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• Most Topular Stories

• Understanding the role of micro-copy in a brand's content strategy

  Holy Kaw!

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:58 am

  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  »

• Greek Leaders Strike Deal

  WSJ.com: What's News US

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:28 am

  Leaders of the three political parties backing Greece's caretaker government agreed on an austerity package to comply with demands set by creditors for another bailout deal.

• Euro ministers doubt Greek plans

  BBC News - Home

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:41 am

  Greece's planned new austerity measures may not be enough to win a 130bn euro bailout, say eurozone ministers meeting in Brussels.

• Toronto mayor won't quit on transit 'promise'

  CBC | Canadian News

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:33 am

  Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is showing no signs of giving up his fight for underground transit, despite a council vote that rejected his plans to keep the Eglinton Crosstown LRT below the city's east-end streetscape.

• Nations Cup Day 19 as it unfolded

  BBC Sport | Latest Published Stories | UK Edition

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:30 am

  All the action from the semi-finals as they happened at the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

• 

  Holy Kaw!

• Understanding the role of micro-copy in a brand's content strategy

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:58 am

  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  »

• Pizza Hut's proposal package

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:36 am

  Love 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 am

  People 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 am

  Out 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 am

  Full-size version at Lumin Consulting. Delicious coffee. Permalink | Leave a comment  »

• 

  WSJ.com: What's News US

• Greek Leaders Strike Deal

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:28 am

  Leaders of the three political parties backing Greece's caretaker government agreed on an austerity package to comply with demands set by creditors for another bailout deal.

• U.S. Stocks Drift

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:25 am

  Stocks drifted as investors assessed a Greek austerity deal and continued improvement in the labor market.

• Cisco's Profit Up Amid Restructuring

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:22 am

  Cisco reported a big jump in profit, its first such gain in a year, as the company's turnaround plan seems to be having positive effects.

• Groupon's Growing Pains

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:21 am

  Groupon reported a surprise net loss for the fourth quarter. Shares fell more than 10% after hours.

• China's Inflation Speeds Up

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:21 am

  China's consumer price index accelerated unexpectedly in January to 4.5%, because of higher food prices during the Lunar New Year holiday.

• 

  BBC News - Home

• Euro ministers doubt Greek plans

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:41 am

  Greece's planned new austerity measures may not be enough to win a 130bn euro bailout, say eurozone ministers meeting in Brussels.

• US House backs insider trade ban

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:38 am

  The US House of Representatives passes legislation barring insider trading by members of Congress by an overwhelming 417 to 2 vote.

• China investigating police chief

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:35 am

  Chinese authorities are investigating after a top police chief spent a day at the US consulate, state media says, amid rumours he sought asylum.

• US banks in mortgage settlement

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:31 am

  Five of the biggest US banks agree to provide $25bn in assistance to homeowners to settle claims over improper foreclosure practices.

• Clifford talks of media 'cancer'

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:22 am

  Max Clifford tells the Leveson media probe phone hacking was a "cancer" in journalism, while Heather Mills spoke of having her messages accessed.

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  CBC | Canadian News

• Toronto mayor won't quit on transit 'promise'

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:33 am

  Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is showing no signs of giving up his fight for underground transit, despite a council vote that rejected his plans to keep the Eglinton Crosstown LRT below the city's east-end streetscape.

• Paralyzying crash pushes P.E.I. coach to chase dreams

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:32 am

  A P.E.I. woman who dreamed of becoming a hockey coach and whose dreams were almost shattered by a tragic car accident says she's looking forward to following her passion again.

• Smoking-cessation drug ads raise concerns

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  Ads that subtly promote the smoking cessation drug Champix are popping up in downtown Montreal, but the campaign is raising concerns after a recent study linked the drug to heart problems.

• Internet providers not subject to Broadcasting Act

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:27 am

  Retail internet service providers, such as Rogers and Bell, that provide end‑users with access to broadcasting over the internet are not subject to the Broadcasting Act because they have no control over the programming transmitted, the Supreme Court of Canada rules.

• RCMP shooting suspect present when officers wounded

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:22 am

  An Alberta man sought by police after two officers were shot and wounded in a rural home was in the house during the shooting, say RCMP.

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  BBC Sport | Latest Published Stories | UK Edition

• Nations Cup Day 19 as it unfolded

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:30 am

  All the action from the semi-finals as they happened at the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

• 

  Soccer News and Opinion

• Samsunspor Team Bus Meets Train

  chris

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:53 pm

  What do you say to this? Holy @#$%. Incredibly, everyone from Samsunspor – Turkish Super Lig – survived and the team bus is the only thing which netted catastrophic damage. And as evident from the video, no signs/warnings appeared that, ya know, a train was steaming in. Someone’s likely to see a change in employment status for this.

• Adriano Gets Quarantined For Fatness

  chris

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:51 am

  Adriano is both one of the most gifted strikers of his generation and one of the most disappointing, ballooning to Ronaldo’s late-career playing weight right smack in the middle of his prime, among other, non-gravitational-field-related issues (drinking, partying, shooting people, etc). Now at Corinthians and fresh off an Achilles injury and platter of Happy Meals, he’s back in trouble for being fat. Which has prompted the Corinthians brass to lock him up until he loses some weight. All that will reside in this hotel room are Adriano, the trainer, leafy greens and some cardio…

• Excellence In Futility

  chris

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:46 am

  The set-and-finish own goal is one of extreme rarity, such that it should have its own show on some science channel. To deflect a ball into the net is one thing, but a composed boot, if shanked? That’s truly special stuff. The gentleman in question is Ashraf Soliman of Maccabi Umm al-Fahm. The men warming up near the goal sum it up perfectly. [101gg]

• Kitties Taking Over The World

  chris

  6 Feb 2012 | 1:20 pm

  A pitch invasion took center stage during the first half at Anfield this evening, if only because no one else could. There’s something in here about the cat being more productive than Andy Carroll, too. Also, it already has at least three Twitter accounts. Of course. (One of them.) Another cat, a black one, bolted across the Camp Nou pitch this weekend, possibly an ominous harbinger for their title defense. (Or would a white one be worse?) Cats, man. They’re taking over.

• Balotelli Feels The Magic

  chris

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:23 am

  Beyond anything which Mario may or may not be doing…what an odd sequence to catch during a game, isn’t it? Fans get caught doing things quite often, but not players seated in cushy boxes. That said….Mario makes a coke can disappear. I think. Which is pretty nice. Though I imagine the higher ups would prefer he be watching the game. He’s still no Rafa, either.

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  Pakistan news from ESPN Cricinfo.com

• Awais Zia named in Pakistan T20 squad

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:36 am

  Awais Zia is the only new face in Pakistan's limited-overs squads for the ongoing series against England

• The facts about Saeed Ajmal

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:27 am

  ESPNcricinfo can today provide the facts that prove the legality of Saeed Ajmal's bowling action

• Rahat Ali bowls Baluchistan to victory

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:27 am

  A round-up of the third day of the fourth round of Pentangular Cup matches

• Rizwan Haider gives Baluchistan control

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:01 am

  A round-up of the second day of the fourth round of Pentangular Cup matches

• Bell's one-day career not over - Flower

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:49 am

  Andy Flower has insisted Ian Bell's limited-overs international career is not over, despite the batsman having been omitted from the England squad to face Pakistan in four ODIs and three T20Is in the UAE.

• 

  TechCrunch

• Avast, Me Hearties: How The Pirate Bay Changed The Way We Steal

  John Biggs

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:41 am

  The Pirate Bay, in many ways, is disappearing. It is one of the most popular torrent sites on the web and its database of millions of torrent files – essentially pointers to pieces of files hosted elsewhere – has long been the go-to spot for budding pirates around the world. While it still exists in spirit, the admins are now moving all of the torrent files off the site and are instead offering magnet links. This is an important distinction that will move the locus of general piracy from a single site to any number of sites, reducing the Pirate Bays importance as a source. First,…

• Cinemagram Turns iPhone Photos Into Animated Gifs In Seconds

  Sarah Perez

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:07 am

  Remember when the iPhone app GLMPS launched last summer, seemingly heralding the start of a new image format that blended static photos and video? No? That’s OK. Today, there’s a new twist on the idea of reinventing the mobile photo, this time by turning static photos into animated ones. With the newly launched app called Cinemagram, you can turn your iPhone pics into animated gifs in a matter of seconds. Cinemagram isn’t quite the same as GLMPS, to be clear. “The GLMPS app embedded an entire video as a picture-in-picture onto the image,” explains…

• Google, Microsoft Search Queries Grow In January While Yahoo Continues To Slide

  Leena Rao

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:56 am

  comScore has released its ‘explicit’ U.S. search data for January of this year and while Google and Microsoft Bring’s search share continues to grow, Yahoo’s share dropped both year over year and month over month. This comes after Bing overtook Yahoo in terms of search queries for the first time in December. While Bing grew slightly from December 2011 to January, Google reached its highest share since December 2010 this past month. Google search queries increased 6% year over year in January, to 66.2%, compared with 65.9% in December 2011 and 65.6% in January 2011.

• Fab.com Rolls Out New Mobile Apps With Browse By Color & “Fab Shops”

  Sarah Perez

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:05 am

  After hitting 2 million members at the end of last month, design shopping startup Fab.com is today rolling out new iOS applications that offer a number of new features and improvements. In addition to an updated layout, search and navigational elements, one of the apps’ biggest new features is the inclusion of the recently launched new storefronts called “Fab Shops.” These Fab Shops went live late January, allowing Fab.com members to visually browse through products via dedicated online storefronts that were organized around product categories, as opposed to by designers.

• YouTube’s Latest Original Programming: Olympic-Style Lightsaber Relays

  Anthony Ha

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  Here’s a fun example of the original programming that YouTube is supposed to be investing in these days — a relay from Santa Monica to San Diego. With lightsabers. Geek celebrity Chris Hardwick is announcing the event, dubbed Course of the Force, on the YouTube blog. Hardwick hosts the popular Nerdist podcast, and he plans to launch a Nerdist YouTube channel in April,which he says will include “Neil Patrick Harris, Rob Zombie, Awkward Family Videos, The Dudesons and The Kids in the Hall,” plus more programming that covers “gaming, science, tech and cosplay.” As…

• 

  BusinessWeek.com -- Innovation

• Fracking’s Toll on Pets, Livestock Chills Farmers: Commentary

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:04 pm

  Smelling gas one morning, a southern Pennsylvania farmer almost passed out when he went outside to check on his bellowing cows.

• Construction Rises as Architects Signal Nonresidential Rebound

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:13 am

  Private nonresidential construction may pick up this year, as demand grows for new U.S. projects.

• London Landlords Facing Rents of Zero Turn Offices to Condos

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:38 am

  More people will be making their homes among the banks and insurance companies of central London as a shrinking financial industry and the prospect of leasing out buildings for free prompts landlords to convert offices into luxury apartments.

• Clara Shih's Hearsay Social

  2 Feb 2012 | 3:00 pm

  Her startup helps large companies control how workers interact with customers on Facebook and other social media outlets

• Las Vegas: Startup City

  2 Feb 2012 | 3:00 pm

  Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is spending $350 million of his own to make Sin City a startup hub

• 

  Most Viewed

• FIGHTING THE ELEPHANT - Ray William Johnson Video

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:21 pm

  FIGHTING THE ELEPHANT - Ray William Johnson Video THANX FOR SUBSCRIBING TO MY VIDEOS!! :D MY TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RayWJ MY FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/raywilliamjohnson MY GOOGLE+ http://Gplus.to/RayWJ STORE: http://www.raywj.com/shop/ WEBSITE: http://raywj.com =3 Tshirt Girl: http://twitter.com/TheKylaLeon EQUALS 3 IN SPANISH: http://www.youtube.com/IgualATres ********************************************************************** Here are the links to the full reviews of the content discussed in this video. Please don't harass the video creators or send them hate-messages.

• LINDSAY LOHAN AS TALENTED AS PROP 8 IS CONSTITUTIONAL!!

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:52 pm

  LINDSAY LOHAN AS TALENTED AS PROP 8 IS CONSTITUTIONAL!! Check out today's SourceFed!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWIosqbTnzc&list=PL8F30E917C5D2E4D4 FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/mqpRW7 TWITTER: http://Twitter.com/PhillyD Philly D OFFICIAL APP: http://bit.ly/aIyY0w ---------------------------- ALL of today's Stories: Motorcycle Circus Crash: http://gizmo.do/wtFsMD Lilyhammer Netflix Launch: http://gaw.kr/yIhQQb Machete Sequel?? http://bit.ly/x8GcAC New Spiderman Trailer: http://chzb.gr/zL5dwi Best. Bet. Ever: http://bit.ly/wuK5Pf Lindsay Lohan Photos: http://gaw.kr/xAWWoc Jessica…

• Minecraft - The Tourist - Part 1, The Basilica

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:13 pm

  Minecraft - The Tourist - Part 1, The Basilica The boys have a much needed holiday in France, but they fall asleep on the tour bus and things... er... well, they take a turn for the worse. As usual. ♪ Music from Kevin Macleod "Agnus Dei X" "Chromatic Fantasia" "Spring Thaw" http://www.incompetech.com https://yogscast.com/showthread.php?46450-ADV-PUZ-THE-TOURIST-an-amazing-adventure-in-PARIS Editing by Hannah: http://www.youtube.com/yogscast2 ● Yogscast Gear: http://yogscast.spreadshirt.co.uk/ ● Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/yogscast ●…

• God Bless America Trailer HD

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:41 am

  God Bless America Trailer HD Starring: Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr, Larry Miller, Melinda Page Hamilton, Geoff Pierson Director: Bob Goldthwait Studio: Magnet Releasing Genre: Comedy / Drama Rating: NR Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes Release Date: May 11, 2012 Official Site: http://www.facebook.com/godble... SYNOPSIS: Loveless, jobless and possibly terminally ill, Frank has had enough of the downward spiral of America. With nothing left to lose, Frank takes his gun and decides to off the stupidest, cruelest and most repellent members of society with an unusual accomplice: 16-year-old Roxy,…

• Giants Parade FAIL. What Giants player do you want to see? ... SANCHEZZZZZZZZZ!

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:34 am

  Giants Parade FAIL. What Giants player do you want to see? ... SANCHEZZZZZZZZZ! Girl says the Giants player she wants to see is Sanchez ... SMH SHE FOLLOWS IT UP WITH SAYING PEYTON LMAOOOOO DISGRACEFUL. I guess when you win the Superbowl everyone becomes a fan. From: WHYTEWUNDER Views: 901301 709 ratings Time: 00:26 More in Sports

• 

  WebMD Health

• Can Toddlers Be Overweight?

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:47 am

  Worried about your toddler’s weight? Child obesity and weight gain in children is something to talk about now with your pediatrician.

• CDC: Doctors Increasingly Prescribe Exercise

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:02 pm

  A new report from the CDC shows that more patients are getting prescriptions for exercise from their doctors.

• Osteoporosis Medication Linked to Unusual Thigh Fractures

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:33 pm

  Some drugs used to strengthen bones may increase the risk of an unusual type of fracture if patients take them on a long-term basis for multiple years, a new study shows.

• Some Men May Inherit a Higher Risk of Heart Disease From Dad

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:30 pm

  Move over, estrogen. There's a new theory that helps explain why men are more likely than women to get heart disease.

• Tai Chi Improves Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:05 pm

  Tai chi, a kind of exercise that guides the body through gentle, flowing poses, may help some of the worst physical problems of Parkinson’s disease, a new study shows.

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  Healthy Eating Tips

• 7 Big Nutrition Myths

  Melanie

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:00 am

  These days there is an incredible amount of information available on what to eat for health, fitness and weight loss. Unfortunately, a good deal of it is distorted, biased, or simply untrue. Often, the scientists conducting studies on a given food product, or supplement, are employed by the very company which produces the product — how can they possibly be impartial? At other times, studies are completed in a very short period of time, or are improperly carried out, producing misleading results. This is why you need to be so careful where you get your health information from, and make sure…

• 14 Ways To Be More Active {Readers Tips}

  Melanie

  2 Feb 2012 | 3:04 am

  Some of you will remember I asked if you would share your best tip for maintaining an active lifestyle. You came up with some really super answers, and I decided to put them together into an article, so that everyone can benefit from your wisdom. How To Be More Active LarryLens 1. Nell on making time for yourself My best tip for staying active is making a date with yourself to do something you enjoy. Running/walking on my treadmill in the mornings is my time. I get to listen to the music I want, and no-one bugs me for 30 whole minutes! It helps me stay sane for my husband and kids. 2. Chelsea…

• Why You Should Eat Eggs For Breakfast

  Melanie

  31 Jan 2012 | 2:06 am

  I’m sure I’ve said this before, but my husband, Armen, maintains one of the keys to his weight loss success, is that he had two boiled eggs every morning when he was losing weight. Many of you reading this may be worried that the cholesterol contained in eggs could lead to clogged arteries. However, as research has developed down through the years, we’ve come to understand that foods containing cholesterol are not dangerous to heart health. And, there is a significant amount of evidence already out there that eggs can play an important role in weight management. This is…

• Mini Meals: Would This Style Of Eating Work For You?

