Man armed with rifle fatally shot by Phoenix police
KVOA.com – Tucson,AZ,USA
Police received a 911 call from an 80-year-old man at the home, saying the suspect, identified as Thomas Willingham, was threatening to kill him and a woman …

The reports of my death are premature. I have to admit that it is disconcerting to see that someone with your name and very close to your age, recently died:  KVOA News 4, Tucson, Arizona – Man armed with rifle fatally shot by Phoenix police. I just wanted to let you know, that the deceased person, from this article, isn’t the Thomas Willingham that posts on this blog.

I found it startling to be reading news of my own demise, but I am relieved it is not me. I do feel bad for the Thomas Willingham that is now deceased, but my family and I are glad that I am still here.

Things have been hectic the last couple of months, and I have been taking a break from posting, but this news was too important to ignore.

So just to let you know:

• I am still here!
• I am not deceased, just resting.
• I hope to be back soon.

I am happy to note that the readership of my blog has continued at the current level as when I was posting frequently. At least I know that the content I have written is standing the test of time, and people still find what I have written to be useful.

To those that continue to read my blog, I thank you, and I plan on regaling you with my current adventures in the near future.

Tim Schumm and his girlfriend Debbie Garside are not that couple. They took an amazing journey through Argentina, Chile and Antarctica, and one of the best parts of their travel are their posts and photography from the trip.

Tim’s photography is amazing, and the images from their trip are what you expect in National Geographic. You really get a ‘feel’ for the locations that Tim shoots. Tim’s posts are very interactive and he willingly takes the time to answer your comments and questions on his post.

I feel very fortunate that the interactions I have had with Tim are like sitting down and having a conversation over breakfast. You can follow Tim’s travels on ACDSee’s blog. Tim is a guest  “Pro Star” poster on the ACDSee blog. The Pro Star series is:

a place where the pro community will be able to share their stories, travel journals and photos from around the world.

The posts concerning Tim’s travels are well worth the time to read, and there are a lot of great images. The travel posts are as follows:

1. Tim and Debbies travel itinerary (at a glance)
2. Sick N Twisted
3. Argentina, equestrian wonderland
4. Dust, Wind, Drama and Spanglish
5. Ushuaia, Bottom of the world
6. Polar Star, the ice breaker
7. Exploring a Cerulean Land of Ice and Stone
8. Neko Harbour, Exploring the Penguin Rookery
9. Zodiac, the Leopard Seal’s Toy near Danko Island

The last entry about the Leopard Seal details an encounter with a Leopard Seal as big as the Zodiac that carried the group. Tim calmly relates an interesting game of ‘stalk the Zodiac’ the Leopard Seal plays. I knew they were big, but I did not realize they tipped the scales at a ton.

You can view additional images from his trip on the UseFilm.com website. Thanks to ACDSee for having Tim post his photos and relate his travels.

Photo Credits – Tim Schumm and Debbie Garside

If you are not familiar with the series, watch the first two parts, before diving into the third video so you will have a full understanding.

Part 1 – David Blaine Street Magic

From the YouTube description – David Blaine brings his famous street magic to YouTube. Watch as the famous magician blows the minds of two Los Angeles idiots. WARNING: This magic is amazing.

Part 2 – David Blaine Street Magic Part 2

From the YouTube description – See David Blaine terrorize the same two idiots from the first video.

Part 3 – David Blaine Street Magic Part 3

I am continually amazed at how creative some people are when I see work like this. The creators of this video series do a great job, and I am looking forward to viewing more of their work.

Let me wish all of you a Happy New Year. I found the photograph on the site, Vegas Tripping, a sinners guide to Las Vegas. I have great memories of Vegas as that is where Shannon and I got married, and I actually spent New Years for 2000 there, so it seemed fitting to use that picture.

I have been absent the last couple of days as I have actually been on vacation and spending time with the family.

Our family New Years Eve tradition is to get dressed up and go to a fancy dinner. This year we had dinner at Pazzo, a great Italian restaurant. The food was excellent, and as Shannon is familiar with the chefs we got to talk to the great people that we were responsible for making our food. We make our reservations early, so we are finished with dinner and back home before 8. That way we actually get to ‘go out’ and have a fancy dinner, but are home before everyone starts drinking and driving.

I would let you know what my New Years resolutions are, but I try to make resolutions when needed and not wait for the New Year to make them.

Wishing you the best in 2008!

If you have been following what has been going on with David Airey, you know that he recently lost his domain www.davidairey.com to a hacker. The hacker has kindly offered to sell David’s domain back to him, which is not in keeping with the holiday spirit. The problem was documented in David’s post DavidAirey.com hacked.

It turns out that David’s Gmail account was hacked. David details the problem here in his post WARNING: Google’s GMail security failure leaves my business sabotaged. A brief outline of the Gmail hack is as follows:

• User logs into Gmail account
• Visit a site with Gmail hack configured
• Hack site sets up a backdoor in Gmail account

For full information concerning the hack read Google GMail E-mail Hijack Technique posted by Petko D. Petkov, on GNUCitizen.

