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Yammer | To Yammer or Not

2008-12-13T06:16:00.000-08:00

Webconsuls' SMO team works hard to keep our clients and us up to date on all of the latest "gadgets" that seem to offer some benefit either for our website marketing or general business tools. I will admit that I am not always the first one to try out or sign up for the latest and greatest, but I do try to glean from my co-workers their reviews of these new tools. So today I want to talk about Yammer. To Yammer or not to Yammer, that is the question.

I first learned about Yammer on November 5, 2008. I received an email from Lisa McClure inviting me to join the Webconsuls.com network. This email arrived at 7:53AM, then at 8:56AM I received an additional invitation from Malik Moosa. On November 5 I had a very good reason for not responding to these invitations, as I was flying from Tucson to Albany, NY, and the laptop was not accessible for most of the day. Five weeks went by. I was busy with many client's projects and I waited to see if any other team member would invite me to join webconsuls.com yammer network.

December 8, 2008, the wait was over. I received another invitation from Dick Fay. Now this impressed me. Dick is not only my co-worker he is also one of my business partners, and I decided that Dick's invitation offered some validity to yammer.com. So, I signed up!

It was easy to do, I followed the steps and what do you know there I was part of the TEAM. On the home page you can easily see "posts" or "updates" from your team or group members. But what startled me was that, aside from the automatic post showing that Dick Fay had joined the "network", all other updates were from Darin McClure, our SMO director. Hmmmm! What does this mean? Where were Lisa's updates and Malik's update? I didn't understand.

If, as the Yammer.com "about us" page says: "Yammer is a tool for making companies and organizations more productive through the exchange of short frequent answers to one simple question: 'What are you working on?' As employees answer that question, a feed is created in one central location enabling co-workers to discuss ideas, post news, ask questions, and share links and other information. Yammer also serves as a company directory in which every employee has a profile and as a knowledge base where past conversations can be easily accessed and referenced."; then why is only Darin posting updates? And for that matter, is anyone listening?

I am reminded of a winter day in 1989, when I was the co-owner and innkeeper of Cranmore Mountain Lodge. Our chef at the time was a colorful fellow named John Littlefield. (Picture Ignatius J. Reilly, the main character in the Pulitzer Prize winning fiction novel, A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole.) John was a superb chef, but let's just say he had some idiosyncrasies and someday when I write my expose about innkeeping I will devote an entire chapter to John.

But back to my story. I was in the laundry room with my youngest son Daniel
(he had just turned five years old). The laundry room had a doorway to the country kitchen and John was in the kitchen busying himself and talking. Daniel watched John for a few minutes and then turned to me and in a soft voice inquired: "Momma, who is John talking to?" To which I responded: "He is talking to himself." Daniel considered my answer and then in turn responded: "But who is listening?" I didn't have an answer, except a knowing smile.

Now almost 20 years later, I find myself asking the same question when it comes to all of the new-age technology. I know that people read blogs, I know that the Internet and SMO can be very powerful on so many levels. But I also know that I can write this blog every Saturday and I don't really have any idea who is listening. So should I Yammer?

I would like to invite all of my readers to learn more about yammer.com, but at the same time I worry about even the name of "yammer." According to Websters', yammer means to utter repeated cries of distress or sorrow, to utter consistent complaints, to talk persistently or volubly and often loudly. So why would Yammer.com founders choose such a name? I don't know.

What I do know is that I am going to give it a try, but I am going to use it strictly for business questions. I am going to try to solicit input from my team members about business questions regarding SEO, SMO, web design, etc. I will let you know how this works out. In the meantime, here is a video that gives you a pretty good overview of YAMMER. And if you are looking for a good read, try A Confederacy of Dunces, you will laugh yourself silly.

Backing Up Songs From Your Ipod Onto Your Hard Drive

2008-12-12T09:14:00.001-08:00

Recently my 30GB Video Ipod started giving me trouble. The sound into my headphones was reduced to 'mono', coming through only the left earbud. I then contacted Apple and figured out the ipod was beyond repair- and yes I tried multiple pairs of headphones, which is not the issue.

As a result I figured I needed a new mp3 player but I had a large percentage of songs on my ipod that are not in my library. Therefore, I figured my next steps had to be to backup all my ipod contents, again in order to not lose a significant amount of music.

Ipod Copy Expert is the tool I used to perform this task of allowing me to backup my data; kind of a reverse Itunes Library. In my own example this allowed me to then put my entire library of songs onto a new or in my case, my wife's ipod. Many people who like this tool just want a backup of their data to cover a lost/stolen or broken ipod, etc.

There is a $20 charge to use the full version of this software, but that is the price of recovering just 20 songs; so for me this was a no brainer. The interface itself acts like your Itunes library and is very simply to operate.

Go try out the free version (below) and reply/comment with what you think and with what your experience was.

http://www.ipod-computer.com/iPod-Transfer

Beta label removed from Google Chrome

2008-12-11T12:09:00.000-08:00

Today was the 15th release by Google and within 100 days of its initial launch. Google announced this morning the first release of Google Chrome without the beta label attached to it.

