Visit Ancient Temples of Japan with Google's World Wonders Project

A new site from Google puts its Street View tools to work to showcase some of the most storied and beautiful places on Earth. Google unveiled this morning a new undertaking from its Cultural Institute called the World Wonders Project. On the site, viewers can explore a map with pins marking famed places around the world and then, aided by visuals from Google's Street View technology, they can go in and explore "in 360 degrees just as if you were there." The project currently includes 132 destinations from 18 countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. No sites from Africa have yet been included, and the offerings from South America and Asia are noticeably sparse. Google did not say how it had made decisions about what to highlight, but that the selection would expand over time. Partners including UNESCO and World Monuments Fund provided information that runs alongside the virtual destinations.

PayPal, Softbank to Form Japan Joint Venture, Launch PayPal Here Service

PayPal and Softbank said Wednesday they will form a new joint venture to pursue online transactions business in the country. The two companies said they will each invest ¥1 billion (US$12.5 million) in the newly established firm PayPal Japan which will be a 50:50 joint venture. The companies also said they would launch PayPal Here, a platform that uses small card swiping attachments to allow smartphones to be used as mobile credit card readers, in Japan. For Softbank, which owns Yahoo Japan, a portal with dominant domestic auction and shopping properties, the deal will provide access to an established global e-payment platform. Yahoo Japan is largely independent from its troubled cousin in the U.S.

EU and Japan to Make the Internet Safer for Children

Europe and Japan will work together on a strategy to make the Internet safer for children and teenagers. The new strategy was announced by Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes on Wednesday. On Thursday, she met with Tatsuo Kawabata, Japanese minister for Internal affairs and Communications to discuss how the European Union and Japan could collaborate on such plans. Although the strategy is for industry self regulation, the digital agenda spokesman said in an email that the European Commission would intervene if self regulation does not deliver. However "a regulation-only approach would fail," he said. Apple, BSkyB, Dailymotion, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netlog, Nintendo, Nokia, Research In Motion, Samsung and Vodafone have all signed up to the initiative, which aims to improve content for children and create a safer online environment.

Twitter introduces brand pages in Japan, a first for Asia

Twitter first launched brand pages in the US in December last year and four months later the advertising feature has come to Japan, the first market in Asia. DoCoMo, the country's largest mobile operator, national retailer Lawson and Warner Entertainment Japan are the first companies that will take advantage of the pages, according to the Twitter Japan blog [Japanese], via Asiajin. It's of little surprise that Twitter has chosen Japan as its third market to launch brand pages - behind the US and the UK, the latter of which got the feature in February - as the micro blogging service has been a runaway success in Japan. Twitter has broken into the mainstream in Japan which, in a country that has traditionally preferred domestic services to those from overseas, is quite an achievement. Last year Twitter founder Jack Dorsey took stock of its remarkable growth, which began by allowing Tamagotchi owners to feed their pets more easily, before becoming (arguably) Japan's most popular social network. Proof of Twitter's appeal in Japan came last year when Mixi, which has been the country's leading social network for some time, announced an advertising partnership with Twitter to help combat the growing threat of Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg's service has taken its time to grow, but the last six months saw its membership double to reach 10 million members in the country.

Scam websites on the rise across Japan

Online scams in which victims are deceived into taking part in long friendly e-mail conversations that eventually cause them to lose money are increasing rapidly across Japan. The websites, many of which are paid online dating or job-hunting sites that are based on e-mail exchanges, have been collectively labeled "sakura (decoy) websites" due to the means their operators use to scam their victims. When people register to one of these websites, they are later approached by a "user" of the website, who is actually a decoy. In a series of e-mails, the victims are tricked into endless "friendly" talks. The victims are not aware at the time that the more e-mails they exchange with the decoy, the more money they are later demanded to pay for using the websites. Among common deception techniques "sakura websites" use is making people believe that those they exchange e-mail with wish to befriend them or that they have enough money to invest in their businesses or projects if they become acquainted. That tricks them into sending as many e-mails as possible, which the operators of the scam websites make money from.