  Melanie

  25 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am

  Eating smaller, “mini-meals,” throughout the day can help to keep blood glucose levels steady, and is even said to boost metabolism. That means, this style of eating may actually be a really great way to help you maintain or lose weight. The basic idea is that each meal contains around 300 calories, and you eat about six meals each day. Personally, I’m not into counting calories at all, but I suppose I do fall into this style of eating on a normal day. I prefer to eat small, snack-sized meals most of the day, except for my main meal at night. My Eating Plan chericem When…

• And, The Winner Is…

  Melanie

  24 Jan 2012 | 3:51 am

  Mi-Bra Thank you all so much for your entries to win one of Carolina’s Mi-Bra‘s. It was great to hear from all of you, and there were a number of really excellent tips shared on ways to maintain an active lifestyle — I’m thinking of making these into an article later in the week So, without further ado, the winner is… Karolyne — I’ll be in touch with you soon to make arrangements for posting your prize. To everyone else, a huge thank you for entering. Don’t forget to check out Carolina’s Facebook page, if you haven’t done so already. Stay…

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  Health Habits

• Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 2 – Day 2

  healthhabits

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:31 pm

  Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 2 – Day 2 is a post from: Doug's Health & Fitness Blog.Same workout as last Wednesday. Get ready to kick it’s butt this time. WORKOUT WARM-UP Circles – Starting with the anklesMore… Related posts:Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 2 – Day 1Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 1 – Day 2Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 1 – Day 1Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 1 – Day 3Your Best Body Workout – 2011 – Week 43 – Day 1

• Will Stem Cells Replace Steroids?

  healthhabits

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:42 am

  Will Stem Cells Replace Steroids? is a post from: Doug's Health & Fitness Blog.Researchers from the University of Illinois have made a very interesting discovery regarding exercise and adult stem cells. They foundMore… Related posts:Can Stem Cells “Cure” Obesity?Intestinal Stem Cells Respond to Food by Shrinking or Supersizing Your GutHomobrassinolide….aka Steroids that taste good on hot dogsStem Origins – Barefoot / Minimalist Shoe ReviewYerba Mate Tea Kills Colon Cancer Cells

• Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 2 – Day 1

  healthhabits

  5 Feb 2012 | 8:14 pm

  Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 2 – Day 1 is a post from: Doug's Health & Fitness Blog.Same workout as last Monday. Try and improve your performance. WORKOUT WARM-UP Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all theMore… Related posts:Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 1 – Day 1Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 1 – Day 3Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 1 – Day 2Your Best Body Workout – 2011 – Week 43 – Day 1Your Best Body Workout – 2011 – Week 42 – Day 1

• Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 1 – Day 3

  healthhabits

  2 Feb 2012 | 11:18 pm

  Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 1 – Day 3 is a post from: Doug's Health & Fitness Blog.Last HIRT workout of the week. Next week the program expands to include nutrition advice and suggestions for non-HIRT dayMore… Related posts:Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 1 – Day 2Best Body Workout – 2012 – Week 1 – Day 1Best Body Workout – 2011 – Week 52 – Day 2Your Best Body Workout – 2011 – Week 31 – Day 1Best Body Workout – 2011 – Week 47 – Day 3

• Instant Exercise Motivation #12

  healthhabits

  2 Feb 2012 | 7:17 am

  Instant Exercise Motivation #12 is a post from: Doug's Health & Fitness Blog.This is what happens when 715 pounds meets a freak of nature named Zydrunas Savickas. Now get your butt to theMore… Related posts:Instant Exercise Motivation – Part TwoInstant Exercise Motivation #5Instant Exercise Motivation #7Instant Exercise Motivation #10 – ESPN’s Body Issue – 2011 – Part 3Instant Exercise Motivation #6

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  Healthy Food & Healthy Living by Dr. Ayala

• Valentine’s Day Recipe: The Most Chocolaty Cookies Ever

  Dr. Ayala

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:53 am

  If you’re looking for a homemade gift for Valentine’s Day (reminder: it’s this coming Tuesday)these cookies are perfect – textbook for the serious chocolate lover and great for cookie fans too. I’ve received a recipe request from every recipient of this cookie gift who dares to bake. Chocolate's my favorite treat.  Chocolate is, to me, pure pleasure.  These cookies are as close as it comes to eating pure chocolate while still serving a dessert.  They’re rich, chunky, delicious and decadent and hit the chocolate craving spot right on.  Ingredients: 500 grams/17.6 ounces 72%…

• Does The Biggest Loser Fuel Weight Stigma?

  Dr. Ayala

  1 Feb 2012 | 3:50 am

  Overweight people are the majority in the US; a third of Americans are obese, so obese people can hardly be viewed as a small minority. Nevertheless, overweight people face bias and discrimination every day. Does the portrayal of obese people in the media reinforce weight bias?  Is the swelling roster of popular weight-loss reality TV shows supporting anti-fat attitudes? Or do these shows actually introduce viewers to the trials and tribulations of obese people, thus promoting sympathy and reducing prejudice?  NBC’s The Biggest Loser is now in its 13th season and is a huge hit,…

• Study shows liquid calories trick body and mind to overeat

  Dr. Ayala

  25 Jan 2012 | 3:57 am

  A calorie’s a calorie, isn't it?  Well, accumulating evidence shows that our body has a hard time registering calories from beverages in the tally towards satiety; unfortunately, these beverage's calories still count in our energy balance.  That’s why the extra calories in beverages are just extra—much like items that didn’t go into the budget, but will nevertheless have to be paid for. There are numerous studies to prove this point; here are just a few: Nutritionist Barbara Rolls from Penn State served women water, diet soda, regular soda, orange juice, milk or no drink before…

• Study suggests kids prefer more color and variety in their plate

  Dr. Ayala

  18 Jan 2012 | 4:55 am

  Brian Wansink is famous for his work on the psychology of eating and for popularizing terms such as "mindless eating" and "health halos." His research has unveiled some of the many occasions in which environmental cues such as packaging, label claims and plate size influence our eating. There’s something particularly encouraging about Wansink’s findings. If so much of our eating, overeating and unhealthy eating is driven by nothing more than unconscious, mindless habits, a targeted environmental change can improve our eating without much sacrifice, indeed, almost without individuals…

• Does soda add belly fat?

  Dr. Ayala

  11 Jan 2012 | 3:30 am

  Do sweet drinks cause belly fat? Fat around abdominal organs is much more active metabolically than the fat under our skin, and poses additional risk for diabetes, heart disease and stroke above and beyond the risk seen with being overweight. And while fat distribution is influenced by age and genetics a growing body of evidence suggests dietary choices, and especially sugary drinks increase fat accumulation in the worst possible locations of our anatomy. A study from the University of California at Davis showed that drinking 25 percent of daily calories (which is quite a lot) in fructose for…

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  Men's Health Home Page

• The Good Life, Guaranteed

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:44 pm

  5 ways to enjoy the finer things without going broke

• 6 Sex Mistakes You're Making

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:41 pm

  Jumpstart your sex life by breaking these relationship routines

• How Strong is Your Core?

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:41 pm

  Take our test to see if your abs meet the Men's Health standard

• Renovations that will Make You Rich

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:39 am

  DIY Network's Million Dollar Contractor shows you how to raise your property value without spending a fortune

• How Ricky Gervais Lost it

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:18 pm

  The edgiest comedian in Hollywood reveals his secrets for dropping pounds

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  Esquire.com Article Feed

• February 9, 2012 -- Homepage Content

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:05 am

• February 9, 2012 -- HTML 5 Promo Player 1

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:05 am

• Fashion Week: Why "Street Style" Is Ruining Your Style

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:01 am

  As a swarm of attendees at New York Fashion Week start dressing for photo-fashion blogs, a step away from all that.

• The Appropriately Emotive Man's Guide to Valentine's Day 2012

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  An hour-by-hour itinerary, no matter your romantic status

• Breckenridge Brewery's 'Truth in Beervertising'

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:27 am

  Watch a humorous marketing takedown

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  The Art of Manliness

• Dim & Dash: Parking

  Brett & Kate McKay

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:44 pm

  Related Photos

• The Importance of Roughhousing With Your Kids

  Brett & Kate McKay

  7 Feb 2012 | 3:26 pm

  Roughhousing. Horseplay. Wrastling. Whatever you call it, it’s one of the best things about being a dad. I love chasing my one-year-old son, Gus, around the house or pretending that the living room is a lucha libre ring and wrestling with him. No matter how stressed out I’m feeling, hearing one of his big, belly laughs erupt as I swing him around like a monkey makes all my cares go away. Gus-Dad Throwdown Unfortunately, in recent years, horseplay has gotten a bad rap. Parents, concerned about safety and preventing ADHD, limit the amount of rambunctious play their kids take part…

• How to Back Up a Trailer…Like a Man!

  A Manly Guest Contributor

  6 Feb 2012 | 3:20 pm

  Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Colin Braun. So, you borrowed your father-in-law’s boat for your weekend at the cabin, or you bought a RV to take the family camping for this year’s vacation. You got to where you were going and realized you now had to back up to get that trailer where you needed it. Maybe you hadn’t anticipated this (but really, how did you expect to get that boat in the water?), or maybe you didn’t think it would be a problem. How hard could it be? It’s not like you need a special license to do it, and you’ve seen other guys at the boat launch do…

• Look ‘Em in the Eye: Part I -The Importance of Eye Contact

  Brett & Kate McKay

  5 Feb 2012 | 3:12 pm

  How often have you talked with another guy who never looked you in the eye during the entire length of the conversation? Or perhaps he did meet your gaze a few times, but then his eyes shifted back to his shoes or to some point off in the distance. I’d like to say that the ability to make good eye contact is one of the social skills a lot of young men seem to be struggling with these days, which would be true, but I’ve encountered enough gaze-averting middle-aged men to know that it’s a multi-generational problem. And actually, it’s probably something men have always struggled…

• The Art of Manliness Podcast #39: Eugen Sandow, Victorian Strongman with David Waller

  Brett

  2 Feb 2012 | 4:36 pm

  Before Arnold Schwarzenegger, even before Charles Atlas, there was Eugen Sandow. Rising from obscurity in Prussia, Sandow became an international celebrity during the Golden Age of the Strongman in the late 19th century for his amazing feats of strength and his well-sculpted physique. While Sandow wowed crowds in the United Kingdom and United States, he also preached a new gospel of physical fitness and well-being. Our podcast guest today has recently published a biography of Sandow and his times. His name is David Waller, and his book is The Perfect Man: The Muscular Life and Times of Eugen…

• 

  Karachi Metblogs

• Price hike in petroleum products

  Raja Islam

  31 Jan 2012 | 2:13 pm

  The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) on Tuesday issued a notification for increase in prices of petroleum products for the month of February, DawnNews reported. If Price hike continue with the same pace this could be a common scene in future.

• Security Alert

  Raja Islam

  31 Jan 2012 | 9:49 am

  It is to inform you that “Chup Tazia” (a religious procession) will be taken out on Wednesday, February 01, 2012 at 0700 hrs from Nishtar Park and will culminate at Hussainian Iranian Imam Bargah in Kharadar area. After the termination of religious procession, participants would attend a religious congregation. The event will take place under strict security arrangements including temporary closure of MA Jinnah Road and some link roads specially roads leading to Saddar. These arrangements have the potential to cause noticeable traffic disruption around MA Jinnah Road. Traffic backload is…

• Duck Sauce [ ft. Karachiites ] – Karachi City

  Raja Islam

  19 Jan 2012 | 3:08 am

• Are you a passionate & patriotic Pakistani?

  Raja Islam

  2 Jan 2012 | 12:07 pm

  Have you ever felt that the news coming out of Pakistan is always or atleast mostly negative? Is Pakistan really in such a bad shape? Aren’t there any good things happening in Pakistan? Haven’t you seen amazing stuff some of our Pakistanis have done and continue to do? If you couldn’t agree more, then join us at the Netizen’s Meetup to put our act together for a better & prosperous Pakistan! We have some great stories to share with you. Stories that will inspire you and instill pride of being a Pakistani. *** REGISTER HERE: http://goo.gl/pqr4P *** Mera Passion…

• Importance of Linkedin

  Raja Islam

  2 Jan 2012 | 6:18 am

• 

  Teeth Maestro

• The Debackle that Sucked the Marrow of Life

  Talha Bin Ayub

  4 Feb 2012 | 4:41 pm

  A look into the sordid state of Health Care Delivery Systems in Pakistan; Deaths from the so-called “P.I.C Syndrome”; How it has shaken our trust in the pills we buy and the leaders we “TRY” ! On Dec 15, 2011, 56-year old Abdul Ghaffur (AG) reported to Mayo Hospital Lahore with bleeding from his nose. AG was a known patient of Diabetes and also Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), a condition that leads to heart attack if not managed continually for life. Although he didn’t complain of fever or body aches, and the cold weather didn’t suggest Dengue Fever, yet his Dengue…

• Maya Khan & Thori Si Bewafai: Putting things in perspective – Citizen Activism

  Ali Rahman

  4 Feb 2012 | 4:11 am

  We are all much aware of the recent Maya Khan ordeal, the appalling and shocking display of chutzpah, airing of unnerving footage, the massive reaction of the general public, media and freelance writers, the outcome of such strong reaction, the termination of Maya Khan, the Production Team, etc. A timely public apology was made by Samaa TV which is appreciable, and that is indeed a lot more than what can be said for Ms. Khan’s apology. Why was it so unacceptable and why did it turn out the way it did. Was it the content of the program? Was it the values depicted in the program? What was the…

• Samaa TV terminates Maya Khan show, she refused to apologize unconditionally

  Teeth Maestro

  28 Jan 2012 | 12:20 am

  In response to citizen’ letter to Zafar Siddiqi, CEO Samaa TV yesterday, he has written back to the group with good news that the Maya Khan & her team will recieving termiantion notices as of Monday. The letter by Zafar Siddiqi is quoted below, we all applaud this responsible approach by Samaa TV On Sat, Jan 28, 2012 at 12:28 PM, “Zafar Siddiqi” wrote: Dear All Your feedback is appreciated.As a responsible corporate citizen, Samaa TV did what was required under the circumstances. We do not and have not in the past or intend to in the future to take our viewership or…

• Citizens’ response to Zafar Siddiqi, CEO Samaa TV on Maya Khan Issue

  Teeth Maestro

  27 Jan 2012 | 11:40 pm

  In continuation with the lobbying efforts of the civil society to curtail journalistic Vigilantism as witnessed in the Maya Khan issue, a number of people have sent a follow up letter to Mr. Zafar Siddiqi, President CNBC Pakistan & CEO Samaa TV, in response to his earlier response to the group (below) Dear Mr. Siddiqi, We deeply appreciate your prompt reply and assurance that the kind of show broadcast on Jan 17, 2012, Subh Sawerey Maya ke Saath on Samaa TV will not take place again. We also appreciate your moral courage in ensuring that Samaa TV made a public, unconditional apology…

• MUSIC VIDEO: Waiting for the End

  Teeth Maestro

  24 Jan 2012 | 2:58 am

  An amazing Video by Faraz Ahmed Yar Khan Dont just support the Change – Be the Change

• 

  Pak Tea House

• Feedback at two am

  Editor

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:12 pm

  The Karachi Literature Festival By Faisal Kapadia   A freelance columnist, Faisal Kapadia lives in Karachi, writes on everything and social media and misses the time when we could tell the good guys from the bad by the color of their light sabers. He tweets with the same name and sometimes answers emails at faiskap666@gmail.com ________________________________________ Three years old, the Karachi literary festival at least by its lineup seems to have come of age finally. I was there last year and although there was much local talent present the international big name flair seemed to…

• Jinnah and the Ahmadi Muslims

  yasserlatifhamdani

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:41 pm

  This is a brief comment on Saroop Ijaz’s otherwise brilliant article in Express Tribune. Good news is that Saroop Ijaz has woken up to the Ahmadi issue. Bad news is that what he finds irksome is not as much the mistreatment or discrimination but that those who choose to speak against this discrimination choose to do so in Jinnah’s name. Tragic that not everyone is as well educated as Saroop Ijaz to produce references of obscure authors at a drop of a hat. Here it must be stated that Jinnah’s relevance to Ahmadi case is not limited to piddling subsection of his career such as his…

• At Home Nowhere

  paktea

  6 Feb 2012 | 10:49 am

  By Hamza Usman An inevitable question Pakistanis always ask me is, “what are you?” Often, I’ve wondered the same question. Besides ‘Pakistani,’ I don’t know what else to say.  I’m not Balochi or Sindhi. I can’t speak Punjabi. In my house, besides English, Urdu is the only other language spoken. When people ask me what language my parents speak, that’s what I tell them. Unlike many of my acquaintances, I don’t come from a town or village in interior Pakistan. Like millions in Pakistan, my family migrated from India. My grandparents’ families originate from Delhi, Lucknow…

• Real estate projects in different cities of Pakistan

  admin

  4 Feb 2012 | 5:20 am

  A guest post by William King During the last few years, all the economic parameters have shown a gradual drop in Pakistan realty market. However, 2012 brings good news that Pakistan property prices will be moderated, making it an attractive investment opportunity for realtors and investors. New projects like The Centaurus (Islamabad) and many other notable projects across the country hold much promise for the industry. Timely completion of the projects also helps them grab the attention of investors. Therefore, most of the developers may focus on execution and delivering the committed…

• Outside in

  Editor

  3 Feb 2012 | 1:00 pm

  The stuff that owns us   By Shahbaz Ali Khan Shahbaz, a former Industry relations and PR professional, has spent the past 8 years experimenting with the frontiers of professional competence by insisting on not specializing in anything but thinking, communicating and writing Before he begins his day, my friend looks at himself in the mirror. He wants to ensure he is ready, in every sense of the word. His shirt’s a tight fit, high-end marvel. His tie a silken treat, his suit the stuff of bespoke quality and his shoes glimmer as only real Italian leather can. Intoxicated in his sharp,…

• 

  In the Line of Wire

• Buy & sell software portal launched by wi-tribe

  Jehan

  2 Feb 2012 | 9:37 pm

  News for software developers who want to sell their software locally online! Wi-tribe has just announced the beta launch of wi-tribe Bazaar – Pakistan’s first Buy and Sell software portal – as a platform where Pakistani software developers can sell and monetize their software. The portal, as all things wi-tribe, is slick and the User Interface is very simple to use. This is in beta so developers are warned that there might be a few bugs – and these should be reported so that they can be fixed. The basic categories that they have defined in the portal include: Anti-virus…

• wi-tribe and UET unveil ‘wi-cam‘

  Jehan

  24 Jan 2012 | 3:50 am

  wi-tribe Pakistan and Al-Khawarizmi Institute of Computer Science, University of Engineering and Technology (KICS-UET) unveiled ‘wi-cam’ at a press conference held at the UET campus today. wi-cam, a CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) Management and Administration tool, developed by students and graduates of KICS-UET using open-source technology, allows broadband companies, such as wi-tribe, to remotely configure and manage CPEs, while receiving instant notifications and access to live data. Not only does this result in an improved customer care experience, it also enables customers to…

• First visit to the Lahore Technology Park

  Jehan

  20 Jan 2012 | 9:19 am

  On 11th January Badar Khushnood, Haris Nadeem and I made our way to the new Lahore Technology Park (now renamed the Arfa Karim Technology Park) on Ferozepur Road. The idea was to check out the Auditorium, the multimedia projection system, the wifi and the sound system to ensure that everything was in good shape for the Interactive Session on “How to Stay Safe Online” that was scheduled for the next day. Why were we concerned? Well, this would be the first event to take place at this new Technology Park and Dr. Umar Saif, the Chairman of the Punjab IT Board, Fasih Mehta the PITB…

• P@SHA is the proud user of SmartXS!