We've been talking about Google Chrome since September and most of you already know what an amazingly fast browser it is. With the first release without the beta label, Google has improved the stability and performance of plug-ins (video performance in specific) which had issues in the beta version. When doing a benchmark test on V8 JavaScript engine, it runs 1.5 times faster on V8 benchmark. Google claims this will get even faster.

Google Chrome's bookmark feature is now even friendlier. Some users had problems in the beta release which have now been resolved. Now you can organize your bookmarks and import/export from different browsers.

Most users that use Mozilla Firefox also utilize the plug-ins feature. Hopefully in the next few days, Google will come out with extensions to integrate with Google Chrome.

What are your thoughts? Which browser would you say has the most potential?

Hunger in Eastern Massachusetts And How You Can Help

2008-12-10T11:52:00.000-08:00

Hunger in Eastern Massachusetts And How You Can Help

Hunger is a silent epidemic. Each year, more than 320,000 people seek food assistance in eastern Massachusetts alone. They are the most vulnerable among us: children and seniors. They are people we know: our friends, neighbors, and colleagues. They live in each and every one of our communities, and are quietly seeking help from the more than 600 member hunger-relief agencies in the nine counties and 190 cities and towns of eastern Massachusetts that receive food from The Greater Boston Food Bank.

Lisa was checking in to Twitter this morning and saw a post that intrigued her from Connie Reece, about how Tyson foods was donating 100 pounds of food for every comment to this post. This time of year a comment is not to much to ask for please do your part, comment, feed the hungry and prove that tweeting and blogging about a subject is more than a bunch of people talking about what they had for lunch or where they can spot their cars on google maps.

Go Comment, it will make you feel good.

Tasks from Google Labs

2008-12-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

How does Google know?

Google is always adding and developing the services it offers for free. Sometimes I joke they are reading my emails. One day I may mention, "Gee, I would like folders for that ..." and a couple weeks later, or a couple days in some cases my feature appears. Call it selective attention, hundredth monkey effect or just the natural development of software.

As I made my transition from using Outlook to only Gmail and Gmail for your domain I bemoaned the loss of adding a task and attaching the referenced email. Loved that. Needed that.

The latest addition to Google Labs is Tasks. Now located below your "Contacts" link on the left margin. This from Google:

We put your tasks in the same kind of window as chats, so they're visible while you're scanning your inbox, reading mail, or searching (and in Settings, too!). Just pop your list out into a new window to use Tasks outside of Gmail.

To enable Tasks, go to Settings, click the Labs tab (or just click here if you're signed in). Select "Enable" next to "Tasks" and then click "Save Changes" at the bottom. Then, after Gmail refreshes, on the left under the "Contacts" link, you'll see a "Tasks" link. Just click it to get started.

Tasks will allow you to create a 'to do' list right within Gmail.

Tasks can be generated straight from an email.

Open your email, decide you need to add this task, from the "More Actions" drop down menu now you may select "Add to Tasks". The email will be added to your Task list with the subject line listed in your queue of things to do.
If you have your shortcuts enabled in Labs you can do this with Control + t, also:

Tasks can be prioritized.
Tasks allows you to break down a project into manageable steps.
The Task window can pop-out and become a whole new window.

So while Google is possibly listening (and when aren't they) here is my wish list for Tasks:

1. An iPhone application to see and use my Tasks list on the go
2. Ability to combine Tasks lists from other gmail accounts into one master list
3. Add due dates for Tasks to Google Calendar

What do you want Tasks to do next?

You May Say I'm A Dreamer, But I'm Not the Only One...

2008-12-08T06:42:00.000-08:00

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

1980, I was a high school student in the OC before that was cool, I was not a sporto, I was not a band geek, I was not a thespian, but I knew people in all of those clicks and could move freely between them. The 80s was not a time of great music with few exceptions. We were raised in a house with everything from Brubeck to the Beatles being played on vinal via the Hi-Fi. We have always loved new tunes when they came out from out favorite artists. John Lennon had taken a hiatus to raise his second son, and the world was without his gift for many years when Double Fantisy came out. I can remember slow Sundays on the patio, rib eye steaks on the grill, John and Yoko on the turntable. That year summer ended and winter came, and with it the senseless killing of one of the most popular composers of all time.

It't now almost 30 years later and Imagine still kinda chokes me up.

We Miss You John...

Over the Rainbow, Australia and the magic of music

2008-12-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

Over the Thanksgiving weekend Dennis and I went to see the new Baz Luhrmann film Australia, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Having read many reviews of this film, some great and some mixed, I figured we might as well venture out on Black Friday and see this epic film. What better way to spend two and three-quarter hours when a movie includes wonderful scenery of Australia, World War II history, an expose of the "stolen generation", not to mention I could enjoy watching Hugh Jackman (People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive 2008) and Dennis could similarly enjoy watching the beautiful and talented Nicole Kidman. As we purchased our tickets, I noticed the theatre was giving away free Australia movie posters. What a treat! Not exactly like receiving a movie "program book" that I frequently received back in the 60's and 70's. Yes, I said "program book."
These were souvenir books, some over 30 pages in length, that were part of your ticket price, typically produced for those major films like Dr. Zhivago (1965) and Hawaii (1966). And, yes, I still have some of these treasures, and remember that these movies often included an "intermission!" But, back to Australia...it is 1939.