Japanese computer programming language Ruby approved as global standard

The computer programming language Ruby, invented by a Japanese, has been approved by the International Organization for Standardization as a global standard, the government's Information-technology Promotion Agency said Monday. Ruby, conceived by software engineer Yukihiro Matsumoto in 1993, is a scripting language that executes tasks for software and runs on Unix, Dos, Windows and Mac operating systems. Matsumoto, a fellow at Network Applied Communication Laboratory Ltd., said he welcomes the decision and hopes for the further spread of the programming language.                                      Source: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20120403p2g00m0dm049000c.html

Facebook reaches 10M in Japan, doubles users in 6 months

Facebook is 10 million monthly active users strong in Japan, the company announced today at a marketing conference in Tokyo. This figure indicates Facebook has about 10 percent penetration among Japanese Internet users and is quickly gaining on Mixi, Japan’s most popular social network. Mixi reported in February that it has 15.2 million monthly active users. Japan is one of the few countries where Facebook has lower than 20 percent penetration. Russia and South Korea are others, as well as China where Facebook is banned. But Facebook is growing rapidly in Japan. The latest MAU figures are double the 5 million the social network reported in September 2011. Facebook got serious about Japan in 2010, and developed a number of initiatives to increase usage there. The social network began to let users syndicate their Facebook posts on Mixi. It created a job search app for university students. And it prompted users to complete “missions” to fill out their profiles. Judging from a graph shown at fMC Tokyo, Facebook had about 1 million MAU at the start of 2010 and 2 million in 2011.

YouTube Ferrari driver in Japan faces speeding charges

A doctor in Japan has landed himself in trouble with the police after posting footage of his drive in a Ferrari sports car on YouTube. He is facing charges of exceeding the speed limit after the footage showed him driving at 124km/h (77mph) in a 40km/h (25mph) zone, police say. The 50-year-old doctor, from Okawa in Fukuoka Prefecture, was reported to police by angry YouTube users. He reportedly said he "wanted people to understand the beauty of a Ferrari". The six-minute video is titled "Ferrari 458 Italia Drive in Japan 2011" in Japanese, and was filmed using a camera positioned behind the driver. It shows the car leaving an underground car park and driving along highways and coastal roads in Fukuoka, southern Japan, on the morning of 24 April 2011.

The Weekend Xbox Japan Conquered Akihabara

On a chilly afternoon this past weekend, well over 100 people waited in line in Akihabara to see Microsoft’s “Xbox 360 Kansyasai in Akiba” (Xbox 360 Festival of Thanks in Akihabara). The event was a joint effort between Microsoft and Capcom, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Japanese release of the original Xbox (February 22nd, 2002), and to promote some of the upcoming titles to the Xbox 360. Aside from game demo machines, the event included a raffle, on-stage interviews, and demonstrations for Dragon’s Dogma, Crimson Dragon, Diabolical Pitch, Biohazard Operation Raccoon City and Steel Battalion.

Filipinos teach English to Japanese via website

NOTE: For more Online English School, please check English Partner

An online English conversation school based in the Philippines is attracting Japanese learners by offering inexpensive lessons from college graduates who can't find work amid the country's economic slump. "This is 'intellectual fair trade,' " said Md Moin, founder of Pikt Corp.'s website.”Filipinos are able to earn their living as English tutors, while Japanese can learn high-quality English with cheap tuition." Moin, a 32-year-old Bangladeshi who has lived in Japan for 10 years, came up with the idea with a Filipino friend, Aireen Zaballa, 34. The two were classmates at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Beppu, Oita Prefecture. The online school uses about 50 tutors, including graduates of the prestigious University of the Philippines, to offer English conversational lessons to Japanese students via Skype Internet telephone service. By using the Filipino graduates, the school can effectively undercut English-conversation classes offered by its Japan-based rivals. Ten courses are provided for English-language students based on their proficiency, including some specializing in business English or tailored for children. Some tutors said teaching, which pays better than other jobs they can find at present, have allowed them to provide more nutritious food for their children. "The tutors are good, it's easy to make a reservation and a good opportunity to speak English" said Toshikazu Saito, a 43-year-old businessman in Tokyo. Source:  http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120216f3.html?

NOTE: For more Online English School, please check English Partner

VOCABULARY

1.       Amid (prep.) - while noisy, busy, or confused events are happening - used in writing or news reports

2.       Slump (v) - to suddenly go down in price, value, or number

3.       Intellectual (adj.) - an intellectual person is well-educated and interested in serious ideas and subjects such as science, literature 

4.       Trade (n) - the activity of buying, selling, or exchanging goods within a country or between countries [= commerce]

5.       Prestigious (adj.) - admired as one of the best and most important

6.       Undercut (v) - to sell goods or a service at a lower price than another company

7.       Proficiency (n) - a good standard of ability and skill

8.       Tailored (adj.) - made or done specially for someone's particular need or situation

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.       What do you know about Philippines? Filipinos?

