TechCrunch

Finalist In McDonalds/MySpace Jingle Contest Is Former McDonalds Armed Robber
Michael Arrington Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:17:28 -0000
Well, here’s something that’s so ridiculous it couldn’t be made up. McDonald’s teamed up with MySpace to create a new jingle for the 40th anniversary of the Big Mac. The original song (two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce…) was created back in 1974. Over 1,000 user created songs and videos were submitted - the [...]
Pressflip Is A Belly Flop
Michael Arrington Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:36:16 -0000
Pressflip is a new blog search engine (it’s actually a relaunch of a site called Persai, which launched earlier this year). The idea is you do a search, train the engine by telling it which results aren’t interesting to you, and then wait for new results to come in over time. The search results aren’t [...]
Edopter Attempts “Social Trendcasting” Through Crowdsourcing And Internet Buzz
Calley Nye Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:47:41 -0000
Edopter is a unique concept that attempts to combine crowd-sourcing with internet buzz to predict new trends. It’s called “social trendcasting.” The way it works, is by allowing users to generate “trends” according to what they think will catch on. Some trends are “cewebrities” (pictured below), “Batman: The Dark Knight,” and “tap water.” [...]
VC Deals In Charts (Q2 2008)—Exits? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Exits?
Erick Schonfeld Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:22:31 -0000
Second quarter data is out on venture deals from the National Venture Capital Association and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Despite the IPO market drying up completely, the What-Me-Worry crowd on Sand Hill Road keep pumping money into venture deals at a steady pace. Venture capitalists invested $7.4 billion last quarter in 990 deals, compared to $7.5 [...]
Facebook Sues German Social Network StudiVZ
Nik Cubrilovic Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:25:27 -0000
Facebook is starting to pursue social networks that have copied their design or features by suing German site StudiVZ. The Financial Times has reported that Facebook filed a suit in the California Supreme Court against the German company for what it claims is an infringement of Facebook’s “look, feel, features and services”. StudiVZ claims to [...]
This Week on TechCrunch Elevator Pitches
Peter Sauer Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:29:01 -0000
A few weeks back we launched Elevator Pitches, our community video project that allows entrepreneurs to pitch their startups through 60 second YouTube videos. Since then we’ve received a number of pitches covering everything from a fandom portal to a site focusing on group based text messaging. Above, we’ve embedded the most popular of the videos [...]

ENN Investing and Corporate Social Responsibility

Study Suggests Carbon Market Encourages Chopping Forests
The current carbon market actually encourages cutting down some of the world's biggest forests, which would unleash tons of climate-warming carbon into the atmosphere, a new study reported Monday.
Technology Companies Tout Greener Credentials, but Significant Improvements Are Distant
With energy costs high and environmental friendliness making for good public relations, more tech companies are touting ways they are "greening" data centers, which serve up Web pages, swap Internet traffic, and process and store business information.
Westinghouse Seals Mega China Nuclear Deal
U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric signed on Tuesday a multi-billion-dollar deal with Chinese partners to build four nuclear reactors in eastern China, finalising a pact agreed between Beijing and Washington seven months ago.

The Financial Page

Oily Speculations
James Surowiecki Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:00:00 -0000
When bad things happen, it’s always nice to have a scapegoat. So, with Americans furious about soaring oil prices, Congress has gone in search of someone to blame. There are a number of usual suspects to choose from, depending on your politics--OPEC, greedy oil companies, lily-livered environmentalists opposed . . .
All Together Now?
James Surowiecki Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:00:00 -0000
These aren’t great times for CBS. It’s no longer the network ratings champ; its radio business is dragging; and a recessionary economy is bad news for a company dependent on advertising revenue. So it isn’t exactly surprising that the company felt it needed to do something dramatic. What’s surprising is . . .
The Free-Trade Paradox
James Surowiecki Mon, 19 May 2008 04:00:00 -0000
All the acrimony in the primary race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has disguised the fact that on most issues they’re not too far apart. That’s especially the case when it comes to free trade, which both Obama and Clinton have lambasted over the past few months. At times . . .

NYT > Your Money

Off the Shelf: Who Wants to Retire Later? (Don’t Laugh)
Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:14:24 -0000
In their new book, Alicia H. Munnell and Steven A. Sass argue that we may have to work longer and retire later if we want to avoid a decline in our standard of living.
Your Money: Honor Your Word, or This Banker May Call Mom
Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:03:02 -0000
A look at the local community bank, where bankers try to make prudent loans within the community and try to keep customers from making a mess of their finances.
Update: New Proposed Legislation on 401(k) Debit Cards
Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:06:16 -0000
Interviews with Senator Charles E. Schumer, who introduced legislation to outlaw using debit cards in tandem with 401(k)s, and Bruce R. Bent, chairman of Reserve Solutions’s parent company.

