Selected by sgbmedia

• 
  Holy Kaw!

• Welcome to the new age of advertising

  10 Feb 2010 | 2:23 am

  Advertising during the Super Bowl may not have changed much in terms of audience size and absurd charges, but the material has—or at least, where the material comes from has changed. According to dozens of surveys, polls, and analyses, nearly all the top-ranking commercials were either created by consumers or produced internally. Advertising agencies may have made their mark with the Snickers commercial during the Super Bowl, but many others missed theirs. It may be time to rethink traditional advertising schemes when 30-second spots like the two Doritos ads (see above), which were…

• New tiny sensor will one day keep you alive

  10 Feb 2010 | 1:41 am

  The smallest solar-powered sensor that can operate nearly perpetually has been developed at the University of Michigan. Measuring nine cubic millimeters, the system includes a processor, solar cells, and a battery, and it could one day be used for tracking air and water quality, architectural-monitoring, and biomedical implants. Its only life-limiting factor is its battery (it can run nearly perpetually when exposed to minimal light). The sensor is 1,000 times smaller than its commercial competitors. Average power consumption? One billionth of a watt. How's that for efficiency? Full story at…

• Building talent is better than buying it

  10 Feb 2010 | 1:20 am

  Often we hear tales of the talented sports star receiving a huge raise to be retained from poaching by another team. But when it comes to building an effective team within your company, “buying in” talent may not actually be as great of an idea as it initially seems. A big part of building an effective team is putting in the work to develop the team as a whole, not just a single unit. So is it really worth it to train in-house to eventually lead your company's team? One article seems to think so, at least when it comes to IT. Weigh in on the comments with your own experiences with…

• In the mood for sweets? You may be depressed!

  10 Feb 2010 | 12:14 am

  At least if you’re a child. According to a recent BBC article, children who are prone to depression or alcoholism may possess an extra sweet tooth. Why? One possibility is that the feelings caused by sugar are similar to those caused by alcohol, and those who eat a lot of sugar may be using it to make themselves feel better. It’s still unclear, however, whether affinity to sweets is due to nurture or nature. Read the full story at the BBC. More on science. Photo credit: Fotolia Permalink | Leave a comment  »

• Avatar's Big Dragon Thing = Digital Marketing

  10 Feb 2010 | 12:00 am

  Think Avatar broke the box offices using sheer awesomeness? False, says MediaShift. Turns out, the movie had quite the digital marketing effort behind it as well. A recent article ties some of the movie’s success to effective—and usefully allegorical!—marketing tactics: Tree of Souls = Social media The Hometree = Avatar’s Web site The Banshee = The air interactive trailer Hallelujah Mountains = Augmented reality Perhaps the comparisons sound a bit weird but, like the movie, the article’s explanations somehow make a bizzare concept work in the end. Read the full…

• 
  Facebook Blog

• Parenting via Facebook: Vomit Reports and Baby Advice

  Theresa Walsh Giarrusso

  9 Feb 2010 | 3:43 pm

  We are republishing a story about parenthood and Facebook that originally appeared on Feb. 2 in the Momania blog from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Blogger Theresa Walsh Giarrusso lives in suburban Atlanta and is the mother of two girls and one boy. I have been anxiously anticipating a round of stomach virus to hit our house based on what my friends from our school and other schools in the metro area are reporting on Facebook. Much like the local weatherman, the status reports on Facebook tell parents what viruses are in the area and which ones of their friends' kids they should be…

• The Importance of Thinking Before You Post

  Will Gardner

  8 Feb 2010 | 10:10 pm

  Today is Safer Internet Day in the European Union, a day that promotes safe and responsible use of the Internet and mobile technologies among young people. We asked Childnet International, a member of Facebook's Safety Advisory Board, and its CEO Will Gardner to share more about this year's theme and how the organization is working with young people on Internet safety. When young people discuss the future of the Internet and new technologies, a central theme is keeping safe. Many see it as a right. At Childnet International, we saw this reaction firsthand as part of the recent Youth IGF…

• Faster, Simpler Photo Uploads

  Chris Putnam

  5 Feb 2010 | 2:57 pm

  Facebook is the largest photo-sharing site with over 2.5 billion photos uploaded to Facebook each month. In order to make sharing photos even easier, today we are announcing a new and improved photo uploader. Recently we've received feedback that people struggle with our current photo uploader due to various technical issues, while others are confused by the installation process. In this new version of the photo uploader, we have solved many of those problems and developed a fast, stable and simple experience for sharing photos on Facebook. The new uploader will be rolling out gradually over…

• Introducing Your New Navigation

  Jing Chen

  4 Feb 2010 | 6:46 pm

  Over the past few months, we've been testing several different designs of the home page to improve navigation to and discovery of commonly used features. Today, we started rolling out the most recent navigation updates to help you find what you are looking for on Facebook. Now from the top and left menus you can quickly get to what's new and important. Stay Updated from the Top Menu In the top menu, you will find your newest notifications, requests and messages. For example, when you receive a Facebook notification about someone writing on your Wall or tagging you in a photo, you'll see a red…

• Six Years of Making Connections

  Mark Zuckerberg

  4 Feb 2010 | 5:41 pm

  Today we're celebrating our sixth birthday, and this week there will be 400 million people on Facebook. Just one year ago we served less than half as many people, and thanks to you we've made great progress over the last year towards making the world more open and connected. Facebook began six years ago today as a product that my roommates and I built to help people around us connect easily, share information and understand one another better. We hoped Facebook would improve people's lives in important ways. So it's rewarding to see that as Facebook has grown, people around the world are…

• 
  TechCrunch

• Is This @EricSchmidt’s Facebook Profile?

  Robin Wauters

  10 Feb 2010 | 3:04 am

  Some people are suggesting that Google CEO Eric Schmidt may have just created a Facebook profile for himself, after signing up for Twitter in early December 2009 and right on the heels of Microsoft founder Bill Gates setting up an account on the wildly popular social networking service. Evidently, we can’t be 100% sure that this is his real account at this point – unlike Twitter, there’s no ‘verified account’ stamp for Facebook profiles and the man has yet to confirm our friendship (I forgive him, since it’s the middle of the night in the United States).

• Coming Soon, Maybe: Opera Mini for iPhone

  Robin Wauters

  10 Feb 2010 | 12:59 am

  Opera is set to unveil Opera Mini for iPhone in a press and partner preview during the 2010 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week, the Norwegian browser software company said in a statement released earlier today. In addition, the company will be introducing a slew of other Opera-powered devices at its exhibit at MWC. Small caveat: Opera has yet to submit the iPhone app for approval in the App Store. The company foresees zero issues with the approval of the app, and hopes Apple will “not deny their users a choice in Web browsing experience”. Frankly, I hope Apple…

• A Look At 4INFO, The King Of SMS

  Michael Arrington

  10 Feb 2010 | 12:26 am

  When Google bought mobile ad network AdMob for $750 million in November 2009, 4IFNO CEO Zaw Thet said that he received a couple of phone calls from investment bankers and potential buyers who where were sniffing around the space. When Apple bought Quattro Wireless for $275 million two months later, he says his phone started to ring off the hook. Why? Because 4INFO is usually described as the AdMob of SMS advertising. That isn’t a very good description of the company, but it’s enough to make everyone think that the company is next in line to close a big acquisition. And that last…

• What The Wii Did For Console Gaming, Glitch Wants To Do For MMOs. And It Just Might.

