Facebook Places or Foursquare – which is the most popular?

How does Facebook Places stack up against Foursquare? It's a question many have wondered since the world's largest social network jumped into the check-in game. We know Facebook has nearly 700 million users--but certainly nowhere near all of them are actually using the company's location-based service. Meanwhile, Foursquare has continued to goose growth, boasting recently that usership has doubled since the launch of Facebook Places. Today, however, we finally have some insight into the usage of check-ins on Facebook and Foursquare. Thanks to data released by Wildfire Interactive, we now know the top 10 most checked-into locations on Facebook Places. Like Foursquare, tourist and travel hubs dominate the chart--international airports, Disneyland, Times Square. But how do these world-famous designations stack up in terms of check-ins on Facebook and Foursquare? We took a handful of these destinations for our global comparison--from Boston and Las Vegas to London and Rome.

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2011 Melbourne Comedy Festival – She Says, He Says

Firstly, let me declare an interest - Xavier is my nephew and the writer of this show. A group of us headed to Rosati in Flinders Lane to view the 3rd preview show. I found the show genuinely funny. Kim and Xavier were on stage for about an hour and in that time discussed male-female relationships in a forthright and natural way. The two have a great rapport which is evident in the way they connect on stage. The Gold Room at the Rosati only holds about 70 people so the atmosphere is very intimate which I thought added something to the show.

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Site amalgamation

I’m probably getting old, but I’ve reached the point where I feel that I have too many websites to manage!

As a result, I’m going to look at amalgamating some of them.  The first two that I’m merging is my TobyNet blog (this one) and PetersJokes.  All the existing URL’s will be set to point to petertoby.com which will now become the primary web address for my all my “stuff”.

I think that merging these sites will make things easier for me to manage and I’ll be more likely to update the info with news and jokes.

Preparations commence!

I’ve started my preparations for the bike tour of Vietnam in February………I’ve purchased a gel bike seat

Seriously though, I’ve started walking about 3 Kms every second day to help build up my fitness – and to lose a little weight.

I’ve raised $850 in donations so far which is very good but more is needed. It’s a great cause, so pleas contribute.

Vietnam to Cambodia Cycling Challenge for Epworth Medical Foundation

In February 2011, I’m going to join an extraordinary group of people to cycle almost 500km’s in the trip of a lifetime from Saigon to Phnom Penh. I’ll cycle through Vietnam’s verdant Mekong Delta and the cross the border to ride through the heart of rural Cambodia and see it’s vibrant village life close up and be able to enjoy the thrill of travelling by bike.
 
This exciting cycle tour of Vietnam and Cambodia will raise a substantial amount of money for Epworth’s hospital’s Heart Smart programme. As you may be aware, I suffered a mild heart attack in April this year so have benefited from the Epworth’s Heart Smart programme. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to give something back and have some fun in the meantime!
 
As someone who has taken part in the Heart Smart programme as a patient on 2 occasions, I want to do what I can to help raise funds for this worthy cause. Cycling around Vietnam and Cambodia is also a great personal bonus for me!  If I can fundraise $5200, approximately $3,500 will go towards paying for my trip and a donation of $2,200 to Heart Smart which is tax deductible. To donate, simply click on the “Sponsor Me” button on the right side of the page or go to http://www.everydayhero.com.au/peter_toby.

I’ll post updates about the fundraising and my trip here.

Chrome unseats Safari

And in third place... Chrome over takes Safari.

Google Chrome last week unseated Apple Safari for the first time as the third most used internet browser in the United States, according to new figures.

“This is quite a coup for Google as they have gone from zero to almost 10 per cent of the US market in under two years,” StatCounter chief executive Aodhan Cullen said.

Globally, Chrome remained in a solid third place with 9.44 per cent of the browser market and slowly closing the gaps with second-place Firefox, which had slightly more than 31 per cent, and IE with 52.78 per cent.

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6/2 Fyans Street, YARRAVILLE – For Sale by Sweeney Estate Agents – Yarraville YARRAVILLE

Mum’s house up for sale – spread the word!!!