  Jehan

  20 Jan 2012 | 3:59 am

  As P@SHA expands its resource capacity, we thought we should have an Attendance system to document who comes in at what time – not that this will ensure how productive they have been during the day – but nonetheless it seemed like a cool thing to do. So how did we go about it? Well it seemed only natural to contact Farhan Masood who runs Solotech. His innovative products have been P@SHA ICT Award winners in 2010 and 2011 and have grabbed the Silver award at APICTA. Farhan suggested that we instal his SmartXS hardware and software solution which is selling like hotcakes throughout…

• Candy Pot does well on App stores worldwide

  Jehan

  18 Jan 2012 | 9:15 am

  Very often I am asked why I put so many hours into my work at P@SHA, why whenever I am on a visit to Lahore or Islamabad I try and meet as many people as I can. Admittedly, at the end of a long day trip, I am totally wiped out. So why is it worth it? Or is it worth it at all? I think it is and the reason for that is that in every corner of this country there is interesting work being done in technology – and I love being part of it. I love talking about it. I love cheering on each and every person and company in this space because of their passion, their technical competence and the…

• 

  T2F

• T2F & Ross Mintzer Present the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Girls Choir

  admin

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:36 pm

  Saturday, 11th February 2012 | 7:30 pm Join us at T2F for the premiere performance of the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Girls Choir featuring Alan Simon on Congo/Percussions. The Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Girls Choir features students from the SMB Fatima Jinnah Government Girls School. Accompanying the choir will also be a vocal group from The Garage School. There will be a live band performing along with both vocal groups comprised of some of Karachi’s great musical talent. In November 2011, the girls had an opportunity to do a trial session at a professional music studio and hope to make their…

• Layers: An Exhibition by Marium Agha and Madiha Hyder

  admin

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:34 pm

  Opening Night: Friday, 10th February 2012 | 5:00 pm Join us at Faraar for an exhibition of works featuring Marium Agha and Madiha Hyder. Karachi, a melting pot of multitudes, is the canvas for a new series of works by Marium Agha and Madiha Hyder. Marium’s medium is photo montage and explores the mysteries and memories wrapped up in the darkness of Karachi nights. Madiha interacts with the overwhelming influx of the city’s news through simulated acts of subversion, using painted self portraits. The artists will be available for discussion at the opening. Schools and colleges…

• Global House: Video Screenings and a Dialogue with Sumbul Khan

  admin

  3 Feb 2012 | 2:32 am

  Thursday, 8th February 2012 | 6:30 pm GLOBAL HOUSE is a co-production of the 25 participating curators of the 3rd edition of the Gwangju Biennale International Curator Course and Kunsthalle Gwangju, where it was first shown in August 2011. GLOBAL HOUSE presents video works by young and established artists from across the world, giving insights into various artistic approaches to contemporary societies and art production itself. The curators are from 19 countries and are led by Ute Meta Bauer of Documenta 11. Since its first screening at the Kunsthalle Gwangju, the programme has also been…

• Rekhte ke Ustaad: Mir Taqi Mir

  admin

  31 Jan 2012 | 7:43 pm

  Sunday, 5th February 2012 | 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm “Rekhte ke Ustaad” is a bilingual study circle for enthusiasts to deepen their understanding and appreciation of Urdu poetry. Each session is devoted to reading, translating and discussing examples from the poetry of a great master. Mir Taqi Mir (1723-1810) remains arguably the foremost name in Urdu poetry. His ghazals, writes C.M. Naim, “are noted for an intriguing mix of self-mockery and self-assertion, a beguiling simplicity of expression that soon reveals its layered quality, and an economy and preciseness that reflects…

• An Evening of Dhurpad Gayaki featuring Ayesha Nadir Ali

  admin

  22 Jan 2012 | 7:08 pm

  Sunday, 29th January 2012 | 7:00 pm Join us at T2F for a dhurpad performance featuring Ayesha Nadir Ali. Ayesha Nadir Ali is a Dhurpad singer from the Talwandi Gharana and has learnt khayaal and dhurpad gayaki from Ustad Hafeez Khan Talwandi. Ayesha was last heard in Karachi at the All Pakistan Music Conference in March 2010. She has returned this month from a successful tour of India where she accompanied Ali and Labreez Talwandi Vaalay at the 136th Harivallabh Classical Music Festival in Jalandhar. Ayesha is a professor of Mathematics at the Lahore School of Economics. Date: Sunday, 29th…

• 

  CIOPakistan.com - Business Technology Leadership

• E-Panorama

  anoosha

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:02 am

  (For PC World Pakistan) Microsoft may remove ‘Start’ button from Windows 8 Microsoft’s iconic “Start” button, which was introduced in Windows 95, is likely to be removed in the software firm’s upcoming Windows 8 version. The start button evolved to…

• Reprogramming Our Minds

  anoosha

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:37 am

  As there is an ounce of truth to every saying, ever thought of why best team leads/managers are often termed office psychologists? An old college-friend of mine, now employed at a well-known brand, has a plate nailed to her door…

• E-Panorama

  anoosha

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:10 pm

  (For PC World Pakistan) Government of Punjab signs MoU with Google to Promote Tourism Government of Punjab and search engine giant, Google, has entered into an agreement for displaying all the historic places and areas valuable to the tourists on…

• iPad 3: February or March???

  Rabiya Sulaiman

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:22 pm

  With Apple iPad 3 rumors circling the web and even a possible iPad 4 release scheduled for October 2012 in the wings, it is only fair to say and realize that Apple tablets are fair game for speculations. And what…

• E-Panorama

  anoosha

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:02 pm

  (For PC World Pakistan) PTI Gets Back Hacked Facebook Pages According to Express Tribune, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has restored its Facebook pages hacked last Friday. It should be noted that about 30 pages were hacked including the official page of Imran…

• 

  Jobs in Pakistan

• Social Organizer

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  New: Social Organizer (Save the Children) - Rajanpur ....[more] [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Distribution/Program Assistant

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  New: Distribution/Program Assistant (Save the Children) - Rajanpur ....[more] [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Technical Coordinator-Social Media and Web development

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  New: Technical Coordinator-Social Media and Web development (INTERNEWS) - Islamabad ....[more] [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Quality Control Analyst

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  New: Quality Control Analyst (Shaigan Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd) - Rawalpindi ....[more] [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Lab Analyst

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  New: Lab Analyst (Leading Organization) - Islamabad ....[more] [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• 

  Direct Jobs Canada - The Fastest Way To Get A Job

• Production Superintendent - Custom Ag Manufacturing

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:32 am

  Grasslands Recruitment Specialists has represented a successful client-base with career opportunities for Executives, Professionals, and Skilled Trades people throughout rural Mid-Western Canada since 1993. Whether you are passive or aggressive in yo...

• Wind Field Service Manager

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:32 am

  Career Opportunity: An industry leader in modern energy, our client not only believes but practices investing in its employees. This mission has led them to be successfully established in all continents with the demand for their wind turbines expand...

• Registration for Upcoming Projects

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:11 pm

  Registration for Upcoming Projects Heenan Independent Recruiters has been recruiting permanent and contract IT and healthcare professionals in the Toronto area of Canada since 1997. As we prepare for our clients' upcoming projects in the Toronto ...

• Manufacturing Sales Manager – New Business Development

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:25 am

  Your tenacious and results-driven personality will be a great fit for our client. Our client, an established equipment manufacturing company, has enjoyed enduring the challenging economic cycles for almost seven decades; proving to be operationally...

• Sr. Financial Accountant

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:24 am

  Grasslands Recruitment Specialists has represented a successful client-base with career opportunities for Executives, Professionals, and Skilled Trades people throughout rural Mid-Western Canada since 1993. Whether you are passive or aggressive in yo...

• 

  All Things Workplace

• Leadership: It Is About You

  Steve Roesler

  5 Feb 2012 | 9:01 pm

  There seems to be an ongoing attempt to recycle, re-package, re-label and microwave new leaders into  existence. Yet that approach must be important, fascinating, or both, because it's a huge moneymaker. Look at this: Leadership books at Amazon: 72,587  vs. 26,086 for Nutrition & Diet. There are twice as many authors and publishers banking on people wanting to become leaders than paying attention to staying alive long enough to get there. Google the word "leadership" and you can spend the rest of your lunch break reading your choice of 160,000,000 results. Want to know the definition…

• Talent: Where You Decide to Perform Matters

  Steve Roesler

  29 Jan 2012 | 9:01 pm

  Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sun-dial in the shade?     --Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790) Everyone is talented at something. Everyone. Where you decide to perform can build you up or whittle you down. So pick the venue that's a showcase, not a coffin. 1. If you want corporate life, find a corporation that's already doing the kinds of things you like to do the way you like to do them. Don't expect them to change for you, no matter how right you may be about something. 2. If you love being independent, then research the kinds of clients who will appreciate you…

• 5 Meeting Traps and How To Fix Them

  Steve Roesler

  23 Jan 2012 | 1:30 pm

  I just returned from a good meeting. Everyone was engaged, no one dominated (unless it made sense because of specific expertise), and every speaker followed up to check for understanding. It was more like sitting around a warm fireplace in winter than a typical business meeting.  So, it made me think about the planning that went into it and how it was led. If you've struggled through more than a few bad meetings, I'm guessing you've experienced the following traps. Here they are and how to fix them. 1) People think they are experts. Many people tell me that they know how to run an…

• Leadership & Influence: Raise The Standard

  Steve Roesler

  15 Jan 2012 | 9:06 pm

  "Fitting in" is a big deal, and in many organizations it's seen as the way to career longevity. That's a problem. People are influenced by those they see as being "ahead of them." If you simply match the rest of the workforce and blend in, your influence is diminished. Eventually, you become invisible. If you want to lead, be willing to raise your personal standards to exceed the common expectations of your organization or work group. "Raising" equates with "elevating." Once you raise the bar for yourself, you begin to view things from a heightened position that expands your perspective. When…

• 5 Tips To Make Things Happen

  Steve Roesler

  8 Jan 2012 | 9:01 pm

  Decisions get made. It's time to start. The goal is clear. There is a picture of what the result should look like. Now we just have to "do it." Some don't make it... .. .individually or organizationally. Given that there are entire industries built around "doing it"--continuous improvement, change management, life coaching-- there must be some trick to that whole in between area. If you are involved in any kind of a change, here are 5 tips that you can take to the bank. (Ignoring them may put you in the collection agency). 1. Language matters. "We're going to make a transition…

• 

  The Chief Happiness Officer

• When your boss saves your job

  Alexander

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:33 am

  Bob Sutton, author of the excellent book Good Boss Bad Boss tells this story from the very early days at Pixar: The company was under financial pressure and much of this pressure came down on the heads of the Division’s leaders, Ed Catmull and Alvy Ray Smith. The new president, Doug Norby, wanted to bring some discipline to Lucasfilm, and was pressing Catmull and Smith to do some fairly deep layoffs. The two couldn’t bring themselves to do it. But Norby was unmoved. He was pestering Ed and Alvy for a list of names from the Computer Division to lay off, and Ed and Alvy kept blowing…

• Kom til Arbejdsglæde Live! konference 24. maj (in Danish)

  Alexander

  1 Feb 2012 | 6:31 am

  We just announced our annual conference about happiness at work in Copenhagen. Here’s the announcement – in Danish. Vi er super glade for igen at kunne invitere til Arbejdsglæde Live! konference, hvor du og 300 andre deltagere blandt andet kan høre: Will McInnes – Måske Englands gladeste direktør. Hans Erik Brønserud – Direktør for en af Danmarks absolut gladeste arbejdspladser. Wikke & Rasmussen – Fra Voldsom Volvo til Flyvende Farmor. Med glæde. Lise Egholm – Årets leder i Danmark 2011 fortæller hvordan hun skaber arbejdsglæde. Rowan Manahan – En ekspert…

• #h5yr and #h5is – find out how these two cryptic twitter tags promote happiness at work.

  Alexander

  23 Jan 2012 | 4:31 am

  Take a moment to check out these two websites with some slightly cryptic links: h5yr.com h5is.com They were created by Douglas Robar, a member of the Umbraco Community, that develops and uses the open source Umbraco CMS. They wanted a good way to share both success and mistakes and since there are hundreds of people working with Umbraco spread out all over the world they do this through twitter. If you want to praise a fellow member of the community for doing good work you can mention them on twitter and add the twitter tag #h5yr for High Five, You Rock (based on one of the exercises from our…

• Friday Spoing

  Alexander

  20 Jan 2012 | 5:46 am

  This is the very definition of Spoing: Have a very happy weekend :o)

• Happiness at work in Bangkok

  Alexander

  17 Jan 2012 | 12:09 am

  I always say that happiness at work can be found anywhere, in almost any job. Here’s more evidence to support that hypothesis from a man who makes ice tea on the streets of Bangkok: Do you enjoy your job this much – or do it with half as much flair? If not… why not?

• 

  Marketing Headhunter.com

• NYC-based Luxury Ecommerce Role: “Who Else Wants a Stellar Reputation?"

  Harry Joiner

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:13 am

  NEW YORK, NY - Here's a little pitch about an international, high-profile, six-figure, NYC-based luxury search that's right up your alley. I posted it last week on my Linkedin groups -- and the response was through the roof. Now, here it is for your viewing pleasure ... BACK STORY: As a recruiter, I like to see myself as in the “before” and “after” business – like in an infomercial: ... BEFORE my candidate arrives on the scene, my client has problems: Affiliate fraud, for example. Or a platform integration plagued with delays and cost overruns. Or declining sales. ... AFTER my…

• JOB OF THE DAY: Director of Ecommerce Marketing

  Harry Joiner

  6 Feb 2012 | 10:59 pm

  SUWANEE, GA - EcommerceRecruiter.com is the leading executive search firm serving the Shop.org, Ad:Tech, and IR-500 communities. To subscribe to our searches, click here. Alternatively, follow EcommerceJobs on Twitter. To add your resume to our confidential database, click here. To like us on FB, please click here. We are working with Simple Floors in their search for a Director of Ecommerce, in Suwanee, GA. HARRY'S COMMENTS: This search will allow a world-class search marketer to get fantastic experience as an ecommerce marketing general manager. Three years from now, you’ll have hands on…

• Alibris seeks an Ecommerce Acquisition Manager (San Francisco)

  Harry Joiner

  5 Feb 2012 | 1:13 pm

  EMERYVILLE, CA - EcommerceRecruiter.com is the leading executive search firm serving the Shop.org, Ad:Tech, and IR-500 communities. To subscribe to our searches, click here. Alternatively, follow EcommerceJobs on Twitter. To add your resume to our confidential database, click here. To like us on FB, please click here. We are working with Alibris Retail in their search for an Acquisition Marketing Manager, in Emeryville, CA. Alibris Retail is the premier online marketplace for independent sellers of books, music and movies. Alibris offers more than 140 million new and used books, movie and…

• DAS BOOT: "Boot Barn seeks an Ecommerce Merchant" (Orange County, CA)

  Harry Joiner

  1 Feb 2012 | 12:31 am

  ORANGE COUNTY, CA - EcommerceRecruiter.com is the leading executive search firm serving the Shop.org, Ad:Tech, and IR-500 communities. To subscribe to our searches, click here. Alternatively, follow EcommerceJobs on Twitter. To add your resume to our confidential database, click here. To like us on FB, please click here. We are working with Boot Barn in their search for a Digital Merchandising Coordinator based in Orange County, CA. Founded more than 30 years ago in Southern California, Boot Barn is a specialty retailer dedicated to providing its customers with one of the largest selections…

• Current Searches

  Harry Joiner

  29 Jan 2012 | 8:08 pm

    EcommerceRecruiter.com is the leading executive search firm serving the Shop.org, Ad:Tech, and IR-500 communities. To subscribe to our monthly newsletter featuring ecommerce news, analysis, and career advice, click here To get an email that will deliver our hottest ecommerce jobs to you the minute they're posted, click here.  And while you're at it, please join our 6,287-member LinkedIn group, EcommerceJobs.com  To add your resume to our database, click here. Affiliate Marketing Manager (Virginia Beach, VA) Co-Op Marketing/MDF Sales Manager (Hollywood, FL) - SEE VIDEO Digital…

• 

  Ries' Pieces

• Super Bowl of Advertising - 2012

  Laura

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:37 am

  While the gridiron battle between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots was close, the advertising battle on the tube was not. The Super Bowl battle for commercial success might better be described as a mixture of the old classics, the new stuff, the overly sexy and the over the top. Here is my brief recap on the best/worst ads of the night. The Old Classics The Super Bowl isn’t for also-rans. The big game is best served by big brands that are category leaders and that support the game year after year with consistent themes. Coca-Cola The three polar bear ads delivered. The ads…

• Tim Tebow, the brand

  Laura

  16 Dec 2011 | 10:07 am

  Tim Tebow is the hottest story in sports. While the Green Bay Packers are charging ahead with an undefeated record, everybody is talking about the Mile High Messiah and Tebowing. How did this happen? What can you learn from it? The Keys to Tebow’s brand success: 1. Be Different. While there is nothing new about the collision of faith and football, Tim Tebow went out of his way to show PDF – public displays of faith. He also lives the life of a church going goodie-goodie. No alcohol, no smoking, no drugs, no sex (he is staying celibate til marriage.) His outspoken and open faith made him…

• The Secret of Steve Jobs

  Laura

  9 Nov 2011 | 9:53 pm

      Steve Jobs was a rebel who didn’t go about life or work in the normal way. He dropped out of college, was a fruitarian for a time and was often called an arrogant, obnoxious, weirdo.     Being a rebel, however, wasn’t the secret of Steve Jobs. In our youth-obsessed culture, rebels are a dime a dozen.     Steve Jobs was a technology genius. From an early age, he was fascinated by electronics. He tinkered at his father’s workbench and joined his high-school electronics club. Jobs was so gifted that Atari's chief technology engineer gave him a job as a game designer even…

• Netflix Strategy is Right and Wrong

  Laura

  20 Sep 2011 | 1:49 pm

  There are several important lessons to be learned from the Netflix brand story. In recent days, the story has heated up after CEO Reed Hasting’s Sunday night email blast and blog post. In his email, Hasting apologized profusely, then turned around and further enraged his loyal 23-million subscriber base by taking the Netflix brand away from its red envelopes. Let me break down the good, the bad and the ugly of this classic story. In the beginning. Netflix was founded in 1997 and two years later it became the subscription-based DVD-by-mail service millions of customers in the United States…

• Walmarts needs to stop being so cheap. At least when it comes to advertising.

