When it comes to planning your brand's content strategy, pay special attention to the micro-copy -- wording on a website's interface such as "submit" or call-to-action links, according to Amy Thibodeau, a content strategist for Facebook. Thibodeau explains the social site's reasoning for choosing the "Like" button and breaks down three steps that other strategists can use to ensure that their copy works in harmony with the rest of the website. Full story at SmartBlog on Social Media by SmartBrief. More SmartBrief stories. Permalink | Leave a comment »
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Most Topular Stories
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Understanding the role of micro-copy in a brand's content strategy
Holy Kaw!9 Feb 2012 | 9:58 am -
In Today’s News…New Classes at Kelby Training
Joe McNally's Blog6 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amJust finished two new classes for Kelby Training, which are in the pipe, and will most likely come out fairly shortly. They’re pretty in depth looks at creating, with just light and a plain wall, an environment in which dancers can thrive, create their own sublime shapes, which then, at camera, you simply hope to capture. I’m a big believer in the fact that when the camera observes a performer, it simply stands in service to their creativity. Consequently, the best thing a shooter can do is provide a comfortable place for them to experiment, light them simply and well, and then… -
How the Other Half Lives: George Holz' Beyoncé for Spin
Strobist8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmPhoto © George HolzYou know how people on the Strobist Flickr group like to talk about how it is technically possible to shoot blow-away white with just one flash?Yeah, this is not exactly that.Hit the jump for a walk-thru vid for the (ahem, eight-light) shoot, including a key light combo that you're prolly gonna want to rent rather than buy next time you are assigned to shoot Beyoncé. Read more » -
The Danish design creative HAY – has recently...
NOTCOT.ORG9 Feb 2012 | 3:34 amThe Danish design creative HAY – has recently teamed up with Swedish graphic designer clara von zweigbergk. (Want more? See NOTCOT.org and NOTCOT.com) -
Artist's palate: Donatella Versace
Wallpaper* News Feed9 Feb 2012 | 12:57 pmMuse, critic, designer, entrepreneur, company saviour and first lady of fashion, Donatella Versace may have tempered the sex and theatricality of the family brand a little, but there's still glamour galore in her output and appearance. Her favourite dish of pasta and caviar
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Holy Kaw!
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Understanding the role of micro-copy in a brand's content strategy
9 Feb 2012 | 9:58 amWhen it comes to planning your brand's content strategy, pay special attention to the micro-copy -- wording on a website's interface such as "submit" or call-to-action links, according to Amy Thibodeau, a content strategist for Facebook. Thibodeau explains the social site's reasoning for choosing the "Like" button and breaks down three steps that other strategists can use to ensure that their copy works in harmony with the rest of the website. Full story at SmartBlog on Social Media by SmartBrief. More SmartBrief stories. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Pizza Hut's proposal package
9 Feb 2012 | 9:36 amLove and pepperoni: the perfect delicious match. Pizza Hut wants to help you pop the question to your main squeeze with the $10,010 Ultimate Valentine’s Day Proposal in a Box. The package includes limo service to a local Pizza Hut location, a professional photographer and videographer, fireworks display, flowers, ruby engagement ring, and, most deliciously, a Pizza Hut $10 Dinner Box. Domino's, your move. Full story at Eater. Love is pizza. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Uncertain choices light up ‘explorer’ brains
9 Feb 2012 | 9:19 amPeople who consistently select for uncertainty may harness the computational power of a specific brain region. Some people—”explorers”—choose to grapple with uncertainty head on. It’s a strategy of maximizing rewards by discovering whether as yet unexplored options might yield better returns. While some might stick with the usual, “explorers” might order the special in a restaurant because they aren’t sure they’ll like it. Prior to the Brown University study, there was no consensus that a precise area of the prefrontal cortex, in this case… -
Valentine's Day rebooted as Generosity Day [video]
9 Feb 2012 | 9:05 amOut with the chocolate, roses, and edible underwear, in with spreading kindness. The big hearts at Causes.com have set out on a mission to rebrand Valentine's Day as Generosity Day and it starts with you pledging to share the love on February 14th. The Generosity Day pledge: Just say YES. This February 14th, let's reboot Valentine's Day as Generosity Day. Practice saying YES to every request for help and by being generous. I pledge to spend February 14th saying YES to all requests for help. Say "yes" to generosity at Causes.com. Spread the love by doing something good. Permalink | Leave a… -
How coffee changed America [infographic]
9 Feb 2012 | 8:57 amFull-size version at Lumin Consulting. Delicious coffee. Permalink | Leave a comment »
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Joe McNally's Blog
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In Today’s News…New Classes at Kelby Training
6 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amJust finished two new classes for Kelby Training, which are in the pipe, and will most likely come out fairly shortly. They’re pretty in depth looks at creating, with just light and a plain wall, an environment in which dancers can thrive, create their own sublime shapes, which then, at camera, you simply hope to capture. I’m a big believer in the fact that when the camera observes a performer, it simply stands in service to their creativity. Consequently, the best thing a shooter can do is provide a comfortable place for them to experiment, light them simply and well, and then… -
GPP-A Reunion in the Desert
30 Jan 2012 | 1:52 amI’ve been away from Gulf Photo Plus for a couple years now, but heading back for 2012. Dubai remains fascinating, to be sure, but what really has rocked me, once again, is the gathering of talent in the city of the sands. I kinda wish I could go and clone myself for a week, and just shuttle around to hear some wisdom. I’m especially psyched for the return of Greg Heisler. I missed him there last year, and he knows light and color like no one else. Also, David Burnett is coming. David and I know each other now for thirty years. He’s simply one of the most intelligent… -
Nikon D4- Behind The Scenes Video
25 Jan 2012 | 3:53 amWe’ve got some major thank you’s to offer as we dipped our toe into the waters of video. First off to Nikon who trusted us with this project and their hand built, prototype D4 cameras. (See the video to reference the fact that I broke one--slightly.) And to Gen Umei, from the K&L agency in Tokyo, who is a wonderful friend and a wondrous art director. And as always to his colleague, Aoyagi Toshiaki, who we have known for years simply as Mr. Blue. Marco Tortato of the Manfrotto Corporation provided us with simple, wonderful tools to execute shots. And Victor Ha and Brian Hynes… -
Nikon D4 Video….The Blues in His Shoes….
