Friday 16 May 2014

Google Adsense Approval Tricks to Before Applying

22:38 By

google adsense approval

The Google Adsense tips help the publishers to get Adsense approval or Google Adsense approval to add some advertisements on the websites and make money with google.

Tips to Get the Google Adsense Approval

Google is known as the highest as well as the best profit paying Adsense. The Google Adsense tips come very handy for getting the Adsense approval. In this article, you will find the tips and tricks through which you can get the Adsense approval. Before applying, you need to follow the following steps:

Quantity of Post

Before you apply for Google Adsense, remember the number of the total quality post on the blog. Google will never specify the post number for the Adsense but the minimum number is from 40 to 50.

Length of post

In order to get the Adsense approval on a regular note, make the habit to write posts of 400 to 600 words instead of writing small posts of 50 to 150 words.

Always write content related blog title

Always write contents which are relevant to your blog title as Google is very strict with this. The majority of the blog contributors use various types of post which are unrelated to the blog title. So, always write the posts which relate to the blog title and get Google Adsense approval easily.

Use only grammatically strong language

It is another important Google Adsense tips that always make it sure that the language you are selecting to write the blogs is well known as well as have no grammatical mistakes as Google Adsense reviewer mainly review the blogs manually so always write the grammatically better and clean contents.

Avoid any pornographic content

Google never reviews the contents which include any kind of adult/porn related contents. So, if you have used this type of contents in your blog, then change the content. Otherwise, your blog will go down in the Google ranking. Good contents only can improve google ranking.

Avoid writing for any hacking

Don’t ever write any content which gives you an idea about hacking as this way you will never get the Google Adsense approval.

Only use best quality images

If you are thinking of posting something new to your blog, then always use relevant best quality images those correctly define your post in a better way. But remember that you should use your own images and not the downloaded or copied ones.

Don’t copy or paste content

Avoid copy or paste from any other sites or blogs as Google maintain its own policy about the copyright contents like text paragraphs, images, music or videos etc. This content marketing tips will help you to how to write unique content.

Make some unique design

Make some attractive and unique design for your blog as it will help you in attracting more visitors. Besides, create a related and attractive logo for the blog

Important pages

Some pages is important to get approval of adsense, that is

High Traffic

If you fullfilled the above tricks, then now you can concentrate your blog traffic. Because high traffic is must to get adsense approval. Make it sure that your blog has 3000 page views and 1000 of unique visitors every day.If your blog is low traffic means You will not be able to promote your blog. Adsense will measures your organic traffic to approval.
All of the above mentioned Google Adsense tips work as the key points to approve the Google Adsense account. So, always remember these tips and tricks while posting on the blog. 

Monday 31 March 2014

How to Download Facebook Videos Free


Found a video on Facebook that you just have to save? Afraid the person is going to remove it before you have a chance to really enjoy it? Want to transfer the video to your phone to watch later? To do any of this, you�ll need to download the video from Facebook. Follow this guide to download any video that someone uploads to Facebook, even if it�s set to private! 




We all already know that Facebook is one of the top online social networking service Were people can share Text, Pics, videos and more on online. Many people doesn�t know how to download a Facebook video which they found in FB pages and groups. So people start searching for a software to download Facebook videos. There are many software application with the name of �Facebook Video Down-loader� for windows, mac and Linux platforms. People might face problems like OS corrupt, System start up slowdown etc. after installing those non-certified software applications.


Why do we want to download and install some unwanted (Malware) software�s for downloading Facebook videos and waste our time!!. There are many online websites that can help us in downloading Facebook videos. In this post i am going to share one website which helped me in downloading Facebook and you tube videos online.

 

Main features of Facebook downloader

  1. Support to download Facebook videos in a quick way. No need to register or log in, only submitting video URL and enable Java applet to begin video download.
  2. Download Facebook video to friendly MP4 format. After you download videos from Facebook online, you can send videos to portable devices and smartphones directly.
  3. Free to try. Without costing a dollar, the online program will download Facebook video free for you.

Follow Below Step To Download Facebook Video

  • Now right click on video and Copy the video URL from Facebook which you want to download. And give your Facebook video link in the box and click on �Download� option. 