  MG Siegler

  9 Feb 2010 | 11:43 pm

  Last night, the news started to come out about Glitch, the new massively multiplayer online game that a few of the key cogs that built Flickr had been developing in secret for much of last year. Today, I got to see a still relatively early build of the game. It is both beautiful and impressive. I met up with Stewart Butterfield, one of the co-founders of Flickr, so he could demo Glitch for me. Sitting in a hotel lobby on a WiFi connection being used by who knows how many other people, the game, which runs in the browser and is Flash-based, was incredibly smooth. Even more impressively,…

• AOL Integrates Facebook Chat Into AIM

  Michael Arrington

  9 Feb 2010 | 9:10 pm

  AOL Instant Messenger is integrating Facebook Connect to allow AIM users to chat with their Facebook friends. The image to the right shows how the initial sign up will look. We expect AOL and Facebook to make an announcement on the product on Wednesday, but you can try it now if you like at x.aim.com/facebook/preview.html. That’s a beta version, no word on when it will move into normal production.

• 
  Mashable!

• Google Now Has a Street View Snowmobile

  Stan Schroeder

  10 Feb 2010 | 1:58 am

  First, there was the Google Street View Car, a special vehicle with a 360 degree camera mounted on top, that brings us all that detailed Street View imagery. Then, Google engineers invented the Trike, a tricycle with a camera that can reach all those places where Street View Car cannot go.Neither of those two vehicles, however, can venture out in the snow, and this is why Google created the Google Street View Snowmobile. Just like the Trike, it was invented by Daniel Ratner, and it was created especially for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, so expect some beautiful imagery on Street View…

• Google Maps for Android Get Buzz Support

  Stan Schroeder

  10 Feb 2010 | 1:13 am

  GMAIL USERS: You can now follow Mashable’s official Google Buzz profile here: http://www.google.com/profiles/mashableWow, things really are rolling out fast. After announcing their breakthrough new Gmail feature, Google Buzz, Google is making sure that everything else they do is buzzed (or at least buzzable). Google Buzz for Mobile is already available at if you visit http://buzz.google.com on your iPhone or Android device, but now other mobile apps are getting Buzz support.First in line is Google Maps 4.0 for Android, which now also supports Buzz and is available in the Android market. We…

• Muppets + Digg + YouTube Commenters = FIRE! [VIDEO]

  Ben Parr

  9 Feb 2010 | 6:50 pm

  The Muppets are rapidly becoming socially savvy, and the result is one burnt muppet.First they stormed YouTube with the Muppet rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody in 1080p. Then they followed that up with an iPhone app and more videos, most of which have become viral sensations.Now the Muppets, specifically Beaker, Statler, and Waldorf, are taking on YouTube commenters and Diggers with their latest clip, “Beaker’s Ballad,” which is well on its way to becoming a top YouTube video.The clip pays homage to Internet speak, harsh and angry YouTube commenters, and Digg bait, all while…

• Google Buzz: Will You Use It? [POLL]

  Ben Parr

  9 Feb 2010 | 5:30 pm

  You can also join the discussion on our official Google Buzz account. Google Buzz has arrived. We’re all still chatting about and analyzing Google’s biggest move into social media yet — it’s a top trending topic on Twitter and the big subject in the blogosphere.While we think a lot more time needs to pass before we know the true implications of Google Buzz, especially whether it will succeed as a product, we want to know right now what you think.Today’s flash poll is simple: Will you use Google Buzz? After reading the stories and analysis across the web, do you…

• Associated Press Returns to Google News

  Samuel Axon

  9 Feb 2010 | 4:35 pm

  After more than a month of proverbial radio silence, news stories by the Associated Press are back on Google News.The AP and Google have been in talks to establish a new agreement that would allow Google to continue to aggregate and host AP content, but because the AP has adopted a hawkish stance with regards to controlling its content online, Google stopped posting new AP stories in anticipation of a fall-through in talks.Today the Wall Street Journal’s Digits blog noticed that AP stories were again appearing on Google News. We have confirmed this as well.When contacted for comment,…

• 
  ReadWriteWeb

• Will Apple Crack? Opera Unveils Plans for iPhone Browser

  10 Feb 2010 | 12:40 am

  Opera just announced that it plans to bring its mobile browser, Opera Mini, to the iPhone. The Norwegian company will give the press and its partners a sneak peek of the application during next week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Opera Mini on the iPhone will include all of Opera's default features like Speed Dial, tabs and a password manager. Opera Mini for the iPhone will also feature Opera's compression technology, which compresses text and images on Opera's servers before they get sent to the phone. The question, however, is whether Apple will allow the application into the App…

• Oracle Goes On Tour - But Is It Really About Cloud Computing?

  9 Feb 2010 | 11:33 pm

  Oracle is launching a worldwide, cloud computing tour. It's a 50-stop show for developers and system administrators. But is the tour really about cloud computing? It seems more like virtualization with a touch of focus on how to leverage public cloud environments from providers like Amazon Web Services. Sponsor The tour will focus on three topics: How IT can become a private cloud service provider for your users. How to evolve existing enterprise architectures to a cloud model. How to leverage public clouds from providers like Amazon Web Services. The premise of private cloud computing is to…

• Facebook Debuts XHP: More PHP Enhancement

  9 Feb 2010 | 11:13 pm

  Last week, we were chasing our tails in giddiness over HipHop, a newly open-sourced PHP runtime developed in house at Facebook. Today, amid the rabid excitement over Google Buzz, Facebook quietly pumped some more code into the world. XHP is a new way to write PHP that "augments the syntax of the language to both make your front-end code easier to understand and help you avoid cross-site scripting attacks," according to Facebook engineer Marcel Laverdet. "XHP has enabled us to build better websites faster; our Lite site was written entirely with XHP." Here's what a few developers, including…

• Google Buzz in Enterprise - Will Need to Overcome Google Apps Limitations

  9 Feb 2010 | 10:30 pm

  Google Buzz is headed for the enterprise. According to the Google Enterprise blog, Google Buzz will become a part of Google Apps within the next few months. Google Buzz applies as much to the enterprise as it does to the consumer market. The real-time application creates an extension for communication that adds a threaded context to a conversation, a critical component for an enterprise application. Sponsor But Google Buzz in the enterprise will have some inherent weaknesses. Tony Bradley of PC World makes the point that most consumer products do not work with Google Apps Premier Edition. To…

• How Millenials Use Tech at Work

  9 Feb 2010 | 10:00 pm

  We all know that young folks use the social Web for personal purposes, from keeping tabs on family members to sharing party pics with friends. And yes, as we reported more than a year ago, they even use the social Web - gasp! - while at their places of employment. But they're also using more tech for work-related tasks, including interacting with customers and vendors and forming or strengthening new and existing partnerships. According to a 5,595-person, 13-country survey from tech consultancy Accenture, since this generation has grown up with daily doses of technology in one form or…

• 
  SmartBrief on Social Media

• What can Twitter lists do for your company?

