September 2007 ~ Advertising For Success

Realtor Makes Money in Real Estate

5:44 PM

I was listening to the radio yesterday and I heard an advertisement about a free seminar on how to make money in flipping real estate in a down market. This was the exact same advertisement I heard a few years ago, except it was about how to make money in an up market! Do you know anyone who has ever made money in real estate. I have! The realtor! LOL

Blog Your Blessing : Respect Mother Earth

9:15 PM

The Hungry Planet

I'm a hungry planet, I had a youthful face.

They were in such a hurry to go to outer space.

They needed bombs and tungsten, ore and iron too,

So they climbed, and they dug, and they blew-- divided me right in two.

I'm a hungry planet orbiting in the sky.

The things they did to hurt me pass on by and by.

Now here I am all alone, they never ever learn.

Well I had to shake and quake and will make their houses burn.

I'm a hungry planet, I had the bluest seas.

All the people kept chopping down all my finest trees.

Poisoning my oxygen, diggin' in my skin.

Takin' more out of my Earth, than they'll ever put back in.

I'm a hungry planet.

The Byrds (1970)

The Blue Panther Experience is host for Blog Your Blessings. Click this link, grab the blogroll code, add the code to your blog, leave a comment on Blue Panther Experience and post your blessing. Join us on Sunday as we blog our blessings.

Tags: Blog Your Blessings, Blue Panther Blog, Sunday post

Working for Myself and Loving It

2:20 PM

Everyone wants to be his or her own boss. It allows a sense of freedom and responsibility that is hard to achieve otherwise. I have been self-employed most of my life and the only problem I have faced is what to do about health insurance. It becomes harder to find real health insurance, and is impossible to find cheap health insurance.

QuoteSphere maintains a network of agents who specialize in servicing selected local markets, like Texas, Florida or California. Just pop over to their website and fill in one simple form for five quotes from leading health insurance companies in a few days. The QuoteSphere is free to use and you are under no obligation to accept one of the quotes.

If you have special issues, such as pre-existing medical conditions, QuoteSphere can help you formulate a health insurance policy to meet your needs. Perhaps you need maternity benefits, but only want hospitalization, and you will pay for your prescription medicines and doctor visits and tests. Perhaps you need dental benefits because all your children need braces! They will work with you.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis.

Books at Buy.com

3:42 AM

Did you know that Buy.com has books? I just discovered that they have a wonderful selection of books that have been featured on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He always has some great guest authors and I have always wished that I had written down the name of the books and the authors. Now I can find them in one place.

Visit Buy.com, sponsor of this post, for the best books.

Carnival of the United Kingdom

2:16 AM

Naomi is hosting the England Goes GONZO Carnival on October 1st at Diary From England.

Submit your entries to: naomi.stevens at yahoo.co.uk - Please make Blog Carnival the Subject of the email.

You don't have to be from England to include a post in this carnival. We're looking for posts that are "related" to England.

Naomi has provided these suggestions:

---(-)-> Experience you've had living in England
---(-)-> Details about working or vacationing in England
---(-)-> Your English ancestry
---(-)-> What you like or dislike about England

If you have an idea, but aren't sure if it's a fit send Naomi an email.

The host asks that you adhere to these RULES:

---(-)-> You can submit one post per blog; however many blogs you have.
---(-)-> If you have more than one blog, you'll need to use a different post from each one.
---(-)-> Only English language posts will be accepted.
---(-)-> No posts containing bad language or profanity please.

We ask that you submit your entry in the following format:

---(-)-> Your name as it will appear in the post
---(-)-> Blog TITLE
---(-)-> Blog URL
---(-)-> Post TITLE
---(-)-> Post URL

Entries are being accepted now.

Is It Hard to Breathe Sometimes?

11:40 AM

Ultranebs has all sorts of medical equipment to help you breathe better, such as nebulizers, portable oxygen systems, even oxygen concentrators that allow you to travel by car, boat or recreational vehicle.

To make sure you are meeting your blood oxygen levels, you will need a pulse oximeter. The pulse oximeter has a bright LED display, turns on automatically when a finger is inserted and turns off automatically when a finger is removed. The meter uses two AAA batteries. Right now, this item includes free, insured UPS Ground shipping.

So what is your blood oxygen level? Visit Ultranebs, sponsor of this post, today to find out.

Tags: oximeter, pulse oximeter, ultranebs, nebulizers

David Airey Penalzied by Google for Paid Links

11:31 AM

If you would like to see how having paid links on your blog may damage your search engine rankings, visit David Airey :: Graphic Designer blog.

Google search rank drop: advice needed - click to read complete blog entry

From the blog entry:

On Monday 10th September, I received 30% of my traffic from Google. I first noticed the search ranking drop on 20th September, and on Monday 24th September I received just 6% of my traffic from Google. Quite a decrease.
Here are some of my previous rankings in Google:

* #1 for ‘David Airey’
* 1st page for ‘graphic design edinburgh’ – important for local business, as described in my search ranking article
* 2nd page for ‘logo designer’ – I was almost on page 1, which would’ve been a boost for business

Here are my current rankings after Google affected the search results:

* Somewhere around #60 for my own name, ‘David Airey’
* Around #60 or #70 for ‘graphic design edinburgh’
* Similarly, around #60 or #70 for ‘logo designer’

This is a shame that Google penalized David for displaying advertising on his blog. Advertising is a major part of Google offerings, but only for a selected few, I guess. David says if you put "no follow" on the paid link, it may help. He took every bit of advertising off his blog.