  •  NOTE - If you want to download HD video then click on �Select Format�and click Hd (480p)


  • Now click on �Download� button and Wait for some moment


  • Now Right Click On Video And Save Your Video


Friday 28 March 2014

How to secure Facebook Profile in Google Search?


Facebook is one of the largest Social Networking Site in the world.  It is used by 1 out of every 13 people around the world.  People use Facebook for sharing Videos, Pictures, Personal Information etc. with their Friends.  So privacy is must and for that Facebook has added lot of Privacy Settings.
In this article we are going to learn - How to Hide Facebook Profile in Google Search?


Follow Below Steps To Hide Facebook Profile in Google Search

 

  • Click on Edit Settings under (Do you want other search engines to link to your Timeline?)

 

  • You will find Enable Public Search Option Checked� Just Uncheck this option and you are DONE!!! 
 

If you have any Query or Comments about this article do let us know by Commenting or getting in touch with me Directly.

Wednesday 26 March 2014

About Facebook's "Ad Conversion Pixel" for e-commerce sites


Having an e-commerce website and struggling to get leads or traffic? I am sure you have tried your luck in Facebook ads which did not give you the expected results. Well, this post may help you out for your Facebook ad creation tricks for getting more traffic to your website.


Just creating Facebook ad won't give success in the market. Some tricky solutions have to be managed. 

In e-commerce sites, creators expect the visitors turning into genuine customers for buying some products online. If there is a tracking system on your site, then nothing like that friend which will give you full reports about all clicks, conversions, registrations, etc.

Facebook has that feature or you can say that tracking system to help you out. That is "Ad Conversion Pixel".  A very heavy word to understand. I will make is simple step by step.

Firstly, a conversion is an action that a user does on your website like checking, registering, etc. Any action that he or she does on your website is called as conversion. As an owner of the e-commerce website, you need to know who has done what actions on it. To do this, there is a tracking system called as "Conversion Tracking".  This tracking determines or measures the ROI on Facebook ads and reports you whether ad is actually leading customers to your websites. And to track this, a small piece of code is needed that has to be placed on your website which is called as "Conversion Tracking Pixel" or "Conversion Pixel".

If you are using Google Chrome it is well and good that for using Ad Conversion Pixel, you need a plugin that is available in Chrome only. The plugin called "Power Editor" takes the responsibility of creating, editing, managing ads, optimize them, 

Have the pleasure of people who come to your websites and buying products. You enjoy the fruits, let the "Ad Conversion Pixel" track the necessary reports for you. On that you can then plan for the next ad campaigns to get better results from ads.

Have you used this tool? If yes then share your experiences.





After WhatsApp, Facebook acquires Oculus VR

Just after acquiring WhatsApp,  now the social networking giant is making a step forward with hot news. The news that is buzzing around everywhere. Facebook is buying Oculus VR, a virtual reality company, for $2 billion. 



People who think that Facebook acquiring Oculus is a step that will confuse, but this acquisition is a clear boon for VR's biggest proponents, and not a threat. 
 
 






Saturday 22 March 2014

All In One Social Exchange Tool


Welcome to the likemenow.net, a totally acceptable method of exchanging
Our methods are allowed with all these social networks so don't worry for one second, just start exchanging your social links! Grow you own Twitter base, Facebook reputation, Google recognition, YouTube fanbase and Website hits, absolutely FREE! Get real people to like and subscribe to you, all for free! This can be a great tool to increase your popularity on these social networks or to boost your website's fan base. Get involved and notice the benefits straight away!



Facebook Fan Page Likes, Facebook Photo Like,  Facebook Followers, Facebook Share
Google +1, LinkedIn Share, MySpace Connections, Pinterest Likes, Pinterest Followers
Pinterest Repins, Reverbnation Fans, Soundcloud Followers, Stumbleupon Followers
Website Traffic Exchange, Twitter Followers,  Twitter Tweet, Youtube Likes, YouSecond Friends, Youtube Views, Youtube Subscribers.




700+ Member Using This Website Why Not You?



First click here to register your free account. Then you start adding your websites, facebook pages, youtube pages, twitter links and other social marketing sites to your account.