There is much to say about this movie and I really hope you will see it for yourself. What struck me the most is how Luhrmann managed to weave the 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz, into his storytelling. And of course, there is the beautiful Oz song, "Over the Rainbow". As I watched Australia I thought to myself, what is it about "Over the Rainbow" that somehow reaches your inner soul and magically soothes you. We all know that Australia is not the first movie that has incorporated "Over the Rainbow", as I can name at least six other films, and it undoubtedly won't be the last...so still the question remains. Why do people love the song "Over the Rainbow"?

Consider the following: "Over the Rainbow" was written in 1939; lyrics by Edgar Yipsel(Yip)Harburg; music by Harold Arlen; original performing artist was Judy Garland; won the Academy Award for Best Original Song (1939) and was voted by the American Film Institute as the Best Movie Song of all time. According to SongFacts.com, Yip Harburg's "lyrics have a political significance. Harburg was expressing hope for America under President Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" program, which was designed to get America out of the Great Depression in the early '30s." Hmmmm...

I suppose you are wondering what my blog post about Over the Rainbow, Australia and the magic of music has to do with Webconsuls' primary services, SEO and SMO. Well, here is the connection. A few months ago, one of our clients, Affirmations ~ Scottsdale, asked us to create a video for their new website. We had wonderful photos, but we needed just the right music. Dan Helfand contacted his friend, Paul Meredith, and asked Paul to record a version of "Over the Rainbow." You can view the finished product here:

So today:
1. Let me know your thoughts about "Over the Rainbow" and Australia.
2. See if you can name one or more of the other movie soundtracks which include "Over the Rainbow".
3. Let me know if you need Webconsuls to produce a video for your website

....'Somewhere over the rainbow... skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.'

Dare to dream...

Pay Per Click Landing Pages

2008-12-05T07:05:00.000-08:00

In pay per click marketing, in most cases I find myself defining the typical internet user/searcher/customer in very specific terms. I must assume that the potential customer is looking only for the particular item/service searched-- nothing more nothing less. Therefore, specific landing pages corresponding to that search term are a must, while sending a searcher to your homepage is not optimal.

To quote the linked article, "The first and most important objective of the landing page is to convince the visitor that they've come to the right place." In my opinion this must be done, clearly, simply, and above the 'fold' or without making the searcher scroll. The Szetela article uses the metaphor of going to a Sears department store. When you know the specific item you are looking to purchase, you can go directly to it by parking and entering the store in the door leading to that particular department. You then find, purchase and leave the store creating as efficient and seemless an experience as possible.

If the searcher then stays to browse or comes back later for similar items, it is all gravy. But the conservative, strict approach assumes this is not the case and in my experience, it is not. Secure the immediate sale- any other objectives cannot be campaigned for with statistical confidence.

The browser or the type of person who enjoys shopping and spending time do so is not the person we are concerned with as previous topics have covered. In short, the browsing shopper will either find the product regardless of what 'department door' they arrive in or aren't looking to buy in the 1st place. They are simply browsing.

Please read the article for another point of view and as always- share your experiences, tips and tricks by replying and helping out the rest of the viewership.

http://searchenginewatch.com/3631984

Google Friend Connect SMO for your site!

2008-12-04T11:22:00.000-08:00

Google Friend Connect allows more visitors to engage in your website. Best part is, it doesn't require any programming. The user can join your website using their existing Google, Yahoo, AIM, or OpenID and they can invite friends to join your site as well.

So what can a user do once they join your website through Google Friend Connect?

First, you can add the member gadget which displays member display pictures and allows them to spread the link to join your website.

The Wall gadget which works similarly to Facebook's wall application or a blog post where users can post comments or links to videos on your site.

Another great feature is the Review/Rate gadget which is self explanitory. Allows users to rate the page or a section of a page and post a comment on the rating and get user feedback.

Once you have placed the gadgets on your site, you can then login to Google Friend Connect and view stats on how many members have joined over time. This is a completely new service offered by Google and more gadgets are being developed.

Sign up now and spread the word. Google Friend Connect

Intrepid Ibex? Click here to get your Free Ubuntu CD's

2008-12-03T21:13:00.000-08:00

We got our FREE Ubuntu 8.10 disks in the mail!

Ubuntu is an African word meaning 'Humanity to others' and is also a free operating system that you can use to breath new life into an old computer, host your enterprise or just get your feet wet in the land of *nix. Click here to order your free Ubuntu CD now.

This version of Ubuntu 8.10 is code named Intrepid Ibex. Do not be afraid to try it. Take the Ubuntu CD you get in the mail and boot your computer from it for a test drive!

Got Ubuntu? Everything you need comes on one CD, providing a complete working environment. Additional software is available online directly thru a pull down menu.

Above, Check out this old interview with Mark Shuttleworth, founder of the Ubuntu Foundation.

Ubuntu, an African word meaning 'Humanity to others', or 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. The Ubuntu distribution brings this spirit of Ubuntu to the software world. Give it a try, Let us know what you think.

What is a Kindle and Would it Make a Good Gift?