So, if you need a graphic design or a logo designer, please visit David Airey :: Graphic Designer and tell him CyberCelt sent you.

Sedona, Arizona is a Sacred Space

9:41 PM

Sedona is a spiritual haven for many people. Due to the iron in the majestic red rocks, there are lines and vortexes of energy in and around Sedona. The energy, the red rocks, the flowing streams, and the evergreen trees combine to make this a sacred space to many.

Artists, spiritual healers, practitioners of zen meditation and crystal body workers flock to the Sedona area. If you wish to enhance your body, mind and soul, there is no better place to be than Sedona.

In and around Sedona are some of the most spectacular homes in the USA. If you are moving to Arizona, you will want to take a look at Sedona. Visit Arizona luxury real estate, sponsor of this post, and see some fine homes built in the desert of Sedona.

Allan's World Movies Contest

9:35 PM

I love contests. I actually won a contest last week for $15! Whoo-hooo! You would have thought I hit the jackpot. I am so easily excited!

This week there is a new contest on Allan's World Movies. Link to this blog and you are entered into the contest. Write a post and receive more entries. He has so many levels in this contest that he is using a spreadsheet to keep it together!

Stop by and say hello to Allan. Tell him CyberCelt sent you. Ask him about the spreadsheet, I am not lying. LOL

Co-operative Banking Made Easy in UK

3:45 PM

The Co-operative Bank in the UK is quite a remarkable bank.

Co-operative Bank follows ethical banking and lending practices, invests only in positive impact investments, and supports human rights and the environment!

The Co-operative Bank offsets all their current carbon emissions plus an extra 10 percent.

Of course the bank offers all the standard banking services, such as savings and checking accounts. They also offer a good deal on a credit card if you need one.

The Advantage Card is a late rate gold credit card offering 0 percent on purchases and balance transfers for six months. After that, it reverts to a variable rate of 18.9 percent APR variable rate. To apply you must be a UK resident, aged 18+ years, and have gross annual income of at least £10,000.
The Platinum Advantage Cards offers 0 percent on purchases and balance transfers for six months, after which it reverts to a variable rate of 15.9 percent APR variable rate. To apply you must be a UK resident with established credit, aged 25+ years, and have gross annual income of at least £25,000.

Reporters Without Borders

9:42 PM

Don’t wait to be deprived of news to stand up and fight for it

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Reporters Without Borders (Reportrers sans frontieres) describes the dangers journalists have faced in Iraq since the start of the war, which, by the way, is the bloodiest war for media casualties since World War II. At least 203 journalists and media assistants have been killed while doing their job; 14 have been kidnapped and 2 are still missing. Who were these men and women journalists killed for doing their job? How were they killed or kidnapped, and by whom? Click here to read complete article on the RSF website

At least 30 journalists and 50 Internet users are currently detained in China. Some of them since the 1980s. The government blocks access to thousands for news websites. It jams the Chinese, Tibetan and Uyghur-language programmes of 10 international radio stations . . . Click to read more.

List of Internet enemies

Three countries - Nepal, Maldives and Libya - have been removed from the annual list of Internet enemies. Many bloggers were harassed and imprisoned this year in Egypt, so it has been added to the roll of shame reserved for countries that systematically violate online free expression. Click to read more...

Take Action

More than 100 journalists remain in prison for crimes such as revealing inconvenient truth, advocating for personal freedoms and refusing to be censored. There are currently 20 petitions that you may sign to show your support of RSF and your condemnation of this injustice. Click here to sign petitions.

Survival Gear

Reporters Without Borders offers journalists legal and other material (a Practical Guide, a Safety Charter, training courses and other facilities) as well as safety equipment (bulletproof jackets, helmets, distress beacons and first-aid kits) and a hotline for those in trouble in the field. Click here to view.

This post is made in support of
BloggersUnite : Blogging for Hope
9/27/2007

Bloggers Unite Tomorrow

12:11 PM

Join the largest group of bloggers to ever blog about important causes of abuse. On September 27th, 2007, blog about some sort of abuse that you would like to see ended, forever.

Spread the word among all the bloggers you know.
Direct them to the community challenge on BlogCatalog blog.
There are badges that you may post on your blogs on this thread.
Let other members know of organizations that are involved in putting an end to abuse.
You will receive a link to your Blog Post from the Blogcatalog blog when they list everyone who participated.
You get to use your blog for an important cause.
You get to create blogging history.
Maybe we can change the face of abuse on that one day.

Causes close to my heart

These are the abuse issues that I plan to blog about on September 27, 2007.

Save Darfur on Texas RV Travel blog
Stop Violence against Women on CoolAdzine for Marketers blog
Reporters Without Borders on Advertising for Success blog
Environmental Issues on Endangered Spaces blog

Sproose : User Powered Search Engine

11:01 AM

I must tell you that when I first saw "Sproose introduces human powered search engine," that I thought of another search engine that has people written search engine results. I was not all that keen on seeing another one of those. However, Sproose is a search engine that uses the power of social networking to rank and refine web searching. Your website or blog ranking can be increased by the votes of other members of Sproose.