The Economist: The World Bank and the IMF

What a way to run the world
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:02:45 -0000
Global institutions are an outdated muddle; the rise of Asia makes their reform a priority for the WestCLUBS are all too often full of people prattling on about things they no longer know about. On July 7th the leaders of the group that allegedly runs the world--the G7 democracies plus Russia--gather in Japan to review the world economy. But what is the point of their discussing the oil price without Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest producer? Or waffling about the dollar without China, which holds so many American Treasury bills? Or slapping sanctions on Robert Mugabe, with no African present? Or talking about global warming, AIDS or inflation without anybody from the emerging world? Cigar smoke and ignorance are in the air.The G8 is not the only global club that looks old and impotent (see article). The UN Security Council has told Iran to stop enriching uranium, without much effect. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is in tatters. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the fireman in previous financial crises, has been a bystander during the credit crunch. The World Trade Organisation's Doha round is stuck. Of course, some bodies, such as the venerable Bank for International Settlements (see article), still do a fine job. But as global problems proliferate and information whips round the world ever faster, the organisational response looks ever shabbier, slower and feebler. The world's governing bodies need to change. ...
Wrestling for influence
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:02:45 -0000
The post-war global institutions have largely worked well. But rising countries and growing threats are challenging their pre-eminence THE powerful, like the victorious, do not just write history. They grab the seats at the top tables, from the United Nations Security Council to the boards of the big international economic and financial institutions. They collude behind closed doors. They decide who can join their cosy clubs and expect the rest of the world to obey the instructions they hand down. That is how many outsiders, not just in the poor world, will see the summit that takes place from July 7th to 9th of the G8, the closest the world has to an informal (ie, self-appointed) steering group. Leaders of seven of the world's richest democracies, plus oil-and gas-fired Russia, gather this year in Toyako, on Hokkaido in northern Japan, to ruminate on climate change, rising food and energy prices, and the best way to combat global scourges from disease to nuclear proliferation. ...

 

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2000Charge - Offers webmasters an European direct debit system.
Meta Description: [ Increased Sales with locale Paymentsystems. Maximize your international sales with best conversions in local USD, Euro, GBP currenies. European Bank Debit system. Alternative payment processing. ]

2CheckOut.com - Allows merchants to accept payments over the Internet without a merchant account.
Meta Description: [ Instant credit card processing services accounts for merchants with internet businesses. Only $ 49 Set Up Plus Transaction Costs. ]

Advanced Merchant Solutions, Inc. - Provides turn-key payment solutions to small and medium sized businesses.
Meta Description: [ Accept Credit Cards on your PC, PDA, or WAP phone. NO application,gateway, or statement fees! Flat rate Merchant Account. Personal accounts accepted. Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex, and checks. ]

BDB Data Bureau (PTY) Ltd. - Specialising in Debit Order Collections, Payroll Processing, Payslip Printing and Electronic Payments directly to accounts.
Meta Description: [ An Electronic Funds Transfer Service for Payment (Salaries etc.) & Collection (Debit Orders)of funds via electronic systems directly through Bankserv - no sponsorship required. Payroll Processing, Human Resource Management and Data Capturing are also some of the services we render. ]

BLUE PAID Inc. - Offers secure payment solutions for online merchants.
Meta Description: [ BLUE PAID : Solution de paiement sécurisé par carte de crédit pour commerçant en ligne. BluePaid est né du besoin d'un paiement en ligne fiable à un coût abordable. ]

Card Management Corporation - Provides payment transaction programs for financial institutions and retailers.
Meta Description: [ CMC is dedicated to the credit and debit card industry and provides full, turnkey servicing of credit card, debit card, private label, and merchant portfolios for financial institutions and retailers nationwide. ]

404 Ci-Card - Internet payment service provider based in the offshore jurisdiction of Guernsey.
Meta Description: [ CI-Card is a specialised Internet Payment Service Service Provider based in the offshore jurisdiction of Guernsey, in the UK Channel Islands. ]

Clear2Pay - Electronic payment system with clearing, netting and settlement gateway.

E-C-Q Payment Systems Inc. - Provides an e-commerce payment service that does not require a credit card.

