If vanilla and fresh linen was still feeling too feminine to scent the man cave, fear not, manly men, Yankee Candle has heard your barbaric yawp and is now offering Man Candles. Offered in macho scents such as 2x4, Riding Mower, First Down and Man Town, you need never hang your head again after being dragged into the candle store. They even offer a sports-themed candle holder so you don’t ruin the tabletop. Just in time for Father’s Day. Full story at Yankee Candle via Buzzfeed. You know you want a Man Candle. Permalink | Leave a comment »
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Most Topular Stories
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The scent of man, now available at Yankee Candle
Holy Kaw!16 May 2012 | 1:31 pm -
Most Marketers Still Not Making Data-Driven Decisions Surveys Find
Conversation Agent16 May 2012 | 2:00 amHow do large corporate marketers collect and use data? Are practices in marketing measurement and ROI changing? How about the integration of digital and traditional marketing? Has the excitement around big data brought about a shift in how marketers conduct their business? These are some of the topics for investigation in a recent study conducted by Columbia Business School’s Center on Global Brand Leadership and the New York American Marketing Association (NYAMA). The short answer: there is still a big gap between where organizations would like to be and where they actually are in… -
The Waiting Game
The Numbers Guy4 May 2012 | 7:34 pmLong lines at airport immigration halls are objects of frustration for travelers, and of study for queuing experts who offer ideas for easing the pain. -
Information Technology and the Loss of Common Sense
Visual Business Intelligence16 May 2012 | 11:00 amI have a low tolerance for stupidity and waste. For this reason, I oppose unnecessary bureaucracy whenever possible. For instance, when a potential client asks me to review and sign a lengthy contract before accepting their invitation to teach a course or speak at an event—typically a one to three day engagement—I tell them “No thanks, I’ll pass.” Experience has taught me that, in addition to the time it takes to read the contract, revisions are always required. One size fits all service contracts, usually written for long-term software development engagements,… -
The secret, missing element in content marketing.
Brand Insight Blog16 May 2012 | 8:48 amIt’s the age of information, and much of the marketing buzz these days revolves around “content marketing.” We have YouTube videos, webinars, articles, blog posts, 24/7 Tweets, Powerpoint Presentations, Facebook updates, websites, ebooks, and white papers coming out our ears! In many cases, it’s just TMI – too much information! In an effort to “push valuable content” to prospects, some internet marketers are inundating people with more and more information. And there’s something troubling about the quality of that content: Most of it is totally devoid of emotion. The…
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Holy Kaw!
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The scent of man, now available at Yankee Candle
16 May 2012 | 1:31 pmIf vanilla and fresh linen was still feeling too feminine to scent the man cave, fear not, manly men, Yankee Candle has heard your barbaric yawp and is now offering Man Candles. Offered in macho scents such as 2x4, Riding Mower, First Down and Man Town, you need never hang your head again after being dragged into the candle store. They even offer a sports-themed candle holder so you don’t ruin the tabletop. Just in time for Father’s Day. Full story at Yankee Candle via Buzzfeed. You know you want a Man Candle. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Dirty Disney cartoons? [video]
16 May 2012 | 1:16 pmIt’s hard to imagine Disney cartoons have ever been the subject of censorship, but like many beloved cartoons, there’s a seamier side that’s bound to offend if you get the references. Such was the case with “The Shindig” where Clarabelle Cow’s exposed udders were deemed too risqué for Ohio audiences as was her reading material; Three Weeks was an early example of “women’s mass market erotic fiction.” As the old saying goes, "What happens in the barn, stays in the barn." Full story at Neatorama. The evil underbelly of Disney. -
Mammals may not get to cool climates in time
16 May 2012 | 12:09 pmNine percent of the Western Hemisphere’s mammals—and up to 40 percent in some regions—may not be able to outpace climate change. “I think it’s important to point out that in the past when climates have changed—between glacial and interglacial periods when species ranges contracted and expanded—the landscape wasn’t covered with agricultural fields, four-lane highways and parking lots, so species could move much more freely across the landscape,” says Joshua Lawler, associate professor of environmental and forest sciences at University of… -
Time of year matters for vitamin D risk
16 May 2012 | 12:08 pmWhen considering a patient’s blood vitamin D levels, it may be best to consider a lower threshold for concern, as well as the time of year. "In evaluating health risk," the University of Washington researchers conclude, "season-specific targets for Vitamin D blood concentration may be more appropriate than a static target when evaluating patients health risk." Full story at Futurity. More research news from top universities. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
