Peak Zynga: Why the Farmville Creator's Stock Tanked

Farmville creator Zynga's stock debuted at $10 last year, and almost immediately declined sharply. Now, after the company published a weak outlook for 2012, it's down to about $2 a share, and is even beginning to hurt Facebook's stock.

The games people play

Zynga's main products are virtual items for its free "social games" on Facebook, which spam players' friends with announcements and punish players for not logging in regularly. Players can play for free, but only within strict time and gameplay limits, and are pressured to buy virtual items to improve their performance or personalize their experience. The games themselves strongly resemble ones made by other companies -- Zynga CEO Mink Pincus reportedly told employees to "copy what [competitors] do and do it until you get their numbers", according to SF Weekly, and EA Games sued Zynga for copyright infringement this August.

?Draw Something, please??

One reason Zynga's stock fell is because of its disastrous acquisition of game studio OMGPOP, and its hit mobile game Draw Something. Zynga had to write off about half of its $183 million price as a loss; its usual model of selling virtual items didn't work nearly as well for the game, as its gameplay was based on drawing things for other people instead of investing time and money into a virtual farm or other experience. Zynga instead took sponsorship deals with companies like Doritos, which had players draw branded products for each other instead of Pictionary-style random words. Partly because of this -- and partly because of its repetitive gameplay -- players left the game in droves.

?Failure to mobilize?

Another reason Zynga's regarded poorly by investors is because of its failure to dominate the mobile space the way that it took over Facebook. More than four-fifths of Zynga's 2011 revenue came from its Facebook games, and the company accounts for more than a tenth of Facebook's revenue. But as mobile games played on Apple and Android devices are starting to take over, Zynga has been slow to get in gear. Even acquiring OMGPOP -- known for its mobile expertise -- backfired.

?Can Zynga recover??

One thing Zynga is doing to build up its strength in the mobile space is its Partners for Mobile program, where Zynga basically acts as a publisher for indie games and promotes them. The first such game, Horn, launched last month to critical acclaim, featuring 3d gameplay reminiscent of Team Ico's PlayStation titles and nary a virtual good in sight.

?Zynga's backup plan

Besides investing in game studios making high-quality mobile games, Zynga is using its $1.6 million nest egg to invest in online gambling games using actual money, which are not yet legal in the United States.

Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/peak-zynga-why-farmville-creators-stock-tanked-162300408.html

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Today?s new iPad wallpapers 07/10/2012

You can download today?s new iPad Wallpapers from our new iPad Wallpaper gallery. Enjoy!

Wallpapers by Brett Jordan

Note: Did you know that we update our iPhone 3GS , iPhone 4S / iPhone4 , iPad/ iPad2 and New iPad/iPad3 wallpaper galleries once / day? You can find the latest wallpapers in the sidebar, so make sure to check that out every time you visit us!

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Source: http://dailyiphoneblog.com/2012/10/07/todays-new-ipad-wallpapers-07102012/

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Fast Payday Loan: The Selective Mode To Solving Cash Problems ...

Finance | Loans | * Written by Mark Fulton | Monday, 01 October 2012 05:39 | Word Count: 554

? Home Improvement Loan are a particular form of mortgage that can be received by homeowners when they finish doing their renovation work, or home development work done, and need some additional finance for the renovation of the house in order to finish it. These loans can works much like a formal second mortgage, however a more complex refinancing procedure might work for a few homeowner. When a lot of traditional mortgage is organized for a personalukbadcreditloan.co.uk/home-improvement-loan.php">home improvement loan UK, it can be through with the form of home equity loans or a home equity line of credit. Home equity loan can be increased in the form of quite numbers of years, with daily monthly payments being made on both the interest and the principal of the loan. The interest rate that always come from the home equity are forever fixed .Upon sanction of a home equity loan, the homeowner will give the loan with the full sum at once, which can be beneficial for homeowners that are involved in large construction projects, when large sum of cash are required at once.

A home equity line is the second mortgage very much like a home equity loan, but line of credit does works quite differently. Firstly, lines of credit as they are called, almost forever service on a inconsistent rate, unlike home equity loans, and instead of making the similar, continuous payment, the only payment due on home equity lines of credit are interest payment. These payments are due to paid till the next date at the end of the loan, when the whole balance payment will be due.

