[Image via Textually.org]

I was on Ping.fm, about to ping a status across the board, when I started thinking about the number of Social Networking sites I'm on. Currently on Ping.fm I'm pinging Brightkite, Facebook, FriendFeed, hi5, Identi.ca, Jaiku, kwippy, LinkedIn, Mashable, Myspace, Plurk, Pownce, Tumblr, and last but DEFINITELY not least, Twitter.

I got to thinking, out of all of those sites, which ones do I actually use on a daily basis? If I were to visit ALL of the sites I use in socialMe, it'd be overkill. In fact, it would have to be a full-time job to have to keep up with it all. The main sites I use are Twitter (obviously), Facebook, and FriendFeed. I used to use Brightkite but as-of-late I've started to get comfy with Loopt; once Brightkite makes an iPhone app I'll probably move back. I've also ressurected my Myspace account to reach my Myspace audience, which suprisingly is large; I usually point Myspace to the younger demographic (10-16).

Obviously, this led me to ask, why do I have all of these accounts and not use them? My first answer is to reach a larger audience. Twitter has a large user base already, but there are other users out there that use Plurk or Jaiku more than Twitter. I want to everyone in the world to know my name, so naturally I make an account on those sites. Thinking deeper, my first answer was a good one, but not what led me to sign up for the sites initially. Everyone, by now, has been acquainted with the Fail Whale I assume. So when Twitter goes down, we all flock to another site.

Oh okay, so that's why I signed up!

Yes, one of the reasons, but not the one I was looking for. Then it hit me! After recovering from the blow from the candle falling on my foot, I remembered why I signed up for Plurk. Leo Laporte sent a tweet over the airwaves asking everyone to join him on Plurk. When I saw the "LeoLaporte" name and the words "join me" I quickly launched Mobile Safari. I was sitting in Moe's eating lunch, surfing as fast as EDGE would let me. Ignoring the conversations that were going on, most of which were directed at me, I was tapping away at my iPhone signing up for my account. Finally when it was all over I went back to my conversations, setting a reminder to check out Plurk when I get home. It was a similar situation with FriendFeed. I got Robert Scoble's tweet about how he was ignoring Twitter and moving almost exclusively to FriendFeed. Two minutes later I had a Friend Feed account. Both of these tweets, by the way, were done when Twitter was experiencing (almost expected at the time) the fail whale.

So, for most of the sites that I now don't use, I signed up almost instantaneously because big names in SocialMe and New Media mentioned them. I do somewhat feel like a sheep, but I do have readers that use other services more than Twitter and reach my media from there. I also move to these sites when Twitter experiences downtime, thankfully not as often now. Even though I do have all of these accounts, I like many always move back to Twitter.

Why do I use Twitter? I feel it's a great service with an already large - and may I add extremely loyal - fan base, there are many tools for bloggers and socialMe fiends like myself that integrate seamlessly with it, and there are many native programs for both Mac and Windows for the service. Yes, Plurk is more stable and has a different take on the time-line, Brightkite has location based services, and FriendFeed binds all of the services together, but I'm always going back to Twitter in the end. So, for now, I'll stick with it and Ping.fm.

What are your thoughts on the socialMe circuit?

By the way, the new Ping.fm beta code is "thispingsforyou" :)

We've been working with the Attack of the Killer Tomatoes producers to make Comic Con really cool for you guys.

First and foremost there's going to be an awesome double bill screening of the original Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and Return of the Killer Tomatoes at PetCo park on Thursday night.

Click here for the full scoop on the screening.

Also, there's going to be a contest for the best kill reaction to a tomato.  There's going to be cool prizes for the the best deaths at the convention and there will also be an online contest (which the winner will have a chance to get cast in the AKT remake as a real tomato fatality).

More details on that as I get them.

Also Douglas and I will be around at the Tomatoes booth for plenty of autograph signing, etc.  The schedule for that is after the jump.

Also below the fold I'll post an exclusive look at a giant Tomato that will be at the screening that will be killing people at the convention.

Friday, July 25

11:00 a.m.– noon          Autograph signing at booth.

3:00 – 4:00 pm             Autograph signing at booth.

Saturday, July 26

11:00 a.m.– noon         Autograph signing at booth.

3:00 – 4:00 pm            Autograph signing at booth.

Sunday, July 27

11:00 a.m.– noon        Autograph signing at booth.

4:00 – 5:00 pm           Autograph signing at booth.

]]> http://papaboys.wordpress.com/?p=524 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:55:37 +0000 papaboys http://papaboys.wordpress.com/?p=524 SEGUI LA DIRETTA
INSIEME A NOI ON LINE

DALLE 01.00 DI STANOTTE IN DIRETTA!
CLICCA SUL link DI SAT 2000

http://www.glauco.sat2000.it/mms/Sat2000/diretta_new/diretta_html320.html

I am sure it has great appeal to many people but not me so I have asked how to close my profile. It got me thinking about other social networking and user generated content sites and blogs and thought, what could they be if they changed "theme" as Oozzi.

Facebook becomes a campaign site for the Obama campaign

Scobleizer becomes an online retailer for camera and video tripods

YouTube becomes a site giving travel information.

Can you think of any others?

[audio=http://mediaramblings.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/kndle-post.mp3]

Okay so I'm not going to go thru all of the pros and cons of the Kindle reader being offered by Amazon.com because you've probably already heard them all but I wanted to ask you a couple of simple questions.  

Would you rather read a real book or a Kindle?  Will you purchase a Kindle?

I get the idea of the Kindle.  Obviously someone decided to make the iPod for books in hopes that it would be just as successful, but will it?  

Honestly, I don't know.  

Initially I have a negative reaction, partly because the constant transformation of everything physical to digital makes me feel like I am in a Sci-Fi novel where people are constantly becoming less human and more machine.  On some level the Kindle makes me want to take up arms against "the machines!!!"  

Also, being raised by a mother who is a teacher and staunch proponent of reading books, I feel like "real books" are a part of who I am and to lose them is somehow losing a part of myself.

I know, I need therapy.

On the other hand it really does seem sort of cool.  It definitely saves space and you can download entire books wirelessly for a pretty cheap price.  Just think of all the benefits the iPod has when it comes to purchasing and transporting your music library and that is what the Kindle does with your books.  No need to list all of the positives one by one I think you get the idea.