The (not so correct) anatomy of sea life
16 May 2012 | 11:52 amMarine biology, scharine schiology. Pleated Jeans skips scientific facts for its series of sea life diagrams. Via Pleated Jeans. (H/T @laughingsquid) Laughing is good for you. Permalink | Leave a comment »
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Conversation Agent
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Most Marketers Still Not Making Data-Driven Decisions Surveys Find
16 May 2012 | 2:00 amHow do large corporate marketers collect and use data? Are practices in marketing measurement and ROI changing? How about the integration of digital and traditional marketing? Has the excitement around big data brought about a shift in how marketers conduct their business? These are some of the topics for investigation in a recent study conducted by Columbia Business School’s Center on Global Brand Leadership and the New York American Marketing Association (NYAMA). The short answer: there is still a big gap between where organizations would like to be and where they actually are in… -
Answering Common Inquiries About Content
15 May 2012 | 2:00 amThree kinds of inquiries I receive regularly: write about us give us your content allow us to post Many of you find the contact form for consulting work. In that case, I'm happy to provide a quote and scope of work. If that's not what you're after, the quickest way to find out what is accepted for review and publication is by following the link to -- submit your question on the top menu. In all cases, the best outcomes come when the ask is appropriate. Note the term "pro" is part of the word. Making the ask Don't know how to ask? Here's how to write an email that stands out for your review. -
Why Experience is Key to Customer Loyalty
14 May 2012 | 2:00 amWhenever I travel, I'm reminded of the many amazing opportunities that come from being able to reach many parts of the world relatively easily. Let's face it, things can go wrong with the weather and with technology. It is how an airline -- or any company, for that matter -- handles customer fairness that will make a big difference to its bottom line. Will they have to discount fares more deeply so people will do business with them again next time? There is plenty of room left for improving customer experience in the travel industry -- airlines, hotels, car services, even airports, with a few… -
Business Lessons I Learned from my Mother
13 May 2012 | 3:00 amMy mother was Miss Romagna. Her name is Anna Laura. I wanted to have her purple blue eyes and ready smile. She has the welcoming spirit of a woman always ahead of the times and comfortable in her own skin. In addition to being a mother of three (all girls), she has had multiple careers -- accounting, sales, public office, geriatric care, and beautician; some overlapping for years. Mother really gets communications -- the listening part especially -- the organization of work, along with the care of the individual. Whether she negotiated credit rates or the recovery of the elderly, she made… -
Fair Pay, Participation Value, and The Intention Economy
12 May 2012 | 3:00 amDo you know the pay scale for your industry? I'm not talking about the job wanted ads -- those may mislead you and take you down the generic path. You're not generic, you have specific skills, and you should be able to calculate market value. Just like with salary, where you don't have a cut and dry answer, interaction and involvement are not exactly the same thing. Community participation has highs and lows, and they may not follow the touted 1% route. How active are people online? Has it changed in the last couple of years? Marketers can optimize campaigns and programs only so far. Without…
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The Numbers Guy
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The Waiting Game
4 May 2012 | 7:34 pmLong lines at airport immigration halls are objects of frustration for travelers, and of study for queuing experts who offer ideas for easing the pain. -
The Fire Countdown Clock
20 Apr 2012 | 7:01 pmHow long does it take for fire departments to get on the scene at a fire emergency? The question is surprisingly difficult to answer, obscured by complexities in definitions and measurement. -
Cruise Safety, a Century After Titanic
13 Apr 2012 | 5:09 pmWithout comprehensive safety statistics for today's cruise ships, it is difficult to assess the industry's claim that its ships are safer than most other means of transportation. -
Modern Thermometers
6 Apr 2012 | 6:39 pmTemperature alone can't say how warm people will feel outside. Scientists are taking on the challenge of formulating a new way to measure climate comfort. -
Imagining a Census Survey Without a Mandate
30 Mar 2012 | 7:07 pmIt is mandatory for recipients of the Census Bureau's American Community Survey to respond to it. A House Bill would change that. How would that affect the crucial data produced by the survey?
