advertise trips

Pirate's Doodle Bread
On the days when I’m not W+K ing I do things with bread. Over the past couple of years I’ve been working with a fantastic Irish bread inventor. We’ve done lots of messing , doughing, and general bread storming. She...

On the days when I’m not W+K ing I do things with bread.

Over the past couple of years I’ve been working with a fantastic Irish bread inventor. We’ve done lots of messing , doughing, and general bread storming.

She discovered a way to bake bread with shapes running through it.

Bread like sitcks of rock. Brilliant.

We have developed this into a brand.

Check it out at http://www.doodlebread.com/

Our primary target market are parents who haven’t really grown up,,, along with their 5-11 year olds. The first person to try it out here was Kevin. Seems our strategy was working. He got cross, got messy, oiled the wrong bit, swore, ranted, pulled his hair out – tough when you’re a baldy – but eventually baked his first ever Doodle loaf. His boys loved it, apparently. Not sure about Kevin. 

At the moment the only ‘Doodle’ shape available is a star, but we plan to introduce more shapes and colours as we go forward. In true Wieden spirit this is an experimental, on-going project and all feedback, even Kev’s, is really useful. You can either comment on the Doodle Bread blog http://doodlebread.wordpress.com/. Or upload your bread master-pieces on the site, or email us directly at hello@doodlebread.com.

Let the bread brilliance begin…

Defeating Ruddonomics a pile of money at a time
So finally we’ve signed a contract to buy a house, or to be more precise a Town House in Mont Albert, some 15 months after we moved to Melbourne. We would have liked to live a bit closer in, but you take what you can get (well, what you can afford), and we’re close to [...]

So finally we’ve signed a contract to buy a house, or to be more precise a Town House in Mont Albert, some 15 months after we moved to Melbourne. We would have liked to live a bit closer in, but you take what you can get (well, what you can afford), and we’re close to transport and still in Zone 1 (just, Mont Albert is the last station). The pool is pictured above….no, it’s not our pool alone, but any pool is a good pool as far as I’m concerned The double bonus is that the mortgage is going to be around $800-$1000 a month less than our current rent. Guess I might be taking a holiday this year then

We started seriously looking for houses about 5-6 weeks ago. I’d watched prices in Melbourne tumble from their highs last year, and when I say tumble I mean at the height of the boom, a little 2 bedroom apartment in an old complex just down the road from us in Burke Road Camberwell sold for $840k in May or June last year (I was at the auction.) I’d think that would be worth maybe $600k today, give or take.

With the economy going into recession, I thought this was the right time to buy, but I didn’t count on one thing: Kevin Rudd. In particular, the “first home buyers grant” of $21k.

The program was due to end June 30, and prior to the budget first home buyers were flooding into the market to beat the cut off. It was subsequently extended until the end of September, then offered at 50% until December 31. The problem though is that the extension didn’t stop the flood. Auction clearance rates in Melbourne 6 weeks ago were around 60% and heading south. For the last two weekends they’ve been 81 and 82%, which is as high as the top of the last boom. Our credit union manager also confirmed with me that they’d been inundated with first home buyers looking to borrow money.

Clearance rates don’t mean much though, because it’s the price that counts. I don’t have hard figures, and we’ve only really been looking in a 5-10km arc around Hawthorn (sons school), but here’s my guess: prices have gone up in the last month in the vicinity of $50-$100k in the inner Eastern, and Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, particularly at the lower end of the market (say $400-$800k)

Example: we looked at a place in Abbotsford, 3�1, near the river (no views), massive complex, and it didn’t appeal. List price was around $440k. It sold for $515k. We went through a very cool, indeed too trendy 3�2 apartment in Richmond, just off Swan Street, amazing views to the City. Listed at $540-$580k. Sold for $680k. That’s only two examples, but I’ve seen more again. Yes: real estate agents to tend to under price properties to get people in, however the gap between expected price range and actual sale price at auction has grown significantly in the last month.

Which begs the question: where’s the sanity in offering a $21k Government grant when the demand the grant causes pushes prices up by $50-$100k?

But wait, there’s more. Victoria has possibly the worst (and by that I mean highest) stamp duty in the country. The purchase of a $600,000 property attracts stamp duty of $31,070. So your $21k first home buyers grant really is just wealth transfer from the Federal Government to the State Government.

Now first home buyers could head out to the outer suburbs where the prices are less, but then you have the social aspect: do you want more people on the roads? Can public transport handle it (if and when available?). Even then, you’re still looking at $300-$400k for a house, although it would be an actual house.

Enough of my rant now. We beat Ruddonomics with a liberal dose of money. I’ll be sure to post pictures from the pool if and when we move in early July.

Hey NRL, get fucked
According to Fox Sports today, the future of the Cronulla Sharks might be in doubt. NRL chief executive David Gallop says he cannot guarantee Cronulla’s future in the competition as the club’s crisis deepens. The short version is thanks to the Matthew Johns affair, long term Sharks sponsor LG is pulling out, and the club has no [...]

According to Fox Sports today, the future of the Cronulla Sharks might be in doubt.

NRL chief executive David Gallop says he cannot guarantee Cronulla’s future in the competition as the club’s crisis deepens.

The short version is thanks to the Matthew Johns affair, long term Sharks sponsor LG is pulling out, and the club has no long term sponsor beyond that.

I understand the why on the sponsors behalf. But there’s a difference between a sponsor pulling out, and the NRL throwing a club under a truck.

The Sharks have long been on the outer in the NRL. One of the few Sydney based clubs that broke ranks and went with the Super League, there are those with in the NRL who have long waited for the opportunity to put the knife in.

The Sharkies haven’t had the best record in the NSWRL/ ARL/ NRL. Entering the compeition in 67, they’ve made the finals only three times. 73, the classic draw in 78 (lost in the replay) and the one and only Super League grand final. The latter was the only time I watched in person (at the ground) the Sharks play at that level, and sadly they lost.

I probably shouldn’t be a Sharkies fan. My grandfather was one of the founding members of the Eastern Suburbs Rugby League Club (now the Sydney Roosters.) The actual cup awarded in the now abandoned “Premiers Cup” was given to the NSWRL by my grandfather; last I heard one of my uncles was trying to get it back, as it was given on the grounds that it was for the competition, now that they’ve dropped it (in the last 10 years), it belongs in the family.

But there is a reason I’m a sharkies fan. It’s where I grew up. As a kid, I idolized Andrew Ettingshausen, who would often appear to present the trophies at the end of year Little Athletics functions. Indeed one of the last functions when I was in Little Athletics was out on Captain Cook Road at the Cronulla Sharks home ground. I can even remember the music playing: Debbie Harry, I want that man, 1989.

In later years before I left Sydney I’d occasionally find myself at Cronulla home games, or out at the club for a drink. The location was always a little remote, and it was never a Penrith Panthers in terms of the whole “casino” feel, but it was our local football club.

The Sutherland Shire today, even more so since I have left it, is one of the largest local government areas not only in Sydney, but Australia. Over 200,000 people live in the immediate area. The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are their local team. As many again outside the area, particularly among the massive Shire diaspora support the team.

Sorry NRL, but if you’re going to throw the Sharks under a bus, you can get fucked. It will only cement for many why the AFL has been soooooo much more successful.

The last unpublished This Week in Geek
I quit the weekly column at Crikey today, and they chose not to publish the last one. Why let it go to waste though. The stories that I cut before submitting (and are not below) were a Huffington Post internship selling for $13k, a new round for BlogHer, and a piece asking why The Gruen Transfer [...]

I quit the weekly column at Crikey today, and they chose not to publish the last one. Why let it go to waste though.

The stories that I cut before submitting (and are not below) were a Huffington Post internship selling for $13k, a new round for BlogHer, and a piece asking why The Gruen Transfer crippled embedding on the fat pride ad. Note the copy isn’t final proof.

Not doing the column frees up a decent chunk of Thursday afternoons, and some of Friday morning. Hopefully I can use that time more constructively to add to The Inquisitr’s traffic and content.

This Week in Geek: the unpublished and final edition.

Apocalypse Now: The nearly unthinkable happened overnight when Google went down at 12:48am Friday Australian Eastern. The outage affected Google services including Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, Google News, Blogger, Google Analytics and Google Docs. There are also reports that the outage affected Google Ad Manager and Google Adsense, resulting in blank spaces on sites running Google served ads.

Google claims in a post titled “This is your pilot speaking. Now, about that holding pattern…” that problem was caused by a flight from New York to San Francisco diverting to Asia… at least that’s the analogy they used. The more technical version is that a significant chunk of traffic to Google was routed via Asia due to an error somewhere in the Google chain of server farms, causing “slow services or interruptions.”

Services would appear to be back to normal, although Google users were reporting problems many hours after the issue first emerged.

More blogs on the Kindle. Amazon has opened its Kindle Blog Publishing Program to all blogs after running only a select few since their Kindle e-book reader first launched. The program offers paid blog subscriptions to Kindle users, complete with custom Kindle formating. Amazon takes a 70% cut of the usual $1.99 monthly subscription price. Existing blogs in the program have reported that the earnings are pocket change, and Kindle users can still read blogs directly and for free through the Kindle’s web browser.

Craigslist rolls over on erotic ads. After weeks of pressure from US law enforcement officials, Craigslist has decided to remove their erotic services section and monitor adult services posts. The erotic service section on Criagslist had become a favored advertising outlet for prostitution, an occupation that is weirdly still illegal in the United States.

Posts to the Adult Services category will cost US$10, and will be reviewed prior to publication by Craigslist staff. A full copy of the Craigslist statement here http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10239671-93.html

Pipe dreams. For years now the promise of WiMax and 4G networks has been nothing more than a pipe dream, as opposed to the physical pipe dream of the National Broadband Network (NBN) which was not properly funded in the budget (link Stilgherian budget coverage). One argument against the NBN has been the future availability of next generation wireless networks negating the need to lay fiber, but that’s a promise that has been made about WiMax and 4G for years, and still we wait.

WiMax and 4G networks won’t be available tomorrow, but they might not be far away. In the United States, Cisco as been appointed to supply equipment for Clearwire’s WiMax network, and Verizon (a major US mobile carrier) has started offering briefs for LTE (Long Term Evolution), the 4G technology that Verizon and AT&T will be using in their next generation mobile phones. These services offer data speeds comparable to the NBN in its current specifications, and cost far less to implement.

If only it was permanent. Vodafone in the UK has announced it is abolishing roaming fees for its mobile phone customers in the 45 countries it operates. The offer will allow users across Vodafone’s international network to make calls or use SMS at regular call rates.

International call rates will be applied where applicable, for example calling the UK from France would attract the international call rate, but calling a local number in France if you’re visiting France would be charged at the local rate. Notably neither would attract a roaming charge, make calls significantly cheaper. The offer has also been extended to receiving calls, so receiving a call outside the UK on the network is free.

Sadly the deal is only a limited time offer and available from June 1 to the end of August. No word on whether it will be extended to Australian Vodafone customers, but don’t count on it.

The European Union voted in April to impose strict fee caps on roaming charges within the EU from July 1, after finding the current rates were a “rip-off.”

Take me to the stars. Google has launched Sky Map, a new application for their Android mobile operating system that allows users to identify the stars they are looking at. Using GPS and a built in compass, users point their mobile phone in the direction of the stars they are looking at, and the phone matches the stars. Link

In response to Mark Pesce
On Nick Hodge’s excellent video podcast last night, noted futurist Mark Pesce said (and I quote) that I should “shut the fuck up.” He’s entitled to his views, but it’s what he said around it that I take offense at (and the reason I’m writing this post), in particular the idea that I ignore the excellent [...]

On Nick Hodge’s excellent video podcast last night, noted futurist Mark Pesce said (and I quote) that I should “shut the fuck up.”

He’s entitled to his views, but it’s what he said around it that I take offense at (and the reason I’m writing this post), in particular the idea that I ignore the excellent work done by a range of Australian startups when I don’t. I’ve never met Mark, let alone swapped an email with him, so I find his claims bizarre to say the least given he had never read my views (outside of one post), nor asked me about them. Australia has a vibrant startup community, full of people who are succeeding despite the lack of support (specifically a vibrant VC community that invests in web based startups.) Not only have I had the privilege of meeting many fine people in the community, I’ve also written about them.

I do find it odd though that a futurist who earlier in the interview spoke about reading so extensively doesn’t understand the meaning of context as well.

This post was in the context of the Future Summit, an event that was suppose to be a show case of Australia’s biggest and brightest leaders. If we accept that underlying premise of it representing the best, tech doesn’t have a bright future in this country because they don’t get it. Conversations I had the day after that post horrified me even more and confirmed what I had written. Tech, and particularly web based startups just aren’t on the radar for these people. The idea that millions are employed directly and indirectly in web based industries in the United States is foreign to them. I can’t help that they don’t get it, but stating that they don’t is stating fact.

That is in no way to say that Australian startups don’t exist today, or more will emerge tomorrow: they will because of bright people like Mick Liubinskas at Pollenizer (a company I should note that builds projects for other startups), but likewise given what I heard, the Australian web startup industry will remain at its current low and slow rate (again, we have startups, but we’re not even close to a range of other comparable countries by volume.)

But Pesce wasn’t there. A few smart people in the room (and there was some) doesn’t balance the sheer weight of tech ignorance from the rest.

Pesce also claims incorrectly that I’m some how a big Government interventionist, again having never once spoken to me. Quite the contrary, and this can be confirmed by many others (including Bronwen Clune who heard me speak on this over lunch at the Summit), or in the submission I made yesterday to Elias Bizannes who is compiling submissions for the Government on the question “what do we need to tell Australia’s Government to build our tech industry?”

Indeed Pesce and I agree: Government should get out of the way, and direct Government support isn’t necessarily the answer either.

But here’s the part Pesce either doesn’t understand, or is ignoring: we don’t have a level playing field, and this is holding us back. Here’s part of what I wrote in my submission:

The Government needs to level the playing field when it comes to investment within the various sectors of ICT, and with investment opportunities outside the sector. That can come in two forms: removal of investment incentives in sectors that currently receive it, or the extension of investment incentives to those that currently miss out, specifically web focused companies. For example, there are tax incentives offered currently in areas such as Biotech and Blue Gum trees, but not in web based industries (tax credits, R+D etc). The problem today is simple: those with money to invest favor those investments that offer tax incentives over investments that don’t.

Then there’s the CGT problem vs the United States

The Government should consider reviewing CGT, in particular with consideration to CGT deferment on rollover where the capital gain is reinvested in ICT, and more specifically web based industries. This has been cited in the United States as being one of the big drivers behind the VC industry there (I can provide references later if required.)

Government does have a role here, and that’s in creating a favorable environment for investment in web based startups. Even if you hate Government intervention like Pesce does, you can’t ignore the role of Government in the United Sates in creating a favorable investment environment that has fueled the growth of web startups, particularly in the San Francisco Bay region.

The alternative of course is Government intervention and spending. It’s not my preferred outcome, but it is a point strongly argued by others. If CGT and incentive reforms can’t be undertaken to create a favorable investment environment, only then do I become a supporter of direct Government intervention. Consider that millions, billions have been spent on legacy industries such as clothing and car making. If only a small amount of that money was allocated to supporting local web industries, it has to help.

I’ll guess I’ll shut the fuck up now, because I don’t know what I’m talking about. PS: we were up one spot on the Top 100 Australian Web Startups yesterday.

What if the problem wasn’t Rugby League’s alone?
This whole debate over player behavior in Rugby League is bizarre. On the radio the other morning, John Faine went as far as comparing RL to AFL, suggesting that the problem was one of Rugby League’s alone. Of course that’s bollocks. Anyone who has ever been around a football club of any code knows that these [...]

This whole debate over player behavior in Rugby League is bizarre. On the radio the other morning, John Faine went as far as comparing RL to AFL, suggesting that the problem was one of Rugby League’s alone.

Of course that’s bollocks. Anyone who has ever been around a football club of any code knows that these problems are evident in all, and you only have to go through the record of the AFL and see players there mucking up.

But what if the problem was one of sport, or male team sport in particular?

Consider this: DUIs the biggest off-field problem for NFL

The drinking problem is happening in the US as well. The difference in the US perhaps is that group sex wouldn’t raise an eyebrow.

What was Channel Nine’s role in the Chk-Chk-Boom scam?
Days after Clare “chk-chk boom” Werbeloff was exposed as a fraud online, the Australian newspapers have finally caught up. According to reports, “she has also signed a contract with Channel Nine’s A Current Affair and is likely to appear tomorrow night” and that she wouldn’t be speaking to any other media outlet. That would be [...]

Days after Clare “chk-chk boom” Werbeloff was exposed as a fraud online, the Australian newspapers have finally caught up.

According to reports, “she has also signed a contract with Channel Nine’s A Current Affair and is likely to appear tomorrow night” and that she wouldn’t be speaking to any other media outlet.

That would be the same Channel Nine that published her false account to begin with.

Here’s the things I can’t work out. The video on YouTube was placed. Nine doesn’t have an official YouTube account, at least that I can see, and the account holding the video thanks two other people for giving them the video…oh, and it links to Ninemsn. Note the no YouTube account isn’t surprising, Nine, through its relationship with Microsoft publishes things directly on NineMSN through the MSN video hosting platform.

Next: Nine probably could have pulled the video on copyright grounds: they didn’t. They could have driven traffic to the official video on NineMSN….they didn’t.

Last: if Claire wasn’t a witness (and wasn’t originally at the location when the shooting took place) how did she end up being interviewed to begin with? Nine interviewed other people, surely the odd witness statement from Claire would have been a give away that something was amiss (and remember, there was no “skinny wog,” the guy shot was built like a brick shithouse.)

So the question then becomes: was Nine in on this from the beginning? And if so, why?

Are we going to end up with some sort of story about how social media can’t be trusted perhaps?

One thing is for sure: we won’t get the full story on ACA Monday. What we’ll get it more lies and more spin, after all this whole thing started at a PR agency.

Update: I should add on the YouTube account, there was nothing untoward about it…but that’s the problem. The placement is too random…it’s too out of place. It’s the sort of account I’d pick if I wanted to go under the radar on questions, but likewise an account that wouldn’t have found the clip by itself.

Australia’s bogan viral sensation may be a fraud
What does it say about our country that our best viral video exports are usually bogans? I’ll leave that argument for another day. If you haven’t seen it yet, this video is so big at the moment that News.com.au has a related story as its current lead (image above)….ironically (well, maybe not) with a Corey Worthington [...]

What does it say about our country that our best viral video exports are usually bogans? I’ll leave that argument for another day.

If you haven’t seen it yet, this video is so big at the moment that News.com.au has a related story as its current lead (image above)….ironically (well, maybe not) with a Corey Worthington story close at hand

Turns out though that we may have been had. According to Mumbrella, Clare Werbeloff is working for PR agency The Project, who specialize in youth (or should that be yuuf) marketing. There’s even picture evidence. More here.

What I Did on 2009-05-06
http://twitpic.com/4mtcf - Apparently I though it was ok to drown my salad to make up for not having had breakfast or lunch! # Listening to: The Shins…. “Caring is Creepy” # @Bowler4Ever It’s a Ponzi salad (means whatever is leftover!) so, Murgh kabob chikn, greens, mushrooms, romano and blue cheese dressing. # @Tatty I LOVE the drums.. [...]

• http://twitpic.com/4mtcf - Apparently I though it was ok to drown my salad to make up for not having had breakfast or lunch! #
• Listening to: The Shins…. “Caring is Creepy” #
• @Bowler4Ever It’s a Ponzi salad (means whatever is leftover!) so, Murgh kabob chikn, greens, mushrooms, romano and blue cheese dressing. #
• @Tatty I LOVE the drums.. must check this out. I’ve always wanted to learn the drums. #
• @scott_krause Delicious… but I should have only had half. @serendipitySol is right, I just added up 300 cal of dressing! Ack! #
• @_OM_ where is your social love? Sharing is a good thing, spreading the love is what this is all about, is it not? #
• @ahhyeah - Iowa is evil when it comes to food. The best Blue Cheese, the best pork sandwhich things (forgot the name) - best STEAK… mmm #
• @_OM_ I agree spamming is bad but that real marketing is a good thing. So all spamming is bad but not all marketing is. #
• @kleinmaetschke - Watch “A Walk To Beautiful” a documentary that has had me thinking for months. We are so lucky to be privileged. #

The nature of your logo and what it means for you
What is a logo? This may seem like a silly question, but I’m finding a good many people don’t really understand the elements which make up a logo or what that unique little graphic can mean to a business. Why is it so important? Some might even ask, “Is it important at all.” Well yes, it is important. Your logo is like your handshake. It welcomes people to your business and like a handshake a logo can be weak or strong. This is not to say that a bad company which has a great logo can depend on the design of the logo to lend excellence and reputation to the company. A bad company will be a bad company despite its terrific logo and the logo will often take on the negative elements of that company’s persona. A logo can,...

Read to Write
My mother was an incredible reader. She would tell me how when she was young, she would climb a tree that perched over the family barn and read all day. It was the perfect reading tree with a rounded out branch just right for getting comfy. She'd hide up there away from her 8 brothers and sisters and escape to the world of the written word. She was such a reader that she would go to the library and take out the maximum number of books allowed, which was 6, and read all of them within the week. Soon she recruited her best friend to accompany her to the library so that Shirley could take out books on her library card and give them to my mother. This love of reading was a gift Mom wanted to give to me....