Please take a moment to answer these poll questions:

Geek alert: this series will be most fully appreciated by those who enjoy thinking about software interfaces, and have some knowledge of web 2.0 stuff...

Inspired by a post on Burning Bridge to do a count of the number of times all the videos on the Vikalpa YouTube channel had been viewed, I was pleased to note that the videos had been collectively viewed over 104,000 times to date. The channel itself has been viewed over 5,000 times. 

Writing in October 2007 I said,

Coupled with VOR Radio, we want to explore ways through which digital media and mobile devices such as the N-series Nokia phones with their built in mobile blogging, multimedia, wireless and video editing features can be used to strengthen the voice of citizens in support of democratic governance, human rights and peace.

We've come a long way in the space of a few months. Featuring senior political figures, trade unionists and media rights activists, school and university students, IDPs and refugees, Members of Parliament, award winning human rights defenders and peace activists, rarely heard voices from Jaffna on ground conditions in the embattled region and exclusive footage of significant socio-political events, the channel features nearly 200 short videos in Sinhala, Tamil and English.

Currently featured on the channel is a professional English production on the life of Nadarajah Raviraj, a prominent human rights activist and Tamil politician assassinated in Colombo in 2006.

Nearly all videos have been filmed using a Nokia N93i camera phone to raise awareness on the potential of mobiles to strengthen democracy and bear witness to abuses of power, human rights violations and violence. 

We generated interest from / have been featured on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), France24's Observers initiative, Global Voices Online and Witness, the source of my inspiration for starting this initiative in Sri Lanka (though the videos are shot, edited and produced by a talented and brave colleague).

Freddy: So this lemonade is really free?
Sergei: Yep.
Freddy: Really?
Sergei: Can't you read?
Freddy: I'm just wondering why you're giving away free lemonade.
Sergei: It's a business. Duh.
Freddy: I see. But how are you making money from it?
Sergei: Double duh. The point is not to make money, but to develop a user base.
Freddy: A user base?
Sergei: Yep. If I get enough customers coming to my lemonade stand, I can sell ad space to sponsors.
Freddy: Uh-huh. So do you have sponsors now?
Sergei: Kinda.
Freddy: Kinda what?
Sergei: See that stack of flyers from the Clique Mortgages Company?
Freddy: Yeah.
Sergei: If you take one, the company pays me one cent. It's a pay per Clique model.
Freddy: And that one cent gives you a profit on the lemonade?
Sergei: Hell no. The lemonade costs me 10 cents a cup. But I'll make it up on the volume.

Since I was a liberal arts major, I assume his math is correct.

Sergei: (leaning in and whispering) But hey, mister, can you keep a secret?
Freddy: Sure. (I don't mention that I'm a blogger.)
Sergei: My friends come by every day and take all the flyers to make spitwads. That way I get paid by the Clique and I don't have to give away any lemonade.
Freddy: So you're telling me a bunch of six-year-olds are doing all the Cliquing. That doesn't exactly help the mortgage company.
Sergei: That's not my problem. If the advertiser is too cheap to pay up front, that's what they get.
Freddy: But that's not exactly ethical...
Sergei: (shrugging) It's legal.
Freddy: Why don't you just throw the flyers away yourself?
Sergei: What do I look like, a crook?
Freddy: Right. Well then, give me a cup of lemonade. And a flyer.
Sergei: Cool, but first you gotta fill out this form.
Freddy: Form? Why?
Sergei: Man, you are one dense dude! I gotta prove to my future sponsors that I got a user base. Plus, all I'm asking is your name, email address, phone number, and a little demographic info.
Freddy: You know a lot for a six-year-old.
Sergei: I watch CNBC.
Freddy: So you're the one... Now, how do I know you're not going to sell my personal information to someone else -- or call me up in the middle of the night?

Sergei ducks under the table and re-emerges with a stack of papers the thickness of War And Peace.

Sergei: Here, read my privacy policy.
Freddy: I'm not going to read all that.
Sergei: I thought so. Now do you want the lemonade or what?

Just then, Zucky, the kid at the original stand across the street, signals me over. He now has a sign that says "Drink lemonade, get paid!" Hmm, this is even better than free. I go back over to his stand.

Freddy: Let me get this straight. I get your lemonade -- and your money?
Zucky: Yeah, though it's not exactly my money.
Freddy: Whose is it?
Zucky: You know my dad, Victor Cunning?
Freddy: Oh yeah, VC.
Zucky: He's financing this joint.
Freddy: Why?
Zucky: What else is he gonna do with his money -- invest in real estate?
Freddy: Good point. Speaking of which, what is the point of this business?
Zucky: Oh, my dad plans to sell it once I reach critical mass.
Freddy: Critical mass of what?
Zucky: Users, stupid. Once I build up a big enough user base, some major corporation will want it.
Freddy: What is it with you kids and user bases?
Zucky: Dude, did you break all the bulbs in your chandelier? Building a big user base is a best practice!
Freddy: Why is that a best practice?
Zucky: Because Sergei does it and he's the market leader.
Freddy: Zucky, just because a market leader does something doesn't make it a best practice.
Zucky: It does.
Freddy: Does not.
Zucky: Does.
Freddy: Does not. Listen, if Sergei were to jump off a cliff, would you do the same?
Zucky: That's so patronizing! Stop talking to me like I'm six years old!
Freddy: You are six years old.
Zucky: Oh. Right. I use words like "patronizing" and I forget.
Freddy: In any case, why would a big corporation buy a money losing operation?
Zucky: Lotsa reasons. They wanna diversify. They wanna appear cutting edge by getting into the next big thing. They wanna invest their liquid holdings before the dollar depreciates anymore.
Freddy: You're pretty savvy for a six year old.
Zucky: And you're pretty dopey for a sixty year old.
Freddy: I'm forty.
Zucky: Same difference. Anyway, the big corporation has big resources, so they can suck up the losses longer, and then when there's a recession, they just write down the investment so that it's all bundled up with a whole lotta other losses at the same time. That forces management to do a lotta cost cutting, and Wall Street loves cost cutting, so the CEO gets rewarded a fat bonus.
Freddy: Only in the mind of a six-year-old.
Zucky: Or a corporate CEO. So, you gonna have a lemonade or what?
Freddy: Do I need to fill out a from?
Zucky: That's stupid. No, just put this in your pocket.