  8 Feb 2010 | 10:00 pm

  You need to be able to draw the right people to your Twitter account if you want to get the most out of the service, writes C -More- 

• Your turn: What does the future hold for e-mail?

  8 Feb 2010 | 10:00 pm

   -More- 

• How to turn social buzz into sales

  8 Feb 2010 | 10:00 pm

  As social marketing matures, it's time to stop thinking solely in terms of buzz, and start figuring out how to use social too -More- 

• The Oscars aim for a social revamp

  8 Feb 2010 | 10:00 pm

  Hollywood's biggest award ceremony is hoping to harness the power of social media, with the Academy launching a Facebook page -More- 

• Google fights back against Facebook

  8 Feb 2010 | 10:00 pm

  Google is preparing to announce the addition of social-networking tools, possibly including a status stream, to its Gmail ser -More- 

• 
  ProBlogger Blog Tips

• Blog Like a Cartoonist – Six Stunning Secrets to Help You Break Through Bloggers Block

  Darren Rowse

  9 Feb 2010 | 11:24 am

  And now for a guest post with a difference from Cartoonist Mark Anderson from Andertoons.com who created this comic to illustrate the writing techniques he uses to create his cartoons, and how they can help bloggers push through writer’s block. Post from: Blog Tips at ProBlogger. Blog Like a Cartoonist – Six Stunning Secrets to Help You Break Through Bloggers Block Share This

• Have a 37 Minute Coffee Break with Me [Audio Interview]

  Darren Rowse

  9 Feb 2010 | 5:43 am

  If you have a spare 37 minutes today to grab a coffee with me (or at least are doing something that will allow you to listen to something for 37 minutes in the background) check out this interview I did with Robb Sutton late last week. Robb’s also transcribed it for those who prefer to read. In the interview Rob asks me about a whole range of stuff including: my background in blogging my philosophy on lots of sites vs focusing upon a single (or just a few) sites the process of going full time (and my wife’s six month ultimatum) my shift in focus to e-books and membership sites a…

• What Is Your Blogging Goal for February?

  Darren Rowse

  8 Feb 2010 | 6:22 am

  A few days back I asked readers a question: What Have You Been Putting Off and What’s Holding You Back? Some of the responses to the question in comments (and via email and Twitter) revealed a lot of bloggers really wanting to step things up and get what they’ve been putting off done. So – lets set some goals – what do you want to achieve by the end of February? I’m not going to be calling you up to check up to see if you’re meeting your goals – but hopefully in putting them down publicly you’ll find yourself a little more spurred on to reach…

• 9 Tricks I Used To Triple My AdSense Earnings In 30 Days

  Daniel Scocco

  7 Feb 2010 | 6:34 am

  Guest post by Daniel Scocco from Daily Blog Tips. I have been using Google AdSense to monetize my blogs and websites for as long as I remember. In fact it was the first method I ever tried (I made a whooping $15 on my first month… back in 2005). Over the years I migrated to other methods (e.g., direct sponsors and affiliate marketing), which made AdSense become merely an inventory filler. I was still making around $1,000 monthly from it, but whenever I could I would use other methods over it. Then some months ago I started noticing an upward trend on the CPC of my sites, and I figured that…

• How I Got Some Paying Sponsors Without Really Meaning To

  Darren Rowse

  6 Feb 2010 | 6:21 am

  A guest post by Josh Hanagarne. World’s Strongest Librarian was about four months old when I got interested in sponsors. I’d read the articles about how to do it, and none of them sounded that plausible for me and my situation. For one, my traffic wasn’t impressive, certainly not to the point where sponsors were approaching me. And, while my blog has become slightly more focused in its first ten months, it wasn’t targeted at any group of readers in particular, so I wasn’t sure how confident niche advertisers would be. It’s a little more focused now, but I can’t really think of a…

• 
  Social Media Today

• Forrester’s blogging policy misses the IP point

  10 Feb 2010 | 2:40 am

  Warning: Long post follows. Readers of this blog and listeners to my podcast, “For Immediate Release,” know thast I focus primarily on the impact of online media on organizational communications. A...

• Dear Starbucks and AT&T: fix your WiFi!

  10 Feb 2010 | 1:11 am

  Technology on the road has a reputation for being finicky, whether "on the road" means the other side of the world or just down the street. Some of this difficulty is unavoidable when organizatio...

• Job: China Correspondent for NPR

  9 Feb 2010 | 3:06 pm

  Looks like a great job! Love the final line: “Occasional exposure to prevalent weather conditions.” xx To apply, email a resume and cover letter to careers@americanpublicmedia.org. Indicate p...

• Beyond Social Media Elites: What 'Thug Life' Can Teach Us About Twitter

  9 Feb 2010 | 1:41 pm

  This ought to stir the pot up a little: This Ignored Demographic Shows What You Can Learn When You Look Beyond Social-Media Elites While most in the social media bubble would have you believe that Tw...

• The Social Impact of Friendships and Lies

  9 Feb 2010 | 12:37 pm

  Do you trust me? Social media relies on the premise that we’ll believe what people tell us more readily than if we were told the same thing by a nameless, faceless company. That’s why brands go t...

• 
  Social Media Marketing

• What's in a Name?

  Scott Monty

  27 Jan 2010 | 12:34 pm

  The iPad. Unless you were in a coma, you probably heard about the launch of Apple's new tablet. A larger version of the iPhone, at 0.5 inches thick, 1.5 pounds, $499 (base model) + a $29.99 unlimited data plan, it's pretty impressive. You can read all about the reveal and product specs over on Engadget, who covered it live.There's an interesting subplot going on here, though. The hype around the event was palpable - even the Wall Street Journal noted "Last time there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it." Indeed, everyone was speculating about…

• 2010 Digital Marketing Outlook

  Scott Monty

  24 Jan 2010 | 8:22 am

  The Society of Digital Agencies - a group that serves as a worldwide voice of digital marketing professionals with a mission to advance the industry through best practices, education, and advocacy - recently sent me the results of a large survey they conducted. SoDA solicited feedback from over 1,000 digital marketing executives from agency and client-side worldwide and captured some solid insights worth sharing here.There is no question that digital marketing continues its upward trend. Certainly, when a company like Ford - from the historically lethargic automotive industry - spends 25% of…

• Have You Got an App for That?