ArtLook has a new design
I get bored with one design. Because spring is definitely here, it was time to clean house both in the real world and in the virtual world. Welcome to the new design of ArtLOOK. Sidebar links have been cleaned up and redefined. All resources listed here have been checked to ensure they are still alive, up to date and providing the best in relevant information on the arts and design. I'm also adding tabs in the top navigation bar for ease of access to information needed with one click. Let me know your thoughts and thanks for visiting ArtLOOK.

sunshine on spitalfields
Sunny Sunday in London, across the road from W+K Towers.

Sunny Sunday in London, across the road from W+K Towers.

NCI and Metro want to give you 20k worth of education and more
The competition is the ‘Change Your Life Education Fund‘ - entrants submit a 2,000 word essay with an application form (available from NCI website), and could win a prize package worth €35,000. This is made up of an education fund worth 20K (with NCI), and other supports like mentoring, executive coaching, a laptop & software, [...]

The competition is the ‘Change Your Life Education Fund‘ - entrants submit a 2,000 word essay with an application form (available from NCI website), and could win a prize package worth €35,000. This is made up of an education fund worth 20K (with NCI), and other supports like mentoring, executive coaching, a laptop & software, gym membership, book allowance and even a personal styling package.

The essay in 200 words or less is the answer to the question: Why do you want to change your life, and how could education help?

There are more details on the website.

Fluffy Links - Thursday May 28th 2009
Emo. Win. VIP tix to Taste of Dublin. Or Chocolate Cookbooks or bars of Lindt chocolate. Just take a photo to be in the competition. I like this. Irish Time’s Crossword of the day, solved. via Thrill Pier: All Tomorrow’s Parties from Warp Films will play in Dublin on June 20th at 9pm as part of the Irish [...]

Emo.

Win. VIP tix to Taste of Dublin. Or Chocolate Cookbooks or bars of Lindt chocolate. Just take a photo to be in the competition.

I like this. Irish Time’s Crossword of the day, solved.

via Thrill Pier: All Tomorrow’s Parties from Warp Films will play in Dublin on June 20th at 9pm as part of the Irish Film Institute’s Stranger Than Fiction Festival.

Bike Blog.

Offaly Dyslexia Group. Providing advice and information for adults and children with specific learning difficulties.

And speaking of Offaly… Now following FakeBrianCowen.

Bee.

Sky News, on your iPhone. Wonder does it have the annoying flash thingy with sound too?

Physics for the win.

Sufjan Stevens on illiteracy.

MeasurementCamp Dublin rocked with 70 people attending:

State and Church collusion to harass child abuse victims
It’s tough to watch and tough to read. Not only did horrific abuses happen but those that then testified were 1) told if they wanted compensation they could not go public and 2) They got grilled by barristers as if they were criminals. Your tax money made all of this possible. Seven barristers. Throwing questions at us. Non-stop. I [...]

It’s tough to watch and tough to read. Not only did horrific abuses happen but those that then testified were 1) told if they wanted compensation they could not go public and 2) They got grilled by barristers as if they were criminals. Your tax money made all of this possible.

Seven barristers.

Throwing questions at us.

Non-stop.

I tri.. attempted to commit suicide, there’s the woman who saved me from committing suicide, on me way down from Dublin, after spending five days at the commission. Five days I spent at the commission. They brought a man over from Rome, ninety odd years of age, to tell me I was telling lies.

What may prove to be a turning point. Michael O’Brien from Fianna Fáil talks about what he went through during the commission:

Full Transcript via Will Knott

—Start of transcript

Mr. Chairman, I’m surprised at the minister there now.

First of all Mr Minister (directed at Minister Noel Dempsey) you made a bags of it in the beginning by changing the judges. You made a complete bags of it at that time, because I went to the La Foy commission and ye had seven barristers there, questioning me and telling that I was telling lies, when I told them that I got raped of a Saturday, got a merciful beating after it, and then stuffed…

… he came along the following morning and put holy communion in my mouth.

You don’t know what happened there. You haven’t the foggiest, you’re talking through your hat there. And you’re talking to a Fianna Fáil man, a former councilor and former mayor you’re talking to, that worked tooth and nail or you, for the party that you’re talking about now. Ye didn’t do it right, ye got it wrong.

Admit it.

And apologize for doing that. Because you don’t know what I feel inside me. You don’t know the hurt I am.

You said it was non-adversarial.

My God.

Seven barristers.

Throwing questions at us.

Non-stop.

I tri.. attempted to commit suicide, there’s the woman who saved me from committing suicide, on me way down from Dublin, after spending five days at the commission. Five days I spent at the commission. They brought a man over from Rome, ninety odd years of age, to tell me I was telling lies.

That I wasn’t beaten for an hour, non-stop by two of them.

By two of them.

Non-stop from head to toe without a shred of cloth on my body.

My God minister.

And could I speak to you (comment directed to Leo Varadkar, Fianna Gael), and ask your leader, would you stop making a political football of this.

You hurt this when you do that.

You tear the shreds from inside our body.

For God’s sake, try and give us some peace.

Try to give us some peace and not to continue hurting us.

That woman will tell you how many times I jump out of the bed at night with the sweat pumping out of me. Because I see these fellas at the end of the bed with their fingers doing that (gestures) to me. And pulling me in to the room, to rape me, to bugger me and bate the shite out of me. That’s the way it is.

And you know what?

You know what, sometimes I listen to the leader of Fianna Fáil. I even listened to the apology. T’was mealy mouthed, but at least t’was an apology.

At least t’was an apology.

The Rosminians said in the report, they said they were easy on us. The first day I went to them. The first day to Rosminians in my home which is Ferryhouse in Clonmel, ’cause its the only home I know. He said “you’re in it for the money”.

We didn’t want money.

We didn’t want money. We wanted the pr… someone to stand up and say “yes, these fellas were buggered, these people were ra…”

Little girls. My daughter, oh sorry, my sister. A month old when she was put in to an institution. Eight of us from the one family, dragged by the ISPCC cruelty man. Put in to two cars, brought to the court in Clonmel. Left standing there without food or anything, and the fella in the long black frock and the white collar came along and he put us in to a van.

Not a van, a scut truck, I don’t know what you call it now. And landed us below with two hundred other boys. Two night later I was raped.

How can anyone…

You’re talking about constitution. These people would gladly say “yes” to a constitution to freeze the funds of the religous orders.

This state, this country of ours, would say “yes” to that constitition if you have to change it.

Don’t say you can’t change it.

You’re the governement of this state. You run this state. So for God’s sake stop mealy mouthing. ‘Cause I’m sick of it.

I’m sick of it.

You’re turning me away from voting Fianna Fáil which I have done from the first day that I could vote. Because. And you know me. You know me Mister Minister. You’ve met me on a number of ocassions. So you know what I’m like.

— End of transcript

Catholic Church in Ireland
The Report on physical, sexual and mental abuse committed by the Catholic Church in Ireland has been out a few days and there seems to be far more outrage in other countries than here. The various political leaderships seem afraid to make any comment about this, getting spokespeople to comment instead. Now all the talk [...]

The Report on physical, sexual and mental abuse committed by the Catholic Church in Ireland has been out a few days and there seems to be far more outrage in other countries than here. The various political leaderships seem afraid to make any comment about this, getting spokespeople to comment instead. Now all the talk is about the Church having to pay more money. Cash isn’t justice and it doesn’t help highlight one of the darkest things about Ireland. It is my belief that every time someone does a google search for Catholic Church in Ireland, the abuse report should be front and centre. The Church itself has worked long and hard to bury the atrocities they committed. So if you feel the same way, why not link to the Report with the linking text Catholic Church in Ireland. Many would rather this report be forgotten, I’m not one of those.

Update: A powerpoint version of excerpts from just one section of the report is now online. Please consider embedding on your own blog or sending this to people on Facebook and Twitter.

Peaches - “Talk to Me”

One Solitary Life
Copyright � 2009 Eddy E. Visit the original article at http://www.servingbread.net/2009/04/23/one-solitary-life.Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was [...] Copyright � 2009 Eddy E. Visit the original article at http://www.servingbread.net/2009/04/23/one-solitary-life.

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put his foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself. He had nothing to do with this world except the naked power of His divine manhood. While still a young man, the tide of public opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth while He was dying—and that was his coat. When he was dead He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today He is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of the column of progress. I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that One Solitary Life.

— James Allen Francis

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Outreaches should reach out
Copyright � 2009 Eddy E. Visit the original article at http://www.servingbread.net/2009/04/30/outreaches-should-reach-out.My student leaders and I had a sort of an “aha” moment recently when we were discussing and debriefing the role that outreach should play in our ministry. Outreach events are somewhat peculiar components of ministry. Doing outreach is good for several reasons. It is [...] Copyright � 2009 Eddy E. Visit the original article at http://www.servingbread.net/2009/04/30/outreaches-should-reach-out.

My student leaders and I had a sort of an “aha” moment recently when we were discussing and debriefing the role that outreach should play in our ministry. Outreach events are somewhat peculiar components of ministry. Doing outreach is good for several reasons. It is good for the community doing the outreach to engage the community, be bold in its witness and think creatively of ways to communicate the love of God to a hurting world. I enjoy leading a community of people in outreach and discuss as a community how God increased our faith because of the outreach.

But outreach events are also good for the community we are targeting and reaching. We hope that our events, conversations and creativity urges people to consider the goodness of God, especially as it’s expressed through our community. The ideal outreach should really change our community both in increasing faith in our members and just increasing our membership numbers.

I have been a part of many outreaches where one of those two components are not realized. Yet because outreaches often require money and time investments, it is right to expect that the outreach would have a positive impact on a ministry. Our recent ‘aha’ moment was simply to judge an outreach event or an outreach season by comparing the community before the outreach to the community after the outreach. Bluntly speaking, if our numbers do not increase post-outreach (at least on a campus ministry level), the outreach did not necessarily reach out into the campus.

(Some ministries that do outreach and call it outreach may not be doing outreach, but doing awareness. I use the term awareness to denote events and programs that “get the word out” and hope that somehow some people will stick and start coming along. On the other hand, I would define outreach as having a specific goal to increase our numbers—whether it be through the addition of new Christians or non-Christians to the community.)

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Obama isn’t the epitome of evil
Copyright � 2009 Eddy E. Visit the original article at http://www.servingbread.net/2009/05/26/obama-isnt-the-epitome-of-evil.I often listen to right leaning (and Christian) talk radio. I’m interested in hearing the various perspectives on the issues of our day and I think it helps strengthen my positions and arguments, whether it is in agreement or disagreement with the conservative line. I [...] Copyright � 2009 Eddy E. Visit the original article at http://www.servingbread.net/2009/05/26/obama-isnt-the-epitome-of-evil.

I often listen to right leaning (and Christian) talk radio. I’m interested in hearing the various perspectives on the issues of our day and I think it helps strengthen my positions and arguments, whether it is in agreement or disagreement with the conservative line. I understand that many evangelical Christians did not vote for President Obama and do not like his positions on many issues including abortion, gay marriage, and stem-cell research.

Those who are a bit more involved in the political process will add Obama’s tax policy and foreign policy objectives to the list. Some would go so far as to argue that the positions that Obama has taken are anti-thetical to the Bible. I recently found myself caught up in a debate with a writer for a conservative-leaning blog regarding the Left’s paradigm of taxation. I know that debates on blogs are futile, but I still decided to engage her arguments.

She painted the evil in the Left’s economic policy to be similar to Soviet style economics (especially during the 1950s). She quoted Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s observations of the hell that Soviet citizens faced in the ill-managed regime.  She then went on to describe that “Though the Left in America is obviously not as extreme, you often hear echoes of this ideology, and to the extent that it is carried out, it will be similarly destructive here.”

She cited (using conservative sources, of course) that Obama’s taxation policy (especially his desire to increase the Capital Gains tax) as being echoes of Soviet ideology. In commenting to the post, she wrote to me that “What Obama said about the capital gains tax is morally wrong and bad for everyone, including the poor.”

I have several issues with her post (that I mentioned to her in my comments):

• We can’t compare the left in the US with the left in other societies. I once commented to my British uncle (who is an international journalist) about the agenda of the left and right in American politics and he just laughed at me because those labels do not apply very well to the political system we have in the United States. The chasm between Republicans and Democrats is not as wide as the media and political pundits would like us to believe.
• It is unfair and wrong to link Obama’s tax policies to the managed economy of the Soviet Union. The Soviet regime was evil. Obama is not. Though the Soviets gave lip-service to fairness in managing their economy, Obama’s use of that word is different than what the Soviets intended. President Obama observes like many others (both rich and poor) do that the tax policy is broken and puts more of a burden on those who have not than those who have. In reality, even a flat tax is more progressive than the tax system we have in place.
• We tread on dangerous ground when we use extreme examples to make our point. When I challenged her on whether she would fear that conservative principles are echoes of fascist regimes, she would not concede. While some were free to call Bush a fascist, I disagree with that criticism. Under Bush, wire-tapping of Americans was encouraged and justice department attorneys were fired (under suspicious reasons), yet conservatives were silent on whether the Bush regime was an echo of dictatorial states.
• Envy is wrong but so is greed. Though I concede that it’s too early to understand all of the components (and whose to blame) of the recent downturn of our economy, people (regardless of political leanings) agree that greed was one of the root causes of it. This blogger mentioned that developing a policy that comes out of envy is morally wrong. And I agree. (For the record, I don’t see Obama as doing that) But developing an economic system that encourages greed is also morally wrong. Our economic system relies on consumer spending which is why President Bush encouraged people to go spend in the days after 9/11. Tax breaks that primarily benefit the wealthy may create some new jobs and trickle down to the rest of us, but it also encourages and creates an environment where the Bernie Madoff’s of our world prosper.

It is unfortunate that for the duration of Obama’s administration (like we saw in the campaign), many Christians who disagree with him will gladly paint him as dangerous to our country and our way of life, marking every one of his decisions as having moral implications that are antithetical to the tenets of Scripture. As fun as it may be for some  to paint Obama and all of his policies as the epitome of evil, they’re simply not.

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3-D Copier
I am still astonished by the concept of the 3-D Copier. In the very near future, this copier, which is currently in its preliminary phases, will be able to copy whole objects and also have them appear at a different location. Whole objects, such as guns, cups, or books. Currently, the 3-D copier can already duplicate [...]

Three-Year-Old Sheds Real Tears in New York Anti-Smoking Ad; Did the Ends Justify the Means?
This quit-smoking spot for the New York City Department of Health is igniting hot conversations. The :30 NYC version, shortened from a :60 PSA produced for Australia's Cancer Council Victoria, features a boy abandoned by his mother in a train...

“The Search” AKA Big Brother?
John Battelle begins his book, The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture, by explaining the Database of Intentions as basically a log of every search, result, and action taken on the internet. This log, he explains, is creating a Web-history of our culture. I find this [...]

Starting From Scratch
Well, it was finally time to erase the old spam-filled blog database and start from scratch.  I’m 99% sure there weren’t any real blogs from any real live people in there, so the only people that should have been inconvenienced by the reboot would be the spammers and myself.  And the spammers won’t even notice, [...]

Well, it was finally time to erase the old spam-filled blog database and start from scratch.  I’m 99% sure there weren’t any real blogs from any real live people in there, so the only people that should have been inconvenienced by the reboot would be the spammers and myself.  And the spammers won’t even notice, I’m sure.

I didn’t think about saving a copy of the themes directory.  Oops.  I should grab a copy of that from backups while I can.  I lost track of how many themes I had nicely re-edited to work with the site, so that all those spam blogs would look interesting.  Of course, the spammers never thanked me for all that hard work.  Jerks.

UPDATE: Themes have been restored from backups.  Hooray for themes!

The Day the Earth Stood Still (Scott Derrickson 2008)

Another Randomly Sketched Local


Faster Ninjaguydan, Kill Kill!


So jung und schon versaut
Wenn es um Sex geht kennt Kate garkeine Hemmu … re Backen und die enge Rosette zum Stich bereit. Klicke hier für weitere Fotos und Filme!

Rough Draft Mondays



Sara und der Dildo
Sara, ein blondes und sexy Biest. Sie ist zwar schon etwas älter, aber dennoch juckt ihr ständig die Vagina. Also wird hier mal schnell der Dildo in die feuchte Ritze geschoben und der Po kommt natürlich auch nicht zu kurz… Hier geht es zu mehr Bilder und Filme!

Angie und ihr Lover - jetzt sehen
Die heisse Tussi Angie sitzt auf der Liege und cremt ihren Freund ein. Ihre strammen Brüste lassen seinen Lümmel anschwellen und die beiden schieben eine heiße Nummer. Sie sitzt verkehr auf ihm drauf und bläst ihm einen während sie ihre obergeile Muschi gelutscht bekommt. Ihre Möse schreit schon nach seinem harten Lümmel und denn bekommt [...]

Even Ho's are hit by the economy?
The Girlfriend Experience? Isn't the reason one gets a prostitute is so they can avoid having an annoying girl hang around afterwards?

Kris Allen wins American Idol after a two-hour finale proving Adam Lambert deserved it
It could be the biggest head fake in network television history. But Kris Allen's surprise win on American Idol tonight felt especially odd because it capped a two-hour finale that made the case for runner-up Adam Lambert as the flashier...

CW fall schedule eliminates two black-centered shows, nixes Brittany Snow's Gossip Girl spinoff
As network TV giveth, so can it take away. Four days after Fox doubled the number of network TV shows featuring stars of color, the CW pulled things back to familiar territory, advancing a schedule for 2009-10 that cancels the...

Pro-life in private, pro-choice in the voting booth: UPDATED
I posted about Obama, abortion, and irreconcilables yesterday. As coincidence would have it, a major anti-abortion campaign has descended on Pasadena City College this week. At strategic points around campus, activists have erected massive billboards depicting the fetus at various stages of prenatal development. Several dozen young people, clean-cut and mostly white, [...]

I posted about Obama, abortion, and irreconcilables yesterday. As coincidence would have it, a major anti-abortion campaign has descended on Pasadena City College this week. At strategic points around campus, activists have erected massive billboards depicting the fetus at various stages of prenatal development. Several dozen young people, clean-cut and mostly white, clad in shorts and t-shirts, are manning the displays with literature and a willingness to talk. Yesterday, these huge set-ups attracted large crowds, drawn to the brightly colored, highly controversial images. As I walked on to campus this morning, the displays were being erected once more; this is presumably part of a week-long campaign.

(UPDATE: I’ve learned that our visitors this week come from the Wichita, Kansas outfit called Justice for All. Their website — with exact reproductions of the images they have on campus this week – is here. Warning: May be triggering for many. A visit to the JFA site makes clear they are tied to conservative Protestant evangelicalism, advocating abstinence until marriage. JFA is closely linked with Stand To Reason, the Southern California apologetics group; STR’s statement of faith is here. JFA has been sued before over their displays, and a lawsuit is ongoing in Texas after a display at UT Austin.)

This often happens this time of year. Christian colleges and universities that finish their terms in early May free up committed young activists to descend on public colleges and universities that won’t finish up until June. What a fine thing it must be to be able to tell one’s friends that one is spending the summer campaigning and witnessing for life, bringing the “truth about abortion” to the ignorant, the misled, and the Great Unsaved! I’m a bit snarky, but also empathetic. I’ve been part of similar marches and campaigns, and unlike most people, have adult experience with being on both sides of the abortion issue. (Pro-choice, pro-life, and pro-choice once more.) I know how easy it is to move from passionate conviction to righteous indignation to dehumanization of one’s opponents.

On a day like today, I have no interest in wading out onto the quad to engage one-one-one with these folks. My main concern is for the emotional welfare of my students, particularly those who have had abortions. (I can think of four young women currently on this campus who have confided in me that they have made that particular choice. I’m under no illusion that everyone who has had an abortion shares the story with me, and as a result, can only assume that a substantial percentage of my students have terminated a pregnancy.) The activists have set up their displays in such a way that it is difficult to enter or exit our main buildings without seeing these graphic and troubling images; I am eager to make myself available (and I know I speak for my feminist colleagues when I say that they are also available) to students who want to process through their feelings.

If I were to engage with the activists, I wouldn’t debate the issue of when life begins. The answer to that question is so weighted with theological conviction and emotional intuition that the chances of achieving a happy universal consensus are nil. (See yesterday’s post about the inevitabilty of irreconcilables.) Rather, I’d prefer to focus solely on policy. What laws do they want changed? What punishments would be appropriate for women who seek abortion? What punishments would be appropriate for doctors who provide abortion? What expectations do these activists have that ending legal abortion will also end illicit pregnancy terminations?

President Obama rightly pointed out that most Americans have contradictory views. Many Americans, an increasing number, are “pro-life.” The anti-abortion movement is winning the battle to convince folks that a fetus is a human being. But they aren’t winning elections; just last fall, pro-life propositions were resoundingly defeated in Colorado, South Dakota, and in California. The reason for this apparent disconnect is that a great many people find abortion abhorrent, but are reluctant to ban the procedure in all instances. Most Americans can imagine their own daughters or little sisters getting raped, after all; few Americans would want to force a woman to carry such a pregnancy to term.

So the question I would have for my pro-life friends is about policy. What specific policy recommendations do you call for? If doctors continue to perform abortions once it has been made illegal, what charges do you intend to bring against them? What crime do you think a woman ought to be charged with if she seeks an abortion? If you believe that women are “victims” of abortion, do you see them as emotional children who cannot be held accountable for their actions? Do you think penalties should be enhanced for women who seek more than one abortion over the course of their lifetimes?