Sproose is similar to Digg, Thoof and StumbleUpon, but it is a search engine first and social networking site second. It only takes a moment to join and you are ready to vote. So, if you are looking for a new way to search, click here to try sproose.

Cool Contest on Just About Everything

9:57 PM

I love free advertising. I love contests. So, the contest at JAB - Just About Everything blog is a double blessing.

Alan, the owner of JAB, also owns quadium32.com, a really cool site, and he is tying the two sites together with a great contest. If you are looking for a free hit counter or other free tools, you should visit quadium32.com.

Prizes:

Grand Prize: Gold Sponsor spot on quadium32.com for 1 month (approximately 2-5K views)
2nd-5th prize: Silver Sponsor spot on quadium32.com for 1 month (approximately 1-2K views)

This post is my entry to the contest at JAB - JustAbout Everything, and you should visit to learn about the contest.

New Blog : Eternal Flux

2:41 PM

A blog buddy of mine, Leigh, started a new blog recently called Eternal Flux, The only true constant is change, it’s how we deal with it that matters. Cool, huh?

Leigh has other blogs, but hopes that this one will serve to show how to live our lives with a purpose:

I am a woman dealing with change. But then again aren’t we all dealing with it? Everyday something happens to change our lives. Sometimes it’s something small, sometimes it’s huge. Some we never see and some we can never forget.

Every Wednesday, Leigh highlights a hero who has given their life in service to our nation. Although this is a meme, it really touched my heart, especially the writing at the end: We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived.

Please visit Eternal Flux blog and say hello to Leigh. Tell her that CyberCelt sent you.

Review of XML Aficionado blog

6:23 PM

This is a review of a new blog by Alexander Falk, the founder of Altova GmbH, creator of some high tech XML, data management, UML and web services tools.

I was not sure what to expect because I am not much of a geek, but the blog is a refreshing blend of technology, restaurant and RedSox reviews! Although Falk lives in Massachusetts, which would make him a Yankee, he wears a big cowboy hat, which shows his good taste.

Please visit XML Aficionado blog, sponsor of this post, and leave Alexander Falk a comment. This is a new blog, so be nice with the comments and links. Tell him CyberCelt sent you.

Apostolos Gerasoulis and Ask.com

8:39 AM

Back in the 1990s, Apostolos Gerasoulis, the mathematician who developed the algorithm that powers Ask.com, chose to develop this particular algorithm, which was based upon the work of John Kleinberg, an American mathematician.

The Ask.com algorithm details a mathematically precise approach of counting only those links stemming from pages concerning the topic of the search request. So, the processing is dependent on the search phrase and has to be determined anew for each search query.

Another algorithm, now used to power Google, was based on the premise that counting the number of links referring to a document determines the importance of the document. Thus, the degree of networking is determined independently from the current search request.

The name of Ask.com has changed, but the driving force behind the algorithm remains the same--Apostolos Gerasoulis. Read the following post I wrote in October of 2005 about Mr. Gerasoulis. I think you will understand why I prefer Ask.com to Google, or any other search engine.

It really IS all about the algorithm.

The following post was published on CoolAdzine for Marketers blog on Friday, October 28, 2005: Into the Realm of Search Engine Algorithms

I just read this wonderful article about Apostolos Gerasoulis, mathematician and full professor at Rutgers University, co-inventor of the Ask Jeeves search engine.

Professor Gerasoulis studies linear algorithms that are, among many other things, used to determine page rank by search engine technology. In the mid-1990s, he presented two essays on search engine methodologies to his classes at Rutgers for discussion.

One essay was written by two Stanford students, Sergey Brin and Larry Page. They developed an algorithm by which counting the number of links referring to a document determines the importance of the document. Thus, the degree of networking is determined independently from the current search request.

The second essay by John Kleinberg, an American mathematician, detailed a more mathematically precise approach of counting only those links stemming from pages concerning the topic of the search request. So, the processing was dependent on the search phrase and had to be determined anew for each input.

The mathematical challenge of finding a formula that shortened the processing time for Kleinberg’s method led Gerasoulis to develop the Ask Jeeves search engine. He advised Brin and Page to quit school and to patent their algorithm, later used to develop Google.

Today, on sabbatical from Rutgers, Apostolos Gerasoulis spends his evenings with the top search terms requested on Ask Jeeves during the day. To him, numbers equal truth and statistics are the history of the past day.

Sometimes it is as if I can sense the world's feelings.

Gerasoulis believes that there are right answers to all questions, even the hard ones. He worries about answers given to questions about love and faith.

You can witness trends that some day might have important results.

He perceived the rise of opposition to the war in Iraq by the frequency of the search terms Grieving Moms and Out of Iraq. He noted that Cardinal Ratzinger was searched for more often than his competitors for the position of Pope. The terms tsunami and New Orleans and Red Cross were entered as a search request more frequently in America after Hurricane Katrina than after the tsunami in Asia.

Is there a correlation between the distance to an event and the amount of compassion? Can we extrapolate from these figures how big the psychological shock was?

The mission of Google is to organize the world's information and make it available. What is the vision of Apostolos Gerasoulis? To deliver better answers than Google. That will not be hard for a man of his intelligence and sensitivity. I like the thought of Apostolos Gerasoulis and Ask Jeeves looking for meaning at the deepest level of language and semantics. I have bookmarked Ask Jeeves and will be using it for futures searches.

