FACEBOOK trials to buy TWITTER fails!!

Twitter rejected a $500 million acquisition offer from Facebook.

Facebook started the talks about buying Twitter in mid October this year. Twitter was offered $100 M cash and $400M worth of Facebook stock. The talks ended as Twitter rejected the offer as their investors decided that $500 million for over 63 million registered users was not enough. They were also concerned wether the Twitter <> Facebook integration could be done properly.Twitter executives also believe that Twitter is able to earn its own revenue as it’s user base is rapidly growing. It remains to be seen how they will actually start earning revenue, as currently they are not making any money. Pretty bold to say no to $500 million!

Now that Facebook has expressed it’s interest in Twitter it is almost certain that Twitter will get more offers in the future – after all, Twitter is a huge hit in terms of the number of users and the onlinepopularity it already enjoys.

Twitter was launched in mid 2006 as a social networking and micro-blogging site that allows users to post updates. A Twitter post is limited by 140 characters and can be posted through their own web form, a text message or an instant message. The company adds constantly new features to their product, such as browser plug-ins, iPod and Facebook integration and Gmail import and search. In April 2008 Twitter launched their Japanese version, which includes advertisements as well.

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Retweets on FACEBOOK

Facebook started the talks about buying Twitter in mid October this year. Twitter was offered $100 M cash and $400M worth of Facebook stock. The talks ended as Twitter rejected the offer as their investors decided that $500 million for over 63 million registered users was not enough. They were also concerned wether the Twitter <> Facebook integration could be done properly. Twitter executives also believe that Twitter is able to earn its own revenue as it’s user base is rapidly growing. It remains to be seen how they will actually start earning revenue, as currently they are not making any money. Pretty bold to say no to $500 million!

Now that Facebook has expressed it’s interest in Twitter it is almost certain that Twitter will get more offers in the future – after all, Twitter is a huge hit in terms of the number of users and the online popularity it already enjoys.

Twitter was launched in mid 2006 as a social networking and micro-blogging site that allows users to post updates. A Twitter post is limited by 140 characters and can be posted through their own web form, a text message or an instant message. The company adds constantly new features to their product, such as browser plug-ins, iPod and Facebook integration and Gmail import and search. In April 2008 Twitter launched their Japanese version, which includes advertisements as well.
This is how you do re-tweet (or Facebook via) on Facebook: 

When you see a friend’s posted item in your news feed that you would like to re-post click the ‘share‘ button below it. A new window opens up and and you will see a mention ‘via johnsmith (Remove)‘ below the comment box. Write your comment in the box and click the Share-button. If you don’t want to use the via-feature then click the Remove-button before you post it on your profile. Once you have shared your friend’s post it will appear on your profile with a via link that points to your friend’s profile. Your friends will also see the item in their News Feed and they can in turn do a re-post creating a viral loop of the message. Pretty cool, eh? Go ahead now and give it a go… and let me know how you find this feature.

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!NEW! Mafia Wars Properties Upgrade !NEW!

We have more cool updates coming your way on Mafia Wars! This time we're revamping the New York properties. We'll be introducing some changes to promote the return of robbing, so read on and check out the upgrades we're planning on making...

1) We'll have properties switched to Flash mode, so make sure you have the latest version (Get Adobe).

2) We'll be getting rid of 'undeveloped space'. The costs of undeveloped space will be folded into the costs of the updated properties. If you currently have any undeveloped properties, it’ll be sold off and you'll have your money returned to you.

3) Instead of owning 30 Mega Casinos, you will have 1 Mega Casino, but it will have been upgraded 30 times.

4) You won't be able to sell properties anymore, but you can continue to upgrade them. If you still haven't earned your "Cashing Out" achievement, do it soon!

5) All properties will have the same payout over time that they currently do, but some of the rates will change. They will take between 8 hours and 2 days to fill up. For example, say you currently owned 2 mega casinos. They produce $1,800,000 every 3 hours for you to collect. In the new system, you will now own a single level 2 Mega Casino, and it will produce $28,800,000 every 48 hours for you to collect.

