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Holiday Shopping| E-tailers | FB Apps & More
The initial purpose of this post is to help you save some “green”, be greener during the holidays, help save you some time, and save the environment by cutting down on your use of gasoline and emissions by driving all over the place for your holiday shopping. Consider making your own homemade holiday gifts as well. I would love to hear from others who have made their own unique gifts. I have sprinkled in some other social news below for additional holiday cheer.
By far, my favorite shopping App is Redlaser! It is a “Top 10 Must Have App for your IPhone” ―says The New York Times , “If you only have one shopping app on your cell Phone, this is the one to have.”― Digital Trends. I have used it for ALL of my holiday shopping both online and locally and have saved several hundred dollars already.
A Selection of Useful Holiday Shopping Tidbits:
- The TOP Online Shopping Comparison Websites
- 16 Unique and affordable gift sites
- Etsy.com for handmade gifts
- Facebook Adds a Grab Bag of Gift Partners (Mashable). As a part of a greater push into e-commerce, Facebook announced a whole slew of retail partnerships Thursday night at a press event held at the iconic FAO Schwarz toy store in New York City.
- Also, Boomerang Makes Social Gifting A Local Experience and
- Amazon Introduces Video Gift Cards
It’s Official: Facebook Apps Have a Share Button (AllFacebook). Users asked for it, and Facebook responded. The social network announced Thursday that its native applications for iOS and Android devices now include a share button. That means that folks using either app can now pass on their witty musings, puppy pictures or daddy daughter dance pictures to their online friends with a simple tap in their news feeds [Engadget]
There is now a BandPage Connect Plugs Bands Into Promoters, Fans, Facebook [AllFacebook}]
TechCrunch Facebook’s iOS users have long been able to tag friends in posts, but had to append them to the end of the update as “with [Drew Olanoff].” That made for some funky grammar, or redundancy if you needed to refer to a specific friend in the text of your update. Now you can tag friends in-line so your prose flows.
LA Times / Tech Now Additionally, Apple device users can now send each other Facebook messages with smileys and other icons from the emoji keyboard. The keyboard can be enabled in the iOS Settings app.
When Colleges Woo Students Through Social Media: Less Viewbooks, More Facebook (Time)
When Ashley Romero found out she had been accepted to the University of Georgia, it wasn’t through a letter in the mail. It wasn’t even by logging onto her computer and visiting Georgia’s admissions website. It was on her iPhone, as she and a friend were driving down the highway toward summer camp.
Who Mapped It Best During Election 2012? (CJR / Between the Spreadsheets). As CJR‘s Meta Newsroom showed, a glut of media outlets incorporated digital innovation into their reporting during the recent election. One resurfaced over and again: the map. For the outlets just dipping their toes into the data journalism sea, maps presented a relatively easy opportunity to make interactive. For the heavyweights, it was a chance to wade in much deeper.
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My Sources Today Came From: Morning Media Newsfeed & Mashable
Morning Media Newsfeed Say they needs you! Send them your story tips, job changes, insider gossip, and all that other good stuff: tips@mediabistro.com. More than 160,000 people in the media business read this email every day. To learn about advertising or other creative partnerships, contact Dave Arganbright at (212) 547-7931 or via email.
Hire a Veteran!
Sheppard AFB, Texas
Hello to my friends, colleaques, Twitter followers and blog readers,
That picture to the left in this post is of me when I was a very young USAF service member (laughing at the hair, glasses or fashionable business suit is allowed-Gads).
There are more than 26 million veterans in the US. And, I am one of about 6 million women who served our country proudly. I served in the USAF in a technical capacitiy after the Vietnam war had just ended (more stats here). As you can see in the photo, I was the only female in my USAF training class, and I had to wear men’s cotten fatigues, shirts (and boots) which had to be starched each and every single day. BTW, check out the shine on those boots! After I graduated from tech school in Texas, I was shipped to England for a few years where I was one female out of about 90 men working at small communications switching site in England. A great deal has changed since those early days during my own personal experience as a military service member, and for the better for women I believe.
But, I do believe the women of our time who served learned early to work hard with the hope of contributing and making it in a tough environment. Below are some statistics about our veterans.
- Dept of VA stats on veterans http://www.va.gov/vetdata/Quick_Facts.asp
- Stats on our women vets,http://feminism.eserver.org/workplace/women-in-the-military.txt
- Stats about Vietnam http://www.veteranshour.com/vietnam_war_statistics.htm
Over the course of my life, I have continued to expand and hone my career relative to communications in some form or another as the times have changed, And, I have adapted with the changing times. Since signing up on Wordress.com, I’ve been providing a plethora of ad hock user generated content about social media and communication related topics for a couple of years now, because I really want to help people.
Today, I’d like to briefly introduce myself, as an emerging woman veteran-owned small business in the DC/Baltimore metro areas. With the economic downturn today, this recession is also a very tough environment, and doubly tough for an “mature” veteran trying to kick start her own business during a recession. And, some might think me a bit nuts for trying to do so.
Yep, I am taking the plunge. I filed for certification in MD as a MBE (OMG, their are coming to inspect my little office in 30 days!) I’ve registered in CCR.gov and with the VA. I am up an running with a small office space ready for business. Exhaling.
Know anyone who needs communication help? Please forward my resume http://bit.ly/yR6Nas or website www.unlimitedpr.net
Is it too idyllic to have a dream where we can contrubute to making a difference in other people’s lives by helping other people, Veterans, businesses and agencies? I believe. And yes, I still believe that hard work and a hope in something better is what has always driven our economy, in a positive way (not scathing political rhetoric). I think you will find a similar integrity and sound work ethic in my commrads who have served, as well.
I’d appreciate it if you’d consideration hiring any Veteran, as well as other small Veteran-owned businesses. We really do know how to get the job done.
I am willing to provide consulting, 1099 and sub-contract support. Heck, at this stage I will simply take a few good hours of solid work to help your own small business persoanally. With a few hours of my time, I can be invaluable in helping with your outreach needs.
Here is my small business capabilities fact sheet: http://bit.ly/sqGrjB, and if you would like co-collaborate with a business opportunity, I’d appreciate hearing from you by requesting assistance here> http://bit.ly/oqcoE9
Thanks for reading and your time spent honoring and hiring our veterans or other small veteran-owned firms across this country of ours will not go unrewarded.
Sincerely, Alice M. Fisher, Owner of Unlimited PR & Associates, LLC
- A Woman Veteran-Owned Small Business
- T: 240-620-2002
- www.unlimitedpr.net
- www.Twitter.com/unlimitedpr
- Company background: http://bit.ly/rpnZXE
Plastic Bags? Ban ‘em? Tax ‘em? Yes? No?
In the pursuit to eliminate all that is not green, plastic bags seem to be a natural target these days.
Whatever happened to our wonderful big sumptuous decomposing brown paper bags which were taken from us when we were forced to use only plastic bags a few years ago? It was a huge change back in the day. Now, because “they” are our nearly only choice for use in retail stores (which are the same stores who bought us into this whole mess and forced us to use them a few years ago) Now, we the consumer are being punished for using them? I already recycle them. I just want to yell, “foul!” Really?
The retail industry should be the ones paying the tax on the number of bags they order, not us. I can see it now, our children will be going back to brown paper sack lunches so they wont be taxed for each and every zip loc bag they use every day as well.