Source: David vs. Google: How a Mathematician from New Jersey wants to Overcome the World's biggest Search engine: A Trip into the World of Algorithms, By Heike Faller

This blog post is entered into the blog battle royal competition.

Blog Your Blessings : Good Will

6:33 PM

~Sutta Nipata~

May all beings be filled with joy and peace.

May all beings everywhere,

The strong and the weak,

The great and the small,

The mean and the powerful,

The short and the long,

the subtle and the gross:

May all beings everywhere,

Seen and unseen,

Dwelling far off or nearby,

Being or waiting to become:

May all be filled with lasting joy.

Let no one deceive another,

Let no one anywhere despise another,

Let no one out of anger or resentment

Wish suffering on anyone at all.

Just as a mother with her own life

Protects her child, her only child, from harm,

So within yourself let grow

A boundless love for all creatures.

Let your love flow outward through the universe,

To its height, its depth, its broad extent,

A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.

Then as you stand or walk,

Sit or lie down,

As long as you are awake,

Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;

Your life will bring heaven to earth

Buddha's Discourse on Good Will

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tags: Blog Your Blessings, Blue Panther Blog, Sunday post

DirectMATCHES.com : Business Network

10:42 PM

Have you ever thought of owning a home-based business or a small bricks and mortar business? The first problem you usually face is deciding what business to begin. Or, perhaps, you have a small business and would like to expand into new markets. How do you find business partners or affiliates to help build your business? DirectMATCHES.com is an entire network of resources and information on many business opportunities.

DirectMATCHES is an eight-year-old professional business networking organization that provides an environment to help you to network with other entrepreneurs, home-based business people and small business owners. Sign up now for a free membership that will allow you to post your business profile and run free advertising on the network.

DirectMatches.com business networking website

Right-Click the Graphic to Open A Larger View in Another Tab

The first navigation tab on the site is Search, a good place to start. Searching in the United States returns 100 people like you who are in business for themselves or want to be.
Next tab is MyTube, where you may view video presentations about various opportunities.
Events may be any gathering from business mixers to focus groups to training calls.
Networks is where you may join a network or start your own.
Classifieds is for advertising,
Blog and Forum pages are for communicating and connecting, and
MyMail is a web-based email service.

Explore DirectMATCHES.com today and see if it meets your needs for business networking. What do you have to lose? Try it free today.

Free Hit Counter Link Spam

3:52 PM

Loren Baker, Editor of Search Engine Journal , discovered and exposed a hidden link, free-hit-counter spam operation that had number one natural search placement on Google. Not only that, but the operation used Google AdWords to lure unsuspecting webmasters into posting their link-ridden hit counter on their sites.

Google Loves Transparent Links & Hit Counter Spam - click to read post

From the post:

So, in conclusion here is what is wrong with this linking and ranking picture:

Google is giving top ranking to IdealPaydayLoans.com, a site which is using hit counter links and transparent link spam to build its backlinks.
Google should not be doing this and their quality engineering team should be able to pick up on such an unethical linking method for such a high dollar and competitive term. I hope that Matt Cutts and Adam Lasnik can offer their thoughts on the matter and how Google treats such linking techniques.

I wonder if Google used their on spam reporting form to blow the whistle on their company?

Vaginads : The Sweet Smell of Success

11:12 AM

These are actual advertisements that you will see as print ads in all of the less discriminating men's magazines.

The one on the right is for VULVA scent and you may order the "cologne" on their website. You will have to Google it, I am not linking.

On the left, we have an advertisement for Tom Ford for Men cologne. You may read the complete story about it on Adrants » Tom Ford and Vulva Create New Trend: Vaginads

I remember when I was in college anthropology (1980s) and one assignment was to find and bring back examples of blatant sexuality being used to sell products in print advertising. Back then, we had to look for fingers, lilies and shadows that were intimating something else. Once you saw one ad with an inappropriately placed flower or piece of fruit, it was easy to see the rampant sexual overtones in ads for automobiles, shave cream, credit cards, you name it!

I can only hope these ads are for shock value and do not herald the beginning of advertising with women's vaginas. I can see it now. Talking vaginas, singing vaginas, life-sized vaginas, vagina hand puppets... There will be no end to it!

Emotional Memorial of a Beloved Dog

10:59 AM

The picture of Buddy's cat urn on the HAL Woodworking website is amazingly life-like. Such high-quality pet urns would make a beautiful resting place for anyone's pet. Gryphon's owners, the Marquardt's had such nice things to say about the urn in their testimonial. Pets are truly a part of the family.

Go, Go Google Gadget

10:07 AM

This is a great article about a loophole in the Google gadgets service. Please read if you use any of these gadgets. Google Gadget Ventures has been funded to grant developers of popular widgets with seed money to $100,000, so you will be seeing more of these gadgets.

Google Gadgets a Phishing Scammers Dream?-read complete article

From the article:

So why in the world is Google letting people add Google gadgets to the gadget directory that ask for Google account username and passwords? Take the Your AdSense Revenue @ iGoogle gadget for example. Based on the notes on the gadget page, the source code of the gadget, and the information found on the gadget publishers website, I would say there is a good chance this is a phishing scam. If a person was to do a normal gadget search and add that gadget to their iGoogle homepage without clicking on the gadget detail, it looks very official.