6) You can only collect on your property once it is done producing. There will be progress bars and countdown timers letting you know how long it will be before you can collect on each property.

7) Properties will no longer "shut down". *Note: This only affects users who have started playing in the last few months.

8) People who have Rackets will be folded into the new system as well, but that change will take place a week or two after the launch of the new properties.

An important point we want to emphasize is that you will NOT be losing any money when we change the New York properties; it will all stay within the game. These upgrades are going hand-in-hand with the robbing feature that we'll be bringing back due to popular demand.

Stay tuned, there's more to come!

QA About Properties VS Rackets

Q: Why are you changing the system?

A: We felt that the current system was a bit clumsy. Having to purchase an empty lot and then convert it over into the property you actually wanted added unnecessary steps that didn't add anything to the Gameplay. While the new layout is going to be a bit different, it should also look cleaner and will be easier to use. As noted in the original post, it also is a step towards the reintroduction of robbing.

Q: I don't want to have to click on a dozen different properties to collect my income.

A: We are going to include a "Collect All" button - as you can see in the screenshot posted - so a visit to the properties page doesn't need to be a clicking extravaganza (unless that's something you really enjoy).

Q: I use Rackets; what happens to the points I've put into Influence?

A: We are going to make sure that all skill points spent on Influence are refunded to players who have invested in that stat, to be reallocated as you wish.

Q: I liked my boost rackets and don't want to give them up!

A: While we understand that players with rackets have come to enjoy some of the benefits that come from that system, having two different groups of players using completely different property systems was not an ideal situation and made the reintroduction of robbing more or less impossible to accomplish.

The initial businesses in New York are going to be cash only. However, we have plans to introduce new businesses that produce other goods down the road.

Q: How is robbing going to work?

A: I can't give out all of the details on robbing just yet, as they haven't been completely worked out, but all properties we roll out initially will be robbable, with the exception of Mafia Mikes and Louie's Deli. Players will have a certain period of time after their property has finished production to return and claim the income before the property becomes vulnerable to robberies. We'll be releasing more details on robbing as we approach it's launch date.

Q: What about the businesses in the other cities?

A: We plan to roll this system out to the other cities in the near future (including the ability to rob businesses in each of the other cities).

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Bangkok collections-ALLTIME

Many blog readers have asked about the collections that will be available in Bangkok and I am happy to report that I indeed have some info on them for you.

Episode One Collection – Chess Set

• Chessboard
• Pawn
• Knight
• Bishop
• Rook
• Queen
• King

Vault Bonus: 5 Energy

Boost: Chess Master (-8 job energy cost)

Episode Two Collection - Masks Collection

• Agat-Talai’s Mask
• Sukreep’s Mask
• Palee’s Mask
• Phra Ram’s Mask
• Indrachit’s Mask
• Hanuman’s Mask
• Tosakanth’s Mask

Vault Bonus: 5 Defense

Boost: Wet Paint (+32 attack skill)

While I do not yet know what the collections are called for episodes 3 through 5, nor do I know what the vault bonus or boosts are as yet, I do know what the items are for each level.

Episode Three Collection – Possibly Spices or Herbs

• Coriander
• Garlic
• Tumeric
• Green Peppercorn
• Holy Basil
• Lemongrass
• Thai Chili

Episode Four Collection – My guess would be carvings

• Wall Carving
• Floral Statue
• Dragon Statue
• Decorative Nightstand
• Lotus Bloom
• Rearing Elephant
• Stone Buda

Episode Five Collections – Flowers

• Marco Polo
• Grace Pink
• Misteen
• Jade Siam
• Bom Gold
• Bom Blue
• Fatima

This is what I know thus far and of course I will update you as soon as I know more. In the mean time have fun playing Mafia Wars.