Because of the widespread use of plastic products and packaging, some say, these plasitc bags have contributed to environmental conditions ranging from increased pollution to overloaded landfills to the country’s dependence on oil and not to say anything about its impact on animals (and no, it has not helped birds build warmer nests).
I hope you’ll read the rest of the blog for more information, but before we go any farther into the post I’d to know your opinion on this issue? I encourage you to take my poll on the bag tax directly below:
In response, some cities have adopted legislation, and policies that tax our use of these bags and or ban plastic grocery bags made from polyethylene in favor of bags made from other materials such as cloth, compostable plastics, or paper. What about the composit plasitic bags, if this really is an environmental issue. Come on, eventually they will end up in landfills as well, and they are even bigger/thicker bags.
I think the public consumer should be better informed, there needs to be a coordinated communication plan for this issue. And, I believe the newly imposed local policies with additional “hidden taxes” on plastic bags is made without informing the public correctly, nor fully disclosing all the facts and without providing the public a voice or vote on the policies being uniformly imposed on them. This is my opinion.
But, my gripe is more about the hidden taxing with no voice, no vote nor any effective communication to us the people while imposed said changes are inacted on the individual consumer, instead of big retailers and manufacturers. Why tax us and punish us?
There are a myriad of other arguments like the environment and the trash. And, there can be other local changes made to fix overspending and budgetary woes. Heck, I am already growing my own food with a garden and raising a small gaggle of chickens to offset high costs and being environmentally more conscious.
But now, I am thinking that I may start recycling my old T-shirts or jeans or better yet, start bringing my little red wagon or cardboard boxes for my shopping (from the Post Office, Fed Ex, UPS, DHL which are free for us to use).
Or, maybe I can simply side step all shopping in Montgomery County and boycott the county retailers and go buy my own plastic bags directly from the manufacturers, have them shipped to my house and skip the tax all together? Please see the links for the plastic bag. Less material means less waster and fewer emissions.
- Plastic bags generate 80% less waste than paper bags.
- Plastic grocery and retail bags make up a tiny fraction (less than 0.5%) of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream.
- Plastic bags generate only 50% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of composted paper bags.
- The production of plastic bags consumes less than 4% of the water needed to make paper bags.
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Plastic grocery bags are fully recyclable and the number of recycling programs is increasing daily.
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Nationwide over 855 million pounds of bags and film were recycled in 2009—up 31 percent from 2005.
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According to EPA’s data, about 13 percent of plastic bags and wraps were recycled in 2009.
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Plastic bags can be made into dozens of useful new products, such as building and construction products, low-maintenance fencing and decking, and new bags.
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In recent years, many grocers and retailers have introduced plastic bag collection programs. Tip: Look for a collection bin, usually located at the front of the store or near checkout areas.
I wonder if anyone publishes or considers the total consumer plight on being taxed to death, at ever corner for everything? This is a recession for goodness sakes! Why are local governments and states taking even more money of our very limited incomes from families who are already stretched to the hilt, out of work and taxed beyond belief?
First we are force fed plastics (a few years back on it being more environmental), now we are taxed or banned from their use. And, now they are no longer so environmentally friendly? I am either thoroughly confused or have I been mislead with the wishy washiness of just what is being touted as environmentally sound? Just what is the skinny on this plastic bag conundrum? Why punish the consumer for what was pushed down our throats a decade or three ago?
\What about those big manufactures of the actual plastic bags or the retailers who creat and buy them to start off with? Why not fine, tax, ban, limit or boycott these huge manufacturers and retailers for the creation, supply and distribution of the bags to retailers since they are the ones that actually buy them? And many are importing from China and Taiwan.
Here is a list or plastic bag manufactures that supply Maryland. www.iqsdirectory.com/plastic-bags/search/state/md
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Search your state for manufacturers of plastic bags here. www.iqsdirectory.com/images/usamapoutline-sm1.png
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For discussion and greater fodder; here’s a thought question: If you were a policymaker, which would you choose?
- A ban on plastic bags that will anger a significant percentage of voters while reducing plastic bag use almost entirely (over several years), but possibly increase overall ire at government’s meddling to “save the environment.”
- Or, a tax on plastic bags, which will reduce plastic bag usage 85-95 percent but maintain the illusion of free choice and, as an added bonus, generate revenue to address other pollution and over consumption issues (translation: help pay for additional government meddling to save the environment).
- Tax the big manufactures in each state if they produce more than a regulated number.
- Or, communicate to citizens to become more educated, re-use, recycle, and re-use yet again (because heck they do supposedly last a 1,000 years). In addition to recycling, a recent national survey shows that over 90% of Americans reuse their plastic bags and about 65% of Americans reuse their bags for trash disposal. Other common uses include lunch bags, pet poop pick-up, cat box liners, boot liners, and water balloons. In this regard, the reuse of a plastic shopping bag prevents a second bag from being purchased to fulfill these necessary functions. Why punish us with a tax? We thought we were being more responsible and sustainable already.
- Or, why not consider organizing an Occupy Plastic Bag campaign against the huge plastic bag manufactures?
Please read the following research from “Life Cycle Assessment for Three Types of Grocery Bags – Recyclable Plastic; Compostable, Biodegradable Plastic; and Recycled, Recyclable Paper.” The conclusions regarding the relative environmental impact when using a life cycle view are consistent with previous studies and need to be reinforced in the policy arena and communicated to the people more effectively. The policies to discourage plastic bags may have more to do with litter control or generating revenue for cash strapped municipalities than the overall environment.
Whatever the goals of the policy makers, these need to be far more explicit than general environmental improvement, since the life cycle story is consistent in favor of recyclable plastic bags. It is possible that the emphasis of another report might be that the full benefit of plastic bags is even higher when large recycling is in place, instead of taxing people.
Here are a few more facts about plastic bags:
- http://www.plasticbagfacts.com/Main-Menu/Fast-Facts
- http://www.plasticbagfacts.com/PDFs/Life-Cycle-Assessment-for-Three-Types-of-Grocery-Bags.pdf
Re-using, re-cycling, taxing manufacturers and distributors while instituting and providing for better public environmental communication plans from retailers on their own plastic bag purchases, bag use and conservation campaigns might be a solution, without pinching our already over taxed hardworking Americans supporting this economy and who are being left holding the bag, so to speak.
Just a thought or two.
Alice M. Fisher, Unlimited PR & Associates, LLC,
A Woman Veteran-Owned Small Business
Website: www.unlimitedpr.net
If you want to dig deeper below is additional reading & references from Wikipedia:
- ^“Montgomery County Council passes 5-cent bag tax”. The Washington Post. 3 May 2011.http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/politics/montgomery-county-council-passes-5-cent-bag-tax/2011/05/03/AFePREjF_story.html. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ European Plastics News: Plastic T-Shirt Carrier Bag (1965)
- ^ ab Natural Resource Defense Council
- ^ Joan Lowy (2004). “Plastic left holding the bag as environmental plague”. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. http://www.seattlepi.com/national/182949_bags21.html. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ http://www.usitc.gov/publications/701_731/pub4080.pdf
- ^ US Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, US Life Cycle Inventory Database
- ^ The Guardian – biodegradable plastic bags carry more ecological harm than good
- ^ Notes from the Packaging Laboratory: Polylactic Acid – An Exciting New Packaging Material
- ^ abc John Roach (2003). “Are Plastic Grocery Bags Sacking the Environment?”. National Geographic News. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/09/0902_030902_plasticbags.html. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
- ^ “Planet Earth’s new nemesis?”. BBC News. 8 May 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1974750.stm. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
- ^ “Plastic bags & Metro Floods”. Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation. 4 February 2011. http://www.mb.com.ph/node/302551/pla. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ “The Manila Floods: Why Wasn’t the City Prepared?”. ICIMOD. 29 September 2009. http://www.icimod.org/?opg=949&q=drr_document&document=605. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Hinojosa IA, Thiel M (2009). “Floating marine debris in fjords, gulfs and channels of southern Chile.”. Mar Pollut Bull58 (3): 341–50. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.10.020. PMID 19124136.