The experience to help your company grow

5:05 PM

For years, consulting firms like BNC have been helping companies like yours grow in Colorado and Texas. Denver and Dallas Computer Networking is quickly becoming key to any business' growth as information has to be shared amongst a growing number of employees. Why print out all the paper when you can simply share the information over the network?

Unfortunately, few companies can afford to hire a full-time IT (Information Technology) department to help them with their networking needs. That's why you'll like BNC. BNC is a Dallas Computer Service consulting firm that can help your company with issues ranging from SPAM filtering to planning for and testing a disaster recover plan, in case somebody accidentally deletes everything on your computers. I know you'll be happy you let a qualified consulting firm help take your company to the next level with improved computer networking.

Need help with your networks? Call BNCsystems.com, sponsor of this post, today.

Get a BlogRush Today!

4:59 PM

I am always looking for traffic, new readers are the lifeblood of our blogs. It is best if the traffic comes naturally, through word of mouth, carnivals and click throughs from other blogs.

Some of these methods are top blogs, blog directories, blog ranking sites,
social networks and now. . .

BlogRush

My Wall St. can be Yours

3:22 PM

Click screen shot to see larger version in another tab.

There is a new financial networking site called MyWallSt.net. If you have ever wanted to become more educated in your investment strategies or to have your questions answered, this may be the place for you.

MyWallSt.net is like your homepage on the site. This includes your profile, search engine, your blog posts and where you may access the Rookie Challenge. The Rookie Challenge is a virtual trading platform that rookie traders use to test their guesses and picks against other rookies. If win, you could receive up to $1000. You have to join the Rookie, and to be eligible to win cash or prizes, you must complete your MyWallSt.net profile, including photos and other information, and have at least 5 friends.

The WallSt.net tab is where you will find exclusive information, financial news, interviews, podcasts, tools and forums. You may get a detailed stock quote here as well.

The Wealth Expo tab will display information on the Expo being held in October in New York City and other locations in 2008. Make your plans to talk to experts, to attend seminars or to market your own business opportunity by renting exhibition space. See the site for more information.

Another part of the website is dedicated to WallStRadio, where you may find podcasts on the following topics: Business news, large cap, small cap, fund, personal finance, investment education, corporate podcasts and technology.

The information on WallSt.net is updated so you never work from outdated financial data or analyses. You may communicate with your friends about stock picks. Read the forum to ask questions and find information. The social network aspect of WallSt.net could be very useful in preventing investment errors and may actually lead to better stock picks.

The information contained on this site is a wealth of educational tools for you to use. Visit today and take the Rookie Challenge.

OMG - a discount on a political ad!

3:15 PM

Advertising Age - Adages - Did The New York Times Give MoveOn a Discount?

MoveOn paid $65,000 for the ad. The rate card lists the price for a full page ad at over $180,000.

Perhaps Keith Kelly should collar Bureau Chief Charles Hurt and explain to him that no one -- NO ONE -- pays what's on the rate card. Even the Post reporter who called was offered a price of $167,000. That's a savings of 7% with no negotiating involved! (Though $167,000 is the asking price for a full-page advocacy ad.)

Who Cares? Must have been a very slow news day at the Post. This story was on Fox News, too. No one pays retail if they can help it.

New Business? Find Venture Capital Here.

2:19 PM

Have you seen those commercials that show the little business person being ignored by two big bad bankers? One of the bankers eventually places the little business person under a chair leg to keep it from rocking and says, "They are useful for something." This is basically the treatment most entrepreneurs receive from traditional funding sources. Most startups have to find their own sources of venture capital.

The business name should already have been registered in the state in which it does business, received an employer identification number (EIN) and have a formalized business structure, including tax year and accounting method. If you wish to incorporate, you should complete this step.

Next, you need a business plan that gives a general company description, products and services to be offered, marketing plan for products and services, operational plan, management and organization, financial statement, startup expenses and capitalization, financial plan and an executive summary.

The next step is to submit your business plan to venture capitalists. Submit Business Plan.com, sponsor of this post, is a Venture Capital submission service that has access to hundreds of funding sources, from venture capitalists that manage funds to angel investors who invest their own money in new businesses.

Hitwise Election 2008 Data Center

12:32 PM

Who is hot and who is not? Hitwise is tracking hits to the websites of presidential hopefuls.

The data samples featured are from the Hitwise Online Competitive Intelligence Service, which bases its daily insights on the online usage and search behavior of more than 10 million Internet users in the US. See the Hitwise Election 2008 Data Center for more data.

Uncle Buck with John Candy

7:45 AM

I saw this John Candy movie yesterday called Uncle Buck. It was great! Uncle Buck has a reputation for being unreliable and a bit of a house wrecker. It is therefore with reluctance, his sister-in-law agrees to leave Buck looking after the kids (two harmless youngsters and a rebelious teenager) when she visits her sick father.

Buck takes over the house, and Buck tries to do the best he can with the kids while he's having problems with Chanice Kobolowski, his girlfriend. From cleaning clothes in microwave ovens to taking the kids to the track because Tia decides to ditch them, Uncle Buck tries his best to be what he thinks a good uncle should be.

When Tia is embarrassed to arrive at school in a beater with a backfire, Uncle Buck says, "be here at 4 pm or I am driving to school tomorrow in pajamas and walking you to your first class." Called into the Principal's office about the younger girl child not meeting expectations, Uncle Bucks let her have it.