23 Jan 2012 | 5:44 amLittle Freddie King is the real deal. He hopped the rails at the age of 14, and went from his family farm in Mississippi down to New Orleans, ’cause that town was swayin’ with sound, and he knew he had to be there. The ever magical Lynn Delmastro in our studio got in touch with him, and his manager, “Wacko” Wade Wright, and we were invited, briefly, into his life, and his music. It was enriching and wonderful to be around Little Freddie. I doubt a nicer man ever picked up a guitar. www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpo5AC-wETY We shot this short, sweet and simple,’cause… -
Buds
17 Jan 2012 | 8:21 amOne of the cool things about shooting for Nikon a bit of late has been hanging with my Italian and Jewish brothers, Mike Corrado and Lindsay Silverman. Among the three of us, we must have about eighty years of camera experience. (They would immediately assure you right now that they each have ten of those and the remaining sixty belong to me.) We collectively survived the acetate era, and arrived intact in the age of digital. Intact physically, anyway. Mentally, the three of us are a few pixels short of a full frame chip, if you know what I mean. I love going on location with Corrado. His…
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Strobist
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How the Other Half Lives: George Holz' Beyoncé for Spin
8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmPhoto © George HolzYou know how people on the Strobist Flickr group like to talk about how it is technically possible to shoot blow-away white with just one flash?Yeah, this is not exactly that.Hit the jump for a walk-thru vid for the (ahem, eight-light) shoot, including a key light combo that you're prolly gonna want to rent rather than buy next time you are assigned to shoot Beyoncé. Read more » -
Lighting Inside the Box
6 Feb 2012 | 6:30 amAfter 15 years of long-term planning (and saving) Susan and I finally took the plunge with a full kitchen remodel. We were really pleased with the results, and at some point I had promised the contractor a nice photo of the final product.In a room like this you are basically illuminating the inside of a box by using hidden lights, which turned out to be an interesting exercise. And it's something I would recommend for just about any photographer. Read more » -
Core Knowledge: Working With Remotes
2 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amThere are two things you should always remember about radio remotes:One, radio can be fickle. This is true whether you are using your time-honored PocketWizards or a brand new Chinese offering.Two, radio waves -- and success with your remotes -- are all about the physics. So a little knowledge can go a long way toward ensuring good range and reliability. Some basics that every lighting photographer should know, inside. Read more » -
Tyler Stableford: Dispatches From the Underground
30 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amAspen, Colorado-based photographer Tyler Stableford generally shoots action and adventure, most of it aboveground. But this shoot for Timberland PRO would send him a half-mile deep into the earth. That far down, before adding light it is absolutely pitch black. As in, you cannot see your hand in front of your face. And the lights the miners use while extracting coal there aren't much friendlier -- low-level, and a mix of tungsten and fluorescents. So Stableford shot the entire campaign working on the edge of the quality envelope, and lighting with only a few speedlights. Read more » -
Q&A: Dealing with Glare from Dark Wood Backgrounds
26 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amReader Jefferson, from California in the US, asked via Twitter:"How do you deal with glare on dark wood in background for portraits? Is this covered in Lighting 101 or 102?"Actually, it is covered in L102, if a little obliquely. And yes, pretty much any time you light into dark wood as a background you are gonna get some blowback.But rather than look at this as a problem, I prefer to think of it as a feature… Read more »
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NOTCOT.ORG
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The Danish design creative HAY – has recently...
9 Feb 2012 | 3:34 amThe Danish design creative HAY – has recently teamed up with Swedish graphic designer clara von zweigbergk. (Want more? See NOTCOT.org and NOTCOT.com) -
Minimalistic Grammophone by Livia Ritthaler....
