M(imibot)arketing power

Small, easy to loose, and "everybody" wants one. Because...why? It's the latest trendy thing. And how many of them are going to be lost within the first month or so? Oh, wait. You can get that cute little hoodie to keep it in, for only a few dollars more. A whole wardrobe, even. Hardly any money at all, considering the hours of entertainment - and usefulness - it brings.

And "from now through December 10th", they had free UPS Ground shipping for any order over $100! Hot news...posted on December 14th. Can there be any more incentive than that to grab that credit card?

mimoco

Queen Rock Star Back At University For Astrophysics PhD - After 33 Years

Brian May, the multimillionaire guitarist who founded the rock group Queen, has finally completed the PhD in astrophysics that he abandoned more than 30 years ago.

Well, they say it's never too late. And I guess all that partyin may not rot your brain after all.

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Creativity Inspiration

Inspiring and strangely compelling. Makes me want to grab my Moleskine and mess it up...oh, my...

SuziBluTube

Putting money to better use

I just do not understand, with all the poverty and health issues in the world, why anyone feels the need to have a billion dollars, plus. How can one sleep at night? And no cracks about high-thread-count sheets. Just. Not. Funny.

Bill Gates Falls to 3rd Richest Man - CyberNet News

Bogie Down!

Just what I needed on this dreary day.

Thanks to Friday Distractions :: Boogie Down with Me! - eMoms at Home - The Internet Home Business Blog for Moms & Dads

Under what?

It's so hard to get good help these days. Or just help that's awake...

Thank You Ma'am: "Under Neat That"

Marketplace Bargain

Well, judging from the description, I think the real trouble is that the mom needs a little backbone support. As for the son: one month's rent at a storage facility, three weeks at the local motel, and the want ads. And for the mom? A locksmith.

Frustrated Mom, lists 19yr. old son in Facebook Marketplace. — Facebook Observer

Grocery shopping 2.0

Yes - sign me up for this. I hate shopping for groceries and I hate wasting time and money doing it. Unfortunately, I need to do it or go broke and sick eating fast food. But this is a solution I could come to enjoy. Please, somebody, do this!

The Post Money Value: The Wheels on the Bus

Nobody has successfully pulled off a comparison site that let's you put in your shopping list and simply tells you, go here, take these coupons and save this much.

Blog Action Day

One of the great things I remember about my childhood was being able to take off on my bike, ride down to the woods, and just wander. Walk in the stream, eat blackberries. Dunk silverleaf in the cool water and watch it shimmer.

Ticks were nothing more than an annoyance. The biggest danger was absently-mindedly walking through 7-year-itch, or the scare of encountering an unfriendly snake that hadn't scurried away fast enough.

The kind of adventures that I hoped my daughter could experience.

Unfortunately, by the time I had that daughter, well...the world was a very different place. The woods I walked were now housing developments. The streams were polluted enough to think twice about wading through, let alone drinking from. The only other water around was run-off from the new roads, driveways and parking lots, and occupied by disease-bearing mosquitoes.

Yes, the ice caps are melting. There are all kinds of dire warnings about the state of our world. All that's important, of course. But really?

I'd just like, someday, to watch my granddaughter jump on her bike and take off for a walk in the woods. And be safe.

The Art of Butch Belair

Watercolor is a medium I find as frustrating as it is rewarding. The initial observation and organization I tried to cultivate in my line drawings is even more important now.  I have a small travel palette with selected half pans and two or three brushes (nothing special), and I paint in the 5x8 watercolor books.  I am by no means an expert, but I love the paper and the book has become a bit of a fetish item. The book itself makes me want to paint.  My progress is slow, but to me that just means the process is one worthy of the effort.

butchbelair.com

I have the materials, but making those initial steps is difficult - my inner critic is screaming at the top of her lungs: you don't have time for this!