E-xact Transactions - Offers an e-commerce solution for real-time financial transaction processing.
Meta Description: [ Payment Gateway ]

E4X - Enables online multi-currency transactions while eliminating currency exchange risks.

Electracash - Provides secure transaction services to online merchants.

eOne Global - Provides electronic payment processing solutions.

404 ePayInternet - Provides e-commerce and real-time payment solutions.
Meta Description: [ Internet commerce solutions including, merchant bankcard accounts, web hosting, realtime payment processing and shopping cart solutions. ]

404 ePayWireless - Provides hand-held wireless payment solutions to mobile retail and commercial markets.
Meta Description: [ ePay Wireless provides quality, electronic payment processing solutions to the mobile retail and commercial market. ]

eRevenue - Provides transaction-based finance solutions for financial institutions.
Meta Description: [ The premiere provider of working capital finance software for financial institutions worldwide. eRevenue® provides full enterprise systems or is deployed as a global ASP application. Each subscriber white-labels its own product(s) to the eRevenue® platform and is used by leading commercial fina... ]

FFA PaySmart - Offers direct debit collection and billing software.
Meta Description: [ Direct debit , Direct debit billing, Billing services, Debit billing, Debit collection, Direct debit collection , Debit billing services, Direct debit billing service, Direct debiting, FFA PaySmart, Direct debit request, Regular on-going payments ]

Goldwell Corporation - Offers chargeback prevention services. Panama, Rep. de Panama.

i-TransAct - Provides e-business solutions, application development, networking Solutions and off-shore development. Singapore.

In Person Payments - provides cash payers the ability to buy goods and services at their local retailer.

InteliData Technologies Corporation - Offers online banking , bill payment , and bill presentment products to large financial institutions and financial service providers with scalable and flexible solutions for delivering real-time, internet-based financial services. (nasdaq: intd).

Interbill - Provides electronic commerce solutions for high risk industries.

iTransact.com, Inc. - Offers real-time payment processing of cards, checks and EFT transactions.
Meta Description: [ Accept credit cards online, checks, and EFT transactions online in real time with iTransact, Inc. ]

iVeri - Provides online payment and back-office solutions to merchants and call centres.

Mid America Solutions - Provides electronic and automatic payment processing solutions.

monCASH - An eCash payment solution that overcomes the drawbacks of alternative Internet payment modes such as credit cards.
Meta Description: [ monCASH - ecash, eCommerce, eBiz, ecash payment solution, visa, mastercard, credit card processing, auctions, accounting, order processing integration, accounting, general ledger, inventory control, purchasing, tenders, SCM, customer relationship management, CRM, recruitment, projects monitoring ... ]

Orbian Management Limited - Provides a business-to-business finance and payment solution.

Orbiscom - Provides secure e-commerce payment systems for the Internet.
Meta Description: [ Software solutions for companies interested in increasing their success in the payments industry. Acquire and retain customers, increase account usage, reduce risk and fraud. ]

Othentik Technologies Inc. - Provides a gateway to the consumers' financial institution for purchases made on the Internet directly through their on-line banking services and accesses either credit or debit accounts.
Meta Description: [ Othentik ]

Pay Per Net - Internet payment system not dependent on traditional credit cards.
Meta Description: [ PayPerNet Internet Payment Solutions ]

PayBot, LLC - Provider of Internet cash payment systems and e-commerce solutions.
Meta Description: [ PayBot LLC - Business Success Solutions ]

Paybox.net - Provides mobile payments solutions worldwide.
Meta Description: [ pay with your mobile phone, anytime, anywhere. paybox is the worldwide leading secure and convenient mobile payment service for the physical real world and the virtual online world ]

500 PayCashEuro - An electronic payment technology for e-commerce, provides a solution for making and/or accepting payments online.

Payment Partners - Offers payment and cash management services to businesses and consumers.
Meta Description: [ International funds transfer and payment services from account-to-account. En-point provides foreign currency conversions and bank transfers for businesses and individuals with a need to transfer money to the United States., International, electronic funds transfer and ... ]

500 PaymentConsulting - Offers multi-currency regular, adult, and gaming merchant accounts.
Meta Description: [ Payment Consulting provides multi-currency merchant accounts for all businesses - regular e-commerce, adult, casino, mlm. ]

Princess Card Company Inc. - Provide an Internet system of transferring e-currency (USP - USPrincess and EUP - EUPrincess) worldwide, via an offshore company.
Meta Description: [ Princess Card is an internet payment system. Pay worldwide in USD or EURO through Internet, using our e-currency. Make an account and get $6. Get $3 for each affiliate! ]

Princeton eCom - Provides electronic bill presentment and payment solutions for businesses.