Typically the only requirement that homeowners will have to do is to sanction for home equity loan or a home equity line for about 20% in their residence. There is the total amount of the residence that the homeowner personalizes either by paying through mortgage or through down payment. Even when the homeowners have the equity at their residence they are not able to lend money at all as only8% of the equity is in usual standard that investor permit.

A refinance might be a best choice by having cash for those in the traditional who don't want second mortgage. Refinancing which involve a lot of paperwork with a complex procedure and can take a quite a long time by the homeowner which is seriously need to consider before embarking on it .A cash refinance which allow the homeowner to change both of its terms of their mortgage and decrease their monthly payment, while giving the some additional cash at closing to use their home improvements.

Home equity loan, home equity line of credit and cash out refinancing are just the some of the name that home improvement loan go by. Whichever you choose will depend upon what the best suits your situations, as all of them have different term and qualification, and dissimilar benefits too. Making home improvement is one of the best means to add value to your residence, and to your investment. And knowing which home improvement loan choice to utilize is a great means to get it done!

Mark Fulton is the author of the article Home Improvement Loan. He has done MBA Management and Finance from University of Whales. For more information visit best home improvement loan, cheap home improvement loan, home improvement loan UK secured homeowner loan UK and secured home improvement loan.

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Nominet proposes more secure .UK domain for British websites

Nominet is considering a .uk internet domain for users who can't bear to type the extra three characters necessary for .co.uk. The body is lobbying for the new domain in time for ICANN's next TLD expansion, which includes new entries like .shop, .play and .home. Nominet has promised tough entry requirements for the system, with only businesses (or persons) that can prove a UK presence being eligible to register. It'll also be around four times more expensive, with the extra charges going to pay for daily malware scanning to prevent domain spoofing and a donation to a trust to improve web security. If you're an interested party, you can offer your tuppence-worth at the organization's official public consultation which runs until January 7th 2013.

Filed under: Internet

Nominet proposes more secure .UK domain for British websites originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 05:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/01/nominet-uk-domain/

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Towards a cleaner, and more efficient China - The Nation

Home ? opinion ? Towards a cleaner, and more efficient China

china business weekly

Suwatchai Songwanich
Chief executive Officer,
Bangkok Bank (China) October 1, 2012 1:00 am

The new plan further reinforces China's determination to transform the way it develops its economy, protect the environment and achieve sustainable development, with three broad strategies.

China will firstly look to adjust and optimise its industrial structures through the curbing of excessive growth in high-energy consumption and high-emission industries. It will also promote upgrades to traditional industries, the service industry and emerging strategic industries, and adjust public and private structures of energy consumption.

Its second broad strategy is to improve its energy efficiency. It will attempt this by focusing on the industrial and public sectors, advancing energy-saving efforts in the construction and transportation industries, and better promoting energy saving in the agricultural, rural, commercial and civil sectors.

Its third broad strategy is to reduce emissions of major pollutants - urban sewage, industrial/agricultural polluters and automobiles.

Each of these strategies looks to achieve a number of specific goals by 2015:

- Reduce energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP to 0.869 tonnes of standard coal. That is a 32-per-cent decrease from 1.276 tonnes when the goal was set in 2005.

- Save 670 million tonnes of standard coal in the 12th Five-Year Plan period.

- Decrease total COD and sulphur dioxide emissions by 8 per cent from 2010 levels.

- Decrease total ammonia nitrogen and nitric oxide emissions by 10 per cent from 2010 levels.

These goals are certainly impressive. Implementation is the challenge, and herein lie excellent opportunities for Thai businesses in the clean energy sector, such as:

- Energy-saving solutions for the construction sector.

- Home energy-saving projects and recycling programmes for general consumers.

- Best-practice models for industrial energy-saving technology.

- Projects relating to the construction of urban sewage-treatment facilities, or for the

- prevention and control of water pollution.

- Solutions to prevent and control livestock/poultry breeding pollution.

As well as opportunities, there is also the risk that companies failing to keep up with this strong environmental emphasis will be left out. I would therefore encourage all Thai firms interested in doing business in China to read the latest plan carefully and consider ways to include it in their own business planning.