Buck bonds with the younger kids and wins their love, but Buck has problems with Tia the teenager as he tries to protect Tia from her boyfriend Bug. When he catches Bug kissing Tia, he wants to show Bug his axe. It was hysterical to see that boy run.

I had not seen this movie before, but I found it sad, hysterical, truthful and beautiful. John Candy was a great actor and he died before his time. I am glad he found time to make this movie. I highly recommend it.

Come to the Carnival of Blogging Chicks

7:15 AM

BloggingChicks.blogspot.com

The carnival of the Blogging Chicks is up. Stop by for some good reads.

Lights! Camera! Action! Home Theater

7:00 AM

My husband wants one of those huge HDTVs with surround sound and color you can walk into. Like everything else, I told him we were going to wait until the prices came down a little. I refuse to pay more for a TV than I did for my first car!

He keeps looking at the HDTVs and I keep saying, "not yet." When its time, I have a feeling we will wind up with an entire home theater, complete with seating, neon lighting and popcorn machine. I am not dressing up an usherette!

I did find this website for discount home theater seating and they offer free shipping! The set shown above is $1000. I paid that much for my last couch!

6:45 AM

Are you an artist? Do you wish there was more you could do for the environment. Here is your chance to put your mark on the green movement. Yahoo is having a green icon design contest. You entry must be 28x28 pixels and an original work of art.

The winner gets to designate which environmental nonprofits gets $20K and two runners up with choose the nonprofit to get $5K. The winner's work will be shown all over the Yahoo! network.

Work of art? I could not even see what I designed. "Bring the magnifying glass, will ya?" LOL

Dance the Bachata !

9:36 AM

I have always wanted to learn to ballroom dance. I grew up watching movies with Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and other stars who danced in long, flowing gowns in the arms of the epitome of tall dark and handsome men.

Vie the bachata video (below).

If you would like to learn how to dance the bachata, this DVD set would be the way to do it.

Alas, I will only be dancing in my dreams! One dip and that would be me on the floor calling for pain medicine! LOL

Blog Your Blessings : Justice

4:37 PM

Justice

Every now and then, justice does prevail!*

'Jena 6' conviction vacated -- chicagotribune.com

Louisiana's 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, acting on an emergency defense appeal, reversed the aggravated second-degree battery conviction of Mychal Bell, 17, ruling that the youth had been tried improperly as an adult in a case that has raised allegations of unequal justice in the small, mostly white town.

Leave a comment on Blue Panther Experience and post your blessing. Join us on Sunday as we blog our blessings.

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* If you do not know the story, you may read the story above or view this prior post on Advertising for Success: Racism Rears Ugly Head in Jena, LA

Mom! Come Back!

4:07 PM

This is a creative and funny ad. I do not want to spoil it, so watch it and then tell me what you think.

Unique Vacation Rentals

2:46 PM

Do you love to travel? You may want to visit Goin2Travel vacation rentals. This company handles rental properties all over the world, including some spectacular vacation homes, like a castle in Jamaica or a private island off the coast of Spain.

If you like the mountains, look at this Lake Tahoe vacation rental called Stonehenge. Built on a ridge overlooking Tahoe Valley, with distant views of the Sierra Nevada, this home is one of a kind. For Kissimmee vacation rental homes, how about a Hollywood Rock 'n Roll home? Each room is decorated based on rock and roll or Hollywood star.

If you are looking for something different for your next vacation, visit Goin2Travel vacation rentals, sponsor of this post.

Yahoo! and Dark Horse SEM

8:10 AM

MediaPost Publications - An Open Question... - 09/06/2007 - read article

From the article:

During New York Fashion Week, searching "fashion" at m.yahoo.com will return a prominent helping from its promotional partner ELLE's coverage of the event. There are blog entries, an image of the magazine cover, a direct link to subscribe, and sign-ups for ELLE text alerts. This is not to say that there aren't "natural" search results down there somewhere, but on my Samsung phone they were a good ten screens down.

My thoughts: This is unfortunate if it is true because the size of the screen for mobile search is limited. If search engine results are to be slanted toward specific advertisers, it taints the entire search process. This is dark horse SEM and will not be tolerated by searchers. Yahoo! may find themselves totally out of the mobile search market because no one uses the search engine.

What do you think?

Model Rockets Make Science Fun

10:13 AM

scale model of scientific sounding rocket

Does your child like science? Bring science down to earth with a hands on learning experience, a model rocket.

Give the gift of wonder and discovery with this scale model of a Tomahawk, which is a sounding rocket used for scientific studies.

The blueprint shows scale details and color patterns and is a good introduction to the science of rocketry.

Iqsy Tomahawk 41

vTap - Mobile Search Engine for Videos

3:37 PM

Download vTap and get the next generation of web video experience for your cell phone.

Our vTap solution is a quick and easy way to experience web videos from input and display constrained devices such as mobile phones and TVs. It’s an elegant web video solution that puts the power of searching, browsing and viewing of web videos at the fingertips of consumers – including on the new iPhone.

This is extremely cool. You just start typing and folders come up. I was searching for Jon Steward and only had to type Jon before the folder appeared (see below).

vTap mobile search engine for videos screenshot

Then you just click the folder to view the contents. Note the time/date stamp of the videos clips below. Somehow, vTap has ramped up search engine indexing to warp speed.

vTap video search engine for your cell phone

QlipBoard : Cool Web 2.0 Tool

9:49 PM

Have you ever wished you could share more than words, links or photographs with your family, friends or clients? QlipBoard from Qlip Media is a free, simple, yet powerful program you may use to annotate your life, work, website or product.

