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Why Do We Care About Celebrities Like Kim Kardashian

April 24th, 2013

Well, it’s been a while since I posted anything on this blog. Frankly I just haven’t had much of anything I wanted to talk about lately that I felt would be worth sharing, but right now I just don’t care. I have to say something about Hollywood celebrity reporting and our obsession with knowing day to day activities of those the media consider news worthy. Namely, I am sick and tired of hearing about every minute detail of Kim Kardashian’s life.

Yes I admit, I watch TMZ, I watch Dish Nation and I check out other websites that focus on celebrity gossip from time to time, but I don’t let it run my life like so many others do.

Seriously, why do we care about her weight gain while shes pregnant? Why do we care about her failed (fake) marriage? Why do we care about her relationship with Kanye West? Why do we spend so much money and time wanting to learn more about the Kardashian clan who wouldn’t spend 1 second talking to you if you saw them on the street?

If people would spend as much time and effort focusing on their own personal relationships that they do on her’s then I’m pretty sure there would be a lot more happy relationships in this country.

 

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How One Drunk Man Changed the Global Oil Price

September 24th, 2012

And you though you have done some stupid things while drunk!

In a nutshell, a former British broker for PVM Oil Futures named Steve Perkins bought 7 million barrels of crude oil while in the midst of a late night drunken stupor which resulted in driving the global price of oil to an 8 month high! You can read the full article here.

This just goes to show how dangerous and volatile the worlds dependency on crude oil has become.  With the mistake of drinking one too many drinks and a couple keystrokes on a laptop, one man single handedly changed the economy over night.

The question that needs to be asked is how was this even possible? What system of checks and balances are missing that didn’t throw up some red flags to prevent these type of situations from happening?

If this happened before, is it possible that it can happen again? These are the things we need to worry about and why we need to find a way to be less dependent on crude oil and find cheaper alternative methods for fuel and energy.

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40 Updates to Google Search in February 2012

February 27th, 2012

It looks like Google has been pretty busy with updates this this month. In addition to their announcement of a Panda 3.3 update, they have implemented 40 additional changes to their search algorithm.

Some of the more interesting ones would be:

  • Panda update. This launch refreshes data in the Panda system, making it more accurate and more sensitive to recent changes on the web.
  • Link evaluation. We often use characteristics of links to help us figure out the topic of a linked page. We have changed the way in which we evaluate links; in particular, we are turning off a method of link analysis that we used for several years. We often rearchitect or turn off parts of our scoring in order to keep our system maintainable, clean and understandable.
  • Improved local results. We launched a new system to find results from a user’s city more reliably. Now we’re better able to detect when both queries and documents are local to the user.
  • “Site:” query update [launch codename “Semicolon”, project codename “Dice”] This change improves the ranking for queries using the “site:” operator by increasing the diversity of results.
  • More accurate detection of official pages. [launch codename “WRE”] We’ve made an adjustment to how we detect official pages to make more accurate identifications. The result is that many pages that were previously misidentified as official will no longer be.

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Is Facebook Testing a New Photo Display Again?

February 7th, 2012

While surfing through my Facebook News Feed a few moments ago, a friend posted an image that caught my eye. I click on the picture expecting to see the usual top down photo display layout with the image up top and all comments listed below.

To my surprise I see a possible new photo display layout being tested by Facebook. A more left to right design with the image to the left and the comments scrolling on the right. I tested this out on a couple other photos in my Facebook News Feed and had the same results which leads me to believe this is either a slow release into the wild, a selected test or one of the typical “accidental releases” that Facebook has had in the past.

Below are two screen shots I was able to grab. The faces and names have been blacked out for obvious reasons.

Facebook Photo Display Test 1 Facebook Photo Display Test 2

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The Secret Mattress Stores Don’t Want You To Know

February 6th, 2012

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Mattress stores across the country have been lying to us for years. We’ve all heard the commercial, “we’ll beat anyone’s price or your mattress is freeeeee”.

As annoying as that commercial is, it’s about to get a little bit more annoying after I let you in on a little dirty secret that retail mattress stores don’t want you to know. Your mattress will never be free.

Yes I can hear you now, you’re sitting there saying “but the commercial has been saying for years they will give you your mattress for free if you find the same mattress cheaper somewhere else.

Well let me tell you, I’ve worked in the mattress industry as well as Internet Marketing and as is too often the case its all in the fine print.