- ^ “Marine litter – trash that kills”. United Nations Environment Programme. 2001. http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/marinelitter/publications/docs/trash_that_kills.pdf. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
- ^ Brett Israel (2010). “Plastic bag found floating near Titanic shipwreck”. Today. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39077683/ns/today-tech_and_science/. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ 2007 National Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic Bag & Film Report
- ^ Questions About Your Community: Shopping Bags: Paper or Plastic or …?
- ^ Waste and recycling. Environment.gov.au (2010-06-13). Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ Environment Agency (2011). “Evidence: Life Cycle Assessment of Supermarket Carrier Bags”. Environment Agency. http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Research/Carrier_Bags_final_18-02-11.pdf. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- ^ Irena Choi Stern (5 August 2007). “Greening Up by Cutting Down on Plastic Bags”. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/05Rbags.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
- ^ ab Zev Yaroslavsky; Tim Shestek, Matthew Dodson; Giles Slade (audio). LA County Bans Plastic Bags. Interview with Warren Olney. To the Point. KCRW. http://www.kcrw.com/news/programs/tp/tp101119la_county_bans_plast. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
- ^ ab Rachel Cernansky (August 17, 2010). “How Many Cities Have a Ban on Plastic Bags?”. Planet Green. http://planetgreen.discovery.com/work-connect/how-many-cities-have-a-ban-on-plastic-bags.html. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ “Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags”. Government of Hong Kong SAR: Environmental Protection Department. 2009.
- http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/psb/en/environmental.html. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ “Plastic Bag Recycling”. NYCWasteLe$$. NYC Department of Sanitation. 2010.
- http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/recycling/plastic_bag.shtml. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ Andrew Darby (November 12, 2010). “Ban on plastic bags spreads to Tasmania”. The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/ban-on-plastic-bags-spreads-to-tasmania-20101111-17pgm.html. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
- ^ Kathrine Mieszkowski (August 20, 2010). “Plastic bags are killing us”. Salon. http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/08/10/plastic_bags. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
- ^ Ali Eaves (August 9, 2010). “States weigh bans on plastic grocery bags”. Stateline.
- http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=504112. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- Lynn Thompson (28 July 2009). “Edmonds is first city in state to ban plastic grocery bags”. The Seattle Times.
- http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009555416_bagban29m.html. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ^ “Bethel, Alaska bans plastic bags”. http://www.sikunews.com/News/Alaska/Bethel%2C-Alaska-bans-plastic-bags-6532. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ^ Emma Perez-Treviño (5 January 2010). “Brownsville commission adopts ban on plastic bags”. http://www.themonitor.com/articles/brownsville-34131-plastic-adopts.html. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ^ Erin James (1 October 2010). “North Carolina bans plastic bags at all businesses on Outer Banks”. http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/262374. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ^ John Tarantino (12 October 2011). “Portland Joins the Ban on Plastic Bags”. http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/2011/10/portland-joins-ban-plastic-bags/.
- ^ Associated Press (December 19, 2011). “Officials Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags”. NPR. http://www.npr.org/2011/12/19/143989024/seattle-officials-ban-single-use-plastic-bags?ft=1&f=1001. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
- ^ “Plastic Bags”. Irish Government: Dept. of Environment, Heritage, and Local Government. 2007. http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Waste/PlasticBags/. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ Matthew Knight (November 16, 2007). “Plastic Bags Fly Into Environmental Storm”. CNN.COM Technology.
- http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/11/14/fsummit.climate.plasticbags/. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
- ^ Xing, Xiufeng (March 2009). “Study on the Ban on Free Plastic Bags in China”. Journal of Sustainable Development2 (1): 156–158.
- http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jsd/article/viewFile/299/267. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ Carrier Bag Charge Wales. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
- ^ “California Legislature fails to pass 25 cent bag tax”. Plastics News. 2009. http://plasticsnews.com/headlines2.html?cat=1&id=1244063213. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- “Seattle Rejects Its Plastic Bag Tax”. Business Insider. 2009.
- http://www.businessinsider.com/seattle-rejects-its-plastic-bag-tax-2009-8. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ Brian Merchant (2010). “Plastic Bags Used in DC Drop From 22 Million to 3 Million a Month”. Treehugger. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/03/plastic-bag-use-dc-drops-22-million-3-million.php. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
- ^ “Impact of Bill 18-150 on the Economy of Washington, D.C.”. The Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University. 2011. http://www.atr.org/files/files/DCBagTaxStudy.pdf. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
- ^ “Bills to tax disposable grocery bags in Va. fail to advance”. The Virginian Pilot. 2011. http://hamptonroads.com/2011/01/bills-tax-disposable-grocery-bags-va-fail-advance. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
- ^ Daniel Valentine. “Lawmakers dump Prince George’s plan for plastic bag tax”. http://www.gazette.net/stories/04142011/prinnew170122_32537.php. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- ^ Assembly Bill No. 2449. Chapter 845
- ^ NYCWasteLe$: Plastic Bag Recycling – consumer info. Nyc. gov (2008-12-13). Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ Plastic Bag Recycling in Chicago. Chicagorecycling.org. Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ Governor Markell signs bill promoting plastic bag recycling. Governor.delaware.gov. Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ Plastic Bag Reduction. Cityservices.baltimorecity.gov. Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
Seeds of Old Fashion Communication for 2012
As I write this, there is a rogue snow squawl just outside. This blog post is a detraction from my normal communications and social media related posts, as I examine my own New Years resolutions for 2012. I encourage you all to grow a garden this year, in pots/containers, on a small raised bed in the back of your Townhouse, or on a larger plot, or a rural rented plot somewhere.
It’s also that time of year when it gets pretty darn cold out at night. I can’t even go outside to dig in the dirt ( as it’s frozen), because it gets dark at 4:45 pm. When I was a young girl in upstate New York, where every year, when winter rolled around and the very cold January and February winds blew and dreams of green grass and soft warm winds haunted us, our mailbox had the annual welcoming and oh so colorful seed catalogs.
This is the time when I look back to my roots and my love of gardening, which I got honestly from my father. Therefore, I dedicate this post to a man who also loved to garden and where I fondly remember him pouring over seed catalogs during the winter months to order seeds for our very large family with six siblings. So, I begin my New Year not really making any new resolutions I can’t keep. Instead I am hard at work ordering seed catalogs and look forward to the spring. As planting, growing, toiling, tilling and working on seven acres provides enough of a workout that I never have to say, I will exercise more each year! 
. I was crazy enough to buy seven acreas that needed to be tamed, last year. OMG!
Exercise and work, and seasonal communication is part of the ebb and flow of the changing seasons. Whatever happened to old fashion face-to-face communication, and doing it over the backyard fence, chatting about and compairing proudly grown veggies and new seeds we plan to plant next year?