This incident just demonstrates that we need to remain vigilant concerning our security practices when using computers and surfing the web. For David’s sake I am hoping that all these bad issues are resolved in time for him to get a clean slate and a happy new year!

Graphic – From David Airey’s post

Jean Claude Van Damme je suis un mage

Van Damme is cast as a Mage, and is excited to be stopping hand to hand combat in favor of casting powerful spells:

Thankfully the YouTube video includes the following translation:

My name is Jean-Claude Van Damme… and I am a mage.
Hand-to-hand combat for me: it’s over!
Now I can cast powerful spells!
Just try messing with me… I’ll turn you into a sheep.
A sheep!
..Because we all are a bit like sheep, you know…
I am Jean-Claude Van Damme, I am a mage.
And you?
What’s your game?

Willy Toledo, y soy un Paladin

Willy Toledo is cast as a Paladin, protector of the holy light.

  This video is also translated:

Hi, my name is Willy Toledo… and I am a Paladin.
I am a combination of a spell caster and a specialist in melee combat.
…up-close and personal, clearly what I like most.
But this is serious, I´m a protector of the Holy Light.
I am Willy Toledo, and I’m a Paladin.
And you?
What’s your game?

I find these commercials to be really refreshing. I like a product that is willing to let the advertisers have fun with it. As much as I enjoy the commercials, I find it hard to believe there are people out there who still aren’t familiar with this game.

If you play, beware the Mage trying to turn you into a sheep, or a serious Paladin who considers himself protector of the holy light.

Verne Troyer, and I’m a Mage

Another commercial that really uses the talent of the actor, Verne Troyer:

There are 9 million players in the World of Warcraft, it’s huge, like my mage.

There is even a scene with Troyer’s mage next to Shatner’s Shaman.

Another great example that World of Warcraft get’s product advertisement. Their commercials continue to be informative and funny.

I recently interviewed Opal of Vegan Momma, recognizing her for being my 1,000 commenter.  I have known Opal for quite a while, and I found the interview to be a great source of information. It was interesting to step back and actually be a bit more formal. I hope that Opal found this to be a cool exercise also.

She answered the 5th question so thoroughly that I figured the content was worth a separate post. From the interview:

5 – You receive quite a bit of positive feedback concerning your blogs, what suggestions do you have for other bloggers?

Stay positive.  It’s great to have regulars, but it’s also nice to reach out to new people.  I try to follow up with every new person that stops by my blog.  Sure they get the generic email that goes out to all my readers, but I also try to send them a personal email.  I respond to the comment they left and invite them to come back.  I also let them know if they have a blog I will be stopping by to visit.

The following list is the additional information not included in the original interview with Opal.

Friendly

I want my readers to know they are appreciated.  I treat people how I want to be treated. I try to make myself available to those who need aid. I write about that often on my blog, and sometimes those who have emailed me stated they did because they felt ok doing so since it’s something I encouraged.

I honestly believe that the reason so many positive things have happened to website’s is caused by what I’m willing to do for others.  I don’t care if I don’t “know” you.  If you email me and need assistance  I’ll do my best to help.  It’s easy to succeed with those who think similar to you, that takes no effort.  I ask myself how would I respond to someone who doesn’t agree with me, will I be as nice.  I definitely try to be.

Quit Being Negative

If you write about something negative talk about the steps, you used to get past the negativity. Constantly filling your virtual home with negativity will eventually drive people away and those that stay might be they type that feed on that type of behavior. If you do write something negative talk about the steps you are taking to turn that into a positive situation.

Don’t Be Selfish, Recognize You’re Readers!

Think about how great it feels when someone recognizes you?  Give back and recognize others. Sure it will take some time to recognize them but guess what it took time for them to recognize you.  Let them know that they are appreciated.  If you like, the blogger you will make time to do it. It takes me a lot of time to recognize people, and yes I stay very busy but realizing the power that recognizing a person correctly can have it’s something I incorporate into my weekly, if not daily, routine. Let others know what a fabulous person they are. Link freely to others step outside your comfort zone and link to new readers people will realize that you aren’t only recognizing those you know.  How do I recognize my readers?  It’s mainly through links, Stumbles,  Diggs. 

Inform Your Readers Of Changes

Sure it’s your blog but if you are looking to build a vibrant community you will need their support, right? Let them know of major changes that are happening sometimes I let my readers know about minor changes also.  I want them to know what’s happening in my virtual world. I respect them and I want them to have a part in the decisions I make for my website’s.

Don’t Shut People Out

I’m Vegan and although I’m passionate about veganism, animal rights, I try to write in a way that I’m not condemning those who think differently than myself.  You turn people off when you do that people are more likely to listen to you if you approach them with respect. I treat people how I want to be treated. Life is too short to waste it being negative.

Include Them In Your Conversation

I usually try to end my posts with a question.  It’s not just about me.  I honestly want to hear about the experiences my readers have been through.  I try to engage my readers.

Thoughtful Comments

At times my comments can get long winded.  I try to be helpful and draw from my experiences when responding on other peoples website’s.