9 Feb 2012 | 1:34 amMinimalistic Grammophone by Livia Ritthaler. Check the video. (Want more? See NOTCOT.org and NOTCOT.com) -
London's Design Museum is to be relocated in...
8 Feb 2012 | 11:32 pmLondon's Design Museum is to be relocated in the modernist shell of the former Commonwealth Institute and interior redesigned by John Pawson architecture firm. (Want more? See NOTCOT.org and NOTCOT.com) -
Glass pill sculptures by artist Beverly...
8 Feb 2012 | 9:31 pmGlass pill sculptures by artist Beverly Fishman. Marvelous and very addictive. (Want more? See NOTCOT.org and NOTCOT.com) -
Fabulous ceramic sculpture by Eva Hild
8 Feb 2012 | 8:00 pmFabulous ceramic sculpture by Eva Hild (Want more? See NOTCOT.org and NOTCOT.com)
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Wallpaper* News Feed
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Artist's palate: Donatella Versace
9 Feb 2012 | 12:57 pmMuse, critic, designer, entrepreneur, company saviour and first lady of fashion, Donatella Versace may have tempered the sex and theatricality of the family brand a little, but there's still glamour galore in her output and appearance. Her favourite dish of pasta and caviar -
Nicolas Le Moigne exhibition at Gallery Libby Sellers, London
8 Feb 2012 | 1:14 pmIf there were a visual equivalent of a double entendre, the work of Nicolas Le Moigne would define it. The Swiss designer goes to incredible lengths to make his designs seem at once greater and less than the sum of their parts. His meticulously crafted cast-off concrete stools for Eternit, for example, have the lowbrow appearance of compacted rubbish. His simple spool table is elevated like art on a podium. Most compelling, perhaps, is his 'Reflecting Ring', the diamond in which faces a mirror that makes it look twice its size and value. Le Moigne's talent for trompe l'oeil… -
Book: The Table of Power 2, by Jacqueline Hassink
6 Feb 2012 | 12:41 pmIn 1996 when Jacqueline Hassink first published 'The Table of Power', her photo-essays of the boardrooms of Europe's largest industrial multinationals, she was just 27 and the world was a very different place. It was a landmark project, the first time most of these rooms had ever been seen by the general public. In the spring of 2009, with the world already in the grip of financial crisis, the Dutch-born, New York-based artist decided to take another look at Europe's economic landscape through its boardrooms, and to see how boardroom design, revenue and employee numbers in… -
'The nature of things' at Artists' House, UK
3 Feb 2012 | 11:56 amIt's been just over ten years since London architect Stephen Marshall built Artists' House, the contemporary cottage on the grounds of the New Art Centre in Wiltshire and a modern foil for the grand 1804 mansion and Orangery at Roche Court. Originally conceived as a residence for artists putting in long days in the sculpture park, it was repurposed a few years ago by curator Sarah Griffin for the centre's first design exhibition. This weekend Griffin will launch a second design show, which features work by three Britain-based artists - a juxtapostion of domestic household items with… -
Saatchi Gallery collection at Hyatt Regency London
3 Feb 2012 | 12:00 amWhile hotels often double as platforms for new art, few of them can lay claim to a selection picked from one of the most influential contemporary art galleries today. Settling in until 30 April at London's Hyatt Regency Churchill is 'One Giant Leap' - the first of a series of three exhibitions taking place during 2012 at the hotel, featuring an assortment of works from the Saatchi Gallery collection. Predominantly scattered around the ground-floor lobby and restaurant, the mix of paintings, sculptures and installations - most memorable being a life-sized hippopotamus by Christina Mackie -…
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TREND HUNTER - The Latest Trends
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Winter Solstice Photo Series - Mary Mattingly Captures the First and Last Lights of the Shortest Day (TrendHunter.com)
9 Feb 2012 | 9:40 am(TrendHunter.com) Few artists have the dedication Mary Mattingly has used to to create a photo series spanning decades with no foreseeable end. That's exactly what she did with ‘First Light/Last Light,' which is a collection... -
The End of Evolutionary Pressure - Dr. Michio Kaku Suggests That Humans Have Stopped Evolving (TrendHunter.com)
9 Feb 2012 | 9:29 am(TrendHunter.com) Theoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku suggests that humankind has stopped evolving, abolishing a multitude of common stereotypes expressed in popular culture imagery that includes books and films. Proving... -
Musical Fitting Rooms - Listen to What you Wear When StarHub Music Store Merges Tunes with Style (TrendHunter.com)
9 Feb 2012 | 9:19 am(TrendHunter.com) For so many young, fashion corresponds with music, and iTunes competitor StarHub Music Store has found a way to combine the two artistic mediums. In Singapore, when you pick up a piece of clothing, a radio... -
Luminescent Lifestyle Kicks - The Atmos x Reebok 25th Anniversary Workout Sneaker Glows in the Dark (TrendHunter.com)
9 Feb 2012 | 9:08 am(TrendHunter.com) Very few liefstyle sneakers are as crisp and cool as the Atmos x Reebok Workout sneaker, which was made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the iconic shoe. The recent collaboration, resulting in the... -
Electroshock Therapy Cures - Sherwin Nuland Talks About Battling Mental Illness (TrendHunter.com)
9 Feb 2012 | 8:58 am(TrendHunter.com) In this scientific, yet highly personal and moving keynote from author and surgeon Sherwin Nuland, he gives an overview of the history of electroshock therapy and shows how it has been used in the past...