For now, while I am trying to embrace cyber-nating inside, I will continue to pay homage to my father and grand mother’s well taught basic life skills (communication 101, for life and business).
And yes, I will order a few seed catalogs to dream of fresh veggies to harvest later in 2012 . To get started, last night I planted heirloom Marglobe tomatoes, Yolo pepers, and a slew of cantaloupes, and some onions from seed (as a test).
In this modern age of technology, about 70% of people still order most of their seeds from seed catalogs! I think this is great and here is why I think so. I believe that some old fashion ways of doing things should not change. We are beginning to raise entire generations who do not know anything about gardening, canning or growing things when it used to be a staple activity for families which kept people from starving, being less dependent on the government, and they ate healthier. Conversely, I know most of us have embraced many of the new fangled ways and technologies. But, we are passing on nothing to our youth, and our grand children. Rather, we are forgetting about being close to the land and living with a more purposeful existence, soon many will not know how to provide for themselves at all. This does not mean I am gonna go all Amish on you all. But, I refuse to pay an additional five cent tax at the grocery store for buying food to live on which is already taxed and not fresh.
As a result, in my opinion something is missing from our daily lives, many are unemployed, the environment is suffering. There is value and purpose in time honored old fashion traditions such as; sitting still next to a crackling fire ( Yes, with wood you cut or stacked by yourself) and actually reading next to that fire with a snack like warm peach cobbler ( from peaches you canned or grew yourself) -instead of playing “farmer” with Farmville, texting, checking or tweeting your Facebook status 16 times a day or playing mindless time-sucking video games for hours and hours (which have no real intrinsic value, in my book).
Like with so much else in life, technology is displacing the need for printed catalogs because a company can just list their seed selection on their website. Add to that the rising costs of doing business, the consolidation of seed companies, and the pickings can seem slim if you prefer printed seed catalogs. Fortunately, if you know where to look (and are willing to pay a few dollars in some cases) you can still participate in the tradition and escapism that is a seed catalog.
Did you know there are more than 100 seed catalogs out there? As every gardener knows, seed catalogs are wonderful reading. Between the tantalizing descriptions of varieties and the first-rate cultural information, many catalogs can double as reliable gardening books. They are also interesting as historical sources.
Note: Many heirloom vegetable varieties are not available in the seed trade, but can be found through seed saving networks. For more information, see also: Seed Savers, Seed Exchanges, and Seed Societies. You can find a larger list of seed catalogs at:
Below are a short list of favorites derived from a recent Mother News (MEN) survey. MEN’s printed that one customer said, “Fedco’s catalog make wonderful, entertaining, laugh-out-loud reading and all the vintage graphics are wonderful.”
- Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Winslow, Maine) www.johnnyseed.com
- Seed Savers Exchange (Decorah, IA) www.seedsaver.com
- Bakercreek Heirloom Seeds (Mansfield, MO) www.rareseeds.com
- Burpee Seeds & Plants( Warminster, PA) www.burpee.com
- Territorial Seed Company ( Cottage Grove, Ore) www.territorialseed.com
- Seed of Change (Rancho, Dominquez CA) www.seedsofchange.com
- Ferry-Morse Seed Company (Fulton, KY) www.ferry-morse.com
- Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (Mineral, VA) www.southernexposure.com
- High Mowing Organic Seeds (Wolcott, VT) www.highmowingseeds.com
- Fedco Seeds ( Waterville, MA) www.fedcoseeds.com
- Nichols Garden Nursery (Albany, OR) www.nicholsgardennursery.com
- The Cook’s Garden ( Warminster, PA) www.cooksgarden.com
- Botanical Interests (Broomfield, CO) www.botanicalinterests.com
- Renee’s Garden Seeds (Felton, CA) www.reneesgarden.com
- Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply (Grass Valley, CA) www.groworganic.com
For long term seed storage, seed vaulting, non hybrid garden seed kits, try a few of the following:
- AAOB Foods which also provides info with tips on planting
- Patriot Survival Seed Vault 37.95 | MyPatriotSupply.com
- Heirloom Organics- Survival Seed Vault $99 – 50,000+ Seeds
- www.non-hybrid-seeds- 2 Acres, 1.5LB, Eat for .01/LB
- Prepared Planet-Canned Seeds | Organic Heirloom Seeds | Emergency Seed Storage
- Livestock Seed Storage Pack
- And here is a list of culinary vegetables too from Wikipedia
Happy Gardening in 2012. And I encourage to resolve to share more with your family, neighbors and friends, the old fashioned way!
Call, write, txt me if you’d like help with a contract or communication plan! And, all my best for a better and more prosperous 2012.
Alice M. Fisher, Owner of Unlimited PR & Associates, LLC which is a Woman Veteran-Owned Small Business. For more informatin visit our website @Unlimitedpr, Website: www.unlimitedpr.net
Update on: Unlimited PR & Associates, LLC
Well this is a short up date on why I have not posted much lately for those who occassionally read my blog. I have taken the plunge and filed as an official small business, gotten my Federal EIN number, registered with the state of Maryland, updated my website and have nearly completed filing as an 8 (a) with SBA.gov.
Just in time for the Labor Day Weekend! So, with that said, I am hungry to get some work and proposals out the door (I think it’s nearly dinner time-hence the food reference). And, I excited and scared at the same time.
The one thing I have learned thus far is, you can not just flip on a light switch as there are quite a few hoops to jump through to get it right. And, it took me some time to learn that there is no longer any Dynamic Small Business Search Numbers (albeit that is still required on an SBA form). For future businesses filing with SBA, please note that is now your Federal IRS EIN number which goes in that spot.
I am now in the process of decorating and setting up my small business office suite, and carving out a nifty little space to run this new small business. Comments and suggests are welcome and I will try to post a picture of the new office once completed. Maybe I will post how to set up a little office on a no cost budget.
On top of the small business start up paper work I have been completing faxing and mailing out scads of stuff, and I am also rehabing a house I bought last summer, trying to tame 7 acres that was let go and grew wild for about two years, canning fruits and veggies, building a chicken condo and maintaining a newly deer proofed garden.
I am sure there is a future possible blog posts that can benefit small business owners in some analagous way on the anatomy and value of daily chicken dust baths, how to build a chicken condo with no plans, and the value of gardening as it relates to running a small Woman Veteran-Owned small business.
For now, suffice it to say I am up and running and look forward to providing consulting and management services; as such relates to social media, Web 2.0, Internet marketing, outreach, strategic communications, traditional media relations, public affairs, advertising, e-commerce and social networking.
PS, Really, any decorating, color or painting ideas and comments of course are all welcome! I will try to post a photo or two in the next post.
It’s been a busy summer, the days are getting shorter as fall approaches… so stay tuned for more posts soon.
Now, it is time for dinner!
Alice M. Fisher, Owner
Unlimited PR & Associates, LLC
A Woman Veteran-Owned Small Business
Twitter.com/Unlimitedpr
http://www.unlimitedpr.net
Media Tracking, Monitoring & Analysis
Key to the media analysis is knowing the kinds of tools/services that will be used to “track” the media as they all track media, but each can and do track differently across the entire” universe” of the US media spectrum. Press clipping services have evolved into media monitoring services which can monitor and even somewhat analyze every type of media published: daily newspapers, non-daily newspapers, magazines, trade journals, television and radio news as well as the internet.
Today there are media monitoring companies which provide broad national service and many who specialize in regional or state coverage.