Summary

The effort Opal put into answering these interview questions is typical of the work she puts into her sites. I find Opal to be an excellent source of information and is someone I turn to when I have questions about blogging and community building. I am happy to say that I count myself as a reader and a fried of Opal’s.

If you are vegan or not, Vegan Momma is a site worth checking out.

Photo Credit – Opal Tribble’s site Vegan Momma

I can’t believe I recently received my 1,000th comment. I thought this milestone is worth mentioning and the commenter should be recognized. In fact as I write this, I am almost to 1,050 comments.

My 1,000 commenter is Opal of Vegan Momma. I was not surprised that she was the 1,000 commenter as she frequently visits and contributes to my blog. I figured I would interview Opal so we could find out more about her and she was kind enough to take the time to respond.

Interview with Opal of Vegan Momma

1 – How did you get into blogging?

Hmm, I had the website Vegan Momma long before I started blogging. I had a lot of info that I wanted to write about, but I wanted to do it without using Dreamweaver.  That’s how I found out about blogging before that time I had no idea what “blogging” could do.  I checked out Blogger. I hated it!  I deserted the blog the first day I signed up.  I moved onto TypePad stayed with them for 9 months and finally moved my blog onto my website Vegan Momma. I should have done that from the beginning.

2 – What attracts you to a blog, and what keeps you reading?

Solid & informative content what keeps me coming back.  I want to visit someone that is friendly and takes time to respond to their visitors. If I feel like I’m having a conversation with you, well you are added to my blogroll and my RSS Feed.

3 – You have numerous blogs that you write, can you give a quick list and overview?

Wow, that would take a long time.  I’ll just write about a few of them, ok?

Vegan Momma – www.veganmomma.com/blog

Is my main baby? Initially, I created this website so I could talk about veganism after about a year (surprised it took me that long) I grew weary talking about that. I was only networking with other vegans.  I don’t follow that practice in real life so why in the world am I doing it online. This website is constantly evolving recently I’ve been writing more about health, nutrition, exercise, and alternative ways people can make money online.  You don’t have to write reviews, and you don’t have to be dependent on search engines for your traffic.  I’m not.

Healing Yourself Naturally – www.healingyourselfnaturally.com

I’m passionate about alternative health so it’s only natural that I write about it.  I guess it’s my way of showing people there are natural ways remedies for the variety of ailments we encounter throughout life.  I don’t think over the counter remedies should be the first choice.  I’m hoping through providing information/recipes that people will be open to other methods to heal themselves.  In many cases you can heal yourself naturally without the side effects that is associated with medication.

The Raw & The Cooked – www.therawandthecooked.com

This is a whole food recipe website.  I don’t post junk food on here.  Westernized cultures consume entirely too much junk food I’m not about to prepare those types of recipes.  We have a high amount of disease we really need to wake up and focus on what we our putting into our bodies.  Many diseases that plague our society (various cancer, diabetes, heart condition, high cholesterol) can be linked to our health choices.  Its time we wake up and make changes in our lives.  We have only one body quit filling it with junk.  ☺

Weight Loss Diva’s – www.weightlossdivas.com

This one is currently sitting collecting dust.  I’m going to hire someone to take on this project they will have a similar vision as myself and be extremely knowledgeable about nutrition. There are many people searching for ways to lose weight.  I think many will look for a quick fix to accomplish these goals although some might lose weight rapidly following these methods, it’s not the healthiest option available and if you don’t have a plan on how you are going to maintain the new figure the weight will come back.

A Homeschool Resource – www.ahomeschoolresource.com

I created this website because there are many people who are single that want to homeschool their child but think they cannot accomplish this.  I believe they can. I’ve met single parents who work outside the homes that are able to accomplish this.  That is impressive.

4 – You are a very busy person, how do you have time to work, take care of your family, and still write your blog and build community?

It can be hard fortunately I don’t require too much sleep.  I sleep three – five hours nightly and I’m fully rested.  I also take care of my body which accounts for me not needing a lot of sleep.  

I take the time for what is important.  My daughter, businesses, fitness & relaxing.  My daughter is my #1 priority, naturally she comes before everything.  I manage to fulfill most of my goals simply because I make a schedule and try to stick to it.  I don’t make excuses.  Yes I do have to make sacrifices occasionally, but I’ve seen the benefits of doing that, and it inspires me to do more.  My hard work is paying off.  I could sit around complaining about what I cannot do but how is that helping me?  It’s not.  It takes a lot of work to be “successful”.  Success isn’t always about money.  I’m willing to put in the time and sacrifice to become a success.

5 – You receive quite a bit of positive feedback concerning your blogs, what suggestions do you have for other blogger’s?

Stay positive.  It’s great to have regulars, but it’s also nice to reach out to new people.  I try to follow up with every new person that stops by my blog.  Sure they get the generic email that goes out to all my readers, but I also try to send them a personal email.  I respond to the comment they left and invite them to come back.  I also let them know if they have a blog I will be stopping by to visit.

Opal also followed this question up with a list of suggestions. They were such great suggestions that they get their own post.

6 – It is obvious that photography is one of your hobbies, do you have others?

I have many hobbies. Although I don’t wear a lot of jewelry, I love creating it.  I imagine over the past several years I’ve sold hundreds of jewelry pieces, and I’ve given many of them away also.