6/2 Fyans Street, YARRAVILLE – For Sale by Sweeney Estate Agents – Yarraville YARRAVILLE.

Automated calls from Commonwealth Bank?

I received a call from a blocked phone number just a few minutes ago. The automated voice told me that it was from the Commonwealth Bank fraud department.

The voice on the phone mentioned my name on several occasions and asked me confirm if I was me by pressing 1. I did that and the voice progressed to asking me to confirm my birth month and year. I hung up at this point.

If the call was legit, surely in the current climate of banking scams the Commonwealth Bank wouldn’t have a robotic voice askingyou to confirm personal details? That would be totally moronic in my opinion.

Should my scam senses be correct however, be aware that this may happen to you!

UPDATE: It seems that the Commonwealth use this automated message. However, there was nothing on file and my daily limit wasn’t reduced which is normal practice. I told them that scammers would be onto their practice of automated calls to get personal info. Dumb arse bankers!!

FURTHER UPDATE: Received a call from a real live person at the Commonwealth .  It appears that I’ve had lots of online transactions on my Credit Card in the past 24 hours.  Having been paid yesterday means that I had a few bills to pay and also a couple of iTunes apps   I told her that the automated system doesn’t work for me as I will never give my personal details to it and I believe that those who try to scam bank customers would have a field day with this.  Why make it easy for these people to get their customers’ personal details.  Which bank??

Health update

After visiting 3 doctors in 3 days (Monday – GP, Tuesday – Cardiologist, Wednesday – Respiratory specialist), I’ve managed two days without going near a doctor!

My recovery from my heart attack seems to be progressing nicely.  Lots of new medications to get used to!  I’m also trying to stay awake long enough to do some walking.  I’m progressing nicely and hope to work up to 30 minutes a day sometime next week.  For me, the goal is to walk to Gloria Jean’s in Williamstown, have a coffee and then walk home again.

I was referred to the Respiratory specialist due to my nagging cough.  She diagnosed me with having a bit of Bronchitis and so prescribed some antibiotics to accompany the rest of the medication I’m taking.

The good news is that with my time off, it’ll allow me to not only recover from my heart attack but should be sufficient time to let me get over the bronchitis as well.

I’m looking forward to experiencing some good health soon.  So far 2010 has sucked for me health-wise!

Canberra attack

I’ve just returned from a business trip to Canberra.  This isn’t new, but the manner and circumstances sure were!  For starters, I was driven home by Suellen, my arms look like they’ve been used as pincushions – covered in needle marks and bruises, and I’ve had 2 more chunks of metal inserted into my body!  I’m sure you’ll agree that is is not a usual trip to Canberra by any stretch of the imagination!

It all started last Monday evening (April 12).  I returned to my hotel, unpacked and decided to order room service so I could catch The Winners, and On the Couch on Foxtel.  A little after 6pm, I felt excruciating pain in my chest and was sweating profusely.  I rang for the Hotel Doctor but was told that I’d have to visit a local GP Surgery.  Having worked out what was happening – I was having a heart attack – I then requested an ambulance be called immediately.  Thankfully, the Ambulance arrived in under 10 minutes.  After the ambos checked me out, off I went to the Emergency Department at Canberra Hospital.

After spending Monday night in the Emergency Department, I was admitted to the Cardiac Care Unit on Tuesday Afternoon.  24 hours later, I had 1 stent inserted into my Coronary Arteries, and had an existing stent “re-stented” as it had become blocked.  I was discharged from hospital on Thursday morning and then Suellen and I commenced our “road trip” home to Melbourne.

I’m happy to say that I feel pretty good.  The only area that is a little tender is my groin where the catheter was inserted into my pulmonary artery.  Apart from that, I get tired pretty easily and have to stop for plenty of “nanna naps”.

I visited my GP today and he was pleased with my progress and thought that I looked well.  My blood pressure was spot on and all appears to be going as it should.  I have an appointment with my Cardiologist tomorrow (Tuesday, April 20) and hope that I get a clean bill of health from him as well.