 

Why LikeMeNow.net?  
  1. We are the leaders in the field of social promotion  
  2. We have user-friendly interface 
  3. We have fast Support 
  4. We have several secure payment methods 
  5. We allow you to look and choose who you want to like, subscribe, follow, view, circle, hit, share and skip those who you are not interested in.
  6. We abide by twitters rules, facebooks policies, google conditions, etc...
  7. We will never request for usernames or passwords of your social network accounts and will never post, tweet or update status from your accounts.
  8. We have a strict no bot, no macro, and no automation policy.   
  9.  
Some Question And Answer

Q1.) What is likemenow.net ?
  • Social Media Advertising Network - Simple & FREE.
    Here you can increase your : Facebook Likes - Youtube Views - Twitter Followers - Traffic Exchange & more. With
    likemenow.net every Like, Share, Follow, Tweet is REAL.
  •  
Q2.) What is a coin ?
  • Ans - Coins are used to grow your social network. They work as a reward which you offer to others to check out your Page/Website.
    This will make a strong community.
  •  
Q3.) How can I earn coins ?
  • Ans - You will earn coins visiting our site daily, referring other members and for every exchange you do. Every time you visit, follow, like, view, refer, etc. you earn coins.

Q4.) Can I buy coins ?
  • Ans - Yes, you can buy coins. Click on "Buy coins" on header, for pricing. Coins are added automatically after payment.
  •  
Q5.) How do I use my coins ?
  • Ans - Your coins are automatically deducted from your account every time a member likes your page, watches your video, surfs your site, follows you... As long as you have a url set to active. if you set your url to disabled it will not use your coins. 
  •  
Q6.) What is CPC ? 
  • Ans - CPC = Coins Per Click. If you have your Coins Per Click set higher than everybody else then you will show up first and get your fans, followers or subscribers faster than everyone else.
  •  
Q7.) How can I get clicks faster ? 
  • Ans - You can get clicks faster by putting your CPC up higher and you will show up before all other users. You can put your CPC up to 10 if you purchase VIP and you will be the first person showing up on each page.

     Q8.) How many accounts can I make ? 
    • Ans - You are allowed to use just one account. If you create more than 1 account, we will ban all your accounts! 

     Q9.) I have an other problem

    Friday 21 March 2014

    How to use "Hashtags" in Facebook Fan Page [Infographic]

    In my earlier post, you must have given some thought to how actually these 5 ways bring success to business fan page. In continuation to the same post, let me add some more tricks to make your business page successful and get more traffic.Previous posts like 11 important ingredients every fan page must have or using of QR code for business pages, some points challenge me to think how actually will some another point or trick will help fan page owners to bring more traffic to their pages. 

    After every post, I get some more ideas that should be shared with you. This time it is one important aspect that I have not added in my earlier posts. That is the use of "Hashtags" in the Facebook posts or fan pages. 

    Last year, Facebook introduced the feature of "hashtags" just like Twitter. Actually now a days there is a buzz of the feature not used properly. 

     
    In Twitter, as there is limited characters that are allowed to post, the use of hashtags is must to inform people searching for a particular keyword. That keyword is added with a hashtag as a prefix. Each hashtag has its own URL and when a user clicks on that hashtag, the information related to that word is displayed on the list of tweets. 

    In Facebook, use of hashtags can be done to start a particular topic in a group or a fan page or a regular wall post. 

    For business fan pages, follow the steps to use hashtags. 

    • First make a list of 15 - 20 keywords that are related to your business 
    • Then pick up the most attractive or alluring words that can bring visitors to your fan page
    • Use one keyword for starting a topic 
    • Think which audience you want to target and then use on other social networks
     
    Tricks to use #Hashtags in Facebook:
    • Use the words in #TrendingTopics related to your industry
    • Capitalize first letter of the word. Eg: #WorldofFashion 
    • Do not overuse words with hashtags and flood your posts with them
    • Create unique hashtags 
    Better ways to use hashtags will be different for different business pages in Facebook. But keeping these simple tricks to use hashtags in Facebook fan page will definitely get more visitors to your fan page.



