Helping Others

Hmm, is that a hobby?  I volunteer a few times monthly at a local homeless shelter.  I’m also a mentor for an 11 year old girl.

Fitness

You might as well say that is an addiction.  It keeps the stress at an all time low.  The past few months have been very stressful. I’ve got a lot on my plate but the exercise keeps me positive and the projects that face me daily just aren’t so bad.

Extreme Sports

I love skydiving this is a something I put on hold when my daughter made an appearance I’m hoping it’s something I can pick up when she is a little older.

7 – You have a young daughter, how do you balance how much to disclose about your family on your blog?

People are shocked when I tell them I’m a private person because some say I’m so “open” on my blog.  What I reveal on my website is only a small sampling of who I am.  I don’t reveal everything about me of course that goes double with my daughter.  I don’t use her first name on my website.  I’m not comfortable revealing too much about my daughter so I don’t post too many pictures about her or write to many personal things about her.  If she wants to reveal tidbits of her life when she takes up blogging (I believe she will) than that will be her decision. Of course, if she is underage I’ll keep a tight control on what she can or cannot reveal. Now that I think of it that would be pretty cool if she decided to blog on momma’s blog when she gets older. Barring any unforeseen problems I believe Vegan Momma will be around for a long time.

8 – Does Aiyana help you blog, and does she have any favorite bloggers?

Yeah, tries to get in the way, lol.  Currently she is “blogging” but those are simple notes for family/friends.  She’s been reading since she was three. It’s amazing how much she has improved in that aspect. Since I know how important technology is I encourage her interest and let her explore, under mommy’s supervision.

Who are Aiyana’s favorite bloggers?

I’ll name the top three. I honestly think you’re her favorite.  Why?  You have a lot of screenshots on your website.  She sees that a lot with my work.  I take screenshots of my work and send them to clients. Occasionally I do that on some of my website’s.  She makes that connection and thinks you must be “ok” because you do something that mommy does.  She also knows you work with computers.  She knows that mommy loves computers/technology.  She usually calls you Mr. Thomas the Tech Guy or Mr T the Tech Evangelist! She thinks it’s cool that you work on a computer must like her.  Her computer is a Windows OS a HPdv6000t that she has named “Zizzy”.

She likes Pelf www.chenpn.com and is in love with her new turtle website (so am I).  Ms. Pelf sent Aiyana turtle cards all the way from Malaysia so she is the #1 lady blogger in her book.  

She also likes Mrs. Beth www.eclecticstudiocafe.com/blog Mrs. Beth sent her a gorgeous photo of a jumping spider.  It’s framed and hanging in our room.  She’s also fond of her daughter although the only way she’s met her is through her photo online.  Anyone that shows a lot of pictures will get a lot of attention from Ms. Aiyana.  She’s visual.  Currently mommy is on her “bad list” because I haven’t been posting a lot of photos, lol.

9 – You have 4 ferrets, what are their names?

My adorable little monsters, lol.  I cannot imagine my world without my fuzzbutts. I named them after Hindu deities; Ganesh, Indra, Hanuman, & Kali.  Although I’m Buddhist I’m accepting and interested in a variety of religions.  My ferrets can be found at www.ferretshaven.com.  I’ve been neglecting their website.  However they have informed me if I don’t start posting videos and pictures they will hide my keys, again! 

How you “view” me online is how I am in person.  I’m very approachable and am always smiling.  People like that.  Thomas, thanks for taking the time to interview me.  You’re a fabulous person, my favorite Microsoft guy, and I’ve been a fan of your website ever since I discovered you earlier this year.  You’re an excellent example of how to make your website interesting.  You do it well.

Summary

Thanks to Opal for the great information, and thanks to my readers and commenter’s. If you are a reader and have not yet commented, please feel free to add to the conversation.

After a couple of emails asking similar questions, it seemed prudent to create a post dedicated to this issue. Here is the advice I have for you concerning becoming a technical writer:

What is a Technical Writer?

The most important thing about being a technical writer is being able to convey, in simple terms to a wide audience, how a product works and how it is used. You can have the best product in the world but if your audience is unable to figure out the features and functionality then the product might be perceived as crap.
The main skill of a technical writer is the ability to speak with developers and subject matter experts and then translate this information into useful units of information for your audience – whoever that audience may be: developers, network administrators, end users. Your job is to document concepts, how the product works and how to use it.

Technical Writing Cycle

To create good usable content, you need to follow a creation cycle. Here is an example of a production cycle:

• Read specs or initial product information – create rough drafts and schedules for content
• Get an idea of features and functionality by using the product, and talking to Developers and Subject Matter Experts
• Write initial content to be sent out for review
• Cycle of Review / Revise – repeat until content is ready
• Content delivery and possible localization into other languages, if appropriate

Becoming a Technical Writer

I have a couple of posts that to review as technical writing samples:

• Zoho Writer gets Upgrade
• Windows Live Writer – Set Publish Date

These posts will give you some examples of technical writing. I have others if you want to dig through my blog a bit. If you are really interested in becoming a technical writer, you should start building up a portfolio on your blog, or on your computer. Pick some ‘how to’s’ you want to write about, and then document them. If you get the chance have your friends review this content to ensure that you have written the information that people need to get the task done. This will start giving you some experience and will give you samples to hand over to potential employers when the time is right.

