Pinterest valued at more than $1bn after raising $100m funding

popular social network is between $ 1 billion and $ 1.5 billion, after a fundraising of 100 million

Spend on Facebook. Pinterest, the social network that lets people "pin" images and content to create collections of interest, has become the latest company to be worth more than $ 1 billion (£ 630m), after a journey of 100 million funding.

Although estimates of effective assessment when they involve investments range between $ 1 billion and $ 1.5 billion, underscoring the fact that Pinterest has found a business model that includes an "affiliate" pay people to shop on the site.

The new assessment is at least five times the value jump since October 2011, when a previous round of funding put at 200 million dollars.

The company has become known in recent months to become the 16th most visited site in the United States, as measured by Alexa society. In April there were over 20 million users, against 1,000,000 in July 2011, according to ComScore, another classification society.

Its traffic jumped after August 2011, when he was named one of the 50 best websites of 2011 by Time magazine, and in December he was in the world 11 million visitors in the week, according to Hitwise.

has now received a round of financing led by the giant Japanese retailer Rakuten online, including existing investors particiapants Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, FirstMark and capital, and a number of angel investors .

In October 2011 he received a round of financing of $ 27 million for a value of $ 200 million. The only site opened in March 2010.

Although the company did not disclose its revenues, are less likely $ 10 million based on modeling conducted in March by Rags Srinivasan, an expert in strategic marketing. However, with the number of users is growing rapidly, which could move quickly.

makes more people use Pinterest effectively advertise their products for free, to boost sales through the screens. This could give a future to the load by means Pinterest is the position or visibility.

• However, legal experts have questioned the responsibility of the trial site for copyright because it actually allows you to copy images are property. While some brands do not care if it involves sales, photographers and commercial organizations may be less satisfied.
Rakuten has invested in a number of online retailers in the world, including UK retailer Play.com.

"While some may see e-commerce as a distributor machine as a single experience, we believe it is a living process where retailers and consumers can communicate, learn and heal to make the experience more enjoyable, "said Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani.

"We see tremendous synergies between the vision and the model Rakuten Pinterest for e-commerce."

In an interview with the Financial Times, Mikitani revealed that he had also become a consultant in the e-commerce site, said. "Have a good understanding of images is increasingly important for e-commerce is simpler and more appealing to the human instinct of text. Such is the power of Pinterest, I think."

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Councils use financial freedoms to invest in new affordable homes

account

housing reform has opened new avenues of borrowing for municipalities seeking to develop

has been dubbed as the most radical change of municipal housing for more than half a century. Account reform of housing for advice made a part of the national debt of housing, and in return, they are free to manage the debt you want - up to a certain point. In some cases, that freedom means rushing to pay the balance as soon as possible. For others, a return to council housing could be on the cards.

Stroud District Council has invested £ 23 million in housing over the next five years to maintain its level of openness of debt and interest-only payments to the lenders. Carl Brazier, head of strategic consulting services to tenants, says: "After that, we can decide to increase the development program or erase some of the debt it felt more like a business like approach to clear debt 10. -15 Years. "

Some municipalities have the ability to borrow more. However, the interested public sector balance sheet, the government has limited the amount that you can borrow. The difference between the initial level of debt and the cover is different across the country.

Brazier said Stroud can borrow another £ 11m and plans to use this resource to invest in new housing. "We believe that we could build approximately 20 units per year," he said. "Not a lot, but it's a start."

Tips

prudent strategies being employed to make the most of this additional debt. Camden council became private developer, with 50% of new homes built by the authority sale on the private market to finance new housing.

"We have £ 438 million of debt at the time and to borrow £ 87 million We use the margin as a revolving fund -. We borrowed to fund regeneration plans as they come in recipes that replenishes the fund, "said Rhys Makinson, deputy director of housing Camden. The city has a demand large enough to accommodate the required level of rental income is virtually guaranteed.

private sector loans Camden has a borrowing capacity sufficient to continue without a private sector partner. Other authorities may be forced to explore different options. David Hall, director of the social housing sector consultancy, said: "In some cases, they are just rubbing against the upper portion of the debt at the outset, the question is if you look and create separate vehicles s if they are classified as debt. or not. "

Barking and Dagenham Council has established a protection vehicle ad hoc see houses built with private sector investment. Earth Council is released and houses built with money from private investors Shore long. The Board authorizes and manages the property, paying Shore Long a fixed annual yield. After 60 years of home ownership again board.