  Scott Monty

  21 Jan 2010 | 9:21 pm

  It seems that app development is where it's at in social. According to a recent eMarketer article, mobile apps for social networks - in addition to phones - are under consideration by more marketers than ever before. As you can see in the graphic below, the leading platform for an app (unsurprisingly) was Facebook, followed by the iPhone.Fewer than half invested in mobile or social apps last year, but most plan to create one this year. Lest you think that this is simply marketers chasing the latest shiny object, or the boss claiming G.M.O.O.T. ("get me one of those!"), there's some solid…

• Social Media Predictions for 2010

  Scott Monty

  2 Jan 2010 | 2:35 pm

  I'm sure you've seen your fair share of social media predictions for 2010 by now. And while my posting is a little late, I hope I'm note treading too fine a line by waiting until 2010 hits before I make my predictions.Before I get into what I think will be worth watching this year, let's see how well I fared with the results from the predictions I made for 2009. Those included:Twitter will continue to achieve legitimacy. Check. There's no question that Twitter became mainstream in 2009. I won't rehash all of the examples, but suffice it to say that when your local news outlets are suggesting…

• Global Social Network Figures

  Scott Monty

  22 Dec 2009 | 7:43 am

  When any global company undertakes a social media strategy, there is an expectation that even company-wide initiatives will need to be customized for each region. Whether it's local customs, language or even the device on which the networks are accessed, it's vastly different all over the world. Facebook does not rule the world.Not yet at least. ;-)The growth of social networks globally is a sure thing. The question is, where are they growing and which networks are dominant in which markets? Last year, I shared some statistics. Naturally, things have changed.Here are some interesting…

• 
  The LinkedIn Blog

• Reorder the Sections on Your LinkedIn Profile: Now You’re in Control

  Aaron Bronzan

  2 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am

  Starting today, we bring you the ability to reorder the sections on your LinkedIn profile via drag-and-drop. This enhancement, one of the most highly-requested profile features from our users, gives you the ability to highlight the skills, expertise, and/or experiences that make you stand out. Your profile is an important part of your online professional identity. At LinkedIn we’d like to provide you with all the tools you need to build and maintain a profile that can showcase your unique professional value. Now you’re in complete control over your professional brand. Given below…

• LinkedIn Jobs Stimulus: Connecting Professionals with Job Opportunities

  frfrdufour

  28 Jan 2010 | 4:00 am

  In President Obama’s State of the Union last night, he highlighted our many shared aspirations, chief among which is finding a job that pays the bill and getting a chance to get ahead. We want to help you make this a reality, so today and tomorrow, we’re offering job seekers 50% off the first three months of a LinkedIn Business account. In addition, we want to increase your job opportunities by providing companies a “buy one, get one free” job posting incentive. The past months have been enormously difficult for the global economy. The U.S. job market, in particular, has been hit…

• OPEN Forum, American Express’ community for small business owners is now OPEN for LinkedIn members

  Guest Author

  27 Jan 2010 | 2:58 pm

  Ed. note: This belongs to a series of posts on how web sites and services are integrating LinkedIn functionality using the recently launched LinkedIn API. Thanks to Marcy Shinder, Vice President at American Express OPEN, for this week’s post. We created OPEN Forum, American Express OPEN’s online community for business owners, to provide them with a place to connect and exchange insights that could help them build their businesses. We initially designed the site just for our business Cardmembers because we felt this “credentialization” as a business owner could help minimize the…

• A better way to browse your LinkedIn connections

  jatin100

  26 Jan 2010 | 10:36 am

  As a company that’s based on the mantra “Relationships Matter”; we want to make it easier than ever for you to find, organize and stay in touch with your business connections. Over the next few weeks, you will start seeing improvements to your LinkedIn address book that will help you be more productive. Feature details after the jump. Browse and find your connections more easily The most noticeable update is a new browse panel that allows you to browse your connections by their current companies, locations and industries. In addition, you can search your connections by entering their…

• LinkedIn powers Ribbit Mobile Caller ID 2.0

  Guest Author

  12 Jan 2010 | 6:00 am

  Ed. note. This belongs to a series of posts on how web sites and services are integrating LinkedIn functionality using the recently launched LinkedIn API. Thanks to Dan Seyer, VP Product Management at Ribbit for kicking off this series in 2010! And, wish you a very Happy New Year! Ribbit Mobile provides a brand new way to manage your calls, messages, and phones. To get started, link your mobile phone to Ribbit – a simple process that takes less than a minute.  Once setup is complete, Ribbit transcribes your voicemail to text and sends it to you via text message and email. When online,…

• 
  Brand Insight Blog

• How to do a great branding ad — Subaru scores with skier-focused print.

  john furgurson

  9 Feb 2010 | 4:34 pm

  Winter Storm Slams Into Washington. Travel Advisory For The Entire Mid Atlantic. Historic Storm Hits Atlantic Coast. Subaru of America loves headlines like that. Every time a big storm brings traffic to a standstill, the Subaru brand shines. The Subaru brand performs on snowy roads and in ads. You seldom see an all-wheel-drive Outback wagon or a Forrester stuck in a snowbank. And you won’t see the company taking government bailout money. While the big three automakers were buried in losses, Subaru was cruising right along. Overall, U.S. sales were up 15% in 2009. In July, they posted a…

• Jargon vs. the branding power of plain english.

  john furgurson

  31 Jan 2010 | 9:16 pm

  I had an experience in a brewpub last fall that was inspiring and insulting at the same time. Keep in mind, this Oregon, where there are more brewpubs per capita than anywhere on earth. So brands are plentiful and the competition is stiff. If you don’t like the food or the service or the beer in one, just walk around block and try another one. So a buddy and I popped into this new brewpub for a burger and beer, après golf. We were parched. The beer menu offered “craft beers” in all the usual colors and categories… a blonde, a red, an amber, a black, a pale, an IPA, etc. etc.  Each…

• Disruption as a branding discipline.

  john furgurson

  26 Jan 2010 | 2:21 pm

  The word for the day is Disruption, with a capital D. In our society there’s a stigma against all things deemed disruptive. When you’re in elementary school you learn to not be disruptive in class. Sit still in church and don’t disrupt the service. By the 6th grade it’s “don’t cause a scene or call attention to yourself. Don’t be different. Be the same.” Write like everyone else. Dress like everyone else. Behave like everyone else and you’ll get along just fine. That’s the message we got, and it’s the message our kids are getting. Loud and clear. Maybe that’s why so…

• Back to Basics — A working definition of Brands and Branding.

  john furgurson

  13 Jan 2010 | 5:32 pm

  Welcome to the new-and-improved Brand Insight Blog. I’m moving forward this week by going back… back to fundamentals and to the most frequently asked questions of all: What exactly IS branding, anyway? And why should the average business owner care? No doubt, the semantics of marketing and branding can be very confusing. Every firm, consultant, author and marketing professor has a slightly different spin on the subject of branding, and it’s easy to fall into that classic, insider’s trap… So I’m attempting to aggregate the best of them, and boil it all down to something you can…