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MYMAFIAWARZ-STRONG AND REQUIRED ITEMS

When you get right down to it Mafia Wars is a game of numbers. We concentrate growing our mafia to 500+, worry about our energy pool, attack and defense skill and much more. For those of you who are number crunchers (like I am) here is a list of all of the items that you will need to purchase when playing Mafia Wars.

Mafia Wars Item Costs
New York
Item		# Required		Cost Each		Total Cost
Armored Sedan		20		$60,000		$1,200,000
Baseball Bat		1		$300		$300
Body Armor		20		$16,000		$320,000
Bonus Weapon		5		$200,000		$1,000,000
Bullet Proof Vest		3		$6,000		$18,000
Chain Gun		20		$200,000		$4,000,000
Colt Pistol		2		$1,000		$2,000
Crowbar		1		$700		$700
Delivery Truck		12		$20,000		$240,000
Getaway Cruiser		12		$90,000		$1,080,000
Grenade		10		$3,000		$30,000
Hacksaw		1		$10,000		$10,000
Machine Pistol		1		$5,500		$5,500
Motorcycle		4		$15,000		$60,000
Sawed Off Shotgun		2		$2,000		$4,000
Sedan		3		$40,000		$120,000
Speed Boat		2		$400,000		$800,000
Tommy Gun		10		$120,000		$1,200,000
Town Car		40		$400,000		$16,000,000
Total Cost for New York				$26,090,500
Cuba
** $ = Cuban Currency (C$)
Item			# required		Cost Each	Total Cost
.308 Sniper Rifle			4		$32,000	$128,000
Barge			8		$27,000	$216,000
Bazooka			8		$40,000	$320,000
Camo Fatigues			3		$10,000	$30,000
CM Seta			2		$10,000	$20,000
CM Venga			5		$22,000	$110,000
Commerical Helicopter			5		$45,000	$225,000
Gaduka 5-Pistol			14		$24,000	$336,000
Hatchet			2		$12,000	$24,000
Hired Thug			16		$22,000	$352,000
Jeep			2		$18,000	$36,000
Jungle Tracker			3		$14,000	$42,000
Lead Pipe			18		$5,000	$90,000
Local Guide			2		$4,000	$8,000
Local Tough			8		$8,000	$64,000
Machete			2		$1,000	$2,000
Oso-12 Cargo Truck			5		$38,000	$190,000
RAS-29			26		$15,000	$390,000
Rebel Sniper			4		$38,000	$152,000
Wise Guy			30		$30,000	$900,000
Total Cost for Cuba					$3,635,000
Moscow
** $ = Russian Currency (R$)
Item	# required			Cost Each		Total Cost
Arctic Camo	30			$11,800,000		$354,000,000
Balaclava	18			$1,800,000		$32,400,000
Beovoy Nozh	24			$2,200,000		$52,800,000
Bronezilet	30			$5,400,000		$162,000,000
BYK-922	12			$14,200,000		$170,400,000
Dubina	15			$500,000		$7,500,000
Dvina	12			$3,200,000		$38,400,000
Enforcer	54			$16,800,000		$907,200,000
Forest Camo	30			$11,800,000		$354,000,000
KRZ8	12			$16,500,000		$198,000,000
Listsa	32			$6,800,000		$217,600,000
Mototsykl	12			$500,000		$6,000,000
Pistolet Bess	18			$900,000		$16,200,000
RAS-28 SMG	45			$7,500,000		$337,500,000
RAS-55	45			$16,800,000		$756,000,000
Riot Helmet	30			$7,200,000		$216,000,000
Shturmovaya	36			$5,200,000		$187,200,000
Snayperskaya	15			$21,500,000		$322,500,000
Sokel Helicopter	15			$24,500,000		$367,500,000
Taksi	9			$1,000,000		$9,000,000
Tracked Truck	15			$26,500,000		$397,500,000
Tracksuit	24			$900,000		$21,600,000
Zharpesta	15			$27,000,000		$405,000,000
Total Cost for Moscow				$5,536,300,000