Check if your local college offers any technical writing classes. Check out the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications – you can purchase a used version on Amazon.com. The style guide will give you a foundation for technical writing, such as how to write about the interface, and what the different interface components are called. I will admit the style guide is Windows biased, but it will still give you a solid foundation about technical writing. I am sure there are other excellent style guides out there, but this is the one I am most familiar with.
Technical writers can earn a decent living, and doesn’t necessarily mean you will earn less then developers. Remember you are the voice of the product, and without a good voice a product will not do well. Good technology companies recognize this fact.

Microsoft.com/college is a site that contains great information about the requirements for becoming a technical writer at Microsoft as well as information concerning other careers. It is an excellent resource for understanding the different careers available at Microsoft.

When the post goes live tomorrow morning at 6 am PST, you will see the difference between the article that I accidentally published and the final version. This will just give you additional insight into my writing process. Those that don’t subscribe to my feed this issue will be moot.

Sorry about the confusion – I think you will find that tomorrows article contains more information and is easier to read then the one I accidentally published.

I have talked about David Airey before – he is an Irish Designer and friend of mine. David has an excellent blog on graphic design and advertising. He recently went on vacation for a month and was nice enough to let his readers know in his post I’m having a break.

It turns out that while on vacation, someone hijacked David’s website. He details the issues he is facing in his post DavidAirey.com hacked. I try to think the best of people and then something like this happens and I get pretty bummed. David worked hard to build a solid reputation, successful blog, community, and design site only to have someone pull the rug out from underneath him. Someone else is now reaping the rewards for all the hard work that David has done. If you read David’s post the level of composure he has is pretty amazing.

David’s new site is www.davidairey.co.uk. David outlines how you can help in his post DavidAirey.com hacked:

If possible, I’d greatly appreciate you helping me to spread the word of my move. Also, and I don’t like to ask, but if any of you have a link to my blog on your site, it’d be very kind if you were to change the .com to .co.uk.

www.davidairey.com is in the hands of a hacker.

www.davidairey.co.uk is my new online home.

I have found David’s site to contain excellent content regarding graphic design and advertising, as well as how to write a better blog. There are a lot of good tips to be gleaned from his blog. His blog is well worth reading, and that is why I added his updated link to my blogroll.

In her post I’m a Bodacious Friend, teeni of vaguetarian tea room presented me with a BFF Award. The following from her post details why I received this award:

Thomas at Thomas – Technical Blogger – I met you through Opal I think and at first I was intimidated by all your technical knowledge. But I soon saw that you were more than just a techno-geek. You had insight that you were willing to share, a beautiful daughter and family, a good sense of humor and a kind heart. I may not always understand the technical stuff like I used to, but you played a game of volleyblog with me and made me feel like I mattered. Thank you, my good friend.

I wrote a post outlining Why I Blog – I Want You to Kick Ass! From my post:

I write about technologies to help you be successful. Sometimes I will give you straight information, other times I hope I give you information that makes you stop and possibly ask some additional questions.

I want you to kick ASS!

teeni let me know that I am on the right track. Writing technical content, and also writing about my family is a balance I try to constantly maintain. I want to keep my blog technically focused, but also let people know that there is a real person behind the writing.

I want my technical content to be accessible and possibly fun.

Thank you very much teeni, I am honored to have received this award.

After the last round of Google Page Ranks, there appeared to be quite a shake up of rankings. Some blogs that were posted higher dropped in ranking for reasons that are not immediately evident. Snoskred at Life in the Country wrote about A Little Competition To Celebrate My Page Rank Drop. In this post she defines the problem she has encountered with Google Page rank:

This time last week, my site www.snoskred.org had a page rank of 4. Now, I seem to have a page rank of 3. I cannot work out why this would be so – all the advertising I have been doing is over at the old site, which continues to have a page rank of 4. However Wendy Piersall reports that Mommybloggers seem to have been hit. If that’s the case, perhaps someone should let Google know I have kitties, and not kids!

Then Snoskred steps up to the plate and outlines a competition celebrating her page rank drop.

– Write about the competition on your blog and link back to my blog however you like in that post – you receive 5 entries (be sure to comment on this post with a link to your post so I can make sure you get your entries)

- Comment here on the blog – you receive 1 entry. You can comment as many times as you like during the month. Each comment = 1 entry

- I will be putting entries into the prize drawing bowl daily.

On the 14th of December, I will draw the winners.

Now you may be thinking – hey it’s already the 14th in New South Wales when this is being posted. I am not concerned with entering the competition, I am posting this for a couple of reasons:

• I consider Snoskred to be a friend who writes good, interesting content.
• I believe that people should be made aware of good content regardless of their Google Page Rank.
• Link Karma is good.

On her blog Snoskred documents one of her favorite past times ‘scambaiting’ and has weekly guest posts from other bloggers. She also documents her life in the country in Australia.