  Laura

  22 Aug 2011 | 7:40 am

  Published by AdAge.com, August 22             In a down economy with consumers pinching every penny, you would think that sales at a retailer synonymous with "cheap" would be up, not down. Yet sales at Walmart have been down for two years in a row. Actually, that's nine straight quarters of decline.             The only good news at Walmart is profits rose this quarter 5.7%, but that was mostly due to cost cutting and international growth.             The really bad news is that Walmart's core U.S. business, which accounts for 62% of sales, is in a seemingly…

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  Seth's Blog

• Inaccurate labels and why we need them (and need to improve them)

  Seth Godin

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:46 am

  If I tell you, "I'm going to the baseball game," it seems as though you're likely to understand what I mean. Of course, you won't. When George Will goes to a baseball game, it's a religious experience. Me, I don't even like baseball. Or maybe it's my nephew's ball game (the playoffs), or maybe going to the game causes me to miss an important event, and on and on. We label the experience with just two words, and two words can't possibly capture the emotions and circumstance surrounding an event. The same thing is true with brands. If I tell you that a new business was funded by USV, that might…

• How do they know you're not a flake?

  Seth Godin

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:43 am

  Before your link gets clicked or your proposal gets read, a busy person is going to triage it to find out if it's even worth glancing at. Since everyone is now connected, the new permeability has created a deluge of noise, and just about everyone worth contacting is taking defensive measures. Do I know this person? Did someone I trust send them over? Where does she work? (Ideo? the FDA? The New York Times?) Has she won an award? Is she famous? Are there typos and is the design sloppy? Are they pestering me? Do I already follow this person online? Does music play when I visit the website? Will…

• Horizontal marketing isn't a new idea

  Seth Godin

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:09 am

  But it is the new reality for just about every organization. Vertical marketing means the marketer (the one with money) is in charge. Vertical marketing starts at the top and involves running ads, sending out direct mail and pushing hype through the media. Your money, your plans, your control. It might not work, but generally the worst outcome is that you will be ignored and need to spend more money. Horizonal marketing, on the other hand, means creating a remarkable product and story and setting it up to spread from person to person. It's out of your control, because all the interactions are…

• Who is your customer?

  Seth Godin

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:26 am

  Rule one: You can build a business on the foundation of great customer service. Rule two: The only way to do great customer service is to treat different customers differently. The question: Who is your customer? It's not obvious. Zappos is a classic customer service company, and their customer is the person who buys the shoes. Nike, on the other hand, doesn't care very much at all about the people who buy the shoes, or even the retailers. They care about the athletes (often famous) that wear the shoes, sometimes for money. They name buildings after these athletes, court them, erect…

• In search of a timid trapeze artist

  Seth Godin

  5 Feb 2012 | 2:01 am

  Good luck with that, there aren't any. If you hesitate when leaping from rope to another, you're not going to last very long. And this is at the heart of what makes innovation work in organizations, why industries die, and how painful it is to try to maintain the status quo while also participating in a revolution. Gather up as much speed as you can, find a path and let go. You can't get to the next rope if you're still holding on to this one.

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  Toronto Marketing Blog - Bekhor Management, Toronto

• Marketing Example of the Week: Having Fun with Social Media

  Toronto Marketing Blog

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:31 am

  Are you having fun with social media?   To many professionals, social media remains this untamed beast that you think might be able to get you where you want to go.  But, you're not really sure how to approach it without getting in some kind of trouble.  You're also a little worried about wasting a lot of your time (sorry for the crude analogy, but it works).   One of the ways to make social media more approachable is to take a break from trying to crack the ROI code and just learn to have fun with it.   So, for our marketing example this week, I would like…

• Why Do I Paint?

  Toronto Marketing Blog

  1 Feb 2012 | 7:53 am

  I'm a marketing consultant with no ambitions to delve into art in a serious capacity, yet taking the time to paint is important to me.  So much so that not only am I taking watercolor courses. I also started Toronto Plein Air, a painting group that's open to the public on facebook.  The painting on the left is my most recent attempt (watercolor on black arches of tulips and vegetables). So why do I paint? Just like going to the gym keeps my head clear and my body strong, painting strengthens the creative parts of my brain.  Creative tasks of all kinds become…

• Marketing Example of the Week: A Consultant Website

  Toronto Marketing Blog

  30 Jan 2012 | 2:23 pm

  Often there's a bit of tension between the need to write copy that works for your audience and the need to write copy that helps the robots that send readers to your site (that would be Google and other search engines).   This week's marketing example, PwC Canada, is a terrific demonstration as to how these two objectives can be seamlessly integrated.  Beyond the traditional introduction that one would expect under services and industries, there are also a number of links to highly relevant, non-promotional materials accessible from the very…

• Marketing Example of the Week: A Professional's Biography

  Toronto Marketing Blog

  17 Jan 2012 | 10:47 am

  Most professionals underestimate the importance of the biography pages on a website.  But within the context of a professional service firm, make no mistake about it, these pages are well read.     The biography page is unique in terms of the opportunity it offers to present personality.  A biography that goes beyond credentials can contribute towards practice development goals by reinforcing point of difference in a subtle but deep manner and connecting with readers on a human level, so that they can envision working with you.    Dr. Wayne Dyer's biography…

• Web Converts Introverts

  Toronto Marketing Blog

  13 Jan 2012 | 7:32 am

  Most of my clients aren't the 'let's do lunch' type.  They are serious professionals hard pressed to find time to eat lunch never mind to share it leisurely.   While some may participate in networking events, many prefer not to, as the idea of 'working a room' feels unnatural and maybe even intimidates.   That used to be a disadvantage.  Not anymore. The web levels the playing field for introverts.   A strategic plan to leverage the web as a practice development tool provides introverts with control over their environment, risk and approach to networking.

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  Neuromarketing

• Super Bowl Ads: “Second Payoff” Pays Off

  Roger Dooley

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:11 am

  The Super Bowl is the biggest day of the year for football fans, and just about as important for neuromarketing companies. The first results of neuromarketing studies from the big game are trickling out, and Innerscope Research observed a strategy employed by multiple advertisers: a “second payoff” at the end of the ad, after the [...]

• Neuromarketing Fun: Add Your Caption

  Roger Dooley

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:32 am

  Want to win a signed copy of my new book, Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing? I thought we could have a little fun while we’re waiting for the results of the Super Bowl neuromarketing studies to roll in. Read on… Neuromarketing scares some people, even though the techniques used by [...]

• NeuroBowl: Neuromarketing and Super Bowl 2012

  Roger Dooley

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:51 am

  The Super Bowl may be the biggest sports event of the year and the biggest advertising event of the year, but it’s also the biggest event of the year for neuromarketing companies. With $3 million being spent on every 30 second spot, you can be sure that lots of advertisers rang up their favorite neuromarketing [...]

• Social Personalization and the Doppelganger Effect

  Roger Dooley

  1 Feb 2012 | 5:18 am

  Are you overlooking a way to personalize your ads that goes far beyond the usual “Dear Roger” salutation? In my recent article, Put Your Customer in the Ad, I mentioned that LinkedIn was using profile pictures for targeted ads. Since then, I’ve been able to capture a couple of examples. The first one surprised me [...]

• Time Warner Opens NYC Neuromarketing Lab

  Roger Dooley

  26 Jan 2012 | 5:42 am

  Time Warner Inc. is opening their new “Medialab” at its New York City headquarters. The media giant expects to “generate valuable insights into consumer behavior, evolving media habits and industry trends across all of Time Warner’s businesses, brands and advertising partners.” The lab sounds like one of the more diverse facilities dedicated to this kind [...]

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  Online Marketing Blog

• Good Content Marketing vs. Great Content Marketing: Learn the Difference From Joe Pulizzi #OMS12

  Ashley Zeckman

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  If you are part of the online marketing or content marketing industry you have undoubtably heard of Joe Pulizzi (@juntajoe) and his company the Content Marketing Institute (CMI).  Joe has been a member of the content marketing community for over a decade, and has made it his mission to help brands create quality content and distribute that content through multiple online channels.   This was my first time seeing Joe speak and he made it a great interactive experience, and was of course wearing his trademark Orange. I enjoyed the history that Joe shared with the audience as well as his…

• Innovative Search Features Drive Engagement – Paul Vallez #OMS12

  Ashley Zeckman

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:30 am

  "Google taught us how to search." - Paul Vallez Paul Vallez admits that when he started at HP less than a year ago he had just come from Ask.com and was pretty cocky about what he knew.  Vallez also shares that he wasn’t very open to new ideas and wanted to step into his new position at a big brand and immediately demonstrate value. What was his approach? 75% Cocky 25% Open to new ideas In Vallez’s presentation he identified what he called “3 Key Learnings” that he shared with the audience for improving the way that your search strategy is implemented for…

• #Optimize This: Online Marketing Summit 2012 Presentation

  Lee Odden

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:21 am

  I’m headed to (hopefully) sunny San Diego today for the annual Online Marketing Summit conference where I’ll get to present on one of my favorite topics: Optimization. Of course, if you read Online Marketing Blog very often, you’ll know my definition of optimization is a bit different than traditional SEO.  My post last Thursday “Are You Optimized?” touched on this. The competition for attendance during the breakout sessions at OMS is really tough during the time slot I’m scheduled for. SAP, Wider Funnel and SAP are all presenting at the same time as…

• Online Marketing News: Facebook IPO, Harmonize with Google+, Pinterest Dominates Traffic

  Ashley Zeckman

  3 Feb 2012 | 4:55 am

  Facebook in Numbers: Prior to the IPO The big news in social media and business this week is Facebook’s new IPO.  This infographic from statista and creative commons shares some very interesting figures about Facebook, before it goes public. Highlights include: In 2012 Facebook is expected to reach: 90% of U.S. Social Network Users & 60% of Internet Users. Assuming a valuation of $100 billion, Facebook would be work 67 to 100x’s it’s estimated 2011 net income. The Social Media Buzz “How to Harmonize Google+ With Your Other Social Platforms”  Search Plus has placed even more…

• Essential Shifts in Online Marketing: Are You On Board? Are You Optimized?

  Lee Odden

  2 Feb 2012 | 7:21 am

  Is your company adaptable? Is your marketing optimized? I think most online marketers get the fact that marketing and communications on the web is a fast changing place and that most companies are structured to move at a slower pace than the digital world is evolving. Take for example, the notion of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It’s been around for about 15 years or so and in just the past few months Google has made the most significant changes ever. Despite the crystal clear focus towards search integration with social, many companies and digital pundits are still skeptical about…

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  Post-Advertising

• 8 Traits of Successful Viral Videos

  Jon Thomas

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:47 am

  Making a viral video is just like that carnival game where you throw the whiffle ball into the big basket. It looks easy, but when you try it, it’s surprisingly tough. Then you fork over more money to try again because your girlfriend is obviously disappointed in you. After three more misses your now ex-girlfriend has left you and you’re wondering what went wrong. Viral videos seem so easy to make. I mean, even Rachel Black made one! However, the reality is that virality is ever-elusive. There’s no single equation. You can’t buy it anywhere. No internet marketer/video editor, no…

• Crowdsourced! Eight Ways to Involve Your Most Important Allies

  Luke Dringoli

  1 Feb 2012 | 1:33 pm

  Brand-hatched crowdsourcing is nothing new. But constructive crowdsourcing with usable output? Crowdsourcing that evokes a palpable sense of togetherness? That’s new. Steps being taken by nimble branders like Warby Parker and Betabrand to engage (and we mean really engage) fans and enthrall newcomers will soon become tomorrow’s staples for sourcing success. Want in on the unique new ways brands can use advanced crowdsourcing to engage followers? Read on. Each of the eight ideas we’ve carefully chosen has the potential to send your engagement numbers through the roof, as long as requests…

• The Future of (Auto)Mobile Advertising

  Adam Uhrynowski

  25 Jan 2012 | 1:23 am

  Growing up, all I wanted was a black Pontiac TransAm that spoke to me and helped me fight crime through a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of criminals operating above the law. What I got was a 1985 Peugeot 505s with cigarette burns on the canvas seats and a tape player that didn’t have a reverse button. Cars have come a long way since the “forward-thinking” days of Knight Rider. Cars not only speak to us, they can drive for us, give us directions, and show the kids some Dora the Explorer while en route to a ski trip in Vermont. And this is just the beginning. Like it…

• Is Google’s Social Search the New Normal?

  Jon Thomas

  23 Jan 2012 | 9:56 am

  Additional reporting by Story’s Director of Audience Generation Cyrus Karimi. In early December, Google updated their search algorithm to provide each user with personalized results—the information Google deemed most relevant to the specific user. The news garnered little chatter in the social media realm. According to Danny Sullivan at Search Engine Land, less than 50 news articles and blog posts were written about in its initial week (and only 290 to date). Earlier this month Google made another important change, updating their search algorithm to include personalized search…

• Social As We See It: Digital Trends For 2012

  Jon Thomas

  19 Jan 2012 | 1:08 am

  This post originally appeared in our January issue of “Live Report from the Future of Marketing,” our monthly Post-Advertising newsletter. Subscribe for free here. In the marketing world, getting in on the ground floor of the latest digital trend can pay huge dividends for users, particularly if they’re brands. But it’s difficult to know exactly which emerging site or app to dive into with both feet. Not every idea pans out, regardless of how much VC funding is acquired. True success depends on widespread adoption of the masses, or at least a dedicated community who simply…

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  The Future of Ads

• Pricing: It’s All About Trust

  Cory O'Brien

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  One byproduct of the economic recession is that companies are afraid to make money. That’s not to say they’ve given up on maximizing profits, just that they’re trying to minimize the public perception of that profit, and keep any increase in fees as low profile as possible. Recent examples of this include the Netflix pricing model changes, Bank of America’s $5 debit card fee and Verizon’s $2 bill pay fee. In each case, the company raised the amount that it charges customers, received a wave of negative feedback from those customers (often through social media)…

• Kia Gives YouTube Five Hours of Adriana Lima

  Cory O'Brien

  3 Feb 2012 | 9:15 am

  Of all the things I’ve seen companies do to hype their Super Bowl commercial this year, I think Kia’s is the most interesting. While the spot itself is great, and features the entertaining mix of Adriana Lima, Chuck Liddell and Motley Crue: It’s actually the video that appeared in the YouTube sidebar while I was watching this spot that caught me by surprise: What you’re looking at is a video titled “5 Hours of Adriana Lima” that just features a five hour long loop of slow motion b-roll footage of Adriana Lima waving a checkered flag. While a video like this…

• Shazam Could Replace The QR Code

  Cory O'Brien

  27 Dec 2011 | 8:12 am

  Admit it: The QR Code is never going to catch on with mainstream users. (Hell, it’s barely getting used by advertisers, and we’ll try anything once.) Asking people to download and use a 3rd party app so they can scan a code to get mysterious content related to an ad is a bit much, and until Apple decides to include a QR code scanning app with every iPhone, they’re just not going to get used by more than a fringe minority of the mobile audience. That said, the reason advertisers want QR codes to take off is clear: We live in an increasingly mobile world, and with campaigns…

• Acceptable Ads Are Good For Everyone

  Cory O'Brien

  15 Dec 2011 | 1:58 pm

  There’s a war being waged in the world of online advertising: On one side, advertisers desperately trying to get their product in front of as many readers as possible; on the other, readers desperately trying to ignore ads and get to the content they’re looking for. In this war, the readers have many weapons: Instapaper and Read It Later strip out a site’s content and present it in an easy to read way, free from ads. Apple’s Safari browser includes a new feature called Reader, which lets you view content “in a clean, uncluttered space free from blinking, annoying…

• Lay’s Potato Chip Vending Machine

  Cory O'Brien

  21 Nov 2011 | 8:13 am

  Lay’s Potato Chips contain just three ingredients: potatoes, vegetable oil, and salt. However, in a world where ingredient lists frequently cover half a product’s packaging, and ingredients themselves are 20 character contractions that even scientists struggles to understand, it’s safe to say that most people assume a snack food like potato chips must contain a smorgasbord of unnatural ingredients and chemical byproducts in order to taste so good. To prove them wrong, Castro, an agency out of Argentina, developed a special vending machine the turns raw potatoes into bags of…

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  Young Entrepreneur - Small Business & Entrepreneur Community » Blog

• 4 Keys to Reining in Social Media Overload

  Adam Toren

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  Most businesses understand that they need at least some kind of social media presence nowadays. But what about those who are too deeply entrenched in Facebook status updates and tweets? Or those that can’t keep up with LinkedIn invites and Tumblr reblogs? What about entrepreneurs who are finding it harder and harder to manage all of their social media profiles and run a business at the same time? It’s easy to get overloaded with social media, but if you feel like you’re drowning, it might be time to start simplifying your routine and finding ways to cut back on your time…