The issue of when life begins is, I think, more or less a moot point. Even if we concede (and I do not concede this) that life begins at conception, what specific policies and coercive tactics ought to be adopted to protect that embryonic life? In the public square, those of us who hold strong views need to bring tangible policy solutions to the table. And this, of course, is where the pro-life movement loses traction with the American people. 51% of Americans may describe themselves as pro-life, but that doesn’t mean 51% of Americans want abortion to be outlawed, or want clinic workers charged with murder. Americans, in other words, seem to be increasingly pro-life in their private moral views and resolutely pro-choice in terms of their views on public policy. (This explains why parental notification initiatives have failed three times in California, despite the fact that most Californians think teens should talk to their parents before seeking an abortion.) We lean increasingly to the right philosophically, but increasingly left in terms of practicalities.

But today, my thoughts are not about politics or philosophy. My thoughts are with the young women on this campus (statistically, on a campus with more than 15,000 women, there are thousands who are have had or will have an abortion) who will come face to face with these graphic displays today. My prayers are for them, my office door (as I told my women’s studies class this morning) is open to them. And I’m choosing to remain cheerfully civil to those whose views are different from my own.

Another Randomly Sketched Local

Zwei Lümmel für Samantha
Samantha das heiße Luder kann gar nicht genug bekommen und schiebt sich einen Vibrator in die Spalte und einen in ihre enge Rosette. Das heiße Stück besorgt es sich wie sie es braucht. Mit einen klick auf die Photos, kommst du zum heissen Anal-Portal! Klicke hier für mehr Videos!

Red Door Interactive Announces New Blog: Red Door Buzz
We are happy to announce that after 6 years, the Red Door BizBlog has had a makeover and is now Red Door Buzz, an independently hosted blog featuring insights into Internet Presence Management, Red Door company culture, news and latest client work. Please redirect your subscriptions to http://feeds.feedburner.com/RedDoorBuzz

We look forward to continuing the conversation at Red Door Buzz!

Ich mag es hart in den Arsch - jetzt sehen
Dieser süße Blondschopf hier mag es richtig hart in den Arsch besorgt. Auf Blümchensex steht sie überhaupt nicht, sie möchte dicke Schwänze am liebsten in ihrer Rosette stecken haben. Sie lässt es sich richtig gut besorgen bis er seinen Saft nicht mehr zurückhalten kann. Sie dreht sich zu ihm herum und streichelt seinen Saft aus [...]

Bill Gates Shakes His @ss


So, we have the first results of Microsoft and Crispin Porter + Bogusky's $300,000,000 attempt to make Microsoft hip and cool in response to the rather unflattering image portrayed in Apple and TBWA Chiat Day's wildly popular Mac vs. PC campaign.

The results? Well, there's an appearance by Jerry Seinfield, and a rather laid back Bill Gates, churros, a cheap shoe store, and some mention of the product. The spot ends the camera on Bill Gates shaking it.

The final tagline reads:

Microsoft. The future. Delicious.

Hey, wait a minute, isn't delicious a variety of apple?

Meine kleine Schlampe
Das süsse blonde Fötzchen hier läst sich schön verwöhnen und bekommt einen festen Lümmel zum spielen. Das geile Stück jappst bei jedem Stoß und das macht ihn richtig an. Er spritzt der schlampe eine schöne Ladung Ejakulat auf den Hintern. Klicke hier für weitere Fotos und Filme!

Blond und sexbessesen (ID: 3080)
Blond, Schwanzgeil und völlig versaut ist diese sueße Göre hier. Sie braucht es wieder einmal ganz dringend und kann nicht mehr warten. Mit dem Maul leckt sie seinen Prachtlümmel wirklich hart und schiebt sich den Prügel anschließend richtig tief in ihre Fotze. Nach diesem naturgeilen Ritt, spritzt er ihr schön in die Fresse. [...]

Die neue Darstellerin (ID: 1683)
Die neue Darstellerin ist der Irrsinn, nur kurz angesprochen und das scharfe Ding will schon Vögeln. Sie schleckt ihm den Lümmel und bekommt dafür die Pussi gestopft und mit Ejak…. Klicke hier für weitere Fotos und Filme!

Fran im Bett
Frans sueße Löcher sehnen sich nach einen Schwengel, ihr Freund kann die Lockrufe ihrer Pussy hören und kommt um sie zu…. Klicke hier für mehr Videos!

Verizon officially debuts RIM BlackBerry Storm



Well, my Christmas wishlist is officially complete. Finally, after years of limited smartphone options from Verizon, the wait is over (or at least until early November). I have been a devoted Verizon customer for many years and their 'network' is what has kept me a customer. The new Storm a.k.a. BlackBerry Thunder seems pretty amazing with it's ClickThrough suspension system that acts like a tactile button. It also boasts a 3.2 megapixel camera with flash. The features continue.

Read the full cnet article here.

The Verizon site also has a good video of first reactions.

Bloggers/Writers: get $$ for guest blogging

Quick reminder to unsuspected Paypal users

PR0 to PR4 in 4 easy weeks

Google Crashes the Internet and Frustrates Marketers Everywhere

There have been wide spread reports today - starting with CNET and more coverage gathered on Techmeme - that Google search, Gmail, Google Analtics, Feedburner, and pretty much all Google services are experienceing some bit outages.  I have seen these issues myself, and as a marketer found them extremely frustrating.

Here is the Impact of Google's Outage on Marketing:

1. It can crash your website.  If you are running Google Analytics on your website, I have seen it cause your site to not load at all, or certainly load very slowly, reducing the user experience and reducing the number of leads and sales your website can generate. (Solution: Remove Google Analytics code from your website, at least until the issue is over.)
2. Loss of SEO traffic. If Google search is not working, then you cannot get any search traffic from Google.  This means that people who are in the mood to look for your products and services will not find you.
3. Reduced email results.  If Gmail is down, then you will likely get a lower click through rate on any email marketing you are doing, because most lists these days have a decent number of Gmail subscribers on them.
4. Loss of data.  If you rely on the free and unsupported Google Analytics product, then even if people can access your website, your traffic and leads data during the outage will be lost forever.

Google is a huge company and should be doing better.  They really let the marketing community down today in a big way.  Companies that provide online software (sometimes called software as a service or Saas) should provide a public reporting mechanism to show when they are having performance problems.  Companies like Salesforce.com or HubSpot do this.  Google should do the same and be more honest with the marketing community.

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5 Ways to Measure the Success of Your Business Blog

Most people probably remember former NBA superstars Karl Malone and John Stockton. Together this dynamic duo from the Utah Jazz immortalized the play called the pick-and-roll.

While I won't go into the details of the play I wanted to highlight that individually Malone and Stockton were awesome players, but when executing this play together their combination was lethal to the opposition.

Number of game wins and their two runs at the NBA championship is probably the best way to measure their team's success, but other stats like setting up other players with assists and the ability to get offensive charges also played a vital part in their victories.

The same goes for your blog.  While you might think the Technorati rank and tops in Google results for a keyword or two is the end-all-be-all for your achievement, here are five other ways to measure the success of your business blog:

1. Reach

Let's start with the most common stat for any site or blog on the web - number of monthly visitors.  This gives you a pretty good idea of your blog's reach.  You might want to break this down further to see where people are coming from.

Another measure of reach is the number of keywords drawing traffic to your blog and also checking to see if those keywords are drawing more and more traffic over time.

2. Stickiness

While the number of subscribers is a good measure of reach, I like to think of it as the number of people who've opted-in to hear from you regularly - and thus is a measure of stickiness.  How sticky is your blog?

3. Engagement

Engagment is about guaging how much people interact with you or measuring the level of dialog. Comments on your blog or in social media is a good way to measure engagement quantitatively.

One could go further and split the positive comments from negative comments to also get a qualitative measure of engagement.

4. Authority

Just like citations at the end of academic papers refer to important, authoritative works, in the same way inbound links are a good measure of authority for your blog and specific articles.

At the same time blog tweets or retweets or your brand mentions in relation to a particular blog article could be considered a good measure of authority.

You should be monitoring social media to capture the impact of influence of your blog on the community.

5. Conversion

At the end of the day what matters to most business is leads and customers.  How can you justify so much time blogging if there is no concrete business result from that activity?

While all results don't need to be tangible, a good way to measure the fruit of your blogging efforts is track conversion, i.e. how many visitors your drove back to your site or product pages and ultimately how many leads you got from that.

The Takeaway for Business Boggers

Coming back to my basketball analogy I want to reinforce that while your website may be powerful like the Mailman at 6' 9" 250 lbs and you may have a blog that is nimble with fresh content like Stockton at 6' 1" 170 lbs, it is really the combination of the two together like the pick and roll that can really accelerate your business success.

Keep measuring important aspects of your blogging efforts and try and improve them.  Aim high for that hoop and enjoy the success!

How are you measuring the success of your business blog?  Please share your thoughts in the comments.

 

Webinar: Advanced Business Blogging

Learn how to build your business blog into an inbound marketing machine. Download the free webinar to learn how to create a thriving blog.

 

Photo credit: Photohop (e453753)

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Don't Work for Free. Track Conversions.

Imagine this: Your teenage son comes home from school one day with a big smile on his face, and announces he's accepted a summer job mowing lawns.

Needless to say, you're impressed. The summer hasn't even started and he's got something all lined up. What initiative! What great parenting! You've done well.

So you ask the logical next question: How much is he going to get paid?

At this point, your son starts squirming, his face turns red and he admits that he forgot to ask.

What!?!3#$%

How could he possibly agree to a job without knowing how much he's going to get paid? How could he not know this?! Where did you go wrong? Kids!

Spare the indignity. Adults -- particularly adults in online marketing -- do this all the time. They do endless hours of SEO, blogging and social media work, driving people to their website -- then fail to find out how many of those website visitors actually convert to customers. Just like your teenage son, they work without knowing how much they're getting paid.

The worst part of the story? The information they're missing isn't hard to get. You just have to track the right things. Specifically, you should think of your business website as a funnel like the one in the image below.

 

 

Here's what you should be measuring in this funnel:

Website Visitors -- Website visitors are at the top of the funnel. These are the people you've attracted to your site via channels like your blog, social media and search engine optimization.

Leads -- Leads are the website visitors who express interest in your product by submitting information on a landing page. Maybe they fill out a form in order to download a white paper. Maybe they requested an demo. Whatever it is, these people are potential customers, and you have more information about them than you have about your website visitors.

Customers -- These are the folks who pay you. If you're not already tracking them, you're in trouble.

Conversion Rates -- This is the percentage of website visitors that converts to leads and the percentage of leads that converts to customers. This is important to know because you need to understand where in the funnel you can improve. Are you better at converting leads to customers? Or visitors to leads? The answer to that question will help you determine where to focus you energy and how to drive more sales.

Channel-Level Funnel -- This means tracking everything above (the funnel) for each channel. How many website visitors, leads and customers do you get from organic search traffic? How about from your blog? And what are the conversion rates for each? The answers to these questions will help you determine which channels to focus you marketing reasources on.

What do you think? Are you tracking this funnel? If not, what's stopping you?

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HubSpot TV - This Brand is My Brand with Chris Brogan

Episode #40 - May 15th, 2009
(Episode length: 31 minutes, 36 seconds)

Intro

• How to interact on Twitter - @karenrubin @mvolpe @chrisbrogan
• Remember to subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.hubspot.tv

HubSpot TV Guest: Chris Brogan

• New Marketing Labs
  
• Inbound Marketing Summit: Next event in Dallas on May 27-28th!
  

Headlines

The Evolution of Google

• Google Search Evolves - But Has Google Finally Lost its Core Focus?
  Google beefs up Web services, search
• Rich Snippets: More control over how your content is organized and viewed by Google user
• Google Squared: Fetches and organized facts
• Search Options: More options for how you look at search results
• Marketing Takeaway: Search continues to evolve. Be conscious of the changes and how you can use them to advance your website for the next generation of search engines.

Paid Search Traffic Down 26%

• Paid Search Traffic Down Sharply
• "Share of search traffic to websites generated from paid listings has dropped to about 7.25 percent over the last four weeks, down from 9.8 percent during the same period a year ago."Marketing cutbacks? Or are larger companies learning the value of organic search results?
• Marketing cutbacks? Or are larger companies learning the value of organic search results?
• Marketing Takeaway: Industry trends are interesting, but whats most important is your trends and your data.

CMO Council: Recession prompts more online brand attacks

• Tighter economic times are increasing attacks on brands online through "gray market knockoffs, phishing attacks, cyber squatting, e-mail scams, trademark abuse, and copyright and patent infringements"

• Marketing Takeaway: Monitoring your brand online is a must. Use free tools such at Google alerts, Twitter search, Backtype (for blog comments) and keep and eye on them on a regular basis. HubSpot Software also automatically helps you monitor your brand and send you alerts.

FTC to announce lawsuits in car warranty robocalls

• Computerized calls to cell phones and land lines (even those listed on the do not call registry) pitch extended auto warranties
• FTC is taking legal action and has filed suit again the telemarketing company and the promoter of the warranties
• Marketing Takeaway: If you are an aggressive outbound marketer, be careful about what tactics you use because you may get in trouble!

Twitter Surpasses New York Times and Wall Street Journal

• Marketing Takeaway 1 : Make sure to grab your brand on Twitter even if you aren't ready to use it.
• Marketing Takeaway 2: Maybe it's more about quality then quantity and this is more a fad than anything else. In any case, see marketing takeaway 1.

Marketing Tip of the Week - Read Chris Brogan's blog and check out the Inbound Marketing Summit!

Closing

Miss last week's episode?: HubSpot TV - Listen to Your Fans, Friends & Followers with Scott Kirsner (May 8, 2009) 

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Interview with John Battelle on the Future of Search

John Battelle, founder of Wired magazine, The Industry Standard and Federated Media Publishing, recently sat down for a conversation with HubSpot CEO Brian Halligan. During the interview, Brian picked John's brain about Google, social media and how these two media coexist and compete.

John is also the author of The Search and was a featured speaker at the Inbound Marketing Summit in San Francisco.

1) What is the Future of Search?

Search is currently an interface for working with machines. As we learn new ways to interact with information, it will stop looking like a list of links and will start feeling more like a conversation. Soon we won't need to train ourselves how to search for the results that we want. Instead, searching for information will seem no different from the way we already think. 

2) How Can Small Businesses Create Competitive Advantages?

There is a strong opportunity to be a first-mover in your market. Take advantage of the tools you alredy have, including your relationships with your customers. Use social media to engage with them, show them you understand, and stand out from the pack.

3) Are Facebook and Twitter Search a Threat to Google?

Search in social media platforms is a threat to Google. While AdWords is a profitable business, search in Facebook and Twitter is a diferent beast that requires a new approach. To compete, Google is trying to bring human beings into their search equations in a way that relates to a social graph.

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Debbie Qaqish Explains How Small Businesses Can Increase Lead Volume & Quality

At last week's Online Marketing Summit in Boston one session stood out for me: Debbie Qaqish's fantastic talk on demand generation essentials. Debbie is chief revenue officer at the Pedowitz Group, a firm that helps companies improve their lead volume and quality.

I caught up with Debbie via email after her talk, and she answered a few questions about demand generation, marketing automation and the ways in which small business can take advantage of both.

Q: You have a very strong background in sales, but you're now a principal at a firm that helps companies with demand generation and marketing automation. Can you explain the transition?
A: I think having a strong background in sales is part of why our firm is such a leader in this space. Demand generation is all about working with both sales and marketing to produce high quality leads and then to use some of these same technologies to make better pursuit decisions in the sales cycle. If I did not have a solid sales background, I think this would be a harder leap for me to make and harder for my clients to understand.

Every engagement we have with a client begins with a Business Process Review which involves BOTH sales and marketing. In this process, we document the Life of a Lead and create a lead scoring framework. This BPR helps the dialog and understanding between sales and marketing. So while we are facilitating, we are wearing both the sales and marketing hat. If I had a traditional marketing background, this would be much harder to facilitate.

We did a study last year in which we interviewed leaders in demand generation and also did a large online survey with OMS. One of the more interesting findings from the study was that we are now seeing a variety of backgrounds including sales, finance and operations as becoming common for those marketers responsible for demand generation.

We also observed that marketers with a strong traditional brand or creative background, were struggling to make the change to demand-generation marketer.

The conclusion: having a sales background is excellent for this space. and if you don't know about how sales works in your company today, find out!

Q: Let's backtrack for a minute: What, exactly, do you mean by demand generation and marketing automation?

A: Great question and it's one that we educate on quite consistently in all of our speaking engagements and certainly with all of our clients.

Demand generation is the revenue-focused set of activities of both sales and marketing that:

• get quality leads into the top of the sales funnel
• help pull opportunities through the sales funnel quicker

Marketing automation is a poorly chosen term that describes an emerging category of Web 2.0 technoloy designed to:

• improve marketng efficiencies
• drive revenue through high quality lead generation

These technologies work both in the marketing lead generation funnel and the sales funnel.

What's really cool about demand generation practiced with sophisticated marketing automation is that there are only about 2,000 companies who are practitioners. This is still a very early category that is growing at about a 2x rate.

A: These seem like practices that would only be practical for big companies with deep pockets. Is that true?

Q: Absolutely not! We work with many start-up and small to medium sized businesses (SMBs) who have embraced these technologies and practices to make a huge difference in their revenue picture. Just in the last year, the number of solutions that are available to this market has grown rapidly and with that growth has come many options and pricing ranges. Additionally, we are seeing VCs taking an interest in these technologies as they see them as a way to help ensure revenue growth.

Q: Where should small businesses start with marketing automation?

A: We have a very clear process for how any company should start with marketing automation. We call it the LASER Apporach - Learn, Align, Select, Engage, Get Results. You can learn more about the best practices methodology for getting started with demand generation on our web site.

Learn - In this phase, marketing is gathering information and is beginning to educate themselves and senior management. This phase begins to build buy-in for implementing a demand generation solution.

Align - In this phase, the important work of aligning sales and marketing begins and common ground is reached for establishing the critical criteria for success with demand generation. Sales and marketing work together to create a set of Use Cases, which will help them select the right lead management system. The Use Cases will define how they can best use a solution to generate leads and revenue. They're also a tool used to cement buy-in from senior management.

Select - In this phase, the Use Cases are utilized to obtain approval from senior management and to help select the right lead management system.
Engage - In this phase, the work of implementing the solution, integrating the solution with CRM, and setting up processes for how to use the system occurs. Training also takes place in this phase.

Get Results - This phase is the "operationalization" of the solution and is broken down into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced company stages. Each sub-phase is characterized individually and highlights the "growth in the competency."

Q: What are the two most common problems that you see when you begin an engagement with a company?

A: Great question!
1. Non-alignment of sales and marketing
2. Not having a common language of leads

While both of these sound obvious and perhaps simple, it happens in every company we work with. Improving the alignment of sales and marketing for successful demand generation is wrapped into all of the core processes we employ while working with our clients (using Life of a Lead, Lead Scoring, Lead Management, SLAs and Guiding Principles). In addition, creating a common lead language (a natural output of Life of a Lead and Lead Scoring) is the first output of all of our engagements. For any company, working with any marketing automation system, having these two key elements in place, will go a long way towards ensuring demand generation success.

Q: What companies do you look to as examples? Who has most effectively implemented marketing automation solutions?

A: The best are the marketing automation vendors themselves. I remember the first time I saw Eloqua - I wanted my sales people to be able to sell like my Eloqua rep. The same is true of marketers. Quite often I hear comments like, "I want to run campaigns or set up lead nurturing like you did to me!" If you enter into a sales cycle with one of these vendors, you will get a best practices example of how you can most effectively use this technology.

Q: What do you read -- and what should marketers and small business owners read if they want to learn more about this world? (Besides the HubSpot Blog and the Pedowitz Group blog!)
A: Great new book by Steve Woods - "Digital Body Language", anything from Sirius Decisions, DemandGen Report, MarketingSherpa, Laura Ramos at Forrester Research.

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Study Shows Social Media Releases Are Less Effective Than Traditional Press Releases

Today, many industries are working hard to adapt their business practices to the changing Web. One prime example is the public relations industry's effort to develop the social media news release (SMNR).

Conceptually, I think SMNRs are fantastic. They host all the resources a journalist might need in a beautiful package. But should they be used for every release? Do they really help spread your message? Do they help your website get links?

Recently, I conducted a study comparing the results of social media releases and traditional releases by publishing them across five newswires. (I'll be discussing more details of the study in a webinar this afternoon.)

I hoped to learn which format would be syndicated on "portal websites" most often, and which would be best for link building. (Note: A syndication is an instance when a press release is published in-full with links by another website, called a portal; syndications are *not* editorial coverage.)

What I learned may surprise you. As you can see in the graph below, the traditional release format performed much better. 

So what can you learn from this experiment? How can you make sure your releases are syndicated as much as possible?

1) Don't use formatting. Many portal sites don't accept it. (For the technical folks, we're talking about XHTML.) Ditch the bullets, the itallics and bold type. It complicates the code and makes it more difficult for your release to be syndicated. 

2) Don't use multimedia. Many portal sites can't handle it well. To take it a step further, I'd say *most* won't post it, (unless the portal site is hosted or controlled by the newswire that launched the release). Instead of posting multimedia in your release, link to a place where it's hosted on your website. 