Zucky hands me a lint-covered Oreo.

Freddy: What's this?
Zucky: It's a cookie. I keep track of how many users I got with cookies. Just don't throw it out.
Freddy: Sure. Whatever.
Zucky: And here's your lemonade and a penny.
Freddy: Gee, a penny. How generous.

I drink, but immediately gag and start spitting up pink chunks of meat.

Freddy: There's Spam in this lemonade!
Zucky: Those are my advertisers.
Freddy: This is terrible!
Zucky: What do you want for less-than-free?
Freddy: Not Spam in lemonade!
Zucky: Well, if you want an ad-free experience, you have to upgrade.
Freddy: How much is an upgrade?
Zucky: Four dollars.

Just then Zucky's father, Victor Cunning, appears with another adult male in a suit.

Zucky: Whassup, pops?
VC: Hey, Zucky. I'd like you to meet the new manager of the lemonade stand.
Zucky: What do you mean? I'm the manager!
VC: Well, Zucky, what's best for the business is if you're relieved of your day-to-day responsibilities so you can focus on, uh, serving as a consultant to us.
Zucky: Consultant?! But this is my lemonade stand! I started it! I don't want to consult my own company!
VC: Technically, it's MY company. But don't worry, Zucky, this guy is an MBA.
Zucky: Great, there goes the neighborhood.

As Zucky sulks, Sergei starts shouting from across the street.

Sergei: Hey, user dude, my lemonade is ad-free and I'll pay you a dollar to drink it!
Zucky: You're paying him a dollar?! Are you crazy?!
Sergei: Winner takes all!
Zucky: Fool! You'll drive us both out of business!
Sergei: Maybe I will, maybe I won't.
Zucky: You're a unitard!
Sergei: I know you are but what am I?

And that's when both boys start scrapping in a flurry of fists and feet. I break up the fight and only suffer moderate injuries in the process.

Freddy: Boys, boys! Don't you see that you're just repeating the mistakes of the first Lemonade Bubble?
Sergei: There was a first Lemonade Bubble? When did that happen?
Freddy: Oh, around 2000, 2001.
Zucky: Dude, that was more than five years ago.
Freddy: Yes. So?
Sergei: Well, don't you know, if a mistake happens more than five years ago, it's OK to repeat it.
Zucky: Right, Sergei. That's why your mom's pregnant again.

The boys laugh and start walking off together, but I can hear their words on the quiet street.

Sergei: That guy was such a nimrod.
Zucky: That's why he's a user and we're the entrepreneurs.
Sergei: Hey, Zucky, that just gave me an idea.
Zucky: Whatcha thinking?
Sergei: We can cut costs by making the nimrods provide their own products!
Zucky: You mean --
Sergei: User-generated lemonade!
Zucky: Yeah! We just build the ultimate stand!
Sergei: And promise them a share of the revenue!
Zucky: Yeah! Like one-tenth of one-tenth of one-tenth percent!
Sergei: How much is that?
Zucky: I don't know, I haven't learned fractions yet.
Sergei: How will we get it started?
Zucky: Easy. First, we'll steal some lemonade from the store.
Sergei: And we'll take the labels off.
Zucky: And we'll tell the cops that the users provided it.
Sergei: And then we'll put some chairs around the stand, and the users will bring lemonade so they can talk to each other!
Zucky: Yeah, adults have trouble socializing, so they need all the help they can get!
Sergei: We'll call it... social wet-working!
Zucky: I love it!
Sergei: Awesome, huh?
Zucky: Yeah! So I'll have my lawyer call yours?
Sergei: Sure -- but let's go to my place and watch Hannah Montana first.
Zucky: Hannah Montana?! She's so 2007.
Sergei: I know, dude, but I just dig on older women... Hey, got any of those Oreos left?

NON PERDERE LA VEGLIA DELLA GMG CHE PRECEDE LA

Tutte le Feste italiane pubblicate
nella sezione Sedi Regionali
www.papaboys.it/sediregionali/index.asp

Tutte le feste europee e mondiali
nello Speciale Gmg 2008
www.papaboys.it/gmg/index.asp

DALLE ORE 09.55 (ORA ITALIANA)

http://www.glauco.sat2000.it/mms/Sat2000/diretta_new/diretta_html320.html

Se vuoi commentare la Santa Messa
insieme ad altri fratellini e sorelline
ricordati del nostro servizio
'Live Papaboys Messenger'
aggiungi al tuo msn la mail
papaboys113@live.it

È iniziato questa mattina alle cinque, ma molti si sono messi in cammino già alle due, il pellegrinaggio a piedi dei giovani verso l’ippodromo di Randwick dove questa sera, alle 19, si terrà la veglia di preghiera con il Papa. Secondo stime fornite al SIR dal comitato organizzatore si prevedono 200 mila pellegrini che arriveranno ad oltre 500 mila domani per la messa finale con Benedetto XVI. I giovani sono partiti da North Sydney e la distanza che li separa da Randwick è di 10 chilometri ma altri punti di partenza sono Central station e Sydney harbour bridge. Ed è proprio sul ponte che si registrano le immagini più suggestive di questa giornata. Migliaia di giovani ordinatamente stanno sfilando sul ponte, simbolo con l’Opera House di Sydney. Avvolti nelle loro bandiere e foulard, portano l’occorrente per passare la notte all’addiaccio in attesa di partecipare alla messa finale con il Papa, tende, materassini, sacco a pelo e qualcuno addirittura un cuscino. Si tratta di un movimento che tocca tutte le vie della città che si sta risvegliando lentamente, in questo sabato dal clima primaverile... CONTINUA SU:

http://www.papaboys.it/news/read.asp?id=1624

SYDNEY 2008 - Benedetto XVI non tradisce ed alza la voce, in maniera forte e dura con i sacerdoti e quella parte di clero che si è macchiata del crimine di abusi sessuali, chiedendo che i colpevoli siano assicurati alla giustizia! Chiede la purificazione della Chiesa, chiede di percorrere ai sacerdoti la strada della Santità, ma lo chiede direttamente anche a ciascuno di noi. La XXIII Giornata Mondiale della Gioventù sta entrando nel suo apice che - attraversando la Veglia con igiovani ed il Papa - culminerà con la Celebrazione dell'Eucarestia. Benedetto XVI si è trasferito da pochi minuti dalla Cathedral House alla St. Mary’s Cathedral di Sydney, dove sta celebrando la Santa Messa con i Vescovi australiani (circa 65), i seminaristi, i novizi e le novizie. Alle 12.15 (in Australia, mentre in Italia saranno le 4.15) è previsto il pranzo con i vescovi nella Cathedral House. Successivamente il Papa si trasferirà all’ippodromo di Randwick per la Veglia con i giovani (prevista per le 19 in Australia; le 11 in Italia). Alcune note sui luoghi che oggi saranno teatro degli appuntamenti della Gmg. La St. Mary’s Cathedral, dove il Papa celebrerà la messa con i vescovi, è dedicata a “Maria, aiuto dei cristiani”, patrona dell’Australia. Si tratta della più grande chiesa del Paese e del principale luogo dell’arcivescovado di Sydney che comprende anche la “Cathedral House”, residenza del card. George Pell e residenza pontificia in questo viaggio apostolico. In questa cattedrale hanno celebrato la messa Paolo VI (1970) e Giovanni Paolo II (1986 e 1995). L’edificio può contenere circa 3 mila persone. L’ippodromo di Randwick è il più importante in Australia: qui Paolo VI (1970) e Giovanni Paolo II (1986) hanno celebrato la messa; Papa Wojtyla vi ha anche presieduto la beatificazione di suor Mary MacKillop (1995). L’ippodromo può accogliere circa 300 mila persone.

IL DISCORSO DEL PAPA SU

http://www.papaboys.it/news/index.asp

concept: Neil Patrick Harris as an evil genius, rejected from the Evil League of Evil, in love with a girl from the laundrymat, with a predisposition to breaking into song.  what could possibly go wrong?

before I get to that, more backstory.  during the writer's strike last year, some tv/movie writer (I know, he's a big shot and I could easily look it up, but this is a rant and not a piece of journalism) conceives of a web-based mini-series, supposedly to prove some kind of point about the crux of the writer's-strike issue.  the core issue there was how writer's would be compensated for TV work that was re-broadcast over the Internet.  really, that's what they were fighting for -- that's what kept me from new episodes of The Office for what seemed like forever.  so he would make the mini-series semi-professionally but on-the-cheap, and broadcast it over the Internet, and prove... something.

k, but here's the catch -- I can't watch the episodes.  and it's not just me, here's a list of people (scroll down to the Responses) who can't watch it over the net.  there is a one-week free period (started 7/15) before it moves to i-Tunes only; then there will be a DVD release.  but all these people can't view the free release.  apparently some people need to disable their firewalls in order to watch the video -- some even had to disable the firewall on their Wi-Fi/Broadband routers... hardly a reasonable expectation.

when I go to Act I, I'm told "The video is not available at this site."  the FAQ says some people have better luck when using Internet Explorer... great news for people who use Linux or Mac/OS X.  no, I'm not going to install Windows in order to watch this.  and yes, yes, there are plenty of good video web sites that work with Linux/Firefox.

some people said, 'fine, I'll pay the $4 on i-Tunes' ($1.99 per episode or $4 for a 'seasons pass'), but they can't get the video outside of US/Canada.  did anyone tell them that the Internet tends to be somewhat global?  somehow the incompatibilities, the proprietary video format/site that only works if you disable firewalls, the i-Tunes tie-in -- they all seem to fly in the face of the supposed "I'm going to skirt around the media establishment" motivation of the series creator.  instead of proving a point to the networks and studios that there are other viable options, they seem to be proving the opposite -- web-distribution is plagued with problems.  I'd be better off if this was on TV; there's no guesswork as to whether I'm going to be able to watch a show on NBC or AMC or SHOwtime (yes, yes, no).

so I turned to [uh] secondary markets (youtube and torrents) to see if I could view a copy of Acts I and II, but to no avail.

I understand, in a business-school kind of way, why they are going through hoops to lock down the video.  if it's on YouTube, people can save it or re-share it and a big part of their business model seems to be the i-Tunes and DVD sales.  ok, I get it -- if DVD-quality versions get shared now, you won't get DVD sales later.  but here's the thing -- they won't get DVD sales later if it doesn't get big enough hype now.  it reminds me of BMW's "The Hire" series years ago -- their videos were online (ie, Ambush, The Follow), and they were great, and I was probably one of the first to get them on DVD because I knew on a big TV with big sound they would be even better*.  if I had never seen the online videos, I wouldn't have bothered with the DVD.

and you won't get DVD sales later if the steps you've taken upfront only frustrate a significant chunk of your market.

I imagine this is similar -- who is going to buy the Doctor Horrible DVD without having first seen the video online?  how many more would possibly buy the DVD if they see the video online, through video services that work like YouTube, or streaming it from their own site (or partnering with Akamai or similar).  even if the video got loose on the torrents, I bet they'd net more DVD sales.

it doesn't have to be all or nothing.  here's my solution, and it's not rocket science:  release a low-quality version on all available channels -- youtube, torrents, whatever.  the video and audio quality should only be as good as is necessary to get the plot across.  anyone who wants to see it in glorious HD can get it on i-Tunes or the proprietary/DRM'd web site or DVD.  nobody is going to bother pirating/selling a crappy 640x480 version of the series, or more accurately, nobody is going to bother buying a crappy 640x480 version.  but people who see the low-res version might be compelled to buy a better-resolution version.

long story short (too late): was psyched, now very disillusioned.  prognosis: wait until the DVD's are released, then I'll be able to find it online.  and no, the producers will not get a dime.

* also, I've had an obsession with BMWs since before I could drive.

There's a general understanding nowadays that music blogs, especially the more influential ones such as Gorilla Vs. Bear, You Ain't No Picasso (who broke Bon Iver), Aquarium Drunkard, Brooklyn Vegan and many others, can have a profound effect on an artist's career.

They only cover stuff they like and have track records in turning on large amounts of people to great new music.  But how do you go about getting your name into one, or many, music blogs?

