A 26-year old Portuguese charity worker has today been named as the world’s most networked person. Hugo Pereira from Lisbon, Portugal, has topped the Network Challenge, a global search for the most globally connected individual on Facebook.

The Network Challenge was launched by a leading money transfer provider, Western Union, in July this year to mark its 160^th Anniversary and celebrate its status as one of the world’s most globally connected companies, with more than 470,000 Agent locations in over 200 countries and territories*.

The global search was fuelled by a new interactive, online Application called Your World. It visualises Facebook users’ global connections and awards a score for how globally connected they are. Users can compare their ranking against their Facebook Friends; others in their country and others in the world.

With 4,932 friends in 124 different locations across the globe, and a Network Score of 476133, Portuguese national, Hugo Pereira, beat more than 250,000 Your World users worldwide to claim the title of the world’s most globally connected person. By comparison, the average person in India has a Network Score of 1124 with 102 friends in 11 different locations.

Mr. Pereira attributes his feat to years of networking in his role as global president of charity AIESEC, the world’s largest youth-led organisation, which has 60,000 active members in more than 1,800 universities in 110 countries and territories.

To celebrate Mr Pereira’s status, Western Union will invite him to use his impressive global network as a force for good next month. He will be given the opportunity to invite his Facebook Friends to participate in Western Union’s launch of a major new initiative.

Commenting on his win, Mr Pereira said:

“I’m astounded to be named the world’s most networked person. The reach of my social network is testament to the work of AIESEC, which is all about creating positive global connections. “We aim to help societies understand each other by providing students with the opportunity to collaborate in global teams and live and work abroad. He continued: “I’m excited to be able to work with Western Union next month to use my global network to support good causes. I’m moving on from AIESEC to work for a healthcare charity in India called ICHHA, so hope to be able to make even more global connections in the meantime.”

Western Union President and CEO, Hikmet Ersek, said:

“As someone who already uses his global network for good, Mr Pereira is very deserving of his new title. As a globally connected brand it certainly seems fitting that Western Union teams up with the world’s most globally networked person to lend our support to good causes, together.”

Western Union will announce the full details of its new initiative when it unveils its global brand campaign on November 1^st 2011.

To find out how your global network score compares to Mr. Pereira’s visit www.westernunionworld.com/yourworld and type in your Facebook log-in details.

A social network is a social structure made up of individuals (or organizations) called “nodes”, which are tied (connected) by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.

and to build such social network, there are Social Networking websites. If you are not on any of the social networking websites listed here, please excuse us. (u can read other interesting articles on gadgets,  here). But if you are present on the social networking sites, especially on Facebook, theres something interesting for you!!

In celebration of its 160th anniversary, global payment services company Western Union has announced the launch of a hunt for the most networked person in the world using Facebook presence as a parameter. Western Union is calling for India’s most globally connected individuals to step forward and take the Western Union Network Challenge at www.westernunionworld.com/yourworld

Its an interactive, online application called ‘Your World’ which visualises Facebook fans’ global connections and users receive a score (“World Index”) that shows how globally connected they are. They can compare their ranking against their Facebook friends, against others in their country and against others globally.

Here’s my World Index:

Visit www.westernunionworld.com, take part in the contest mentioned below &  you could win a cool IPod Shuffle!!

Contest Mechanism:

In the comments section post the following:

1. Answer a simple question -

Which country received the most remittance in the year 2000?

2.  Post the screen shot of your World index (as shown above) on your Facebook profile and share the link of image with us

3. The contest closes on Sep 1, 2011. Sep 25th, 2011.

4. The winner will be announced on the blog on Sep 5, 2011. Sep 30th, 2011

Your answer in the comments section should be like this:

1) England

2) https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/303209_10150274032126270_626836269_8029821_5506847_n.jpg

All the best!!!

“Many women who do not dress modestly … lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes,” A senior Iranian cleric, Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi was quoted as saying by Iranian media.

“When promiscuity spreads, earthquakes increase,” he said. “There is no way other than taking refuge in religion and adapting ourselves to Islamic behavior.”

Jennifer McCreight, who is pursuing a double major in genetics and evolution, invited on her blog, inviting women to gather at the Purdue Bell Tower “in your immodest clothing to represent Boobquake“ to join for a scientific experiment to test Sedighi’s hypothesis!

She wrote- ““Time for a Boobquake, On Monday, April 26, I will wear the most cleavage-showing shirt I own. … I encourage other female skeptics to join me and embrace the supposed supernatural power of their breasts. Or short shorts, if that’s your preferred form of immodesty.”

So they had a gathering & Jennifer McCreight said that she would continue to monitor seismic activity for the next 24 hours. and after 24 hours the seismic report was also out, which said there was no earthquake due to Boobs!!! (is Sadeghi reading this??)

Although there was no siesmic waves generated but s asocial media wave was surely generated.