And, media monitoring companies have responded to the growth of on-line newspapers by offering coverage of the internet, but some only track newspapers, some track TV video broadcasst or video news reelasee ( VNRs) others only radio, and some do or do not track new media at all.
And some say they do it all. Can they? Better yet, do they?
Challenge #1: The service of media monitoring, collation & dissemination is fairly simple and use media monitoring services. However, in multi-language & multi-dialect countries the challenge of collating data locally and disseminating in a translated language of business (usually English) is a daunting task.
Challenge #2: The second large challenge for information logistics is the growing number of media and the media monitoring types, and services
Challenge #3: The Evolution of “Media” Monitoring
The growth of news distribution, news agencieshave changed as well as media tracking technology.
In 2004, multi-language Information Logistics Services/Media Monitoring services in India/China started to gain prominence. With several services having stemmed as offshoots of PR agencies. In India, services like Worldwide News India and Blue Bytes became leaders by offering an accurate & timely service, supported by auto-analysis. In the next phase, the Information Logistics industry has been to automate the tedious reporting and auto-calculation of the AVE (Advertising Value Equivalence) as well.
Starting in 2005 companies like Global News Intelligence began using Java based artificial intelligence to automate the process of coding clipped content for tone and sentiment.This emerging technology is often referred to as media meta analysis. Key technological differentation to clip/cut only services is instant visualization media tone and sentiment without requiring the user to review content. This method, although promising, is far less accurate than human coding.
A provider of television search technology, Houston-based SnapStream Media pioneered a hybrid DVR-search engine in 2007 which has since enabled PR companies, government organizations and broadcast production facilities to independently find mentions via PC, without relying on an outside media monitoring service. For example, the TV search appliance called the SnapStream Server is deployed in the City of Austin and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Buzz, Blogs, Tweets, Social media, and Cloud Tag Monitoring…from about 2007 to current day….well here are some thoughts about the challenges to all the convergence of communications and suggestions to help in your consideration for meeting potential gaps in media analysis:
- Have Knowledge of the Current State of the Media in helping to frame the analysis ( consider using other external sources as well)
- Have a solid knowledge of the Social Media Monitoring/Tracking Tools
ü See a few of these comprehensive lists just for new media monitoring:
- http://takemetoyourleader.com/2009/03/24/free-social-media-monitoring-tools
- http://wiki.kenburbary.com
- Track messages from/to Government agencies & persons are on Twitter as well
- Obtain the Earned Media Value of the your media coverage
- Do cross analysis with past media coverage using other tools and news aggregators
- Track, analyze and report on media in other languages
- Tracking media on Cable Networks
Here is a BIg List of Media Monitor Services and Clipping Sources to choose from. You should not just be using one tool, or service.
Google News Archive – News archive search provides an easy way to search and explore historical archives. In addition to helping you search, News archive search can automatically create timelines which show selected results from relevant time periods.
Omgili – Omgili is a specialized search engine that focuses on “many to many” user generated content platforms, such as, forums, discussion groups, mailing lists, answer boards and others. Omgili finds consumer opinions, debates, discussions, personal experiences, answers etc.
Other News Monitoring Sources:
- AAP NewsCentre – Provides customised information drawn from Australian publications, plus news that affects business and competitors.
- Adz Media Monitoring – Rates, TV storyboards, and media search requests for Canadian and U.S. television, radio and print. A library with more than 175,000 advertisements on file for research and analysis.
- AirCheck News Taping – A full-service broadcast monitor providing national and local news segments and reports.
- Allison’s Press Clipping Service – Professional press clipping service in the U.S.
- Amiplan: Advanced Media Information – A database of events for the next eighteen months, continually updated by a team of journalists and broadly divided into News and Entertainment. Each item is integrated with a press directory, listing essential information, including telephone numbers and email addresses.
- Apollo Performance Research Centre – Monthly analysis of technology news stories from hundreds of sources in the UK. Provides public relations evaluation that measures success of activity, and identifies how companies can boost coverage.
- BBC Monitoring – Includes news, information and comment gathered from the mass media around the world for service subscribers.
- Broadcast Monitors – TV and radio news monitoring and tracking services including video and audio clips and transcripts.
- BulletinNEWS – Offers human-edited analysis of the news and can be provided daily as a concise, customized memo.
- BurrellesLuce – Covers thousands of print, broadcast and web news sources, and provides online access to current media contacts.
- Carma International – Case studies, testimonials, white papers, and customized media research analysis.
- Cision – Describes firm’s history in offering media communications management solutions. Services include media evaluation, PR, media monitoring, and media contacts.
- Competitrack – View samples and register for ready access to information about the advertising activities of competitors. Firm monitors television, newspapers, trade publications, and radio.
- ConfirMedia – Monitors content broadcast on radio and television.
- Critical Mention – Search, track and view critical information from television news broadcasts. Deploys technology that digitizes live broadcast footage, in real-time.
- CustomScoop – An online agency delivering a daily customized clipping service which draws from on-line editions of major wires and daily papers, TV and radio stations, smaller daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, trade journals, and new media publications. It offers a free trial of the service to prospective subscribers.
- CyberAlert – Offers a service range covering internet monitoring of news and weblog sites, plus word-of-mouth consumer discussions at message boards and news groups. Also provides a press clipping and broadcast monitoring.
- Cymfony – Provides tools for market measurement, analysis and reporting. Develops applications such as the InfoXtract engine to sift and interpret consumer-generated feedback and mainstream media.
- Durrants – Service primarily focuses on UK press, internet, broadcast and newswires. Explains delivery options via web, e-mail, or courier.
- Esmerk – Daily scans the media to provide tailored profiles about competitors, trade, mergers, macro-economic statistics, and news deemed important by the client.
- FPinfomart.ca – Contains Canadian news, broadcast and social media monitoring, and business data products. Subscribe or pay-per-view required.
- Florida Newsclips – Provides the electronic version of news clips (as they appeared in Florida publications) delivered to email inbox. Each clip is identified with the publication name, date, circulation and location information.
- Inbox Robot – Search news headlines and receive customized results via email. Choose any topic.
- Indian Media Clearing – Providing customised news and information services in India covering print, broadcast and web.
- Indian Press Clearing – News-clipping agency based at Delhi. Offers coverage of Indian publications, websites and TV channels.
- Infoition – Offers customized media intelligence. Services include morning news summary, breaking news alerts, and foreign language translations. View company profile, history and free sample.
- InformExpress – Subscription details for press clipping service monitoring English and Chinese language newspapers and magazines published in Hong Kong, China and other parts of asia.
- J&A Media Services – Covers market intelligence through electronic news clippings, transcripts, and summaries of activities on broadcast television and radio. Also monitors internet news.
- Keep In Touch – Connecticut-based bureau scanning print, television, radio and online media. Product range includes the Yankee Clipper press clipping service.
- La Fuente – Hispanic media directory and clipping service in print and on the internet, covering the United States and Northern Mexico.
- Lone Buffalo – Providing real-time, monitoring and Specializes in the custom delivery of Web-based news and analysis to Fortune 500 companies.
- Magnolia Clipping Service – Dealing primarily with Mississippi and Alabama publications, this agency also monitors broadcast stations, and internet news. View rates, FAQs, service range, and contact details.
- McCallum Media Monitor (MMM) – Provides Scottish press cuttings to PR industry clients worldwide since 1989. Scotland, UK.