• Making Sense of the Application Landscape

  Lauren Perkins

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  New year, new toys. Consumer electronics, that is. I’m just getting back and reflecting on CES (Consumer Electronics Show), the largest tech geek kickoff of the year. This year I got the chance to see the new consumer electronics and tech industry trends from three lenses: that of a journalist, an entrepreneur, and a marketer working with EachScape, an application creation and management platform. This year’s gadgets and exhibits confirmed the expansion of the tech market as a whole. This results in large opportunities in the application space, which is now trending well beyond…

• Your Dream Will Die Without The Startup Essentials

  Marty Zwilling

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:22 am

  I’ve noticed a great tendency among startup founders to ignore the essentials of business accounting in the early stages of their startup. Just because you are not profitable yet, doesn’t mean you can skip the record keeping. In fact, just the opposite is true.  When you anticipate losses for the first year or two, it is more important to properly document all expenses, including tricky ones like business travel, business meals, and your home office. Sloppy documentation and reporting of these expenses is an open invitation to an IRS audit, which is the last thing you need or can afford…

• Five Mistakes to Avoid in Global Marketing

  Christian Arno

  3 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  Taking the leap and marketing your business overseas could be the best decision you make this year. The economic outlook might be gloomy in the United States and Europe, but that’s far from true in the rest of the world. And for small to medium business owners, the internet is a relatively cheap way to tap into growing markets. That’s not to say it’s foolproof. As with any marketing strategy, it  pays to do your homework. We’re sure that Ford wishes it did a little more research before launching its Caliente car in Mexico. The name is slang for “streetwalker” – perhaps not the…

• 10 Reasons You’re Not Reaching Your Goals; or, What I Learned from Writing a Really Crappy Novel

  Annie Mueller

  1 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  I hit a big goal of mine – finally – just before 2011 ended. I finished writing the novel I began five or so years ago. When I say finished, however, what I mean is that the very first, very rough draft is complete, ringing in at just under 80,000 words. I am now the proud author of one really crappy novel, but it’s a completely written crappy novel. And one day, after much editing and revising, it may move from “complete but crappy” to, simply, “complete.” I learned a few things through this novel-writing process. Like most of you, I don’t have…

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  Journey of a Serial Entrepreneur

• The Importance of Core Values

  Usman Sheikh

  29 Jan 2012 | 9:20 am

  Understanding the importance of core values is something that I have been fascinated with ever since I read Jim Collins book, Good to Great. Core values form the foundation for businesses that persevere through time and major changes. An apt analogy is that of the growth of a tree; some trees have a quick growth spurts and on the surface seem majestic and beautiful. However, these trees have roots which do not support their level of growth and this impacts their ability to persevere over extended periods of time. Core values act as roots for companies, laying the foundation as it were. In an…

• Lessons Learned in 2011

  Usman Sheikh

  31 Dec 2011 | 10:59 pm

  As the clock turned to midnight, I paused for a moment and thought to myself, I wouldn’t trade places with anyone else at this moment in time….. I am pretty certain that in time when I look back at my journey as an entrepreneur, 2011 will be a defining year. It will be an year about which I will recount hundreds of stories and incidents that shaped and lay the foundation of things to come. This year has had its share of extreme highs and scary lows. It was a year in which I definitely felt alive every single day. A year I pushed myself to go outside established comfort zones and…

• How Badly Do You Want to Succeed

  Usman Sheikh

  2 Sep 2011 | 5:39 am

  I came across this video recently and found it truly inspirational. It is one of those videos that makes you stop and think for a minute. About where you are, what you are doing and whether you are still on the path you want to be on. Life has this infinite capacity to consume you with the details, that we begin to lose sight of the bigger picture. You need to be constantly reminded about your end goal and make sure what you are doing today, is leading up to where you want to be.

• Updates from IDENTIFII

  Usman Sheikh

  29 Aug 2011 | 8:18 am

  The last couple of months have been a blur. The small team behind the scene at IDENTIFII has been working ridiculously hard on creating a very high quality psychometric instrument for our members. We dove head first into the task, not totally aware of the huge complexities behind what we had endeavored to do. A commonplace occurrence in the world of startups! Not withstanding the difficulties and challenges that we faced during these last few months, the team has prevailed. With the help of industry experts, psychologists and researchers we have found all the answers we were looking for! It…

• Truth about Entrepreneurship

  Usman Sheikh

  12 Aug 2011 | 4:06 pm

  “Starting a company is hard, risky, painful and usually seems unfair. Starting a company that will leave a lasting mark on the world is reserved for the borderline insane or very lucky — not for those who need to be propped up with pep talks. In short, entrepreneurship is not a short cut. If you need someone to convince you that starting your own business is right for you, then it’s probably not. Going to conferences, hanging out with entrepreneurs or telling people that you’re a “start-up guy” does not put you in the category of those who put all their chips on the table to…

• 

  SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs

• 3 lessons from the Komen kerfuffle

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:24 am

  The reaction to the Komen Foundation's decision to defund Planned Parenthood, later reversed, shows the need for leaders to p -More- 

• 7 behaviors displayed by the best leaders

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:24 am

  What leadership skills separate the leaders from the rest?  -More- 

• Finding funding for a product that at first glance seems ridiculous

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:24 am

  Sean Miller went onto a reality TV program to find funding for his company, YumaLite, which sells light-up visors that provid -More- 

• How women are hurting their fellow female entrepreneurs

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:24 am

  Women are often to blame for demeaning other women about the kinds of startups they found, Meghan Casserly writes.  -More- 

• Who do you think is more critical of women as entrepreneurs?

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:24 am

   -More- 

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  SmartBrief on Leadership

• Myanmar rebels dodge bullets, then shoot birdies

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:43 am

  After a hard day battling government troops, Myanmar's rebel fighters like to decompress by playing a round or two of golf.  -More- Medical Auditor TUV Rheinland

• Do your workers know when it's OK to unplug?

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:43 am

  If you e-mail your workers at 4 a.m.  -More- 

• It's morning in Africa

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:43 am

  Africa's economy is looking up, writes Ndubuisi Ekekwe.  -More- 

• 3 lessons from the Komen crisis

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:43 am

  The reaction to the Komen Foundation's decision to defund Planned Parenthood, later reversed, shows the need for leaders to p -More- 

• Why leaders should be philosophers

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:43 am

  Business leaders should be philosophers, says John Petrucci.  -More- 

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  Social Business Blog RSS | ZDNet

• Cillit Bang and Facebook clean up with All in 1 social commerce offering

  Eileen Brown

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:46 am

  Reckitt Benckiser has taken social commerce one step further than its competition by launching and offering its new Cillit Bang cleaning product exclusively on Facebook.

• Barbour buys search ads to fight counterfeit goods

  Eileen Brown

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:01 am

  Barbour the British clothing manufacturer selling luxury goods including the iconic waxed jacket has taken steps to fight the flow of fake goods appearing at the top of search results.

• Maplin launches Social Store for geeks on Facebook

  Eileen Brown

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:20 am

  Maplin has launched its social store and gives geeks a great ‘in page’ experience.Now you can purchase whatever electronic components you like — without leaving Facebook.

• RIM's BeBold campaign -- hashtag fail or genius marketing?

  Eileen Brown

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:32 am

  Yet another company has fallen foul of the Twitter hashtag. This time it’s RIM with its BeBold campaign. But were the marketing team naive — or preparing our focus for the BlackBerry 10?

• Sainsbury's rebrands Tiger bread after request from 3 year old

  Eileen Brown

  31 Jan 2012 | 9:02 am

  Sainsbury’s has rebranded its Tiger bread to Giraffe bread after receiving a letter from 3 and a half year old Lily. Listening to the customer is good for your reputation - no matter how old the customer happens to be.

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  How to Change the World

• Raising Money: What Not to Say and What Not to Believe #OfficeandGuyK

  GuyKawasaki

  20 Jan 2012 | 10:46 am

  Over 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

  GuyKawasaki

  20 Jan 2012 | 8:24 am

  Now 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

  GuyKawasaki

  17 Jan 2012 | 1:52 pm

  This 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

  GuyKawasaki

  12 Jan 2012 | 8:16 am

  Here 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

  GuyKawasaki

  9 Jan 2012 | 8:01 am

  Welcome 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…

• 

  Pogue's Posts

• Things That Were Once Amazing

  By DAVID POGUE

  2 Feb 2012 | 11:04 am

  David Pogue is amazed that people are still amazed at children's tech prowess. It's too bad there's no List of Things That Were Once Amazing, but Are Really Kind of Old News at This Point, he says. It would be a handy clip-and-save document that you could review, perhaps to avoid unwittingly embarrassing yourself at the next cocktail party.

• Look, Ma, No Hands! Operating a Laptop With Eyes Only

  By DAVID POGUE

  26 Jan 2012 | 10:43 am

  Tobii, a Swedish company, is demonstrating eye-tracking software that really rocked my world. Imagine reading a Web page or Word document on the screen and the page scrolls automatically, gracefully and effortlessly as you proceed through the article. The system knows where your eyes are and how fast you're going.

• A New G-Shock Watch Awaits a New Bluetooth

  By DAVID POGUE

  24 Jan 2012 | 5:57 am

  Casio's G-Shock GB6900 watch uses a new, low-power Bluetooth chip called Bluetooth Smart (or Bluetooth 4.0) to do amazing things with a PC or smartphone. Butt the watch doesn't work unless your phone also has Bluetooth 4.0 - and right now, only a couple of them do.

• Put Down the Pitchforks on SOPA

  By DAVID POGUE

  19 Jan 2012 | 9:50 am

  Not enough people have acknowledged that the opposition was arguing two totally different points - the "you're going about it the wrong way" group and the "we want our illegal movies!" group. In the new world of Internet versus government, the system worked. The people spoke, government listened, and that's good. But let us do it responsibly, people. Both sides have an obligation to do the right thing.

• A Gadget Is More Than the Sum of Its Parts

  By DAVID POGUE

  5 Jan 2012 | 12:36 pm

  If you think Amazon's real cost to make that Kindle Fire is $201, then by all means go to China and cobble one together yourself. The components are only part of the cost of any gadget.

• 

  HowStuffWorks Daily Feed

• How Yoga Works

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:00 am

  San Francisco International Airport opened a dedicated yoga room this week, free to all ticketed passengers. Yoga is big business in the U.S. But what are the breathing exercises, meditation and poses of yoga all about?

• Top 10 Tech Tools for Managing Your Money

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:00 am

  Knowing how to manage your money is a valuable skill, regardless of the state of the economy. And in today's tech-savvy climate, an array of tools can help you do just that. Read on to see the top 10 tech tools for managing your money.

• I love you and you and you and you

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:00 am

  Is it really possible to love more than one person? People who practice polyamory think so. Find out how much you know about polyamorous relationships with this quiz.

• 5 Memorable NASA Mission Videos

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:00 am

  On Feb. 9, 1995, Bernard A. Harris Jr. became the first African-American to perform a spacewalk. NASA has conducted several successful missions to space. These are some of the most famous.

• How Flirting Works

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:00 am

  A woman plays with her hair. A man makes eye contact. Is this flirting? How do you tell if the person is showing a romantic interest or a friendly one?

• 

  disassociated.com

• Double passes for “A Separation”

  John Lampard

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:28 pm

  A Separation (trailer), by Iranian film director Asghar Farhadi, is a story about Nader (Peyman Maadi), and Simin (Leila Hatami), who live in Tehran with their daughter Termeh (Sarina Farhadi). Simin feels Termeh would have more opportunities if they moved overseas, but Nader won’t leave his elderly father who is afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. The deadlocked couple separate, and Simin moves into her parent’s place, while Termeh stays with Nadar. Matters become decidedly more complicated however after a distractible nurse hired by the family to look after Nadar’s…

• If you were called a fool in the middle ages you were doing well

  John Lampard

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:01 pm

  A list of occupations spanning the likes of government, military, religious, commercial, and even criminal domains, during the middle ages.

• Goodness me, goodness me, could this be social media disease?

  John Lampard

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:33 pm

  The urge to be out on the various social media channels apparently trumps the desire for sleep, sex, and possibly even relaxing. If that’s the case then it’s time I think to logout for a while, and – what’s the term that gets bandied about – go dark. Very dark. Researchers also found that while sleep and sex may be stronger urges than certain drug addictions, people are more likely to give in to their addiction to use social or other types of media.

• Good filmmakers don’t grow up they just act as if they did

  John Lampard

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:59 pm

  Anglo American film director Terry Gilliam, of “Brazil” and “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” fame, believes growing up can be detrimental to a filmmaker’s career. As a child, I always drew funny creatures, funny characters. But I think the trick is not to grow up, not to learn to be an adult. And if you can maintain the kind of imagination you all had when you were babies, you would all be wonderful filmmakers. But the world tries to make you grow up, to stop imagining, stop fantasizing, stop playing in your mind. And I’ve worked hard to not let the…

• You know you have it made when you start living alone

  John Lampard

  7 Feb 2012 | 3:26 pm

  Living alone, once seen as something of a stigma, now suggests privilege, even success, rather than anything else, especially so loneliness. The mere thought of living alone once sparked anxiety, dread and visions of loneliness. But those images are dated. Now the most privileged people on earth use their resources to separate from one another, to buy privacy and personal space. Living alone comports with modern values. It promotes freedom, personal control and self-realization – all prized aspects of contemporary life.

• 

  Logo Design Blog

• 6 Reasons Why Your Business Should Not use Google Analytics Alone

  Ben Johnson

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:35 am

  A website without analytics and a website owner unaware of the intricacies involved in the traceability of websites using Google analytics are sure to lag behind in the competitive business world. Although, the God-Like image of Google has made organizations completely dependent on its tools for rankings, analytics and reputation management. But here are six beefy reasons to why you should not use Google Analytics alone.

• Why is it Necessary for the Domain Name and the Website Name to be Similar?

  Ben Johnson

  23 Jan 2012 | 2:05 am

  Most people make the mistake of naming their websites and their domains differently. It is good to be creative with names but sometimes this creativity may cost a lot. Most effective website names are usually the ones where the domain name is either identical or at least similar to the website. This will do one good thing, something which every website businessman wants for their websites; it will make the name search engine friendly.

• How to Find a Reliable Web Design Service?

  Ben Johnson

  17 Jan 2012 | 2:44 am

  The foremost thing to understand is: what do we mean when we say that we are looking for a reliable web design service? In simple words, it means that we need to acquire the expertise of a company that will create a design to perfectly represent our business model. Plus, a reliable service also offers revisions to ensure your complete satisfaction. If for some reason you are not satisfied with the design, they will happily make modifications according to your needs and business requirements.

• Make Your Facebook Timeline a Social Resume

  Ben Johnson

  11 Jan 2012 | 10:20 pm

  As most of you probably know, Facebook is in the middle of updating everyone’s profile to the new Timeline format. Not only does this new layout and design enhance your Facebook browsing experience, but it can also be used as a tool to affirm what you’ve stated on your curriculum vitae and cover letter.

• Logo Evolutions in 2011

  Ben Johnson

  1 Jan 2012 | 10:03 pm

  In 2011, some big organizations thought of bringing change to their corporate identities and accomplished it brilliantly through small amendments in their logo. They needed the change for better positioning, an enhanced brand image and for a stronger market presence.

• 

  David Airey, graphic designer

• Print vendors: a few handy resources

  David Airey

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:36 am

  Establishing a good relationship with a printer can make all the difference when it comes to cutting costs. But obviously you first need to find a reliable vendor. I covered a few basic money-saving tips deep in the archives, and previously featured your recommended UK commercial printers. Here are some additional resources from my bookmarks should the need arise. Jessica Hische added a “find by location” tool to Inker Linker (worldwide, but with US focus). Lovely as a Tree contains a UK database of commercial printers. Rob Giampietro published a list of mainly US print vendors…

• It’s not easy choosing a book title

  David Airey

  30 Jan 2012 | 7:36 am

  My book will be aimed at those who are thinking of, or who have started their own design business. The title I wish I’d read a few years ago (although I know I’m going to learn a lot writing this one). It was going to be called The Business of Design, but it’s already published. Then Nikki suggested Business Designed to tie-in with Identity Designed. Great idea, but someone’s sitting on the domain and my purchase request led to nowt. Then Bernadette pitched in with these two ideas: Working in Design The Design Startup I’ve registered both .coms, so it’s…

• How do you find new clients when starting a design business?