• It will not be an option everywhere - the land office should have to contribute to the plan and rental income must be sufficient to cover the costs of administration and dividend investors, the most likely in the south-east of England to the north.
• But when it works, is likely to be attractive to investors reluctant to take risks. Ken Jones, director of the Housing Strategy Barking and Dagenham, says it is in talks with institutional investors on other sites. "The key to making this work is that the donor is seeking a long-term return safely," he said.

Ian

Dolittle, Chief Trowers public housing sector and firm Hamlin believes that this type of funding model could be wider than the authorities are looking for ways to invest beyond the ceiling imposed by the government.

"If you are in balance, you will be subject to the debt ceiling," he said. "It must be a private vehicle., All paris are open. There are all sorts of ingenious ways to make institutional investors for social housing. "

debt is a dirty word in politics these days, but there are ways to maximize the investment in housing and mitigate risk. Richard Parker, Director of Housing at PricewaterhouseCoopers, believes that the mortgage debt early is a mistake.
"If you are looking for ways to get more performance from the existing assets of the public sector will be a missed opportunity," he said. "Local authorities could borrow twice against its existing asset base. Ago a great opportunity if local authorities have the imagination to challenge traditional approaches."

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Nicolas Sarkozy prepares to hand over presidency - and judicial immunity

French

outgoing president likely to return to the practice of law, but might have to explain about a series of scandals

hematoma has spent 30 years in politics, often saying it would have been nice to win money in the private sector, and now plans to return to work as a lawyer, while his wife, pop star Millionaire takes bus tour with a new album. But after they hand over power to the Socialist François Hollande next week, the highest post-presidential Nicolas Sarkozy headache is probably justice.

At a ceremony at the Elysee Palace on Tuesday, Sarkozy's presidency will first leftist leader François Mitterrand of France since. Then we'll walk the last few meters on the red carpet of his grace and favor chauffeured car and go home to the west of Paris Carla Bruni mansion. He said he wanted to leave politics, but some believe, and warned journalists: "You will not hear me."

But when Sarkozy presidential immunity from prosecution officially ends June 16, you may dominate the headlines again as it could be forced to explain to the judges through a series of scandals financing of political parties that have undermined his time in power.

During the campaign, the former Socialist Segolene Royal in the presidential election said Sarkozy was very difficult to fight against the re-election because he was afraid of losing his immunity as head of State. "Everyone knows the problems of corruption that have marked the past five years," he said.

The first scandal Sarkozy could face questions about allegations of brown envelopes more illegal money were given that the documents received Sarkozy'shis brown envelopes of cash from the richest woman France, Liliane Bettencourt, during the 2007 election campaign. A judge is probing if successful campaign of Nicolas Sarkozy has received ? 800,000 in funding illegal, and if the transfer of Swiss bank accounts have been delivered to the treasurer of Sarkozy's campaign, even Sarkozy himself.

In February, Eric Woerth, budget minister and treasurer of the UMP Nicolas Sarkozy, has been the subject of a judicial inquiry into the allegedly received money to finance Bettencourt campaign 2007.

Sarkozy could also become a subject of an independent investigation to determine if there was a shadow "

cabinet black

• " in the highest levels the French government to use secret services to spy on Le Monde journalists to discover their sources of stories about the Bettencourt affair. A security chief and ally of Sarkozy was indicted.

Sarkozy categorically rejected any link with the scandal, but never gave his version of events in court. Judges who work in the case so far remained silent on whether he would call to testify.

Otherwise known as the case of Karachi, potentially, research on political corruption more damaging in recent French history, judges investigating allegations of patronage of French arms sales to Pakistan in the 1990s secretly financed Sarkozy's presidential campaign failure mentor Edouard Balladur. Sarkozy was the spokesperson for the campaign.

Office

Sarkozy said he had nothing to do with the case. The families of 11 French engineers killed in a bomb attack in Pakistan in 2002, which is believed to have been involved in the case require answers.
This refers to the new research site Mediapart, which last month published an article that said showed that the former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has agreed to fund the campaign of Sarkozy 2007. Mediapart Sarkozy continued, calling the document a "false light" and the Libyan National Transitional Council has also questioned the same thing. A judicial inquiry has been opened to check its veracity.