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Visual Business Intelligence
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Information Technology and the Loss of Common Sense
16 May 2012 | 11:00 amI have a low tolerance for stupidity and waste. For this reason, I oppose unnecessary bureaucracy whenever possible. For instance, when a potential client asks me to review and sign a lengthy contract before accepting their invitation to teach a course or speak at an event—typically a one to three day engagement—I tell them “No thanks, I’ll pass.” Experience has taught me that, in addition to the time it takes to read the contract, revisions are always required. One size fits all service contracts, usually written for long-term software development engagements,… -
Confusion in the Age of Data
1 May 2012 | 1:41 pmContrary to popular opinion, we do not yet live in the Information Age. At best, we live in the Data Age—a time when bits of data constantly zoom past our eyes and buzz past our ears, yet few of them inform us meaningfully and usefully. We’re spending millions to put all of that “Big Data” into “The Cloud” without first learning how to separate the signals from the noise. A storm cloud of our own making is already raining confusion down upon us. Last week I gave a keynote presentation and taught a course at the Teradata Universe conference in Dublin, Ireland. -
The Gullibility of BI Professionals
17 Apr 2012 | 1:01 pmIs the ability to think critically too much to expect of business intelligence (BI) professionals? How about BI professionals who support institutions of higher learning? Wouldn’t it be reasonable to expect high levels of critical thinking from them? Unfortunately, a recent experience has called this into question. I’m currently in Austin, Texas where I’ll be teaching one of my public workshops this week. On Sunday, I taught a visual data analysis course here on the campus of the University of Texas at the annual conference of HEDW (Higher Education Data Warehousing). I… -
In Memory of Andreas Lipphardt
3 Apr 2012 | 10:43 amEarlier this year I was saddened to learn that Andreas Lipphardt, the co-founder and chief executive of the business intelligence software company BonaVista Systems, died tragically on January 27. With a team of never more than three or four people, BonaVista Systems made useful, affordable, effective, and desperately needed data visualization tools that functioned as add-ins to Excel. The company’s first and best-known product was MicroCharts, which added to Excel the ability to embed sparklines and bullet graphs into cells of a spreadsheet. Andreas was the heart of BonaVista Systems. -
Dashboard Insight and the Objectivity of Sources
26 Mar 2012 | 8:32 amWhen you’re looking for reliable information—especially guidance—pay close attention to the sources. Experience has taught me to approach information with a skeptical eye and to always identify and scrutinize the source. This has become especially important since the advent of the Internet. The anonymity of the Web makes it easy for people to claim expertise or to feign objectivity that is lacking. Organizations often publish information that is tailored to serve their own interests, and their interests are often not ours. When you know the source and are aware of its motives and…
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Brand Insight Blog
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The secret, missing element in content marketing.
16 May 2012 | 8:48 amIt’s the age of information, and much of the marketing buzz these days revolves around “content marketing.” We have YouTube videos, webinars, articles, blog posts, 24/7 Tweets, Powerpoint Presentations, Facebook updates, websites, ebooks, and white papers coming out our ears! In many cases, it’s just TMI – too much information! In an effort to “push valuable content” to prospects, some internet marketers are inundating people with more and more information. And there’s something troubling about the quality of that content: Most of it is totally devoid of emotion. The… -
Yes, when it comes to websites, design matters!
16 Apr 2012 | 4:32 pmThere was a group discussion on LinkedIn the other day that started with this statement: “Web design is a waste of money.” It’s nonsense, of course, but that headline provoked quite a debate. It’s interesting to see graphic designers on one end, and web programmers on the other, arguing their respective positions. One group believes web design should take a back seat to web marketing and functionality. After all, what good is a website if you’re not driving traffic to it. The other believes you should make sure the site is well polished before you drop a dime to drive traffic. -
Three logical reasons why brands need more emotional thinking.
26 Mar 2012 | 11:28 amIn the battle between right-brained marketing people, and left-brained finance people, the left brainers usually win. They have data, spreadsheets, and the graphs to support their decisions. We have gut instinct, intuition, and experience. But we also have some good, empirical evidence that suggests the analytical approach really isn’t the way to go when it comes to many business decisions. Especially when it comes to advertising, marketing and brand personality. The Dodge Viper was not an analytical decision. Bob Lutz, former CEO of Chrysler and Vice Chairman of GM, said he vetoed the… -
Small brands, big attitudes. How to create an XXL brand personality
13 Feb 2012 | 9:57 amWhat does it take to turn a typical small business into a powerful brand? Why do some businesses — with relatively mundane products and services — take off, while others stagnate? Often it comes down to personality. Or lack thereof. When Ben Cohen & Jerry Greenfield started selling homemade ice cream out of a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, it was personality and a little extra attitude that helped get the business off the ground . Jerry said, “If it’s not fun, why do it?” Ben said “Every company has a responsibility to give back to the community.” Those two… -
Conversion Branding. How to make your website work — on many levels.