Here're a few things I'd consider:

• Do your homework:  You need to find blogs who're talking to fans who might also like your ban.  Who does your act sound like?  Go to HypeMachine (hypem.com) and type in the names of similar artists and find out who's talking about them.  Get the contact info and write them an email.
• Be relevant and brief -  I'd send along something like:  "Hi, I saw you liked band x.  Great band/album.  I'm in a band that sounds quite like them, here's my myspace etc."
• Try not to annoy - Follow ups every 10 days to 2 weeks is sufficient.
• Don't send any attachments or MP3s:  Say what you need to say briefly, with possibly a press release below your message in the body of the email.  It'd help if you had a website set up where bloggers could download the music and info if they were interested, but simply offering a myspace and website URL is usually enough.
• Record and track your progress:  I'll use Google Docs to record contact info and notes on a certain bloggers contact.  It'll sometimes take 3 or 4 emails to get any kind of response so you'll need to easily track what stage you're at with each contact.
• Build relationship:  Remember, you're not looking for the front page of Pitchfork just yet.  If you get any response from a blogger, even a "Thanks, but no thanks", use that as an opportuinity to start a conversation - you never know where it might lead later on.

Anyway, that's my $0.02.  What's your experience in this brave new world of music journalism - anything I've missed?

Vi ricordiamo che domani mattina seguiremo, come ormai per tutta la XXIII Giornata Mondiale della Gioventu' in tempo reale gli eventi anche con il collegamento attraverso il nostro sito a Sat 2000 che sta trasmettendo live da Sydney. Domani inoltre, iniziano le feste Gmg anche in tutta Italia! A tutti coloro che vanno agli incontri chiediamo l'invio di qualche fotografia ed una testimonianza (100 righe max) all'indirizzo redazione@papaboys.it

I titoli di oggi su
www.papaboys.it

PIU' DI 1.000 I GIOVANI ON LINE CON 'PAPABOYS113@LIVE.IT' , SERVIZIO MESSENGER NO STOP DEI PAPABOYS
ROMA - Tutto ci aspettavamo da questa Gmg di Sydney, ma l'iniziativa che abbiamo creato di aprire un servizio Messenger per gli indecisi ed i 'lontani' non pensavamo davvero che avrebbe coinvolto così tanti ragazzi: sono più di mille i ragazzi e le ragazze collegate 'on line' sul Messenger dei Papab...

BENEDETTO XVI: UN PAPA APERTO AL CUORE DEI GIOVANI: IN BATTELLO, AL PRANZO ED IN PERIFERIA
ROMA - Dialoga ieri con i giovani presenti sul battello che lo porta nel cuore dei Sydney, pranza con 12 di loro e li stupisce e va a trovare i ragazzi delle periferie di Sydney portando loro un messaggio: 'Cercate il Signore risorto in tutta la sua bellezza e verità'. E' anche questo Papa Benedetto...

INTERESSANTE INIZIATIVA DELL'AGENZIA DEI VESCOVI: DOSSIER SULLE POLITICHE GIOVANILI
ROMA - I giovani sono la "speranza" per il futuro, ma di loro chi si occupa. La Chiesa certamente. E le istituzioni, ad esempio quelle regionali? A questo interrogativo cerca di rispondere il numero monografico di Sir Regione, in uscita oggi su www.agensir.it, dedicato alle politiche giovanili regio...

L'INCONTRO DEL PAPA CON I RAGAZZI 'DIFFICILI': CHI SBAGLIA E' PIU' AMATO DA GESU' CHE VI CERCA
SYDNEY - Terminata la Via Crucis il Papa ha raggiunto in auto la "University of Notre Dame Australia", che, fondata nel 1989 da un Atto del Parlamento dell'Australia Occidentale, ha avviato la sua attività accademica nel 1992. Le diverse facoltà del prestigioso ateneo sono ritenute come un fucina di...

SIDNEY 2008 - LA VIA CRUCIS: 80 ATTORI PER LE STRADE DI SYDNEY RIPORTANO LA MENTE A 2000 ANNI FA
SYDNEY 2008 - La Via Crucis è diventato uno degli appuntamenti classici ed immancabili della Giornata Mondiale dei Giovani. E quella che si è conclusa da pochi minuti a Sydney è stata una rappresentazione particolare, ben organizzata in una forma teatrale che ha coinvolto ed emozionato tutti. Appunt...

SIDNEY 2008 - LE CATECHESI DEI VESCOVI AI GIOVANI ITALIANI. SPIRITO SANTO CENTRO DEL CUORE
SYDNEY 2008 - Riprendiamo la pubblicazione come nei giorni precedenti delle sintesi (elaborate dall'Agenzia Sir) delle catechesi dei Vescovi italiani ai giovani. Come già abbiamo fatto ieri invitiamo alla lettura tutti i giovani che visitano il nostro sito ed in fondo alla pagina trovate il link dir...

SYDNEY 2008: DALLA COLOMBIA ALLA MOLDOVA LA FEDE CHE UNISCE I GIOVANI DEL MONDO COLLEGATI CON SYDNEY
SIDNEY 2008 - Tremila giovani colombiani seguiranno "a distanza" la Gmg di Sydney nella cattedrale di Bogotá: a guidarli, in sei ore di preghiera, catechesi e adorazione, il nunzio apostolico in Colombia, mons. Aldo Cavalli, e il vescovo ausiliare di Bogotá, mons. Roberto Ospina. "Ci uniremo spiritu...

SYDNEY 2008 - INCONTRO INTERRELIGIOSO. IL PAPA: 'SONO QUI COME AMBASCIATORE DI PACE'
SYDNEY 2008 - "Cari amici, sono venuto in Australia come ambasciatore di pace. Per questo, sono lieto di incontrare voi che parimenti condividete questo anelito e insieme il desiderio di aiutare il mondo a conseguire la pace". Con queste parole, papa Benedetto XVI si è rivolto ai rappresentanti dell...

SYDNEY 2008 - IL PAPA: 'MOVIMENTO ECUMENICO REALIZZATO AL FINE DI CERCARE LA VERITA'
SYDNEY 2008 - Una quindicina di diverse confessioni e comunità religiose, sia orientali sia della riforma, ha partecipato questa mattina all'incontro ecumenico con il Santo Padre, tenutosi nella cripta della cattedrale di Sydney. Lo ha riferito il direttore della Sala Stampa vaticana Padre Federico ...