3) Use anchor text and full URLs. Not all portal sites are compatible with anchor text. This means that your anchor text could be lost on some portal sites. In order to increase your chance of keeping your most important links in your release, use this structure: HubSpot Blog (http://blog.hubspot.com). Normally, we would not recommend redundant links. But this way, if anchor text is lost, the full URL is likely to remain. 

4) Use basic language. Many portal sites decide to publish a release by scanning for relevant keywords in the release body and headline. The portal then automatically posts anything that contains the right keywords to fit their formulas. To be syndicated by more relevant portals, use straight-forward text that the portal's crawlers will pick up.

Some of this may be surprising, but portal sites haven't caught up yet. If you keep things simple for them, you'll increase your chances of getting syndicated, building links and getting found.

The takeaway? Use social media and multimedia elements in your PR strategy, not your press releases.

Watch the Webinar: New Research on Creating News Releases That Work

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Don't Make a Macro Mistake With Your Micro Site

Last week I spent some time speaking with Jess Dennis of Red Shoes PR about the firm's upcoming seminar, Bottom Line: Social Media for Business. (If you're near Appleton, WI on June 4, stop by -- I'm speaking!)

When we spoke, Jess explained that she and her business partners were trying to figure out whether to put the event website on a new domain (a microsite), or make it a page within their existing site (www.redshoespr.com).

Because they were hosting the event in conjunction with the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, they wanted to create some distance between the event brand and their own brand, so they were leaning towards a microsite on a new domain.

I agreed with their assessment.

I was fired up about the event when I got off the phone, so I turned to one of my colleagues who sits next to me here at HubSpot, and explained the situation. I got an unexpectedly sharp reaction: "Microsite -- why would they want to do that?"

Then he went on to explain the basic problem: Microsites can be SEO liabilities.

Think about it. You spend years building links and optimizing pages on your main site. You build up some Google juice, you start ranking for some great terms. Then a new project comes along and because it has its own brand identity, the powers that be decide it needs to be on a separate domain.

Goodbye Google juice.

Instead of building on the SEO authority you worked so hard to accrue, you have to start building it all over again. And in the mean time, your new microsite isn't going to rank well.

Of course, there are circumstances in which a microsite makes sense. For example, if you're trying to build a new, long-lasting brand, a microsite is probably the right way to go.

When we set up the website for the Inbound Marketing Summit last year, we knew we wanted to keep the name and build it into a brand. So we went with a microsite.

That decision cost us search engine traffic in the short term, but it's now helping New Marketing Labs, the company that purchased the Summit from us earlier this year.

Microsites also make sense if you care more about the site's unique brand and user experience than about search engine optimization.

So what's the takeaway?

Simple. The next time you're considering setting up a microsite, ask yourself this: Is the new site a permanent brand I want to invest in? And, if that's the case, am I willing to take an SEO hit in the short term?

If the answer to either of those questions is no, you probably shouldn't go with microsite on its own domain.

What do you think? What reasons to use or not to use microsites am I not considering?

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Massachusetts' Top Companies, Ranked by Search Engine Authority

Earlier this week The Boston Globe released its Globe 100 -- its annual list of the top 100 public companies in Massachusetts, "ranked by composite performance score."

We pay close attention to our neighbors (particularly their inbound marketing needs and practices), so we thought we'd offer an alternative ranking: search engine authority.

We took the The Globe 100, ran their websites through Website Grader, then sorted them according to grade. The results are below (the links will take you to each company's Website Grader report).

So what's the big difference between companies at the top of the list, and those at the bottom?

In a word: content.

Top-ranked Progress Software has almost 8,000 indexed pages. As a result, they have a much better chance of winning the SEO lottery than last-placed MicroFinancial (9 indexed pages). You'll see a similar gap between most top- and bottom-ranked companies.

Progress Software Corp. (www.progress.com) 99.8
Staples (www.staples.com) 99.5
Raytheon Co. (www.raytheon.com) 99.3
EMC Corp. (www.emc.com) 97.6
Parametric Technology Corp. (www.ptc.com) 96.8
Analog Devices (www.analog.com) 96.4
Forrester Research (www.forrester.com) 95.5
Iron Mountain (www.ironmountain.com) 95.5
BJ's Wholesale Club (www.bjs.com) 95.1
Airvana (www.airvana.com) 95.1
Pegasystems (www.pega.com) 94
Sapient Corp. (www.sapient.com) 93
Akamai Technologies (www.akamai.com) 93
Zoll Medical Corp. ( www.zoll.com) 93
NetScout Systems (www.netscout.com) 93
Monotype Imaging Holdings (www.monotypeimaging.com) 93
NStar (www.nstaronline.com) 92
American Science and Engineering (www.as-e.com) 92
Bitstream (www.bitstream.com) 92
VistaPrint Ltd. (www.vistaprint.com) 91
UniFirst Corp. (www.unifirst.co) 91
PerkinElmer (www.perkinelmer.com) 91
Sonesta International Hotels Corp. (www.sonesta.com) 91
Hittite Microwave Corp. (www.hittite.com) 91
Double-Take Software (www.doubletake.com) 91
iRobot Corp. (www.irobot.com) 91
Parexel International Corp. (www.parexel.com) 90
Waters Corp. (www.waters.com) 90
SeaChange International (www.schange.com) 90
Independent Bank Corp. (www.rocklandtrust.com) 90
Millipore Corp. (www.millipore.com) 89
Genzyme Corp. (www.genzyme.com) 89
Aspect Medical Systems (www.aspectmedical.com) 89
Eaton Vance Corp. (www.eatonvance.com) 89
Aware (www.aware.com) 89
Safety Insurance Group (www.safetyinsurance.com) 89
CRA International (www.crai.com) 88
Clean Harbors (www.cleanharbors.com) 87
Thermo Fisher Scientific (www.fishersci.com) 87
Varian Semiconductor Equipment (www.vsea.com) 86
Berkshire Hills Bancorp (www.berkshirebank.com) 85
Boston Beer Co. (www.bostonbeer.com) 85
Skyworks Solutions (www.skyworksinc.com) 84
Phase Forward (www.phaseforward.com) 84
Harvard Bioscience (www.harvardbioscience.com) 84
Brookline Bancorp (www.brooklinebank.com) 84
Cognex Corp. (www.cognex.com)  83
Cubist Pharmaceuticals (www.cubist.com) 82
Sepracor (www.sepracor.com) 82
Cabot Corp. (www.cabot-corp.com) 82
Hanover Insurance Group (www.hanover.com) 82
Chicopee Bancorp (www.chicopeesavings.com) 82
L.S. Starrett Co. (www.starrett.com) 81
Alkermes (www.alkermes.com) 80
Five Star Quality Care (www.5sqc.com) 80
American Tower Corp. ( www.americantower.com) 79
State Street Corp. (www.statestreet.com) 78
IPG Photonics Corp. (www.ipgphotonics.com) 78
UFP Technologies (www.ufpt.com) 78
Repligen Corp. (www.repligen.com) 78
Beacon Roofing Supply (www.beaconroofingsupply.com) 77
Hingham Institution for Savings (www.hinghamsavings.com) 77
Affiliated Managers Group (www.amg.com) 77
TJX Cos. (www.tjx.com) 75
Interactive Data Corp. (www.interactivedata.com) 75
Haemonetics Corp. (www.haemonetics.com) 75
Altra Holdings (www.altramotion.com) 74
United Financial Bancorp (www.bankatunited.com) 73
Wainwright Bank & Trust Co. (www.wainwrightbank.com) 73
Valpey Fisher Corp. (www.valpeyfisher.com) 72
Starent Networks Corp. (www.starentnetworks.com) 71
Biogen IDEC (www.biogenidec.com) 71
Cynosure (www.cynosurelaser.com) 71
HRPT Properties Trust (www.hrpreit.com) 70
Senior Housing Properties Trust (www.snhreit.com) 69
Watts Water Technologies (www.wattswater.com) 69
Datawatch Corp. (www.datawatch.com) 69
Mac-Gray Corp. (www.macgray.com) 68
Century Bancorp (www.century-bank.com) 67
Benjamin Franklin Bancorp (www.benfranklinbank.com) 67
Enterprise Bancorp (www.enterprisebankandtrust.com) 67
Analogic Corp. (www.analogic.com) 65
Acme Packet (www.acmepacket.com) 65
Arrhythmia Research Technology (www.arthrt.com) 64
Westfield Financial (www.westfieldbank.com) 63
Hospitality Properties Trust (www.hptreit.com) 62
Legacy Bancorp (www.legacybancorp.com) 60
Boston Properties (www.bostonproperties.com) 60
Bruker Corp. (www.bruker-biosciences.com) 59
Psychemedics Corp. (www.psychemedics.com) 59
MKS Instruments (www.mksinstruments.com) 59
Steinway Musical Instruments (www.steinwaymusical.com) 58
CSP (www.cspi.com) 56
Global Partners (www.globalp.com) 51
Anika Therapeutics (www.anikatherapeutics.com) 46
Tech/Ops Sevcon (www.sevcon.com) 45
Chase Corp. (www.chasecorp.com) 43
Franklin Street Properties (www.franklinstreetproperties.com) 41
Atlantic Tele-Network (www.atni.com) 40
MicroFinancial (www.microfinancial.com) 33

Globe 100 Rank versus WSG Score Trend Chart

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5 Common Press Release Mistakes, And How to Avoid Them

Press releases have many different functions. Some companies use them to announce an award win or product launch. Research and analyst companies use releases to announce new data or scientific results.

Did you know press releases can also be used to help your website rank better in Google, target specific keywords and build links into your website?

HubSpot recently conducted a study to learn how best to use press releases as a means to help your website perform better in search engines. (We will be announcing those results on our May 20th webinar.)

For now, here's five common mistakes that any marketer or business owner can easily fix when creating press releases.

1) Don't only link to your main website. The most common link in a press release is the company website in the boilerplate. Don't let this be the only link you use. Make sure you are taking advantage of every opportunity to link back to interior pages that often don't receive any links at all.

2) Don't forget to use anchor text. Anchor text tells Google what a link is about. Take a few minutes to review your press release and look for words that you want to rank for. Link those words back to related, internal pages as anchor text.

3) Don't use Gobbledygook words. They mean nothing to people or search engines. Flashy words as headlines also hurt a release's ability to be syndicated, or reposted, on other websites. Use keyword-rich language that is straight forward. Use free tools like Gobbledygook Grader to check. 

4) Don't embed multimedia in your press releases. Post it on your own website instead, and include a link to it in your release. It'd be a shame if people started linking to the press release instead of your site. Also, multimedia capabilities tends to be a lot more expensive than regular releases. Why dish out the extra cash?

5) Don't forget to post your press release to your blog. Press releases can make great company blog posts. Why not take an adaptation and put it on your blog? It'll reach another audience and it's a great way to repurpose important content.

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Flickr Photo: RobW

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Introduction:
My name is Peter Jones. I teach at East Torrens Primary School which is located in the suburb of Hectorville, approximately 8km north-east of the Adelaide, South Australia. Over my career, I have taught in a variety schools across South Australia. These include: Kimba Area School (1978-81); Balaklava Primary School (1982-1985); Prospect Primary School (1986-1987); Mount [...]

My name is Peter Jones. I teach at East Torrens Primary School which is located in the suburb of Hectorville, approximately 8km north-east of the Adelaide, South Australia.

Over my career, I have taught in a variety schools across South Australia. These include: Kimba Area School (1978-81); Balaklava Primary School (1982-1985); Prospect Primary School (1986-1987); Mount Barker Primary School (1988-1991); Goodwood Primary School (1992-2001); Glenelg Primary School (2002-2003); and East Torrens Primary School (2004-Present).

Having a passion for study, I hold degrees in Language and Literacy Education; Professional Development; Studies of Asia and ICT. I have accreditation as an Advance Skills Teacher 2 (AST2) which is the highest classroon based teacher classification in South Australia.

My professional interests include Literacy Education; Education of Boys; Gender and Social Inclusivity and Empowerment; Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare; Asian Studies; and Computer Education.

The banner photograph is of Arckaringa Creek, Arckaringa Station, an hour’s drive north of Coober Pedy, outback South Australia. I was there July 2007.

Authored by pkjones. Hosted by Edublogs.

Alton Bay Christian Conference Center
News has swept through the nation of the devastating fire at the 146 year old Alton Bay Christian Conference Center on Easter.  As we are still trying to comprehend the impact this disaster will have on all concerned. I have a long-time family heritage that includes attending campmeetings.   I enjoyed many of my childhood and adult [...]

Mother’s Day Giveaway 2009!!
First of all, if you haven’t already discovered 5 Minutes for Mom you are missing out.  This great blog is geared to Mom’s of all ages.   It has some wonderful resources, information, and is so upbeat and refreshing. 5 Minutes for Mom is having a great Mother’s Day giveaway!  And you DO NOT want to miss [...]

Obfuscate Tweets with my Twitter Rot13 Bookmarklet
OK the name is cheezy, but my goal was to write this thing before #24 ends. It’s really simple. All you need to do is drag the bookmarklet link to your bookmark bar (this has been tested in Firefox ONLY) I can’t post the link in wordpress so here is a simple page with it: http://www.wormus.com/rot13/ Once the [...]

OK the name is cheezy, but my goal was to write this thing before #24 ends.

It’s really simple. All you need to do is drag the bookmarklet link to your bookmark bar (this has been tested in Firefox ONLY)

I can’t post the link in wordpress so here is a simple page with it: http://www.wormus.com/rot13/

Once the bookmarklet is on your bookmark bar click on it to post a rot13 tweet. To un “encrypt” a tweek, select the rot13 text and click the bookmarklet.

Pretty simple!

Seven habits of effective text editing
I am not sure how I have never read this. Gotta read it…

I am not sure how I have never read this. Gotta read it…

Pikchur mobile image management on steroids
I was first introduced to Pikchur while at Barcamp Miami, I met a couple of developers and talked to them about the project. Pikchur is a multi-platform mobile photo sharing platform. Think of twitpics on steroids with a good design and some awesomeness sprinkled in for good measure. It is really the simplest way to share [...]

I was first introduced to Pikchur while at Barcamp Miami, I met a couple of developers and talked to them about the project.

Pikchur is a multi-platform mobile photo sharing platform. Think of twitpics on steroids with a good design and some awesomeness sprinkled in for good measure. It is really the simplest way to share pictures on the go (yes, that is from the front page).

I signed up for a Pikchur account - grabbed the name aaron (to add to my flickr and linkedin collection) but since my trusty Blackberry 8700 (aka “The Calculator”) did not have a camera, I did not have any need for a mobile photo sharing platform.

Skip ahead a month - I just got the new Blackberry 8900 which has a fantastic 3.2 megapixel camera. I was playing with Twitter, Twitpix and a couple other tools when I pulled up Pikchur again.

I’ve been playing with Pikchur now for a couple of days and love it.

At its core, Pikchur gives you the ability to upload images from a mobile device, this can either be done through a web, email or mms interface. Once your picture (or pikchur) has been uploaded, there is a lot that happens.

Integration with other platforms.

Pikchur is integration at its finest. In fact the integration with other platforms is so seamlessly integrated into Pikchur that you don’t even need to have a Pikchur ID, but can log in using the credentials of any of the sites that Pikchur integrates with. Each connection is done through the individual platform API which makes the integration simple (and secure).

As soon as I logged in, I added my Twitter, FriendFeed, Facebook and Flickr accounts to Pikchur. I then sent a picture from my phone to the Pikchur email address and it was sent to all the platforms.

That was pretty impressive, but the Pikchur team took it one step further. Any comments that are made by pikchur users are also posted to the other platforms. This means that if I comment on an image in pikchur, then my flickr identity will also comment on the picture in flickr and if I’ve chosen to link up my Twitter account, an @reply will be sent as well. VERY cool.

Other Goodies
Now you’re probably wondering if it’s really that great an idea to automatically send all your pictures to all your different social networking platforms. The Pikchur team thought of that and came up with a simple yet effective way to turn off posting specific images to platforms.

If I am sending an email update and I want Pikchur to post an image to Twitter but not facebook then I will attach the image, add my subject line and then add the following tag to my email body.

+tw+ -fb-

Using the same “trigger” concept you can post an images into a “PikBoxes” tagged as “fun” using this format:

+fun+

Geotagging

By default Pikchur will read the geo data from your image and tag the images with the information. The homepage will show a google map with call-outs from locations where images are being taken in real time.

If your mobile device does not have GPS capability, you can manually add your data by appending the address to the subject line like this example:

Palm beach boat show * royal park bridge, 33401 *

There is still a lot of work to do

Despite my gushing over the sweet platform that is Pikchur, it is still very much a geeky toy and does not feel like it has received the UI attention that a powerful platform like this needs.

The social networking aspects of this platform are nice, however you can’t do something as simple as viewing the most recent photos of all your friends. You can’t flip back and forth between images in a photo set. This is my BIGGEST issue and there is a lot of pageviews which they are not getting because a user has no easy way to browse a photostream.

Also I would love to be able to do simple things like rotating an image after I uploaded it.

In the facebook integration, I would like to be able to have the option to change my status to the subject of the image with a link to the Pikchur page. Maybe as a “premium feature” I’d like to be able to post the full sized image to to Facebook (I’ll pay for that).

I think there is an issue when you combine triggers and email sigs. I’ll test that out later.

Conclusion

Having said all that I am LOVING Pikchur and I encourage as many people as possible to sign up to Pikchur and of course view my incredibly awesome photostream

on the train
Feh and Pat make final checks to their presentation for today's pitch. Feh: "Let me do the fee proposal. Please."

 

Feh and Pat make final checks to their presentation for today's pitch. Feh: "Let me do the fee proposal. Please."

where monsters dwell

sunshine on spitalfields
Sunny Sunday in London, across the road from W+K Towers.

Sunny Sunday in London, across the road from W+K Towers.

Tips and thoughts on Addiply
IT has been six months now since I started running the roll-your-own advertising service Addiply on my main website This French Life. In a nutshell it offers publishers a chance to put businesses in front of a tightly focussed readership...

IT has been six months now since I started running the roll-your-own advertising service Addiply on my main website This French Life.

In a nutshell it offers publishers a chance to put businesses in front of a tightly focussed readership so that the two can meet and hopefully generate a long running connection between the two parties.

Here is my explanation to businesses of how to advertise on This French Life, so I won't go into great detail on that side of things, but I thought I'd write a piece on how I am making it work from a publisher's perspective.

I have come to realise that the advertising service can be seen as a way to support and connect people, which ultimately benefits my own site, because if everyone ups-sticks and heads out of France my site is snookered.

So I have looked at ways to ensure that advertisers get plenty of 'bang for their buck' and offered a price of 50p per 1,000 page views, this lets people pay £10 and their advert will be displayed 20,000 times, which is not a bad deal.

Something that I do stress, and which is pretty unique when compared to other competitor sites, is that a business owner's advert will appear on every page of the site (approximately 3,200) - very often people will only have the chance to appear in different sections.

And it is with this in mind that I have placed the advertising strip at the top of the right hand column of my site because I know it is a 'hot spot' and so readers will be able to see the services on offer.

When I first started using Addiply I of course did not have a vast number of people signed up so the first strip of adverts displayed just three available blocks, and I even opened an advertiser account myself and placed my own advert in there so it appeared populated.

There is a bit of psychology at play here, because like a forum without any posts, no one seems willing to go first but with an advert from myself I began to see people take up the option to try it out.

Another thing I do is every Friday write a very simple thanks to site advertisers post so that people who read the site via RSS are notified of those businesses helping the site, and I also include a link to the page that highlights how to advertise on the site.

One little techie point about this thank you post is that I place a no follow tag around the links to the websites of those companies currently advertising.

The only reason I do this is because search engines penalise so-called paid for links, and whilst I can vouch for all the websites that advertise on This French Life and would prefer to offer up a regular link, I don't want to run the risk of being penalised in search engine results.

I do think it is worth writing a simple guide to the advertising option as it not only allows browsers of the site to read it, I offer a link to it at the top and bottom of each page, it also lets you quickly send a link across to people who contact you directly.

You will also see that on this page I highlight those advertisers who have used the service which act as testimonials.

And I wouldn't be afraid to drop a line to people you write about in articles, especially events that are set to take place soon, as often organisers will have a little money set aside for advertising and I would say, impartially of course, that a locally focussed website is the best option.

It is still early days in the life of small, online publishers running financially viable operations, but if you begin to see things from the perspective of enabling connections to take place between businesses and readers I really believe the balance is tipping our way.

billund
Bobby's in Billund, where we visited on Friday. The main attraction of the town is Legoland, which we didn't visit. But we did look in the window of what seemed to be a rather neglected Lego museum. We flew with...

Bobby's in Billund, where we visited on Friday. The main attraction of the town is Legoland, which we didn't visit. But we did look in the window of what seemed to be a rather neglected Lego museum.

We flew with the lovely Ryanair, which really does go out of its way to live up to its customer service promise of unhelpfulness verging on belligerence. Neat new trick: charging us £20 each to check in(!)

The way they've tried to monetise everything gets quite wearying, particularly the use of the in-flight tannoy to broadcast irritating adverisements: "Ladies and gentlemen, our starboard engine is on fire and we are losing height rapidly. As you assume the crash position, why not enjoy a delicious and refreshing carton of J20?"