Snoskred’s competition epitomizes the spirit of ‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” and it is this attitude along with her content that I am happy to recommend “Life in the County” as good reading.

Anyone can display character when things go smoothly, real character is displayed while facing adversity.

With the above thought in mind I would like to commend Best Buy on their current actions. If you are not familiar with the recent chain of events on Laughing Squid:

Post on Improv Everywhere Shirt

Scott Beale posts Improv Everywhere Best Buy Blue Polo Shirts. Improv Everywhere created a shirt very similar to the Best Buy employee shirt with a logo that states Improv Everywhere. I will say that I don’t quite get the humor of Improv Everywhere, but that is not important to the story at hand.

Cease & Desist

Scott posts Best Buy Cease & Desist Letter For Blog Coverage of Parody about the cease and desist letter he received from Best Buy concerning his coverage of the Improv Everywhere Best Buy polo shirts.

Phone call and Apology

In his post Best Buy Apologies For Sending Cease & Desist Letter, Scott documents his call to the Best Buy Corporate Public Relations Group and the resulting apology letter he received.

Summary

I have to commend Best Buy on their handling of this situation. It sounds like Scott called them and had a rational conversation with them to explain his side of the story. Best Buy understood and realized that they had sent out the Cease & Desist letter inappropriately and sent out an apology.

As I said in the beginning at some point we are all going to be on the wrong side of things. This is just one example how to correct those errors when the are encountered.

Kudos to the people at Best Buy for issuing an apology, and thanks to Scott for the great reporting concerning this incident. Scott received the cease & desist letter, and instead of being reactionary, related his side of the story and was able to resolve this issue.

This is a good reminder for me concerning how to behave the next time I am on either side of this type of situation.

Photo Credits – Photos are from Laughing Squid.

Technorati Tags: Laughing Squid, Scott Beale, Best Buy, Improv Everywhere

Here are a couple of video previews:

Short Preview

Short walk through

The video game Iron Man looks like it might be interesting. I am a fan of downloading the demo from XBox live before I buy the game, so I will be waiting to see how the preview looks.

Technorati Tags: Iron Man, Ironman, Marvel, Sega, Xbox 360

I am Iron Man . . .

I saw a preview for Marvel comic’s Iron Man coming to theaters May 2008. From the previews the move looks like it will be entertaining. Robert Downey Jr plays Tony Stark / Iron Man.

Black Sabbath – Iron Man

I give the movie props for using Iron Man by Black Sabbath as the theme for the preview Video warning – Psychedelics and possibly NSFW graphics ahead.

Iron Man has to be one of my favorite song openings of all time!

Filter – Hey Man

I also noticed that Hey Man by Filter is in the preview. Video warning – Psychedelics and angry bands ahead.

This movie looks like it will be a lot of fun. It looks humorous, while still having a bunch of technical gadget goodness, and appears to have a good soundtrack. I think this movie will be a great way to wastespend a couple of hours this coming May.

Technorati Tags: Iron Man, Marvel, Black Sabbath, Ironman, Filter, Hey Man

This Mac ad capitalizes on the recent review by PC World. In my post For Best Vista Performance Buy An Apple MacBook Pro I mention that PC World published The Most Notable Notebooks of 2007, the money quote from the article:

The fastest Windows Vista notebook we’ve tested this year is a Mac. Try that again: The fastest Windows Vista notebook we’ve tested this year–or for that matter, ever–is a Mac.

This actually motivated me to want to look at Mac’s. Here is the Apple ad, I find this one pretty clever.

In the end these machines are just tools, and I want the best tool I can get to get the job done. If that tool is a Mac or a PC, I don’t really care, just give me the tool that best suites my needs. Now that a Mac runs Windows better than PCs, this motivates me to evaluate Macs the next time I purchase a new computer.

After the URL is added in the Insert Video window a preview of the video should be displayed. If that does not work, click Preview, and to display the preview.

Finding Answers

Lately more often then not, the window looks like it does above with no picture preview. I decided to see if I could find any information concerning this issue, so I looked up the Windows Live Writer MSN Group to see if this issue has been addressed.

Someone else had asked the question in a post Video Preview Error?, and the response is as follows:

Yes, we are having intermittent issues with snapshotting YouTube videos. They appear to have changed their loading algorithm, so we are not always correctly detecting when the video has loaded. We are working on finding a fix for this.

However, if your blog allows embed and object tags, then we will place those in your post at publishing time. The blank image that you see is only a snapshot/placeholder in the post during authoring time.

Hope this helps,

Bonnie [MSFT]

So Bonnie [MSFT] gives us the information that we need. The video snapshot may not preview correctly, but should display correctly when you post the blog page.

Event though the video might appear as follows while creating the post.

When uploaded the video preview should work just fine. See the video below.

Summary

If you encounter problems with Windows Live Writer, be sure to check out the Windows Live Writer MSN Group. You may find that someone else has already resolved the issue you have encountered. If not post your question, and someone helpful like Bonnie [MSFT] might help you resolve your problem.