Le ultime news pubblicate
nella sezione Sedi Regionali
www.papaboys.it/sediregionali/index.asp

VENETO - PARTIRA' DA CANALE UNA 'FESTA ITINERANTE' PER RICORDARE GIOVANNI PAOLO I, PAPA DEL SORRISO
CANALE - Partirà da canale il 24 settembre prossimo il convegno itinerante su "Papa Luciani ", un appuntamento di rilievo nazionale che richiamerà in regione esperti e studiosi del "papa col sorriso". Quindi mentre la mostra dedicata a "Papa Luciani " in questi giorni sta registrando un numero eleva...

LOMBARDIA - NOI BERGAMASCI NEL CUORE DI SYDNEY. ARTICOLO DI UN SACERDOTE
SYDNEY - Il saluto degli aborigeni, poi l'abbraccio di oltre 150 mila ragazzi. Così ieri ha preso il via l'incontro della Giornata mondiale della gioventù con Benedetto XVI. Il Pontefice, nel suo discorso, ha parlato del relativismo della nostra società che porta alla violenza contro l'uomo e contro...

CAMPANIA - LE FESTE DELLA GMG IN CAMPANIA. L'INVITO DEL DELEGATO REGIONALE PAPABOYS
NAPOLI - Anche le diocesi della Campania si preparano a vivere la "loro" Giornata regionale dei giovani, in concomitanza con gli ultimi due giorni della Gmg di Sydney, il 19 e 20 luglio. Nel pomeriggio di sabato, divisi per diocesi di provenienza, tutti i giovani si raduneranno in tre diversi santua...

ABRUZZO - LA GMG DA SIDNEY A PESCARA. DOMANI 19 LUGLIO LA FESTA DEGLI ABRUZZESI
PESCARA - Se Pescara non va alla Gmg, la Gmg va a Pescara. Rivedendo il famoso detto, esso rappresenta fedelmente ciò che accadrà nella nostra diocesi il prossimo 19 Luglio. Sarà una grande giornata giovanile diocesana la quale si svolgerà in collegamento visivo e spirituale con la giornata mondiale...

TOSCANA - DIOCESI DI PISA, GMG DIOCESANA CON WEEK END A MARINA DI PISA
PISA - A Sydney, per il grande happenning con Benedetto XVI sono volati quaranta giovani pisani. Molti hanno invece deciso di condividere quell'esperienza a distanza, partecipando a tre giorni di preghiera, deserto, catechesi, celebrazioni e di festa organizzati dal servizio diocesano di pastorale g...

VENETO - I RAGAZZI VERONESI PORTANO IN AUSTRALIA ANCHE LE TRADIZIONI E LE RICETTE LOCALI
SYDNEY - La ricetta del lesso con la pearà approda all'altro capo del mondo. È stata una giornata intensa, quella di ieri, per i 150 Papa boy veronesi in Australia per la Giornata mondiale della gioventù. La prima in cui hanno incontrato Benedetto XVI e il primo momento d'incontro ufficiale anche co...

LOMBARDIA - VEGLIA E MESSA NOTTURNA SUL MONTE GUGLIELMO. NEWS DA DIOCESI BRESCIA
BRESCIA - È ormai tutto pronto per la veglia sul monte Guglielmo in contemporanea con la Giornata mondiale della gioventù, alla quale parteciperanno circa tremila ragazzi provenienti da tutta la Lombardia, nella notte tra oggi e domani. Al ritrovo, organizzato dalla Diocesi di Brescia con l'Ufficio...

MARCHE - DOMANI AL VIA LA FESTA 'SYDNEY E' ANCHE QUI' A SAN BENEDETTO DEL TRONTO
La XXIII Giornata Mondiale dei Giovani, che si sta svolgendo in questi giorni, non riguarda solamente i fortunati che sono andati a Sydney in Australia, ma è un avvenimento che coinvolge tutta la Chiesa e in particolare i Giovani. È per questo che la giornata conclusiva verrà vissuta nella nostra Di...

CAMPANIA - UN CONVENTO DEI PASSIONISTI ACCOGLIERA' MINORI IMMIGRATI
NAPOLI - "La Curia provinciale dei Passionisti di Napoli ha destinato l'intero convento dei passionisti di Mondragone, non più occupato dalle scuole statali, a scopi umanitari e in particolare per accogliere i bambini rom ed extracomunitari": a comunicare la notizia padre Antonio Rungi, superiore pr...

EMILIA ROMAGNA - PER I GIOVANI DELLA ROMAGNA UNA VEGLIA IN CONTEMPORANEA CON RANDWICK
FORLI' - Una Gmg romagnola in contemporanea con Sydney. I giovani delle diocesi di Forlì-Bertinoro e di Faenza-Modigliana si ritroveranno sabato prossimo al santuario di Montepaolo, a Dovadola (Forlì), per seguire insieme la diretta della messa che il Papa celebrerà a Randwick a conclusione della Gi...

Altre news pubblicate
nello Speciale Gmg 2008
www.papaboys.it/gmg/index.asp

DAL NORD AL SUD ITALIA DOMANI INIZIANO ANCHE LE FESTE DEI GIOVANI SALESIANI. PORTE APERTE PER TUTTI
GMG - Non avete individuato ancora la festa Gmg in Italia alla quale partecipare domani perche' magari non ne trovate una vicina a casa vostra? No problem! Ecco un altro elenco di feste Gmg alle quali potrete partecipare, anche da soli: sarete i benvenuti! Domani, sabato 19 luglio, il Movimento Gio...

ANCHE IN UNGHERIA LA GMG. SI FESTEGGERA' IL 6 E 7 SETTEMBRE. GMG ANCHE IN PERU' E BRASILE
UNGHERIA - Il 6 e 7 settembre, presso lo stabilimento balneare Iporá di Tacuarembó (che dista 390 km da Montevideo), si celebrerà la XXX Giornata Nazionale di Pastorale Giovanile organizzata dalla Conferenza Episcopale dell'Uruguay (CEU) sul tema "Con Gesù missione e vita in abbondanza". Il Vescovo ...

SYDNEY 2008 - I GIOVANI DI PANAMA IN PREGHIERA PER SYDNEY E FINALMENTE DOMENICA ARRIVANO DALL'IRAQ
SYDNEY - La Chiesa giovane in tutto il mondo è in piedi, pronta alla missione di evangelizzazione. Anche da Panama si registra un momento di preghiera e vicinanza ai giovani di Sydney. "Nessun giovane di Kuna Yala è potuto andare alla Gmg ma è da maggio che stanno offrendo preghiere per questo grand...

