Virus Alert

This showed up in my email inbox today. I just had to share it this play on all those pesky viruses. Very funny!

There is a dangerous virus being passed around electronically, orally, and by hand. This virus is called Worm-Overload-Recreational-Killer (WORK). If you receive (WORK) from any of your colleagues, your boss, or anyone else via any means DO NOT TOUCH IT. This virus will wipe out your private life completely. If you should come into contact with (WORK), put your jacket on and take two good friends to the nearest liquor store. Purchase the antidote known as:

Work-Isolating-Neutralizer-Extract (WINE)
or
Bothersome-Employer-Elimination-Rebooter (BEER).

Take the antidote repeatedly until (WORK) has been completely eliminated from your system. You should forward this warning to five friends. If you do not have five friends, you have already been infected and (WORK) is controlling your life.

Windward Reports Advert on YouTube - funny

WindwardReports.com, a Boulder, Colorado company, is trying an innovative new means of advertising -- YouTube.com.

Does it work? Who's the market? Would you try anything like this? Check out the video and let me know what you think...

Harry Potter Economics

After reading this post, all I have to say is that it's a bad idea when a business, any business, depends entirely on one client, one company, one product. I guess those associated with the Harry Potter phenomenon are no different.

From Businesspundit.com. . .

Businessweek has a look at the twisted economics of Harry Potter. While the book has been a financial windfall for some, it's been painful for others.

What should be a pot of gold for Harry's business partners is turning into an empty cauldron for many of them. The most successful literary brand in recent history has made its author a billionaire, but others have not fared so well. Retailers, spellbound by the chance to reach millions of Potter-obsessed customers, are cost-cutting for market share to the point where many stand to lose money. For book publishers, the tsunami distorts results in Potter release years, creating wild share-price swings and a distraction from other parts of the business. Even Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (TWX ), which has made billions off the Harry Potter movies, saw sales and profits drop last year and in the first quarter without a fresh Potter offering in the mix.

When an industry relies on a few blockbusters for most of their profit, some participants will do whatever it takes to gain market share and use the blockbuster as a loss leader. Then it becomes a race to the bottom where the winner is whoever can sustain losing money the longest.

I've seen the "one major client" problem with credit unions who started out dedicated to only one company for their membership. When the company reorganizes, downsizes, merges, or closes entirely, the credit union is in a shambles.

I've also seen small businesses fold when their one big client switches to another vendor or shuts down the project altogether. High tech companies struggle when the technology advances, usually in one big leap, that leaves them far behind in the race, if not obsolete.

As the saying goes... "don't put all your eggs in one basket." Diversify your portfolio.

BBC exemplifies web principles

7 Main Principles of the Web

There are few better websites than the BBC, and there are few organizations that truly get what the Web is about better than the BBC. I came across a set of 15 BBC Web Principles some time ago, and thought, "These should be the principles of the Web."

Fully seven of the principles could be summarized as follows: In a network, network. They deal with how organizations need to redefine themselves in a truly networked world. These principles are as follows:

1. Do not attempt to do everything yourselves: link to other high-quality sites instead. Your users will thank you. Use other people's content and tools to enhance your site, and vice versa.
2. Treat the entire Web as a creative canvas: don't restrict your creativity to your own site.
3. The web is a conversation. Join in: Adopt a relaxed, conversational tone. Admit your mistakes.
4. Make sure all your content can be linked to, forever.
5. Maximize routes to content: Develop as many aggregations of content about people, places, topics, channels, networks and time as possible. Optimize your site to rank high in Google.
6. Let people paste your content on the walls of their virtual homes: Encourage users to take nuggets of content away with them, with links back to your site.
7. Link to discussions on the web, don't host them: Only host web-based discussions where there is a clear rationale.

What we have here is open-organization thinking. The BBC is thinking beyond its physical boundaries, beyond its staff boundaries. It is seeking to feed and be fed by the Web.

In the beginning of the Web was the link, not the word. Linking is an inherently open, collaborative, and sharing activity. To link demands thinking beyond the webpage, the cell, the silo, and the historical concept of the organization.

The Web organization is not measured by how many employees or webpages it has. It is measured by how linked it is. The web organization is nomadic. Its home is wherever its links are, wherever its content is re-published, wherever what it is about is being talked about. The Web organization thinks beyond the website.

The Web organization strives to be a hub, not an outpost. It actively seeks out and encourages others to link to it. The Web organization participates. It starts and contributes to conversations, and does not worry about who came up with the idea first.