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"ORGANIC FOOD" - Google News
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Focus: Organic food's identity problem in China - just-food.com (subscription)
9 Feb 2012 | 9:49 amFocus: Organic food's identity problem in Chinajust-food.com (subscription)Organic food is taking hold in China but it is, relatively speaking, early days. The market is forecast to have grown by 25% in China last year but, if Euromonitor's estimate is accurate, sales would have reached CNY329m - or just over US$52m.and more » -
Video: BC farmer's plan - turn dozens of forgotten fields to organic food ... - Vancouver Sun
9 Feb 2012 | 9:07 amVideo: BC farmer's plan - turn dozens of forgotten fields to organic food Vancouver SunSunshine Coast's Nicole Huska is more than a neophyte farmer; she's a brand. Huska is breaking ground on a two-acre micro-farm on the Sunshine Coast, what she hopes is the first of dozens of tiny, profitable bio-intensive organic farms dotted all over and more » -
Organic Farming Grows in the Valley - KGBT-TV
9 Feb 2012 | 5:56 amOrganic Farming Grows in the ValleyKGBT-TVGobbling up organic food that's good for your health: priceless. Padilla and her husband already sell their produce at local farmer's markets. "If we grew it here in the Valley and sold it locally, you can buy it weekly, fresh, cheaper and we also and more » -
Consumers pamper pets with healthier products - Ventura County Star
9 Feb 2012 | 12:05 amConsumers pamper pets with healthier productsVentura County StarThat means high-quality, safe and eco-friendly products, from organic food and treats to BPA-free toys and water dishes. And they don't mind paying extra for it. Pet health has been getting more attention as a result of recalls, social media sites and and more » -
Organic food off the menu for UAE hotels - ArabianBusiness.com
8 Feb 2012 | 10:51 pmArabianBusiness.comOrganic food off the menu for UAE hotelsArabianBusiness.comOrganic food, which is produced naturally and under eco-friendly conditions, is too expensive for the majority of restaurant-goers, most of whom prefer lower-cost, conventional products, hotel staff said. “The demand is not enough, no-one asks for it,” and more »
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Gizmodo: Iphone
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Nature's Greatest Predator Reduced To Blaring Your LMFAO
8 Feb 2012 | 8:20 am -
An iPhone Used as a Hockey Puck at 82 MPH
8 Feb 2012 | 7:36 amIf you want to sell something in tech, you can either employ cleavage or violence. In this case, the boys at G-Form are demoing their new iPhone case by beating the hell out of it with a hockey stick. Sure! More » -
TripLingo Romance Edition: Love Abroad
7 Feb 2012 | 3:28 pmMore » -
DigiTech's iPhone Guitar Pedal Lets You Shred Without Your Phone
7 Feb 2012 | 12:40 pm -
Nooka: The Not-So-Intuitive, But-Still-Cool-Looking Clock
6 Feb 2012 | 3:00 pmMore »
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China Real Time Report
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China’s Economy: Enter the Dragon, Exit the Clarity
9 Feb 2012 | 6:09 amAgence France-Presse/Getty Images More In Economic Data China's Economy: Enter the Dragon, Exit the Clarity Economists React: Chinese Inflation 'Jumps' in January In Defense of China's GDP Data China’s GDP: How Bad Was It Really? Economists React: China's GDP Growth Dips Below 9% At first sight, it looks like China’s economy went haywire in January. In fact, it was just the Lunar New Year effect. Inflation’s descent was interrupted, with the consumer price index rising to 4.5% year-on-year compared with 4.1% in December. Trade data Friday is expected to show China’s export growth… -
Alibaba Seeking $3 Billion Loan to Buy Back Yahoo Stake
9 Feb 2012 | 5:02 amBloomberg News More In Alibaba Top China Stories from WSJ: Property Drop, Food Fight, Defending Taobao Top Stories from the WSJ: Rail System Slammed, French Train China's Nuclear Workers Baidu No Longer 'Notorious' China Watch: Alibaba War Chest, Bank Crisis Fears Top China Stories from WSJ: Derivative Ban, Kung Fu Fighting Chinese Internet giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is in the process of raising a US$3 billion loan from around six banks to buy back the stake that Yahoo Inc. owns in the company, people familiar with the situation said Thursday. Yahoo owns 40% of Alibaba Group. The six… -
Time for China to Say Goodbye to the ‘Chongqing Model’?