    Thursday 20 March 2014

    Turn Off Chat for Some Friends

    I�m sure most of you might have got some unknown friend request, which we usually reject. But just in case if you have added them and not interested in chatting with them on Facebook Chat or say, if you manager is keeping a track of you being online on Facebook then there is a way to keep you them off from your Facebook chat list. This is very helpful if you have someone who will ping you every now and then and when you are not interested in chatting or if you want have or forced to have someone in your friend list, but you want yourself to appear offline all the time. Just follow the simple steps to keep such friends away:



    • Login to your Facebook account.
    • To the right bottom (with the default screen resolution) Facebook chat window appear.
    • To the right of Search, there is an option button.





    • Click on �Options� and click on �Advanced Settings�. There is an option to �Turn off chat� which will make you go offline from all users and will not be able to see anyone online.
    • In �Advanced Settings� select the option �Turn on chat for only some friends��
    • Enter the name of all your friends with whom you would like to chat and to all others you will appear offline.



    You have an option to add and remove these friends at any time you want. Also, note that when you are offline friends can always send you a message and these messages will be on your inbox. This simple way to turn your chat on and off is useful if someone is spying on you, maybe some friends, or relatives or you manager. Leave a comment on what you think.

    For Any Query About This Trick You Can Ask Rohan Banekar And Comment Below

    5 Sure Ways For Any Business Fan Page To Succeed !!!

    Business Fan Pages needs professional look and design for customers to find something interesting on it. Every businessman wants is popularity and success in the field. He tries out many ways in the online world. But sometimes it is not fruitful. 

    To flourish any business online, it has to be properly channelized with good content, useful stuffs, useful information, encouraging fans and visitors, etc. 

    While taking care of all these, one may think that still there is something lacking to get that particular success. 

    Success not only means that getting more and more likes on the fan pages, but also more than this, how they give you the response and how they bring in more visitors. One like and one share will attract more. Because one person is associated with many friends and if that particular has many friends and followers, then surely the fan page is going to be successful in getting more visitors who can turn to be customers. 





    I have listed some important ways to follow that will give you sure success in flourishing your business on Facebook. 

    • Add Google Calendar Tab: One may think what is the use of this on the fan page. But remember your Google account is flooded with many schedules and important events. Why don't you make use of this and inform your fans that there is so and so event. The information will be given by Google Calendar Tab
    • QR Code of Like button :  A best way to get potential customers. Well your fan page "Like" button plays an important role to showcase your fan page. Thousands and thousands of likes means, your fan page is more famous publicly. To grow it more, create a QR code of "Like" button of your fan page.  With this you can grow your business via QR code.
    • Display Facebook Business Card on your Gmail and Twitter accounts: Another great way to help yourself getting more customers, is by creating a Facebook Business Card and distributing it where you meet other people or attend conferences.    
    • Feedback from visitors: To know what customer is searching for and what exactly he gets in your store is something what you always need to know. To have a brief points of all this, you can either add a feedback form in your fan page so that people can fill. 
    • Use "Fan of the Week" tab
     
      
    These few ways will surely help you in getting more public to your business fan page.Involve all these 5 important tricks to get more customers to Facebook Business Fan page.














     




























    Tuesday 18 March 2014

    Free phone calls from Facebook Messenger app

    Facebook has recently made possible for its Android or iPhone users to make free voice calls to your friends. 

    Facebook officially has not announced this fact to the users worldwide but has quietly made available to its Messenger app for Indians. The addition of a small "Free Call" button in the app is now available for Androids and iOS users. 

    This service was introduced in US and Cananda last year, now it has spread Facebook's video calling facility feature in India too. 

    So now when your Facebook Messenger window is open, you can call your friends for free. 



    Saturday 15 March 2014

    How To Increase Your FaceBook Followers


    A Big Question Occurred In All Of Your Mind Is That How To Increase Facebook Followers.
    Well It's A Very Common Question Now A Days Because All Of Us Want To Increase Their Profile Facebook Followers And Want To Experience Like A Celebrity So, Here I am Disclosing One Very Simple And Easy And Legal Way To Increase Your Facebook followers.