2008-12-02T08:54:00.000-08:00

What is a Kindle?
A Kindle is an portable reading device which connects to the internet. The Kindle can download books, blogs, magazines and newspapers wirelessly.

I enjoy playing with new devices and having worked with DAISY books, a digital format created for accessibility purposes, I was very curious about this product from Amazon. The following is a list of pros and cons from my user experience. It is not an exhaustive list but one from my direct experience with the device.

What the Kindle Excels at:

The Kindle is great if you like to burn through lots of paperback books and general reading material. Paperback novels, books with very few illustration and not too much organizational formatting are ideal for this device.
The Kindle is the ideal device to use for casual reading while traveling. When I do occasionally travel I never know what book I am going to want to read. A Kindle enables you to have over 200 titles and only one 10.3 ounce device to carry.
Kindle books are generally cheaper than their traditional version. Best Sellers and New Releases are $9.99 unless marked otherwise. Currently 105 of the 112 New York Times Best Sellers are available on Kindle.
The Kindle is very immediate. You can download a novel from the online store in seconds and be reading. Finish the book you brought, visit the Kindle store right from your device and pick a new read. Amazon was not being foolish when they enabled this device with full time internet access.
Want to take a peak at a book. One of my favorite treats with the Kindle is being able to download the first chapter of any Kindle version for free. You have a sample of the book to try before you buy.
Kindle books are saved and could be made available if you ever accidentally erased or lost your Kindle.
The Kindle is a wireless internet device with no monthly fee. You can access your email, your social networks and browse the internet all from your Kindle.
You can subscribe to newpapers, magazines, and blogs and have them delivered to your Kindle.
A built in dictionary looks up words with a push of a button. I love this feature and wish I had it when I read the book "All the Pretty Horses" by Cormac McCarthy.
The Kindle is also a full encycolpedia. Access to Wikipedia.org, your online encyclopedia, comes with your Kindle.
An easy to read screen which excels in the elements, especially bright sun and wind.The Kindle's screen is "electronic paper" and does not glow like a computer monitor. The screen of a Kindle is more like the etch-a-sketch of the my childhood. The "digital ink" is magnetic. The electronic ink is easy on the eyes and reads well even in direct sunlight. Reading the humongous and unweily New York Times in a slight breeze is much easier on the Kindle.
The text size is adjustable.

Drawback that I found

Sharing
The downside is that if you are accustomed to sharing your paperbacks with other readers you can't really lend or trade your Kindle books as you would a dogeared paperback.

Diagrams
The Kindle is not great for books which contain diagrams. I read a lot of "how to" books. The most recent book I purchased was on photography. I would never even considered buying the Kindle version as the color photographs and illustrations would not be shown full size or in color. Computer instruction and technical books don't render well for the same reason.

A book in the hand ...
When I start a book I read all the front material, the table of contents, all the back material, then I start the book. A Kindle book will display all the same material but it just never feels as easily contained as a book in your hands. Call me old fashioned but I do find comfort in that tangable property of books.

Availability
Not everything has a Kindle version at the moment. There are more than 190,000 titles. You should be able to find something.

Can Kindles replace books?

Kindles and electronic devices can create digital copies of the text in books. Where the representation of the straight text is all you need the Kindle serves its function well. Will it replace books? Not in my lifetime and not for me.

There are the books that you carry around from childhood. I lost my original copy of my beloved book "Happy Horsemanship". A copy of my favorite book on the Kindle would be a poor substitute. There are the books you have given to you by your parents. My copy of "Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson", the inside cover contains my Mother's handwriting "to Lisa, Love Mom and Dad, Christmas 1984" or "My Dog Skip" given to me by a friend and past student are not only stories but mementos. Another favorite and useful book never far from my desk "Reader's Digest Family Word Finder", a thesaurus of sorts, but one that is actually intuitive and immediate to use. I have turned to this resource for help since junior high school. Paging through this reference that I have had for so many years, even the breaks in the binding serve as bookmarks to pages I have referenced repeatedly. Kindles can't do that.

On the other hand ... I can't access my email with my copy of Emily Dickinson.

There are books you will keep forever. There are books you want to touch and pour over. There are books you want to just consume with one read. The Kindle is for the later.

In my opinion and experience the ideal Kindle candidate is one of two people, a traveling bookworm who frequents the best seller section and devours newspapers and/or the gadget infatuated individual who will thrive on squeezing every functionality they can out of an internet device that happens to also read books.

Will you buy a kindle for a gift ... well not right now because they are currently sold out. There are Kindles available for resale on ebay, but some of those are asking for as much as twice the retail prices. OUCH!

Cyber Monday What Is It?

2008-12-01T07:11:00.000-08:00

HAPPY CYBER MONDAY!

Hope you all had a safe trip to Grams house and a Healthy Happy Thanksgiving. Did you find all the best deals on Black Friday? Because Today, Monday December 1st, is the first day back to work after Black Friday. All across America wallets are opened and credit cards are being removed. Current estimates say that 56% of workers with internet access, 70+ million people, will spend more time today shopping online than working.

CyberMonday was born.

Do you need something for your Kindle? Today sites like Amazon will offer deep discounts and see Cyber Monday traffic increases up to 26%.

