Saturday, July 5, 2008

Changing Times and the Equinox Voter The Changing Times and the Equinox Voter, By John Zogby. An op-ed as it appears in the July 2008 edition of Politics magazine by Campaigns and Elections. [Zogby International: Polling News] 11:25:15 AM

Source: Google Operating System Google Street View in France As a special present for the upcoming Tour de France, Google added Street View imagery for Tour de France's routes. The coverage is really limited, but Google will extend it in the next months, when Street View will be available in many European countries (UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and others). Wikipedia has some details about this year's edition of the largest cycling race in the world. "The event will take place from July 5 to July 27, 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, France, the tour will enter Italy on the 15th stage and return to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which will be reached in the 21st stage." { via Zorgloob, a French blog about Google } - Ionut Alex Chitu   [Google Operating System] 7:27:42 AM

Russia's Tech Scene Cisco Forms $60 Million Russian Tech Investment Fund. With Russia's internet scene really starting to hot up, and the former Soviet republics also showing a good degree of web promise, Cisco (NSDQ: CSCO) has teamed with Russia's Almaz Capital Partners to create a $60 million fund for the region's technology, media and telecoms sector. The networks company made its first Russian investment in April 2007 when it joined Index Ventures to put $18 million in etailer Ozon. Now it says the fastest international growth is in areas like eastern Europe, which counts the former Russian states of Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia, according to Reuters: "Targets could include communications service providers, media companies, and content development companies." They will be targeted at mid-size outfits. Russian portals Yandex and Mail.ru are planning big IPOs. Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer in May toured central and eastern Europe and Russia, calling it "one of the world's most exciting areas for investment". Related We Can, Too: Russian Portal Mail.ru Also Plans IPO, in London Russian Portal Yandex To Do US IPO, Seeking $1.5-$2 Billion: Report Ballmer In Eastern Bloc: 'Not Bidding For Yahoo'; Egg On Face? [paidContent.org] 7:22:42 AM