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Economics professor in London: 'They aren't here to learn, they're here to pass' | Joris Luyendijk

Joris

speaks with academic pressure on students' social skills and problems with some financial models . This monologue is part of a series in which people across the financial sector talk about their working lives

After the interview popular

economics professor at a college in Oxbridge

, here's a second professor of economics, this time in an institution based in London. This is a gay man in his 50s and a scientist by profession.

"We currently offer an ethics course taken by 10-20% of students. What if we offered only one semester of ethics? Suspect that many of our students have serious problems with that. Should they engage in many complex ethical debates ... would fail. These are people with a strong mathematical inclination, "some" The future, many mild Asperger-like qualities.

"I myself am about, or so I would say that there is no link between the minority and the rest of the world is an important key to understanding the financial sector today if I can generalize ..

"Quants are very good at recognizing patterns and structures, and work in a very detailed and systematic Quants. Feel a strong psychological need of these structures, too, and they tend to assume the existence of such structures and models for the world to behave in expectation, so that can be modeled.

"Quants not very good social skills. If you respond to a quantum in a way that requires empathy, it is difficult for them. Say two students discuss over coffee. Teachers recognizes as his student and stop saying "look, I really do not think that your last job was pretty good." After walking.

"For most people it would be hard to take a bad time, a bad choice of words as would the problem, because in his mind of the teacher simply makes use of the saw possibility. communicate something that needs to communicate.

"What to do with this:. Lot are more likely than others to lose some aspects of social reality, their brains are less in tune with them when then build a model, is less likely integrate these aspects.

"How does it work in the real world, a group of people in a bank develops a financial product based on a model of the world that have built this new financial product Toman to senior management and say. watching this great product we design.

"Now, the top management is unlikely to be composed of quanta, and all those who usually do not have the social skills to get high in the management hierarchy. Way that senior management not really understand what is prepared for them. quanta then have a real problem to explain it to them, because this is another social competence should not have.

"We need people from senior management who know what questions to ask: .. On the assumptions underlying the model of the vulnerability of the model still unknown and unknowable factors all Data from the last 10 years can be projected product revenues.

"But I heard that senior management is as follows:. We have this great product, and if we had 10 years ago, we all have a lot of money

"research and taught When I see my students doing errands in town, I wonder. Society can not make better use of all that talent

"Most of my students are very, very aware of the type of payment you can expect: .. £ 50 - £ 60,000 in their first year Compare this to our new teachers have a university degree, master and doctorates, and have made a minimum of one or two years of post-docs. then given a maximum of three years. Their salary is £ 25,000.

"assessments that allow students to determine whether to make this work in a bank and do not hesitate to spend some of the pressure, so to speak. LLEGO students saying" if I do not "t get that degree, my career is over." tell them it's silly, but it's how you feel by hiring circus that banks and financial companies launch. amazing how fast you are caught in the networks planned by the financial industry. Student associations organize classes resume, literally, in the first week. Students are under intense peer pressure to apply for internships, all highly competitive.

"I talk to students who are beginning to realize that is not going to get the grades necessary for the application itself. They literally think their life is over 21 years, children have been led to believe it is that you get a bank to pay top, or is it a cardboard box under a bridge in London.

"It's crazy, but I've heard very little more than three years, I would say, provocative. If this kind of brainwashing were conducted by a religious movement rather than the financial sector, which had been banned long ago. Indeed, for foreigners there is a different dynamic that the UK Border Agency will not extend his visa unless you get a job.

"I tell the students to see how you deal with the banks, what you really want to work for an employer who treats you well? Noting that there is a whole world out there between the bank where the bonus exceeds my income, and the cardboard box under a bridge in London. Most companies do not have the money to hire the kind of circus that big banks and financial advisory firms established. still need to graduate.

"The other day I spoke with a manager of an IT company growing need for graduates. He said his company would be willing to contribute £ 500 rate discovery. Haha. I mean, the difference between what banks can afford and 500 pounds ... the guy had no idea.

"There is a generation gap between students and teachers, is not clear. Lot of my colleagues design a college education, at least in part, as Bildung, an opportunity for young discover, develop and realize themselves, and that the company will benefit.

• "Most of our students do not care what we think of it as an obstacle ... Station selection to pass through them are not there to learn, they are there to pass

"My impression is that this is what people say recruiting students, as:" .. Whatever you do, just to reach its goal of getting the right level "The degree right then, something above the cut line established by banks for applications.

"Banks submit their offers summer internships, between February and April These offers are conditional; .. If you do not end up in second class, not practical to invest some students long in applications that do not have enough time to study reality. they fail, then come to me and ask for a better grade.