Chris and Sam give their verdict.

new faces
This is Crille Lampa, who joined us today. He's an Art Director with a mixture of experience from the biggest agencies to the smallest. He's worked as a graphic designer and Art Director, but essentially Crille's an ideas man. He's...

This is Crille Lampa, who joined us today. He's an Art Director with a mixture of experience from the biggest agencies to the smallest. He's worked as a graphic designer and Art Director, but essentially Crille's an ideas man.  He's spent time at TBWA and Goodby Silverstein and most recently he's been at Wisely, a digital agency in Stockholm.  

Check out more here at Crille's website.

 

And this is Penni Fu, a strategic planner who is over here on loan from W+K Shanghai - we’ve swapped her with Sophie Dollar.  It should be an amazing experience for both of them, and a great way for us to share and connect across our offices. Penni's working on Nike and The Guardian.

We asked Nick Barham, the W+K planning director in China for some gossip about Penni for this post.  Apparently there is none.

rainbow over W+K
We had a bunch of people in over the weekend again, working on presentations and pitches. Ben E snapped this rainbow from the office roof terrace. Hopefully a good omen!

 

We had a bunch of people in over the weekend again, working on presentations and pitches. Ben E snapped this rainbow from the office roof terrace. Hopefully a good omen!

How Much Is My Site Worth? Best Services To Estimate A Website Value
Is there a way to find out the actual value of your blog or website? If you wanted to consider accepting new publishing partners or were caressing the idea of selling out to someone else, would there be tools to help you gauge how much your site could be worth? To be really honest, if I were you, I would use one of the traditional brick and mortar approaches to estimate your website value by multiplying your annual revenue for at least two or three years and setting that resulting value as an indicative market price you can sell most any business at. If you want to experiment a little with this standard approach, fly to CNN - What\'s your business worth - really? which provides info and an easy to use calculator to estimate the potential selling value range of your business. On the other hand, there is a growing set of free online web tools which claim to be able to provide as well an estimate of your website value. And if you have ever been wondering how much your site is really worth, these free online web services, will indeed provide some initial indication. But that\'s where the value ends. As a matter of fact, you may have a hard time finding any two of these free website estimation services returning the same value estimate for any website you submit. Each one has likely a different approach to calculate how much your website is worth, and in most cases how this is done is never clearly disclosed on the service website. In general, these web site value estimation services analyze the number of inbound links you have from other sites while assigning a monetary value to each. Additionally, some track your web site presence inside major directories (e.g.: DMOZ), your ranking on Alexa, your Google PageRank or additional data coming from other web site traffic data sources (e.g.: Compete, Quantcast, etc.). The final result is that these website value estimation services are not really instruments on which to establish a business plan or an acquisition strategy but rather tools that you can use mostly to:

a) get an idea of what your site could be worth (by averaging some of the results obtained) b) compare your site value to other competitors in your niche c) measure trends over time d) show off to your friends and colleagues how much your web site is worth

If you want to give these website value estimation services a spin, I suggest you check what differentiates each service from the next by looking at the comparative criteria I have utilized in the table below:

• Procedural Approach: explanations of how results are calculated
• Sources: Data sources utilized to estimate site value
• Results customization: options to personalize results or data sources used
• Embeddable Widget: opportunity to republish site value on other sites
• Custom URL: reference URL providing your site value

Here all the details:

Best Services To Estimate A Website Value Comparison Table

Best Services To Estimate A Website Value

1. SiteValueCheck
   
   No other free web service inside this guide is as clear as SiteValueCheck to explain how much your website is worth and WHY. Instead of giving you just an estimate of your website value (providing little or no explanation of how that result was obtained), SiteValueCheck shares detailed info on each and every criteria that is used for scoring your site. Data used to estimate your site is: Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, backlinks depth, average popularity of related web sites, age of search engine presence, and webpages load times. Unfortunately, the report you get is not customizable nor you can reach it at a specific URL. You cannot share your website value using a widget.
   http://sitevaluecheck.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Stimator
   
   Stimator measures the value of your website using the following data: relevance of the domain (.com scores more than .org or .net), inbound links, ranking of your site inside search engines, financial market fluctuations, and social media mentions. Stimator also indexes your website value for future reference. You won\'t find a clear explanation of the procedure used to evaluate your website, nor any option to obtain a customized value (e.g. for a specific period of time). You can share your website score using a widget or a dedicate URL which is unique for your site.
   http://www.stimator.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. ValueMyWeb
   
   Unlike the other services included in this guide, ValueMyWeb does not provide you an immediate result of the worth of your site, but rather processes your domain and e-mails you a unique link to access your own report. (Not customizable) data taken into account is: Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, organic keywords value, and social media mentions. At the bottom of the webpage with your report, there is also a small piece of HTML code you can copy and embed onto any website to show people how your website has scored.
   http://www.valuemyweb.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. URL Appraisal
   
   URL Appraisal is a web service that evaluates your website using a proprietary algorithm. The service uses data from your domain age, Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, Google inbound links, Yahoo! inbound links and URL marketability. Inside the About Us section of URL Appraisal website, you are explained how data is processed and calculated. The report of your website value is not customizable. You can share the score of your site using an embeddable widget or a URL which is unique to you.
   http://www.urlappraisal.net/
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. WebsiteValued
   
   Website Valued estimates how much your website is worth using data about your daily visitors, advertising revenue, sales revenue, and active subscribers. To get a tailored report of your website value, choose a specific period of time and then let the service generate again your site score. Unfortunately, you are not explained how Website Valued calculates the value of your site. With a dedicated URL for each site submitted to the service, you can access or share your own report page without launching Website Valuated again. No widget available.
   http://websitevalued.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. MyWebsiteWorth
   
   MyWebsiteWorth appraises your website by looking at data from your Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Rankings, unique visitors, and total visitors. The service shares no info on the process to obtain the value of your site, and you have no option to get a tailored value which refers to a specific period of time or webpage. You can share your website score by giving people the custom URL of your result page. No widget is available.
   http://www.mywebsiteworth.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. DnScoop
   
   DnScoop analyzes the value of your website checking your Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, and domain age. You cannot narrow down your website score to a specific period of time or a specific web page. DnScoop does not allow you to share your website value with unique URL (but a widget is available). A clear outline of the steps taken to generate your website value is also missing.
   http://www.dnscoop.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Welcomia Website Value
   
   Welcomia provides a free tool to estimate the value of your website according to the following parameters: Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, backlinks, host IP, domain age, Google Adsense potential, DMOZ inclusion, search engine backlinks, and Google indexed pages. Unfortunately, the precision of the (not customizable) data you get, does not match a clear explanation of how data is processed during the estimation procedure. No custom URL is available to check your results at a later time, or share your score to other people. An embeddable widget is also missing.
   http://www.welcomia.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Site Value Calculator
   
   Site Value Calculator gives you an estimate of the value of your website or blog. A brief summary displays the criteria that Site Value Calculator uses to evaluate your site (Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, backlinks, domain age, DMOZ inclusion), but there is no explanation of what these results mean, why they matter, and how they are processed. You can share your score using a dedicated widget and a URL which is unique for your own site.
   http://www.sitevaluecalculator.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. WebsiteOutlook
    
    WebsiteOutlook generates an estimate of the value of your website using the following data: net worth, daily pageviews, daily ads revenue, Alexa Traffic Ranking, Google PageRank, backlinks, DMOZ inclusion (a large open directory of human-reviewed web sites), host IP and server location. Unfortunately, Website Outlook does not provide any info on how your website data is calculated. WebsiteOutlook does not allow customizable reports. You can embed your website score using a dedicated widget or sharing a custom URL which is unique for your site.
    http://www.websiteoutlook.com/
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. CubeStat
    
    CubeStat appraises your website using data from: Alexa Traffic Ranking, Quantcast Traffic Ranking, Compete Traffic Ranking, Google PageRank, backlinks, Yahoo! Ranking, DMOZ inclusion (an open directory of human-reviewed websites), host IP, server location, and domain age. CubeStat fails to provide a clear explanation of which data is used to produce your website value. You cannot customize the way your website value is created or delivered. An embeddable widget and a custom URL for your website value result are also not available.
    http://www.cubestat.com/
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. Ninja Website Appraiser
    
    Ninja Website Appraiser is a free web-based tool that makes a quick evaluation of your website value using data from your PageRank, Alexa Traffic Rankings, average backlinks from major search engines, text link ads, product placement, and independent advertising sources. You get no info on how the data is processed, and you have also no additional option to narrow down the results and get a tailored report. To share your website value you can use a customized embeddable widget, but not a unique URL which points directly to a webpage which contains your site results.
    http://ninjawebsiteappraiser.com/
    
    
    
    
    
    
13. YourWebsiteValue
    
    Your WebSite Value uses some of the data related to your site (Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, inbound links, domain age) to generate an estimate of your website value. It is not clear (and not explanation is provided on the official website) how Your Website Value analyzes the data and produces the score for your site. You cannot get a customized report of your site value on a specific period of time. Your Website Value allows you to share the score of your site using a widget or a custom URL.
    http://www.yourwebsitevalue.com/
    
    
    
    
    
    
14. Website Calculator
    
    With Website Calculator you can appraise your website and check specific indicators used to score your site: Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Rank, Alexa traffic details, backlinks and IP geolocation. The service does not explain the procedure used to get your results, nor shares any info about what is PageRank, ATR, or any other estimate indicator. Website Calculator results cannot be customized and there is no specific URL that points to your website value. An embeddable widget to display your score is also not available.
    http://u2ws.com/index.php
    
    
    
    
    
    
15. How Much Is Your Blog Worth?
    
    How Much Is Your Blog Worth is an applet that calculates the value of your site using Technorati.com API. You cannot customize how the applet works (e.g. to generate your website value for a specific period of time). Also missing is a link back to Technorati.com that you can use to verify which data is taken into account and help producing your website value. You can share your website score using a widget, but not a unique URL.
    http://www.business-opportunities.biz/projects/how-much-is-your-blog-worth/
    
    
    
    
    
    
16. Sootle Directory
    
    The free tool from Sootle Directory analyzes the backlinks of your website and gives you an estimate of its value. Once you get your website worth, you are given a piece of code to embed on any web page to show how much your domain has scored. The code is automatically updated when new backlinks are discovered. No custom URL is provided to check back your score without re-submitting the address of your site.
    http://directory.sootle.com/website-worth/

Originally prepared by Robin Good and Daniele Bazzano for MasterNewMedia, and first published on May18th, 2009 as "How Much Is My Site Worth? Best Services To Estimate A Website Value". ...

Is there a way to find out the actual value of your blog or website? If you wanted to consider accepting new publishing partners or were caressing the idea of selling out to someone else, would there be tools to help you gauge how much your site could be worth? To be really honest, if I were you, I would use one of the traditional brick and mortar approaches to estimate your website value by multiplying your annual revenue for at least two or three years and setting that resulting value as an indicative market price you can sell most any business at. If you want to experiment a little with this standard approach, fly to CNN - What's your business worth - really? which provides info and an easy to use calculator to estimate the potential selling value range of your business. On the other hand, there is a growing set of free online web tools which claim to be able to provide as well an estimate of your website value. And if you have ever been wondering how much your site is really worth, these free online web services, will indeed provide some initial indication. But that's where the value ends. As a matter of fact, you may have a hard time finding any two of these free website estimation services returning the same value estimate for any website you submit. Each one has likely a different approach to calculate how much your website is worth, and in most cases how this is done is never clearly disclosed on the service website. In general, these web site value estimation services analyze the number of inbound links you have from other sites while assigning a monetary value to each. Additionally, some track your web site presence inside major directories (e.g.: DMOZ), your ranking on Alexa, your Google PageRank or additional data coming from other web site traffic data sources (e.g.: Compete, Quantcast, etc.). The final result is that these website value estimation services are not really instruments on which to establish a business plan or an acquisition strategy but rather tools that you can use mostly to:

a) get an idea of what your site could be worth (by averaging some of the results obtained) b) compare your site value to other competitors in your niche c) measure trends over time d) show off to your friends and colleagues how much your web site is worth

If you want to give these website value estimation services a spin, I suggest you check what differentiates each service from the next by looking at the comparative criteria I have utilized in the table below:

• Procedural Approach: explanations of how results are calculated
• Sources: Data sources utilized to estimate site value
• Results customization: options to personalize results or data sources used
• Embeddable Widget: opportunity to republish site value on other sites
• Custom URL: reference URL providing your site value

Here all the details:

Best Services To Estimate A Website Value Comparison Table

Best Services To Estimate A Website Value

1. SiteValueCheck
   
   No other free web service inside this guide is as clear as SiteValueCheck to explain how much your website is worth and WHY. Instead of giving you just an estimate of your website value (providing little or no explanation of how that result was obtained), SiteValueCheck shares detailed info on each and every criteria that is used for scoring your site. Data used to estimate your site is: Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, backlinks depth, average popularity of related web sites, age of search engine presence, and webpages load times. Unfortunately, the report you get is not customizable nor you can reach it at a specific URL. You cannot share your website value using a widget.
   http://sitevaluecheck.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Stimator
   
   Stimator measures the value of your website using the following data: relevance of the domain (.com scores more than .org or .net), inbound links, ranking of your site inside search engines, financial market fluctuations, and social media mentions. Stimator also indexes your website value for future reference. You won't find a clear explanation of the procedure used to evaluate your website, nor any option to obtain a customized value (e.g. for a specific period of time). You can share your website score using a widget or a dedicate URL which is unique for your site.
   http://www.stimator.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. ValueMyWeb
   
   Unlike the other services included in this guide, ValueMyWeb does not provide you an immediate result of the worth of your site, but rather processes your domain and e-mails you a unique link to access your own report. (Not customizable) data taken into account is: Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, organic keywords value, and social media mentions. At the bottom of the webpage with your report, there is also a small piece of HTML code you can copy and embed onto any website to show people how your website has scored.
   http://www.valuemyweb.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. URL Appraisal
   
   URL Appraisal is a web service that evaluates your website using a proprietary algorithm. The service uses data from your domain age, Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, Google inbound links, Yahoo! inbound links and URL marketability. Inside the About Us section of URL Appraisal website, you are explained how data is processed and calculated. The report of your website value is not customizable. You can share the score of your site using an embeddable widget or a URL which is unique to you.
   http://www.urlappraisal.net/
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. WebsiteValued
   
   Website Valued estimates how much your website is worth using data about your daily visitors, advertising revenue, sales revenue, and active subscribers. To get a tailored report of your website value, choose a specific period of time and then let the service generate again your site score. Unfortunately, you are not explained how Website Valued calculates the value of your site. With a dedicated URL for each site submitted to the service, you can access or share your own report page without launching Website Valuated again. No widget available.
   http://websitevalued.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. MyWebsiteWorth
   
   MyWebsiteWorth appraises your website by looking at data from your Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Rankings, unique visitors, and total visitors. The service shares no info on the process to obtain the value of your site, and you have no option to get a tailored value which refers to a specific period of time or webpage. You can share your website score by giving people the custom URL of your result page. No widget is available.
   http://www.mywebsiteworth.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. DnScoop
   
   DnScoop analyzes the value of your website checking your Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, and domain age. You cannot narrow down your website score to a specific period of time or a specific web page. DnScoop does not allow you to share your website value with unique URL (but a widget is available). A clear outline of the steps taken to generate your website value is also missing.
   http://www.dnscoop.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Welcomia Website Value
   
   Welcomia provides a free tool to estimate the value of your website according to the following parameters: Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, backlinks, host IP, domain age, Google Adsense potential, DMOZ inclusion, search engine backlinks, and Google indexed pages. Unfortunately, the precision of the (not customizable) data you get, does not match a clear explanation of how data is processed during the estimation procedure. No custom URL is available to check your results at a later time, or share your score to other people. An embeddable widget is also missing.
   http://www.welcomia.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Site Value Calculator
   
   Site Value Calculator gives you an estimate of the value of your website or blog. A brief summary displays the criteria that Site Value Calculator uses to evaluate your site (Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, backlinks, domain age, DMOZ inclusion), but there is no explanation of what these results mean, why they matter, and how they are processed. You can share your score using a dedicated widget and a URL which is unique for your own site.
   http://www.sitevaluecalculator.com/
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. WebsiteOutlook
    
    WebsiteOutlook generates an estimate of the value of your website using the following data: net worth, daily pageviews, daily ads revenue, Alexa Traffic Ranking, Google PageRank, backlinks, DMOZ inclusion (a large open directory of human-reviewed web sites), host IP and server location. Unfortunately, Website Outlook does not provide any info on how your website data is calculated. WebsiteOutlook does not allow customizable reports. You can embed your website score using a dedicated widget or sharing a custom URL which is unique for your site.
    http://www.websiteoutlook.com/
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. CubeStat
    
    CubeStat appraises your website using data from: Alexa Traffic Ranking, Quantcast Traffic Ranking, Compete Traffic Ranking, Google PageRank, backlinks, Yahoo! Ranking, DMOZ inclusion (an open directory of human-reviewed websites), host IP, server location, and domain age. CubeStat fails to provide a clear explanation of which data is used to produce your website value. You cannot customize the way your website value is created or delivered. An embeddable widget and a custom URL for your website value result are also not available.
    http://www.cubestat.com/
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. Ninja Website Appraiser
    
    Ninja Website Appraiser is a free web-based tool that makes a quick evaluation of your website value using data from your PageRank, Alexa Traffic Rankings, average backlinks from major search engines, text link ads, product placement, and independent advertising sources. You get no info on how the data is processed, and you have also no additional option to narrow down the results and get a tailored report. To share your website value you can use a customized embeddable widget, but not a unique URL which points directly to a webpage which contains your site results.
    http://ninjawebsiteappraiser.com/
    
    
    
    
    
    
13. YourWebsiteValue
    
    Your WebSite Value uses some of the data related to your site (Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Ranking, inbound links, domain age) to generate an estimate of your website value. It is not clear (and not explanation is provided on the official website) how Your Website Value analyzes the data and produces the score for your site. You cannot get a customized report of your site value on a specific period of time. Your Website Value allows you to share the score of your site using a widget or a custom URL.
    http://www.yourwebsitevalue.com/
    
    
    
    
    
    
14. Website Calculator
    
    With Website Calculator you can appraise your website and check specific indicators used to score your site: Google PageRank, Alexa Traffic Rank, Alexa traffic details, backlinks and IP geolocation. The service does not explain the procedure used to get your results, nor shares any info about what is PageRank, ATR, or any other estimate indicator. Website Calculator results cannot be customized and there is no specific URL that points to your website value. An embeddable widget to display your score is also not available.
    http://u2ws.com/index.php
    
    
    
    
    
    
15. How Much Is Your Blog Worth?
    
    How Much Is Your Blog Worth is an applet that calculates the value of your site using Technorati.com API. You cannot customize how the applet works (e.g. to generate your website value for a specific period of time). Also missing is a link back to Technorati.com that you can use to verify which data is taken into account and help producing your website value. You can share your website score using a widget, but not a unique URL.
    http://www.business-opportunities.biz/projects/how-much-is-your-blog-worth/
    
    
    
    
    
    
16. Sootle Directory
    
    The free tool from Sootle Directory analyzes the backlinks of your website and gives you an estimate of its value. Once you get your website worth, you are given a piece of code to embed on any web page to show how much your domain has scored. The code is automatically updated when new backlinks are discovered. No custom URL is provided to check back your score without re-submitting the address of your site.
    http://directory.sootle.com/website-worth/

Originally prepared by Robin Good and Daniele Bazzano for MasterNewMedia, and first published on May18th, 2009 as "How Much Is My Site Worth? Best Services To Estimate A Website Value".

Social Media: What Is It And Why It's So Important For Any Organization
Why is social media so important? And most importantly, why should you and your company care about? Photo credit: grki In this article, web strategist George Benckenstein explains in very simple, non-technical words, what marketing experts and businessmen have failed to understand about the real value of social media for companies and institutions. Social media is NOT a mean to deliver a superior experience to customers. That\'s the wrong way to look at it. Social media is simply a mean to get things done. The essence of social media is in the group, the network of people which lies behind it. Well, these people are the best and most effective marketing agents you will ever find. You have made a great new product? Give it out. Let people test it, give you feedback, criticism. That\'s what social media are for. Finding yourself uneasy when thinking of exposing your product up for criticism in front of so many people? Think again. If you want to buy a new car you are not going to buy what car-makers tell you in their ads, right? You probably ask advice and suggestions to your friends and listen to their car recommendations. How much they like it, whether it is comfortable, issues about the brakes they have heard about, and so on. In the Flat World evangelized by George Benckenstein, people are not anymore subjected to what companies tell them to like or buy. Social media has given everyone the possibility to easily talk to each other, to exchange opinions, while getting rid of all the corporate hype and false promises typical of brand advertising. Here a concise, clear and focused view on why social media are so important for today institutions. Recommended reading:

Social Media vs Institutions

by George Benckenstein
So you think you’ve heard every perspective there is about and why companies should take notice? Think again. What I hope you understand after reading this is the true importance of social media and why most companies don’t have a clue as to what it means for their business, customers, employees and their competitors.

Do You Deliver a Superior Customer Experience?

Download the full study here (PDF)
The answer would be NO. Chances are your company is NOT delivering a superior customer experience. So is this what’s important about social media? The answer is… Partially. Now take a moment to consider just what comes between a traditional institution or organization and its customers.