17 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pmThere seems to be a trend in website development these days… more and more cookie-cutter, template-driven websites that are wearily one dimensional. The fact is, if you want the maximum return from your website investment, it needs to work on many different levels. It needs to be practical. Functional. Inspirational. Beautiful. And immediately understandable. The Functional, Phonebook Level In case you hadn’t noticed, the phone book is fading faster than the first generation Blackberry. Now that we all have a web-enabled computer in our hands at all times, Google is the phonebook of…
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comScore Voices
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Social Media Delivers Valuable Exposure for Presidential Campaigns
10 May 2012 | 5:37 amIn case you missed it, comScore recently released a report entitled The Digital Politico: 5 Ways Digital Media is Shaping the 2012 Presidential Election. The report analyzes key digital campaign elements that have impacted the primaries, with an eye to how these will affect the general election. -
Despite its Declining Importance for Many Display Campaigns, the Click Remains Important for Pharma Marketers
8 May 2012 | 1:29 amOver the years, comScore has published several studies – including one this past week – that illustrate how the click is often the wrong metric for measuring the effectiveness of online display advertising. We have also shown that simply being exposed to an online ad, even when a click does not happen, often drives meaningful lifts in site visitation, purchase behavior and other key performance metrics. These findings continue to change how success is perceived and measured in digital advertising. Just as with other media such as television, radio and print, marketers are beginning to… -
comScore Introduces Mobile Metrix 2.0: The Next Generation of Mobile Behavioral Measurement
7 May 2012 | 2:03 amToday comScore is excited to announce the U.S. launch of Mobile Metrix 2.0, the next generation of mobile audience measurement. Mobile Metrix 2.0 provides mission critical insights into the behavior of the most active mobile media consumers: smartphone owners. Mobile Metrix 2.0 is based on passive behavioral data collected from a 10,000+ person panel (whose members have agreed to install comScore’s measurement software on their mobile devices). When combined with data from comScore’s census network of tagged sites and apps, Mobile Metrix 2.0 delivers our clients an unprecedented view of… -
Digital Advertising Develops Presidential Candidate Brands and Engages Voter Groups
1 May 2012 | 1:28 amYesterday, comScore released a new report entitled The Digital Politico: 5 Ways Digital Media is Shaping the 2012 Presidential Election, which highlights the key elements of the U.S. Presidential campaigns’ digital strategies – such as online advertising, online fundraising, social media, and search – and how they are being leveraged to improve their chances of victory in November. -
Web TV Shows Promise, But Lack of Paid Search Strategy is Puzzling
30 Apr 2012 | 9:29 amThe online video market has been predominantly characterized by two fundamentally different types of content: user generated content (UGC) and professionally-produced premium content. The former has incredible reach, but due to a variety of factors such as potentially unsafe brand environments and lower production values it does not command the same high CPMs as the latter. Premium video content, which more closely resembles the TV environment, offers a more premium ad placement and CPM.
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Tom H. C. Anderson - Next Gen Market Research
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Next Gen Research Ad Measurement
14 May 2012 | 8:41 amDoes Convergence of Ad Media Require Convergence of Research? For the past several years now my firm’s media industry clients have been asking us to help measure ad effectiveness of more complex campaigns. Many media sales today go beyond traditional TV ads and also frequently include a combination of various banner ads across online networks, social [...] -
Text Analytics, The Difficult Future You Can’t Avoid
8 May 2012 | 6:33 pmLooking at Text Analytics by Area of Expertise (Thoughts from Sentiment Analytics Symposium 2012) Sentiment Analysis is a terribly difficult problem. The problem is in defining the problem - the input is the problem - but you can’t avoid it, IT IS the future, and I’m very optimistic about it! Professor Bing Liu started off the Sentiment Analytics Symposium [...] -
Text Analytics for Very Smart Dummies
17 Apr 2012 | 9:30 amToday’s Most Popular and Least Understood Research Tool Explained…Sort Of Those of you interested in the Next Gen Market Research area of Text Analytics may find this series on ‘Text Analytics for (Very Smart) Dummies’ of interest. IIR’s Marc Dresner, ahead of their Tech Driven Market Research Event has posed the question “what really is text [...] -
Text Analytics Summit Contest
16 Apr 2012 | 3:04 pmTest your text analytics knowledge to win a Text Analytics Summit pass The 8th Annual Text Analytics Summit is just around the corner, June 12-13 in Boston. As usual I’ll be speaking at the summit and Anderson Analytics’ OdinText is a proud sponsor of the event. Last year we decided to give away a free event pass [...] -
2nd Next Gen Market Research (NGMR) MeetUp
12 Apr 2012 | 7:12 amAre you a marketing researcher half way between NYC and Boston? Fairfield County CT and Westchester County NY is the gold coast of marketing research, yet there are few if any marketing research events in our area. Last year we held the first NGMR Meetup as a way for the research community in our area to get [...]
