Shortly after that, in 2008, Anonymous gained visibility after launching an operation to defy the Church of Scientology.

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Pervez Musharraf, who torpedoed Mr. Sharif's overtures to India by launching an unauthorized military operation in the disputed Kashmir.

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While at Microsoft, Irving was responsible for creating and leading a global development and operations organization of more than 4, 000 employees in the creation and operation of Microsoft's global online services, launching several new products, including MSN Messenger and growing Hotmail from 7 million to 290 million users.

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On Wednesday evening, the microblogging service suspended the account of Operation: Payback, a group most recently devoted to launching cyberattacks against anyone perceived as an enemy of WikiLeaks.

FORBES: Connect

"Your first priority is to get your operation started, " says Kevin Ready, author of "Startup: An Insider's Guide to Launching and Running a Business" and a seasoned entrepreneur in Austin, Texas.

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