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Question the questions

I've reached the benchmark 5-0, and I still can't rattle off birthdays of relatives. Does it have anything to do with my memory? No. I come from a family that rarely sends birthday cards, goes out to dinner to celebrate, sends presents, throws parties. If there's nothing constantly reminding you, then why would you remember it? And the phone number? How many times do you call yourself? And what number do you use - home, work, cell, work cell? Come on. I think this poll would have a very different result if it had been asked 30 years ago, when you only had one home number to remember.

If you're going to perform polls like this, let's give a little more thought to what you're asking and leave the assumptions out of it.

When they were testing my daughter - at 3 years old - one of the objects they expected her to recognize was the silhouette of a telephone.

Like the rotary dial one she would have found in her great grandmother's house. Duh.

The downside of the outboard brain | 43 Folders

Til disagreement do us part

Most people don't know what the rights given by marriage are until they are facing divorce - and then it may be too late. How is property owned, in the eyes of the law? What can be done by your spouse without your knowledge that can end up legally binding you - whether you agreed to it or not?

The spiritual, or religious, side of marriage should be determined by the couples uniting. Who performs the ceremony, where it's performed, who witnesses - all up to them. But the legal side of things? That's a different story. You should know what your rights and responsibilities are when you enter into a contract - and as far as the state is concerned, marriage is a legally enforceable contract. Don't you want to know what it really says?

Maybe knowing what your rights and obligations are - at least as far as the courts are concerned - would have a positive effect on the divorce rate. So why can't we separate the legal side - the marriage license - from the ceremonial side?

Marriages by ministers ordained online in question | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/08/2007

Pay attention, Mom

Before it's too late. Which is what, now? 2? The first click of the remote?

Pictures Worth...

Lord Lotus Blog | The World In Only 7 Pictures

Found via Kottke

Gmail in Facebook

What am I missing? All these apps for Facebook. (The following aside, I think Facebook is great.)

Why would I want to check my gmail, at about 1/3 the screen size, when I can open gmail in a browser window and ctrl-tab to it when I need to? What I am missing?

Fmail Brings Gmail to your Facebook

We did it because, well, we could.

Really, what is the point here? Can't you just go entertain yourself with, I don't know, a puppet show or something? Maybe for the local kids? Or your own kids, if you're spending too much time on the computer looking at this kind of stuff...


Blabberize.com

Two plu two

Gerald Bracey: Parents, Poverty and Achieving in School - Politics on The Huffington Post

Speak what?

Well, let me just say this. If I went to Germany, or France, or Spain, or Italy, I'd bring a dictionary to help me understand the language. And I'd use it. Whether I really needed to or not. It's just a simple courtesy.

I'd want to learn another's culture, their way of thinking, how they live. Isn't that the point? Not to turn them into another me.

I mean, I don't go visit people to I can take over their house. Do you?

Stephen Collins: To Continue in English, Press "1" - Politics on The Huffington Post

Still?

Michael J. Klarman: Why Little Rock Mattered - Politics on The Huffington Post

Fifty years ago today, President Eisenhower sent federal troops into Little Rock, Arkansas to defend the right of nine African American students to attend formerly all-white Central High School.

And fifty years later, there is still fighting over something as petty as the right to sit under a schoolyard tree?

Why doesn't that seem completely idiotic to most people in this country? Don't we have more important things to deal with than the color of somebody's skin? People are dying because they can't get medicine or health care. There are people in this country who still don't know how to read. There is polluted air, and streams we can no longer swim in. Yet we are spending hundreds, thousands of dollars because someone wanted to sit under a tree and their skin was not the right color?