The Web organization spends more time thinking about what it should share than what it shouldn't. Its first position is: Let's share this unless there's a really good reason not to. It assumes that its competitors know it already. It sees its strength in the network it is building, not necessarily what is on the network at any point in time.

The Web organization sees openness as a key strength and closedness as a major weakness. In summary, the organization that succeeds on the Web accepts this core principle: The Web is the organization.

Thanks Gerry McGovern at Marketing Profs Daily Fix Blog for this post.

Text messaging a breakthrough for hearing impaired

We were talking to a friend at an event last night when I got a text message on my cell phone. I casually checked the message and fired off a brief reply.

Afterward, our friend shared with us that her brother is deaf. She told us how cell phones and text messaging are real miracles for her brother; they've opened up a whole new world for him. By texting, he can now talk to anyone anywhere "just like everyone else -- and he's really fast!" She told us about the conversations they've had since he's discovered texting -- conversations they never could have had before.

Wow! I'd never thought about that before. I suddenly saw texting from a whole new perspective. I was in awe of this technology which I'd pretty much taken for granted until now. How cool to be able to communicate from anywhere, without all the extra equipment like TTY machines.

Texting saves Malaysian teen

Text in time saves nimble-fingered teen

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian teen-ager woken by a night-time noise dashed off a warning text message to her mother just in time to be rescued from an intruder who burst into her bedroom.

Alerted by the mother's screams, relatives rushed to the rescue, breaking down a door and scaring off the man, who escaped through the back of the house, the New Straits Times said.
Salima Mohamad Noor, 17, said a man broke into her bedroom and placed a knife at her neck just as she finished sending the message on her cellular telephone.

"I was terrified and started screaming when he threatened to kill me," the newspaper quoted Salima as saying. "He also said no one would come to my rescue as he had already locked my mother's bedroom door from the outside."

But her mother's loud screams drew the attention of Salima's uncle, who kicked open the front door, frightening away the intruder, the paper added.

About 80 percent of Malaysia's population of roughly 26 million own a cell phone, statistics show, with many teenagers proficient in text messaging, as a cheaper way of talking to friends than telephone calls.

Boomer's Texting Vocabulary

Okay, this is for all you folks in "that demographic" group. Yea, I know, I'm right there with you.
The Boomer’s Texting Vocabulary… handy shortcuts for those of us of a certain age. Feel free to share with your BFF Jill.

WMG: Where’s my glasses?

WMK: Where’s my keys?

WAIITR: Why am I in this room?

WDIPMC: Where did I park my car?

IDR: I don’t remember [or "I don't recall" for Al G]

IFYRN: I forgot your real name

FANOI: F***, another night of insomnia

There are a lot more, and some great additions by commenters.

LinkedIn says it will own business networking

LinkedIn will compete with FaceBook and MySpace for online business networking, or so says CEO Dan Nye in this article by the Fortune technology staff. In his world, people will build one profile for their personal life (MySpace, FaceBook) and another for their professional life (LinkedIn). With upwards of 11 million members already signed up, the site is now adding 180,000 new members each week.

Are you LinkedIn?

Read on and find out what the future looks like for LinkedIn.

What? Selling Tumbleweed Online?

I have to admit that this story really pissed me off.

When I told my sig-O about it, his response was, "We suck!"

This is one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" stories -- like the pet rock and one red paperclip. Doh!

If you've lost your faith in the Internet, this should restore it! Yes, Suzie, there really is a Santa Claus and you really can make money on the 'Net... and some people even do it by accident.

Hmmmm... do you think there's a market for clumps of dog hair? I've got plenty of that around the house I could sell.

Unusual Business Ideas That Work: How To Make Money Selling Tumbleweed Online

Send messages to loved ones -- after you're gone!

This sounds like the perfect opportunity to say, "Na na na na, I told you so!"

The Post-Rapture Post - The Postal Service of the Saved

If you're asking, "How can this be possible," please take notice of how these messages will be delivered after the rapture. No fancy technology needed here.

My opinion... pretty clever.

New ideas for online job search

Good Morning America promotes LinkedIn for job search.

If you're looking for a new job or career change, get LinkedIn. So says Tory Johnson on Good Morning America. This article suggests several ways to develop your online electronic profile to connect with the right people and find the right job for you.

I've always heard that the best jobs are never advertised. They are filled by people who are connected to people in the know. Yes, word-of-mouth advertising works -- even when it comes to job hunting.

Check out my profile on LinkedIn and link to me or recommend me.

By the way, my son is in the job market as a Web Sphere expert. (hint hint)

If you hate spam, you'll love this!