  David Airey

  27 Jan 2012 | 4:12 am

  I’ve just put pen to paper on a new contract with publisher Peachpit. This book will focus on the business of design, answering the most frequently asked questions about starting and running a successful design business. The copy deadline is October, so the release-date should be just before the end of the year. Many of you will run your own studio, be in self-employment, or freelance in your spare time. I’d love to share your experiences in the book, and for now, there’s one topic I’m particularly interested in: How do you find new clients when starting a design…

• Music video for the deaf blind

  David Airey

  24 Jan 2012 | 12:57 pm

  Here’s a kind of science experiment that had me thinking. “This video is made to be connected to a metal pad that a low-strength electrical current runs through. The current’s strength modulates in conjunction with the frequency of the wave of the color depicted on screen. Low frequency colors (red/orange) emit a lower level of current than higher frequency colors (blue/green).” By Evan Drolet Cook who lives and works in Los Angeles. But it’s not the actual video I was contemplating. It was our eyesight and hearing. Just as we do our health, it’s incredibly…

• From the reader #7

  David Airey

  19 Jan 2012 | 1:28 am

  Land art. Worth a look. On Kuriositas. The importance of a good crop. A nice visual demonstration of photo manipulation, and how you can use cropping to improve your photos. On ISO50. “Instead of doing two jobs at 50%, or four jobs at 25%, just do one job at 100%.” Do one job properly. Dave Trott on why specialising is the way to go. On Dave Trott’s blog. Beautiful colour in this 60-second ad for Lurpak Butter (embedded below). Via Creative Review. Typographic chocolate holiday gifts. Lunch time yet? Via inspire me now. Uncloaking a slumlord conspiracy with social network…

• 

  sans serif

• Porngate: How BJP MLA blacked out TV, papers

  churumuri

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:59 pm

  A battle royale has broken out between the two leading Kannada news channels over who broke the porn video scandal, involving ministers in the BJP’s “gateway to the south”, Karnataka. Market leader TV9 ran a news item on its 9 pm primetime news show on Wednesday, complete with a visual of its head honcho, Mahendra Mishra. The news item contained an interview with its cameraman in the legislature who caught the ministers prying into their cellphones and who then sent off an SMS to the reporter, Laxman Hoogar. Not to be outdone, the Rajeev Chandrasekhar owned Suvarna News…

• A Spanish hand behind a Malayalam newspaper

  churumuri

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:26 pm

  The Malayalam daily Malayala Manorama has unveiled a new look. The redesign has been done by Errea Commuications, the design house of the Spanish designer Javier Errea. Image: courtesy Newspaper Design Also read: Another boilerplate redesign from Mario Garcia Also read: In its golden jubilee year, ET gets a redesign Good heavens, another Mario Garcia redesign Yet another paper redesigned by Mario Garcia How come Mario Garcia didn’t redesign this one? Finally, a redesign not done by Mario Garcia Less is better for the new, redesigned rediff.com Filed under: Art, Newspapers, People Tagged:…

• TOI drags Hindu’s new editor, CEO into ad war

  churumuri

  3 Feb 2012 | 2:35 am

  The Times of India carries this front page advertisement in its Madras edition today, in response to The Hindu‘s video campaign which was a response to The Times‘ insinuation in an earlier TVC that the “Mount Road Mahavishnu ” put readers to sleep. Also read: Good morning, it’s time to go back to bed How Hindu aimed at Times but shot DNA Times readers affluent, not middle class. Mind it. Filed under: A bit of fun, Advertising, Newspapers Tagged: Churumuri, Sans Serif, The Hindu, The Times of India

• TOI readers affluent, not middle class. Mind it.

  churumuri

  2 Feb 2012 | 5:01 am

  R. Sukumar, the editor of the business daily Mint, wrote an article recently on the Hindu-Times of India ad war, saying: “The Times of India has, over the past few years, become a good read … perhaps, driven by the realization that Page 1 of the country’s most-read English newspaper needs to reflect the sentiments of the English-speaking middle class…” The Times of India, whose business daily The Economic Times competes with Mint in some markets, has taken offence—serious offence!—at this “slur” of its readers being middle-class. In an…

• A journalist, a newspaper founder, and a martyr

  churumuri

  30 Jan 2012 | 10:49 pm

  Gopalkrishna Gandhi, grandson of the Mahatma, in the Hindustan Times: “The immortals, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev had just attained martyrdom on the gallows of the British Raj. The country was astir, angry and aspiring to acts of supreme courage for the country’s liberation. “Yet another kind of martyrdom, no less demanding, no less needed, was just round the corner. And its site was not the altar of freedom but the public square of humanity. “The most savage communal violence had engulfed Kanpur’s mixed mohallas. Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, teacher,…

• 

  Beyond Megapixels

• Pet Photography 101

  Tiffany Joyce

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pm

  Fans of our Facebook Page heard the news that there would be no Beyond Megapixels article last Friday because my husband and I were in the process of rescuing a dog from our County animal shelter. While I don’t intend to turn this site into a forum for Public Service Announcements, I would encourage everyone who is considering a new pet to adopt from their local shelter, Humane Society, or animal rescue group. Our little girl Bailey was considered “unadoptable” because she was so frightened of the shelter environment that she didn’t display the usual friendly,…

• Prioritize Photography

  Tiffany Joyce

  31 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm

  I work about sixty hours a week (between my “day” job and my freelance work). My schoolwork (yes, back to school I go!) occupies about 10 hours a week. I absolutely INSIST on at least 8 hours of sleep every night, so that’s 56 hours. Throw in another three hours a day for things like, OH, having a conversation with my husband, petting my dog, doing the dishes, and the like, and that’s 21 more hours. There are only 168 hours in a week. I just accounted for 147 of them. (And I just made myself tired!) Life is all about prioritizing the things that are the most important…

• RAW vs. DNG

  Tiffany Joyce

  29 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm

  The debate on whether to import and post-process files as RAW or as DNG (Digital Negative) is almost as heated – and opinionated – as whether to shoot with Canon or Nikon. The long and short of it is, “it depends,” and “it’s up to you.” There is no “right” answer. RAW files are digitally unprocessed image files that come straight from your camera. They have no adjustments or alterations made to them so that when you load them into your post-processing software, you have the utmost of flexibility in altering things like exposure, white…

• Your Weekend Photography Project – Get Low

  Tiffany Joyce

  26 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm

  I took this shot while balancing precariously with one foot a rock, the other foot on a branch, camera held down at a level lower than my feet. There was no way to look through the viewfinder to compose the shot, of course. So I set the camera on aperture priority (f/2.8), zoomed it all the way out (55mm), held the camera as steady as I could while I pressed the shutter halfway, and let the auto-focus do its thing. Once I could feel that the auto-focus had set (photography by feel! we use all of our senses!) I fully pressed the shutter button. I had no idea what kind of picture I would get,…

• Lock in the Light

  Tiffany Joyce

  25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm

  I was standing at the top of a mountain when I took this picture (click to enlarge). The wind was blowing, my hands were freezing (even in Arizona, it’s cold at an elevation of 7600 feet in January), it was about 4:30 in the afternoon, and I was completely blown away by this LIGHT. This extremely tricky light. I’m standing in the shadow cast by the peak of the mountain. The sky is overcast. Beams of light are hitting the landscape from mid-frame all the way to the horizon. There are reflections on the water (that’s Roosevelt Lake there, by the way). All the time my eyes are…

• 

  News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

• Sony full-frame camera coming, 500mm F4 lens finally announced

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:05 pm

  Sony has confirmed it will be making a full-frame replacement for its flagship A900 DSLR. No further details were given during a round-table discussion at the CP+ show in Japan, but we find it hard to believe the result will step away from the SLT technology the company has invested so heavily in. The company has also finally announced the A-mount 500mm F4 lens that it has been showing in various states of preparedness since PMA 2007 will be available from late March.

• Ricoh reshuffle sees Pentax take control of cameras

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:07 pm

  Ricoh has announced that its Pentax Ricoh Imaging (PRI) business unit will take full control of the design, development and sales of the company's cameras, worldwide. PRI was created when Ricoh bought Pentax and is the business that has been responsible for the design, manufacturing and sales of Pentax cameras. It will now absorb the consumer businesses of Ricoh's Personal Multimedia Product Company, which was responsible for the design, manufacture and sale of Ricoh cameras. The change will take effect from April 1st 2012.

• Sony promises more NEX lenses in updated E-mount lens roadmap

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 pm

  Sony has said it will have 15 lenses ready for the NEX system by the end of 2013. It made the annoucement of an expanded E-mount roadmap at the start of the CP+ trade show in Yokohama, Japan. The roadmap includes a variety of zooms and prime lenses, including a high-end standard zoom with Sony's premium 'G' branding. There will also be a pancake prime and a mid-telephoto prime lens some time during 2013.

• Sigma DP series reinvented as DP1M and DP2M with 15MPx3 sensor from SD1

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pm

  Sigma has totally reinvented its DP series of large sensor compacts with the DP1 Merrill  and DP2 Merrill. The DP Merrill models are named after Dick Merrill, inventor of the Foveon sensor and include the most recent version of his technology - the 15x3MP APS-C sensor first seen in Sigma's SD1. Because the Merrill cameras feature full APS-C sensors, they also feature totally redesigned lenses, with the DP1M including a 19mm F2.8 lens to offer a 28mm equivalent field of view and the DP2M having a 30mm F2.8 lens to give a 45mm equivalent field-of-view.

• Sigma SD1 becomes SD1 Merrill and gains (much) keener price tag

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pm

  Sigma's new CEO, Kazuto Yamaki has announced the re-branding and re-pricing of the company's flagship camera. The SD1 DSLR will now be know as the SD1 Merrill, in honor of Dick Merrill, inventor of the Foveon sensor technology on which it is based. The price will also be revised, falling to what should be a street price of around $2,299, which Yamaki attributes to work conducted to reduce production costs of the sensor. Despite these changes, his letter promises the performance and characteristics of the sensor have not changed. To avoid disappointing existing SD1 customers, Sigma will offer…

• 

  LittlePurpleCow Photography: Moment of the Day

• Thoughts on Togetherness

  Stephanie Roberts

  2 Feb 2012 | 10:46 am

  I've been thinking a lot about the notion of what it means to be together. As individuals, we each have our own unique perspectives, beliefs, priorities, ideas, strengths, weaknesses, and values. When we are together, ideally we bring the essence of our individuality and blend it in equal parts. I grow and benefit from your individuality. You grow and benefit from mine. The sum of this blend has the power to shape each of us if we invite what's different, embrace what's new, and remain open to change. Students from Koseli School in Kathmandu, Nepal enjoy being together at recess. You can…

• Trajectory

  Stephanie Roberts

  1 Dec 2011 | 8:29 pm

  The path described by a projectile flying or an object moving under the action of given forces.

• What You Can Not See

  Stephanie Roberts

  19 Jul 2011 | 11:09 am

  Pinky making images of her home, Jadibuti slum, Kathmandu, Nepal Photography is much about exposing your view, but there's so much more going on beneath the surface. There's a complicated concoction of thoughts and feelings that drive the impulse to lift a camera to your eye, to compose the raw material of what's present, and to wait patiently for the proper moment of capture... when time and space sync and align. Teaching my eight photography students at Koseli School through my non-profit organization, Lens on Life, was such a thrill for me. I loved sharing the Art of iPhoneography and…

• Gratitude

  Stephanie Roberts

  1 Jun 2011 | 5:32 am

  Jadibuti slum, Kathmandu, Nepal This is what it looks like when a grandmother of students from Koseli School expresses her gratitude to the woman who followed the quiet voice in her heart to create the school, Renu Shah Bagaria. As I process images and thoughts from our Lens on Life experience in Nepal to share with you, this moment reminds me that it's not enough to hear that voice. You have to let it guide you down crooked paths, over rough terrain, up steep inclines, through darkness, and into a light so bright it nearly consumes you.

• The Art of iPhoneography

  Stephanie Roberts

  30 Mar 2011 | 9:24 pm

  We didn't expect to find a camel that day. The secret behind the magic of this moment was made possible by two iPhones. Spontaneous image opportunities most often occur when your serious camera is zipped up in the camera bag... at home. And while I can't provide quantitative statistics to support this statement, I do know that the increasing majority of my favorite documentary images have been produced by my iPhone simply because it is always with me.My latest book, The Art of iPhoneography: A Guide to Mobile Creativity just started shipping from Amazon this week. While I'm holding my breath,…

• 

  Photography Served Featured Projects

• CHIMPANZEE SANCTUARY

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:30 am

  Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Ol Pejeta, Kenya

• Tribute to Vaclav Havel (Prague 23rd Dec.)

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:30 pm

  Trubute to Vaclav Havel

• Color Portrait Portfolio

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:30 am

  Fine art photography

• Neverland

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:30 am

  a little out of this world

• A Day's Work

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:30 pm

  Environmental portraits of people in their workspaces

• 

  Flickr Blog

• Time Flies! Celebrating 4 Years of The Commons on Flickr

  Fiona Miller

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:59 am

  Back in early 2008, some clever folks at the U.S. Library of Congress and Flickr collaborated to create a pilot project with two key goals: To increase exposure to the hidden treasures held in the world’s public photography archives, and to show how your input and knowledge can help make these collections even richer. To achieve these goals, a special rights statement — ‘No known copyright restrictions’ — was created to provide a copyright framework allowing institutions to add their photos to Flickr and define how the public could use their work through their own rights…

• Flickr goes East Coast: Meet us in New York and Philadelphia

  Markus Spiering

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:27 am

     Come and meet other Flickr members at two events on the East Coast later this month. Swing on by to meet Flickr staff in New York and Philadelphia to talk about gear, take photos, walk with us through the city and chat about the site. Here are our (new) meetup pages, with signup information:  New York, February 18th – More info & RSVP Philadelphia, February 19th – More info & RSVP   In other news: Starting today, we’re switching to Meetup.com as our main site for global community events. Feel free to start and organize your own, or join in with…

• I am…

  Kay Kremerskothen

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:12 am

  iamaustin published the photos from this lovely project in his photostream.

• Reptar is ready for his trip to another dimension

  Zack Sheppard

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:02 am

  I for one welcome our new feline overlords. The human that was forced to photographically document this moment in space time was christopher.berry.

• iPortrait

  Kay Kremerskothen

  4 Feb 2012 | 1:39 pm

             Tablets make for a great weekend project! Have fun. Photos from Buvone, tismey, Pichead, Jonathan Vazquez, • Andrei •, coreyweekley, and PBodyPhotos.Idea from gregivu.

• 

  theartblog

• Leslie Friedman’s Tasty at Napoleon

  libby

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:45 am

  Leslie Friedman’s ultra-Pop installation Tasty, at Napoleon, the micro gallery in the 319 N. 11th St. building, is fizzy with the delight of well-designed space and stealth content that improves with time. Leslie Friedman, Tasty installation detail Friedman has hit a feminist note in her installation, in which three panels repeat a soda can’s thick emission dripping down to the open mouth of a conventionally beautiful woman. The pouring hand is manicured–the ladies are doing it to themselves. Leslie Friedman, Tasty, 2012 installation shot at Napoleon Friedman’s little…

• Office Hours – Zoe Strauss at the PMA

  diana jih

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:04 am

  “What the hell?” sums up Zoe Strauss’s rationale for choosing one of three paintings from the archives of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to hang in her temporary office at the museum. This could easily also be the reaction of unsuspecting passers by to one of Strauss’s billboard photos. Countless people must by now have stumbled on the citywide series of  billboard prints while dozing off on SEPTA, crossing Gray’s Ferry Ave., or looking up from their iPhones. As the familiar city landscape reveals a less familiar face or empty storefront pictured where an advertisement once…

• Pina – Quirky, beautiful, poignant dance in a great movie

  roberta

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:57 am

  The 103 minutes of Pina rush by quickly, even for a non-dance aficionado. It’s not just the 3D effects in Wim Wenders’ tribute to the late dancer/choreographer Pina Bausch, although there are a couple 3D wows. What is captivating is the love. Love of the dancers for their late artistic director (who died in 2009, 5 days after being diagnosed with cancer); love of Wenders for his subject; and love of human beings by Pina, whose exquisitely choreographed dances telescope the joy, sorrow and need of one human for another. Wim Wenders and Angela Merkel at the Berlin premiere of Pina…

• Erin Riley next week on artblog radio

  libby

  6 Feb 2012 | 3:39 am

  Erin M. Riley’s conceptual narratives seem easy to understand. But the moral tales have a way of posing thorny questions that linger in the mind. Her work is in a Space 1026 fiber exhibit of work by five artists in March 2012, part of Fiber Philadelphia, and she had a prestigious Fleisher Challenge this past fall.  Here’s a sample from next week’s podcast: Erin Riley 49-second sample

• Henry Ossawa Tanner at PAFA: Faith in Blues

  andrea kirsh

  5 Feb 2012 | 5:07 pm

  The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts  (PAFA) is celebrating one of its most illustrious alumni with Henry Ossawa Tanner; Modern Spirit (through April 15, 2012) and it is greatly to be welcomed. While Tanner is well represented in PAFA’s collection and that of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA, which organized a Tanner exhibition in 1991), his work is widely dispersed in public and private collections in the U.S. and France, and the exhibition brings them together and into public view, many for the first time since they were acquired. A deep appreciation of Tanner will involve some work…

• 

  TEDTalks (video)

• TED: Jack Horner: Shape-shifting dinosaurs - Jack Horner (2011)

  TEDTalks

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:59 am

  Where are the baby dinosaurs? In a spellbinding talk from TEDxVancouver paleontologist Jack Horner describes how slicing open fossil skulls revealed a shocking secret about some of our most beloved dinosaurs.

• TED: Sheikha Al Mayassa: Globalizing the local, localizing the global - Sheikha Al Mayassa (2010)

  TEDTalks

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:28 am

  Sheikha Al Mayassa, a patron of artists, storytellers and filmmakers in Qatar, talks about how art and culture create a country's identity -- and allow every country to share its unique identity with the wider world. As she says: "We don't want to be all the same, but we do want to understand each other."

• TED: Stephen Coleman: The moral dangers of non-lethal weapons - Stephen Coleman (2011)

  TEDTalks

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:08 am

  Pepper spray and tasers are in increasing use by both police and military, and more exotic non-lethal weapons such as heat rays are in the works. At TEDxCanberra, ethicist Stephen Coleman explores the unexpected consequences of their introduction and asks some challenging questions.

• TED: Neil Burgess: How your brain tells you where you are - Neil Burgess (2011)

  TEDTalks

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:58 am

  How do you remember where you parked your car? How do you know if you're moving in the right direction? Neuroscientist Neil Burgess studies the neural mechanisms that map the space around us, and how they link to memory and imagination.

• TED: Mike deGruy: Hooked by an octopus - Mike deGruy (2010)

  TEDTalks

  4 Feb 2012 | 12:14 am

  Underwater filmmaker Mike deGruy has spent decades looking intimately at the ocean. A consummate storyteller, he takes the stage at Mission Blue to share his awe and excitement -- and his fears -- about the blue heart of our planet.

• 

  Psychology Today Features

• Reading The Opposite Sex

  kschreiber

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pm

  Can men and women ever understand each other?

• Seeking Solitude

  kschreiber

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pm

  The necessary art of alone time.

• Would You Be Your Own Friend?

  tbrown

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pm

  We're often blind to the not-so-wonderful traits we possess—but quick to point them out in others.

• Noise, Noise, Noise!

  kschreiber

  5 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pm

  How to turn down the volume in an increasingly loud world—and why you should.

• Brand: Me

  tcp

  4 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pm

  Are you a Mac or a PC? And just what does that say about you?