SYDNEY 2008: COLOMBIA, 3.000 GIOVANI IN CONTEMPORANEA NELLA CATTEDRALE DI BOGOTÁ
BOGOTA' - Tremila giovani colombiani seguiranno "a distanza" la Gmg di Sydney nella cattedrale di Bogotá: a guidarli, in sei ore di preghiera, catechesi e adorazione, il nunzio apostolico in Colombia, mons. Aldo Cavalli, e il vescovo ausiliare di Bogotá, mons. Roberto Ospina. "Ci uniremo spiritualme...

SYDNEY 2008: MOLDOVA, DA RASCOV "UNITI CON I GIOVANI DI TUTTO IL MONDO"
SYDNEY 2008 - Quest'anno, la distanza e i costi alti non ci hanno permesso di inviare rappresentanti dei nostri giovani alla Giornata mondiale della gioventù che si celebra in questi giorni a Sydney in Australia". È quanto ha dichiarato al SIR mons. Benone Farcas, vicario generale della diocesi di C...

LA RICONCILIAZIONE CON GLI ABORIGENI UN ESEMPIO PER TUTTI I POPOLI
SYDNEY - Benedetto XVI plaude alla "coraggiosa" decisione del Governo australiano di riconoscere le ingiustizie commesse nel passato contro gli aborigeni per una "riconciliazione basata sul rispetto reciproco" che colmi il divario fra questi e gli altri australiani in materia di aspettative di vita,... ...

Iscrivi un tuo amico alla nostra newsletter
e fagli vivere le emozioni della Gmg!
www.papaboys.it/newsletter/index.asp

ROMA - Tutto ci aspettavamo da questa Gmg di Sydney, ma l'iniziativa che abbiamo creato di aprire un servizio Messenger per gli indecisi ed i 'lontani' non pensavamo davvero che avrebbe coinvolto così tanti ragazzi: sono più di mille i ragazzi e le ragazze collegate 'on line' sul Messenger dei Papaboys, dopo che abbiamo aperto un indirizzo per tenere informati sulle iniziative della Gmg e per proporre ai ragazzi della rete la loro partecipazione, anche on line, appunto. A dichiararlo è Massimo Manzolillo, delegato regionale dei Papaboys della Campania - che in queste ore di Gmg si sta occupando di coordinare il team composto da 10 volontari che risponde, da dietro ai pc, anche in videoconferenza, alle tante richieste che giungo di essere aggiunti al Live Messenger. Usufruire del servizio e conoscere tanti nuovi amici, oltre che grauito, è semplicissimo: basta aggiungere alla propria lista contatti su Messenger la mail papaboys113@live.it e dall’altra parte del computer un volontario risponderà personalmente. C’è anche la possibilità di effettuare una videoconferenza, ovviamente. Faccia a faccia, per ascoltare problemi, delusioni e dare un consiglio a tutti coloro che ne fanno richiesta.

“Tra le richieste particolari arrivate – confida Manzolillo dei Papaboys - un giovane di 24 anni che ci ha chiesto dove potersi andare a confessare e se conoscevamo un sacerdote nella sua città (Milano ndr), oppure una ragazza di 18 anni di Messina che ci ha chiesto di poter parlare con noi disperata a causa del ragazzo che l’ha lasciata sola e con un figlio in arrivo. Poi tanti che ci chiedono dove sia la festa Gmg più vicina a loro. Stiamo già pensando con la Presidenza nazionale dell’Associazione – ad un primo incontro tra tutti i rgazzi che stiamo conoscendo in queste ore. Vedremo.”

COLLEGATI CON NOI SU
PAPABOYS LIVE MESSENGER!

Aggiungi alla tua lista contatti la mail
papaboys113@live.it

Per società dell'informazione si intendono le "nuove tecnologie dell'informazione e della comunicazione". Dall'inizio degli anni '90, tali tecnologie hanno conosciuto un’espansione straordinaria. La generalizzazione dello scambio elettronico di informazioni, la convergenza verso le tecnologie digitali, la crescita esponenziale di Internet e la liberalizzazione del settore delle telecomunicazioni sono altrettante manifestazioni di questa evoluzione. La società dell'informazione offre nuove prospettive in tutti i campi della vita quotidiana, soprattutto in materia di accesso alla formazione e alla conoscenza (insegnamento a distanza, servizi di apprendimento elettronico), di organizzazione del lavoro e di trasferimento delle competenze (tele-lavoro, imprese virtuali), di vita pratica e di esigenze primarie (servizi di tele-sanità) e di tempo libero. Presenta inoltre opportunità inedite in termini di partecipazione, offrendo ai cittadini maggiori possibilità di esprimere liberamente le loro opinioni.

La situazione dell’Europa a 27 è variegata per quanto riguarda la penetrazione, tra le varie fasce di popolazione, di una cultura digitale seppur minima. La media europea si attesta intorno al 50% di utenti Internet regolari. Si passa dalle punte di diffusione massima dei Paesi Bassi – dove l’utilizzo di Internet è ampiamente radicato e supera l’80% – a Paesi più arretrati da questo punto di vista, come ad esempio Romania, Bulgaria, Grecia e Italia, dove la percentuale delle persone che abitualmente navigano in rete è di poco superiore al 30%.

Recently,  Hitwise Monthly Category Report for  Travel was released based on US Internet usuage for the month of June 2008. Leading the way in the top 4 were Mapquest, Google Maps, Expedia, and Yahoo Maps. In the last 4 months the above websites have remain constant in their positions.

Maps are becoming increasing important on websites as they provide useful information on how to find your business as well services nearby. You can include photos, videos, reviews and much more on your map. Maps are also high in search engine listings as well. Usually in the search, map(s) will be listed in first page of your search.

Visit Victoria County website has being using maps on its website for the last 3 years and has most of Victoria County businesses with GPS positions. Try the Interactive Map on Visit Victoria County website.

it was a nerve-wrecking, tiring, frustrating process. i'm sure most of you are as glad as i am that it's finally over :) hee.