So if you missed your new LCD or PLASMA deal on Friday you get a second chance today!

Looking for more Cyber Monday Deals? Don't forget to check out CyberMonday.com

Now to find that perfect gift for Lisa McClure...

Ocarina Advancements and Screen Capture Elements

2008-11-30T10:39:00.000-08:00

This week was about Ocarina advancements and IPhone screen capture elements which have made my life easier. I was playing my Ocarina the other day and was marveling at the changes made on the Ocarina since the last update. The buttons don't stick like they used to, this makes playing something from start to finish a lot easier. On globe mode, you can now zoom into a particular region to listen to; or listen to only the top melodies around the world, only my melodies, and only my loved melodies. There is a new finger hole layout which I find makes playing the Ocarina much easier. I can honestly say that I am excited to see what they add on to the Ocarina next.

I recently discovered another amazing IPhone feature that will come in very handy, a screen capture element. The pictures shown above were taken with the screen capture element. No matter what you are looking at on your IPhone, whether it is a web page or a text chat conversation, you can take a picture of what you see. After you capture what you are looking at, you can then email yourself or anybody a picture of what you deem important. When looking at something on your IPhone that you want to remember or use for a presentation there are only three simple steps to take. First, find something you want a picture of. Second, press the sleep/wake button at the top of the IPhone. Third, press the home button while pressing the sleep/awake button. The IPhone display will turn white for a second if you've done the steps properly, then you can go to your photo roll and take a look at what you captured.

A Kindle vs the National Yiddish Book Center

2008-11-29T08:34:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month, you might remember, I visited Amherst, MA, for homecoming weekend at Amherst College. During that weekend Dennis and I took a side trip to Hampshire College to visit the National Yiddish Book Center. How and why we came to make this side trip is a story for another day, but suffice it to say we were awe struck as we parked our car and strolled into this incredible center. We were welcomed into the center and invited to watch a short video on the history of the National Yiddish Book Center. The words of the narrator were both comforting and chilling: "Throughout their long history, Jews have turned to books as a 'portable homeland', the repository of collective memory and culture." What struck me about this statement is while it is true for Jews, I think it is also true for most people. That is, our books ground us as we move from place to place, from home to home. Looking back on my adult life, I have always treasured my books and I have never felt quite settled in a new home (whether it be a college dorm, a new apartment or a spacious house) until the books are gently set in a place of honor. It is not that I keep re-reading these books, but the fact that they are present in my home makes me feel settled.

My books are a conglomeration of novels, history, memoirs, poetry...many were gifts from friends and family or simply passed to me from my parents over the years. I have packed these books so many times over my adult life, at least 16 times, that each time it has become a ritual to hold the books, dust them and then quietly set them on a shelf..."just in case". They represent a part of my life's history. What I particularly love to do is read the personal inscriptions that many of them hold, written by people that have touched my life.

A few months ago I was riding in a car with Darin and Lisa McClure and Lisa reached into her purse and retrieved a new "gadget." I asked her about it and she cheerfully extolled the virtues of her Kindle, Amazon's wireless reading device. According to Amazon this is "a convenient, portable reading device with the ability to wirelessly download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers." I could see that the device was all of those things, but what about the book? In other words, what about the essence of the book itself: Buying the book, reading the book, holding the book, referring back to the book, sharing the book, and giving it a place of honor on your book shelf? What about the "dust cover(s)"? Here is how this new "reading" works. First you buy the Kindle for about $360. Then there is the download purchase vs the traditional purchase. For example, in 2005 Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. If you purchase the hardcover version of this book it will run about $35, the softcover version is about $21 and the Amazon Kindle version is $9.99. You can learn more about the Kindle by watching this YouTube video.

I invite you to visit on-line The National Yiddish Book Center. On their site there is a copy of the video that Dennis and I viewed. The video is called a "A Bridge of Books: The Story of the National Yiddish Book Center." As you view this video, you might wonder about the meaning of the word "save". According to Merriam-Webster's On-Line Dictionary, the intransitive verb "save" has the following meanings: "1 a: to deliver from sin b: to rescue or deliver from danger or harm c: to preserve or guard from injury, destruction, or loss d: to store (data) in a computer or on a storage device (as a floppy disk or CD)." Now ponder a Kindle vs the National Yiddish Book Center. A Kindle depicts definition "d", while projects like National Yiddish Book Center honors definitions "b" and "c".

Going back to the "portable homeland" and "just in case"...a few months ago my youngest son asked me if I had ever read The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. Imagine my delight when I was able to walk to our bookshelves and retrieve my copy of this book. It had been a gift (1968 price for this hardbound book was $3.95) to me 40 years ago and still I could find it, touch it and present my copy of Gibran's masterpiece to my son to touch, read and enjoy. Simply amazing, dust cover included!

Plazma vs LCD HDTV

2008-11-28T10:59:00.000-08:00

The old debate, Plasma vs LCD has existed as long as the technology has.

If you are like me and you have heard all of the arguments and everyone says something different, the video at the following link will sort the facts.

For example, which type is better for movies versus video games. The comparison mentions how the type and amount of light will affect each version and other aspects the lay person may not think about.