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Children's & Teen Fashion
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When Fashion is a Passion--Helping Your Child Find a Life Path
19 Apr 2012 | 8:34 pmParents totally do notice when kids prefer fashion over playing tennis or soccer. It's important to allow kids to follow their passion from an early age. -
Fun, Interesting, and New Halloween Costume Ideas
24 Oct 2011 | 8:53 amWith the Halloween holiday coming right around the corner on October 31st, here are some great ideas for fun and new Halloween costumes for kids and adults! -
Discount Sneakers for Kids -- Cheap Children's Trainers for Sale
12 Oct 2011 | 4:17 amYou need cheap children's trainers if your son or daughter's feet are growing quickly. Here's some excellent places to buy discount sneakers for kids. -
Plus Size Kids' Clothing Stores -- Large Children's Clothes Sale
11 Oct 2011 | 9:50 pmIf you're finding it difficult to find children's clothes in large sizes at the sales, consider shopping at one of these plus size kids' clothing stores. -
Online Shoe Stores for Kids -- Cheapest Designer Footwear
11 Oct 2011 | 6:08 amYou no longer need to pay very high prices for quality children's footwear. Here's some reputable online stores to buy cheap kids' designer shoes.
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Co-creating the future
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Best in class; Co-created innovation
15 May 2012 | 3:34 amIn a recent article on mrweb.com our very own Dr Nick Coates and co-author of our new book Brand Together and brand consultant Nicholas Ind discuss, amongst other things (including what makes Nick’s “skin crawl”), how co-creation is being used primarily as an innovation technique. Since we have come to an end of our series on why you might want to reconsider your approach to innovation this feels like a good time to look at some of the best examples of co-created innovation; Slices of co-created innovation excellence Mozilla – of course, right at the front of the co-creation… -
The Importance of Innovation
10 May 2012 | 10:05 amInnovation is quickly becoming the word of the moment, with everyone searching for the next big idea…whether it’s an invention or a way to enhance experience – companies are looking for big ideas to draw customers in. For the first time in what feels like years, people are trying to look past the recession and survival strategies, and thinking about the future. But how do you predict an ever changing, already complex market? One significant movement in development is to move away from the static boardroom environment and use methods that utilise the consumers input from the word go… -
10 reasons to think again about the way you innovate! (part 10)
10 May 2012 | 2:29 amAnd finally, consumers keep it real! Keeping consumers involved at every stage of the process means an idea won’t lose its DNA. It will stay as relevant, fresh and exciting as when it was first conceived. If consumers don’t stay involved, the idea can end up so diluted that it comes out of the innovation process looking nothing like it was originally intended. “Keeping it real” is essential. It helps to de-risk the innovation process so we don’t invest a whole lot of time and money in trying to flog a non-starter to the business. We believe: Keep consumers involved; keep an open… -
10 reasons to think again about the way you innovate! (part 9)
8 May 2012 | 2:40 amCo-creation gets to more stretching ideas through play Who are the most creative people in the world? It’s kids of course! We have learned from kids and built many of our processes on the principles of play. Play helps people bond, lose their inhibitions and ultimately helps them push boundaries to develop bigger, better ideas. We believe in everybody’s ability to be creative and it’s part of our job to help them unlock their creativity. As well as inspiring people to come up with ideas, play is also a great leveller. Giving a group of people consisting of a board member, staff and… -
10 reasons to think again about the way you innovate! (part 8)
3 May 2012 | 4:26 amCo-creation uses diverse groups to stimulate thinking It’s a myth that recruiting “creative types” leads to a more creative output, or that innovation should be “left to the experts”. From our experience the most creative innovation processes are the ones that include the most diverse set of people. Inviting people from different backgrounds, with different opinions and areas of expertise, helps us solve innovation challenges, as the more creativity people bring to the process the more new thinking and ideas there are. We work hard to “upskill” participants to think about the…
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Conversations with Dina
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All the World’s a Stage – even if our (social media) Audiences are often Invisible
1 May 2012 | 9:28 pmCame across this blog post - Klout, Big Data and Opting Out by Fred McClimans via @gautamghosh and liked this quote, among other things: “There’s nothing in the dark that isn’t there when the lights are on.” Rod Serling. I tweeted it, and @rajeshlalwani responds: Rajesh’s quote immediately made me think of Shakespeare and his monologue from As You Like It. How true it is centuries later, for Social Media, and in the context of the raging discussions around privacy and big data! All seven acts and seven ages, as described by Shakespeare collide at such a fast pace on… -
The Future of Insights Talk