2.       How did you find about Online English Schools?

3.       Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of studying online.

4.       Why do you want to study English?

5.       Tell us about your English study habit.

Social apps 'harvest Smartphone contacts'

Twitter has admitted copying entire address books from Smartphones and storing the data on its servers, often without customers' knowledge. Access to the address book is enabled when users click on the "Find Friends" feature on smartphone apps.  Two US congressmen have written to Apple asking why the firm allows the practice on its iPhone, as it contravenes app developer guidelines. Twitter has said it will update its privacy policy to be more explicit. The practice came to light when an app developer in Singapore, Arun Thampi, noticed that his contacts had been copied from his iPhone address book without his consent by a social network called Path. Dave Morin, CEO of Path, apologised and said Path would ask users to opt in to share their contact information. However, he noted separately that it was an "industry best practice" to upload or import address book information. iPhone apps by social sites including Facebook, FourSquare, Instagram, Foodspotting and Yelp are also reported to access the address book. Social networks have said that data taken from smartphones - which includes names, phone numbers and email addresses - is used only to identify friends who used the same service, and notify the user. But sometimes the data appears to be taken without first informing the user, or indicating how long the information will be saved for. Twitter said it would update its app in the wake of the disclosure, and clarify its privacy policy for users. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17051910

VOCABULARY

1.       Entire (adj.) -  all of a group, period of time, amount etc [= whole]

2.       Contravenes (v) - to do something that is not allowed according to a law or rule [= violate]

3.       Explicit (adj.) - expressed in a way that is very clear and direct

4.       Identify (v) -  makes them easy to recognize

5.       Wake (n) -  it happens afterwards and usually as a result of it

6.       Disclosure (v) - a secret that someone tells people, or the act of telling this secret

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.       What can you say about this article?

2.       Talk about the social networking sites popularly used in your country.

3.       Do you give true information when using these sites? Why?

4.       Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using social sites.

5.       Do you read the privacy policy of sites before using them? Why?

Japanese vending machines to offer free Wi-Fi

New high-tech vending machines offering free Wi-Fi hot spots in addition to selling soft drinks are to be installed across Japan. Asahi Soft Drinks is setting up 1,000 new vending machines in five regions around Japan this month, with a goal of expanding the number to 10,000 within five years. The vending machines are fitted with technology enabling Smartphone users who are standing within a 50m radius to enjoy free access to the internet. Users will not need passwords or payment to access the Wi-Fi and will be able to enjoy uninterrupted internet access for 30 minutes sessions at a time. Japan is home to the world's highest concentration of vending machines, with as many as one for every 24 people across the country, according to the Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers' Association. The nation's vending machines, which mostly sell hot and cold drinks, are not only plentiful but also high-tech, with a growing number boasting the latest technology. The new Wi-Fi vending machines are the latest in a growing selection of innovative models which are appearing on street corners and railway platforms across the country. Tokyo is already home to a number of touch screen vending machines which use facial recognition technology to anticipate the needs of the customer. The technology fitted into the machines enable it to identify the gender and age bracket of the consumer, before recommending an appropriate drink from its available selection. Meanwhile, Ito En, the Japanese tea company, is also planning to introduce eco-friendly vending machines this month, installing around 200 devices which consume 30 per cent less electricity than conventional power-saving models, according to the Nikkei. Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/9068347/Japanese-vending-machines-to-offer-free-WiFi.html

VOCABULARY

1.      Uninterrupted (adj.) - continuous

2.      Concentration (n) - a large number 

3.      Innovative (adj.) - way of doing something is new, different, and better than those that existed before

4.      Anticipate (v) - to expect that something will happen and be ready for it

5.      Conventional (adj.) - a conventional method, product, practice etc has been used for a long time and is considered the usual type

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      Discuss about vending machines in your country.

