Google+ And Why This Time They May Have Got It Right

The takeout for me from the latest news about Google's rollout of the new social network Google+

"The second (Stream) is called Sparks. In this feature, users type in subjects of personal interest — “sparks.” Then Google streams items about that subject. The content that Google pulls into your Sparks stream is different from the results you’d get if you put the same term into the search engine.

“It’s focused on getting stuff that’s fresh and social and fun. We’ve tried to tune parameters to get something that’s engaging,” says Andrew Tomkins, a top search engineer who joined Google after stints at IBM and Yahoo. The signals that Google looks for in determining Sparks content is freshness, a visual component — videos will rank highly — and the degree to which the content is virally spreading on the net. (Tellingly, the Google News group has moved into the Emerald Sea division.) In other words, Sparks tries to deliver the kinds of thing you want to share with others, and Google hopes that its users do just that."

Suddenly +1 has a reason for existing.

GH

So, what to do with the kids today. Let's see what some Valencia magazines have to say

Taken at Valencia Property

Spain's biggest *anker (because he has a bank)

The question shouldn't be whether he has now paid the money but why he was hiding it in the first place

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/17/business/global/17santander.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

A person with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the family had paid about 200 million euros, or $283 million, in back taxes over the last year.

Mr. Botín has been a dominant figure on the Spanish corporate scene for 25 years. He has transformed his bank into one of Europe’s largest, with significant investments in Brazil, Britain and the United States, where Santander owns Sovereign Bank.

(via Instapaper)

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Spain ghost airports: symbols of boom turned bust - News 10 WTEN: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

A very interesting article about ghost airports. Don't miss the reference to Castellon and what is to be built at the entrance. Now that's hubris!

"Indeed, it's an unhealthy mix of politics and business that critics blame for white elephants such as the airport in Ciudad Real, a city of 74,000 people. Spain has a history of pouring public money into dodgy projects to fuel the careers of ambitious politicians and local entrepreneurs."

http://www.wten.com/Global/story.asp?S=14954136

World Cup 1982 ITV Theme and Funnies

One of the main reasons I first wanted to come to Spain. If you are interested in Spain what was it that first attracted you to the country

Check out the Santiago Bernabeu stadium

Montroy Surrounded by Orange Groves

One of the many properties placed upon the Valencia Property site this week. This stunning and well priced property for sale in Montroy in Valencia is extremely good value and should be considered by anyone looking in this price range. 

http://www.valencia-property.com/montroy/montroy-surrounded-by-orange-groves-132.php

Glassboard: Rock Star Team Regroups From RSS-Land to Tackle Private Mobile Content Sharing

Great commentary on the state of humanity by Marshall Firzpatrick!

"My take on it is this, and I'll try to say this without getting too upset about it: the lack of uptake of RSS reading software by consumers and businesses is among the turns of events in recent technology history that's most disparaging of the state of humanity. That a personalized, centralized repository for updates from dynamic streams of information delivered by free trusted sources of democratic publishing all over the world has had its tech-lunch eaten by mind-rotting casual Flash games on Facebook is as depressing as the way that public education dreams were dashed when the promise of television became its reality. It's like the psychedelic dreams of Harvard's Dr. Timothy Leary becoming the wretched, heartbreaking narcotic drama of the TV show The Wire. It's terrible. It's reason to pack it all up and go home."

Read the rest of his post here 

http://m.readwriteweb.com/archives/glassboard_rock_star_team_regroups_from_rss-land_t.php

Sent from Feeddler RSS Reader

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Deceptive 4 Bedroomed House Near Domeño. Intersting property. Play spot the house

This is an interesting property as you cannot easily see it from the front leading you to think it is small. However it is anything but, being 125m2 inside with four bedrooms and a large living room. Good sized kitchen and bathroom included and an excellent pool to the front. Well worth a look with the owners selling with a heavy heart.

http://www.valencia-property.com/domeno/deceptive-4-bedroomed-house-near-dome...

Two, four, six, eight, let’s hope they don’t emigrate | Iberosphere

Great reality check from Iberosphere.

"It’s difficult to imagine Spain without its immigrant population, hard as some people want us to try to do just that."

http://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-two-four-six-eight-lets-hope-they-dont-emigrate/3030

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The Trasmiera Ecopark

Nice article from Annie in Cantabria

http://anniebennettspain.com/2011/06/06/thetrasmiera-ecopark/

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Always Be Shipping - How to beat Panda and boost your business

These days more than ever you must be putting quality content out onto the net. If you don't you are history. How do you do it and at the same time help out with education in Uganda? Find out here.

Beat the Panda and help a village in Uganda.

http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/beat-the-panda-educate-a-village/

There’s A Dead Clown In The Garden | Houses for Sale in Spain

"There's a dead clown in the garden" How to ignore your client as an estate agent something we at Valencia Property never do.

http://www.houses-for-sale-in-spain.net/valencia-property/there-a-dead-clown-in-the-garden

Errant in Iberia – Now On the Kindle… at Notes from Spain: Ben Curtis on Travel, Life, Culture, Spain

Well worth a read if you are thinking of coming to Spain and now just 99p

http://www.notesfromspain.com/2011/06/04/errant-in-iberia-now-on-the-kindle/

City of arts and sciences in Valencia

A photo taken using photosynth in Valencia

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Weddings in Valencia | Getting married in Valencia

How not to treat a customer who has decided to use your services. Just let me say at this point, never, ever go to La Ferradura restaurant in Valencia there are plenty of other better options down by the beach. And since last weekend I have heard of at least two other cases of the owner of the restaurant doing the same to other couple because he had a larger party coming in. 

If there is one lesson to learn here as a business owner it is never underestimate the power of social media too.

You will also have noticed that at no stage have we linked to the Ferradura website. However if you would like to put your own review on the Trip Advisor page feel free. I know there are at least ten new reviews waiting in the queue there!

http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/a-brilliant-example-of-how-not-to-treat-customers/