It isn’t important to have all the answers, there are just too many questions. But you do need to know where to go to find an answer to your problems – WLW MSN Group is a great resource for finding answers for WLW.

Technorati Tags: Windows Live Writer, MSN Groups, Preview Video Error, Insert Video, Bonnie, bplo

A line from the Here Comes Another Bubble video:

Won’t you blog about this song?

My answer . . . Yes.

Humorous video about the current technical bubble by the Richter Scales, created by Matt Hempey, Mixed by Bill Hare based on “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel.

The middle portion of the video addresses blogging, so it seemed appropriate to write about. Well done and worth watching.

Thanks again to Robert Scoble for the heads up in his post: Funny “we’re in a bubble” video!

Update 12/20/07

The original Bubble Video by Richter Scales was taken down do to issues with one of the photos used in this video. I will not elaborate here, there is other coverage concerning this issue. The following posts detail the issue:

TechCrunch – Misunderstanding Copyright Law And Ruining Everyone’s Fun

Laughing Squid – Bloggers Divided Over Lane Hartwell Photography Issue

The new Bubble Video.

I am not a lawyer, but I would think that the photograph would be covered under “Fair Use” but I have been wrong before, I could be wrong this time also. Reading the blog posts above, and being able to quickly locate others, this is quite a contested topic. I am sure that this will help bring this issue closer to resolution and hopefully bring greater understanding for the rest of us.

Technorati Tags: Bubble Song,YouTube,Richter Scales,Matt Hempey,Bill Hare,Robert Scoble

A video demonstrates the capabilities of the game:

This game reminds me of Crazy Machines: The Wacky Contraptions Game created by Viva Media. The idea of the game was to string together components to create a contraption to solve a puzzle such as lighting a candle or popping a balloon. With the Crayon Physics Deluxe Game, you draw your solution using a crayon format.

Kloonigames

Kloonigames is a site created by Petri Purho. Petri explains Kloonigames as follows:

The point of this blog is I try to crank out an experimental game every month. I was inspired by Experimental Gameplay Project, so I try to follow their rules. Basically this means that every game I create I have to make within 7-day limit, they have to made by me alone and they have to test some new form of gameplay.

This is a pretty aggressive and interesting premise that Petri uses. Overview of Crayon Physics Deluxe, from the site:

Anyway Crayon Physics Deluxe is a 2D physics puzzle game, in which you get to experience what it would be like if your drawings would be magically transformed into real physical objects. Solve puzzles with your artistic vision and creative use of physics.

I have always been a fan of these creative solution games, they are a lot of fun and really challenge your thinking. It does not appear to be complete yet, but when it is, it should be worth checking out.

Thanks to Robert for the heads up on an interesting sounding game. Good luck to Petri on his game a month goal.

Nicole has been asking to go to this event for years, and we kept this trip as a surprise until the last minute. The following video gives a great sample of the lights that are on display at the zoo.

Nicole hasn’t been on the train at the zoo since she was four or so. On the way back to the station she commented, I remember the train being bigger, the ride being longer and this being more exciting. Besides her being a teenager we all had a great time. It was cold enough that you need to be bundled up, which definitely added to the holiday atmosphere.

So why the title having your tools prepared? I forgot to charge the batteries for my camera. I charged the alternate set, but I thought I had already swapped them out. As soon as I pulled my camera out and saw the location of the batteries – the official ‘I’m done, charge me location’ I knew the batteries were dead. A quick check before I left the house would have resolved this issue.

Let this be a cautionary tale about verifying that your tools are ready for use, wether it is charging the batteries for your camera or laptop, or ensuring you have all the cables for your camcorder. Your destination is the wrong time to find out you don’t have all the components you need.

If you are unfamiliar with the Hitman series, he is an engineered assassin, associated with the church. We start with our old friend Agent 47 performing of all things . . . a hit. Some problems are encountered, and then trouble ensues.

This movie is rated R for violence and nudity, so if you find yourself squeamish about either of these, you might not want to see it.

Movie Preview

The action is of course over the top, but fun. After I watched the movie, I found myself wanting to buy the game. XBox online has a demo that can be downloaded that will give you an idea of how the game works. It is a stealth game, which means I am not the best at it, but that doesn’t stop me from having a good time.

Game Preview

If you are a fan of action movies or the game to movie genre then I think you will enjoy this film. At the very least, download the demo (for FREE) to get an idea of the game and the movie.

Additional Movie Review

Don’t just take my word for it, as I was browsing YouTube for trailers for the movie and game, I ran across a movie review, from Mr Blacks Movie Reviews, that I think is pretty accurate.

1. The web-based applications need to be rich in features and functionality. The applications also need to be fast – people no longer like to wait while data is crunched, or sent back and forth to a server somewhere.
2. Easy collaboration of content between users, while still maintaining a high level of security and privacy.
3. Access to content when offline. The Internet isn’t everywhere, and users still work offline – during these times they will still want access to their content.
4. The applications need to be easy to set up, configure and use. The web-based applications need to be seamless for the user. A user shouldn’t have to worry if they are online or offline, the application should be able to manage issues of connectivity.