19 Apr 2012 | 7:59 pmI’ve tweeted it and facebooked it … but this is still my space, my main lifestream and my first love … and although I haven’t been blogging much, I thought I’d share my talk on the Future of Insights which I made at the India Social Summit 2012. Here’s the deck on Slideshare – in fully downloadable format, along with the talk script: Future of insights. dina mehta. april 3, 2012 india social summit View more PowerPoint from Dina Mehta And here’s is a video of my rather rushed presentation at the India Social Summit 2012. -
Reading Bytes for Apr 19
19 Apr 2012 | 8:30 amUpdates on what I’m reading. Links with my notes. I also just tweet links and things that interest me @dina Ethnographers vs. Moderators: Know What You Are Buying | anthrostrategist – Ethnographers vs. Moderators: Know What You Are Buying The other day I was speaking with someone about ethnography and was informed by the person in question that she too was a “moderator.” She, of course, practiced ethnography, such as it is, and informed me she had been “moderating ethnographies” for years. Yes, it made my skin crawl. Not because someone was… -
Reading Bytes for Feb 24
24 Feb 2012 | 7:30 amUpdates on what I’m reading. Links with my notes. I also just tweet links and things that interest me @dina Social Means Freedom, for Better or for Worse – Nilofer Merchant – HBR @nilofer (via @armano) – From a series of posts on how the Social Era will reward fast, fluid, flexible organizations. QUOTE: "This post is part of a series on the Social Era and answers the question: If you were going to design an organization from scratch today, what would you design for? And the answer is: nimbleness." …….. "What will it look like to lead an… -
Reading Bytes for Feb 23
23 Feb 2012 | 7:30 amUpdates on what I’m reading. Links with my notes. I also just tweet links and things that interest me @dina India’s elite is blinded by a cultish belief in progress | Siddhartha Deb | Comment is free | The Guardian – QUOTE: The Hazare movement has since petered out, but its central idea, of the unique meritoriousness of the middle and upper classes of India, remains. It is an illusion, and it reminds me of the illusion among the middle and upper classes of another society, and that is the US. I live and teach in New York, where I've seen among my students (mostly white,…
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ReadWriteWeb
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Startup Swingers: Swapping Founders to Generate Fresh Ideas
16 May 2012 | 12:00 pmRemember "swinging"? Two people in a committed relationship go to a party with a bunch of other people in committed relationships. They all separate, find new partners for the evening and get jiggy. It may sound lurid and gross, but it’s the cool new thing for startup founders. Swapping Ideas, Not Spouses First, let’s be clear. We’re not talking about sex. We’re talking about Founder Swap, a June 1 event in New York where teams from six different startups will get together, trade partners for a day and go home with an injection of fresh ideas. The tagline? “Like Wife Swap but for… -
Google Goes Back to What It Does Well: Finding Things
16 May 2012 | 10:00 amSurprise! Google has completely transformed the way search works again. But this time, it's a kind of search that would have made the old Google proud. Today, starting with U.S., English-language users, Google unveils the Knowledge Graph. Search now looks at the words of your query and identifies the things in it. You're not just searching the Web anymore. You're searching the world. From Words to Things Most of Google users' queries are ambiguous. In the old Google, when you searched for "kings," Google didn't know whether you meant actual monarchs, the hockey team,… -
Read/Write Daily: Bionic Eyes That Can See Clearly
16 May 2012 | 9:45 amToday's theme is improving on life. Nature did a pretty good job of engineering some hardy life forms. But now we're able to tinker with life ourselves. We're further along than you might think. Researchers have lifted the lid on turtle evolution, a perfect demonstration that technology is natural. But now we have our own genetic ideas. We're able to triple the physical endurance of mice in the lab. This paper shows that high-resolution prosthetic human eyes are possible! Here are slightly and greatly more accessible articles about these bionic eyes. We've also developed low-cost artificial… -
Why the iPad Works for Writing
16 May 2012 | 8:02 amWhen the first iPad launched in 2010, critics were quick to lampoon the device for being geared too heavily toward content consumption. The criticisms weren't entirely without merit, especially considering that the first-generation iPad didn't even have a camera, and external media slots are still nowhere to be found. Over time, the iPad has evolved into something that's much more creation-friendly. It still doesn't compare to a desktop or laptop computer for many things, but it's great for quite a few others. Writing is one of them. I happen to write things for a living, but the… -
The Truth About Why Yahoo's CEO Got Fired
16 May 2012 | 7:02 amWhat's the takeaway from Yahoo's recent CEO fiasco? Don't lie on your corporate bio, for one, and make sure no one else has lied on your behalf. But the real lesson has nothing to do with falsified credentials. Sure, the world will remember Scott Thompson as the Yahoo CEO who got fired over a fake computer science degree, but the context is crucial: A battle with Yahoo shareholder Dan Loeb for control of the company. If not for Loeb, we may never have found out about Thompson's juiced resume, and he might still be CEO. The real lesson is: Beware the activist investor. Four months…
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Mashable!