When it comes down to it for me, both Plasma and LCD bring positives to the table and while the other type may be better or worse at something else, neither is the greatest across the board. Therefore, which ever technology is a better deal for the money at a certain size is the one I will buy. Having said that, if you are using the TV for a primary purpose, then it would make more sense to utilize the technology that caters to that purpose.

CNet will break it all down.

http://www.cnet.com.au/tvs/0,239035250,240036500,00.htm

Please feel free to add your vote- LCD or Plasma?

Happy Thanksgiving to All from Webconsuls

2008-11-27T20:01:00.000-08:00

Webconsuls would like to take this day to wish all of our friends and family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

And to reminded everyone only three shopping weeks left till Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving

Webconsuls

Holiday Prices for Mesotherapy Treatments

2008-11-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Most of us want to look our best for the Holidays. Many of us want a new look for the New Year. Some of us are considering mesotherapy. Almost all of us are feeling the effects of the economic downturn.

Dr. Simin Siddiq of the Meso Laser Clinic in the San Francisco Bay Area has come up with a pricing plan that all should find attractive. She is offering special holiday pricing on some of the most popular treatments. These holiday prices are in effect from now until January 31, 2009.

Restylane is one of most tried and true dermal fillers. It can soften aging lines and enhance your natural features. Restylane is $50 off during the holidays.

Juvederm is another dermal filler. Among other things it can reduce those smile lines. Juvederm treatments are $100 off during the holiday pricing period.

VelaShape is the first and only non-surgical FDA-cleared medical solution that contours, shapes and slims the body. VelaShape treatments are 30% off during the special pricing.

Botox is a simple, nonsurgical, physician-administered treatment that can temporarily smooth moderate to severe frown lines between the brows in people from 18 to 65 years of age. It is the only treatment of its type approved by the Food and Drug Administration. During the holiday pricing time, Dr. Siddiq's Botox® treatments are $9 per unit for the holidays.

All other laser treatments are 25% off, if you buy a package.

Dr. Siddiq has offices in Fremont, Danville, and Menlo Park California. Contact her at 1-888-611-9211 or at 1-510-789-8870 for more information or an appointment. You can visit her web site at http://www.mesolaserclinic.com.

Social Media: Improving the customer experience for everyone

2008-11-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

Recently I received an Amazon.com gift certificate as a gift. I am an avid reader and an avid kindle reader so I am sure that is what my in-laws had in mind.

I have come to rely on Amazon.com for far more than just books. This particular transaction was representative of how social media is molding the customers' experience for the better and I feel compelled to share the story.

Once people were quite wary of ordering online. Giving their credit card information over the internet to people unseen seemed scary and just not wise. Years later I make most of my purchases online. What is not to love? You can order exactly what you want. There is no trip to the mall. No walking up and down the shopping center corridor looking for that store directory while hoping for one more chance to find the exact brand and model so you can go home.

First it starts with how I select my purchases. I am a review reader and a very specific shopper. I generally know exactly what I want and why I want it. I don't necessarily come up with these answers myself, but I have trusted experts, think of them as "authority sites".

I wanted to get a few items for the kitchen. For cooking and kitchen equipment my two top sources are Alton Brown and America's Test Kitchen. Alton Brown, of Good Eats and Iron Chef America fame, has won me over again and again with his creative and campy show "Good Eats". His advice and elementary scientific explanation of why things work fascinates me and turns the once mundane chore of cooking dinner into a fun and creative thing to do at the end of the day. His show "Good Eats" is a family favorite in our house. I frequent his website for quick recipes and tips. Alton is welcome at our house any day. Here he is with some Thanksgiving tips.

America's Test Kitchen is my other authority. They judiciously test equipment and recipes. They recommend good solid equipment and explain why they favor one model over another. I have their family cookbook and it is where I get all my "Mom answers".

So with "my authorities" suggesting what makes and models are the best purchases I take a cursory look at Amazons' online reviews and as long as I don't see any glaring descrepancies in the reviews I make my purchase.

Amazon follows up and makes sure your purchases arrive on time and there is a link so you can track the delivery right to your door. Not everything is actually purchased directly from Amazon as they are the dealer for other merchants and resellers.

This time my entire order arrived within days, except for the pie dish. I had specifically chosen this pie dish for its deep well, perfect for a really deep apple crisp. It turned out that I was not the only one eying this lovely deep pie dish from the reseller unbeatablesale.com as it was sold out. My account was never charged. A few days later I was asked to review my experience. I couldn't give the transaction 5 stars as I didn't receive my purchase. I did comment that the item was sold out and while I was disappointed it would certainly not prevent me from shopping there again.

A store representative emailed me as a result of my less than 5 star rating and offered a gift certificate to use in their online store worth twice the amount of my initial attempted purchase.

They listened to my review. They care about the ratings. They care about the rating because the ratings from social media are going to affect their future sales. I am going to shop their because it is convenient and I am heard. If I am not satisfied they are going to remedy the situation.

No hassles. No buyers remorse. I like it.