• Branding in a skeptical world — Two Trends For 2k10

  john furgurson

  3 Jan 2010 | 10:11 pm

  Magazine editors and TV journalists love year-end lists. And when it’s the end of a decade, there’s even more interest in rehashing the top 10 things in every category from celebrity scandals to the most trusted brands. I prefer to look forward, and I suspect many of you are with me on that. So here are two — not ten —  branding trends that will help you, right now. • The crisis of confidence and the consumer’s ultra-sensitive, internal BS meter. The last two years have not been good for consumer confidence. The banking collapse. Bernie Madoff. AIG bonuses. The automotive…

• 
  Photoshop Insider Blog By Scott Kelby

• Tomorrow’s Guest Blogger Is…

  Brad

  9 Feb 2010 | 3:08 pm

  Entertainment photographer Art Streiber! I (Brad) have been a huge fan of Mr. Streiber’s work for a long time.  He’s a regular contributor to Vanity Fair, Entertainment Weekly, Esquire, Wired, many other magazines, and also shoots artwork for movies and TV shows.  So if you’ve looked at a magazine rack or been to the movies in the past few years, you’ve probably seen his work on a cover or a poster. I had the opportunity to go to Mr. Streiber’s class at Photo Plus Expo last year.  I can’t begin to tell you how much I learned in just a few hours of…

• Come Join Dave Cross, Corey, and me in Tampa this month for the Photoshop Down & Dirty Tour

  Scott

  8 Feb 2010 | 10:02 pm

  OK, it was really just supposed to be just Dave and Corey splitting the day, but they were kind enough to invite me to do one of my favorite parts of the day—the session on Typography and Designing with Type, so now it’s the three of us. The seminar is coming up on Monday, February 22nd at the Tampa Convention Center, and if you haven’t had a chance to catch the tour yet, it is just one of those days that really opens your eyes to the power of Photoshop, and all the cool stuff you can do—stuff that really looks hard, but is actually easy once you know the secrets.

• Kelby TV is On The Air! (and NAPP news joins the channel).

  Scott

  8 Feb 2010 | 9:52 pm

  About a month ago we launched KelbyTV.com, a new home for all the video shows we produce each week, so folks would have a central location to find all our shows right online. Last week I mentioned that Dave Cross has launched his own new weekly Podcast called “Ask Dave” and now NAPP News (hosted by Larry Becker)  has joined the channel. The full list of weekly shows on KelbyTV.com include: Photoshop User TV D-Town TV Layers TV Lightroom Killer Tips Photoshop Killer Tips Ask Dave NAPP News Of course, you can subscribe to all of these shows using Apple’s iTunes, and watch them right on…

• NAPP is Hiring!

  Scott

  8 Feb 2010 | 9:44 pm

  Want to come and work with us? NAPP is looking for a kick-butt PHP programmer to come and join the NAPP team down here in sunny Tampa, Florida (where today’s high is a lovely 65°). If you thrive in a really cool work environment, and want to work with some incredibly creative and fun people (our Web team rocks!), who really value what you do, then contact Barbie Taylor, our HR Director for all the details (just leave me a comment here on the blog, and I’ll get you her direct email). Also, if this isn’t you, but you know someone who would fit the bill, will you pass this on…

• Shooting the SuperBowl in Miami Last Night

  Scott

  7 Feb 2010 | 10:51 pm

  OK, there is a slight distinction in the headline you see above from my normal football game coverage—I didn’t say “shooting from the sidelines.” This time, I actually shot from up in the stands, because I didn’t have sidelines credential. Now, if you’re wondering how I got some “big glass” into the game, here’s the trick. The NFL has a rule that a spectator can’t bring a lens that’s more than 6 inches long (15.25 cm) into the stadium, and they measure the length as you come through the security. So, I measured my beloved Nikon…

• 
  Chris Brogan

• Earn Your GED- Find Success Tomorrow

  chrisbrogan

  9 Feb 2010 | 1:30 am

  No, not your General Equivalent Degree. The GED to which I refer is “guest experience design.” What the heck am I talking about? I’ll tell you. Old words: customer service. New words: guest experience. Disney, where I am this week, has a concept called a Moment of Truth. A moment of truth is “any time a guest comes into contact with any aspect of a business, however remote, is an opportunity to form an impression.” Note that it’s “an impression.” It can be good; it can be bad. Why “guest?” Because guest is much more hospitable than…

• Pursue the Goal Not the Method

  chrisbrogan

  8 Feb 2010 | 1:30 am

  In the back of a town car hired to take me to the Kansas City International airport, talking to Jeff, a driver with two kids, self-proclaimed ADD, and a history of quitting rote sales jobs every few months, I realized something of importance to the story of what’s brought me to this place: I am a seeker of the goal, not the method. Now, to unpack. The Method Is What We’re Taught to Pursue We learn our times tables. We learn the 50 states (in the US, at least). We are taught all these rules, these patterns, these systems, these methods. Musicians learn their scales. Painters copy…

• Your Blog From the Prospect’s Point of View

  chrisbrogan

  7 Feb 2010 | 7:34 am

  When you use your blog to complain or report sideways about the industry at large, what message is that sending to your potential new clients? If you’re spending your time analyzing what other people in your space are doing, citing why they’re wrong, and providing your commentary about all the things they’re doing, what does your next potential customer come away thinking? Is your negative commentary helping them make a buying decision? I’ve rarely seen the tactic work in traditional advertising. You can graze them a little bit. For instance, I’m a bit fond of…

• Just Lucky I Guess – Kitchen Table Talks

  chrisbrogan

  6 Feb 2010 | 1:46 pm

  In this Kitchen Table Talks video, I just want to address all the nice folks who call me lucky, or who think I’m just sitting around being handed my lot in life. Can’t see the video? Click here. Direct link to the video “Lucky” is absolutely what I am. Here’s what I do to earn my luck: Write a blog post or two a day. Write a newsletter every week. Comment and connect with others daily. Answer and send hundreds of emails daily. Read voraciously. Work with the best clients I can find. Reach into new markets weekly. Travel extensively. Seems lucky to me. People…

• Some Of The Third Tribe Conversations

  chrisbrogan

  6 Feb 2010 | 1:02 pm

  I’m really enjoying participating in the forums at the Third Tribe site. I was just adding my two cents to a handful of forum postings, and thought that I’d show you what some of the topics we’re talking about are, so you’d have a sense of what’s going on. We don’t really share the contents, because the people participating there like having the chance to speak openly/candidly about their marketing challenges, but I don’t see the harm in sharing a few of the topic titles. Here they are: Favorite copywriting and marketing books? Third Tribe Blogroll? 2…

• 
  Bound, Not Gagged

• Desiree Conference 2010!!

  swoplv

  4 Feb 2010 | 11:25 pm

  Desiree Alliance In conjunction with BAYSWAN, Best Practices Policy Project (BPPP), Center for Sex and Culture (CSC), International Sex Worker Foundation for Art, Culture and Education (ISWFACE), St. James Infirmary, SWOP USA, SWOP Tucson, SWOP LV, SWOP Chicago, SWOP NorCal, SWOP Santa Cruz, Harm Reduction Coalition, Sex Work Awareness, and $pread Magazine Presents Working Sex: Power, Practice, and Politics July 25 thru 30, 2010 in Sunny Las Vegas, NV!! Join us for the Academic and Policy track. Network with established and developing scholars who are engaged with research, theory, and…