The event created on facebook which started by 30 confirmed guests and now it has 213600 confirmed guests!

The  facebook page was created which has now 89,470 fans likes! one of the comments on facebook read – “Nice to know that WOMEN are SO powerful that they can make men AND nature quake with a flash of her breasts! LOL!”

The hashtag #boobquake was used by many and is till being used in many tweets.

Official boobquake Tshirts were sold, of which 100% of profit went to charities, half to the Red Cross and half to JREF.

The boobquake was covered across the internet in various blogs (including mashable), news sites etc.

boobquake got covered by CNN, BBC, CBC, ABC, FOX… and this is how she reacted – “When I heard “Iran,” I sat up on the couch. When I heard “cleric,” I sat on the edge of my seat. When I heard “boobquake” I jumped up and down high fiving my friend. When he said my name* and showed my photograph, I started screaming and flailing and even crying a little. But I’m a 22 year old geeky liberal – being on the Colbert Report is pretty much The Best Thing Ever. My friends and professors joked about it happening, but I never thought it really would!!!”

Whats your opinion on this?

Possible answers are: Unique identifier, Keyword assigned to a Information. Some even refer it to Tag Heuer!!!

Flickr defines Tag as Tags are like keywords or labels that you add to a photo to make it easier to find later. Youtube defines tag as Tags are keywords that describe videos.

But here we are talking a different type of tag. We are talking about Microsoft Tag. Microsoft has come up with a Mobile Tagging.

Microsoft Tag is a breakthrough technology that transforms everyday things in the real world into live links to online information and entertainment.

What is Microsoft Tag?

Microsoft Tag is a square Image (Just like Bar code, but in graphic mode) which contains information about the product. And to read the information, all you need is a mobile phone! Simply snap or scan a Tag image anywhere you see it – in editorials, advertisements, product packaging, signs and storefronts – and gain instant access to Websites, videos, reviews, schedules, contact information, social networks, discounts, promotions and more!

Live Example of Tag:

• You need to have a camera phone & GPRS/WIFI
• Download a tag reader Software (FREE!!) from http://gettag.mobi
• Install the software, open it and point your Mobile camera to this image

• The software will automatically snap it, and open the website (here, blog) on your mobile Phone Browser!!
• The tag can be used not only to share your website but it has other uses too!!

Some other uses of Microsoft Tags are:

Business Cards:

• Mix it up! Use one Tag for business colleagues and another version for social networking.
• Your Tag can link people to mobile sites, profiles, videos, podcasts, products, or other little pieces of content like ringtones and wallpapers.
• Never lose a number; contact data can be automatically added to your mobile address book.

Movie Trailers:

• Movie-goers spread the word—and build demand—by sharing the Tag with friends.
• The same Tag can appear on Web sites, in print, and in online ads, to drive people to the video trailer that loads and plays on their phone.

There are many other uses, which can be found on Microsoft.com/tag.

So What makes Microsoft tag special???

• It makes static Images more interactive, without any external device
• It is from the SW Giant Microsoft
• Ease of use
• It can be used for many purposes – Websites, Images, Videos, Social Networking (Pointing to the twitter, FB page directly)
• You can create your own tags for whatever you want! (http://tag.microsoft.com)
• Best of all, it is free!

I used it with my E71, and using it was easy and quick! Just pointing to the tag from any angle works fine!!

And if you want to add me to your phonebook, download Microsoft Tag (http://gettag.mobi) and point your phone to this:

Now that the post is finished, I am thinking of some ‘tags’ for my post!!

Can you suggest some more uses of Microsoft Tags?

Inputs from Microsoft tag Website

1. Select your carrier (Yes!! Any Airline!!)
2. Departure date
3. Flight Number
4. Departure, arrival time and date

Just login with your Twitter details and it will automatically update your status.  The status updates looks like this:

Seems an engaging activity, interesting and very good use of social media.

Any more ideas/comments on the same??

Website for the same: http://www.helpyourbody.in where  Social Health Cause for “Help Your Body” is set up to reduce the upward trend of chronic diseases and help our fellow Indians. Join the drive and invite more and more people to take an initiative and voluntarily support the noble cause. Let’s all make a joint effort to make India healthy and proud!

My friend Ramit (name changed on request) called me late Friday night. He sounded quite agitated. “You know, Haagen Dazs has opened its Delhi outlet”.  I reacted with a joke. “Good, now you can spend a lot more on an ice cream than you normally would. But why are you agitated?”

“Because I am not allowed to enter”, he said. Now, Ramit is not like one of the politician’s son or into drugs, the sort who are often in news in India’s capital for all the wrong reasons, nor is he the kind who will shoot someone down because she refused to serve him a cone of ice cream.

He did not waste much time and said he has taken a picture and is mailing me the reason. I switched on my mail, and clicked on the attachment. I couldn’t believe what I saw. Was I in India, 62 years after gaining independence, and years after South Africa officially ended apartheid?