    Steps Are Giving Below Which You Have To Follow To Increase Facebook Followers


    1.) Click Here To Get The AutoFollowers Script

    2.) Copy The Script  Press Control + A Button Or Right Click On Anywhere On Page And Click (Select All) Button And Then Again Right Click And Copy All Script

    3.) Ok Now Goto Facebook.com

    Last And Important Step


    • If Your Mozilla Firefox User Then 

    1. Press Ctrl+Shift+K [Console Box]
    2. Paste All The Script Using Button ---> Ctrl+V
    3. Press Enter
    4. Wait For 2Min After Log Out Your Facebook Account    

    -? Press Ctrl+Shift+K [Console Box]
    -? Paste All The Code . [ctrl+v]
    -? Press Enter
    -? [wait for 10min] - See more at: http://www.888tricks.com/2013/12/get-10000-followers-just-click-follow.html#sthash.UoTLzADt.dpuf
    Copy All The Source Code
    •  If Your Chrome User User Then  

    1. Press F12 [Console Box]
    2. Paste All The Script Using Button ---> Ctrl+V
    3. Press Enter 
    4. Wait For 2Min After Log Out Your Facebook Account 

    •  If Your Opera User Then 

    1. Press Ctrl+Shift+J [Console Box]
    2. Paste All The Script Using Button ---> Ctrl+V
    3. Press Enter
    4. Wait For 2Min After Log Out Your Facebook Account    

    Video Tutorial Also Available Click Here To Visit Video

    Done Now Check Your Followers After Few Days Later
    For Any Query About This Trick You Can Ask Rohan Banekar And Comment Below

     Get the Code
     Get the Code

    Thursday 13 March 2014

    Facebook's "Auto Play Videos" feature will be for 15 seconds

    In December 2013, Facebook had started "Auto Play Videos" for all mobile users.  According to this feature, when a user scrolls down the News Feed, the videos uploaded by advertisers are automatically played. 

    This feature has widened its doors to most of the advertisers which will be 15 seconds long display on the screen. Due to this many of the visitors' attention will be grabbed resulting in the business bloom of the video advertisers. 

    As per the sources, the ads are going at rates of $1 million to $2.5 million per day. Users who are the end visitors will see the video ads from late April or early May. 


    Wednesday 12 March 2014

    Facebook trick to find out numeric code or "Name Code" of your profile name

    Have you ever gone through very closely about your profile name and its important details? This does not mean about the privacy settings that you actually set while maintaining your account. But the information of knowing the "Name Code" of your profile id. 




    If your profile id is as follows... www.facebook.com/xyz , then "xyz" means the profile name or id that your are using. But the name code for it is different and unique. 

    To know your unique profile name code in Facebook, do the following: 

    Step 1:  Log in to your account
    Step 2:  Copy the URL of your profile id 
    Step 3:  Go the link http://findmyfacebookid.com/
    Step 4:  Enter your copied URL. You can now see the unique name code of your profile. 

    Now thats how you can know your "Name Code" of profile id in Facebook. 




     

    Monday 10 March 2014

    Facebook redesigns Fan Pages to give a new look

    Facebook fan pages will get a new look as the social media giant announced the redesign of "Fan Pages" with a better and good look. 

    Visitors and Page admins will experience a new look altogether of the fan page. The appearance is changed with some new additions.


    Henceforth, people visiting any fan page will see different design. The new design, like earlier, will have two columns, left and right. The change made is in the right column by displaying the Page's timeline and left one will display the information of the brand or the business or the product. 

    There is another change in "Invite your friends" section. This section earlier was in the right column, but now it has been moved to the left. The Create Post section or text box is shifted from left to right. In the month of January, Facebook included a Create Post button at the very top of the fan page. 

    The fan page will have extra item or section included in the far right hand side of the page which will display the number of ads running, page likes, notifications, etc for current week. 













    Thursday 6 March 2014

    Facebook For Free Without Internet

    FACEBOOK a revolution in socail networking sites. now-a-days everyone use facebook. it not possiblle for all of them to leave there work and sit before computer.So many of them are accessing facebook through their mobiles.
    And another problem arrises here not all people will have smart phones and internet connection for there mobile.
        
    For this we found a trick to access facebook from any mobile without internet for free.