• Internet Radio Show

  jillbrenneman

  26 Jan 2010 | 3:52 pm

  forwarded on behalf of Maxine Doogan Who: Host Maxine Doogan of the Erotic Service Providers Union will be joined by Douglas Fox of the International Sex Workers Union who will be updating listeners on the Crime Bill which criminalize clients of prostitutes. Susan Davis of Canada’s West Coast Cooperative of Sex Industry Professionals will be speaking about the legal challenge to over turn anti prostitution laws and Sienna Baskin, staff attorney of Sex Workers Project in New York will be updating us on a legislative effort to stop using condoms as evidence of prostitution. What:…

• Adult Industry Professional Self-Defense Program

  Serpent

  15 Jan 2010 | 2:38 pm

  Back Off! and SWOP Chicago join forces to present the Adult Industry Self-Defense program. This class consists of a 2-hour module that will cover the specific needs of the adult industry. it addresses general self-defense strategies and deals with environmental self-defense, including ejecting a client. Offered in a private setting. Open to all genders. Date- Wednesday, January 20, 2010 Location- Wicker Park, Chicago (exact location given upon RSVP) Time- 7:30-9:30pm Cost $25 Please contact Kevin Sogor by phone at (773) 252-4470 or email walking.armour@gmail.com to attend.

• Relevancy of Client Status

  Amanda Brooks

  15 Jan 2010 | 12:35 am

  One thing I’ve noticed again and again is that when men make online comments in any way supporting sex workers (like on news articles or major blogs), they always hasten to add that they have never seen a sex worker and have no need of it. Obviously, they believe client-stereotypes (e.g. all clients are ugly losers) and feel a strange need to pretend they’re not clients. I wonder why they even think the disclaimer is relevant — can’t they, as arguably intelligent people — support sex workers with or without vested interest? Why the need for qualifying their…

• Happy Holidays Everyone

  jillbrenneman

  24 Dec 2009 | 3:21 pm

  However you celebrate them, my warmest holiday wishes to you!

• 
  My Sex Professor: Sexuality Education

• Take Stock Of Your Sex Life

  Debby

  9 Feb 2010 | 6:22 am

  Some people, toward the beginning of the new year (and February is still beginning-ish), find it useful to take stock of what the previous year has meant for them. Did they accomplish the goals they set out to accomplish the previous year? To what extent did they follow through on last year’s New Year resolutions, [...]

• Q&A: How Will Sex Change After We Have Kids?

  Debby

  8 Feb 2010 | 6:42 am

  We have a great relationship, and would like to have kids but we’re nervous about how it will affect things between us.  Any advice? This is always a hard question to answer because the research is pretty clear: having children is linked with lower marital satisfaction (I know, I know, the ugly truth that nobody [...]

• VIDEO: Brooklyn’s Vulvagraphics

  Debby

  8 Feb 2010 | 6:36 am

  As some of you may remember, I had been invited to share some of my research related to female genitals at the Vulvagraphics event in Brooklyn, NY earlier this year but could not attend for scheduling reasons (boo!). By all accounts, the event was a huge success and artful knitted vulvas were on display over the [...]

• A Ginormous Thank You to GCSU’s Women’s Resource Center!

  Debby

  7 Feb 2010 | 6:50 am

  This past Friday, I had the distinct pleasure of being the keynote speaker at Georgia College & State University’s inaugural Women’s Sexual Health Symposium (my talk was about 10 Myths, Rumors & Misunderstandings about Sex). They had an incredible turnout  of at least 200 women and men – an attendance that would be enviable for [...]

• Ever Had Your Feelings Hurt By Your Partner? Take This Survey.

  Debby

  6 Feb 2010 | 7:29 am

  A PhD student is recruiting men and women to answer an online questionnaire related to hurt feelings in romantic relationships. You can learn more about this important study and take it on the HurtLab web site.

• 
  Sex In The Public Square

• Graffiti Gone Wild

  Elizabeth

  7 Feb 2010 | 1:26 pm

   And now for a public service ad you will never see on US broadcast television, not during the Super Bowl, not ever: I saw several tweets about it and found the YouTube video embedded above linked by most. Lots of different users had posted the same video to YouTube and I found one that had a link to Creativity Online where you can see the full credits.I can't say enough about this video so I'm not going to say anything at all right away. What do you think of it?

• Focus on the ... Super Bowl?

  Elizabeth

  7 Feb 2010 | 12:30 pm

  It seems to me that Super Bowl Controversy is a sport unto itself. This year the controversy centers on an anti-abortion ad by Focus On The Family. The ad features football star Tim Tebow and his mother discussing her choice not to abort, despite medical advice that it might be best for her health, when she was pregnant with him.Focus on the Family is an exrtraordinarily regressive organization when it comes to women's rights and sexual freedom and I would not expect to like any ad of theirs. But this one in particular is galling because the only reason it tugs at our hearts is that Pam Tebow…

• The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health Wins!

  Elizabeth

  2 Feb 2010 | 6:25 pm

  From Megan Andelloux, founder of the Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health, now officially open in Pawtucket Rhode Island:The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health (CSPH), the first non-profit sexuality resource and information center on the East Coast, has won the right to open its door and provide sex education for adults.The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health will provide one on one coaching services, group classes, drop-in hours, teaching resources, access to sexuality journals and in the fall, start an internship program and conduct sexual health studies. Megan Andelloux, a board…

• The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health Applies for Special Use Permit

  Elizabeth

  24 Jan 2010 | 10:01 am

  Megan Andelloux and the Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health have not given up in their efforts to provide medically accurate information about sexuality to the residents of Pawtucket, RI and surrounding communities.The CSPH, if allowed to open, will make an invaluable contribution to improve the quality of life in Pawtucket and surrounding areas. Specifically, its mission is to educate adults about sexuality so that they can enjoy sexual pleasure in ways that also protect (and even improve) their own health and the health of their partners. By extension such an organization protects the…

• Re-posted: Sex Positive Journalism Award Winners Announced!

  Elizabeth

  18 Jan 2010 | 6:58 pm

  From info@sexies.org:The board and judges of the Sex-Positive Journalism Awards are proud to announce the winners of the 2009 Sexies. Selected from about 100 entries (not counting multiple nominations of the same piece!) submitted by both writers and readers, the winning entries cover subjects from teen pregnancy to conjugal visits, vaginal plastic surgery to prudish responses to public art. The winning articles come from all across the United States and Canada, and represent a range of genres, from news to advice columns. What they all have in common, however, is that they succeed in…

• 
  Susie Bright's Journal

• The Faux Ho Hot Mess @Audible.com

  susie@susiebright.com (Susie Bright)

  9 Feb 2010 | 4:03 pm

  My New Podcast This Week @Audible_com: • The Faux Ho Hot Mess • My Favorite Sex Worker Blog, "Eco-Whore." I read her every day, the only site I read consistently besides the New York Times. I'd read her diary about any and all subjects— and happily, she does cover the...