2.      How often do you use it? What do you buy?

3.      What are the advantages and disadvantages of vending machines?

4.      Do you think vending machine with Wi-Fi hot spots is a good idea? Why?

5.      If you were to make your own vending machine, what would it be?

EU regulators want Google to halt new privacy policy

BRUSSELS -- A group of European regulators has written to Google Inc calling on it to halt the introduction of its new privacy policy, saying it needs to investigate whether the proposals sufficiently protect users' data. Google said in January it was simplifying its privacy regulations, consolidating 60 guidelines into a single policy that will function across all its services, including YouTube, Gmail and Google+, its social networking site. Regulators are concerned that Google may share personal data across all of its platforms without giving users the chance to give their prior consent. The Article 29 Working Party, an independent body that brings together data protection authorities from each of the EU's 27 countries and the EU's executive European Commission, said it needed to examine Google's plans more thoroughly before the search group's policy comes into effect on March 1. "Given the wide range of services you offer, and the popularity of these services, changes in your privacy policy may affect many citizens in most or all of the EU member states," the group wrote to Google Chief Executive Larry Page on Feb. 2. The European commissioner in charge of data protection, Viviane Reding, welcomed the move, saying it was a necessary to establish that EU data rules were being firmly applied. "The Commission therefore calls on Europe's data protection authorities to ensure that EU law is fully complied with in Google's new privacy policy," she said in a statement. Lawmakers and civil liberties groups in the United States are also concerned by Google's plans to include photos and posts from users' Google+ accounts in search results. The new policy seeks to explain what information Google collects from the millions of people who use its services every day, why it is collected, how it is used and what choices are then offered to limit how it is accessed and updated. Google is not obliged to wait for the conclusion of the Article 29 Working Group's investigation before adopting its new policy, but has in the past sought to work with European authorities when they have raised concerns. Source: http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/AJ201202040052

VOCABULARY

1.      Regulations (n) - a statement spelling out the proper procedure or conduct for an activity

2.      Platform (n) - a place or opportunity for communicating ideas and information (channel, medium)

3.      Function (v) - operate, run; administer, carry on

4.      Prior (adj.) - early, first, before

5.      Thoroughly (adv.) - with attention to all aspects or details (completely, comprehensively, detailed, totally)

6.      Ensure (v) - to make sure, certain, or safe 

7.      Lawmakers(n) - a member of an organized body of persons having the authority to make laws

8.      Obliged (v) -  to cause (a person) to give in to pressure (compel, force to do) 

9.      Sought (v) - to make an effort to do (strive)

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      What Google services do you use? How often do you use them?

2.      What information is usually asked from the users?

3.      Do you provide true information when using internet services?

4.      What can you say about privacy policy?

5.      Talk about other issues about privacy policy.

Tech companies team up to combat email scams

NEW YORK— Google, Facebook and other big tech companies are jointly designing a system for combating email scams known as phishing. Such scams try to trick people into giving away passwords and other personal information by sending emails that look as if they come from a legitimate bank, retailer or other business. When Bank of America customers see emails that appear to come from the bank, they might click on a link that takes them to a fake site mimicking the real Bank of America’s. There, they might enter personal details, which scam artists can capture and use for fraud. To combat that, 15 major technology and financial companies have formed an organization to design a system for authenticating emails from legitimate senders and weeding out fakes. The new system is called DMARC — short for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance.  DMARC builds upon existing techniques used to combat spam. Those techniques are designed to verify that an email actually came from the sender in question. According to Google, about 15 percent of non-spam messages in Gmail come from domains that are protected by DMARC. This means Gmail users “don’t need to worry about spoofed messages from these senders,” Adam Dawes, a product manager at Google, said in a blog post. Google uses it already, both in its email sender and email provider capacities. The heft of the companies that have already signed on to the project certainly helps, and its founders are hoping it will be more broadly adopted to become an industry standard. The group’s founders are email providers Microsoft Corp., Yahoo Inc., AOL Inc. and Google Inc.; financial service providers Bank of America Corp., Fidelity Investments and eBay Inc.’s PayPal; online service companies Facebook, LinkedIn Corp. and American Greetings Corp. and security companies Agari, Cloudmark, eCert, Return Path and the Trusted Domain Project. Source: http://technology.inquirer.net/8009/tech-companies-team-up-to-combat-email-scams/

VOCABULARY

1.      Combating (v) - to try to stop something bad from happening or getting worse - used especially in news reports. EXAMPLE: I have to combat this constant desire to eat chocolate.