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Education research exists, so why isn't it used in policymaking?

EPPSE study, following the paths of life 3,000 children could actually learn something politicians say

Fiona Millar

Earlier this year, the House of Lords published a long and detailed report on the subject in a dry place, out of key government scientific advisors. This 100-page report is based on nearly 400 pages of evidence and made significant recommendations on how scientific evidence should act accordingly in public policy.

I just discovered this after being alerted to the presentation of Professor Pam Sammons, University of Oxford, who used free schools by the government as an example of how policies are not always based on solid evidence. He suggested that further consideration at the research that has demonstrated the impact of free schools in Sweden and American charts in the rules and reduce the gap is not as clear as the 2010 white paper, the importance of education, he suggests, and that policy initiatives should be tested before being deployed.

This does not mean that the Ministry of Education does not do research. In fact, the ministry's website proudly boasts 24.7 pounds was spent between 2010 and 2011. And even if the results are cherrypicked or ignored, is a valuable resource. One of his most important projects is the EPPSE study (pre-primary education effective, primary and secondary), I plunged several times over the last 10 years. This study, initiated by the Major government, began the arduous task of continuing life histories of 3,000 children in the first year of the Blair government and produced detailed reports since. An issue that has been the factors inside and outside of school to help reduce inequalities. One of his last works, execution, against all odds, is at the heart of the debate on social mobility to see why it is that some children from disadvantaged backgrounds to succeed against all odds.

• EPPSE
• All documents are clear about the impact of the quality of education, the relationship between students and teachers and schools matter why. In this report, additional support for children who are lagging behind is critical. But it is also clear that schools are not enough to compensate for inequalities in society. High quality early years provision, self-esteem, communities, social networks, peer groups and enrichment opportunities form a complex network of "risk" and "protective factors" for children.

But the children of origin and may be lifted above the rest to determine if children grow. Encourage parents, coherent and stimulating for children using home-learning to develop self-esteem, aspiration and resilience, which is far from being fully in family income. Researchers refer to visit the houses where the heating is off, where bulbs and tea bags are a luxury, but where hope and belief in children was high.

So why do not we hear more? In the last years of Labour government, paternity is a matter of visibility and controversial. I participated in many debates about whether the state should intervene in the private sphere of the family, whether parent support should be a default template for disadvantaged children or offer universal recognition that the Wealth is not necessarily equal to home support and care if Twilight would turn children into criminals vandals.

But even ridiculed that initiatives Blair as "baby Asbo", children's centers and counselors to help parents, was a recognition that to intervene and provide support to vulnerable families (even before birth ) can help improve the lives of children. Whether you agree with them or not, it is important that these issues be discussed publicly.
Many schools continue to invest in the expansion, the expansion of services and support to parents, but with difficulty, given the financial situation. But the simplistic narrative synthetic phonics, focusing on five GCSEs academic rigid discipline and remove its cap to the teacher gives each child of the working class the opportunity to go to Oxbridge pulls in the opposite direction. If only it were that simple. The conclusion of the House of Lords report was that scientific advisors have the status of government should be independent, rebellious, and be able to present evidence at all stages of the policy process. I agree and suggest that the results of this study ecological design would be a good place to start.

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Government's new, old-fashioned schools agenda

call the Prime Minister at the time of children is part of a broader yearn for a return to the past

David Cameron can avoid talking too openly about his Eton fraction wear, but if members want to avoid government conservatives conjure images of prefects blond cheeks, rough play rugby and chapel before breakfast does not seem to be very difficult to try.

In a speech this week Scottish voters before the local elections, the Prime Minister presented the ultimate goal of explicit policy model of what he calls the best "that independent schools had do for them. "

students, he said, must "stand up when the teacher enters the room." Then cataloged - in a paragraph without characteristic verb - other attributes all schools must acquire: "The stringent real discipline .... hard sports themes, where children can learn what it is to have success and failure "

administration, added, should "captain of your own ship."

Last year, Cameron has been accused of behaving like Flashman - School Days arrogant bastard Victorian School Thomas Hughes Tom Brown romp -. Ed Miliband questions from a disgruntled Prime Minister

This week, the Prime Minister, who has never fought excavation Flashman, could very well be the father of channeling Tom, Squire Brown, that "sincerely believed that the powers that have been ordered God and the unwavering loyalty and obedience were men's rights, the first. "

is far from the first time the coalition, especially the segment Tory, explicitly called for a return to what some consider the stiff back, "play the game" the core values of Victorian schools.