• Who Dat Said Dat Crazy Erotic Quotation? Tuesday Puzzler...

  susie@susiebright.com (Susie Bright)

  6 Feb 2010 | 5:58 pm

  Who dat said: 1. "I don't want to live-- I want to love first, and live incidentally." 2. "Sex appeal is fifty percent what you've got and fifty percent what other peole think you've got." 3. "Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man." 4. "Literature -...

• I've Got the Sweetest Hangover! Love Song Winners...

  susie@susiebright.com (Susie Bright)

  6 Feb 2010 | 7:56 am

  Wow, that love song contest was wild. I was downloading, editing, and posting your songs without stopping for about eight hours with minor toilet breaks. "I've got blisters on my fingers!" Around midnight, some anonymous cutie called— and instead of singing into the phone, he blasted a scratchy LP of...

• Who Dat? My Teeny Tiny Super Bowl Party Recipe Redux

  susie@susiebright.com (Susie Bright)

  5 Feb 2010 | 11:21 pm

  I know how to make a Super Bowl chili for people who hate chili. It's chili for vegetarians that the meat-lovers will demand for seconds. Imagine a chili you can make in minutes but will make everything believe you toiled for hours. You can cook it as picanté as you...

• The Valentine Songs You Phoned In

  susie@susiebright.com (Susie Bright)

  5 Feb 2010 | 11:18 pm

  UPDATE: It's midnight, Friday, and I'm calling it a night... turn off the mike, superstars! The last songs just came in from Hawaii. This was so fun listening to and posting all these songs. I'll pick a winner tomorrow morning for a set of Dare Cards... I knew this would...

• 
  Practical Polyamory™

• Calling All Poly Leaders - Poly Leadership Summit February 21-22, 2010

  4 Feb 2010 | 3:30 pm

  On February 21-22, 2010 an informal polyamory leadership summit will be held following the Poly Living conference at the Ft. Washington Holiday Inn and Conference Center in the Philadelphia metro area.  Whether you can be there or not, if you are not already a member of the Polyamory Leadership Network and wish to become one and get notices of future summits, please download, carefully read and complete this survey form to tell us about you and your activism work and e-mail it to the address shown at the end of the form.  For full details and to sign up…

• Countdown to Poly Living Conference

  4 Feb 2010 | 11:48 am

  Just 15 days left until Poly Living 2010Ft. Washington Holiday InnFt. Washington, PA (Metro Philadelphia area)Now is the time to register!Check out a taste of the presentations coming to you!KEYNOTE SPEAKER:  Cuddle Party Co-Founder  Reid Mihalko onWhat Happens When Polyamory Becomes Mainstream?For the activists among us, progress for the poly movement has never been fast enough. For those who've been "poly for years," shows like Big Love and the occasional Oprah episode on open marriages -whether "poly" is used or not- reassure us that things are shifting. For the newly…

• Kudos to Advice Columnist Bianca Phillips

  19 Jan 2010 | 2:31 pm

  Today Memphis Flyer advice columnist Bianca Phillips answered a poly coming out question from a member of a polyamorous triad and did an excellent job. This is especially encouraging considering how advice columnists vary widely as to their knowledge about and treatment of the subject of polyamory. Some can be downright snarky and disapproving, but there are also those like Bianca who wear no blinders and treat polyamorous advice seekers respectfully and fairly. I especially appreciate that she congratulated the triad for their relationship lasting so long, nine years.  Coming out to…

• Happy Poly Moment on The Daily Show

  15 Jan 2010 | 2:18 pm

  Thanks to my friend Nicholas for the tip about a happy poly moment on last night's The Daily Show.  This whole clip is pretty funny, at least it is if you enjoy the kind of editing that goes on where the questioner's questions aren't always what the interviewee was asked.  The poly part comes in at about 3:10.  Joy and George Reagan and George's unnamed girlfriend, the people being interviewed by comedian Jason Jones, appear to be the real deal. They also apparently agreed to get partly unclothed and climb under the sheets for a little three way kissing after Jason sets up the…

• Kaye Scholer Wins Asylum for Transgendered Client

  13 Jan 2010 | 9:49 am

  I've bragged here about my former law firm employer, WilmerHale, for their excellent pro bono work. As it happens, I changed megafirms in November 2009 and am now employed at Kaye Scholer, a NYC-based firm, in their Washington office. They, too, have a great pro bono program.   In the course of my work I work closely with a female African American attorney who focuses on pro bono cases involving discrimination, which feels very good.Big law definitely does give back, as is evidenced by the following.  Recently an immigration court granted asylum to one of…

• 
  Stiletto Diaries™

• New Levels Of Absurdity Will Be Reached Before The End Of The Day

  Shasta

  8 Feb 2010 | 7:54 am

  Quite unexpectedly, one of the things I’ve found the most uncomfortable and difficult when it comes to my relationship with Aiden, is being really emotionally vulnerable with him. I can be physically vulnerable, that doesn’t scare me at all, but when it comes to talking about my feelings, or God forbid, crying in front of him (the HORRORS!) I would rather eat a pail of sand. I’ve always had kind of a hang up about crying in front of people.  My family really frowned on the shedding of tears, even during moments when it seemed like the appropriate response.  I very clearly…

• Don’t Play Leap-Frog With Unicorns

  Shasta

  7 Feb 2010 | 6:00 pm

  I don’t know which is more annoying: having the desire to blog, but being unable to think of anything particularly interesting to write about, or having lots to write about but no desire to blog. In response to my previous post, Perakath remarked: I feel a bit bad for Jack! Is he really okay with it all? I left it sit for a while, because Jack intended to respond personally (and he still might) but being me, I have a few things to say on the matter, and some additional comments on how the co-habitation is progressing. Over the weekend Jack and I had the opportunity to go out for dinner…

• Engaging Your Superior Colliculus Since Sometime In The Past

  Shasta

  1 Feb 2010 | 7:41 am

  Aiden has now “officially” moved in with us.  He has basically been living here for the past two weeks, but yesterday he gave notice to his landlords, and we fetched a bunch of his things from his apartment. While we were in town we had dinner with his parents, and he let them know that he is moving in with me.  They weren’t exactly surprised, since he forewarned them in October that he was looking for a job where I live.  I think that they like me enough that they don’t really mind him moving over an hour away, especially since they know we will visit as often as…

• Lelo Bob Review

  Shasta

  26 Jan 2010 | 5:53 am

  I have fallen terribly behind on my reviews as of late, so I’m playing catch-up over the next couple of weeks. We just love us some anal toys around here, and the Lelo Bob is no exception.  Made entirely of satiny silicone, this is the ideal toy for butt-play beginners. It provides fantastic stimulation, and although it’s made of silicone, is rigid enough to make insertion easy. Due to it’s diminutive size and prostate-friendly shape, it’s perfect for men who are curious about anal toys, or for those who don’t like anything too large back there.  Women may also…

• They’re Probably Up There Making Love…Or Playing Dungeons & Dragons…Or Both. At The Same Time.

