1 billion in April, from $4.7 billion a year ago, as higher gold prices and an increase in import duties crimped local demand.
Oil imports grew 7 percent in April to $13.9 billion, while coal imports grew 5.5 percent to $1.5 billion from a year ago, Khullar said.
The trade deficit could narrow slightly in the current fiscal year which ends in March, from nearly $185 billion in 2011/12, assuming gold imports decline by at least 20 percent this year and there are no oil price shocks, Khullar said.
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| Infospace Inc |
InfoSpace Inc ( NASDAQ: INSP ) jumped on quarterly earning report and guidance as both were above estimate. Company has acquired TaxACT tax preparation business.
Investment: Stock may be accumulated for investment purpose.
Bellevue, Wash.-based InfoSpace bought the web-based TaxACT business for $287.5 million in cash just before tax season, closing the deal on Jan. 31. Only months before then, TaxACT rival H&R Block Inc. (HRB) was blocked from acquiring the privately held company by the U.S. government over antitrust concerns.
Shares jumped 14% to $12.49 after hours, as InfoSpace beat its first-quarter revenue guidance and reached the high end of its earnings estimates. The stock, which rose initially over the TaxACT acquisition, had slid since mid-March and was roughly flat for the year at Wednesday's close.
"The acquisition of TaxACT in January represents a significant milestone for our company, and substantially diversifies our overall business operations," Chief Executive Bill Ruckelshaus said. "We are pleased with the performance in both our search and tax preparation businesses and feel positive about our combined company growth and profitability outlook."
InfoSpace posted earnings of $11.4 million, or 28 cents a share, up from $1.3 million, or 4 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue more than doubled to $115.7 million.
The company in February predicted earnings of 24 cents to 29 cents a share on revenue of $109 million to $114 million.
Search revenue in the quarter improved 46% to $75.3 million, while tax preparation revenue from TaxACT was $40.4 million. The company also released preliminary 2011 tax season figures, saying digital do-it-yourself e-filings rose 8% from the year-ago period to 5 million as of April 18.
Gross margin rose to 48.5% from 36.7%.
The company forecast second-quarter adjusted earnings of 40 cents to 44 cents a share on revenue of $92.5 million to $96.5 million
Stock Markets are on artificial life line of "QE3 hope" and if markets continue to move higher and makes new high, without QE3 in second half will lead to a crash like 1987 according to comments from Mark Faber. Read Below
U.S. stocks may plunge in the second half of the year “like in 1987” if the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index climbs without further stimulus from the Federal Reserve, said Marc Faber, the publisher of the Gloom, Boom & Doom report.
“I think the market will have difficulties to move up strongly unless we have a massive QE3,” Faber told Betty Liu on Bloomberg Television’s “In the Loop” from Zurich today, referring to a third round of large-scale asset purchases by the Federal Reserve. “If it moves and makes a high above 1,422, the second half of the year could witness a crash, like in 1987.”
May 10 (Bloomberg) -- Marc Faber, publisher of the Gloom, Boom & Doom report, talks about U.S. stocks and economy. Faber, speaking with Betty Liu on Bloomberg Television's "In the Loop," also discusses his view on the euro and the euro zone. (Source: Bloomberg)
The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 23 percent on Oct. 19, 1987 in the biggest crash since 1914, triggering sharp losses in stock-market values around the world. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (SPX) plummeted 20 percent.
“If the market makes a new high, it will be a new high with very few stocks pushing up and the majority of stocks having already rolled over,” Faber said. “The earnings outlook is not particularly good because most economies in the world are slowing down.”
Faber said a third round of quantitative easing would “definitely occur” if the S&P 500 dropped another 100 to 150 points. If it bounces back to 1,400, he said, the Fed will probably wait to see how the economy develops.
The S&P 500 rose 0.4 percent to 1,360.59 at 10:36 a.m. in New York as U.S. initial jobless claims fell last week to a one- month low. The gauge has dropped 4.1 percent from a four-year high on April 2 after some economic reports missed forecasts.
Equity Gains
Faber had said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on March 9, 2009, that it was “very difficult to see a scenario where you wouldn’t make any money” owning stocks over the following 10 years, while also warning the S&P 500 might lose 26 percent before the bear market ended.
The benchmark gauge for American equities began its biggest advance in five decades that day, climbing from 676.53 to 1,295.02 on Jan. 18, 2011.
In March 2007, he had said the S&P 500 was more likely to fall than rise because the threats of faster inflation and slower growth persisted. The S&P 500 then climbed 10 percent to a record 1,565.15 seven months later, and ended the year up 3.5 percent.
USPS ( United States Postal Service ) reported second quarter loss of $ 3.2 billion. and sees a record $9.1 billion loss for FY12.