2.      Scam (n) - a clever but dishonest way to get money. EXAMPLE: He got involved in a credit card scam.

3.      Phishing (v) - an attempt to trick someone who has an internet bank account into giving information that would allow someone else to take money out of the account

4.      Legitimate (adj.) - allowed by law. EXAMPLE: Their business operations are perfectly legitimate.

5.      Mimicking (v) ­- to copy the way in which a particular person usually speaks and moves, usually in order to make people laugh. EXAMPLE: She was mimicking the various people in our office.

6.      Fraud (n) - the crime of getting money by deceiving people. EXAMPLE: credit card fraud

7.      Authenticating (v) - to prove that something is real, true, or what people say it is

8.      Spam (n) - email messages that a computer user has not asked for and does not want to read, for example from someone who is advertising something:

9.      Spoofed (v) - to try to make someone believe in something that is not true, as a joke

10.  Heft (n) - significance or importance.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      How often do you use emails?

2.      Discuss about phishing.

3.      How should tech companies handle personal information?

4.      Give other example of fraud or scam in your community.

5.      What should be the punishment for this internet scam?

More Filipinos now using Internet

MANILA, Philippines – More Filipinos are using digital media for news and information rather than listening to radio or reading newspapers and magazines, according to a study conducted by TNS, a global research company. “TNS Digital Life 2012″ showed that 45 percent of Filipino respondents connected to the Internet compared to 36 percent who listened to radio, 12 percent who read newspapers, and 4 percent magazines. The 2012 study showed a jump in the number of Internet users compared to 36 percent in 2011; a decrease in radio listeners who were at 40 percent in 2011; a further decrease in newspaper and magazine readers who were at 22 percent and 4 percent respectively in the same year. Television remains the dominant medium of information with 89 percent in 2012, up from 77 percent in 2011, the same study said. The study was based on interviews with 72,000 consumers in 60 countries worldwide from November 2011 to January 2012. In the Philippines, TNS interviewed 1000 respondents throughout urban areas from the ABCD socio-economic classes. The study also showed that majority of Filipinos accessing the Internet were teens and young adults, with 85 percent of Filipinos aged 16 to 20 accessing the Internet in the past four weeks, and 74 percent of Filipinos between 21 and 24 accessing the Internet in the same period. The study also showed that families of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the Philippines used the Internet as the primary communication medium with 81 percent, higher than mobile phones, 77 percent, and landline telephones, 24 percent. Facebook is the primary social networking site used by 90 percent of families of OFWs to keep in contact with their relatives abroad, the study showed. The study also showed that Filipinos accessed the Internet mostly through personal computers either at home, 50 percent, or at Internet cafes, 49 percent. It also noted that there were an increasing number of people accessing the Internet through mobile Smartphone at 12 percent. Source: http://technology.inquirer.net/8013/more-filipinos-now-using-internet-for-news-information-study

VOCABULARY

1.       Digital (adj.) - using a system in which information is recorded or sent out electronically in the form of numbers, usually ones and zeros. EXAMPLE: digital computer, digital camera

2.       Respondents(n) -someone who answers questions, especially in a survey

3.       Dominant (adj.) - more powerful, important, or noticeable than other people or things. EXAMPLE: Unemployment will be a dominant issue at the next election.

4.       Consumers (n) - someone who buys and uses products and services. EXAMPLE: Consumers will soon be paying higher taxes.

5.       Majority (n) - most of the people or things in a group. EXAMPLE: The majority of the employees have university degrees.

6.       Medium(n) - a way of communicating information and news to people, such as newspapers, television etc [↪ media]. EXAMPLE: Advertising is a powerful medium.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.       Compared to Philippines, how many people use the Internet in your country?