- Media Evaluation Research – Offers client-focused reports to help clients understand the value of their PR achievements. Explains the media evaluation process and what to consider when selecting an agency.
- Media Library – Provides typed verbatim transcripts, edited broadcast news clips, tracking report summaries and tape storage. Monitoring television and radio in the Bi-state and Tri-state areas.
- Media Market – Offers media analysis, marketing and media intelligence in the UK and Ireland. Also provides software where required for in-house searchable archive of a client’s media coverage.
- Media Monitors Australia – Providing customised news and information services in Australia covering both print and broadcast media. Capturing more than 3000 information sources.
- Media Source – A full-service TV news monitoring and digital video production company, offering local broadcast monitoring for 120 US cities and all major national networks.
- MediaMiser – Offering software and consulting to provide media analysis, monitoring, and measurement.
- Mediaskopas – Round-the-clock Baltic service monitoring Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian media.
- Mediastow – Details for a Dubai-based media intelligence consultancy established in 2005. Middle East media analysis of news in print, online and broadcast media.
- Mediatrack – Provides analysis, evaluation, and measurement of international media. Also offers PR activity measurement, campaign evaluation, competitor analysis and media research nationally or globally.
- MedieEYE Middle East – Web-based print media monitoring service covering the in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt.
- Metro Monitor, Inc. – TV News Clipping Service – Metro Monitor professional broadcast news monitoring and news clipping service. Monitoring over 300 stations nationwide.
- Metropolitan Newsclips Service – Specializes in coverage of Missouri’s newspapers, magazines, ethnic press and other media. Also collects clips nationally and internationally.
- National Aircheck – Radio monitoring firm records 2,500 US radio stations 24/7. Offers same day delivery of clips and provides keyword search of news and talk radio.
- Nationwide News Monitors – Television news monitoring service recording and monitoring more than 450 news stations. Provides copies of any news segment as video (VHS and digital delivery), audio, or transcripts.
- Newbase – Provider of media monitoring solutions and media analysis.
- News Knowledge – Offering text and headline news feeds and direct database access with API Web Service. Seven day free trial.
- News Power News Clipping Service – News clipping and media monitoring.
- News Power Online – US-based providing international tracking of television, radio, print and internet content. Offers digital delivery of video and print clips. Service requires password.
- NewsDirect – Contact and product details for this one-stop shop for media, parliamentary and online news monitoring. Based in Edinburgh, offering specialist coverage of the Scottish Parliament.
- NewsGrip – Set a personal news agent to monitor news around the clock, looking for competitors, customers, partner companies, and areas of interest. Norway-based company.
- NewsLIB – Customized news filters on user-specified topics, regularly and automatically collated then archived.
- NewsNow Business Services – Online media monitoring service that finds specific news from thousands of sites. Scans more than 15 languages in 84 countries.
- Newz Group – Clipping service that provides coverage of daily and weekly newspapers in several US states – Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
- Noticias Peru – Press Clipping and Media Monitoring in Peru. Newspapers, Magazines, Radio, TV and Internet tracking searching for news in any topic.
- OpinionSource – Delivers email summaries and links to major opinion editorial from around the world.
- Ornico Media – Tracking brand and news exposure in South Africa. Newsletter and spot checks helps advertising and public relation agencies access meaningful data about media campaigns.
- PLCom News Services – Customized media monitoring and analysis, automated news feeds, and newspaper and TV news abstracts delivered on the web with encryption security.
- PR InSite – Agency providing integrated suite of public relations tools, including eNewsRooms and Realtime news clipping.
- PR Newswire – eWatch – Media monitoring service provides clips from numbers of print publications, web sites, investor message boards, newsgroups and online service forums.
- Panarc International – Offering a range of research and media consultancy services. Explains its analysis of the reach and effect of media coverage on target audiences for governments and commercial organisations.
- Paperclip Partnership – PR support service providing press cuttings evaluation and presentation to PR companies and corporate in-house departments.
- Parallel54 – Research services including monitoring of newsgroups, media sites and other publicly accessible online content.
- Postech – Profiles a firm that specializes in niche market products for data acquisition. Its CCapture product is a closed caption decoder that automatically provides transcripts from 4 channels of off-air, cable or satellite received video.
- Precise Media Monitoring – High-speed media monitor provides hard copy and electronic content from UK, international and online media as well as breaking news sources. Includes media list, company and service details. UK.
- Press Information ( Scotland) Ltd – Scottish business providing a press clipping service since 1962 offering daily or weekly packages.
- Press Monitor – Offering a time-critical service to businesses and government groups in Delhi. Hand-delivers hardcopy clippings by 8am. View client, subject and publication lists. Softcopy and CD-ROM versions also available.
- PressLounge – Offers daily clipping service of online media in English, German, Italian, French and Spanish. Also assists in press release distribution to media.
- Quickscan – Software company that provides database software and technical support to professional news monitoring companies.
- RGV Media Monitoring – Details about an independent company monitoring the TV news for the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. See client list and coverage.
- Replay News – Contact details for broadcast news clipping service recording all news broadcasts in Toledo, Ohio. Lists station and formats covered.
- SA Press Cuttings – Press cuttings and online monitoring of South African media.
- SimpleClip – Media monitoring brokerage service aimed primarily at the UK market. Register to put researchers in touch with media monitor companies. A part of the PR Press Network.
- Smart Brief – Providing free, e-mail based news summaries and other content for industry associations, professional organizations, advocacy groups and their constituents.
- Squared Monitoring – Digitally capturing television commercials, press advertisements, internet advertising and radio advertising in India, along with press news. Uses a database to cross-index them.
- Superior Press Clipping Service – Clipping service for daily and weekly newspapers in Montana, USA. Provides listing of services and rates as well as areas of coverage.
- TVEyes – With the slogan “always watching”, this company provides an automated broadcast information retrieval service for radio and TV, together with instant content alerts and media access.
- Taha Press – Privately-owned media outlet, which aims at broadcasting political, social and cultural news in Persian/Farsi, with specific focus on Iran.
- Teleclip – A video news monitoring service located in Austin, TX.
- The Agency Source – New Delhi, India based agency providing competitive information services to advertising and marketing industries under the TV Ad Indx, Press Indx, News Indx, Radio Indx and Bank brands.
- Thomson Intermedia – Offering online systems for gathering industry intelligence through media monitoring. Verifies advertising placement, evaluates marketing campaign effectiveness, and offers news clipping services.
- TracerLock – Monitors significant news sites and e-mails an alert within as little as 15 minutes of the publication of new articles that match preselected search terms.
- TrackNews – Holds archive of television news materials from 1/1/2000. Offers digital video via email, DVD mastering, and automated media reports.
- Transcripts Express – Monitoring and transcription of Irish radio and television broadcasts. Same day turnaround and competitive pricing.
- TriggerNews – Provides real-time alerts for news articles that match user-defined keywords.
- Universal Information Services – Offers North America news monitoring and media analysis, press clipping, plus the monitoring of TV, radio and the Internet.
- Utah News Clips – Professional TV news clipping service serving the Salt Lake City, Utah area. Order form, pricing, and contact information.
- Video Monitoring Services – A broadcast information retrieval service
- Vocus Media Monitoring Service – News On Demand provides real time news and media monitoring for measuring public relations campaigns.
- WPS Russian Media Monitoring Agency – Monitoring of Russian electronic media, Russian newspaper clipping service
- Web-Observer – Software enabling monitoring of electronic mass media and other information from Internet sources.