9 Feb 2012 | 2:27 amBy Russell Leigh Moses So, did Wang Lijun jump, or was he pushed? In the last few days, the Chinese blogosphere has been alive with rumors about the fate of the former front-man for Chongqing Communist Party chief Bo Xilai’s fight against organized crime. The former police chief of Chongqing, Wang is said to be on sick leave, resting. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department has confirmed that Wang visited the American consulate in Chengdu on Monday but left “of his own volition.” Reuters China’s Chongqing Municipality Communist Party Secretary Bo Xilai (front) and former Chongqing police… -
What to Make of China’s January Inflation Increase (Video)
9 Feb 2012 | 1:38 amMore In Inflation China's Economy: Enter the Dragon, Exit the Clarity Economists React: Chinese Inflation 'Jumps' in January Top China Stories from WSJ: Chongqing Drama, Xi to Visit Pentagon Chinese Put Money in Gold Economists React: China's Inflation Falls Again Higher inflation data out of China comes after the government announced an increase in fuel prices. The WSJ’s Deborah Kan talks to Dow Jones Newswires’ deputy bureau chief Aaron Back about whether the government is losing its grip on inflation and what he expects Beijing to do about it. -
Video: Huge Baby Breaks Records in China
8 Feb 2012 | 9:16 pmA 15.5 pounds heavy baby boy was born in central China. State media reports that it may be the heaviest baby on record in China.
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Scientific American
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Zebra Stripes Clash With Insect Interest
9 Feb 2012 | 9:14 amHow did the zebra get its stripes? One theory holds that stripes help confuse predators. But stripes might be primarily to protect zebras from ferocious…insects. That’s according to a study in the Journal of Experimental Biology . [Ádám Egri et al, Polarotactic tabanids find striped patterns with brightness and/or polarization modulation least attractive: an advantage of zebra stripes ] [More] -
Shiny Science: Make Homemade Nontoxic Glass Cleaner
9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amKey concepts [More] -
How a Book about the Future Inspired Me to Look into the Neural Underpinnings of the Past
9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amI m about to make an embarrassing (to science fiction fans) confession: until last week, I had never read Dune . I wasn t even aware that I was supposed to have read Dune . Nor did I know I should be embarrassed at the failure. Consider me properly chastised. Fifteen or so years too late, I have finally finished the book that calls itself on the cover of the 40 th anniversary edition science fiction s supreme masterpiece. I wouldn t go quite that far, but I will say that I was surprised by the accuracy of some of its insights into the human psyche, especially when it comes to our ability to… -
Does NIH Have a Bias Against African Americans?
9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amBiomedical research scientists send proposals to the National Institutes of Health in the hopes of being funded. A recent study of this process, published in Science by the University of Kansas’s Donna Ginther and her colleagues, revealed that proposals from black applicants are significantly less likely to be funded than proposals from white applicants. This disparity was apparent even when controlling for the applicant’s educational background, training, publication record, previous research awards and employer characteristics. [More] -
It Detects Earthquakes and Lactose Intolerance
9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amNobel Prize winner C. V. Raman discovered in the 1920s that bombarding a substance with light excites its molecules and scatters the light in a signature pattern that can be analyzed like a fingerprint. Today Raman spectrometers are used in a variety of settings, but they tend to be large and expensive. A team led by physicist Manfred Fink of the University of Texas at Austin is developing a smaller, less expensive model that may improve earthquake detection and bring down the cost of some medical tests. [More]
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Mashable!
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An Olympic-Style Torch Relay … With Lightsabers [VIDEO]
9 Feb 2012 | 9:33 amEach day, Mashable highlights one noteworthy YouTube video. Check out all our viral video picks. The fine folks at Nerdist are teaming up with Lucasfilm, Octagon and Machinima to do the first ever “Lightsaber Run” in the days leading up to San Diego Comic Con. That might be the geekiest thing we’ve ever written. Considering our penchant for robots, that’s saying a lot! Dubbed “Course of the Force,” the Olympic-style lightsaber relay will take place on July 7 to 11 and cover the trek from Santa Monica to San Diego. At each quarter-mile marker, participants… -
Kickstarter Project for Adventure Game Raises $600,000 in One Day
9 Feb 2012 | 9:18 amA video game developer’s Kickstarter project has raised more than $600,000 in just 24 hours. When game veteran Tim Schafer put up a Kickstarter Wednesday night, he wanted to answer the question: are adventure games still viable and popular? Adventure games, mostly seen on PCs and some consoles in the late ’80s and ’90s, were known for their creative stories, immersive worlds and difficult puzzles. Schafer was responsible for designing and writing of the most popular ones, including Full Throttle, Maniac Mansion: Day of the Tentacle and The Secret of Monkey Island. He has… -
Listen, Then Vote: Who Should Win a Grammy?