*BIG pat on the back for all you ppl*

i seriously cant wait for this sem to be over. i know you ppl hope so too ;)

anw, to all you-know-whos cheer ya? you've got me! :D ha. & remember, we're all in this together :)

ps: thanks cheapo for editting my marketing essay! :) & kc for helping me print, &darl for offering to print! :D many loves♥

(Check out a great parody of Peter Griffin from Family Guy getting Rick-Roll'd, below)

SurveyUSA estimates that over 18 million people have been Rick-Roll'd, but the option of using a Rick Astley song seems to be an ironic, yet hilarious one.  The internet (and YouTube in particular) is one of the greatest resources for nostalgia purposes-- revamping old cartoons, tv shows, and clips from movies (today on Hulu.com, the movie Ghostbusters is in the top 20 most watched), and encourages big media giants to speed up the process of sending classic TV programs to DVD (or at least to sites like Hulu.com).

With all these trips down memory lane, it makes you wonder-- why are people surprised that it's becoming more and more common for pop music to sample classics and 80s hits? If we're all clamoring for scenes from the 70's, 80's and beyond, why would industry execs bother recreating some of the wheel? Instead, corporations are trying to discover new ways to market old material-- does anyone else feel like Nick-at-Nite is about to hit primetime?

It’s unusual to be able to see the direct impact, in terms of actual changes of behaviour, produced by a public service interactive project but in the case of Embarrassing Bodies this has been possible. A quick trawl through the comments on the site yields such evidence (there were over 3,500 pre-moderated comments in the first four days of going fully live). The core of the project is a set of Self-check videos. What’s so innovative about that? Primarily their openness, clarity and unflinching nature - very Channel 4 and it just wasn’t out there before in the ocean of web video. They show you what you need to see to be able to do what you need to do. The most telling comments for me are the ones where people realise they’d been checking themselves wrongly before seeing the video.

Another salient component is the creation of a rolling temporary community. I never set out to build a community per se. I was also keen not to reinvent the wheel of support provision in this area. So the dynamic is that people arrive in a just-in-time, task-oriented way - looking for the condition they are worried about (through any of the three search mechanisms). They then tend to hang out in the community just long enough to find which is the best support group or other help to plug into. In this way Embarrassing Bodies online becomes the glue to pull together a wealth of existing support and enable the best to emerge through detailed personal recommendation, rather than treading on the toes of niche communities and specialised support.

One other aspect worth highlighting is the use of the private space of the mobile phone (away from browser histories and prying parental eyes etc.) to enable people to make use of the material where, when and how they want - 12,000 mobile downloads occurred in those first 4 days. My hunch, for reasons including privacy and access, is that mobiles should play a major role in public service interactive media - from my observation, people in our circles get too obsessed with PC-/web-based delivery.

So here’s what 15 minutes trawling the comments reveals:

“this has helped me to make my mind up and go for help thank you

Really helpfull and i now check at least once a week …. Thank-you x

watched various videos and found them very very useful. wouldn’t have felt comfortable talking about some of these subjects with my doctor. they have taken the mystery out of the examination and treatment. thank you.

i suffer from this too, and its not something you like going to the doctors about. This site has been SO HELPFUL, as i now know its not only me!!

thank god 4 this website i am so grateful. it has started 2 get me down. (…) I had tests done then chicken out on the results. seein this has made me book an appointment with my doctor. its such a relief knownin im not the only person sufferin, thankyou!!!

i found all 3 self checking very useful. we all know we should do it but not nessesary how and are too embarressed to ask our own GP. i check my breasts yet i’ve been doing it wrong the video was an ideal way to show me the basics.

Hi, i just watched this video and checked my balls and i actually found a small hard lump on my left testicle, im only 16 is there any chance it could be cancerous (sorry if the spelling is wrong)?!

Thanks so much this has been so informative. My auntie died last year from Vulval cancer, not knowing that she was suffering from it. Now I know what symptoms to look for and how to self check I will do so regularly.
[Vulva Self-check]

Although now middle aged I was never sure when you were supposed to check your breasts. Thanks to your program I now know when and how. Many thanks and keep up the good work.

My boyfriend refuses to check his balls so thanks for the guide on how to as now i can do it for him.

WOW, i never knew how to do this check, i’m so grateful for this video its helped me immensely. thankyou
[Breast Self-check]

Interestingly, my friend watched “Embarassing Illnesses” last week, and they did something on checking moles, so he checked his out and noticed one had changed colour, so he went to get it checked and it does in fact need to be removed. So these programmes do something towards awareness!

i had it but i went to the doctors and now am recovered thanks !!”

This throws up the interesting question of how does public service networked media measure success and impact? Here we have evidence of positive behavioural change. For me the Comments stats are very telling. Then you’ve got video views. Return visits. UGC uploads. Session lengths. Buzz radiating across the Web. All manner of metrics. I’d argue that for most projects you can pick out a specific measure which captures the essence of the project, and which measure that is will vary from project to project.

Deloitte and eWeek.com report that most web 2.0 tools (including wikis and blogs) are run by marketing departments, but some clamor that these web 2.0 tools should be run by IT professionals. What do you think? 

In my personal experience, each of the clients/companies I've worked with/for have placed Online Communities and web 2.0 under different corporate umbrellas. Currently, as a Community Manager I sit under the marketing and communications team, but past clients I've worked with have encouraged research, marketing, and development teams to get involved. (Though our team falls under marketing for budget reasons, we all work closely with the product and development teams as well to ensure consistent messaging and communication between consumer and developers.)

Many suggest that web 2.0 should fall under one specific division, but I disagree. I firmly believe that in order for web 2.0, communities, blogs, wikis, etc to truly work, they must be part of the company as a whole-- each department should pitch in on some level. This could include a guest author on the company blog, or an online presence in a community by a team of developers or designers in addition to the company's marketing team. 

Web 2.0 is all about collaboration, embracing strategic thinking, and enabling people who might not typically be on the front-lines to take part in the battle. Based off of this, why wouldn't you let IT take a piece of the pie and encourage other departments to get involved as well? The goal of most web 2.0 platforms is to think differently and to be different while still fitting in. Why not let your employees think strategically and do the same?

Here is a picture I took when I was one of the chosen few (well, chosen 9,000), who got to see the Pope from the South Lawn of the White House when the Pope came to America a few months ago. It was an amazing event.

[caption id="attachment_43" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Pope, President Bush, and First Lady Laura Bush"][/caption]