  Shasta

  25 Jan 2010 | 7:36 am

  It’s Monday!  I realized, while driving the eldest minion to school this morning, that I haven’t blogged in over a week, but I promise that I have good reasons for that. Last weekend I went out with friends on Friday night and saw Daybreakers (pretty good movie, but unless you’re really into non-sparkly vampires, I would wait for the DVD).  Afterwards I went to Aiden’s house and spent the night, and the following morning we attended a FetFair together, along with a friend of his who is just coming out in the scene.  Aiden bought two new floggers, one of rope and…

• 
  CarnalNation Headlines

• For Healthy Marriage, Use 'We' Language

  drmarthalee

  9 Feb 2010 | 10:26 am

  Older couples and happier couples were the ones using more "we" language, indicating that long, healthy marriages are ones that exist in a cohesive conjugal environment, MyFox National reported. Robert Levenson, the lead researcher in the Psychology and Aging report, told Associated Press that using "we" words over "I" words was "part of this invisible language that can tell scientists what's going on inside a marriage". Researchers believe that speaking as a single, rather than as a couple, can lead to selfish tendencies. Furthermore, heart rates were found to be directly related to this…

• Reese Rideout, Men Of Israel Win Big At Cybersocket Awards

  Matthew Lawrence

  9 Feb 2010 | 8:10 am

  Last night the Cybersocket Awards were presented in West Hollywood.  Honoring the best (or, okay, the most popular) in commercial gay porn, trophies were handed out in a whole bunch of categories, most of which are web-based.  (This includes at least three sites that I have personally paid money to use in the past, so no major complaints about the winners.) Big honors included Movie Of The Year, which went to the expensive-looking porn travelogue Men Of Israel (NSFW) by Israeli-American director Michael Lucas [pictured]; Reese Rideout (NSFW) walked away with the Best Porn Star trophy,…

• Born Through IVF? Boys May Face Infertility

  drmarthalee

  9 Feb 2010 | 5:50 am

  Did you know men who have ring fingers the same length as their index fingers are more likely to have fertility problems compared with men whose ring fingers are longer? Researchers have found that boys conceived using an assisted reproduction technique where a single sperm is injected directly into the egg, instead of many sperm being mixed together with an egg, may have the same problem. The technique called intracytoplasmic sperm injection and known as ICSI is increasingly being used for men with low sperm counts or where there are motility problems or abnormalities in the shape. The…

• Xiaflex: Might Help Penises Stand Straight

  drmarthalee

  9 Feb 2010 | 5:38 am

  A new drug for claw hand, a condition that causes bent fingers, may serve double-duty as a penis-straightener. Pfizer's drug Xiaflex was not approved for this, but it may provide much needed relief for those suffering from Peyronie's Disease -- a hard-to-treat condition in which the penis becomes permanently and painfully bent. "It's a disease that's very frustrating," says Dr. Robert Davis, professor of urology at the University of Rochester, "hitting men in the prime of life," causing pain, sometimes erectile dysfunction, and making it difficult to impossible to have sexual intercourse.

• Ex-Madam To Run For NY Governor Seat

  Matthew Lawrence

  8 Feb 2010 | 8:33 am

  Kristin Davis, the so-called Manhattan Madam who went to jail for sleeping with New York governor Elliot Spitzer, may make her own run for the state's highest office this year, reports the New York Daily News.  Davis, calling herself "the first candidate in New York history to run while on probation," wants to legalize marijuana, prostitution, and gay marriage, and she wants to relax gun laws.  She's running as a Libertarian, in other words.

• 
  Honest Sex Toy Reviews

• Coochy Bikini Rash Free Shaving Creme

  swankysextoys

  19 Jan 2010 | 1:56 pm

  I have been so busy with the holidays that I have definitely neglected our blog, but now we are back and ready to give you some reviews of some of the products we used during the break! One of my favorites is the Coochy Bikini Rash Free Shaving Lotion! Now that we are in the new year 2010 it is time to get out with the old and in with the new! Of course, I’m just like most and would always either get professionally bikini waxed or just use extra conditioning aloe vera shaving cream, but I really love this product! It is soft and smooth when applied and helps the hair shave right off…

• Grrl Toyz Finger Gripper Rabbit Vibrator Massager

  swankysextoys

  14 Dec 2009 | 6:52 pm

  We have a true love for the Grrl Toyz line by Topco because they are so feminine and delicate. They almost bring a sexual innocence feeling when you use them as if I was masturbating like a virgin. One of the most popular and least expensive of the Grrl Toyz vibrators is the Grrl Toyz Finger Gripper Jack Rabbit Vibrator Massager. The finger gripper makes it alot easier to hold onto while you are turning and twisting into your vagina! The clit stimulator in the front is positioned very well and it has a slight g spot angled curve at the top to make sure you reach complete orgasm. The vibrator…

• Fetish Fantasy Strapless Strapon Dildo vs. Feeldoe Strapless Strapon Dildo

  swankysextoys

  13 Dec 2009 | 5:50 pm

  Strap on sex toys have always been one of the most popular sex toys used by couples in role playing to add spice and fun to the sexual relationship. They have developed into the easy to use vaculock systems where dildos can be suctioned into the harness and guaranteed not to move or shift. Now the new hit among strapon sex toys as actually not a strap on but a Strapless Strapon Dildo! The more premium and more expensive is the Feeldoe Strapless Strapon Dildo with its modern ergonomic shape fit into the vaginal cavity tightly in order to penetrate both the sexual giver and the receiving…

• Lelo Bo Male Vibrating Wireless Cock Ring

  swankysextoys

  8 Dec 2009 | 8:37 am

  This week my husband and I tried out a few of the cock rings we have in inventory and of course I was quickly drawn to the Lelo Bo Vibrating Cockring! It has a very masculine and modern look to it unlike most of the inexpensive cockrings you find in most sex stores. This one is wireless and does not use batteries! All you have to do is charge it and go! It is very lightweight and slides tightly into place adjusting to your penis size without any problems. The man can use the vibrating part upwards to stimulate a female clitoris or flip it upside down and use it to stimulate the male testicles…

• Favorite Ben Wa Balls for Sexual Stimulation and Kegel Strength

  swankysextoys

  30 Nov 2009 | 10:43 am

  You might not have heard as much about Ben Wa Balls before, but I’m sure you have heard about Kegel or Kegal exercises to tighten the vaginal wall muscles for several sexual health reasons. Some women practice Kegel exercises to tighten the vagina muscles that were stretched out after childbirth while others just want to have stronger muscles to help aid in vaginal strength. When you strengthen your vaginal muscles it can tremendously aid in the intensity and sensations during orgasm. It will also increase the sensitivity within your nerves throughout your vagina. Amazingly there is not…