9 Feb 2012 | 9:03 amThe 54th annual Grammy Awards ceremony is imminent, and the nominations are in. This year, the Recording Academy continues to embrace digital and social technology, providing you ways to follow the activity leading up to and during the big night. Of course, we’ll all have to wait until Sunday night to find out who the winners are. Prolific Tweeter Kanye West leads the way with seven nominations, but the major four categories (Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist) are dominated by Adele, Bruno Mars, and Bon Iver (3 out of 4 each). Last year’s… -
Thrillist Co-Founder Ben Lerer Answers Your Questions [LIVE CHAT]
9 Feb 2012 | 8:50 amBen Lerer is the co-founder and CEO of Thrillist, a leading men’s multi-platform lifestyle publication with over 3 million daily subscriptions in 21 localized markets in the U.S. and the UK. Since its launch in 2005, Lerer has overseen the growth of Thrillist’s marketing, sales and business development efforts, as well as its expansion into e-commerce with the acquisition of members-only online retailer JackThreads.com, and the launch of localized deals platform Thrillist Rewards. Lerer was among Crain’s “40 under 40” class of 2010, Entrepreneur magazine’s “Top 5… -
DARPA AlphaDog Robot Steps Lively With 400 Lbs on its Back [VIDEO]
9 Feb 2012 | 8:14 amThe typical soldier can only carry about 100 lbs. worth of gear, but not indefinitely. DARPA’s (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) new robotic mule, however, can carry 400 lbs. of gear and never get tired — and it can do it with a surprising degree of agility. Physical overburden of soldiers is one of the top five biggest challenges for the U.S. army, according to DARPA, and a semi-autonomous legged robot, officially named the Legged Squad Support System (LS3), might be one way of fixing that problem. In the video above, the LS3 prototype (original developer Boston…
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chrisbrogan.com
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Throw Away the Maps
6 Feb 2012 | 1:30 amPeople judge us by the path they’ve seen us walk before. They can’t anticipate our future steps. We, ourselves, look to how things have been, what seems to be the lay of the land, without realizing that the maps are not the territory. Want to succeed at work? Then don’t try to do your job. Instead, work towards something larger, more meaningful, and something that blends your convictions internally with your best ability to help others externally. Want to create something new? Then throw away the old, or maybe join two disparate old things together into something new. The… -
The Next Social Networks
5 Feb 2012 | 1:30 amThe rage in social networks right now is Pinterest, partly because it’s probably the first social network that has a much higher adoption rate by females than males, and partly because it’s an interesting concept: somewhere between visual social bookmarking and scrapbooking. What also might not be immediately obvious is that it’s just “easier” to interact there. In that way, Pinterest has something in common with Instagram, which is community around photos. What I’m interested in, though, is Gentlemint, which I keep calling “Pinterest for… -
Learn From Adele – Build Your Platform
3 Feb 2012 | 1:30 amJacq and I just watched Adele Live At The Royal Albert Hall (amazon affiliate link), and though every song was just wonderfully done, I found myself fascinated by what Adele was doing in between each song. Because even though most people would be interested in hearing her belt out her amazing repertoire of hits, what I took away from the performance was Adele’s real magical ability: the ability to resonate with her audience. What Adele Could Teach You About Impact I’m writing something about this right now for my upcoming book with Julien Smith, but I had to share some of the… -
Rob Gokee is a Musical Wizard
2 Feb 2012 | 8:05 amI had such a great experience working with award winning musical composer Rob Gokee. We did some musical work together, and the process was so amazing. Rob helped me create my theme song for Shhh! The Secret Show. So anyhow, he and I sat down to do an interview, and it’s a bit long, but it’s totally worth it. We talk about what collaboration feels like at a distance, what it takes to get music like this made for your own show, and a lot more. Rob’s a hero to me, and has been part of the community for a while. I was so fortunate to have worked with him. Can’t see the… -
Build Your Platform – Start
30 Jan 2012 | 1:30 amThe following is part ONE of a series called Build Your Platform. If you find it interesting, please consider subscribing for free to get the rest of the series. This post is long. You might want to bookmark it for later. The age of social media oversaturation is upon us. People are declaring Twitter bankruptcy to go along with their email bankruptcy. They cite not wanting to start on yet another social network as their reason for not getting more involved with Google+. And just as soon as you start getting into Pinterest, you hear about Path, but wait: there’s Gentlemint, which is…
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How to Change the World
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Raising Money: What Not to Say and What Not to Believe #OfficeandGuyK