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NBA Star Uses Twitter — And a Platypus — to Prank Sports Media
16 May 2012 | 1:28 pmAround the sports media scene, Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee has a certain reputation: Quirky, unique, a bit out there, something of a laughingstock at times. Reporters and fans love to chuckle at his on-court goofiness. Examples abound, but here’s the best one: a legendary GIF of McGee throwing up a wild shot and then earnestly running back on defense — except his team still has the ball. This week, however, McGee decided to turn the tables on those who love to poke fun at a young millionaire basketball player just trying to do his best. On Monday afternoon, he posted this… -
Register Now to Join Mashable and Partners in Brazil for Rio+Social
16 May 2012 | 1:04 pmRegistration is now open for Rio+Social, the historic meeting of social media, technology, global development and sustainability leaders during the UN’s Rio+20 conference. Policy makers, journalists, technologists and environmentalists are now invited to register and apply for accreditation to the free conference. Ten exciting new speakers were added to the Rio+Social lineup Wednesday, including entrepreneurs, UN leaders and philanthropists. Former president of Ireland Mary Robinson and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation chief communications officer Kate James are among the… -
Thirst App Will Change The Way You View Twitter
16 May 2012 | 12:53 pmA new iPad application called Thirst might reinvent how you look at your Twitter stream. Using its own natural language processor, Thirst filters, organizes, and presents your Twitter stream in an engaging way, helping you find the tweets you want to read quickly and in context. “I wanted to make an app that no matter how often you check Twitter, these are the things you need to see, ” Thirst Co-Founder and CEO Anuj Verma told Mashable. The app is designed so it can be useful for people who check Twitter constantly throughout the day, as well as those who might only check Twitter a few… -
The Facebook IPO Timeline
16 May 2012 | 12:32 pmIf the Facebook IPO were a real person, we certainly wouldn’t blame it for posting braggy status updates. This infographic, created by our friends at mbaonline.com, imagines the road leading up to the decade’s most-anticipated initial public offering, as if it were documented on its own Facebook Timeline. As a Facebook user, give yourself a pat on the back for helping the company make it this far. You are one of 900 million, and you spend an average of 20 minutes per day surfing the network. That means Facebook’s usership logs 16,000 years of combined time on the platform… -
Facebook Fans Get to Pick Bonus Levels in ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD’
16 May 2012 | 12:06 pmActivision is polling fans via Facebook on which levels will be included as additional downloadable content on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD is a rebuilt version of the classic games. It features seven levels from the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, released in 1999, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, which came out in 2000. Players will be able to skate all over classic levels such as “Warehouse” and “Mall” that have been rebuilt using the old maps. Starting Wednesday afternoon, fans will be asked to pick which of their favorite Tony…
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Forum One Blog Posts - All Blogs
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Mobile Solution: Responsive Design on ictQATAR
8 May 2012 | 8:31 amictQATAR is the website for the Supreme Council of Information Communication and Technology for the Government of Qatar, which is in charge of technology innovation and implementation throughout the country. Forum One has worked with ictQatar since 2010 to design, develop, and launch their current English-Arabic bilingual site on the Drupal 6 platform, and has continued to support them with usability and site enhancements since. ictQATAR is the website for the Supreme Council of Information Communication and Technology for the Government of Qatar, which is in charge of technology… -
Nonprofit Technology Conference 2012: Our Reflections
3 May 2012 | 9:07 amAfter sometime to reflect on the ongoings of NTEN's 2012 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted to share our thoughts on what we learned, gained and enjoyed about the conference. After sometime to reflect on the ongoings of NTEN's Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted to share our thoughts on what we learned, gained and enjoyed about the conference. read more -
GovTech Reports on Drupal Adoption
27 Apr 2012 | 9:31 amWith over 150 federal government sites powered by Drupal, the open-source CMS is more than ever meeting the needs of big sites. GovTech.com, a top source of government IT news, reported today on the many new government sites that are confidently adopting Drupal as their CMS. Agencies have overcome concerns about security, integration, and departure from Microsoft products. They are now realizing that Drupal’s flexibility make it the most cost-effective solution. Our own CTO, Kurt Voelker, was quoted in the article: With over 150 federal government sites powered by Drupal, the… -
Drupal Tutorial: Pushing Drupal 6 Core Auto-Complete
23 Apr 2012 | 2:20 pmRecently I had the task of creating a form that utilized an auto-complete text field that filtered on a specific field of a table. This seemed like a great candidate to use the core auto-complete and after a sprint of information gathering I had what I thought would be enough. After delivery I learned that there was one surprise feature. The auto-complete text field needs to be able to have filters applied to it via-form filter dropdown. Recently I had the task of creating a form that utilized an auto-complete text field that filtered on a specific field of a table. This seems like a great… -
Mapping County Health Rankings: Mapnik, Node.js and PostgreSQL
16 Apr 2012 | 6:38 amThe third launch of County Health Rankings has been the most exciting out of any of the three due to the mapping component that serves as the primary way to access the rankings. The third iteration of the County Health Rankings website has a great set of new functionality to get the mapping in place. Mapnik, and Node.js and PostgreSQL — oh my! read more
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NowSourcing.Com » Blog
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Weekly Meme: Socially Awkward Popcorn
15 May 2012 | 10:30 amI fail at making microwave popcorn, and fail even more at eating it. More often than not I end up burning it, resulting in stinking up the whole office. A mess ensues every time I open the bag because of the delicious, drippy butter that is so enticing. No work gets done because, frankly, popcorn stops everything. So lately I’ve been opting to only popping it after everyone has already left. After several weeks of this practice, I have come to realize just how weird it is. Waiting until everyone else leaves so you can gorge your face with an entire bag of microwave butter-lovers… -
Facebook IPO: Can Facebook Beat the Google Display Network in Online Advertising?