Zoho Writer, that just had an upgrade mid November, rolled out another update that addresses accessing content offline. How Zoho addresses the issues I outlined above:

1. Zoho Writer is quick and full featured, with many features comparable to a desktop based application.
2. Using Zoho Writer, you can easily allow others to collaborate in your workspace.
3. Zoho Writer previously had the ability to access content while offline, but the content was not editable, I saw this as a not fully implemented feature. Zoho Writer uses Google Gears to provide persistent offline storage. This gives Writer the ability to edit documents while offline.
4. The Zoho Office Suite is easy to use. If you have used any type of word processor, spreadsheet or presentation tool you will be able to easily pick up how to use Zoho tools.

If you already have a Zoho account all you need to do is install Google Gears to start using Zoho Writer offline. If you don’t have an account on Zoho, there is no reason not to sign up (for FREE), the application is not dependent on a desktop operating system, and Google Gears is available for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Using Zoho Writer Offline

It is relatively easy to start using Zoho Writer Offline for the first time:

1. Open Zoho Writer

2. Clicking Go Offline, initiates the installation of Google Gears if do not have Gears installed.

3. Click Download and install Google Gears, and accept the legal stuff

4. If security stops the download, click Click Here, and then restart your browser.

5. Depending on your browser, you may be warned about running Google Gears, allow Gears to run, and you are set.

6. Click Go Offline, and your documents will be download to your local system. You will now be able to edit these files while not connected to the web.
By default, only 15 documents are downloaded, if you want more documents, select the drop-down arrow to the right of Go Offline, and enter the appropriate settings:

7. Allow Google Gears to connect to the server and download the documents.

8. You will receive notification that you are now working Offline, and have the ability to Go Online.
At this time you will be able to edit all the documents you have downloaded and save changes.

9. When you reconnect you will be prompted concerning the action to take between the changed offline / online file.

Zoho Writer Offline Video Walkthrough

As usual Zoho has an excellent online video that explains the updated features and functionality. This video will walk you through installing Google Gears and then how to use Zoho Writer offline.

Summary

Being able to edit documents offline is just one more compelling reason to give the Zoho Suite of tools a try. I see Zoho tools being an excellent solution for the following scenarios:

• You work on multiple computers, and don’t have a reliable solution for synchronizing the documentation between them. They can all access the same online content.
• You work on computers with different operating systems, but need to work on the same content.
• Easy collaboration between coworkers and colleagues.
• You don’t currently have a solution for document creation and management.

The above list is by no means a full list of scenarios or reasons to use the Zoho Suite of tools. I have mentioned this before, but I am continually impressed by the functionality of Zoho applications. Being able to edit content offline is just one more improvement in a long line of improvements that Zoho has made to their online office utilities.

One of the best assets of the Zoho team, is their agility in addressing public requests. Using and reviewing Zoho tools, I have made a few suggestions, that were quickly acknowledged, and fixed pretty rapidly. If you have need for this type of tool, give Zoho a shot. If it isn’t exactly what you want, don’t be afraid to leave the team a suggestion on how to make things better, or suggest additional features. Who knows with your input you might get exactly the online application that you wanted.

Technorati Tags: Zoho, Writer, Google, Gears, Offline, Edit, Web 2.0

You have received a postcard from a family member! You can pick up your postcard at the following web address:
http://www.postcards.org/postcards/83e1a7a85955ab65e8517a3
If you can‘t click on the web address above, you can also
visit 1001 Postcards at http://www.postcards.org/postcards/ and enter your pickup code, which is: a91-valets-cloud-mad (Your postcard will be available for 60 days.)
Oh — and if you‘d like to reply with a postcard, you can do so by visiting this web address:
http://www.postcards.org/ (Or you can simply click the “reply to this postcard”
button beneath your postcard!)
We hope you enjoy your postcard, and if you do, please take a moment to send a few yourself!
Regards,
1001 Postcards
http://www.postcards.org/postcards/

If you check whois for postcard.org, you receive the following information:

The site of the San Francisco Bay Area Post Card Club (SFBAPCC), where the collecting of old vintage antique postcards is done with passion. Club meetings are held at Fort Mason Center once a month. Vistors [sic] and dealers are welcome.

Postcard.org appears to be a reliable site. The problem is that the links in the email actually redirect to – http://getpostcard.uni.hu/postcard.exe (the link has been removed). Seeing the URL end in an executable does not give me a secure feeling. This is exactly the type of ploy someone would use to get an unsuspecting person to click to run an executable to take over their system. The scammer is hoping to exploit the name recognition to postcards.org to fool the unsuspecting.

This is a typical ploy used by spammers and phishers. You are sent an email, with links that appear to be valid, but when you check the links you are redirected to another site. This is the same ploy scammers use with links to well known banks. You are sent an email that appears to be official, but the links actually have IP addresses in them. Unless you have first hand knowledge of an IP address, I would suggest against clicking these types of links.

As technology becomes more sophisticated, traditional scams become more sophisticated. I wrote about security and Facebook with my post Facebook Paving the Way for Identify Theft.

These types of emails just demonstrate the need to be careful using technology.

Technorati Tags: Spam, Phishing, Postcard.org, Links, Emails