Social Media improving the customer experience.

iPhone 2.2 Updates Best Easter Egg? Improved Battery Performance

2008-11-24T08:36:00.000-08:00

Apple released the new iPhone OS, Version 2.2 on Friday, so if you have not done so already please open iTunes and update your iPhone,

New Features that Apple is touting,

Google Street View for Maps, see where you are going before you get there.
Podcast downloads over WiFi or 3G
Updated Safari, the iPhones web browser so that you always see Google search.

One of the things we have noticed and have seen mentioned across the blogisphere is much improved battery life. We use our iPhones more like a Laptop, checking mail, feeds in Google reader and what not. Saturday we went Geocaching with our iPhones, and normally this would have sucked the battery dry in the hours we were out caching. But Sat, after we got home both of our iPhones were still half full.

Nice work Apple, while Cut & Paste would have been a nice addition, this kind of improved battery performance should have been noted on the top of the list of reasons to upgrade to 2.2.

Have you noticed better battery life after your upgrade?

Remembering November 22, 1963 and Remembering the Long Tail

2008-11-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the day of remembering November 22, 1963, as it is a scar in peoples' memories for multiple reasons. Today is the day for Remembering November 22, 1963 and remembering the Long Tail with your blog posts! The Long Tail has become ever so crucial as far as placement with the Search Engines. The goal, when writing a blog, is to have as many people as possible be able to find and read your post. Content and keywords (labels) are very important when writing a post, but, a title with a Long Tail that can be found a couple times in your post is necessary.

Judith Helfand's post titled "Remembering November 22, 1963 and President John F Kennedy's Assassination" is a perfect example of the Long Tail put into practice. When you search Google with the words "Remembering November 22, 1963" Judy's post shows up 4th out of 473,000 hits. The date Nov 22, 1963 is a very historical and for that reason there are many people with websites on or relating to that date. The fact that Judy's blog post shows up before all but three of those sites is amazing, and it all can be owed to remembering the long tail.

Use a Long Tail to get more traffic to your blog post and in turn bring more traffic to your website. The key to being found online is to make yourself more search-able. Five words or more is a sufficient Long Tail for your blog post. When you increase the length of your title while incorporating it into your post, you will increase the amount of people who are able to find your post and your website.

Remembering November 22, 1963 and President John F Kennedy's Assassination

2008-11-22T05:43:00.000-08:00

Somewhere in a trunk I will find a copy of the San Diego Evening Tribune dated November 22, 1963. There is also a copy of Life Magazine that was published November 29, 1963. I really don't have to take the time to find these mementos, because my memories of a day long ago, to which I will dedicate today's blog, remain vivid in my mind.

It was a Friday and I was a 14 year old high school freshman at Cathedral Girls' High School in San Diego, CA. Every Friday the entire student body of 400 young girls attended Mass at St. Joseph's Cathedral at 11:00AM. In procession we marched into the cathedral to take our pre-assigned seats in the pews. Sitting about five seats from me was another freshman that had a "forbidden" transistor radio in her purse. Shortly after 11:00AM this young girl slipped the radio out of her purse and, against all rules, she turned the radio on thinking she would be listening to the music of the day. Within minutes whispered talk was passed along the pew and we learned that President Kennedy had been critically wounded in Dallas, TX. This row of girls knew instinctively that we should certainly try to share this news bulletin with one of the nuns, perhaps Sister Anne Rita or Sister Eileen Leo (two young nuns who were more or less responsible for the freshman class). But how do we tell them without admitting that we were all breaking the school rules primarily by having the radio and secondarily turning it on during Mass?

We never had to admit our transgression, as suddenly Monsignor Rice appeared on the altar and whispered something to the young celebrant, Father Edward Brockhaus. And then, Monsignor Rice stepped to the pulpit and made the announcement: "President Kennedy has been shot and killed. When our Mass is concluded all students are instructed to return to their home room and be dismissed for the day. You will go immediately to your public bus and make your way home." We sat in shock, going through the motions of Mass and as the final blessing was bestowed on us all, we walked solemnly down the aisle...to be met by local news media, congregating at our Cathedral, the center of the Roman Catholic Church in the San Diego Diocese. Outside I found my older sister, Agnes; she was a high school junior and crying we made our way to the bus stop and took the 16 mile drive to our home.

When we arrived home our parents were waiting for us with our other two siblings. The television was on and remained on for the next three days, non-stop. In 1963 there were only the major networks on the three San Diego channels, NBC, CBS, and ABC. But each network channel covered this life altering event continuously: such as the transporting of the President's body to Air Force One with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy walking next to the casket. (We did not have color TV, so we depended on the TV anchor to describe her pink suit, with matching pillbox hat.) Later we would see still photos of Lyndon B. Johnson being administered the oath of office aboard Air Force One. And still later we would watch as the President arrived back in Washington, DC. I remember we wept openly for three days. Our parents wept, a sight seldom witnessed by us. We all knew that our lives had changed forever. Within two days we were still watching live coverage as Jack Ruby shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald (the suspected assassin).

On November 25, 1963, John F. Kennedy, Jr's (John-John)third birthday, President Kennedy's funeral took place. My memory of this day is that of my family sitting in the living room watching the procession, a graceful First Lady, the funeral mass, and dignitaries from all over the world gathering to honor our fallen President. And then there is the heart warming memory of little John-John saluting his father.