With QlipBoard, it is easy to add photographs, voice overs, text and drawings to create a Qlippet to tell your story. Speak to your viewers as you show them your latest blog design, pen and ink drawing, photo essay or invention. Develop tutorials to explain and simplify processes at your work place. Send your mother the latest pictures of her grandchildren, complete with kid speak and family jokes.

It took longer to download and install QlipBoard than it did to learn how to use it. Basically, any item that you may create or open with your computer, whether it be photograph, drawing or web page, may be used to produce a Qlippet. Just as easily, you may share your work with others.

There are three plans for QlipBoard: Free, Pro and Enterprise. Free is advertising-supported with limited storage and features; Pro has more storage, additional features and support; and Enterprise adds branding and distribution to the mix. Both Pro and Enterprise versions of QlipBoard are free of advertisements and cost $89.95 per year. Visit Qlip Media, sponsor of this post, today and download your free beta version of QlipBoard.

September 11, 2001

11:40 AM

Remember 9/11

On Top of Grouse Mountain . . .

9:44 AM

Several years ago, my son and I went to Vancouver for Christmas. I wanted him to experience a white Christmas and there is no place in Texas, except maybe Amarillo (at times) where that is possible.

On Christmas day we took a trip to Grouse Mountain. You ride a cable car to the top of the mountain, and the view is stunning. When we left the ground, it was cold and breezy, and snowing just a bit. By the time we reached the top, it was 30 degrees, sleeting and I could not see three feet in front of my eyes.

We had a white-out blizzard Christmas on the top of Grouse Mountain. That is as cold as I have ever been in my life. I was wearing thermal underwear, glove liners, sock liners, thermal socks, boots, about three layers of clothes, a hat, a scarf, ear muffs, you name it. What I would have given for a North Face jacket! I have never experienced having my glasses frozen to my face, but that happened, too. I was so happy to get down off that mountain.

If you have need of a serious winter jacket, visit MooseJaw.com, sponsor of this post. If you ever go to Vancouver, check the weather report before you journey to Grouse Mountain. LOL

Racism Rears Ugly Head in Jena, LA

8:41 AM

I swear to the Lord
I still can't see
Why Democracy means
Everybody but me.
~Langston Hughes, The Black Man Speaks

I just learned about a case of segregation-era oppression happening today in Jena, Louisiana. I signed onto ColorOfChange.org's campaign for justice in Jena, and wanted to invite you to do the same. You may read about this travesty of justice in Racism is Alive and Well in Jena, La or Bloggers Unite : Stop Racist Injustice in Louisiana.

Last fall in Jena, the day after two Black high school students sat beneath the "white tree" on their campus, nooses were hung from the tree. When the superintendent dismissed the nooses as a "prank," more Black students sat under the tree in protest. The District Attorney then came to the school accompanied by the town's police and demanded that the students end their protest, telling them, "I can be your best friend or your worst enemy... I can take away your lives with a stroke of my pen."

http://www.colorofchange.org/jena/?id=2001-335189

A series of white-on-black incidents of violence followed, and the DA did nothing. But when a white student was beaten up in a schoolyard fight, the DA responded by charging six black students with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

The story gets worse and worse . . .

It's a story that reads like one from the Jim Crow era, when judges, lawyers and all-white juries used the justice system to keep blacks in "their place." But it's happening today. The families of these young men are fighting back, but the story has gotten minimal press. Together, we can make sure their story is told and that the Governor of Louisiana intervenes and provides justice for the Jena 6.

It starts now. Please join me:

http://www.colorofchange.org/jena/?id=2001-335189

Branson : Country Western Heaven

8:02 AM

I have a good friend who recently moved to Missouri. She has been asking me to come visit, but I hate to stay in an apartment with a newly married couple. We may take a trip with the RV to see her. I have always wanted to visit Branson Missouri. I am not a big fan of country western music, but I do like some. Mainly, I just want to see it!

I found this website, BransonGetaways.com and they are have a 10th anniversary contest, so I entered. While I was there, I noticed that you can bid on vacations. Like an auction. You pick out where you want to stay, what shows you wish to attend, and submit your bid.

So if Branson is in your future, visit BransonGetaways.com, sponsor of this post, and enter the free contest.

Advertising from the Air : Crops and Fields

5:12 AM

Pimp my rice paddy ::: Pink Tentacle - view all pictures

From the blog:

Each year, farmers in the town of Inakadate in Aomori prefecture create works of crop art by growing a little purple and yellow-leafed kodaimai rice along with their local green-leafed tsugaru-roman variety.

Meanwhile, back in the States:

MediaPost Publications - Out to Launch - 09/06/2007

Kansas changed its unofficial nickname from "The Wheat State" to the "The Whole Wheat State" yesterday to support Sara Lee's Soft & Smooth Switcheroo: Take Your Whole Grain Sandwich to School Day campaign. The crop image is made of all-natural materials, including 40 bales of wheat straw, 23 tons of crushed limestone and 50 bags of red mulch for the red Sara Lee logo.