• You have a business with all the internal barriers that exists in all companies.
• Now you have traditional media to communicate with your customers.
• You rely on interruptions and disruptions to message to your clients and potential customers.

Is it any wonder businesses are disconnected from their customers and their experiences?

So What The Hell Does This Have To Do With Social Media?

Social media, or let’s say the platforms created to support it, have created a slight paradigm shift (well maybe a bit more than slight). In order to understand the enormity of this shift, you have to start looking at this phenomena a little differently - from a holistic point of view. This new dynamic has created an environment where communication, collaboration and coordination exist without barriers. It gives power to individuals to compete with institutions at a level unprecedented. Institutional containment as we know it does not exist. Market barriers no longer exist as we know it. Let’s think about social media thru another lens. Let’s look at it around “coordinating effort” or, from the basis any institution is created which is, getting things done. This is what’s important about social media. Institutions and organizations are wondering what to do about social media. Policies are being written, consultants are being brought in to figure out how it can be used as a marketing channel. Companies are missing what’s really important about social media and the platforms that support it - and here it is. Cooperation cost is the economic burden of coordinating effort. Traditionally, the solution for coordinating effort was to create an institution. More recently, since the cost for people to communicate with each other has fallen thru the floor, many are rethinking the system in which people communicate, collaborate and coordinate. A great example of this is found on social networking platforms - platforms where coordination and communication are designed into the system. Systems that allow group output without regard to traditional institutional models.

Looking At Things In New Ways Is Hard To Do

So what does this mean for the traditional institutional model? It means that business leaders have to get comfortable with reviewing something very core - their original purpose - their existence. In the end, I really think there are only 2 choices:

1. Embrace and leverage communication, collaboration and coordination platforms. Institutions and individuals alike all have access to a world of new opportunities. This is difficult because it requires us to forget what we think we know and look at our circumstance dispassionatly and objectively. It will also require us all to get involved and learn. You can’t fake this.
2. Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. You might make the connection to the Kübler-Ross model’s 5 discrete stages of how people come to terms with dying. This is how many institutions and organizations will come to terms with these new, communication, collaboration and coordination platforms.

So here we are. This is happening. The ultimate importance of the web is coming to fruition. It’s the ultimate communication platform. It gives institutions the power to outdistance their competition by breaking down communication barriers between their employees, their customers and their suppliers. We all have the power to create personal networks to coordinate effort and accomplish anything. Thomas Friedman said “what can be done, will be done.” There is nothing standing in our way. Let’s get busy getting things done.

Additional Resources On Social Media

• Web 2.0: Ten Ways Non-Profits Can Start Leveraging Social Media
• Social Media Marketing: Widget Examples Of Corporate Uses And Applications
• Social Media Marketing: Video Examples Of Corporate Uses And Applications
• The Social Media Optimization Manifesto: Key Social Marketing Principles To Increase The Visibility Of Your Web Site
• Social Media And US Business Familiarity, Usage And Adoption: A Research Study Of The Inc. 500

Originally written by George Benckenstein for his blog, and first published on April 28th 2009 as "Social Media vs Institutions"

About the author George Benckenstein is a web strategist with lots of experiences as a marketing director and consultant. He\'s currently manager at Hrtools.com and Administaff Inc. George Benckenstein blogs at www.benckenstein.com.

Photo credits: Looking at Things in New Ways Is Hard to Do - Gunnar Pippel All other images by George Benckenstein ...

Why is social media so important? And most importantly, why should you and your company care about? Photo credit: grki In this article, web strategist George Benckenstein explains in very simple, non-technical words, what marketing experts and businessmen have failed to understand about the real value of social media for companies and institutions. Social media is NOT a mean to deliver a superior experience to customers. That's the wrong way to look at it. Social media is simply a mean to get things done. The essence of social media is in the group, the network of people which lies behind it. Well, these people are the best and most effective marketing agents you will ever find. You have made a great new product? Give it out. Let people test it, give you feedback, criticism. That's what social media are for. Finding yourself uneasy when thinking of exposing your product up for criticism in front of so many people? Think again. If you want to buy a new car you are not going to buy what car-makers tell you in their ads, right? You probably ask advice and suggestions to your friends and listen to their car recommendations. How much they like it, whether it is comfortable, issues about the brakes they have heard about, and so on. In the Flat World evangelized by George Benckenstein, people are not anymore subjected to what companies tell them to like or buy. Social media has given everyone the possibility to easily talk to each other, to exchange opinions, while getting rid of all the corporate hype and false promises typical of brand advertising. Here a concise, clear and focused view on why social media are so important for today institutions. Recommended reading:

Social Media vs Institutions

by George Benckenstein
So you think you’ve heard every perspective there is about and why companies should take notice? Think again. What I hope you understand after reading this is the true importance of social media and why most companies don’t have a clue as to what it means for their business, customers, employees and their competitors.

Do You Deliver a Superior Customer Experience?

Download the full study here (PDF)
The answer would be NO. Chances are your company is NOT delivering a superior customer experience. So is this what’s important about social media? The answer is… Partially. Now take a moment to consider just what comes between a traditional institution or organization and its customers.

• You have a business with all the internal barriers that exists in all companies.
• Now you have traditional media to communicate with your customers.
• You rely on interruptions and disruptions to message to your clients and potential customers.

Is it any wonder businesses are disconnected from their customers and their experiences?

So What The Hell Does This Have To Do With Social Media?

Social media, or let’s say the platforms created to support it, have created a slight paradigm shift (well maybe a bit more than slight). In order to understand the enormity of this shift, you have to start looking at this phenomena a little differently - from a holistic point of view. This new dynamic has created an environment where communication, collaboration and coordination exist without barriers. It gives power to individuals to compete with institutions at a level unprecedented. Institutional containment as we know it does not exist. Market barriers no longer exist as we know it. Let’s think about social media thru another lens. Let’s look at it around “coordinating effort” or, from the basis any institution is created which is, getting things done. This is what’s important about social media. Institutions and organizations are wondering what to do about social media. Policies are being written, consultants are being brought in to figure out how it can be used as a marketing channel. Companies are missing what’s really important about social media and the platforms that support it - and here it is. Cooperation cost is the economic burden of coordinating effort. Traditionally, the solution for coordinating effort was to create an institution. More recently, since the cost for people to communicate with each other has fallen thru the floor, many are rethinking the system in which people communicate, collaborate and coordinate. A great example of this is found on social networking platforms - platforms where coordination and communication are designed into the system. Systems that allow group output without regard to traditional institutional models.

Looking At Things In New Ways Is Hard To Do

So what does this mean for the traditional institutional model? It means that business leaders have to get comfortable with reviewing something very core - their original purpose - their existence. In the end, I really think there are only 2 choices:

1. Embrace and leverage communication, collaboration and coordination platforms. Institutions and individuals alike all have access to a world of new opportunities. This is difficult because it requires us to forget what we think we know and look at our circumstance dispassionatly and objectively. It will also require us all to get involved and learn. You can’t fake this.
2. Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. You might make the connection to the Kübler-Ross model’s 5 discrete stages of how people come to terms with dying. This is how many institutions and organizations will come to terms with these new, communication, collaboration and coordination platforms.

So here we are. This is happening. The ultimate importance of the web is coming to fruition. It’s the ultimate communication platform. It gives institutions the power to outdistance their competition by breaking down communication barriers between their employees, their customers and their suppliers. We all have the power to create personal networks to coordinate effort and accomplish anything. Thomas Friedman said “what can be done, will be done.” There is nothing standing in our way. Let’s get busy getting things done.

Additional Resources On Social Media

• Web 2.0: Ten Ways Non-Profits Can Start Leveraging Social Media
• Social Media Marketing: Widget Examples Of Corporate Uses And Applications
• Social Media Marketing: Video Examples Of Corporate Uses And Applications
• The Social Media Optimization Manifesto: Key Social Marketing Principles To Increase The Visibility Of Your Web Site
• Social Media And US Business Familiarity, Usage And Adoption: A Research Study Of The Inc. 500

Originally written by George Benckenstein for his blog, and first published on April 28th 2009 as "Social Media vs Institutions"

About the author George Benckenstein is a web strategist with lots of experiences as a marketing director and consultant. He's currently manager at Hrtools.com and Administaff Inc. George Benckenstein blogs at www.benckenstein.com.

Photo credits: Looking at Things in New Ways Is Hard to Do - Gunnar Pippel All other images by George Benckenstein

Media Literacy: Making Sense Of New Technologies And Media by George Siemens - May 16 09

Media Literacy is about asking pertinent questions about what\'s there, and noticing what\'s not there. And it\'s the instinct to question what lies behind media productions - the motives, the money, the values and the ownership - and to be aware of how these factors influence content. (Source: Media Awareness Network)

Photo credit: Jason Rhode Inside this Media Literacy Digest:

• Emergent Meaning or Prescription? - What if meaning emerges as a by-product of interaction… rather than something that exists externally (in the head of an expert) and is then communicated to prospective learners?
• The Psychology of Attention - Attention and multitasking is an important aspect of learning.
• Growth of Universities - Globally, enrollment in HE increased from 68 million in 1991 to 144 million in 2005.
• All Information Is Suspect - The big lesson of our Wikipedia-era is not that amateur information is potentially false, but rather that all information must be questioned.
• CNIE, uOttawa, and Mohawk College Presentation - Society builds institutions in response to the information needs and habits of an era.
• This Thing Called the Future - Which concepts / ideas / philosophies are of suitable force to serve as a foundation for building new institutions, business models, and even societies?

If you want to understand how new technologies are changing the way both teachers and learners experience education, this weekly digest will help you make sense of the evolution in progress inside society and what the future may hold for you. Here all the details:

eLearning Resources and News

learning, networks, knowledge, technology, trends by George Siemens

Emergent Meaning or Prescription?

Dave Snowden’s recent post on emergent meaning or prescription reflects what many of us have been saying about education:

“new approaches that have become possible since technology matured from process control and information flow to the networked, fragmented and semi-structured worlds of social computing. Here as communication flow increases, patterns of meaning start to emerge.”

When information is bounded in courses, books, newspapers and other frameworks that are established by experts, the primary mode of interaction is intended to be absorption. The predominant view is that information can be known, packaged, and communicated. Through social media, information is increasingly fragmented. Frameworks created to communicate no longer have the pull they once did. Hence, even the concept of a course can be questioned. What if meaning emerges as a by-product of interaction… rather than something that exists externally (in the head of an expert) and is then communicated to prospective learners? What if coherence of subject matter is produced individually, rather than externally? This - or something close to it - is the fundamental change higher education needs to understand.

The Psychology of Attention

The psychology of attention lists numerous views (and research projects) on how attention works. Some contradictory information - see the “cocktail party effect” and “reading and writing multitasking”. Attention and multitasking is an important aspect of learning. I’m personally not convinced that we are very good at multitasking - I think we task switch rapidly, leaving the impression that we can multitask. We should be relying on existing research in the psychology of attention to inform our views of learning, memory, and multitasking. New technologies can be a bit deceptive, suggesting we are entering a brave new world… but they hardly overwrite several decades of research into the human brain.

Growth of Universities

I’ll happily admit my bias: higher needs to be rethought and restructured. But it’s important to take an accurate look at where we are and where we might end up (a subject for futures thinking, as stated previously). Higher education is not (yet?) in decline. It’s growing. Rapidly. Daily announcements are made about funding for higher education: research, new buildings, new campuses, etc. Globally, enrollment in HE increased from 68 million in 1991 to 144 million in 2005. The need for education has never been greater. But while education is in demand, the current model seems untenable. The expense of education in the developed world is not feasible as a model for the next 3 billion people that require education in developing regions of the world. I personally think online and networked learning will play a central role in expanding access, improving quality, and reducing the costs of education (see Daniels, Kanwar, Uvalic-Trumbec). It’s time to question those aspects of our thinking about education that were formed in a pre-internet era and are no longer needed.

All Information Is Suspect

The big lesson of our Wikipedia-era is not that amateur information is potentially false, but rather that all information must be questioned. The last week has produced one of those lessons that information literacy educators will be using a case studies for years: Elsevier admits to producing a fake journal that looked like it was peer reviewed, but was sponsored by Merck. And then, only a few days later, it’s revealed that Elsevier published at least six journals in a similar “sponsored by” method. The somewhat arrogant attitudes of journal editors and publishers is called into question in media environments where transparency is sought. What happens to the authority of journals when everyone is (can be) an information producer? Is all information eventually equal? What / who will be the mediators of quality? Instead of hierarchy, in an ideal world, quality is determined (vetted) by a network of experts and amateurs alike. Journals will likely continue to exist for a while, at least. But fields like education, engineering, medicine, etc. no longer need their mediative role. We can mediate our own resources in our own networks.

CNIE, uOttawa, and Mohawk College Presentation

I had the pleasure last week of presenting to Mohawk College (they recently switched to D2L and the conference was focused on transitioning to online and blended learning). Then, a short hop over to uOttawa for a presentation on emerging technologies and social learning. After a brief trip home (to watch my youngest daughter play in a hockey tournament), I’m back in Ottawa for Canadian Network for Innovation in Education’s annual conference. I used Prezi for the keynote. The topic: A Firm Foundation (references in delicious). My main assertion: society builds institutions in response to the information needs and habits of an era. An understanding of the future of education requires an exploration of what is being done with information (instead of looking at "new learners" or "web 2.0").

This Thing Called the Future

It’s ironic that in times of rapid change knowing what the future holds is simultaneously more important and more inaccessible. Which trends are “real”? Which concepts / ideas / philosophies are of suitable force to serve as a foundation for building new institutions, business models, and even societies? Futures thinking is an important requirement for educators (particularly leaders and funders). I have found two resources to be particularly valuable in directing my thinking about the future:

• The Futurist is a magazine published by the World Futures Society - a group that explores trends, hosts an annual conference, and generally tries to make sense of what is happening.
• Trendwatching focuses less on trying to figure out the future… and more on trying to give a cohesive overview of what is happening today. See their recent innovation jubilation briefing for a sample.

Originally written by George Siemens for elearnspace and first published on May 13th 2009 in his newsletter eLearning Resources and News.

About the author To learn more about George Siemens and to access extensive information and resources on elearning check out www.elearnspace.org. Explore also George Siemens connectivism site for resources on the changing nature of learning and check out his new book "Knowing Knowledge".

Photo credits: Emergent Meaning or Prescription? - adempercem The Psychology of Attention - mipan Growth of Universities - Martin Konz All Information Is Suspect - immajestic CNIE, uOttawa, and Mohawk College Presentation - Jiri Kabele This Thing Called the Future - maek123 ...

Media Literacy is about asking pertinent questions about what's there, and noticing what's not there. And it's the instinct to question what lies behind media productions - the motives, the money, the values and the ownership - and to be aware of how these factors influence content. (Source: Media Awareness Network)

Photo credit: Jason Rhode Inside this Media Literacy Digest:

• Emergent Meaning or Prescription? - What if meaning emerges as a by-product of interaction… rather than something that exists externally (in the head of an expert) and is then communicated to prospective learners?
• The Psychology of Attention - Attention and multitasking is an important aspect of learning.
• Growth of Universities - Globally, enrollment in HE increased from 68 million in 1991 to 144 million in 2005.
• All Information Is Suspect - The big lesson of our Wikipedia-era is not that amateur information is potentially false, but rather that all information must be questioned.
• CNIE, uOttawa, and Mohawk College Presentation - Society builds institutions in response to the information needs and habits of an era.
• This Thing Called the Future - Which concepts / ideas / philosophies are of suitable force to serve as a foundation for building new institutions, business models, and even societies?

If you want to understand how new technologies are changing the way both teachers and learners experience education, this weekly digest will help you make sense of the evolution in progress inside society and what the future may hold for you. Here all the details:

eLearning Resources and News

learning, networks, knowledge, technology, trends by George Siemens

Emergent Meaning or Prescription?

Dave Snowden’s recent post on emergent meaning or prescription reflects what many of us have been saying about education:

“new approaches that have become possible since technology matured from process control and information flow to the networked, fragmented and semi-structured worlds of social computing. Here as communication flow increases, patterns of meaning start to emerge.”

When information is bounded in courses, books, newspapers and other frameworks that are established by experts, the primary mode of interaction is intended to be absorption. The predominant view is that information can be known, packaged, and communicated. Through social media, information is increasingly fragmented. Frameworks created to communicate no longer have the pull they once did. Hence, even the concept of a course can be questioned. What if meaning emerges as a by-product of interaction… rather than something that exists externally (in the head of an expert) and is then communicated to prospective learners? What if coherence of subject matter is produced individually, rather than externally? This - or something close to it - is the fundamental change higher education needs to understand.

The Psychology of Attention

The psychology of attention lists numerous views (and research projects) on how attention works. Some contradictory information - see the “cocktail party effect” and “reading and writing multitasking”. Attention and multitasking is an important aspect of learning. I’m personally not convinced that we are very good at multitasking - I think we task switch rapidly, leaving the impression that we can multitask. We should be relying on existing research in the psychology of attention to inform our views of learning, memory, and multitasking. New technologies can be a bit deceptive, suggesting we are entering a brave new world… but they hardly overwrite several decades of research into the human brain.

Growth of Universities

I’ll happily admit my bias: higher needs to be rethought and restructured. But it’s important to take an accurate look at where we are and where we might end up (a subject for futures thinking, as stated previously). Higher education is not (yet?) in decline. It’s growing. Rapidly. Daily announcements are made about funding for higher education: research, new buildings, new campuses, etc. Globally, enrollment in HE increased from 68 million in 1991 to 144 million in 2005. The need for education has never been greater. But while education is in demand, the current model seems untenable. The expense of education in the developed world is not feasible as a model for the next 3 billion people that require education in developing regions of the world. I personally think online and networked learning will play a central role in expanding access, improving quality, and reducing the costs of education (see Daniels, Kanwar, Uvalic-Trumbec). It’s time to question those aspects of our thinking about education that were formed in a pre-internet era and are no longer needed.

All Information Is Suspect

The big lesson of our Wikipedia-era is not that amateur information is potentially false, but rather that all information must be questioned. The last week has produced one of those lessons that information literacy educators will be using a case studies for years: Elsevier admits to producing a fake journal that looked like it was peer reviewed, but was sponsored by Merck. And then, only a few days later, it’s revealed that Elsevier published at least six journals in a similar “sponsored by” method. The somewhat arrogant attitudes of journal editors and publishers is called into question in media environments where transparency is sought. What happens to the authority of journals when everyone is (can be) an information producer? Is all information eventually equal? What / who will be the mediators of quality? Instead of hierarchy, in an ideal world, quality is determined (vetted) by a network of experts and amateurs alike. Journals will likely continue to exist for a while, at least. But fields like education, engineering, medicine, etc. no longer need their mediative role. We can mediate our own resources in our own networks.

CNIE, uOttawa, and Mohawk College Presentation

I had the pleasure last week of presenting to Mohawk College (they recently switched to D2L and the conference was focused on transitioning to online and blended learning). Then, a short hop over to uOttawa for a presentation on emerging technologies and social learning. After a brief trip home (to watch my youngest daughter play in a hockey tournament), I’m back in Ottawa for Canadian Network for Innovation in Education’s annual conference. I used Prezi for the keynote. The topic: A Firm Foundation (references in delicious). My main assertion: society builds institutions in response to the information needs and habits of an era. An understanding of the future of education requires an exploration of what is being done with information (instead of looking at "new learners" or "web 2.0").

This Thing Called the Future

It’s ironic that in times of rapid change knowing what the future holds is simultaneously more important and more inaccessible. Which trends are “real”? Which concepts / ideas / philosophies are of suitable force to serve as a foundation for building new institutions, business models, and even societies? Futures thinking is an important requirement for educators (particularly leaders and funders). I have found two resources to be particularly valuable in directing my thinking about the future:

• The Futurist is a magazine published by the World Futures Society - a group that explores trends, hosts an annual conference, and generally tries to make sense of what is happening.
• Trendwatching focuses less on trying to figure out the future… and more on trying to give a cohesive overview of what is happening today. See their recent innovation jubilation briefing for a sample.

Originally written by George Siemens for elearnspace and first published on May 13th 2009 in his newsletter eLearning Resources and News.

About the author To learn more about George Siemens and to access extensive information and resources on elearning check out www.elearnspace.org. Explore also George Siemens connectivism site for resources on the changing nature of learning and check out his new book "Knowing Knowledge".

Photo credits: Emergent Meaning or Prescription? - adempercem The Psychology of Attention - mipan Growth of Universities - Martin Konz All Information Is Suspect - immajestic CNIE, uOttawa, and Mohawk College Presentation - Jiri Kabele This Thing Called the Future - maek123

Problem Solving Techniques: Get Your Creative Thinking Juices Flowing By Using The SCAMPER Technique
If you, like me, think that life is an ongoing learning opportunity and possibly the most interesting part of our lifetime-long journey, you must have already realized how critical it is to be able to think outside of the box when it comes to problem-solving times. Photo credit: felinda While most people associate creativity with artistic work, being really creative really means being able to cope with issues and problems in novel and innovative ways. Of course when you apply that concept to painting or music and the problem is how to create something people like, it seems that such an endeavour is reserved to those communicating and expressing themselves through the arts. But it isn\'t so. Your plummer can be as creative or more than your favorite rock start or painter, if he can get around unexpected problems and situations in simple, effective and enjoyable ways. What happens in his head when he needs to find a way to solve your unique sink problem is the same process that takes place in a musician\'s head when she wants to find a better outro after the refrain of her new song. The more you have trained yourself in the habit of thinking creatively the easier and more enjoyable it becomes to face and clear up any type of problem one meets. The more you strengthen your ability to question, imagine, and adapt, the easier it becomes for you to realize that there are no unsolvable problems or lack of new ideas to open a new path. You just need some specific approach that gets you to think outside of your traditional thinking patterns. SCAMPER is a technique you can use to spark your creativity and problem-solving abilities. First conceived by Bob Earle, and later popularized by Michael Michalko in his book Thinkertoys, the SCAMPER method allows anyone to strengthen his ability to question, imagine,and adapt even in situations where it would seem that there are no more creative options available. At its very essence, SCAMPER is a powerful checklist of suggestions that prompts you to think and look at things in different ways. It has been designed to force you to think differently about your problem and to eventually come up with some really innovative solutions. SCAMPER core idea is based on the notion that creative work, original ideas and most everything you define as "new" is nothing else but a remix of something that is already out there. Here my visual interpretation of the SCAMPER creative thinking approach with some of my own very personal suggestions.