Man Described As Top Spammer Arrested

A 27-year-old man described as one of the world's top spammers was arrested Wednesday, a development that federal authorities said could lead to an immediate, perceptible decrease in the amount of junk e-mail winging its way across the Web.

He's one of the top 10 spammers in the world," said Tim Cranton, a Microsoft Corp. lawyer who is senior director of the company's Worldwide Internet Safety Programs. "He's a huge problem for our customers. This is a very good day."

Robert Alan Soloway's arrest came a week after a federal grand jury returned a 35-count indictment charging him with mail fraud, wire fraud, e-mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering. He's accused of using networks of compromised computers to send out millions upon millions of junk e-mails since 2003. He continued his activities even after Microsoft won a $7 million civil judgment against him in 2005 and Robert Brauer, the operator of a small Internet service provider in western Oklahoma, won a $10 million judgment, prosecutors said.

U.S. Attorney Jeff Sullivan said Wednesday the case is the first in the country in which federal prosecutors have used identity theft statutes to prosecute a spammer for taking over someone else's Internet domain name, and it would mean at least an extra two years on Soloway's sentence if he is convicted. He could face decades in prison, though prosecutors said they have not calculated what guideline sentencing range he might face.

You can read the rest of the article at Forbes.com.

I think the key here is the identity theft charge. That's exactly what spoofing is. And it's incredibly damaging to the businesses who have had their domain names compromised.

We'll see where this goes and how long it takes to get there. But for now. . . chalk one up for the good guys.

By the way, let me know if you notice "an immediate, perceptible decrease in the amount of junk e-mail" you receive.

Connecting old friends, thanks to Google

My passion for the Internet is fueled by my belief in its amazing ability to connect people who might not be connected otherwise -- and to keep them connected. Now and then something happens to reinforce my belief and fuel my passion again.

I lived in Nebraska for a few early-elementary-school years. I had a best friend named Tracy who attended the same Catholic school I did. We were nearly inseparable, athough we lived in separate towns. We were like Rose Red and Snow White-- a story I loved when I was a child. We moved to Colorado and eventually I lost track of her.

Over the years I've often wondered what happened to the cute, spunky blonde I used to play Barbies with and sing Beatles songs with (we actually sang "Lady Madonna" for the nuns in 2nd or 3rd grade). So on a whim a couple of weeks ago I decided to go looking for her. No, I didn't use one of those reunion sites, like classmates.com or reunion.com. I Googled her brother.

Why her brother? I figured that if she had gotten married she might have changed her last name, but her brother wouldn't have. Plus, her brother has an unusual nickname and I knew a little of his history -- like he was a football star in college and played a little pro ball.

I found a few references to someone with his name in the area of his college town. I was happy to find a couple sites with contact information for him, including an email address. So I sent him an email asking if he was Tracy's brother and giving a little information about me and why I was asking.

I was so excited when, a few days later, I received a reply telling me that I was in the right place and giving me her email address!

Now my childhood best friend and I are getting to know each other all over again through email. We haven't talked on the phone or met face-to-face yet, but I'm sure that's coming.

Thanks Google!

Seth Godin shamed me

Yes, Seth Godin has shamed me.

In a recent post on his blog, Seth Godin talks about how important it is for business people and business consultants to read business books and business blogs. He asks the following questions:

If you went to a doctor who told you that she hadn't read a scholarly article or taken any training since med school, would you stick around? What about a lawyer who doesn't read law journals or a dentist who never bothered to read up on the newest case studies?

With those questions, Seth shamed me into reading more. Don't get me wrong... I read, and I read a lot. And I love books. I own a lot of books. But I have to admit, I don't really read them. More often than not, I skim them, read bits and pieces, read chapters that really interest me at the time, but I don't really read them.

At the beginning of the year, I sat down and set a few goals for myself. One was to read at least one book a month -- 12 books during the year. I didn't specify that they be business books -- just books.

I recently participated in a survey for a grad student who's writing his thesis on the mind of the entrepreneur (scary subject). One question on the survey was "What goals do you have to help you become your Ideal Entrepreneur?" My answer: Read one book a month.

Like I said... I read a lot. Not just books. I read other blogs everyday. I have my favorites listed in my feedreader. I have e-newsletters I subscribe to. I get business publications and magazines. It's tough to keep up on all the information and opinions available, but I try. Sometimes I think I could have a full-time job just reading.

So I've renewed my commitment to really read at least one book a month. Every night before I fall asleep, I'll read for a few minutes. (Typically, I play solitaire on my pda to disengage my brain.)