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Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Towards-a-cleaner-and-more-efficient-China-30191403.html

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Narcissism: Surviving the Self-Involved | Psychology Today

When I heard that my colleague and fellow PT blogger,?Meredith Resnick?a writer and licensed clinical social worker, had recently published an e-book on the topic of narcissim, I thought the topic might be of interest to readers of this blog, especially those who suspect that someone around them, either a friend or family member, may have the disorder.??

Irene:

What led you to write your e-book on the topic of narcissism?

Meredith:

I worked for two decades in healthcare, but it was through my personal journey in a few relationships that I began to learn, really learn, about narcissism, and its damaging effects. I wanted to heal from the effects, and it took me some time and a concerted effort to sort out exactly what was going on. There is a certain, convoluted, ?smoke-and-mirrors' aspect of the disease of narcissism, given all the projection that goes along with it. But once I began to understand and see the nuances, I felt my own healing from the relationships really take hold. I wanted to share what I'd learned to help other people who might be suffering from the same feelings I'd had (and others have had as well).?

Irene:

What are the hallmark signs of a narcissistic personality???

Meredith:

There are several, but here I'll mention three. I associate lack of empathy with narcissism, but also understand that a person who is narcissistic might appear to "care." I've found, for me, it's been helpful to view the relationship as a whole, to look at patterns. For example, non-empathy might appear as little digs, as a protracted period of coldness followed by what appears to be warmth (followed by icy coldness, and so on).

Projection is another key sign, which includes relegating their own (typically negative) feelings onto you, claiming they belong to you and/or that you alone are responsible for them feeling this way.

Another sign is a tendency to be exploitative in their relationships without even thinking about it, to get what they want in big and little ways.?

Irene:

Why do we often tend to miss these signs at first?

Meredith:

It may be because people with narcissism can and do present themselves quite charmingly. They may be fun; the life of the party. Or, they may be sweet and helpful, focusing on you and how great you are. When the tide turns with such individuals, it can come as a shock. (Bear in mind there are many truly authentically nice, kind, wonderful people. But with them, we won't experience the breach being discussed here. And when we experience the breach, we know it!)

Or, it may be for entirely different reasons. If a person was surrounded by self-absorbed people early in their lives, it's possible that person developed a kind of blind spot to problems in their friendships, or maybe they keep choosing friends who demand lots of attention. This might happen when an individual is not accustomed to keeping the focus on herself in a healthy way, and, so, finds friends who want her attention to be on them!?

Irene:

Is it possible to have a mutually supportive friendship with a narcissist or is the friendship doomed? Do narcissists ever change their stripes or do I simply need to walk away from a close friendship with a narcissist?

Meredith:

To these questions I would suggest re-evaluating what the individual really means by "mutually supportive," and encouraging them to think about what they like about the relationship, and accepting it for what it is. Perhaps two people can still have fun together, but maybe other aspects of the relationship they are seeking need to be found or developed in other friendships. ? ?

Meredith's new e-book, available on Amazon, is called?Narcissism: Surviving the Self-Involved - A Little Primer on Self-Care. Her work has appeared in Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Psychology Today, JAMA, Orange County Register, Culinate, Dancing at The Shame Prom and others. She is currently working on a companion e-book,?Stronger Every Day: 366 Thoughts, Meditations and Ideas to Help You Overcome the Effects of Narcissism?(2013).?

?

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-friendship-doctor/201209/narcissism-surviving-the-self-involved

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Ryan says 1 debate won't decide 2012 election

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Paul Ryan says he doesn't think one event ? such as the first presidential debate Wednesday night ? "is going to make or break this campaign."

The GOP vice presidential candidate calls President Barack Obama "a very gifted speaker" who's been on the national stage for several years.

Ryan also is making the point that Republican nominee Mitt Romney has never been in a one-on-one presidential debate.

Ryan tells "Fox News Sunday" that the race is close and he expects it will stay that way until Election Day on Nov. 6.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says on CBS' "Face the Nation" that Romney is going to do "extraordinarily well" in the debate and that after Wednesday night, "this whole race is going to be turned upside down."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ryan-says-1-debate-wont-decide-2012-election-141254370--election.html

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