20 Jan 2012 | 10:46 amOver the past two weeks via my partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps, I’ve provided templates of models for you to create enchanting PowerPoint pitches, Word business plans, and Excel financial models. They are all available for you to download from my SkyDrive account. I hope these documents and blog posts help you save a boatload of time and increase the quality of your efforts.I leave you with two sets of top ten lies: one of entrepreneurs and one of investors so that you know what not to say and what not to believe. Top Ten Lies of Entrepreneurs “Our projections are… -
Design a Sam Adams beer
20 Jan 2012 | 8:24 amNow this is a fun project. I’m helping Sam Adams “tap” the knowledge of beer drinkers and crowd source its next brew. Join the party by getting the app and designing your beer: The final brew will be released in Austin in the first week of March. #sponsored -
How to Create an Enchanting Financial Forecast #OfficeandGuyK
17 Jan 2012 | 1:52 pmThis is the third post in my Microsoft partnership, and it’s all about numbers. The topic is crafting your financial forecast to include in your pitch. Bill Reichert, my partner at Garage Technology Ventures, created an Excel model and wrote this blog post. There’s a lesson in this too: Get the best person for the job. His grasp of financial models and how to present them exceeds mine by two orders of magnitude. The Purpose of Financial Projections When it comes to financial projections, there are two types of entrepreneurs: first, the “visionary entrepreneur” who… -
How to Create an Enchanting Business Plan #OfficeandGuyK
12 Jan 2012 | 8:16 amHere is the second post in my series about planning, pitching, and launching a new business venture. In partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps, I’ve created a Word document that outlines a good business plan. It’s saved to my SkyDrive folder here. Feel free to download it and use it as inspiration. And if you’re working with a partner, you can use the free Word Web App to stay in sync. I provided the PowerPoint document before the Word document because a good business plan is an elaboration of a good pitch as opposed to a good pitch being a distillation of good business plan. -
How to Create an Enchanting Pitch #OfficeandGuyK
9 Jan 2012 | 8:01 amWelcome to the first in a series of blog posts I’ll be doing as part of a partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps. Over the next two weeks, I’ll cover everything a budding entrepreneur needs to turn an idea into an enchanting investment opportunity—from the perfect pitch to a killer business plan to financial forecasts. I’m going to start with a little dissertation on creating effective PowerPoint pitches for your company. I embedded the sample deck for you to click through by using the PowerPoint Web App. When you’re ready to get started, you can download the…
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Marketing Pilgrim - Internet News and Opinion
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Groupon’s First Public Quarter Is No Deal for Investors
9 Feb 2012 | 6:54 amWe haven’t talked about Groupon in a while. There is actually a reason for that. Mostly it’s because when we post about the company our readers don’t seem to care. I have wondered why that is (maybe you can help enlighten me in the comments?) but this is somewhat significant to help us understand the state of the daily deal industry. So here we go. According to USA Today The online deals site, reporting for the first time as a public company, said its fourth-quarter revenue nearly tripled, but it lost money and its shares fell sharply after hours. Groupon’s net loss… -
Compete Says Google+ Is Becoming An Enormous Success
9 Feb 2012 | 5:12 amNo matter how you feel about Google, Plus 1′s and Google + or how you think they should or should not influence search results you have to admit that Google has created some positive social waves for the first time in its history. So just how big is this impact? Compete calls it enormous It is now safe to say that Google+ is becoming an enormous success, with nearly half of the unique visitors of Twitter (40,411,065 unique visitors in December). With a steep upward trend and knowledge of the power behind a Google product, expect continued growth from the unequaled search engine’s… -
Valentine’s Day Shoppers Plan for a Budget Holiday
8 Feb 2012 | 3:55 pmIt’s February. Love is in the air and the chocolates are piling up in the stores. Valentine’s Day is less than a week away but folks are still planning on how they’ll honor their partners without going over budget. A new survey from PriceGrabber shows that 68% of shoppers will spend under $100 on Valentine’s Day, most spending between $25 and $50. For most shoppers, this is about the same as last year. 4% of loved ones are going to be in for a shock when their partner comes home empty handed. In addition to buying for their spouse, 36% of shoppers said they’ll be… -
What Does a ‘Like’ Get You These Days?
8 Feb 2012 | 3:54 pmWe often talk about how much a “like” is worth in terms of marketing. But what is a “like” worth to the consumer? Take a look at this chart from eMarketer. The results clearly show that consumers expect to get something in return for their click. But when the CMO Council asked marketers what they thought, they said that consumers clicked out of loyalty or love for their product. It is true that clicking the like button does imply a certain fondness for a brand, but love will only get you so far. Once the bloom is off the rose, consumers want to be rewarded for their… -
Is Path CEO a Zuckerberg Disciple?