Show me the money

Interesting point. Even more interesting comments.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson: Why Civil Rights Leaders Didn't Get Jena 6 Defendant Mychal Bell Out of Jail - Politics on The Huffington Post

Chris and Pat

I love the song The Ballad of Chris and Pat by Jody Kessler. It speaks to the commonality of love and relationships, no matter the gender.

what divides us is fear, what unites us is love
we must ask ourselves what we're afraid of
for no matter what manner of loving we choose
it's the love that our spirits is made of

I agree with Dana's belief that traditional marriage is a flawed institution. Many of the protections of marriage still necessary today are for reasons that should no longer be, but are, unfortunately. The inability to value each partner's contribution, whether or not it results in a paycheck, is one. The "ownership" of offspring is another. The equitable division of property. Our out-dated structure of marriage no longer covers the changing face of relationships. Many marriages are not based on the dad-works-mom-raises-the-kids Cleaver standards. Second marriages bring other issues, such as protecting the inheritance of children of the first marriage. So, it seems, the majority of marriages today really need some fine-tuning.

Marriage is a contract. Actually, two - the one made for the state and the one made in the eyes of your religion of choice. One needs little negotiation. The other needs to be negotiated thoroughly from the beginning, and re-negotiated to maintain equity as circumstances change. To some, this may seem cold and unemotional. But doing so gives the parties the opportunity to re-commit, to remind each other of the spiritual and emotional reasons they chose to join their lives in the first place, especially when people are living longer.

We all, now and then, need a little reminding of what's truly important to us.


apophenia: San Diego mayor backs same-sex marriage

Links

• Sanctuary Home Wow. Now I definitely need a bigger screen.
• SocialMarker.com Social bookmarking service. Fast tagging and posting to all major social websites.
• Things I Wish I Knew... - Dumb Little Man

Links

• How I Got Twitter to Answer Back : [chrisbrogan.com]
• Terraminds micro search
• Simply Audiobooks - Free Book Download
• Take Any College Class for Free: 236 Open Courseware Collections, Podcasts, and Videos | OEDb
• WEB HOSTING TOOLBOX: 130+ Resources for Your Web Hosting Needs

I block ads.

I block ads.

I block ads because I am an intelligent, capable women.

I am able to determine when I want and need to buy a car. Until then, I don't give a damn that you, dear advertiser, think you have the best thing going and if I don't put my butt in the seat and my foot on the pedal right now, my life will be forever bereft of joy, satisfaction, and good health.

I am able to determine when I need something. I am able to determine when I don't. When I'm ready to buy something and want to know what the latest and greatest is, what the pricing structure is, and anything else that goes into the decision, I'll be glad to look at your ads. But until then, please get them out of my face. Especially when it's something I have never had, never wanted, nor ever intend to buy. Seeing your wonderful ad blinking incessantly on the side of the page is not going to change that. Sorry.

Until you can show me that you even begin to understand these concepts, that you agree to give me a choice to exercise my free will about what type of ads I see, when I see them, and how I see them, I will block ads.


Web ad blocking may not be (entirely) legal | CNET News.com

Gimme the news I want

Well, now, you'd think this would be fairly obvious. Who conducts these studies, any way? More important question - who analyzes this data? Better question - who pays to conduct these studies, and what interest do they have in the results?

Give us an easy way to determine what news we want to see - nothing to digg, or furl, or reddit, or clevernamedsiteofthemoment. Give us an easy way to grade what's provided, choose types of stories, etc. How about a "this sucks" button right on the tv?

Then conduct your surveys and tell us what ground-breaking analysis you've come up with.


PC World - Huge Disparity Among News Sites

"The other issue, which the report does address to a limited degree, is that audience for Digg and Reddit is principally young, male, tech enthusiasts," he wrote. "The 'users' or 'citizens' of these sites are in no way representative of the broad, diverse group of mainstream news consumers. The problem is that a very small percentage of Digg's and Reddit's citizens control the news on the site -- very much like a group of traditional editors. They may not be 'professionals,' but they are acting as a traditional editorial hierarchy."

At least Scott got it right.

9/11 Remembrance

Absolutely powerful. So glad Jeff is still with us today, to keep alive the memory of what we human beings can do to each other in the name of...what, exactly? What is worth so much loss?

BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » Retracing my steps

What do you WANT?

More of this. This is what social networking can unearth - an unexpected treasure, and from Pittsburgh.

somethingtobedesired.com - An Unpredictable Web Series

I take issue

with this statement. The piece is good, thought provoking, and informative. But this jumped out at me:

people with a lot of "friends" may be more trustworthy than people with very few

Now, wait a minute. How does the number of friends equate with trust-worthiness? I have few Facebook friends. I have few because I am not interested in the numbers, I'm interested in the people. What they have to say, what they know, what I can learn, what I can share from my experience that may be helpful. How can anyone keep up with hundreds of friends? That's not friends. That's an audience.

Some of the most untrustworthy people have huge followings. And some of the most untrustworthy people are followers.

Google and search (Scripting News)

Yeah. What he said.

Come on, guys. When I read some of the comments about Scoble's videos, I'm thinking "somebody needs to get out a ruler and get it over with..."

The Technology Free Press » Scoble Doesn’t Deserve the Scorn He’s Getting

While I applaud those who’ve taken the high road in critiquing Scoble’s work, I disagree with those bashing him because of his opinions and those who seem to take a personal delight in seeing him bashed.

Reinvent the wheel?

The Breeze - Opinion

Instead of focusing so much energy and time on A-space, numerous agencies should put their resources together to brainstorm other safer methods of communicating. I am sure the atypical, super intelligent, computer-programming geek down at the CIA can come up with something a bit more clever than a networking site – perhaps even an à la mode gadget we could see James Bond using.

What? That's like not using a pen because, altho it's proven popular and useful for the average geek, we won't adapt it for our own uses. No, let's spend millions more coming up with something totally new. Because we can. We have the talent. And, well, we don't have anything else to do with our time.

Sleep deprived

When do we address the obvious and look to the studies that conclude that teenagers are biologically attuned to being late-risers - not so good at going to sleep when the sun goes down.

So, when does the school bus arrive? At least in my area, it's the crack of dawn.

Duh.


'Junk sleep' damaging U.K. teenagers' health | CNET News.com

Its poll of 1,000 youngsters aged 12 to 16 found that 30 percent managed just four to seven hours sleep as opposed to the recommended eight or nine hours.

Pro (phone) choice

And why, please, can't all phones work this way? Other than the obvious - greed.

I can go to Walmart, Radio Shack - a host of other places - and buy a phone I like for my landline. I can match my decor, or not. Have an answering machine, or not. Have speakerphone capabilities, or not. Was this not revenue-generating enough? Did this not work for the phone company? Did they loose too much money to the companies that made the phones?

Why can't I just pick out a cell phone I like the looks of, pick the services I want, and sign up with the company I want to use? Why, dammit?

Unlocked iPhone Works on T-Mobile and Others… - CyberNet News

Whose right is it, anyway?

Social Networking Faces More Legal Pressure

In response to Blumenthal's pressure, MySpace in July deleted more than 29,000 registered sex offenders using the popular site.

Civil rights and all that, blah,blah, blah. In an emergency, you know what they say: women and children first. The preying upon our children is just such an emergency situation. Trafficking in the innocence of children is wrong. Children should be able to safely play in their own neighborhoods. This is their neighborhood. Stay out.

And don't give me that crap about a compulsion you can't control. If that's the case, you'd be acting on it out in the open, anywhere, anytime. No hiding, no conniving, no secret societies, no disguises. Mo threats about keeping secrets. If you can make a plan to do it, you can make a plan to stop doing it.

Under Pressure

I want one. Well, actually, I want four five. Checking tire pressure is the biggest pain - I can't get that little gauge on without losing half the pressure that's already there.

Tiny gadget eases tire pressure worries | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

Calendar Note: Blog Action Day

Blog Action Day

On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment.

Technorati Tags: environment

Help

Too much to do, too much to read. Had to hire an assistant.