Professional Charges - Provides merchant services to counselors, psychologists, and therapists.
Meta Description: [ Designed for psychologists, psychiatrists, professional therapists and counselors, chiropractors, CPAs coaches and professional speakers, and other professionals to be able to accept credit card payments. Allows clients and patients to make credit card payments for professional services. ]

PSW Billing - Provides real-time third-party transaction processing.
Meta Description: [ PSW Billing offers online e-payment billing solutions that enable internet merchant account holders to process credit card transactions online. Accept Mastercard, accept Visa and other credit card payments. Secure ecommerce credit card transaction payment processing solutions. ]

RevTrak.com - Provides payment processing solutions to schools, government and non-profit organizations.
Meta Description: [ Credit Card processing software and merchant accounts for schools, governments, foundations, and non-profit organizations ]

RichSolutions, Inc. - Provider of e-business payment processing solutions and services.
Meta Description: [ Use TPI Software to process Credit Cards, Debit Cards, Electronic checks and more! ]

SafePay Payment Systems - Offers a secure, anonymous real-time payment mechanism.
Meta Description: [ Secure Mobile Payment System ]

SCiNet Corporation. - Provides financial institutions with automatic payment, within or across borders.

Small Merchant Services, Inc. - Offers merchant accounts and services to accept payments via credit cards, checks, ACH.

Solspark Inc. - Provides Internet-based payment products for banks and other business.

Spectrum Business Solutions - Features an array of payment processing solutions including: point-of-sale terminal products, pc products, processing for credit and debit cards, electronic benefits transfer, credit card terminal, donation processing, transaction processing system.
Meta Description: [ Spectrum Business Solutions features a wide array of payment processing solutions including: point-of-sale terminal products, pc products, processing for credit and debit cards, electronic benefits transfer, business to business, and one-stop e-commerce solutions. credit card terminal, donation ... ]

Symbiant - Provides e-commerce solutions and merchant services.
Meta Description: [ Symbiant are one of the UKs leading providers of bespoke business management software, we are also a world leader for Risk Management, Internal Audit and compliance software as well as other e-business and online e-commerce solutions. See our Tracking software and Risk Management software ]

Total Merchant Services - Offers merchant accounts and e-commerce solutions.
Meta Description: [ Total Merchant Services offers merchant accounts with free terminals for most any business ]

TradeCard - Payment and settlement network for business-to-business marketplaces.
Meta Description: [ TradeCard is a financial supply chain services provider and offers a proven alternative to traditional paper-based, expensive and labor-intensive trade settlement methods. Its web-based global trade transaction management platform enables buyers and sellers to initiate, conduct and settle trade ... ]

404 Trancentrix - Payment transaction solution making it easier for companies to make B2B payments.

TrustCommerce - A real-time transactional processing system that functions as a payment service.

Universal Payment Processing - Provide credit card processing services for the high or low volume merchant.
Meta Description: [ Credit card terminals for retail and restaurant businesses, including mobile credit card processing and internet credit card processing ]

UseMyBank Services, Inc. - Enables sellers to accept direct online debit payments.
Meta Description: [ An innovative company focused on providing an alternative to the existing payment processing market place by simplifying and streamlining the clients ability to pay for goods and services over the Internet using existing financial services infrastructure. ]

Venture Financial Services - Offers merchant services and bankcard processing equipment and terminals.
Meta Description: [ Low cost quality merchant service and exceptional value on credit card processing equipment, supplys, and services. Check conversion equipment and service for less than the cost of accepting a credit card. ]

VerifyOnline - Provider of secure electronic commerce payment solutions.

Verza, Inc. - Enables web sites with real-time credit card verification.

500 Yaga -
Meta Description: [ Yaga provides businesses with new revenue generating opportunities to sell digital and physical products online, manage accounting, business processes, split payments, and relationships to their customers. ]

ZixIt Corporation - Intends to provide a transaction payment system for use by consumers when purchasing items over the Internet. (Nasdaq: ZIXI).
Meta Description: [ Zix Corporation (ZixCorp) provides hosted email encryption and e-prescribing services. Email encryption ensures customer privacy and regulatory compliance. PocketScript services automate the prescription process. ]