Every year at this time I stop and remember President Kennedy. Somehow life has gone on, 45 years since this fateful day. And every year I have wondered how life might have been had November 22, 1963, passed without incident. Today, Brian Williams of NBC Nightly News posed the same question.

As an aside, I later met John F. Kennedy, Jr. He was a guest at our inn in March 1991. Imagine my surprise to realize that the young Mr. Kennedy had checked in late on a Friday night with his old college friend. The reservation was in his friend's name. Suffice it to say, as the weekend progressed I asked John Kennedy if I could take a picture of him. He agreed and we went to our owner's quarters. Our sons, Aaron and Daniel, then 10 and 7, sensed this was a special occasion. Aaron seemed to know that it was important for John to know how much his father had been loved by his parents and grandparents. He handed John a letter from his mother, Jacqueline, which had been sent to my father back in 1964, expressing thanks for the small donation my parents had made to the Kennedy Library. John stood quietly in our home, carefully studying this letter, his mother's note, rubbing his hand against the paper and then with a smile he returned it to Aaron.

Yes, it is Saturday. This is not a technical blog, but you do have to wonder about a nation that connected 45 years ago today with television, radio, newsprint, photos, magazines and a common bond of a shared loss. This was a day that shaped our lives forever.

Feel free to leave a comment of your memories from November 22, 1963.

Gas Prices Below $1.75?

2008-11-21T10:16:00.000-08:00

As we all have probably noticed, unless you take a cab or public transportation in a major metropolitan area (excluding LA), oil and therefore gas prices have been dropping consistently over the past few months. More specifically, since July fuel has dropped in half, according to the linked article. I am far from an expert, but my review of the issue has this due to reduced fuel consumption, projected usage and other supply and demand factors.

This decrease in energy cost, including heat and natural gas is one positive of the current tough times. Moreover, this drop in energy cost then leads to a potential drop in food and transportation costs; the same areas that when gas was spiking were out of control- plane flights, food etc.

So while the economy is in a slight decline, the positive side of me says, here is what good has come of it. Hopefully this decrease in fuel will jump start the positive attitude we Americans need to pull out of this slump.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20081120/ts_csm/atwobucks

What's Black Friday?

2008-11-20T11:37:00.000-08:00

Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving where most large retailers offer amazing discounts primarily for Christmas shopping. Stores like Best Buy and Staples open as early as 5AM and offer door buster deals for the first 100 customers. CompUSA (now bought out by TigerDirect.com) has their door buster deals starting at midnight after Thanksgiving.

Black Friday is not an official holiday but when standing in line with hundreds of shoppers, it does feel like one. You can expect huge crowds and lines going around the store before they open (Fry’s Electronics in particular). If you’re lucky enough to find something you went there for, bring something to entertain you because you will be standing in line anywhere from 30min to 3hours.

It's known to be one of the busiest days of the year in terms of actual sales volume. In my family, after Thanksgiving we usually stay up all night playing games and just spending time with family and close friends till about 5AM. Once the clock hits 5AM, we hit the stores for tremendous savings. www.bfads.net is a website that reveals most of the ads of the large retailers before the print ads hit the newspapers. This year doesn't look as good as far as great deals are concerned.

Where will you be this Black Friday?

Download Zone Alarm Pro for Free

2008-11-17T12:55:00.000-08:00

Tuesday starting at 6am PST you will be able to download the full version of Zone Alarm Pro for FREE FREE FREE!!! Why? It is ZoneAlarm's Birthday and they are giving you the free gift,

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Ocarina: Ancient Flute-like Wind Instrument

2008-11-16T10:23:00.000-08:00

The ocarina is an ancient flute-like wind instrument believed to date back some 12,000 years. While several variations exist, an ocarina is typified by an oval-shaped enclosed space with four to twelve finger holes and a mouth tube projecting out from the body. It is often ceramic, but many other materials, such as plastic, wood, glass and metal may also be used.

Ocarina-type instruments have been of particular importance in Chinese and Mesoamerican cultures. The Ocarina played an important role in China's long history of song and dance. The ocarina has similar features to the Xun, another important Chinese instrument. Cortes' expedition to Mesoamerica resulted in the introduction of the ocarina to the courts of Europe. Both the Mayans and Aztecs had produced versions of the ocarina, but it was the Aztecs who brought the song and dance that accompanied the ocarina to Europe. The ocarina went on to become popular in European communities as a toy instrument

You can now play the Ocarina with your iPhone! You have access to several keys and modes that can be changed in order to play a full variation of songs. Rest the iPhone on your ring fingers and thumbs with the headphone jack facing away from you. Use your index and middle fingers to cover the four holes. In order to play your Ocarina, you will need to blow into the microphone (you will see a small gold arrow where to blow). The mic is sensitive, so try not to blow very hard (if you are puffing your cheeks, you are blowing too hard).

I feel like the iPhone Ocarina is the most engaging application out there. It is a lot fun and with a little bit of effort one can learn to play some great songs; you can also transpose your own songs on to the Ocarina. There is a "globe mode", where you can listen to what people all around the world are playing on the Ocarina. Download the Ocarina by Smule for your phone and start making music with your iPhone!