Cheating? Uh, yeah.

Is This Man Cheating on His Wife? - WSJ.com

ROI

It's a shame, really.

Will Sponsors Use Their Clout to Clean Up Sports? « Magnosticism

As long as the sponsors get whatever they perceive as a proper return on their investments, and as long as fans keep filling the seats, we’ll keep seeing plenty of news about indictments and drug scandals mixed in with the box scores.

Community Car

What a great idea for those who, for whatever reason, don't want to deal with the upkeep of a car they rarely use.

Community Car | PodTech.net: Technology and Entertainment Video Network

There outta be a law

A man must have invented panty hose. No woman would do such a thing to other women.

Oh, how right you are. Worst invention ever.

I wonder what would happen if workplaces passed a law that any man with boobs big enough to hold a pencil under was required to wear a bra. Hmmmm.

WTF for Today

Buy the kid a computer? Where the hell are the well-paid execs of the companies he mentions? He should have an entire room filled with crap from them.

What the hell is up with our kids today? « Scobleizer

Can't get there from here

Why didn't they do this before? Oh, the hours it may have added to my life...

Google LatLong: How long will it take at rush hour?

Technorati Tags: productivity, travel

Wrong, wrong, wrong

Oh, this is just wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. If you seriously think this is necessary, you don't need to add technology, you need to change your life.

What next, a warning bell for when you've misplaced them in the house?

The laundry room, perhaps? Or did I bring it upstairs when I put the towels away. Oh, drat where did I leave that kid? Perhaps it's still in the shopping cart at the market?

This is just sad.

Baby On Board: Baby Alert Child Minder Remembers Your Kids When You Forget - Gizmodo

Frugal Living

My father has always taken his showers like this, but with mostly cold water! Military training.

Wish I could get the kid to take showers in 60 minutes or less. Or move the hot water switch to an easy to reach position next to my desk. That would solve the issue in a hurry.

How to Take a Shower in Sixty Seconds or Less | Wise Bread

Technorati Tags: frugal living

Let me choose

Official Google Blog: Our commitment to open broadband platforms

Open devices: consumers should be able to utilize their handheld communications device with whatever wireless network they prefer

Yes! I've been waiting forever to have the same choices on wireless that I have on my landline phone. I can choose the make, color, features, price - whatever I want. Come home and plug it in. And it works. Nobody telling me that because I live in this town, or use this carrier, I can only choose between 2 or 3 of the hundreds of choices that are out there.

I'll never believe that the restrictions that have been imposed were not primarily to make somebody richer than they need to be.

Yeah, I'm restless

We teach our kids not to do drugs, yet all they can see in between the news reports is how pharmaceuticals have made our lives easier with drugs (including protecting us from “restless leg syndrome”).

Chris Pirillo

According to the ads on tv, I suffer from "restless leg syndrome". What do I do?

I get up and walk away from the g-d tv! Because it's my body's way of telling me that it's tired of sitting there so long. Move! Do something! Same thing happens when I'm at the computer too long. There is more than just your analytical brain trying to tell you something. If you're tired, go to bed. If you're hungry, eat something. If you're thirsty, drink water. If you're restless, get up and take a friggin' walk!

Yes, restless leg syndrome is real. But it doesn't take a pill to cure. It takes listening to what your body is trying to tell you. Seems it's getting harder for us to do that.

Get quiet and listen to your inner voice, your intuition, while you can still hear it.

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Ok, but

Digital World Hewlett-Packard Wants You to Look Your Best

It does, however, seem like an awful lot of work just to pick a makeup shade. But I'm sure there are many who will rush to have it done just so they can say they have custom-matched makeup, and they paid nearly a thou for it! It's that fabulous!

Me, I think the sun, water, a little soap and a pinch on the cheeks does a good enough job most days.


Technorati Tags: technology, cosmetics

Who's the Boss?