Education Secretary, Michael Gove, revealing the government's plans for schools in November 2010, said Britain could become a "nation aspiration" if schools were encouraged to reintroduce uniform - with traditional jackets and links rather shady, modish products - and the prefect and house systems most often parents pay for their children to participate in.

• not "no profession more noble, not necessary to use more admirable vocation" of education, said, former soldiers, sailors and airmen in particular be encouraged to enter the profession, adding: "If the order is maintained in the classroom, teachers can teach and children can not learn."

Gove, who, like 59% of the original coalition was educated in private (he was a child in an independent scholarship Aberdeen), has since promised to put a Bible in each school, and urged more "elitist" shamelessly institutions such as the University of Cambridge and the great public schools to help manage public schools. She also sang the praises of formal education in your typical anti-populist "We need to get some of that fervor Victorian public believes that more prey to a passion, a one-hour lecture from a gifted thinker which ranged over poetry and politics than by cheap sensation and easy pleasures. "

communities secretary, Eric Pickles, perhaps in the cabinet of the minority as a boy's grammar school in Yorkshire, but his shyness cheerful slogan - "Hello comrades" - This is just Hughes next novel. Pickles has strongly called for a return to a very special brand of old national tradition, which in its interpretation means "traditional British Christian culture."

"A handful of activists," said he wants to "ignore the traditions and heritage of the majority" - including the Christian worship in the meetings of the Council, the Union flag and probably British traditional collection bin every week.
Winterval , threatening to overthrow the secular celebration of Christmas in Britain, similar "should be in the dustbin of history," he said - ignoring the fact that even the Daily Mail admitted that the stories rename or replace Christmas Winterval were false.

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Uzbekistan carrying out forced sterilisations, say women

Evidence

operations under doctors claim cesarean objectives to help control the population

Bakhor Two weeks later, came home with her newborn in the joy of the newborn has been overshadowed by the growing suspicion that something was wrong.

"black lumps monitoring bleeding and the pain was unbearable, I thought I had a tumor," said Uzbekistan 32 years.

Bakhor took four months to save money for an ultrasound. She cries when she remembers the result. During cesarean section, the doctor explained, had a hysterectomy.

"The doctor said," you do not have a uterus around "He said."? What do I need for two children is enough for you, "said

two month long investigation for the BBC World Service and Radio 4 has discovered what appears to be a systematic program statewide to sterilize Uzbek women, often against their will and without their knowledge .

Uzbek President Islam Karimov tolerates no dissent at home and women and the doctors who told their stories did so on condition of anonymity. More health insurance and telephone lines responsible for the Ministry of Health said that although the first recorded cases of forced sterilization dates back to 2004, in 2009 sterilization became a state policy. "Everyone has a right to sterilization," said a gynecologist in the capital, Tashkent. "My contribution is four women per month. We are under a lot of pressure. "In rural areas, doctors say the number up to eight women per week.

"We are going from house to house to convince women that the operation," said the surgeon in a rural hospital. "It is easier to talk to a poor woman in it. 'S so easy to cheat, "he admits.

Several doctors said that in the past two years, there has been a dramatic increase in caesarean sections across the country to question official statements that only 6.8% of women give birth this way. "I think 80% of women give birth by caesarean section. This makes it very easy to tie the fallopian tubes," said a gynecologist.

doctors believe that the program is designed to maintain the growth of the population of Uzbekistan under control, although some suggest that it is also a shortcut to the strange lower rates of maternal and infant mortality .

"It's a simple formula - fewer women give birth, fewer of them die," said a surgeon, explaining that it will help the country to achieve a better international ranking

In a written statement that the Uzbek government has stated that the allegations of forced sterilization program "have nothing to do with reality" and that contraception "The surgery is performed only on a voluntary basis, after consultation with a specialist and with the consent of both spouses. Uzbekistan folder in the protection of mothers and babies is excellent and could be considered as a model for countries around the world, "the letter said.

But Friday called Avaaz advocacy group in the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to take the scandal with Karimov. Noting the recent diplomatic rapprochement between Washington and Tashkent, the United States is based on a conduit to provide troops in Afghanistan, Avaaz said it was time for Clinton to "cut".
Karimov said, "was supported by millions of dollars from the U.S. government pay for military transport in the country. This latest round of brutality against women this time his country, became the center of attention of the world. "

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