Photo credit: Michael Deutch - Go to the article - Download map template

Problem Solving: The SCAMPER Technique

by Robin Good

S - Substitute

Components, materials, people Substitute your typical recipe of ingredients by changing a few ones. Introduce a new guy in the team or let John play the female part this time.

C - Combine

Mix, combine with other assemblies or services, integrate Mashup, juxtapose and bring together elements and resources that can complement or enrich each other in new and novel ways. Like for a cool cocktail drink, selecting and mixing well ingredients can make a hell of difference.

A - Adapt

Alter, change function, use part of another element Think sideways and utilize tools and ideas within new contexts and situations. Use car driving to think, or a drum bell to create a cheap steadycam for your mini camcorder.

M - Mix, Modify

Increase or reduce in scale, change shape, modify attributes (e.g. colour) Look at the micro and macro viewpoints of it or start watching it from an unusual position. Look at it with different eyes.

P - Put to Another Use

Change application, use for different purpose Break the rules and rethink the use and application an object can have. A bottle can be a flower vase just like a dismissed airplane can be a pretty original restaurant (I have been in one and I don\'t think I am going to ever forget.)

E - Erase / Eliminate

Remove elements, simplify, reduce to core functionality Distill, extract the essence. Take off everything that is not relevant or needed. And then more. That\'s what I teach when I do information design: eliminate, turn off, mute. Leave only what really counts.

R - RePurpose / ReverseReUse

Turn inside out or upside down Diana Ross would have it this way:

Find More About the SCAMPER Technique:

• SCAMPER Your Way to Success (Angela Maiers)
• SCAMPER Your Way To Success!
• Apply SCAMPER to Your Blogging
• Creative Problem Solving with SCAMPER

Inspired by the work of Bob Earle, Michael Michalko, Angela Maiers and Michael Deutch. Originally written by Robin Good for MasterNewMedia and first published on May 13th, 2009 as "Problem Solving Techniques: Get Your Creative Thinking Juices Flowing By Using The SCAMPER Technique".

Photo credits: S - Substitute - itestro C - Combine - Xiao Fang Hu A - Adapt - dragerphot M - Mix, Modify - Jozsef Szasz-Fabian P - Put to Another Use - Nikolai Sorokin E - Erase / Eliminate - Dariusz Majgier R - RePurpose / ReverseReUse - Tommy Ingberg ...

If you, like me, think that life is an ongoing learning opportunity and possibly the most interesting part of our lifetime-long journey, you must have already realized how critical it is to be able to think outside of the box when it comes to problem-solving times. Photo credit: felinda While most people associate creativity with artistic work, being really creative really means being able to cope with issues and problems in novel and innovative ways. Of course when you apply that concept to painting or music and the problem is how to create something people like, it seems that such an endeavour is reserved to those communicating and expressing themselves through the arts. But it isn't so. Your plummer can be as creative or more than your favorite rock start or painter, if he can get around unexpected problems and situations in simple, effective and enjoyable ways. What happens in his head when he needs to find a way to solve your unique sink problem is the same process that takes place in a musician's head when she wants to find a better outro after the refrain of her new song. The more you have trained yourself in the habit of thinking creatively the easier and more enjoyable it becomes to face and clear up any type of problem one meets. The more you strengthen your ability to question, imagine, and adapt, the easier it becomes for you to realize that there are no unsolvable problems or lack of new ideas to open a new path. You just need some specific approach that gets you to think outside of your traditional thinking patterns. SCAMPER is a technique you can use to spark your creativity and problem-solving abilities. First conceived by Bob Earle, and later popularized by Michael Michalko in his book Thinkertoys, the SCAMPER method allows anyone to strengthen his ability to question, imagine,and adapt even in situations where it would seem that there are no more creative options available. At its very essence, SCAMPER is a powerful checklist of suggestions that prompts you to think and look at things in different ways. It has been designed to force you to think differently about your problem and to eventually come up with some really innovative solutions. SCAMPER core idea is based on the notion that creative work, original ideas and most everything you define as "new" is nothing else but a remix of something that is already out there. Here my visual interpretation of the SCAMPER creative thinking approach with some of my own very personal suggestions.



Photo credit: Michael Deutch - Go to the article - Download map template

Problem Solving: The SCAMPER Technique

by Robin Good

S - Substitute

Components, materials, people Substitute your typical recipe of ingredients by changing a few ones. Introduce a new guy in the team or let John play the female part this time.

C - Combine

Mix, combine with other assemblies or services, integrate Mashup, juxtapose and bring together elements and resources that can complement or enrich each other in new and novel ways. Like for a cool cocktail drink, selecting and mixing well ingredients can make a hell of difference.

A - Adapt

Alter, change function, use part of another element Think sideways and utilize tools and ideas within new contexts and situations. Use car driving to think, or a drum bell to create a cheap steadycam for your mini camcorder.

M - Mix, Modify

Increase or reduce in scale, change shape, modify attributes (e.g. colour) Look at the micro and macro viewpoints of it or start watching it from an unusual position. Look at it with different eyes.

P - Put to Another Use

Change application, use for different purpose Break the rules and rethink the use and application an object can have. A bottle can be a flower vase just like a dismissed airplane can be a pretty original restaurant (I have been in one and I don't think I am going to ever forget.)

E - Erase / Eliminate

Remove elements, simplify, reduce to core functionality Distill, extract the essence. Take off everything that is not relevant or needed. And then more. That's what I teach when I do information design: eliminate, turn off, mute. Leave only what really counts.

R - RePurpose / ReverseReUse

Turn inside out or upside down Diana Ross would have it this way:

Find More About the SCAMPER Technique:

• SCAMPER Your Way to Success (Angela Maiers)
• SCAMPER Your Way To Success!
• Apply SCAMPER to Your Blogging
• Creative Problem Solving with SCAMPER

Inspired by the work of Bob Earle, Michael Michalko, Angela Maiers and Michael Deutch. Originally written by Robin Good for MasterNewMedia and first published on May 13th, 2009 as "Problem Solving Techniques: Get Your Creative Thinking Juices Flowing By Using The SCAMPER Technique".

Photo credits: S - Substitute - itestro C - Combine - Xiao Fang Hu A - Adapt - dragerphot M - Mix, Modify - Jozsef Szasz-Fabian P - Put to Another Use - Nikolai Sorokin E - Erase / Eliminate - Dariusz Majgier R - RePurpose / ReverseReUse - Tommy Ingberg

‘The Search’ continued…
The second half of The Search is really rich in content and in my opinion, much more interesting to read than the first half. Battelle really dives deep down into the meat of what Google is all about. One of my most favorite sections is where Battelle describes what the future of search can look [...]

Rest of “The Long Tail”
Anderson begins the second half of “The Long Tail” with an explanation about the 80/20 Rule, which is now closer to the 80/10 rule and the confusing remaining 10 percent of percentages for differentthings (which is why they don’t need to add up to 100). Anderson argues that 10 percent of products account for 80 percent [...]

The rest of “Naked Conversations”
Scoble and Israel explain that authenticity, originality, and creativity are the main components of a good blog. Companies who use blogs as a marketing venue are on the fast track to failure. People do not want to see ads made by big companies on what are ‘home-made’ venues of expression, which makes a lot of sense [...]

Mobile Marketing – Press Release: Steape Launches Mobile Phone Translators For Travellers
Let your mobile phone speak a foreign language for you Mobile-content producer, Steape launched in May their talking phrase books for mobile phones in the UK and the USA today. At the push of a button, travellers can easily communicate in a foreign language using an application on their mobile phone. The translators are already popular [...]

“The Long Tail” and Web 2.0
 Chris Anderson argues in his book, “The Long Tail” that in-fact niche audiences combined create as large of a market audience as the mainstream. These niches should not be ignored because they essentially make up the consumers of websites such as amazon.com, iTunes, and netflix (books, music, and movies). He gives us an overlook on [...]

Play Money
What a book! Part academic, but mostly story telling, Julian Dibbell takes us to the world of imagination come to life. This book is the story of how Julian went from playing games online for fun and realizing that he’s tapped into one of the least explored money-making ventures. There are several specific things I’d like to [...]

Mobile Marketing – Marché Japonais : Interview Takeya Takafuji – 650 millions d’euros investis en publicité au Japon en 2006
Avec plus de 66 millions de d’abonnés, le Japon est le premier marché de l’Internet mobile au monde. Le président de la Mobile Marketing Solution Association of Japan, rencontré par le JDN à l’occasion de la Mobile Marketing Conference 2007 organisée à Paris par l’agence Jap’Presse / InnovAsia Research, revient sur les facteurs de croissance [...]

Blogging: Reshaping Business and Everything else…
20/20  had a one-hour special on the digital age called “caught”! Many of the authors who were interviewed are those whose work we’re reading right now, BuzzMachine, We the Media, etc. The first bit talked about how soldiers in Iraq are documenting the war in their own way, using their cellphones to create videos they [...]

Marketing Hysteria
Marketing hysteria in the face of H1N1 is big business. The sad thing is people believe what they hear...

Going grocery shopping...in Iowa now takes on a whole new meaning.  Today at the local Hy-Vee there are bottles of hand sanitizer at every check out lane.  When checking out I asked, "So, what's the deal?"  The young, cheery teenage girl behind the counter said, "Why, it's to help keep you well so you won't get sick while grocery shopping!"  The equally young man bagging the groceries looked at me and rolled his eyes.  The young lady said, "What?  You are not scared to death over this swine flu deal?"  Soon are we to see shoppers dressed...well, a little more...covered as they stroll the meat section?   Sort of like our daughter and her friend (above) modeling the latest in Summer Evening Wear.

I'll take my chances...

Meanwhile in that enlightened country we've had the pleasure of occupying for what...five years...Iraqi zoo officials killed three wild boars.  "It was a precautionary measure.", said the zoo director.

Sort of like the enlightened country of Egypt where every hog in the country was ordered killed last week.  We couldn't make this stuff up if we wanted.  Here is the story.

And Sunday morning, on the Kim Komando radio show, the "digital goddess" must have said, "Swine Flu" twenty times in a lead up to her story about how crooks are now online claiming to have a cure and/or an advance treatment just in case you come in contact with the disease.  Gosh, don't let the gang at Hy-Vee get a hold of that message.  I can see it now...  "Attention shoppers, now in isle 5...."

Never mind that H1N1 is not transmitted from hog to human.  Never mind that more people die from the "regular flu" each year than have been sickened this time out.  Never mind that there is no "advance treatment".  Never mind that this issue has put another nail in hog production in places like...gulp...Iowa.

Marketing Hysteria is big business...

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where we shake our heads in amazement most days. www.InsightCubed.com or follow us on Twitter @MichaelLibbie

 

 

Out Of The Pain...A Positive Message
There is so much kindness that sometimes it is overwhelming. When Kunta, our African Gray Parrot, flew away so many have offered to help. We just thought you should know.

This is not about business, or advertising or marketing.  It's personal.  And, as I write this I know I am going to cry.  Yes.  I do that...and if you admit it...you do to.  Call that "truth in advertising"?  So, if you came by today for our business insight.  It's going to have to wait for a bit.

A brief background:

Kunta is an African Gray Parrot.  One of the brightest of the species.   The experts say they have the intellect of a five year old and the emotions of a three year old. No wonder we bonded.  They are excellent talkers and Kunta has quite a vocabulary.  They also live forty to fifty years.  Kunta is three.

On Sunday the 26th of April a door was opened and Kunta flew out of the also open garage.  He was gone in seconds.  We've not yet found him.  We search every day and in many, many ways.  Before I go on...I need to let you know this is a critter.  Not a person.  Yes he is and was a loved member of our family.  And we know the deep hurt and emotional pain.  But...we can not imagine how people cope when losing a child.  So, I don't want to build this...over that.  Please understand.  But the message...is amazing.

And so it goes.  Posters, e-mail, Twitter, BLOGS, newspapers, television and radio stations....and so many people are helping.   This coming Friday I'm going to tell this story on Mac's World Live a local Internet radio show.  So, if you listen...you may hear this twice.  Kindness is the message of this post.

Within hours of posting the news on Twitter, Craigs List and on our Blog dozens of people joined in promoting the news.  The Des Moines Register picked up the story, called and wanted a brief interview.  Here is that story.  WHO-TV-13 picked it up and ran with it.  My friend Bradshaw from 98.3 WOW-FM told his listeners. And people responded.  Friends like Robin Pruisner, Tiffany Menke, Sharon Steckman and so many more...I've never met.

Oh...there is goodness in the world.  Sometimes it is hidden by the conflicts in Statehouses and Chambers or in politics and name calling.  But there is goodness.

When Dave Corbett saw, from a Twitter post, where we were going to search...near I 80/35 north of Des Moines.  He came and walked the woods.  "Hey, it was close and I felt so bad for you."  I had never met Dave before Monday.  He just came.

And Nancy Schram who has been in daily contact after she saw the sign at a local McDonalds window.  She has been passing out fliers and information.  I've never met her.  She just came and helped.

And Wilma Johnson who wrote a lovely note and remembered her own Gray and then sent us further ideas of where and how to look for Kunta.  I've never met Wilma...she just offered her help.

And Bob Santi, a Twitter friend, who took the flyer and wrote to everybody on his e-mail list and passed on the word.  I've never met Bob in person....we know each other from the Twitter Community.

And, the Twitter Community.  Dozens and dozens of people have "re-tweeted" our messages and poster.  And those messages have been passed out far and wide.  I have met maybe one or two of these people...but they helped and we're grateful.

And we've heard from hundreds of people we know...and those we've never met.  They have all offered support and hope.

On Tuesday afternoon I stood in Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey's office with his Deputy Secretary Karry Claghorn and told this story about the kindness of people and wept.  Secretary Northey said, "In a way it doesn't surprise me we're all seeking a meaningful connection and a way to help."

There I stood in the shadow of the Capital where, on more than one occasion this year, there have been deep and divisive arguments.  It was like living in a different zone...but it's not.  There is still kindness...

I just wanted you to know that.  For some reason, I thought it important...

The "Kunta Kage" is still empty.  We put it outside.  Somebody said "maybe he'll see it and return".  Maybe.  And we're still looking...every day and now expanded the search to 50 miles around Des Moines....maybe further.  We've written every Vet in the area, contacted the pet stores, Animal Rescue League...we're trying.  Partly because we need to...and partly because so many of you give us hope.

Thanks...thank you so much.  We'll keep you in the loop.

Michael & Georgie Libbie

www.InsightCubed.com

Follow me on Twitter @MichaelLibbie

 

So What Is It With Kim Komando & Twitter?
She is cute, entertaining and has loads of information but, what's the "anti-Twitter" deal with Kim Komando are we all just "not worthy"?

Right after my Sunday morning radio show (Highway 6 - Your Road to the Country) on 98.3 WOW-FM here in Des Moines we get to listen to three hours of the "Digital Goddess" -Kim Komando.  And, those of us who are "not worthy", get to hear a regular put down of Twitter.  Just this week it was a short rant about "...who cares if you are having a cup of coffee.."

I don't get it.

Sure, if you use Twitter to simply blab about your lipstick...it can be a huge time suck.  But, if you use Twitter to connect with the business world and learn and share ideas...well?

Long ago our agency embraced blogging, facebook and other social media adventures including Twitter.  We recommend this new media to our clients so they too can "be found" and carry on discussions with their target customers...real conversations while learning what is being said about their product or service.

So, Kim...lighten up a little.  We like you, think you are entertaining and...OK... even sexy in the "pumps" you're not going to give away, "...no matter how nicely you ask.."  Yes, we even listen to the promos.

Twitter...it's not for everybody...but for those of you wanting to get fast-tracked into social media it's a great place to start...and to follow us:  @MichaelLibbie

Michael P. Libbie - thanks for reading....  www.InsightCubed.com 

 

Do It Yourself Television Advertising...really?
When it comes to quality (in advertising or product sales) it seems that is defined by who is buying and who is selling.

"Do you folks do video and television commercials?"  Yes, yes we do.

I got a call the other day from a young lady who works for an upscale shop in Des Moines.  She wanted to know what it might cost to shoot a thirty-second television commercial.  It was clearly her, and the shops, first time in this world of TV.  She told me about her thoughts:  "We want to show quality and how buying the best makes a real value statement.  We want to reach a specific demographic that understands this." 

She went on telling me her ideas regarding the video treatment.  It seemed that she had a "handle" on the look and 'feel' of the project.  Of course I had some questions:

• Will you be using experienced talent or volunteers? - "Volunteers"
• Will you want to shoot on location? - "Yes, in an upscale home."
• Where are you planning on airing the ad? - "We're looking at cable."
• Will there be speaking parts or a voice over?  "We're not sure at this point."
• How long will you air the commercial?  "We're not sure yet."

And then THE question:  "So, tell me what kind of budget number do you have in mind for the project?" - "We're not sure, can you give me an estimate?"

This is where it starts to get weird...  I told my eager young friend that it all depended on what they wanted.  Doing a location shoot, volunteer talent, edits.  ( At this point in injected that our editor has an Emmy for editing...honest - here's the photo: check over Bob's left shoulder on the monitor.)  Hey good quality is good quality!

Her reaction: "Well, I'm not sure we need an Emmy Award Winner..."  OK...so I went on:

I told her the cost would be "someplace" between $1,500 and $3,500 (could be higher too) depending on what she wanted. The response, "That sounds like a lot.  Why the cost difference?"

I went on to explain quality, the cost of continued time or "takes" using raw talent, on-site video work costs more than studio work, speaking lines or voice overs, proper edit to make it sparkle, camera quality...and the fact that they were in the very early stages and didn't exactly know what they wanted.  "You know, somebody will have to write this piece."

She said, "Oh that should be easy!  I took a class in college about broadcasting.  I still have the book on how to write a thirty-second ad."  And, "What if we use stills and shoot the photos ourselves?"

I stopped talking and listening at that moment wondering to myself where in the world the "...high quality and buying the best..." statement went?  We went from showcasing "quality" to "do it yourself".

Guess it depends on who is selling and who is buying...and we're in a learning curve.

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications - We're not sure we'll hear back...we hope so because we're all about quality.  Thanks for reading.  www.InsightCubed.com On Twitter at @MichaelLibbie

SpotGone! & NatraTurf - First Public Event - K9 Karnival
We're looking forward to listening to shoppers and dog owners and help guide SpotGone into the general consumer market.

OK, it's not opening in New York City...it's not even opening in Kansas City...but it is a first.   SpotGone! by NatraTurf will debut to the general public on Saturday May 9th in Urbandale, Iowa at the Annual K-9 Karnival sponsored by Citadel Communications of Des Moines.

According to Jim Milam of NatraTurf this is exactly what they were looking for.  "We released SpotGone! for Online sales only about four weeks ago and people from New York to California have been buying the product.  And, while we've done some product samples this will be the first time we'll interact with groups of people at a trade show.  We'll use this experience to better position our product and our message."

Well said, Jim.

We're looking forward to listening to shoppers and dog owners and help guide SpotGone into the general consumer market. 

So, what is this SpotGone! stuff?  It's an all natural, organic way to rid your lawn of pet urine spots and damage from "winter kill", salts and de-icers.  There are no chemicals, no dyes and no foreign grass seed in SpotGone!.  It works to correct the soil, first, and allows the original grass to take root and naturally cover the spot.  It's simple soil science meeting a need for people who are tired of cutting, patching or spraying color on their lawns.  In other words...it works.

We hope to see many of you at the Seven Flags Event Center in Urbandale.  Oh...and bring your dog!  Like they say, with SpotGone! You can keep the dog...and lose the spots.

See you at the show....

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where we always go the extra mile for our clients.  Everyday!  www.InsightCubed.com and follow us on Twitter @MichaelLibbie

The "Media" - Too Little - Too Late
The link between pork and the flu is and was media generated and now in their best Eddie Haskell voice say, "Who? Us? We were just reporting." Right...

There are lots of old sayings that "say it".  "Well, the horse is out of the barn." or "You can't put the genie back in the bottle."  Or in this case...  "It's not the pigs you idiot!"

In the rush to whip the planet into hysteria the media clung to a CDC statement early in the H1N1 frenzy that this new strain of flu had some traits associated with "swine flu". 