The banners outside the outlet said: Exclusive Preview for International Travellers. And under that, in an even finer print, the real bombshell: Access restricted only to holders of international passports.

I immediately called Ramit. “You are an international traveler, and you have a passport, so you can go in”, I said. Ramit’s response was instant: I tried to enter but they said you are not allowed for you don’t have an international passport.

I am normally not given to immediate emotional reactions, but I couldn’t resist this time.  I was, to be honest, upset. How can they do this to an Indian, in India? Do a story on TOI or NBT? Do it for print or Online? Call other media friends and colleagues? I simply didn’t know how to react. Print would have a better impact, but should I wait that long?

Then I felt, why not use the power of the social media? Next thing I knew was that I had put up a few pictures on facebook, added a caption and also sent out a tweet with a request it be retweeted. In a few hours, it had turned into a viral and I started getting messages from angry Indians all over. Why just Indians, even friends in international media wrote to say “this is the stupidest thing they have seen in a long time”.

I didn’t stop at that. I ended up calling a few MPs I knew I could speak to bluntly and told them about it, taunting them about it.

I don’t know what finally worked, but it seems word did get around to the outlet’s franchisee and they started claiming there never was any restriction on anybody entering the outlet.

While this may be considered a victory for people power, I am still unable to figure out who in his right senses would have advised the dessert company to do something so stupid. Was it a way to generate controversy for free publicity? Did they think it will work subliminally on Indians mind that now that it has been ‘certified’ by international travelers it would be good for them too?

Whatever it is, it is idiotic. I checked later and found that the franchisee is an Indian company based in Delhi and the man incharge is also an Indian.

I have often maintained that we ourselves are our biggest enemies. Our mentality is that of slaves and we think anything is good only if its approved by foreigners, or the “holders of international passport”.

Perhaps the Indian franchisee had this in mind. And a comment on the picture I put up on the facebook by an Indian who migrated to Australia decades ago sums it up:

Most international travellers don’t want HD in India when they can get it in their own backyard. Its a commodity not a special thing for them. They would also see this as pure cashing in and thinking they are idiots – ‘India taking them for a ride.’ Have to remember not every international traveler is American; makes an average salary of squillion dollars; can often be allergic to dairy (yes); is in India to have an ‘authentic Indian’ experience and by golly even enjoy kulfi, falooda, lassi, dosa! This is all about how India and Indians see themselves. Foreigners have nothing to do with it.

Source: Times Of India

What’s your opinion? Is it a market gimmick? Should we boycott HD? Any other suggesstions??

Facebook Love story

A lot has been said and written about Priyanka Chopra earlier, on her Best Actress award at recent IIFA at Macau. Jodhaa Akbar director Ashutosh Gowariker’s commented on Priyanka not deserving the best actressaward for her performance in Fashion at the IIFA. While most sections of the Film Industry are against Gowariker, for his behaviour, also his mention of Jaya Bachchan on stage is another aspect of his criticism against the IIFA jury awarding Priyanka and not Aishwarya. He said:

“Priyanka, you are a very hardworking actress but I was just discussing with Jayaji (Bachchan) why Aishwarya did not get the best actress award,”

Now yesterday the controversy took a new turn when Jaya Bachchan commented:

“For all I know, she must be really good in it. I haven’t seen Fashion. She’s undoubtedly a good actress.  I don’t have any objection to her winning the award. But I wonder why Aishwarya’s fine performance was ignored. I think she and the Jodhaa-Akbar cinematographer Kiran Deohans richly deserved recognition for their work.”

Jaya Bachchan Says, she has not even seen Fashion. How can she say Aishwarya is better than Priyanka Chopra? Is all this just because Aishwarya is bahu of one of the most respectable family of Film Industry, The Bachchans??

Priyanka Chopra has won all the awards of best actress this year, and undoubtedly, she was the only one deserving the Best Actress Award at IIFA.

Listed below is the list of awards that Priyanka has received in 2009:

1.      Star Screen Awards (Best Actress, Fashion)

2.      Lions Club Gold Awards (Best Actress, Fashion)

3.      Stardust Awards (Best Actress, Fashion)

4.      10th FICCI Frames 2009 (Contribution to Entertainment)

5.      Filmfare Awards (Best Actress, Fashion)

6.      Cineblitz Award (Best Actress, Fashion)

7.      IIFA Award (Best Actress, fashion)

8.      NDTV Profit Car & Bike Awards (Brand Ambassador of the Year)

9.     Nielson Box Office Award (Outstanding Contribution to Asian Cinema) presented during the 3rd Annual Asian Film Awards Film Awards held in Hong Kong

10.  Shanghai International Film Festival, Jin Jue Award (Outstanding Contribution to Cinema)

Still Any doubts, it can be cleared by this video. Notice the Viewers poll results on bottom right corner of the video.

Who Do you think is a better actress??

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