• 

  Aspire Higher Motivational Quotes

• Control Quotes

  shawn

  28 Jan 2012 | 2:28 pm

  Tweet Here’s a few control quotes that might help you get control of yourself: There is no finer sensations in life that which comes with victory over one’s self. Go forward to a goal of inward achievement, brushing aside all your old internal enemies as you advance. -Vash Young When we direct our thoughts properly, [...]

• Cooperation Quotes

  shawn

  20 Jan 2012 | 5:20 pm

  TweetBeing able to cooperate is a key to living a successful life.  Independence is not as important as interdependence.  These cooperation quotes will surprise you: If you want to be incrementally better: Be competitive. If you want to be exponentially better: Be cooperative. -Unknown It is through cooperation, rather than conflict, that your greatest successes [...]

• Competition Quotes

  shawn

  9 Jan 2012 | 8:17 pm

  Tweet Here’s a few competition quotes for those in business…or just in the business of life. Enjoy the successes that you have, and don’t be too hard on yourself when you don’t do well. Too many times we beat up on ourselves. Just relax and enjoy it. -Patty Sheehan I don’t care how good you [...]

• Book Review: Missing Varrun

  shawn

  8 Dec 2011 | 8:17 pm

  Tweet If rules are meant to be broken then this book has definitely done the job! Missing Varrun is on its way to becoming one of the fastest bestsellers in the nation. The book has gained a lot of momentum, and why not? The story involves love, compassion, heartbreaks, picturesque scenes, along with a very [...]

• Attitude Quotes

  shawn

  7 Dec 2011 | 9:16 pm

  Tweet When you read these attitude quotes, be ready to copy some down. By reading them over & over, it will help you keep that good positive attitude you need: 1. You cannot tailor make your situation in life, but you can tailor make your attitudes to fit those situations. -Zig Ziglar 2. We would [...]

• 

  zenhabits

• The Pause Upon Which All Else Relies

  Leo

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:56 am

  Post written by Leo Babauta. There is one little habit I’ve learned that has changed everything else in my life. The pause. When we fail, it’s because we act on urges without thinking, without realizing it. We have the urge to eat junk, and we do it. We have the urge to check email instead of writing a chapter of our book, and so we open our inbox. We have an urge to smoke, to drink, to do drugs, to chew our nails, to play a Facebook game, to procrastinate, to skip a workout, to eat more fries, to criticize, to act in jealousy or anger, to be rude … and we act on that urge.

• The Thousand Cuts Fitness Program

  Leo

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:43 am

  Post written by Leo Babauta. I’ve trained for marathons, triathlons, 10Ks, a 13.5-hour challenge, Ubanathlons, and more. But my favorite fitness program isn’t one where you train for a major event. It’s where you get fit by a thousand little actions. When the actions are tiny, they are easy. You have no excuse. You can do them anywhere, all day long. I fold fitness into my life, like blueberries into batter, and it becomes a part of the recipe, not just a topping. If you haven’t found a way to get fit, try the Thousand Cuts Fitness Program. There is nothing better for…

• The Two-Headed Beast of Successful Habit Change

  guest

  2 Feb 2012 | 8:20 am

  Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Tyler Tervooren of Advanced Riskology. I used to have a lot of bad habits. I still do, but I used to have a lot more. Here’s just a small sampling: I woke up late and went to bed early. I procrastinated on my most important work. I neglected my relationships. I drank too much. I bit my fingernails. I slouched a lot. I picked my nose (no joke). I bought worthless things I didn’t need. I chewed with my mouth open. I dressed like a slob. I ate tons of junk food. I could go on, but none of that’s incredibly important. What’s…

• Create the Habit of Meditation, & the Zen Habits Premium Membership

  Leo

  31 Jan 2012 | 2:03 pm

  Post written by Leo Babauta. It’s something I should have created a long time ago: the Zen Habits Premium Membership, and a mini-course that’s included with it called Create the Habit of Meditation. The membership is a monthly subscription of $19.99, but really it’s a commitment to changing your life, and the tools needed to do that. If you’ve been looking to simplify, get healthy & fit, become more effective, do work you’re passionate about, eliminate debt, find contentment, declutter, create new habits … this new program is meant to show you how to…

• Creating Silence from Chaos

  Leo

  27 Jan 2012 | 2:20 pm

  Post written by Leo Babauta. We are often afraid of silence, because its emptiness feels idle, boring, unproductive, and scary. And so we fill our lives with chaos, noise, clutter. But silence can be lovely, and therapeutic, and powerful. It can be the remedy for our stress and the habits that crush us. If we want quiet in our lives, how do we create it? I’ve been exploring this myself. As a father of six kids, I have to admit that I don’t always have silence in my life. That’s not a complaint — I love the messy noise that my family brings — but silence can be a…

• 

  Foresight 20/20

• Fonts and Typefaces

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:58 pm

  I don't usually do this, but it's time to air a little pet peave of mine.  It has to do with the use of the term 'font' when what is meant is 'typeface'.  In art school I studied graphic design which required quite a bit of focus on typography.  I'm not the best at handling type, but I did learn enough to recognize awkward kerning, poor leading, the fact that a quotation mark should sit outside of the paragraph line, and the fact that Garamond is a beautiful typeface - but not a font!  This mix-up never really bothered me much, as I don't…

• My Love/Hate Relationship with Twitter

  4 Dec 2011 | 2:16 pm

  I was explaining the value I've found in Twitter to a skeptical friend not long ago.  But when she asked how often I tweeted, I did have to honestly answer "not much".  It made me think about why I seem to have this love/hate relationship with this tool - and for me it is a tool.   Of course, I do have a Twitter account - @elldir, but I don't tweet much.  When I do, it tends to be in bursts that last a few weeks or months, and then I tend to take a long break from it.  Why? Because I would much rather talk to real, live human beings. For me there…

• Book Review: Creatively Ever After

  23 Jul 2011 | 1:54 pm

  A friend of mine, Alicia Arnold, wrote a new book which will be published in August titled Creatively Ever After; A Path to Innovation. She sent me an advance copy, and there were several things about it that I felt were excellent. Alicia makes very clever use of nursery rhymes as a non-threatening way to introduce commonly experienced business problems.  In the book, the main problem centers on Jack and Jill's desire to come up with an innovative way to get down the hill with a pail of water - without falling and tumbling down.  Many businesses encounter this type of challenge…

• The low hanging fruit is gone

  11 Jun 2011 | 1:07 pm

  Last month I was the Chairperson for the Voice of the Customer (VOC) Summit Sessions at the Front End of Innovation Conference in Boston. To kick off the day, I was asked to deliver some opening remarks stating my thoughts on the state of VOC today.  This was an interesting task, and it caused me to reflect on how I have evolved in the way I learn from consumers throughout my career.  When I started my career in the late '80's as an engineer in a medical device company, I was continually frustrated when salespeople would come in from the field with very unrealistic requests…

• A multidisciplinary education

  14 Apr 2011 | 7:26 pm

  Last week I gave a talk in a class called Organizing for Innovation and Design, taught by Siobhan O'Mahony at Boston University.  At the start of the class, I asked the students if there were any topics they wanted to cover specifically.  They had read my bio, and checked out this blog, and one of the students wanted to understand the "method to my madness" in terms of my diverse educational background.  They also were interested in my thoughts about continuing directly to grad school vs working before continuing their education. During the course of my talk and…

• 

  I Choose Change

• How People Change: Let’s Have TEA… (Part 1)

  Jennifer M. Ryan, M.Ed.

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:09 am

  Image via Wikipedia Over the next several weeks, I’m going to have a new feature on the I Choose Change blog.  I’m going to outline, just as I do in most all of my sessions, the process of change. (You might also be wondering why I included a picture of 7-Eleven on this post.  You’re about to see…) In almost all of my sessions, I take clients through, what I believe, to be the change process.  As you’ll see on our website, and on my biography page, I use a combination of CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and Attachment Theory. I start in different spots for…

• Gearing Up: Change Challenge 52

  Jennifer M. Ryan, M.Ed.

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:34 pm

  We’re gearing up for Change Challenge 52! And, we hope you’ll start gearing up, too. Change Challenge 52 is our call to action. It’s our way of motivating YOU to make one small step toward the larger goal you’d like to change. In the next few days, we’ll show you just how we’re going to motivate you. Until then, think about what you want to change… Do you want to change the world? Do you want to change your country? Your economy? Do you want to change your job? Your career? Your attitude? Your family, your spouse, or your kids? You can change all of…

• Positive Change in a Negative Economy

  Jennifer M. Ryan, M.Ed.

  2 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  photo credit: StefZ It’s no secret… the economy isn’t exactly booming.  And while I think we may have stabalized a bit, I am hearing many say their stress and anxiety levels are still on the rise! I heard myself say on more than one occasion since the economy start floundering that I was secretly glad so many people were having to change their lifestyles.  The cat’s out of the bag now!  But here’s why I feel more positive when others are feeling the stress:  I see golden opportunities! Whether you’re one who has lost your job or not, like many others…

• A New Year-Ish How-To Guide

  Jennifer M. Ryan, M.Ed.

  25 Jan 2012 | 11:48 am

    The New Year provides a great opportunity to “Press the Reset Button on Your Life.” Many resource guides out there (and there are quite exceptional ones, I might add!) purport to tell you exactly how to reflect back on your year and how to finally find the happiness you’ve been looking for. January is a loaded month, full of anticipation and “musts” for many of us.  I’ve scoured some of my favorite blog posts from around the Web and found what I think to be the best advice for creating the exact life you want in 2012. Certainly, it sounds so…

• Four Anxiety Types and What To Do About Them

  Jennifer M. Ryan, M.Ed.

  19 Jan 2012 | 8:23 am

  photo credit: visibleducts Do you have tasks you want to accomplish or dreams you want to pursue, but seem to always have something standing in your way? 100% of all clients that step into my office come for one of only two reasons: They’re doing something they don’t want to do (or want to do something they aren’t doing), and They feel something they don’t want to feel, like anxiety, depression, loneliness, sadness, guilt, fatigue, or fear. Anxiety is biggie. That heart-racing, skin-sweating, heavy-breathing, I’m going to die feeling overtakes some people so…

• 

  Daily Writing Tips

• A Quiz About Parenthetical Punctuation

  Mark Nichol

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:13 am

  Em dashes are woefully underused and misused. Here are five sentences that would be much improved by their proper use, or by proper use of other punctuation in cooperation with them. Determine how each sentence would benefit from changes in punctuation and compare your revisions with my suggested solutions at the bottom of the page: 1. “Not in years, like more than ten years, have I seen someone so committed to owning the stage.” 2. “Such pioneers trigger and indeed hope for gentrification — leading to more and more middle-class home buyers being willing to take a chance on the…

• 16 Misquoted Quotations

  Mark Nichol

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:09 pm

  Many quotations attributed to famous people are at best paraphrases — though often superior to the original. Others might be subtly altered in the retelling, sometimes with little impact on their effect, at other times irresponsibly changing the meaning. Here is a selection of well-known sayings or writings that aren’t quite accurate (followed by a couple that are but are mistakenly identified as erroneous): 1. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” This quotation attributed to Gandhi is a later invention by an unknown person, likely inspired by the following passage: “As…

• 50 Synonyms for “Idea”

  Mark Nichol

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:47 am

  What’s the big idea? Or, more appropriately, what kind of idea is it? Many ways of expressing the idea of an idea await your consideration; here’s an extensive but not necessarily comprehensive list (including other connotations and meanings of the various synonyms): 1. Abstraction: a theoretical idea; also, the process of abstracting, the condition of being disassociated, an abstract work of art, or the quality of being preoccupied 2. Apprehension: the act or quality of becoming aware or grasping a meaning; also, the act of arresting someone or to a sense of foreboding 3. Assumption: a…

• A Quiz About Missing Connections

  Mark Nichol

  5 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pm

  Writing is often compromised by a writer’s failure to think a sentence through to its logical conclusion. Often, along the way, a small but crucial word or phrase is omitted that leaves a gap in a parallel construction, thereby contributing to the reader’s confusion. In each sentence below, determine the missing element, then check my revisions at the bottom of the page to see how our solutions compare: 1. “The corporation runs hydropower plants from Maine to Montana.” 2. “Because Martinez was so young, it was natural to compare his potential with Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy…

• 75 Synonyms for “Hard”

  Mark Nichol

  3 Feb 2012 | 8:31 pm

  It’s easy to write about how hard something is, because so many synonyms exist for that vague word and its more formal cousin difficult. Many of these terms are somewhat interchangeable (that’s why they call them synonyms), but even then, the senses are often slightly distinct; do a little more research on usage when you find a promising variation for that abstract (or is it abstruse?) phrasing you’re attempting to finesse. 1. Abstract: disassociation from a practical reference that would aid in comprehension 2. Abstruse: difficult because of technical considerations 3. Arduous: great…

• 

  Dilbert Daily Strip

• Comic for February 9, 2012

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pm

• Comic for February 8, 2012

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pm

• Comic for February 7, 2012

  6 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pm

• Comic for February 6, 2012

  5 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pm

• Comic for February 5, 2012

  4 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pm

• 

  CollegeHumor: Videos

• Very Mary-Kate: Evil Dragon

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  It's always the bodyguard you least suspect.

• Tiger Wants Tiger Slippers

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:06 am

  Aww, he thinks they're the feet of one of his loved ones.

• Gender Role Reversal Night Out

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:05 am

  Girls can be such pigs.

• Meet a Black Person Stand

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:04 am

  The people of Aspen meet a cultural ambassador from the exotic land of Minnesota.

• 16-Month-Old Wants Nothing but Cash Money

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:03 am

  He's not old enough to be interested in hoes yet.

• 

  The Onion

• American Voices: Spanking Doesn't Work

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:15 am

  A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal analyzed two decades of research and found that children who were punished physically became more aggressive over time, while those who weren't became less aggressive.

• Alarming Study Finds More Than 12 Instances Of Racism Occurred Last Year

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:15 am

  NEW YORK—A shocking study released Thursday by sociologists at Columbia University found that more than 12 instances of racism occurred in 2011, suggesting not only that prejudice based on the color of one's skin still exists, but that it remains di...

• [audio] Junior Building Inspector Closes Down Area Tree House

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:30 am

  Junior Building Inspector Closes Down Area Tree House

• TV Listings: Cryojennifer

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:30 pm

  CW 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST Tonight: The beautiful but absentminded Cryojennifer completely messes up a sales report at work, makes the mistake of questioning her sister's weight, and burns a meal she cooks for her boyfriend, realizing once again that the o...

• Letters To The Editor: Cloning Update

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:15 pm

  Dear The Onion, Where are scientists at on cloning? Since the sheep it seems like there’s been nothing. Paul Goethe, Rochester, NY

• 

  FFFFOUND! / EVERYONE

• AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:12 am

  via http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/page/4/

• AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:57 am

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• AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:57 am

  via http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/page/4/

• observando

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:54 am

  via http://observando.net/post/3155315714

• Nickel Cobalt

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:45 am

  via http://nickelcobalt.tumblr.com/page/4

• 

  Online Marketing Blog » Blogging

• Online Marketing News: Say NOPA to SOPA, Google+ Strikes Again, Coca Cola “Gets It”, Twitter Gobbles Up Summify

  Ashley Zeckman

  20 Jan 2012 | 4:31 am

  The Social Job Seekers The social media job market is hot! This infographic visualizes the 2011 Social Job Seeker Survey that was conducted by Jobvite.  It examines who the job seekers are and how they are utilizing social media to find jobs.  Some interesting statistics you may not be aware of: 61% of all employed Americans are open to a new job or actively looking for a new one. 4 out of 10 job seekers are “Super Social” and have 150+ contacts on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin. 1 in 6 job seekers found their last job through an online social network. This Week in News About Google…

• Social Media & Blogging Listmania with Curated Resources & Lists

  Lee Odden

  16 Jan 2012 | 3:15 am

  Being included on a popular list of credible resources like our own BIGLIST of top Marketing Blogs or one of the many other collections of useful resources posted online can feel pretty satisfying, validating the hard work many are putting in to their business blogs. Great lists get socially shared, linked, and emailed, giving those included quite a bit of valuable exposure. By association, the list publisher also gains value in terms of exposure, links, and a connection with list participants. Curation is essential for sorting through the mass of data published online and with the closer…

• 4 B2C Examples of How Companies are Using Twitter to Attract & Engage Customers

  Ashley Zeckman

  3 Jan 2012 | 3:36 am

  If you are a B2C company, interaction on a social platform like Twitter can increase engagement and even sales if executed properly.  Small businesses like Tender boutique in Birmingham, Michigan have promoted special offers on Twitter and sold out in just a few days. Social interaction via platforms like Twitter allow companies to gain a true understanding of their prospect base and serve as a real-time source of market research. Customer engagement is a key benefit of executing a B2C Twitter marketing strategy. A recent survey by Chadwick Martin Bailey found 67% of Twitter users are more…

• Blogging On A Budget: 3 Tips for Bigger Impact

  Ashley Zeckman

  29 Nov 2011 | 5:00 am

  Blogging is one of the top sources of online content creation for many companies. Blogs are a great vehicle for interacting and engaging with current and prospective clients.  Blogs are also an effective way for prospects to associate stories, anecdotes, and personalities with a company or brand. Taking on a blog can be a large undertaking.  There are many things that should be considered including cost, availability of resources, strategy creation, time commitment, and measurement.  Simply creating content and expecting instant success is not realistic.  If you have recently decided that…

• The Dynamic Duo of Business Blog Marketing: Optimize & Socialize

  Lee Odden

  25 Nov 2011 | 3:59 am

  Blogs are often rated one of the top content marketing tactics for attracting and engaging customers and eMarketer has reported blogs reach over 50% of the internet audience. But many companies fail to combine two of the most important tools for boosting relevant traffic and reach: Optimization for search engines and for social media. Most marketers and bloggers understand the basics of a good business blog and the notion of search engine optimization but often focus more on keywords than the customers that are actually searching.  Adding keywords to blog posts is a common SEO tactic but…

• 

  Free WP Themes

• New theme: darkera

  4 Feb 2012 | 9:15 pm

  Added darkera, a new fixed WordPress theme.