15 May 2012 | 8:47 am© 2012 WordStream, Inc., a PPC and Search Engine Marketing tools company. -
The Top 12 Benefits of Digital Menu Boards
14 May 2012 | 12:59 pmValue Menu: The Top 12 Benefits of Digital Menu Boards [Infographic]Compliments of QSRweb.com -
The Real Cost of BYOD
10 May 2012 | 12:12 pm© 2012 Xigo -
This Week in Infographics: The Easy Way Isn’t Always So Simple
10 May 2012 | 7:36 amThe theme this week reminds me of watching fairy tales as a child. Remember how there was always a shortcut for the traveler? The shorter path was always dark and stormy, and the long path was sunny and lovely – the shortest distance between two points isn’t always the easiest way to get there. The interstate will have more traffic than the back roads during rush hour, and the seven day fad diet will ultimately create more work for you in the long run. Our first infographic takes us back to a “simpler time,” and compares it to today – the topic: poker. Taking a…
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Social Media Marketing
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4 Reasons Facebook Timeline Isn’t Working For Your Business
28 Apr 2012 | 6:07 pmPhoto Credit: My Facebook Page Do you want to know why the new Facebook timeline isn’t working for your business? Not sure why your fans are not interacting on your page despite posting at different times? Here are 4 reasons and I will share solutions for you: 1. Facebook Edgerank EdgeRank is an algorithm developed by Facebook to govern what is displayed (and how high) on the News Feed. This score represents how people interact… -
7 Year Old Girl Scout Sold 353 Cookies in 2 Weeks & What That Means In Your Business
9 Feb 2012 | 11:02 amMany people thought this story would be about my daughter and although she is a fiesty rockstar, this is about another fiery little red-haired gal that is in my daughter’s girl scout troop. We all know that this gal will eventually be a powerhouse CEO or a super Real Estate mogul one day. So you would think that her parents took her girl scout brochure to their workplace & sold like crazy for her… **WRONG** She took the majority of the initiative by herself with her sales. Here are the key components to her success and how it relates to your business. Innovative New Product… -
Free Webinar: 2012 Social Media Strategies For Real Estate & Mortgage
19 Jan 2012 | 9:41 pmClick Here for Full View Social Media Strategies in 2012 for Mortgage and Real Estate Professionals– Tuesday, January 24, 2012 Discover How to Harness the Power of Social Media to Make More Money in 2012 Social media can be an inexpensive – yet lucrative means– to generate leads and grow your business. Join us for an in-depth look at how to implement Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media to excel in a “people-driven” economy this year. Join us for a free webinar hosted by Trevor Hammond, Founder and CEO of MFIC Pro:Social Media Strategies in 2012 for Mortgage… -
6 Most Popular Real Estate Social Media Posts
1 Jan 2012 | 7:09 amI hope 2012 brings you much success in all of your endeavors. I want to share with you the top blog posts that received the most shares, interactions and comments throughout the past year along with a few of my favorite new year pictures. photo credit: Shutterstock 12 Essential iPad Apps For Your Small Biz 10 Rockin’ Real Estate iPad Apps photo credit: Shutterstock HOW TO: Setup a Self-Hosted WordPress Blog Top 10 Real Estate Social Media Resources photo credit: Shutterstock Top 7 Famous Failures 7 Tips To Market Your Real Estate Biz w/Social Media in 30 min / Day Here’s… -
7 Tips To Market Your Real Estate Business with Social Media in 30 min / Day
9 Dec 2011 | 10:06 amI know your story…As a real estate or mortgage professional you just don’t have the time to deal with social media. I hear this every day – in fact I’m receiving many requests to start a company that manages social media profiles specifically for real estate and mortgage professionals. Here are 7 Tips To Market Your Real Estate Business with Social Media in 30 Minutes / Day Tip #1 Find Your Clients Favorite Social Media Sites As you attend events or meet new clients be sure to look them up on social networks to connect with them. This will allow you to maintain…