And the world went nuts.  Zoos (Baghdad) killed their wild boars,  Egypt ordered the slaughter of all 300,000 head of hogs in the country.  This week China...that paragon of virtue (melamine in dog food, lead in paint...) banned the import of US pork.  It seems they and Russia and others "think" humans can contract H1N1 by eating the stuff.  Meanwhile, according to Bill Northey the Secretary of Agriculture for Iowa this panic is costing US pork producers $2 million...a day.

And...the media?  With eyes wide open and in their best Eddie Haskell voice say, "Who?  Us?  We were just reporting."

Hogwash...

But, is there the rush to correct the story?  No.  Oh, to be sure there was, here in Des Moines, an article in the Des Moines Register on May 6th by the farm editor an impact story...but the article didn't carry the same excitement and weight as bold headlines declaring a national pandemic caused by hogs.

Too little....too late for pork producers that have already seen tough times in the markets.  Too little too late to impact world view.  Too little too late...when just yesterday in an ABC radio news program there was yet another mention of "swine flu"..somebody just didn't get the memo.

Meanwhile the "anti-meat" crowd is loving it.  Bloggers are having a field day pushing the story and the false link:  "Meat...kills!"

So little guys like us write about it or we'll do radio interviews about the truth...  But it's a big hill to climb.  One that is littered with the rush to sell papers and spin audience numbers...after all it's rating season.  A little more help here folks?

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications  Follow us on Twitter @MichaelLibbie or our radio show @RuralLifeRadio  our site:  www.InsightCubed.com

 

Internet Radio...Really?
Today we start a new adventure with Internet Radio. The show, Insight on Business is all about marketing, advertising and helping folks get their products and services...noticed. What works...what doesn't. Join us on Mac's World Life - Des Moines Local Live Monday - Friday at 12:30 Central

Our advertising agency is all about connections.  Our clients come to us seeking answers:  "How can we better identify our target customer?"  "How can we then reach our target customer in the best possible way?"  "What are we not providing today...that our customer may want...tomorrow?"  

This is what Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications does for our clients...and ourselves, everyday.

To do that, effectively, we embrace new things and ideas...quickly.  That's why we started this blog, long before many folks knew what the word meant.  We took to Twitter right away with three different public profiles.  We've expanded our Social Media "footprint" to all sorts of outlets from LinkedIn to Plaxo.  At the same time, we employ traditional media like television, radio and print to help us get noticed. Every day we're working to build our brand and amplify our voice.

It's what we do for our clients...and this agency.

Today we start down another new path.  At 12:30PM Central a new Internet Radio Show, "Insight on Business" fires up as part of Des Moines Local Live which is part of Mac's World Live.  (Gosh, think we've got a "branding issue" already?)

Having been a broadcaster for nearly 30 years and having hosted Highway 6 - Your Road to the Country for three years and The Iowa Sportsman's Radio Hour for two. (both Des Moines based on terrestrial radio station 98.3 WOW-FM 983wowfm)  This seemed like an excellent way to, once again, embrace new technology to boost our brand and share marketing and advertising insights with folks who want to learn.

The first couple of days will be a hoot as we get settled in, learning new equipment, getting used to having folks actually "see us" while doing the show and setting out the guidelines for what we will accomplish...which is giving our insight into marketing, sales, advertising and getting noticed.

What we'll not be is a political stage to rant and rave about the "Left" or the "Right".  There are enough "talking heads" out there doing that...all with the same talking points all with the same legion of "head nodders" all with an axe to grind.

Not us...

We'll share our experiences with what works and what doesn't.  We'll talk about marketing plans, creative media, new technology, sales tools that work and how...even with all the technology...people still buy...from people.  We'll have regular guests that will share with our listeners their professional experiences and ways they've used to help their clients "get noticed". 

So...listen in.  You're sure to get a laugh or two as we try to figure out which button works what camera...and how to keep the show on the air.  Here is the link to the show page which is part of Mac's World Live.  At 12:30 Central...just click on my picture...handsome devil huh?  And let's kick this thing off...

Oh...and thanks J. Michael "Mac" McKoy.  When he and I started this discussion four months ago, after he was booted off local terrestrial radio, (not once but twice in 90 days) the obvious questions about the "unknown" came up.  "What if nobody listens?", "What if it doesn't catch on?"  "What if people just don't get the idea of Internet Radio?"   Like Marconi...we're asking those same questions...time will tell.  But, I can tell you...I'd much rather be part of the parade...than sit on the sidelines watching it go by.   So...thanks Mac for the invite and the opportunity.

Catch you on "The Net".

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where we're wondering...now what?  Follow us on Twitter @MichaelLibbie and our site www.InsightCubed.com

Distracted......?
With all the social media opportunities it's easy to get distracted. Here are a couple of thoughts that might help.

It's easy, given all of the new social media outlets we have available to us.  There is your Business Blog, a tool that you can use to communicate with your customers and find out what folks are saying about your product or service.  There is Twitter, a "mirco-blogging" tool that uses short 140 word bursts that you can customize to your particular product or service and build community.  Facebook?  Sure.  It's a great way to keep in touch with others and have a low cost landing point for consmers and groups.  LinkedIn?  Yep.  This is a social networking site professionals use to ask questions, seek answers and connect with potential clients and each other.  Plaxo, ditto....

You get the idea lot's of ways to connect, to help you get found and promote your product and/or service.

And, lots of distractions if you're not careful.

We encourage every client we have to use the social media platform they are best suited for.  And...when we introduce the concept we demand they understand how critical it is to stick with it...and not give up in just a couple of weeks.  Here are a couple of ground rules:

• You MUST blog three times a week, every week for three months;
• Your blog must be short, conversational and on point;
• Your Twitter Profile and "tweets" need to be informative and fun;
• You don't need to sit in front of the screen for 8 hours a day;
• Comment and share with others in your blog and on Twitter;
• Search and find subjects and topics that augment your business;

One other thing...we recognize you have a business to run so we suggest that you budget your social media time like you do anything else.  If you are creative in the morning...blog then.  If you want to skip the "water cooler" chat, spend that time on Twitter expanding your universe.  Stay connected on your time...but keep at it.

Most important...remember that social media is NOT the complete answer to your marketing and advertising program.  And, if somebody tells you that's the case...run, do not walk away.  Social Media is an enhancement and a great way to project your personality...remember, people still buy from...people.

Stay focused...and win.

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications - Follow us on Twitter @MichaelLibbie and our site, www.InsightCubed.com

 

Who Will Fill The Hole?
By no longer advertising you leave a hole or a void in the market that somebody will fill up.

When I get a bit more composed I'm going to write a short piece about the wonderful people I've met over the past 24 hours since our African Gray Parrot, Kunta flew out of the house and left our world.  But, I'm not quite ready yet.  That wound is still too fresh.

So, let's talk advertising, marketing, business...

and holes...

When you make a hole in something...something will fill that void.  Make a hole in wood and air fills that space.  Make a hole on the beach (as our friend here is doing) and soon water and sand will fill that hole...and your work (or his) becomes a memory.

Now let's talk about advertising in a recession.

Let's say you believe you must conserve and the easiest way to get that done is slash the advertising budget.  By no longer being in the newspaper, on the radio, television or taking part in some social media program you have left a "hole".  A hole that will be filled by the product or service that has the belief in market share and the fact this recession will turn.  They fill your hole and by doing so grab another slice of the market.

And, they didn't even have to battle for it...  After all, you left the hole.

I've written about this before.  Back in October I did a series about marketing in a recession.  But, if you won't listen to me how about this great article from November of last year:  "When the Going Get Tough...the Tough Don't Skimp on their Ad Budgets"  They tell you the same thing...but with more words...

Enjoy...and let's do something!

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications.  Follow us on Twitter @MichaelLibbie or visit our site www.InsightCubed.com

 

Setting up software RAID in Ubuntu Server | Security Viewpoints

Removing the "Loan Contingency"

In California the standard C.A.R. (California Association of Realtors) Purchase Agreement has a default time period of 17 days (unless otherwise indicated) for the Buyer to remove the Loan Contingency.

Over the last few years it became common practice for Realtors to change this to 10-days, allowing sufficient time for the property to be appraised and the loan to be approved by the lender's underwriter.

But in the current uncertain environment where credit is tight and qualification criteria keep changing, how do we as Buyer's Agents protect their best interests, and their good faith deposit when an offer is accepted?

In my last few transactions I have suggested my buyers do not remove the loan contingency until the loan actually funds. This usually happens the day before the deal is recorded in the deed office.

I realize that this is unfair on the Seller, who is then placed in the unfair position of not knowing if the deal will close until the last minute.

I recently had a situation where we received loan approval from Bank of America, the Buyer removed his loan contingency, and thereafter the Bank withdrew the loan claiming there had been a change in their underwriting guidelines.

As a compromise I'm going to recommend a clause which states that the good faith deposit will not be at risk if the loan approval is withdrawn due to no fault of the Buyer.

How else can we as Realtors prevent the Buyer from losing the deposit if the lender withdraws the loan after the loan contingency has been removed?

What other ideas are out there?

FREE HELP can sure be fun if there's a rose garden involved

At 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2009, I met
Steve Hall, an ActiveRain Realtor, in Vista in an effort to provide some FREE HELP to one of his past Clients.

Vista is about 45 miles from my home, so it was a 90-mile round trip. When Steve asked me how much I charged, I answered that it was FREE and that I would simply make a little tour out of the drive, stopping to take pictures here and there.

Well, Steve's Clients made the whole trip fun and worthwhile by providing me with four things from my trip:

1. An interesting problem which I think we were able to help solve.
2. An opportunity to see the quality of pictures that a Canon EOS Rebel DSLR camera takes since I'm interested in getting a DSLR camera and Steve's Clients had one.
3. An opportunity to stop at one of the finest retail stores I've ever been in.
4. An opportunity to take a lot of pictures of roses since Steve's Clients had lots of roses. Hey, lots of roses = lots of rose pictures. LOL

I also am playing around with my current digital camera, an HP Photosmart M547, so I increased the quality to the maximum 6.2 megapixels and took the following pictures of Mr. Client's roses:

Join me in my next post for some fine, fine, fine rhododendrons from the same Client of Steve's.

*****

This week's posts (they'll open in a new window)

1. Manic Monday pop quiz: Concrete cracks - 5/18/09

Last week's posts (they'll open in a new window)

1. SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): A visit from Mr. Monarch Butterfly - 5/17/09
2. Russel's Gardening Handbook: Jacaranda - 5/16/09
3. "Dear Home Inspector: Please try not to kill the deal...." - 5/16/09
4. "Dear Mrs. Realtor: No I won't...." - 5/16/09
5. Make your home dog friendly - 5/15/09
6. Frenetic Friday pop quiz: Chimneys - 5/15/09
7. WWW (Wordless Wednesday with Words): Huh? - 5/13/09
8. An Open Letter to the ActiveRain Powers That Be - 5/11/209
9. Manic Monday pop quiz: Electrical - 5/11/09
10. What's the point to ActiveRain points? - 5/11/09

Previous week's posts (they'll open in a new window)

1. SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): I have my eye on you - 5/10/09
2. Russel's Gardening Handbook: Lily of the Nile - 5/9/09
3. Americana, courtesy of Burma Shave - 5/9/09
4. It's all in how you market it - 5/9/09
5. Special closet doors for the little ones - 5/8/09
6. Frenetic Friday pop quiz: Would you give up your ActiveRain points? - 5/8/09
7. How to prevent indoor air pollution - 5/8/09
8. WWW (Wordless Wednesday with Words): Elevator and footsies - 5/7/09
9. Just exactly what is a "rain catchment basin"? - 5/6/09
10. What if I want to leave while the clothes are drying? - 5/5/09
11. Manic Monday pop quiz: Level 2 drought alert - 5/4/09

Need help with marketing? Join the Guerrilla Marketing Tactics Group.

Inspired by nature? Join the Inspired By Nature Group.

Classical music lover? Join the Classical Music Group.

Want to share a good book? Join the Active Rain Book Club.

Knighted into AR

I am not the schmoozing type agent (at least my daughter tells me that) and I live wonderfully without all the Realtors get-togethers. I may not know a lot of agents, and I most probably do not miss many anyway. But being in the business means that I call Realtors and they call me and we work on deals together, and often it is a good experience, and sometimes it is not.

I have invitedseveral people to Active Rain, a lot of my invitations were never accepted. Several months ago I worked on a deal with a ReMax All Pro agent Nadine Caldwell, and this was a pleasant experience, so, following the tradition, I sent Nadine an invitation to Active Rain, and, following the tradition, did not get all upset when nothing happened.

Imagine mysurprise the other day, when I saw that Nadine Caldwell has accepted my invitation and joined Active Rain.

I remember how first time I "grazed" AR and left, and then came back a year later (HUGE mistake), therefore I want to encourage Nadine to give it a good shot and not bounce.

Welcome to Active Rain, Nadine. You may not yet know that it will affect your business in a positive way, you do not yet know how you would appreciate the knowledge that is freely flowing here, the advice that terrific minds here are ready to give... You would be amazed by the openness of people on Active Rain and very soon you would not believe how you managed to live without Active Rain... but this is tomorrow, and this  is only if you give it your best shot today. 

Try to embrace it. Try to listen. It is like music, which you may not hear at first in the noise, but if you listen, if you make an effort, you will soon be enchanted by the melody. A very powerful melody... But you need to make an effort and listen...

In certain way you are a lucky person. You do not even know how important that signing was for you. You stumbled upon a terrific world... but you might never know it, if you do not give it a fair shot.

What the heck am I talking about?

Please, trust me, and trust 146,963 other members, for whom Active Rain (I do not want to put AR as you are not yet used to the abbreviation) became much more than just another Real Estate website. Because it is not. It is our Universe with our own stars, our own planets and even our own "gods". A larger than just Real Estate Universe for Real Estate crowd where We Are The People...

Have you seen that commercial when a soldier is coming back, and it is a mute world, no life, no sound, and then a veteran meets the soldier and extends the hand to him, and life comes to existence with its colors, and noise? Your Active Rain world may be just as mute for you today, and I am extending my hand in hope that it can open this wonderful world for you. And I am joined by 146,963 other members.

Welcome to AR, Nadine. Welcome home

Jon Zolsky, your Daytona Beach, Florida connection
www.BeautifulFlorida.com

How bad is the economy? A cat's perspective ....

Cats are so dramatic .....!!!

Rockstar Energy Drink - What's their true position on Gay Rights?

I was recently alerted to a website that's exposing "The Truth about Rockstar Energy Drink", and their hateful, anti-gay, homophobic position.

The website is promoting a boycott on Rockstar on the basis that the owners of Rockstar, Russel Goldencloud Weiner (Rockstar's CEO), his father Michael Weiner (aka as Michael Savage, the conservative talk-show host & inventor of the Rockstar energy drink), and Janet Weiner (Wife and mother of Michael & Russel & Rockstar's CFO), are perpetuating intolerance, hate, and homophobia.

Michael Weiner (Michael Savage) is on record having said the following: "You want me to tell you what makes me sick? When I see two puffy white males kissing each other I want to puke. When I see women kissing each other, on the lips, as lovers, I want to vomit."

He's also on record saying: "You know what autism is? I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is."

Russell Weiner showed his true colors last year at a Rockstar-sponsored concert when he asked the crowd: "Who's heterosexual and proud? If you aren't, hopefully you will be soon!"

Michael and Russel Weiner co-founded the conservative Paul Revere Society in 1996.

Michael Weiner's (Michael Savage) conservative radio talk-show - Savage Nation - ranks third in nationwide audience, right behind Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, which in itself indicates the mentality of this character. Weiner's original radio slogan was: "To the right of Rush and to the left of God."

The BBC reports that Weiner (Michael Savage) has been placed on a list of people banned from entering the United Kingdom for fostering extremism and hate. Weiner in turn, says he will sue the British Home Secretary (who he describes as a lunatic) unless he receives an apology. 

Since Weiner finds this insulting and offensive and is demanding an apology, I wonder if he will apologize for the insulting and offensive comments he has made against the gay community?

SpeedGuide.net :: Linux Tweaking
echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/tcp_sack

South Lake Tahoe Foreclosures - May 19, 2009

Once again, all is quiet on the South Lake Tahoe foreclosure front. Not much has happened in the last two weeks.

I had the chance to drop by 489 Tahoe Keys Blvd. #69. I videoed while I was there. Click the link below to see it.

489 Tahoe Keys Blvd. #69 Video

If you’re interested in receiving the foreclosure lists by e-mail, please let me know at drew@southtahoehouses.com. If you are interested in property on this list or any property in South Lake Tahoe, e-mail me or call me at (530) 545-1831.

Address	Bed/Bath/ Gar	Square Feet	Days on Market	Price
3305 Treehaven Dr. #1	2/1.5/1	960	101	$152,000
3025 Christmas Valley Rd. #11	2/1	960	5	$244,900
2613 Pinter Ave. #1-2 (duplex)	4/2	1776	76	$249,900
489 Tahoe Keys Blvd. #69	1/1	754	56	$264,900
1038 Moss Rd. (2 units)	4/3.5	1754	35	$258,900
806 Stanford Ave.	3/2/2	1300	6	$295,000
776 Panther Ln.	4/3/1	2240	134	$309,800
1081 Bowers Ave.	5/4/1	2416	243	$334,900
1286 Mount Rainier Dr.	4/3/1	1983	54	$362,900
1542 Ormsby Dr.	4/2/1	2323	34	$369,000
1243 Sierra Blvd. (duplex)	4/2/2	1966	53	$404,900

South Tahoe Real Estate
The South Tahoe Realty Blog

An Almost Wordless Wednesday- Word Association Communication

When we think of something we are using our own experiences, and our own visuals to conquer up an image for that word.  Many times misunderstandings can occur if two people have a different visual (definition) of something.  Take the State of California, what do you think of, what picture is in your mind when you hear someone say they live in California?  Our own experiences are what we use to see the world, and to communicate with each other.  But often times your world isn't someone else's world, so try to find out where they're coming from first, then communication can occur.

 

 

 

狡兔三窟 " gettext的用法

Internet Marketing: A Guide to List Building
There are many methods used to market internet businesses. Among them, one of the best methods is called list building. List building is as simple as its title suggests. It is the concept of building a list of possible visitors to your site. When building your list, you must take into consideration the nature of [...]

There are many methods used to market internet businesses. Among them, one of the best methods is called list building. List building is as simple as its title suggests. It is the concept of building a list of possible visitors to your site. When building your list, you must take into consideration the nature of your site and those who might be related to or take an interest in the subject of your website. For instance, if you have a website on potty training, the foundation of your list should consist of people interested in this subject. For instance, a good example would be mothers with toddlers.

While keeping in mind your primary list of possible potential customers, when building your list, it would be to your advantage to try to broaden the possible visitors. You may do this by thinking of ways to promote your site to people who may not directly be interested in potty training. One way of doing this is to offer possible links to websites with similar subjects. You can exchange links with other sites that may cover similar subject matters. This practice is called link swapping. Obviously, when doing this, you want to steer clear of competing sites, after all, you do not want to give your competition an edge. For instance, keeping with the same example of a potty training website, you may offer links to websites that cover other aspects of motherhood such as taking care of an infant, or bathing your baby. The same process works in reverse, the other websites can include a link to your site and help steer traffic in your direction. By exchanging links with websites such as this you are helping each other bring in a higher volume of traffic.

Internet etiquette is important to practice while list building. People must choose to become part of your list, not the other way around. Your list should always remain confidential. Good internet business practice should always be exercised. Any unsolicited emails can be considered spam and at the very least is considered rude and in most places is illegal. Therefore, always be certain that every member contained in your list opted to be there or you could find yourself in the midst of a legal matter down the line.

Another method of internet marketing is to write articles on the subject of your site and offer them free of charge to websites and forums. Chances are you are an expert on the subject of your site and therefore writing an article should not be too difficult. You should also include a link to your website in the article which can be used as free advertising. You can send your articles to article directories also.

Another little trick is to include your URL with your e mail signature line. By following these simple techniques, your internet business will soon be extemely profitable.

About the Author

Visit http://affiliatemarketingnews.net/ and http://optinforsuccess.com/ for the BEST money-making opportunities and internet home business programs! Subscribe to our FREE newsletter by sending an e-mail to optinforsuccess@aweber.com and receive a free gift!

Our Doors Are Now Open
Welcome to Myblog.com.my. Your new blogging experience for malaysian... The idea of creating myBlog are driven by the fact that Malaysian has yet to see a Made in Malaysia Blog portal . Here we provide you with a platform for you to share your thoughts — whatever it may be about... your life,  current ...

Welcome to Myblog.com.my. Your new blogging experience for malaysian…

The idea of creating myBlog are driven by the fact that Malaysian has yet to see a Made in Malaysia Blog portal . Here we provide you with a platform for you to share your thoughts — whatever it may be about… your life,  current events  or anything else that  you like to discuss — with the world.

We’ve currently developing an extensive a host of features to make your experience in blogging as simple and effective as possible. We welcome you to sign in to start blogging even during our development .

Made in Malaysia.

Lady Driver
Welcome to Lady Driver …  Now who say we ladies are not supposed to be on the road!. We can be better driver….  This blog is dedicated to share with you all you need to know about your ride so no one can fools us.

Welcome to Lady Driver …  Now who say we ladies are not supposed to be on the road!.

We can be better driver….  This blog is dedicated to share with you all you need to know about your ride so no one can fools us.

Having a little fun with the format

Character Redesign...

My version of Velma from the "Scooby Doo" cartoons..