Why Your Mattress Will Never be Free

Although all mattress stores sell the same style of mattress, even from the same manufacturer like Simmons, or Sealy; none of the mattresses that you will find will have the same model name. And that is the fine print, that my friends is where they get you.

You see, all brand name mattress companies like Sealy, Simmons, Serta, Stearns & Foster and so on all offer their mattresses to competing retail mattress stores and discount mattress stores. But to make it fair and for the stores to be able to exist in a competitive market they are all given names specifically for that mattress store chain.

For example the same queen size mattress from Sealy might be sold to three different stores but store one will call it “sleepytime”, the next will call it “dreamtime” and the third would call it “sleepeasy”.

All these mattresses are the same, same spring count, same memory foam thickness, same construction, just the name is different.

But because each name is different, then technically they are not the same mattress. Since they are not the same mattress, then no other mattress store will be able to beat the other stores prices. And that is where they get you.

So what are you supposed to do?

When it comes to finding the best deal on mattresses, don’t listen to the commercials. Visit different stores, including discount mattress stores and test out the beds.

Lay on them for at least 15 min and see which feels most comfortable to you. Then speak with the salesman and ask about the construction of the mattress. What type of spring system is in it and the thickness of the memory foam or latex that is used. Then go to other mattress stores and look for the equivalent and compare prices.

You won’t be able to find the same mattress name but you will be able to find the same mattress and hopefully find the best price around.

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Stop SOPA Now! Stop Internet Censorship!

December 14th, 2011

Tomorrow, Thursday December 15th,  the US government will vote to have the power to censor and block any website they chose and control the internet as we know it!

SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) would not only hurt free speech, it will give the US Government power to censor the web using techniques similar to those used by China, Malaysia and Iran. Please contact your representative and express your disapproval of this bill and let Congress know that you oppose internet censorship.

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What is Occupy Wall Street About?

October 6th, 2011

For those who have not heard yet, there is a mass protest currently going on in New York which is known as Occupy Wall Street. The media has chosen to mostly not report on this protest, most likely because the protest is against the Banks, Big Business and Owners of the media and those who secretly run the country.

Those mass media representatives who have decided to talk about it like to paint the picture that Occupy Wall Street protesters are a bunch of uneducated, druggies, hippies, or trouble makers who have nothing better to do. The fact that multiple Occupy Protests have started appearing across the country such as Occupy Los Angeles and thanks to YouTube videos from the protest, the media now has no choice but to acknowledge what is truly happening.

What is the purpose of Occupy Wall Street

Now that the media is paying attention, the General Assembly known as Occupy Wall Street has released a statement stating what they are about and what they stand for. This is not a list of demands but a list of problems they see that need to be addressed. Problems that every American is subjected to and should be made aware of.

“As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice we must not lose sight of what brought us together. We write so that all people who feel wronged by the corporate forces of the world can know that we are your allies. As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members. That our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors. That a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people, and the Earth, and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power.

We come to you at a time when corporations — which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality — run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here as is our right to let these facts be known.

They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.

They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give executives exorbitant bonuses.

They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in workplaces based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.

They have profited off the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless animals, and actively hide these practices.

They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions.

They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is, itself, a human right.

They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut worker’s health care and pay.

They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people with none of the culpability or responsibility.

They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams, but look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance.

They have sold our privacy as a commodity.

They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press.

They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products, endangering lives in pursuit of profit.

They determine economic policy despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce.

They have donated large sums of money to politicians, who are responsible for regulating them.

They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.

They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people’s lives, or provide relief in order to protect investments that have

already turned a substantial profit.

They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.

They purposefully kept people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media.

They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners, even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.

They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad.

They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas.

They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts.

To the people of the world,

We, the New York City general assembly occupying Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert your power.

Exercise your right to peaceably assemble, occupy public space, create a process to address the problems we face, and generate solutions accessible to everyone.

To all communities that take action and form groups in the spirit of direct democracy, we offer support, documentation, and all of the resources at our disposal.

Join us and make your voices heard.”

I encourage all of you to learn more and visit Occupy Wall Street and see for your self, educate yourself and take a stand for our future.

For more information visit www. OccupyWallStreet.org, on Facebook and on Twitter.

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How to fix your Facebook News Feed

September 21st, 2011

For many of you logging into your Facebook account today, you’ll notice quite a different layout for your Facebook News Feed.

Facebook, in all their “wisdom” has decided to change the layout of how you are delivered status updates from your friends. In essence, removing your choice as to what you want to see and only showing what Facebook feels is most important based on a popularity contest of which status updates receive the most comments or likes.

