Archives: June 01, 2006

Space is the breath of art

Monday, 26 June 2006 11:39 AM

I set up a profile on MySpace. I don't plan to use it much: I already get email announcements from bands and musicians I like, and I'm not looking to meet anyone. But I find the online social networking phenomenon fascinating, and I might want to steal some of the better ideas for a project of my own.

I posted on the Big Big Design blog about it: "MySpace, the final frontier." I covered reasons for thinking about MySpace, how I customized the look of my profile page, and how serious businesses can make use of the site to connect with customers. So I won't repeat all that here.

Instead, a tiny plea: If you are on MySpace (or if you choose to sign up after reading about it), could you add me as a friend? Right now I have just 9 friends, and I look so lame.

(FYI: Title quotation comes from Frank Lloyd Wright)

The long-awaited Pittsburgh BlogIN

Thursday, 22 June 2006 10:27 PM

Calling all bloggers and wannabe bloggers: As a complement/counterpoint to our much-beloved Pittsburgh BlogFests, we're starting a new type of event -- one where instead of standing around talking about blogging, we get right down and do it.

WHAT: The First Ever Pittsburgh BlogIN
WHEN: Sunday, July 2, 1pm - 5pm
WHERE: The Carnegie Library, Squirrel Hill Branch -- Meeting Rooms A&B
WHO: Bloggers and anyone interested in starting a blog
AND: Pittsburgh Bloggers
HOW MUCH: FREE!

WHAT THIS IS: An ultra-informal blogger get-together, wherein each person can write new blog posts, redesign blog format, set up extensions/blog-ins/fancy features, and generally revel in blogging with like-minded individuals.

For experienced bloggers, it's a chance to finally get around to all the maintenance you've put off for another day -- stuff like setting up comment-spam blockers, tag clouds, Flickr add-ins, and more. And it's an opportunity to talk nitty-gritty details with other bloggers -- is MoveableType better than WordPress or vice versa, how to get more traffic, how to put ads on your blog -- plus you can get fellow bloggers to help you with tricky, techie stuff.

For anyone thinking about starting a blog, it's an opportunity to get step-by-step guidance in creating a new free blog, setting up a profile and blogroll, and writing your first posts.

YOU MUST BRING: a wireless enabled laptop with sufficient batteries and/or power cables, plus any snacks or beverages you'll need to fortify yourself for hours of serious blogging, blog setup, and blog maintenance.

BONUS FOR WANNABE BLOGGERS: At 1:30 I will lead a hands-on session in one corner of the room on how to set up a free blog on WordPress.com. We'll walk through all the steps, from starting an account through to writing your first post and linking to other blogs and websites.

If you plan to attend, send an email to blogin @ closkey.com -- but if you forget to RSVP, you can still join us any time on July 2!

We plan to hold similar events every three months or so. If you can't come on July 2, send your contact info to let us know that you're interested in future events.

Miracle at the Hard Rock Cafe

Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:43 PM

The most amazing thing happened to me this evening.

I attended a business event in Pittsburgh, at the Hard Rock Cafe in Station Square. It was a networking happy hour, hosted by the local chapter of the American Marketing Association and sponsored by Yuengling. (All the beer was lagers and black-and-tans. Why no ale? That was the only down part of the event.) One hour of people standing around, chatting and exchanging business cards, followed by an hour of selected people speaking to the group, making lame jokes and using terms like "power brand."

So there I was, surrounded by Pittsburghers, all of us searching for anything funny or interesting or even dull to say.

And not once during the entire two hours did anyone mention Ben Rothlisberger or motorcycle helmets.

It was glorious, talking about anything other than The Accident. I could have cheered in joy.

Pittsburgh marketing professionals, my hat's off to you. (Ba-dum bum!)

Bug Ben

Monday, 12 June 2006 09:02 PM

The highly stylish item you see to the left is my own personal motorcycle helmet. Pretty, ain't it?

I can't think of any reason not to wear a helmet while riding. A helmet is most useful when traveling at the slower speeds required on city streets: On a highway you're riding fast enough that if you wreck, you're going to be lucky to come out alive at all after impact, but at a lower speed you most need to be concerned with simple concussions, broken bones, fractured skulls and broken noses. Just as an example.

I don't want to hear any arguments about impaired visibility -- without a helmet you spend your time squinting due to bugs, dust, and air flow. And unless you've rigged the helmet with headphones for your iPod you can hear just fine.

The only thing sexier than a shiny glorious full-face helmet is the intelligent (and well-protected) brain inside of it.

How much is that doggie in the window? He's FREE!

Monday, 12 June 2006 04:34 PM

A brief public service announcement: Sweet dog available to good home. Details below are from an email -- please leave a comment if you'd like more info or to contact the dog's foster home.

Date: 6/12/2006 8:48:41 AM
Subject: Wonderful 5 yr. male black lab needs home

Tyler is a wonderful 5-year-old neutered male black lab with a sad story. He was given as a puppy to a senior-aged woman who had lost her husband, oldest son, and elderly dog and was having difficulty coping with her grief. He became her devoted and much-loved best friend. For the past three years he and his owner had lived with her youngest son and his family of four children, now ages 10, 12, 13 & 15. Very sadly, his owner just died, and even more sadly, her son, who would be the natural "next home", cannot keep him because his wife died of cancer just two months ago, and he is overwhelmed.

Tyler is currently being fostered (north of Pittsburgh, near Zelienople) by a family friend and is bewildered by the changes in his life. He was very attached to his owner and is missing her, but will be able to bond again - he's trying to bond with his foster mom's mother-in-law, but the foster family already has three dogs, one of whom does not like Tyler.

He loves people, is good with kids, was gentle best friend to a 70-something grandmother, is completely housebroken, was trained to an electric fence (but hasn't had one for the past three years), rides well in the car, and is a sweetie. He has never been walked much, though, so will need to learn to walk well on a leash if walks are in his future.

His foster mom will try to locate his veterinary history records - he's seen a vet regularly throughout his life and is in good health.

He would make a good family dog, but he was devoted to his owner, and when living in her son's busy household he spent most of his time with "his lady." He is likely to bond most strongly with the female head-of-house in his new family. He's doing ok with the foster family's two female dogs, but he's a people-dog more than a dog-dog, and his foster mom thinks he would do best as an only dog, where he can soak up all the love for himself (that's not a definite, though). He needs to go to a person, couple or family who can promise to be a forever home for him, and help him heal a broken heart.

If you think you might be the right one for Tyler, please comment below and I'll forward the contact info to you. If not, please pass the word to your dog-loving friends!

Great Moments in Journalism

Tuesday, 06 June 2006 10:59 AM

From "Much ado about pumping," The Economist, June 3rd 2006 (subscription required):

In the film "Zoolander", some male models stop to refuel their car and, just for fun, spray each other with petrol (gasoline). One then lights a cigarette. They all die in a vast fireball. The film-makers appear to believe that male models, though beautiful, are stupid. When it comes to crafting policies to deal with the price of petrol, American politicians appear to believe the same thing about voters. Except that they do not think voters are beautiful.

Copyright © 2004 – 2007 Cynthia Closkey