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Tips to become strong in MAFIAWARS-MYMAFIAWARZ

I have been playing Mafia Wars for quite some time and have built numerous characters so I thought I would pass along four simple things that are the basis of creating a strong character.
1) Use your Energy effectively

This is probably the most important thing in Mafia Wars.If you want to level quickly you need to make sure that you put your energy to the best use. Visit one of the bookmarklet pages and pick up a tool to help you determine how to manage your energy when completing jobs.
2) Linear Jobs

Complete jobs in a linear manner for the best results in the long run. If you are starting a new character begin with the Street Thug tier and complete all three levels of it before moving on. Resist the urge to jump around on the tiers simply because you are high enough level for them. This holds true for expansion as well. Visit them to get your business started then forget about them except for collecting your business payouts.
3) Build a Strong Mafia

Spend time visiting add me pages or add me email pages to build your Mafia. Only 500 of your mafia may participate in a fight but having a huge mafia is a boon in and of itself. Some of the advantages of having a large mafia are completing collections and re-vaulting for boosts. You will be surprised how quickly you can finish out collections and get the bonuses by simply asking for the items. Always be sure to gift in return when you can as well.
4) Equip Your Mafia

Your mafia is only as strong as the equipment that you provide them. When you enter into combat you will provide each of the 500 members of your mafia with an offensive weapon, a defensive item, and a vehicle. Having the best is a way to ensure that you are a formidable enemy for anyone who chooses to attack you.

These four tips might seem like “no-brainers” but you would be surprised at how many people do not follow these simple ideas. Many are racing to get to the highest level they can and pay little or no attention to building and equipping a strong mafia. Others have no idea how to maximize their energy or where to find a bookmarklet to help. Use these simple tips to make your Mafia Wars experience more enjoyable.

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DO's and DONT's in MAFIAWARS

Here are a few things that you can 'do it and don't do it' in order to be a better social network citizen.

1.) Gifting

Gifting is wonderful and everyone should participate if they can. The annoying part comes when a player publishes every gift that they give. It is much better just to gift and skip the publishing.
2.) Lotto

We all play the lotto with most of hoping for one of the super rare items from the Daily Chance Collection. Believe me they are rare, I have almost 30 accounts and have yet to get even one piece and I play every day.

Teach your young players not to publish their lotto numbers. No one cares what their numbers were and it just clutters up everyone’s wall.
3.) Hit listing

If you have been put on the hitlist there is a reason for it, most likely because you have been a pain in the ass to someone else. Remember that the person who claimed your bounty is just a person doing a job so don’t hitlist them. If you must hitlist someone then hitlist the person who paid the bounty in the first place, they are the one that caused you to be attacked.
4.) Wishlist

There is nothing wrong with posting your wishlist to your wall however doing it 20 times per day is annoying. Also, you should try to get all the collections items before going for the big stuff.
5.) Multiple Attacks

Attacking another player is part of the game but you should not get your jollies by attacking the same player repeatedly. Yes you know you can beat them at present but would you like someone doing that to you? Show a little class by and hit them a couple of time and move on to another target.

This advice does not apply to those on the hitlist since the object is to kill the character and collect a bounty. Hit these people as hard and as fast as you can.
6.) Complaining

Say you get attacked from the fight list 10 times in a row from the same person, get used to it and don’t whine about it. Yes, the person that attacked you is doing exactly what I told you not to do, but ultimately attacks are part of the game and you have to deal with it.
7.) Job Bonuses

ALWAYS post your job bonuses to the wall so others can help you and earn some experience and some cash along the way.
8.) Achievements

Only post important achievements on your wall.

These tidbits of advice will go a very long way to ensuring that you are looked upon as a considerate and thoughtful player not only in Mafia Wars but in all of the social network games that you play not to mention the networks themselves.

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