2.       Discuss about the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet.

3.       What are the social networking sites people uses in your country?

4.       How long should we use the Internet?

5.       Talk about the effects of Internet to children and teenagers.

Smartphone addicts starting to feel the pain

LONDON – Users of Smartphone and tablet computers are starting to get high-tech blues, as increasing numbers of the tech savvy are coming down with ailments from “text neck” to “text thumb injury”. Health experts in Britain have warned that the strain injuries stemming from long periods spent staring at small screens and tapping at tiny keys can be debilitating. And the injuries are becoming more common as high-tech gadgets grow ever more popular. According to a recent YouGov poll, 44 percent of Britons use their mobile phone for activities other than making calls, for between 30 minutes and two hours a day. The pollster quizzed 2,034 adults over several days in September.  “Text neck” is in effect the latest manifestation of “repetitive strain injury” (RSI), a condition which affects one worker in 50 in Britain. RSI is the name given to a group of injuries affecting the muscles, tendons and nerves primarily of the neck and upper limbs. It is particularly prevalent among workers who spend long periods using computers and computer mouse. It is a treatable condition, but experts warn it is essential not to ignore the early warning signs. In France, RSI is the main cause of sick leave in the work place. Margo in Britain says the biggest at-risk group are children and teenagers, who are heavy users of the latest computers and phones. “I know families where people communicate from one room to another via text messages,” she said. “We have to put limits on this.” Source: http://technology.inquirer.net/6625/smartphone-addicts-starting-to-feel-the-pain/

VOCABULARY

1.      Savvy (n) - practical knowledge and ability. EXAMPLE: business savvy

2.      Ailments (n) - an illness

3.      Stemming (v) - to develop as a result of something else. EXAMPLE: His headaches stemmed from vision problems.

4.      Pollster (n) - someone who works for a company that prepares and asks questions to find out what people think about a particular subject

5.      Manifestation (n) - a very clear sign that a particular situation or feeling exists

6.      Prevalent (adj.) - common at a particular time, in a particular place, or among a particular group of people. EXAMPLE: Drug abuse is especially prevalent among younger teenagers.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      What is a Smartphone?

2.      What are the benefits of Smartphone?

3.      Discuss about the effects of using Smartphone on people’s health.

4.      Have you ever suffered from “text neck”?

5.      Share something about your country’s technology.

Facebook Readies IPO Filing

Facebook Inc. could file papers for its initial public offering as early as next week, people familiar with the matter said, as anticipation mounts for what is likely to be one of the biggest debuts for a U.S. company. The deal, seen as defining moment for the latest Web investing boom, could raise as much as $10 billion and value the social network between $75 billion to $100 billion, said people familiar with the matter. A valuation of $75 billion would be below earlier expectations. Facebook's final valuation will be determined by a variety of factors, people familiar with the matter said, such as investor demand for social media, the IPO market and the health of the European economy. The website, which in less than eight years has attracted more than 800 million members, has changed the way people across the globe communicate, from organizing political protests to sharing baby pictures. Facebook's revenue is driven by its advertising business, as big brands rush to the site to interact with consumers through display ads and fan pages. Facebook has been able to increase its world-wide advertising revenue from $738 million in 2009 to $3.8 billion in 2011, according to estimates from research firm eMarketer. It isn't known if Facebook is profitable. Mr. Zuckerberg had been reluctant to push forward with an IPO. People familiar with his thinking said he has been fearful of the damage an IPO could do to the company's culture. He wants employees focused on making great products, not the stock price, they said. But outside forces are partly pushing his hand. Facebook executives began to realize in 2010 that Facebook would have more than 500 shareholders by the end of 2011, which would trigger a regulatory requirement that Facebook start publicly reporting financial information. Mr. Zuckerberg decided it made more sense for Facebook to go public and reap some financial benefit from an IPO, rather than stay private but have to release its financial information, said people familiar with his thinking. Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204573704577187062821038498.html

VOCABULARY

1.     Anticipation (noun) - a feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen 

Example: He looked forward to the party with anticipation

2.      Valuation (noun) - the estimated value of something 

Example: The property has a valuation of ¥ 10 billion.

3.    Revenue (noun) - money that a business or organization receives over a period of time, especially from selling goods or services [↪ income]:

Example: The factory lost revenue because of the strike by the workers.

4.     Estimates (noun) - a guess that you make based on the information you have about the size, amount, etc., of something 

Example: At a (very) rough estimate, the job will take three months.

5.     Reluctant (adj.) - feeling or showing doubt about doing something : not willing or eager to do something 

Example: We were reluctant to get involved in the project.

6.      Trigger (verb) -  to cause (something) to start or happen 

Example: The timer was set to trigger the bomb in exactly one hour.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.      What do you think is the value of Facebook at present?

2.      Tell us about popular social networking site in your country

3.      Would you like to buy shares of Facebook stock should it go public?