- WebClipping.com – Founded in August 1998 and providing clients with news, information, and rumors from every key online source that impacts their business.
- Webnewsmonitor – Scans online news sites in multiple languages in Europe and USA. Real-time keyword search available for a monthly fee. Instant demo and free trial offered.
- WireClip – Search engine drawing on press release newswires – ClickPress, USPRwire, and UKPRwire.
- WiseBrief – Contact details, FAQ, and list of services offered by firm that monitors and analyzes stories daily from Korean-language newspapers, magazines, newswire, broadcast, and Web sources. Provides customized English-language abstracts and intelligence reports.
- World News Connection – Supplies daily news from countries around the world. Offers coverage of local media sources specific to a country, region, or city.
- Xtreme Information – Offering competitive advertising and editorial monitoring intelligence, this team of international editors and translators provide English abstracts of foreign titles.
- Zenark – Offers reports on web intelligence by monitoring key online news sources for the UK and Ireland.
- dna 13 – Provides companies with public relations and communications software. Key features include integrated media monitoring, management and measurement tools. Has created integrated system for monitoring broadcast television (in real-time), print, Internet news and Weblogs in one Web application. 102.Cloud Tag Analytics- Some may say “hey, just filter your Google Analytics reports using a /tag/ filter and you’ll pretty much find out the usage”. Right, but wrong. You see, the actual tag cloud is not the only place from which people might land on the tag archive pages. There may be posts linking to certain tag archives, there may be lists of tags underneath each post (like on my blog), or even Google can land somebody on your tag archives. This means that in order to view the accurate results of your tag cloud usage, you’ll have to do something better than that.
What do you think the solution is with all of this available and media being so dispursed?
Got QR? Better Yet, GOT Q_PR?
What's Does It Say?
But it doesn’t stop there – a QR Code can also contain a phone number, an SMS message, V-Card data or just plain alphanumeric text, and the scanning device will respond by opening up the correct application to handle the encoded data appropriately courtesy of the FNC1 Application Identifiers that are embedded in the encoded data.
The technical specifications for a QR Code are set down in the ISO-18004 standard so they are the same all over the world, and the only signifcant variations from one QR code to another (apart from the data it contains) is the number of modules required to store the data. A Version 1 QR Code is a 21×21 array of data elements with the array increasing in size by 4 modules for each increase in version number. The largest standard QR Code is a Version 40 symbol that 177×177 modules in size and can hold up 4296 characters of alphanumeric data (theoretically) compared to 25 characters for a Version 1 QR Code.
While there is still a lot of room for improvement, the resolution of average present-day cell phone camera other camera enabled portable devices is such that the size of the data modules (dots) on a QR Code of Version 5 or above (37×37) presents a real risk of incorrect decoding of the symbol by the device. When creating a QR Code intended for use with mobile phones it’s best to stick to Version 4 or lower, and a QR Code symbol of at least 2cm (0.85inches) across.
More Information. For more information about QR Codes, try these sites:
- Create Your own QR Code here to test Drive it
- Denso-Wave – They invented the things in the first place!!
- QRMe – Home base for everything you need to know about QR Codes
- Wikipedia – QR Codes
And a few videos to explain QR Codes…
How many bookmarking & sharing sites?
Current List of Bookmarking/Sharing Sites
I am wondering how many bookmarking and sharing sites there are these days? Do they work in the work place in some way that would be ueful? There seems to be an explosion of these social tagging bookmarking sites, and they are growing daily.
More importantly, I’d like to know just how many do you actually need to use? How many??? Really, many can one logically use and keep up with? below is a list to scan through to broaden your reach, and broaden your horizons.
Social bookmarking is a method for Internet users to organize, store, manage and search for bookmarks of resources online. Unlike file sharing, the resources themselves aren’t shared, merely bookmarks that reference them. Descriptions may be added to these bookmarks in the form of metadata, so users may understand the content of the resource without first needing to download it for themselves. Such descriptions may be free text comments, votes in favour of or against its quality, or tags that collectively or collaboratively become a folksonomy. Folksonomy is also called social tagging, “the process by which many users add metadata in the form of keywords to shared content”.
One that has my attention is Knowledge Plaza which launched in 2009. Knowledge Plaza, also referred to as KP, is an Enterprise 2.0 and knowledge management tool which provides a balance between social bookmarking, document management, wikis and an internal social network. It was initially designed as an information management tool for knowledge workers and is often used for collaborative research projects, market intelligence, information brokerage, etc. Knowledge Plaza is used as the reference tool for the “Social KM” as part of their Enterprise Social Software landscape in USEO’s analysis of the market. Their analysis concludes that Knowledge Plaza strikes a balance between a traditional Document management system and more community-orientated environments such as Jive SBS. This sort of thing would be great, if it was used for non-profits who wanted to collaborate together in pulling best practices, materials, and resources.
Below is a list of the social bookmarking and sharing sites that I know about. Do you know of others? Let me know and I will add it to the list.
netShoutout
100zakladok
2 Tag
2linkme
7Live7.com
A1‑Webmarks
A97abi
Add.io
Adfty
Adifni
Aero
All My Faves
Amazon
Amen Me!
AnonTalk
AOL Mail
Armenix
Arto
Aviary Capture
Baang
Baidu
Bebo
Bentio
BiggerPockets
Bit.ly
BizSugar
Bleetbox
Blinklist
Blip
Blogger
Bloggy
Blogmarks
Blogtrottr
Blurpalicious
Boardlite
Bobrdobr
BonzoBox
Bookmarked
BookmarkingNet
Bookmarky.cz
Bookmerken
Bordom
Box.net
Brainify
Bryderi.se
BuddyMarks
Buzzzy
Camyoo
Care2
Chiq
Cirip
CiteULike
ClassicalPlace
Clickazoo
clp.ly
Cndig
Colivia.de
Communicate
Connotea
cOOtopia
COSMiQ
Delicious
DesignBump
Designmoo
DigaCultura
Digg
Diggita
Diglog
Digo
DigThisHost
Digzign
Diigo
Dipdive
DoMelhor
Dosti
DotNetKicks
DotShare
Douban
Draugiem.lv
Drimio
Dropjack
Dwellicious
Dzone
Edelight
EFactor
eKudos
elefanta.pl
Email App
Embarkons
euCliquei
Evernote
extraplay
EzySpot
Fabulously40
Fark
Farkinda
Fashiolista
Fashion BURNER
FAVable
Faves
favlog
Favoriten
Favorites
Favoritus
Flaker
Floss.pro
Folkd
FollowTags
forceindya
Formspring.me
FreeDictionary
Fresqui
FriendFeed
Friendster
funP
fwisp
Gabbr
Gacetilla
Gamekicker
GiveALink
GlobalGrind
Gmail
Good Noows
Google Buzz
Google Reader
Gravee
GreaterDebater
Grono.net
Grumper
Haber.gen.tr
Hacker News
Hadash Hot
Hatena
Hazarkor
Healthimize
Hedgehogs
HelloTxt
Hipstr
historious
Hitmarks
Hot Bookmark
Hotklix
Hotmail
HTML Validator
Hyves
ideaREF!