• New theme: embodied

  30 Jan 2012 | 5:14 pm

  Added embodied, a new fixed WordPress theme.

• New theme: gentlebreeze

  25 Jan 2012 | 9:49 pm

  Added gentlebreeze, a new fixed WordPress theme.

• New theme: vividorange

  15 Jan 2012 | 7:26 pm

  Added vividorange, a new fixed WordPress theme.

• New theme: elegantblue

  8 Jan 2012 | 11:38 pm

  Added elegantblue, a new fixed WordPress theme.

• 

  Wordpress Themes - Best Free WP Themes

• Nomad

  Site Owner

  30 Jan 2012 | 8:17 am

  Quick info WP 3+ Compatible Widget Ready Top Slider/li> Preview Download

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  Site Owner

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  Site Owner

  24 Dec 2011 | 9:43 am

  Quick info WP 3+ Compatible Widget Ready Magazine Theme Preview Download

• 

  Presentation Zen

• Hans Rosling: The Jedi Master of data visualization

  Garr

  26 Jan 2012 | 11:31 pm

  Dr. Hans Rosling is one of my presentation heroes; he's been featured or mentioned in all my books and several times on presentationzen.com over the years. If there is a Jedi Master of presenting data clearly, visually, and simply, then it is Hans. He proves time and time again, that data are not dull—and when you are trying to change the world, there is no excuse for boring presentations. Most people are aware of Dr. Rosling through his popular TED Talks, but just in case you've never seen him present, below is a nice 5-minute piece he did on CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS. At TED.com you'll…

• New: Presentation Zen (2nd Edition)

  Garr

  18 Jan 2012 | 10:36 pm

  Four years ago my first book Presentation Zen was published by Peachpit Press. Since then I wrote two other presentation books and a sketchbook/storyboard book and a DVD (plus an additional DVD/Book just for Japan). Although a lot of time had passed, I was still happy with the original Presentation Zen. And yet, the original Presentation Zen book could benefit from a little freshening up in the form of a 2nd edition for 2012. This 2nd edition of Presentation Zen has the same look and feel as the original book and I still did all the design and layout myself. The biggest difference is the book…

• 10 great books to help you think, create, & communicate better in 2012

  Garr

  10 Jan 2012 | 4:54 am

  In the spirit of personal kaizen, I have listed below a few books that I read (or reread) over the past year that you may want to read as part of your own continuous improvement journey. (Clicking on the book's icon takes you to Amazon.com.) (1) Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long. Over the last 10-20 years scientists have made many remarkable discoveries concerning the brain and how it works. David Rock is not a neuroscientist but he is a good "neurotranslator" of the scientific evidence and does a good job of…

• Progress and the intentional selection of less

  Garr

  30 Dec 2011 | 5:26 pm

  Many people today talk about presentation technology as if it were a panacea for boring lectures and ineffective presentations. Technologies such as our laptops, iPads, and cool software packages are wonderful tools that can, when used well, increase the quality of communication and engagement. This is especially true when we need to engage with people live on the other side of the planet via tools like video conferencing, webinars, Skype, and so on. However, while technology has evolved in dramatic ways over the last generation, our deep human need for visceral connections, and personal…

• Steve Jobs: "People who know what they’re talking about don’t need PowerPoint"

  Garr

  20 Dec 2011 | 5:12 am

  One thing we need to constantly remind ourselves is that slides and other forms of projected visualization—no matter how "cool" they may be—are not appropriate for every context. Multimedia is great for presentations before large groups such as keynote addresses or conference presentations, but in meetings where you want to actively discuss issues or go over details in depth, slides—especially the snooze-inducing bulletpoint variety, which are never a good idea—are almost always counter productive. I stressed early on in the first version of Presentation Zen four years ago—and ad…

• 

  Duarte Blog

• Creative Like a Fox! Dan Roam and I Compare Notes on Creative Process

  Nancy Duarte

  3 Feb 2012 | 6:15 am

  Dan Roam schools me on creative process. His new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH, offers awesome tips on how to utilize visual and verbal concepts to refine ideas to their most pure state.

• Are You a Fox or a Hummingbird? Dan Roam Explains Your Brain

  Nancy Duarte

  2 Feb 2012 | 6:27 am

  Dan Roam uses an animalistic metaphor to explain how your brain processes information, and reveals how to help facilitate communication between our verbal and visual minds. That and more in his new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH.

• Grammar Ain’t Just for Words Anymore

  Nancy Duarte

  1 Feb 2012 | 8:58 am

  Dan Roam used the rules of verbal grammar to build a Visual Grammar Graph that bridges the gap between verbal and visual concepts. Vivid Grammar is featured in his new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH.

• Quit Talking and Start Thinking

  Nancy Duarte

  31 Jan 2012 | 4:03 pm

  Dan Roam explains why we talk too much, and how we can use our predilection for vision to become better problem solvers. “Vivid Thinking” is one of the many gems in his new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH. 

• Obama’s SOTU: What Is, and What Could Have Been

  Greta Stahl

  25 Jan 2012 | 3:46 pm

  Last night President Barack Obama delivered what could be considered the biggest presentation of the year. In outlining his vision for America and his legislative priorities for 2012, the President attempted to persuade a variety of different audiences – including the United States Congress, business leaders and 25 million members of the American public – that he has a plan to continue improving the lives of Americans. So how did he do? Leaving aside the merit of his proposals, did he tell a story compelling enough to convince such a broad audience? Graphic recording of the State of the…

• 

  Knockout Presentations Blog

• We’ve Got to Stop Meeting Like This

  DianeDiResta

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:30 am

  Most people would agree that meetings are a waste of time. One frustrated employee showed me her calendar. Seventy per cent of her time was scheduled for meetings. How can any person or organization be productive if they are sitting in meetings all day? But people need to communicate about their projects, goals, customers, etc.  So the question is, when does it make sense to have a meeting? First, know why and when to call a meeting-What outcomes are you trying to achieve? When to Have a Meeting To gain buy-in and commitment. To deliver information to several people quickly. To make a time…

• Public Speaking: The Power of 7

  DianeDiResta

  2 Feb 2012 | 1:20 pm

  I just got back from a networking event.  Networking is a form of public speaking – it’s your sales presentation.  If you’re like me, you experience the speakers as unclear or they’re so long-winded that you tune out.  In business, your elevator speech is the most important presentation.  Speakers who are unclear are leaving money on the table. So I decided to challenge myself to describe what I do in 7 words or less.  There’s a magic to the number 7:  Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Seven Seals, Seven Spiritual…

• Confidence Class for Teens: Focus on Image

  DianeDiResta

  31 Jan 2012 | 11:36 am

  In 2004, I started a Confidence Class for middle school girls in my community at the request of a mother. Her daughter would get nervous when she stood in class to speak.   This year I offered another class .  We meet for 8 weeks to learn confident public speaking. Last week we met for public speaking Confidence class number five. It was so much fun. For the first time I decided to bring in an image consultant, Beryl Wing,  who is President of The Image Authority. Beryl taught the students about grooming and dressing for the audience. Dressing for the audience was not something they ever…

• Is Your Speaker Introduction As Good As Your Speech?

  DianeDiResta

  26 Jan 2012 | 1:27 pm

  A client recently asked me to help with a speaker introduction. As director of a non-profit, it was important to go beyond describing the organization. This executive wanted to be perceived as knowledgeable and credible, instead of a talking head. So she found some information about the speaker’s topic from a scientific journal and delivered that as a lead-in to the presentation topic. The challenge was to take a scientific topic and to make it interesting. Too often public speaking introductions are written for the eye and not the ear. What reads well on paper may not sound…

• Video Marketing-The New Interview Presentation

  DianeDiResta

  24 Jan 2012 | 8:27 am

  How do you make your job interview stand out in a crowded interview? In a previous post I blogged about a woman who was getting ready to pitch her boss for a promotion.  To make her and her presentation memorable we decided to create a short video. Why? Because I see a change in the market. Youtube.com is the number two search engine after google.  Video creates that personal touch and ups the trust factor in presentation marketing.  Well, now it seems that interviewers are catching on.  Is the resume becoming passe? Probably not. But a video presentation can sell you better than any…

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  Professionally Speaking...

• Presentation Tip: The Audience's Gift to You

  Kathy Reiffenstein

  1 Feb 2012 | 10:29 am

  When someone gives us a gift we generally feel: happy grateful excited humbled honored touched But this is not how we generally feel when we are standing in front of an audience and delivering a presentation. In this situation we're more likely to feel anxious, resigned, bored or detached. Perhaps we need to look through a different lens. In fact, our audiences are giving us one of the most precious gifts of all -- their time. This is thirty minutes, an hour, a half-day of their lives they can never get back. When you think about your audience from this perspective, a number of things happen:…

• C-Level Presentation Tip #3: Expect and Be Happy About Interruptions

  Kathy Reiffenstein

  18 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am

  Question: What's the relationship between sky diving and making executive presentations? Answer: Apart from the metaphorical comparisons of being at high altitudes, both activities routinely strike fear into the hearts of the people daring to attempt them. Soaring through your presentations in the C-Suite is certainly possible, but not without focus on some key strategies. This series of tips will help you avoid any nose dives. TIP #3: EXPECT AND BE HAPPY ABOUT INTERRUPTIONS When you get interrupted during your presetation it means either you’ve sparked an idea that the audience wants to…

• C-Level Presentation Tip #2: Link to Business Issues

  Kathy Reiffenstein

  5 Jan 2012 | 1:03 pm

  Executive level presentations can seem like swimming in shark-infested seas, even for the intrepid business presenter. Stakes and visibility are both high. This series of tips will help you make a few tweaks to your presentation practices so you can successfully navigate any C-Suite waters. TIP #2: LINK TO BUSINESS ISSUES Do some homework before the presentation and explore the over-arching business issues and challenges facing the executives you'll be speaking to. Every audience, no matter how senior, asks themselves the WIIFM (“What’s in it for me?”) questions. Why should I listen?

• Twelve Presentation Gifts For You

  Kathy Reiffenstein

  19 Dec 2011 | 9:01 am

  [Sing along to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas, if you must!]  On the first day of Christmas dear Santa gives to you…A clear and succinct messageOn the second day of Christmas dear Santa gives to you…No bullet pointsOn the third day of Christmas dear Santa gives to you…Powerful wordsOn the fourth day of Christmas dear Santa gives to you…Strong eye contactOn the fifth day of Christmas dear Santa gives to you…Crisp PowerPoint slidesOn the sixth day of Christmas dear Santa gives to you…Engaging storiesOn the seventh day of Christmas dear Santa gives to you…Rhetorical…

• C-Level Presentation Tip #1: Start with Conclusions

  Kathy Reiffenstein

  18 Nov 2011 | 12:38 pm

  Executive level presentations can strike fear into the hearts of even the most courageous business presenters. Both stakes and visibility are high. This series of tips will help you make a few tweaks to your presentation practices so you can navigate successfully in the C-Suite. TIP #1: START WITH CONCLUSIONS C-Level audiences are results focused. So play to this by starting your presentation with the conclusion. Don't keep them in suspense or you'll lose them. Tell them up front what the problem is, what you recommend or what you're asking for. And then support that conclusion with the…

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  Mike Pulsifer Photography

• Thomas Reynolds Is A Douche

  Mike

  20 Jan 2012 | 12:20 pm

  If you're reading this on thomasreynolds.us, then what you're reading is stolen content. I've already asked him to stop taking my content for use on his blog. More than two weeks have passed and he has yet to honor my request.

• Productive Photo Walk Today

  Mike Pulsifer (a)

  4 Sep 2011 | 6:21 pm

  Yeah, it's been quiet on this blog. That doesn't mean I haven't been productive. In fact, as I'm writing this, I'm posting more of my most recent work from this morning's stroll through Martinsburg, WV. To see everything I'm putting out there, just hop over to my flickr page.  To see what I consider to be my best work, follow the link below to my little home on 500px. mikepulsifer on 500px

• 500px

  Mike Pulsifer (a)

  16 Jul 2011 | 8:35 am

  Lately, there's been a lot of noise in the photography community around 500px.com.  This is another free (with upgrades available to those willing to pay) social photo sharing site that sort of fits between flickr and Smugmug.  The big differentiator (at least for now) is the quality.  This site seems to attract more quality photographers and photographs than other sites I've visited, especially flickr.  To check it out and see my work there, check the link below: mikepulsifer on 500px

• Accepted To A Juried Exhibit!

  Mike Pulsifer (a)

  7 Jul 2011 | 5:58 am

  {EAV_BLOG_VER:21fd5f1059fe41be} I've had the good fortune of having a couple of my photographs accepted to a juried exhibit!  They're currently on display at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center in Frederick, Maryland until the 24th of July.

• Farquhar Press

  Mike Pulsifer (a)

  5 Mar 2011 | 10:18 am

  This is one of those objects I often drive by but never got around to shooting.  Well, today I went out there and went to town.  See more at http://www.flickr.com/photos/wvmikep/sets/72157626076363725/with/5499959020/.

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  Sticky Slides

• Pick your battles when pitching

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:30 pm

  Arguing until the bitter end about small facts, when the VC thinks she right because she has a reliable source (in her opinion) is not a good idea. You might be right, BUT you will not convince her, you will do no good to your credibility, and you raise doubts about how the future CEO-Board Member relationship is going to pan out. Better focus that energy in disagreements that are really worth arguing about. Pick your battles.

• Write notes after the meeting

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:30 pm

  If you are reviewing your presentation with your boss, here is a thought. Write down your notes immediately after the meeting. It makes for a better 2-way conversation as you are not scribbling all the time looking down on a piece of paper, and strangely it makes you remember things better. This article in Wired explains how your brain is refreshing the memory that is only slightly faded, that process makes future recollection stronger: Along these lines, Bjork also recommends taking notes just after class, rather than during — forcing yourself to recall a lecture’s information is more…

• Video summary in stills

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:30 pm

  Embedding video in presentations has its drawbacks. It adds another technical risk factor when setting up the presentation outside your office environment. File sizes become so big that it is hard to email a document. And a PDF version of the presentation does not show the video. As a solution, you can put in a video summary in your presentation consisting of a few key still images taken from the video. Our brain is powerful enough to make up most of what happens in between, and might even imagine the Star Wars sound track in the background when looking at last year’s Volkswagen Super Bowl…

• No need to show that monitor

  5 Feb 2012 | 7:30 pm

  In technical pitch presentations, you often have to show the application through screen shots. While a picture of the application inside a monitor frame might look nice, it is a poor way to get your audience to see the content of the screen. I would cut the monitor, cut the window bars above and below your application, and even zoom in to parts of the screen to highlight what is important. Cover everything that is not relevant (ads for example) with white boxes to keep things clean. Having said that, there might be 2 uses for the monitor shot. One for a very quick 5-second slide that enables…

• Not reality, not a cartoon

  2 Feb 2012 | 7:30 pm

  Have a look at these great images (on Fubiz) in the series “Enlightened Souls” by French photographer Fabrice Wittner. He uses images of people with a stencil-like effect and puts them on a background of a real photo. This effect might be very useful in presentation design. It is very hard to a series of images with a consistent look and feel on either stock photo sites, or Flickr. Moreover, I find that using images with real people not working very well in slides. It is too personal. This slight distortion of the characters might just solve these 2 problems in one go.

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  Executive Speech Coach - Business Presentations

• Can We Really Trust Your Marketing Department With Your Sales Presentation

  George Torok

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:33 pm

  If you are in sales, you might occasionally wonder if your marketing people are really working in your (and the company’s) best interest.Are your team members working for you or against you? Discovering the answer to that question might start with uncovering the root of their motivation.How does your marketing department get rewarded?Forecasting optimistic sales projectionsCreating nice looking marketing materialsWinning marketing awards from marketing associationsSpending money on expensive advertising campaignsCreating, and policing the sacred brand Addressing politically correct and hot…

• Power Presentations Tip 54: How to Open Your Speech

  George Torok

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:08 am

  How to Open Your SpeechThe purpose of your opening is to grab the attention and establish rapport with your listeners.Do not start your presentation with these tired phrases:Thank you for inviting me here to speakI don't know why I have been askedI haven't really prepared anythingToday I'm going to talk aboutA funny thing happened on the wayThose openings are boring at best and possibly annoying.Instead use these techniques to open your presentation:Pose a challenging questionDeliver a striking statementTell a storyComment on a preceding speakerPose a challenging questionQuestions immediately…

• eSpeech Coaching is Here

  George Torok

  2 Feb 2012 | 2:52 pm

  eSpeech Coaching - expert presentation coaching when you need itGood news for you if standing and speaking before a group is critical to your career or business success.Contrary to some opinions, the best public speakers are not naturals. The best speakers learned how to develop their presentation skills.The first step to becoming a better public speaker is to recognize that speaking is a skill not a talent.The three steps to developing any set of skills are:1. Learn the principles and techniques of the masters.2. Practice those techniques extensively.3. Get guidance from an expert teacher or…

• Presentation Tip #53: Passion

  George Torok

  1 Feb 2012 | 7:49 am

  PassionAdd passion to your presentation to be more effective.Why?1. Passion can help energize you to prepare and deliver your presentation - especially if you need to deliver your message repeatedly or to challenging audiences.2. Passion as perceived by your audience can help engage and persuade them. You need to use emotion to persuade and passion can be a window to display your emotion. 3. Passion can be infectious. Your audience might ignite their own passion for your cause if you have connected in the right way. (We'll examine the connecting factors in the next tip.)A client asked me to…

• Questions To Ask Your Speech Coach

  George Torok

  30 Jan 2012 | 4:33 am

  When you are selecting your public speaking or presentation skills coach - here are some important questions that can help you select the best speech coach for you.Tell me about your most unusual or most challenging presentations that you have delivered.Tell me about some of the books that you have read recently on presentation skills.Tell me about some of your speech coaching triumphs.Tell me about your experience working with executives and executive issues.Show me what your clients say.In addition to the questions above, here are some criteria to consider.Your best speech coach is one who…