Instead of boring you with the details of the Facebook News Feed change ,  I’ll share with you a hint on how to change your Facebook News Feed back to the way it was.

How to fix your News Feed in 3 simple steps

  • Create a New Smart List: using the smart list feature on the left side of your Facebook page, create a new list. Call it anything you want, I called mine Most Recent.
  • Add all of your friends to that new list: here you can add everyone that you want to see updates from. If you add them all then you will see everyone’s updates. This may suck for people with a few hundred friends but you can edit them later.
  • Now when you want to visit Facebook, just click on your new smart list and you will see ever status update back as it was in chronological order, before Facebook changed everything.

As of now this little hack works. Please leave a comment below or find me on Google+ or Facebook and let me know if anyone else has found any other way or if this fails to work for you.

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SEO and Internet Marketing is NOT the same as Internet Sales

March 6th, 2011

Time and time again, I keep hearing and seeing the terms SEO, Internet Marketing and Internet Sales being used in place of each other as if they were the same thing. Let’s get one thing straight right now, Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing are NOT the same as sales!

This is an assumption usually made by people who either do not understand the Search Engine Optimization / Internet Marketing industry or by salesmen who are just trying to capitalize on the internet marketing phrase to pull one over on an unsuspecting client and to boost their own marketability.

Whats the Difference between Sales and Internet Marketers?

So maybe you aren’t sure what the difference is between Search Engine Optimization / Internet Marketing and Internet Sales.

Let’s put it in simple terms. Say you go to a car dealership to have some repairs or regular maintenance done on your car. Would you rely on a car salesman to do the work or would you require that a trained mechanic do the work for you? Just because a salesman works there and can sell you a fancy car doesn’t mean that he is qualified, has the specific technical training and experience to actually work on your car like a mechanic would.

Shady salesmen have given SEO’s and internet marketers a bad name for too long. Anyone can go to Barnes and Noble, pick up a $10 book or read a couple websites and then claim to be a search engine professional. A salesman is just that, a salesman. His job is to find new clients, make a sale, bring in the money and sometimes act as the liaison between the client and the internet marketing department.

The search engine optimization and internet marketer’s job is to find out what the client is trying to accomplish and make sure the goals are met. This is done through extensive keyword research, on site website optimization, content creation, market research, studying analytical data, cross linking, inbound link creation, local optimization, social networking, extensive testing and reporting to the client along with many other things.

The internet marketer has to know what type of on site changes will hurt the client or will benefit them. They have to keep up to date with search engine trends and algorithm changes that will affect their rankings. They have to know what their competition is up to to stay competitive with them. They have to know the difference between white hat and black hat techniques. They have to be able to learn their clients industry, know what terms people are actually searching on and what is the best way to get those people to the clients website and convert them from curious shoppers to loyal customers.

As you can see there are many different factors involved when it comes to internet marketing that the average internet salesman has no knowledge of or experience with. Be sure to ask who your internet marketer is and if there is a way to contact them if you have any questions. A reputable salesman, when confronted with specific questions that they do not know, should have no problem saying they do not know the answer but will pass it along to their search engine optimization and internet marketing team to be sure to get you the correct answer.

When it comes to internet marketing; just the same as it is with your car repairs, always leave it to the professionals.

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So did your site take a hit with Google’s Farmer/Panda Update

March 5th, 2011

The other week, February 24th, 2011 to be exact, Google released its newest search algorithm update. Most commonly refereed to as the “Farmer Update” by Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Land, Panda (as it is known internally) has affected about 12% of all searches made on Google.

With such a large percentage of sites being affected its safe to say that webmasters, SEO’s and business owners around the country have feverishly been staring at their site analytic’s and trying to figure out what they can do to regain any positions they have lost.

Do Not Panic

Well first off DO NOT PANIC! The worst thing that you could do as a business owner is to over react to something that you don’t have a solid understanding of yet.  This change isn’t even 2 weeks old yet so the results are still filtering in. This is the perfect time to just sit back and watch and learn and ask yourself these following questions:

  • did my site take a hit?
  • if so which pages fell and which didn’t?
  • is there something that stands out on those pages that dropped that is different from the pages that didn’t?
  • did my competitors take a hit?
  • is there any correlation between my site and my competitors as to drops or raises in search results?

Asking yourself these questions and taking time to actually study your data will help to ensure that you are able to make any changes that need to be made and not cause more harm to your site.

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