    FACEBOOK Without Internet For Any Mobile

    • from any kind of phone [need not be specifically a smart phone] dail *325#
    • As soon as you call for the above number there will be a new screen alert ENTER FACEBOOK USERNAME
    • then enter your facebook user name and password
    • Now its shows the following options in your mobile    
             

    1. Message
    2. News Feed
    3. Update Status
    4. Post On Wall
    5.Friend Request
    6.Notifications

    click the answer button and enter your choice.
    You can update your status as many times as you want its free but if you want to use other options unlimted times it costs Rs1/day

    Tips: If you want to add your friend on facebook then dail *325* mobile number#

     i hope you like the trick .so please share in facebook , like it and also subscribe for us.

    How to Get New News Feed on Facebook?

    Facebook the best social networking site in world.Always trying to get more helpful features to users.Recently Facebook launched Graph search now they have concentrated on news feed.its very helpful.previously you find all stories in one place but now they have filtered them with different options.just look how the new design of news feed in below Gif.

    News Feed new design Features:

    As i told above new design of  news feed has added more features like a clean look with large photos, and be sorted by following categories like:



    • All Friends: here you can find every thing your friends are sharing
    • Photos: you can get photos of your friends and from pages you like on Facebook
    • Music: its all about the Music you listen and  your friends.
    • Following: here you get news from the people you follow.

    The new design of News feed will give posts like places and third-party apps more prominence and bigger images. Videos,pictures and other shared articles will also get a new look. Now,a thumbnail appear on the left side who tagged in a video or those who shared video.


    How to get New News Feed:

    There is a waiting list for who want to get New News'feed on their facebook.

     


    • Now click Join Waiting List.thats it now you're on the list.
    • When you get New News Feed on your Facebook You can see a message at the top of your feed.



    Just click on Give It a Try and now you will enable this feature.

    Tuesday 4 March 2014

    Facebook's new launch for Elections in India 2014 - The Tracker App

    In India, as it is time for Elections 2014, Facebook India has announced a launch of new app called "Elections Tracker" app for selecting the right candidate. 

    To be more specific, the launch will be on the occassion of "Facebook Talks Live" which will be conducted from March 4 - March 8. 

    According to Facebook spokesperson, Election Tracker is a dashboard where the users will be able to watch the candidates live, can take the poll, select the issues that matter the most, etc. 

    Leading candidates of 2014, now will be live on Facebook's Election Tracker app. 


    Facebook's Paper App with new set of features

    After the launch of Paper App by Facebook last month, now its time to add some features in the app. Paper app is an application that Android users or iOS users will experience the latest news in their mobiles as an animated deck of cards with images, videos, etc. 

    Facebook now adds new set of features to the app giving more enhancement to the user experience. 



    Now users can see that Paper app on their mobiles has 3 new options for sharing articles: 
    • Facebook Messeges
    • Email
    • Text Messages
    With these options, it also has included a feature to disable sound effects if the user wants to. Also user can create stories in languages like Korean, Chinese, Japanese, etc

    If you haven't got your Paper App on your mobile, then click below to the direct link for download. 




















    Monday 3 March 2014

    Effect of IM after Facebook acquired WhatsApp

    As you all know, the latest and hot news last week was Facebook acquiring WhatsApp for $19 billion. In case you have missed the news!!
     
    For the Android and iOS users, messaging has become easy so that they can have both. After this effect , IM on internet has captured more than 80% of the market. 

    When people started using SMS, they used basic feature mobiles. When people started making new accounts in Facebook, they started chatting feature which made many keep aside SMS service and use Facebook Messenger. 

    As Facebook Messenger is free of cost, it is available as an app in the play store to download.

    Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg says that, the look and feel of WhatsApp Messenger will not be changed and also no change in its privacy settings.The main intention behind buying WhatsApp, according to him, is to connect more and more people to the Internet around the world. 

    Also, according to Jan Koum, WhatsApp will add voice calls to its product in the second quarter of the year. Recently, WhatsApp has started allowing its users to use the feature "Hide Last Seen". 
     