An Interesting Piece of Jewelry

4:18 PM

I was looking for a gift for a friend of mine and found this Garnet, Pink Tourmaline and Diamond Pendant at Reeds.com, sponsor of this post. I quit wearing jewelry after my son was born. Now, I wear a wedding ring and a cross on a chain, but I have given my rings and bangles away. That does not mean that I cannot appreciate a beautiful piece of jewelry!

Payment Problem with Sponsored Reviews-Resolved

11:10 AM

Update: Sponsored Reviews, while disavowing any inkling of how this could have happened, has decided to give me the benefit of the doubt and pay me for my post.

I am scheduled to receive payment on 9/11, which is almost a full two months after I completed the post.

According to Sponsored Reviews, they do not release the assignment until the advertiser has paid for it.

All is well that ends well, even if late . . .

Everyone who comes to this blog knows that I write reviews of products, service and websites for money. You may have read the Paid to Blog (PTB) series on my other blog, CoolAdzine for Marketers.

I was reviewing my history on Sponsored Reviews when I noticed the notation, Credit Card Declined, next to one of my reviews. The review, completed in June, was a 400-word full critique of a well-known online software company.

The first problem I have is that I think Sponsored Reviews should have notified me when this credit card problem started, so that I could put the post back in draft form until it was resolved. As it stands now, the advertiser had the benefit of my review, with a live link back to them, for over a month.

The second problem is that, with the 17.5 percent revenue taken off the top of every review I complete, I expected Sponsored Reviews to absorb the loss until they straightened out the advertiser. I do not think the payment would have slid for over a month if it effected their bottom line.

This problem reflects badly on Sponsored Reviews and on the PTB industry in general. I am awaiting their answer as to how long they will wait for the customer to resolve this credit card problem.

This is a first for me. Have you ever been stiffed by a PTB company? Please share your thoughts about this.

Blog Your Blessings : Rivers

6:34 PM

Tags: Blog Your Blessings, Blue Panther Blog, Sunday post

1-800-4clocks.com : The Name Says It All!

12:44 AM

I love this online store. On the home page, the first thing you see is Yes, the name of our store is 1-800-4clocks.com. It is a catchy name that incorporates the business telephone number, a very nice piece of branding. They carry a vast array of clocks from all the leading manufacturers, including Howard Miller Clock Company.

Howard Miller Clock Company, founded in 1926, began as a division of the office furniture manufacturer Herman Miller. Originally Howard Miller clocks made mantel clocks only. In 1947, George Nelson Associates, an architectural and design firm, created the first clocks for Howard Miller, including the famous Bubble Lamps. Grandfather clocks did not become a part of the product line until the 1960s. The company began making curio cabinets in 1989.

Howard Miller Shore Station Wall Clock

I love the Howard Miller wall clocks, in particular, the shore station wall clock. This item combines a clock, a barometer and a thermometer set in Rosewood. The white dials with black numbers and polished brass tone bezels present a crisp clean style. I would love to have this Shore Station Wall Clock by the front door, so that I may see the weather, the temperature and the time with one glance.

1-800-4Clocks has a blog, too. I was reading about the different type of clocks and found a post about atomic clocks. We received an atomic clock for Christmas last year, but really did not know how it worked. I found the following information in the blog post:

Atomic Time is defined in terms of one revolution of an electron in the ground state orbit of the hydrogen atom. The atomic cesium fountain atomic clock was developed and is operated at the NIST laboratories in Boulder, Colorado.

The current version of NIST-F1 would neither gain nor lose a second in about 70 million years. The latest version of the mercury clock would neither gain nor lose a second in about 400 million years! How about that for a guarantee?

See all the wonderful clocks available from 1-800-4clocks.com today. They have a clock that would be perfect for you.

Marketers Targeting Boomers Again

6:11 AM

Marketers have targeted baby boomers all their lives, but interest in this group lessened as the boomers aged. This was a mistake, because 75 percent of the wealth in the USA is in the hands of people over 50 years old.

There are many portals launching that target the 50+ crowd. Two that I have noticed lately are:

Boomertowne - The only thing we endorse is the freedom to get the information you need to think for yourself.

Eons - The first and largest online gathering place for people lovin’ life on the flip side of 50!

Advertising Age - Media Players Go After Free-Spending Boomers- link to complete article

From the article:

According to Information Resources Inc., boomers spend $46 billion annually on package goods. And recently Unilever research found they account for 60% of spending on package goods even though they represent only 45% of households.

What is the boomer generation? Below are two posts that highlight how difficult this is to answer. Do not let ageism get in the way of your marketing. There are millions to be made from the boomers before we die... LOL

My, My, My Generation. What's Yours?

Generation Jones : Boomers Gone Wild

Lisa Nowak to Stand Trial

4:58 AM

Lisa Nowak, the ex-astronaut is scheduled to stand trial on September 24 on three separate charges related to her attack on Colleen Shipman back in February.

Police say she traveled across the country in adult diapers, with weapons and a disguise, to confront her rival, Shipman, in the airport at Orlando.

Lisa was just released from having to wear GPS monitoring gear, but she will be unable to travel to certain states and Washington DC. The defense has made motions to have evidence against Nowak thrown out of court, claiming police investigators violated her constitutional rights. There is also talk of an insanity defense.

DME, sponsor of this post, has all sorts of home health care supplies and diapers and wipes of the baby sort!

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