8 Feb 2012 | 1:31 pmToday, the fledgling social network Path was forced to issue an apology based on how it used contact data from its users. That’s an oversimplification of course but you can find plenty of places where the incidentals have been explained. Even Path investors like Michael Arrington’s CrunchFund had to call out the company. The story of the day is definitely about Path (a CrunchFund portfolio company). The company has been copying address book information to their servers without user knowledge. The company was apparently already aware of the issue and was taking steps to address it…
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Honolulu Business News - Local Honolulu News | Pacific Business News of Honolulu
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New car sales in Hawaii increase 4.4% in 2011
9 Feb 2012 | 9:07 amNew car sales in Hawaii rose by 4.4 percent in 2011, and the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association says that pent-up demand and growing consumer confidence could mean a 6.9 percent increase in sales for 2012. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that according to the association's quarterly Hawaii Auto Outlook, there were 35,531 new cars and light trucks registered in Hawaii last year, compared to 34,019 registrations in 2010. The newspaper notes that the number is still nearly half the record 70,268 registrations in 2005, and that the 4... -
Kailua man pleads not guilty to federal fraud charges
9 Feb 2012 | 9:06 amA Kailua man has pleaded not guilty to federal fraud charges of stealing nearly $900,000 from people who thought they were investing in post-Hurricane Katrina real estate projects. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports Dan Doyle was told by a federal judge on Wednesday that he could remain free on a $100,000 signature bond pending trial on the 28 counts of fraud related to the investment scheme, which used AM radio shows in California to tout reconstruction projects in Mississippi. The newspaper reports that Doyle's attorney, Michael Green, said he expects to work out a plea agreement with the… -
Bill would require stricter inspections of Hawaii zip lines
9 Feb 2012 | 9:03 amA bill in the Hawaii Legislature would require stricter inspections of zip lines in the state, following a fatal accident on the Big Island last fall in which a tower collapsed, causing a test rider to fall 200 feet to his death. The Associated Press reports, via the Maui News, that the bill would require the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to conduct inspections for a $100 fee. However, the AP reports that the operator of Piholo Zipline on Maui said $100 is unrealistic and that inspections can cost $5,000 and be spread over several days... -
Honolulu cannot start work on rail guideways yet
9 Feb 2012 | 9:01 amThe City and County of Honolulu cannot begin work on the 30-foot-wide concrete guideways for its rail transit system, despite getting the OK from the federal government to spend nearly $185 million on construction of the foundations and support columns for the system. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that city officials say the $21.8 million work to make the guideways at a precast yard was excluded from the Federal Transit Administration because the city has yet to finalize a site for the precast yard. -
Big Island to receive $1.1M in federal funds for Kailua Pier
9 Feb 2012 | 8:59 amHawaii County will receive nearly $1.1 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help pay for repairs to the Kailua Pier, which was damaged by the March 11 tsunami nearly a year ago. West Hawaii Today reports the funds will reimburse the state Department of Land and Natural Resources for the work, which includes paving, re-facing embankments and restoring 3,650 square yards of four-inch thick concrete pavement and will be done in stages to minimize shut-downs of the pier.
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Influential Marketing
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The Best And Worst Of Super Bowl Marketing Strategy 2012
6 Feb 2012 | 1:40 amI couldn't help but feel sorry this year for anyone who only watches the Super Bowl ads for entertainment. Perhaps the most defining feature of all the ads this year was how uniformly uncreative and dated they were. Marketers turned to old and obvious gags like girls in bikinis and dogs (lots of dogs) to try and carry their ads. The result was a very disappointing collection of ads for anyone who loves marketing and the hype of Super Bowl advertising. Still, there is plenty of marketing to learn from all the efforts this year, so let's get started in breaking down the strategy behind the ads… -
What The Amish Paradox Can Teach You About Marketing
3 Feb 2012 | 4:01 amLast year on a trip back to the US from South Africa, I picked up a magazine about a topic I knew very little about. It is of the common tricks I use to learn about different industries outside of the ones I work directly with – and in this case, the magazine I ended up with was called Farmer’s Weekly. The content was as you would expect, advice for farmers on techniques, information about regulations that will affect their industry and ads for tractors and things like that. In the middle of the issue I picked up was a feature article about what the author called the “Amish Paradox”… -
The 4 Principles Of Delusional Economics
27 Jan 2012 | 4:59 amWhen it comes to economic theories, there is plenty of fascination in the business world around how to explain what drives business and purchasing activities. Behavioural economics, the field of economics concerned with examining why people behave the way they do when it comes to their purchasing behaviour, is hot right now. Bestselling books like Freakonomics and Predictably Irrational dig deep into the psyche of people to try and explain seemingly illogical actions. My own upcoming book called Likeonomics, to some degree, looks at a similar theme of why we do business with people and… -
FinnAir, Republic Day & Why Celebration Is The Best Marketing Strategy
26 Jan 2012 | 8:28 amA few weeks ago it was my birthday. The day before on a Saturday morning, my two boys came leaping into our room very excited to wake me up. It wasn't so much about my birthday, unfortunately, as it was about getting ready to do their favourite thing on a Saturday morning: going to IHOP for pancakes. And when there is a birthday involved, it is an even bigger deal. Your birthday is a celebration there. They bring over at least 6 of the wait staff to sing their own version of the birthday song to you. You get ice cream for breakfast (what kid wouldn't love that?). People love celebrations -… -
Honda Masters The Art of Marketing Timing
23 Jan 2012 | 6:44 pmEvery year at the start of the new year there is something that most of us do without realizing it. It is related to making new year's resolutions, but it is more about sequencing your long term goals into the order in which you want to achieve them. One example might be saying to yourself, "I want to be married and then have a kid before I turn 35." Life is full of these little promises. So full, in fact, that often we make them to ourselves without even thinking. It raises an interesting marketing question as well. What would it take to get a customer to reevaluate the life sequence they…