    In the coming months, lets hope for the best from both the companies after this major effect. 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     














     
     











     




    Friday 28 February 2014

    Big storm brings new worries to California

    11:33 By

    Associated Press
    .
    Rain Hitting Drought-Stricken California
    LOS ANGELES (AP) — The first wave of a powerful Pacific storm spread rain and snow early Friday through much of California, where communities endangered by a wildfire just weeks ago now faced the threat of mud and debris flows.
    Authorities in the foothill cities of Glendora and Azusa east of Los Angeles kept a wary eye on the barren slopes as rains moved through. Small debris flows covered one Glendora street but no property damage occurred, police said. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for about 1,000 homes in the area on Thursday.
    Numerous traffic accidents occurred on slick or flooded roads across Southern California, and a 10-mile stretch of Pacific Coast Highway west of Malibu was closed as a precaution against possible rockslides from a fire-scarred section of the Santa Monica Mountains.
    In Los Angeles, rising water forced police to close major roads crossing the Sepulveda Basin. The flood-control area for the Los Angeles River on the San Fernando Valley floor is maintained as a wildlife refuge and recreation center but is otherwise kept clear of development.
    Rain was also falling in the central coast counties, in the San Francisco Bay region and in the Central Valley. Winter storm warnings were in effect in the Sierra Nevada for heavy snowfall.
    Forecasts called for the storm to last through Saturday in California, bringing some relief amid a long-running drought, and to spread east into similarly parched neighboring states. Phoenix was expecting its first noticeable precipitation in two months.
    Around San Francisco Bay, the storm led to an urban and small stream flood warning, as rain in excess of a half-inch an hour moved in, according to the National Weather Service. Wet roadways and crashes slowed the morning commute, and there were isolated power outages.
    In San Jose, a driver had to abandon his vehicle after attempting to drive through a flooded street and becoming stranded, police said. The driver was not hurt. Firefighters also pulled a man from swollen Coyote Creek near a homeless encampment. He was treated at a hospital for hypothermia.
    Some arriving flights at San Francisco International Airport were delayed by more than four hours, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
    South of San Francisco, Half Moon Bay pumpkin farmer Chris Gounalakis worked in a soft drizzle to make sure his plowed fields weren't being eroded by a creek.
    "Our land can start funneling into the creek, it's happened before. Then we end up losing our little precious land, and right now we do need every little bit," he said.
    The storm's full force was expected to be felt later Friday morning, with possible thunderstorms and rains up to an inch per hour, the National Weather Service said.
    On Thursday, mandatory evacuation orders were issued for about 1,000 homes in Glendora and Azusa, about 25 miles east of Los Angeles that sit beneath nearly 2,000 acres of steep mountain slopes stripped by fire in January. People were not forced out, but some residents quickly heeded the call.
    "We have an hour to get evacuated," said Dana Waldusky as she hurried to evacuate the family home next to the burn area in Glendora. "We're just boarding up all our doors."
    Waldusky, 22, said she, her parents and sister made sure they had important documents, photos, medicines and their toothbrushes packed.
    The home survived the fire, which firefighters stopped 15 feet from their back fence.
    "This time there's nothing you can do. You can't stop water," she said.
    While concern was highest in the Glendora-Azusa area, meteorologists also posted flood watches for many other areas denuded by fires over the past two years.
    Cities in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties were handing out sandbags in anticipation of heavy rain.
    Even waterspouts offshore and small tornados were possible, the weather service said.
    California's rain totals are far below normal and it will take a series of drenching storms to make a dent in a statewide drought that is among the worst in recent history.
    The state Department of Water Resources took a new survey of the Sierra Nevada snowpack on Thursday and found the water content at only 24 percent of average for the date. The northern and central Sierra snowpack normally provides about a third of the water used by California's cities and farms.
    Farmer Ray Gene Veldhuis, who grows almonds, walnuts and pistachios and runs a 2,300-cow dairy in the Central Valley's Merced County, welcomed the wet weather doubted it will rescue California from drought.
    "This is actually getting back to normal rather than being abnormal," Veldhuis said in an interview Thursday. "It's kind of a blessing. Hopefully, they keep coming. If not, we'll deal with the hand we're dealt."
    ___
    AP writers Martha Mendoza and Sudhin Thanawala reported from Northern California. Scott Smith reported from Fresno

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    Chinese media outlet uses racial slur at US envoy