So what am I reading now? All Marketers Are Liars: The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World by Seth Godin, of course.

Monetize your blog

If you're wondering how you can make money from blogging, I found a couple of articles that offer more than the same ideas everyone else talks about like Google's AdSense. Don't get me wrong... I like AdSense, but I was looking for more. I'll be checking out a few ideas from these two posts like Kontera’s ContextLinks and CafePress, and I'll report back on which ones I've tried and whether or not I see any results.

Tips for Earning Money through Blogging
More Ways to Monetize Your Blog

If you've ever wondered just how much money can be made from blogging, take a look at Paula Neal Mooney's list of blogger salaries. Notice that the range is very wide, but there's hope.

Brainstorm: Has your email been spoofed?

The May issue of Brainstorm! is out.

• Email spoofing: A spammer's best friend
• More Smart Tools: Our favorites for your business
• Recommended book & blog: Duct Tape Marketing
• Kayda the Newshound: Updates, news & announcements

The wisdom of Dave Barry

A friend emailed this to me today. I thought it was so clever and insightful, just enough humor mixed into the truth, that I just had to post it.

16 THINGS THAT IT TOOK ME OVER 50 YEARS TO LEARN
by Dave Barry, Nationally Syndicated Columnist

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved and never will achieve its full potential, that word would be "meetings."
3. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
5. You should not confuse your career with your life.
6. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
7. Never lick a steak knife.
8. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.
9. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.
10. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
11. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.
12. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.
13. A person who is nice to you but rude to a waiter is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)
14. Your friends love you anyway.
15. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
16. Men are like fine wine. They start out as grapes, and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

I'm a "Slash"

There is a growing trend for individuals to expand beyond one career. The old model of “one job, one company” for life is out the door. Marci Alboher’s new book “One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success“. She introduces us to the individuals who define themselves as ’slashes’. What are ’slashes’? It is a person who expands beyond one career, one job.

Whether they are a policeman/landscape designer, lawyer/chef, actor/web-designer these individuals do not limit themselves to one career. This allows them to live a more fulfilling life by pursing their passions, and not allowing one career/job wear them out. It’s not surprising that this population of the workforce is growing because in reality is anyone truly one dimensional? I find it hard to believe so.

Marci has adopted the “slash” as well - a former lawyer and now a author/speaker/coach. This book is a must read for those who aren’t happy with their current situation in life and want to pursue multiple careers.

From Publishers Weekly

For those already slashing through multifaceted professional lives, Alboher's collection of profiles of people juggling multiple roles may offer the comfort of knowing others are doing the same. For those recently separated from a job or seeking greater fulfillment from life, Alboher's fascination with people working through dual existences may reveal an alternate path to success. Like the psychotherapist/violin maker she interviews, Alboher has abandoned an easily described career as an attorney to become a journalist, author, speaker and writing coach. Her book is less about making career changes than changing how one defines a career and making adjustments for a more satisfying life. After focusing a bit too intently on how multilayered careers get their start, she segues into more action-oriented advice, including experimenting with different identities before making career-altering changes; how to keep income flowing; and how to market oneself once one adds a slash or two to one's job description. When the disparate threads of one's life are woven together in this way, she argues in this creative and satisfying guide, "the whole of you comes out."

Thank you Biz Book Talk.

Should you stop blogging?

I've pointed out reasons why you should blog and reasons why you shouldn't. Now, Pete Blackshaw at ClickZ gives you 10 reasons to stop blogging.

So, if you've started a blog but are wondering whether or not to continue, these are some really good questions to ask yourself. Regardless, don't just let your blog die of unnatural causes -- neglect, boredom, disinterest. Make it a concious decision you'll feel good about.

Postage Increase

You probably already know that on May 14th the cost to snail-mail a letter is increasing by 2 cents from $.39 to $.41. I guess this is because more people are using email rather than regular mail, although you'd never know it by looking in my mailbox.

The post office has issued a new stamp, called "The Forever Stamp" to compensate for this rate hike - or maybe make us feel better anyway. It will be good for mailing a letter that weighs less than 1 ounce no matter how much the rate goes up -- FOREVER.

Of course, you can't buy this new stamp at the current rate of 39 cents. It'll cost you the new rate of 41 cents.

Seems to me you could save money by paying your bills online and emailing more rather than driving around looking for the cheapest gas in town so you can make it to the post office to mail a letter.

By the way, if you're planning any sort of direct mail campaign, you might want to send it out before Mother's Day.

Hope you get your two cents worth.