Google Announces The Africa News Challenge
Google, in partnership with the Gates Foundation, Knight Foundation, the Omidyar Network and others, is backing a news innovation contest focused on Africa and run by the Africa Media Initiative. Entries to the Africa News Innovation Challenge can come from anywhere and will be accepted in English, French, Portuguese or Arabic, but all entries must have a partner in Africa. Winners will receive grants of up to $100,000 from a total prize budget of $1 million. According to the website: "Of particular interest are proposals that improve data-based investigative journalism, audience engagement, mobile news distribution, data visualization, new revenue models and workflow systems." The contest is a timely one--according to a recent study mobile Web browsing accounts for 10 percent of all browsing, with Africa leading the charge. Earlier this year, Google and AP awarded a first set of scholarships worth $20,000 as part of the annual AP-Google Technology Scholarship Program to 6 journalism students in the U.S.
Kindle Lending Library Will Stock Harry Potter
Amazon just announced that the Harry Potter series will be available in the Kindle Lending library (available for free to Amazon Prime members) starting in June. Until now, the Harry Potter e-books were only available through J.K. Rowling's custom site, Pottermore.com, which had been promoted as the only portal to e-books and audiobooks for Potter. But the site was much-delayed, and now Amazon has gained exclusive access to license the collection. Amazon hinted yesterday that such plans were in the making, when it featured an enormous owl on the Kindle home page with accompanying text that read, "Wizardry is on the way."
SoundCloud Announces Redesign
SoundCloud has announced a slick new redesign that's "simpler, faster, and more social." SoundCloud, which is in its fifth year, has picked up 15 million amateur and pro users who use it to record and share music and sounds, and view sound profiles. In the new "Next Soundcloud" profile pages have been goosed up, and a new "Repost" button allows users to share what their friends have been listening to. With so much going on, a real-time notifications center keeps users updated about changes in the SoundCloudiverse.
Apple To Help Pay For Foxconn Factory Fixes
Via Reuters: Apple will dip into its $100 billion cash pile and help offset Foxconn's expenses in improving factory conditions and worker hours. The announcement came from Foxconn's Terru Gou as the company broke ground for a new Shanghai HQ. This is the latest of Apple's attempts to improve its relationship with its Chinese manufacturing partners. Early this year, Apple was criticized for turning a blind eye to long hours and cramped living conditions at partner factories. The company responded swiftly, and invited the Fair Labor Association to audit Foxconn. As more evidence that it was taking the issue seriously, Tim Cook made a personal visit to a factory in Zhengzhou--the first Apple CEO to do so. Also, in response to FLA's scathing review, Apple has been posting monthly updates about ongoing improvements.
Sony Reports Record Loss: $5.7 Billion Lost In 2011
Sony corporation just reported a record loss for a single fiscal year: 457 billion yen, an equivalent of $5.7 billion dollars for the year 2011. $3.2 billion, about 56% of the loss, was incurred in the final January-March quarter as Sony saw its fifth failed quarter in a row. The Japanese firm was hit, it says, by unfavorable exchange rates affecting the Japanese yen, and by the aftermath of the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the nation in early 2011. Some of the losses will also have been incurred as Sony bought its way out of the Sony-Ericsson mobile phone partnership in order to pursue its own-branded smartphones. Sony recently said it was going to attempt to follow an Apple-style model with reduced inventory of more polished products. Recently rumors surrounding its key next-gen gaming platform have swirled, and point to a 2014 launch.
TVIX (NYSEARCA:TVIX) VelocityShares Daily 2x VIX Short Term ETN:
Information: VelocityShares Daily 2x VIX Short Term ETN is an exchange-traded note issued in the USA. The Note will provide investors with a cash payment at the scheduled maturity or early redemption based on 2X the performance of the underlying index, the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index less the Investor fee.
Information: VelocityShares Daily 2x VIX Short Term ETN is an exchange-traded note issued in the USA. The Note will provide investors with a cash payment at the scheduled maturity or early redemption based on 2X the performance of the underlying index, the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index less the Investor fee.
It is for volatility traders, as one can't directly trade VIX volatility index.
Tip: Buy it at the end of the today's trade and hold it for tomorrow, Bought it at $6.90.
FAS ( NYSEARCA: FAS ) or FAZ ( NYSEARCA: FAZ ) Direxion Daily Financial Bull / Bears 3X Shares
Information: Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in the USA. The Fund's objective is daily investment results, before fees and expenses, of 300% of the performance of the Russell 1000 Financial Services Index ("Financial Index"). The Fund invests in at least 80% of its net assets in the equity securities that comprise the Financial Index
Tip: Buy FAZ ( Financial Bear Shares ) on dips around $21.5-22 or Sell FAS ( Financial Bull Shares ) on rise around $99-100.