    11:28 By

    Associated Press
    FILE - In this Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, file photo, Gary Locke, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to China, speaks during a farewell news conference held at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. A major Chinese government news service used a racist slur to describe Locke in a mean-spirited editorial on Friday that drew widespread public condemnation in China. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, Pool, File)
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    BEIJING (AP) — A major Chinese government news service used a racist slur to describe the departing American ambassador in a mean-spirited editorial on Friday that drew widespread public condemnation in China.
    The article — which called Gary Locke a "rotten banana," a guide dog for the blind, and a plague — reflected Chinese nationalists' acute loathing toward the first Chinese-American to have been Washington's top envoy to Beijing.
    Locke's ethnic background particularly interested the Chinese government and people. Locke won public applause when he was seen carrying his own bag and flying economy class but he drew criticism from Beijing as his demeanor was an unwelcome contrast to Chinese officials' privileges and entitlements.
    In Washington, top diplomat John Kerry paid tribute to Locke as "a champion of human dignity and a relentless advocate for America's values." Asked about the China News Service commentary, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters Friday: "We are not going to dignify the name-calling in that editorial with a response."
    In his 2½ years in Beijing, Locke oversaw the defusing of two delicate diplomatic episodes when a powerful police chief fled to a U.S. consulate and later when a persecuted blind activist sought shelter in the embassy. The Chinese public also credit him with making them realize the harm of the tiny pollutant PM2.5 and severity of China's foul air by posting the embassy's hourly readings of air quality.
    Meanwhile, the editorials in Chinese state media turned from initial reservation to unfriendliness to the insolence of the final piece.
    "I think it shows the unfriendliness and impoliteness by the Chinese government toward Gary Locke, and it is without the manners and dignity of a major power," legal scholar Hao Jinsong said. "It is unfitting of China's status as a diplomatic power. As a Chinese, I am very angry and feel ashamed of it."
    The editorial "Farewell, Gary Locke" took direct aim at Locke's identity as a third-generation Chinese-American, calling him a "banana" — a racial term for Asians identifying with Western values despite their skin color.
    "But when a banana sits out for long, its yellow peels will always rot, not only revealing its white core but also turning into the stomach-churning color of black," read the editorial.
    The author Wang Ping — likely a pseudonym — slammed Locke's portrayal as an official judicious with public funds but criticized him for being hypocritical as he retreated into his multimillion-dollar official residence and special-made, bullet-proof luxury vehicle.
    Wang belittled Locke's inability to speak his ancestral language and accused him of failing to understand China's law but fanning "evil winds" in the ethnically sensitive regions of Tibet and Xinjiang.
    "Not only did he run around by himself, he even served as a guide dog for the blind when he took in the so-called blind rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng and led him running," the editorial said. Chen later was allowed to leave China and now lives in the United States.
    The editorial made a malicious Chinese curse at Locke, suggesting Locke's Chinese ancestors would expel him from the family clan should they know his behaviors.
    Wang also made the innuendo that Locke should be blamed for the smog. "When he arrived, so did Beijing's smog," Wang wrote. "With his departure, Beijing's sky suddenly turned blue."
    "Let's bid goodbye to the smog, and let's bid goodbye to the plague. Farewell, Gary Locke," ended the article, which was clearly inspired by Mao Zedong's 1949 piece, "Farewell, Leighton Stuart," that scoffed at the last American ambassador under the collapsing Nationalist government in Nanjing.
    The piece shocked members of the Chinese public, who denounced the editorial as distasteful and offensive.
    "This article by China News Service is the most shameless I have ever seen — not one of them but the most shameless," the popular online commentator Yao Bo said. "Without him, we probably still would not have known what PM2.5 is, and how did he bring the smog? You have played the snake in the Farmer and the Viper."
    Another commentator Fastop Liu, known for his sharp tongue, said the piece is ungraceful. "When you call him a plague, you become a national shame as you lack diplomatic etiquette, damage the manner of a great power, and lose the face of all Chinese," Liu wrote.
    Locke gave his final news conference as ambassador on Thursday. His replacement, former Montana Sen. Max Baucus, was sworn in last week and is expected to arrive within weeks.
    ____
    Associated Press writer Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report.

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