... you should never assume that all information for any candidate might be surfaced through their official Web site

Politics is Personal - but Important ~ Chris Pirillo

I have to take issue with this. This is your official website. If the issues you're running on and your views are not to be found here, that says more than a little about you as a candidate. You should be on top of this. Or have a campaign manager that is. If you can't exercise control over your web architect, that doesn't say much about your future presidency.

If you're not able to do that, you might end up with your most trusted advisers running around shooting people in the ass.

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Forty Strangers in a Virtual Room Talk About Religion

...faith matters deeply to us -- but the reality of open source religion is that we, as Americans, expect to be able to crack open the doors of religion and chart our own individual meaningful journeys through the resources and traditions we find there.

Forty Strangers in a Virtual Room Talk About Religion

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My kingdom for a pair of pants

What is wrong with this man? He should be assigned to a bench for the overly litigious. He's got too much time on his hands.

Either he'll get fed up hearing other ridiculous and time-consuming lawsuits himself - or he'll be in such ecstasy he'll go nuts and can be safely locked away...

Newsvine - Judge Continues to Press Pants Suit

Technorati Tags: law

Maybe not

Look, I'm not against certain forms of entertainment - consenting adults and all that. I get hung up, however, on the "consenting" and the "adults" bit. Do you know, for sure, that the girl you are oogling is, in fact, an adult? And they have willingly and fully consented to this? Far too often, it seems, that may not be the case. Has your own personal interests gotten in the way of that judgment? Do you really care?

Not real sure that someone who has a lucrative business looking the other way can, at the same time, have the bests interests of children in mind. Seems like a very short trip (apparently, literally) from "looks too young" to "let's not ask".

Amazing what those lil stinkers can do

"DJ Beanie rocks the house"

Jonesin'

Social network appeals to "lost" generation - Research - BizReport

I'm lost, alright. "Generation Jones"? Where did that come from? Who is this "Jones"?


Technorati Tags: social marketing

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Traveling

"The road to enlightenment is long and difficult, and you should try not to forget snacks and magazines." - Rick Fields, from Annie Lamott's book, Traveling Mercies.

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Water, water, everywhere?

Anil Dash: Bottled Water Is Still A Scam

We pitch into landfills 38 billion water bottles a year—in excess of $1 billion worth of plastic.

I always thought this didn't make any sense. Where were all these water bottles going? How is that good for the environment?

Why don't we just use all the money from making the containers, putting the water in it, advertising how wonderfully natural and healthy it is and shipping out all over the place to, well, clean up our water supply. Duh.

And the fact that Fiji Water produces more than a million bottles a day while more than half the population there doesn't have reliable drinking water? The height of our indulgence and our ignorance. Because that kind of thing doesn't happen only there.

Shame on us.

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Song in my nose

FoxyTunes Lets You Insert Songs in Emails and Blogs

Not quite sure how I feel about this. Might be nice to let someone know of a tune that you think is great. Could be nice to set a mood.

Then again, could be like being trapped in an elevator with someone who spent their lunch break checking out the fragrance counter...

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Party on, Dude!

Newsvine - Mass. Bar Sued for Gay Marriage Question

Dunne, 30, was denied a license to practice law in May after scoring 268.866 on the exam, just shy of the 270 passing grade.

Um, seems to me there were quite a few other questions he must have judged as a tad offensive...

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What would you like to see tonite, Madam?

Just tried out matchmine.com. I like these things that do the searching for things I'd like.

I'd like it more if it would pop the movie in, make the popcorn, bring me a drink, and straighten the room when I'm done.

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Powerful

I've been up to all kinds of things. (One would hope so, to keep me away this long.)

I'm now Twittered, and Pownced, and Jaikued, and Tumblred and Facebooked and LinkedIn.

All over the place. Sometimes I look at my posts and think, "who is this person!?"

I think I can, I think I can...

Fear of financial success?

Oh, yes. Now, knock it off!