Identi.ca
ihavegot
Index4
Indexor
Informazione
Instapaper
InvestorLinks
iOrbix
iSociety
iWiW
Jamespot
Jisko
JoliPrint
Jumptags
Kaboodle
Kaevur
Kipup
KiRTSY
Kledy
Kommenting
La tafanera
Laaikit
Ladenzeile
Librerio
Lifestream
Link Ninja
Link-a-Gogo
Links Gutter
LinkShares
Linkuj.cz
Livefavoris
LiveJournal
LockerBlogger
Logger24
Lynki
Mail.ru
Markme
Mashbord
Mawindo
Meccho
meinVZ
Mekusharim
Memori.ru
Menéame
Messenger
Mindbodygreen
Mister Wong
Mixx
Moemesto.ru
mototagz
mRcNEtwORK
Multiply
myAOL
Mylinkvault
Myspace
N4G
NetLog
Netvibes
Netvouz
NewsMeBack
NewsTrust
Newsvine
Nujij
OKNOtizie
Oneview
OnGoBee
Orkut
Osmosus
Oyyla
Packg
Pafnet
PDF Online
PDFmyURL
PhoneFavs
PimpThisBlog
Ping.fm
Planypus
Plaxo
Plurk
Pochval
PopEdition
Posteezy
Posterous
Prati.ba
PrintFriendly
Pusha
QRF.in
Quantcast
Qzone
Read It Later
Rediff MyPage
RedKum
RideFix
Scoop.at
Segnalo
Sekoman
Select2Gether
Shaveh
She Told Me
ShirIntarIn
Simpy
Sina Weibo
Slashdot
SMI
SodaHead
Sonico
Speedtile
Sphinn
SpinSnap
Spoken To You
sportpost
springpad
Spruzer
Squidoo
Startaid
Startlap
StoryFollower
studiVZ
Stuffpit
StumbleUpon
Stumpedia
Stylehive
Surfpeople
Svejo
Symbaloo
TaazaShare
TagMarks.de
Tagvn
Tagza
Tarpipe
TellMyPolitician
The Web Blend
Thinkfinity
ThisNext
Throwpile
Tip’d
TopSiteler
Transferr
Translate
Tulinq
Tumblr
Tusul
Tvinx
TweetMeme
TwitThis
Typepad
Upnews.it
Urlaubswerk
Viadeo
Virb
VisitezMonSite
VKontakte
VybraliSME
Vyoom
Webnews
Whois Lookup
Windy Citizen
WireFan
WordPress
Worio
Wykop
Xanga
Y! Bookmarks
Y! Buzz
Y! Mail
Yammer
Yardbarker
Yemle
Yigg
Yiid
Yoolink
Yorumcuyum
Youblr
Youbookmarks
YouMob
Yuuby
Zakladok.net
Zanatic
ZicZac
ZooLoo
How Teens are Communicating Today
I have a nine month old grandson, who is at that stage where he babbles, giggles and appears to know what he is saying, but does not speak yet. He is utterly adorable to watch as he trys to learn to mouth sounds.
My four year old grandson on the other hand, is a chatter box. He will soon be of school age.
Both are as we call them today digital natives. The four year old already calls me to talk on the cell phone, as he knows my speed dial number. He likes calling his Nanna. He can’t even read or write yet. But, he uses a cell phone already.
Teens, well that is an altogether differnt story. Mine, they are now young adults and they actually want talk to me now instead of just hanging out with their teen friends like they used to do.
My own children did not initially grow up with all this social media or cell phones. The phone hung on a wall in the kitchen and they did have to learn how to write handwritten letters to people. Times have changed.
But, now with all the social nessnessness of ever changing enabling technologies out there, it’s getting pretty evident that you just can’t hang out “everywhere” on the Internet. There are just way too many sites to keep up.
To reach out and to educate or inform people about important issues is getting tough as well. Which site do you go to and where for the best and most correct information? It is indeed a slippery slope.
Case in point #1: Whose reading newspapers? Predominantly, it is not teens, but, if they were how in the heck would they be able to sift through the slippery slop of different presentations with all the slanted information and figure what is the most correct information? How would you help youth sort out all that information, and let’s say do a social studies report on it??? How would you communicate important news to children at their level in newspapers? TV news hours?
Case in point #2: There are so many channels. Which channels are you on? Which Channels are youth using? ”Everyone’s on Foursquare, and everyone’s on this and everyone’s on that,” says Xianhang Zhang, a researcher with “social design” firm Bumblebee Labs, which studies innovation and social mores. “A lot of time they don’t even know why,” he confides. “They just feel like they should be.” He’s also hearing a lot about Quora.com now, a Wikipedia-like network based on user-generated questions and answers. Quora and Hunch.com — which recommends sites based on what you already like — might be the next destinations the tech-savvy feel compelled to add to their personal browsing itineraries.
But, if you want to do outreach say to reach a significant number of youth across America, then studying how they communicate today is vital. PEW has some great studies and insights, btw.
And, you won’t reach most of youth if you are simpling creating informational sheets, a web page loaded with scads and scads of files or documents to try to find or sift through, doing print ads in newspapers, radio PSAs, Twitter, or Blog campaigns. Wrong Mediums and Channels altogether. Surprised?
Well, it’s not surprising that daily text messaging among American teens has shot up. Way UP! For example, over the course of 18 months, from February of 2008 to September 2009 they numbers rose from 38% to 54% of teens texting daily. It is now November 2010 and I bet that number is even higher.
And it’s not just frequency – teens are sending enormous quantities of text messages a day (1,500 to 3,500 messages a month).
Get this, half of teens send 50 or more text messages each day, or 1,500 texts a month, and one in three send more than 100 texts a day, or more than 3,000 texts a month. Older teen girls ages 14-17 lead the charge on text messaging, averaging 100 messages a day for the entire cohort.
Hmmm, no surprise here, that the youngest of teen boys are the most resistant to texting – only averaging 20 messages per day.
If you want to build tools and reach youth, then I might suggest strategically developing a viral MMS campaign or SMS campaign. I have previously posted about which companies are doing this sort of work.
Here’s why.
Text messaging has become the primary way that teens reach their friends, surpassing face-to-face contact, email, instant messaging and voice calling as the go-to daily communication tool for this age group. However, voice calling is still the preferred mode for reaching parents for most teens.
So the next question is just screaming to be asked….if so much communication is being done via the cell phone and text messaging by teens, then can we reach youth by emphasizing more interactive MMS design thinking, MMS games and mobile education simulations, user experience designs, mobile social media marketing and outreach, 3D and virtual environments, and related disciplines?
Are there others who are out there wanting collaborative teams for the development of important solutions for youth, and youth design-based solutions all the way up to solving bigger problems?
Here are some other links on recent research about How Youth / Teens are communicating.
1) Cell Phone Use and Teens: PPT Slides http://slidesha.re/dvH1iJ, Article http://bit.ly/aCtxUn
2) Social Media & Young Adults: http://bit.ly/b022ZP
3) Teen and Mobile Phones: http://bit.ly/daj263
4) Latino Youth: http://bit.ly/b4yWC7
5) 100 Best Apps for Learning: http://bit.ly/9n4ksh
A website to view website audience demographics ://www.quantcast.com
More About the Parent-Teen Cell Phone Survey
This study is based on the 2009 Parent-Teen Cell Phone Survey which obtained telephone interviews with a nationally representative sample of 800 teens age 12-to-17 years-old and their parents living in the continental United States and on 9 focus groups conducted in 4 U.S. cities in June and October 2009 with teens between the ages of 12 and 18.
The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. The interviews were done in English by Princeton Data Source, LLC from June 26 to September 24, 2009.
