Nike and Lance Armstrong Unite to Inspire and Mobilize

via youtube.com

I love this message - Lance Armstrong no matter the hype no matter the critics is an inspiration. So many count on him.

As he states in this very simple yet hard hitting piece, when he says he's "not back on this bike for them . . . " the message is clear who he's riding for, it's for those that can't - at least not yet.

I have this urge to go out and pedal.

www.livestrong.org/

Posted via web from Michael's posterous

#1 Twitter Songs on YouTube

via mashable.com

Ben Walker actually has a nice voice and captured the Twitter universe very nicely. "we're validating each others insecurities" has to be my favorite line!

When I get the "look" as I pull out my Berry I will think of Ben's song and use some of the lyrics.

I'm excited to spread some "twitter love" in the near future - one of the internal surveys I did at work indicated staff wanted training on the use of Twitter. In a week I'm heading out to the NWF Great Lakes, Boulder and Seattle offices for the "Good Tech Tour 09" along with the diva of Social Media "@starfocus". I may have play this song as an intro!

Happy Sunday and TWEET On!

Posted via web from Michael's posterous

Not for the faint of heart . . .

via mashable.com

O.M.G.I.G.P (Oh My God, I’m Gonna Puke)

The Microsoft ad for their browser IE 8 has certainly made an impression on our household. Loved the SNL feel, almost like when Dan Akroyd would step in to bring balance to the commercial.

Would love to know what the web page was, of course I would never need a private browser service . . . I use the clear history, that seems to work for me!

Now where do I pick up New Shimmer, the desert topping or is it a floor wax?!

Posted via web from Michael's posterous

United Breaks Guitars

via youtube.com

I don't know who out there hasn't been victim to travel woes, I've had my share of luggage come back beat up but this story if quite amusing. I think the best part of this is how an artist took the incident viral!

Goes to show what a few million hits will do when you get creative and Dave Carroll did just that, got creative. http://bit.ly/DrLsl This link is his follow up statement on the incident. We should all be this lucky!

The power of the pen, or in this case the zeros and ones!

Posted via web from Michael's posterous

Tormented Squirrel

via facebook.com

In a sense this has to be poetic justice, I've had squirrels torment my bird feeders, rip holes in my screened in deck to get at the bird feed - it could be worst, this could have been the video for the Squirrel Ball of Death as invented by my good friend Chuck Epps.

I can't go into details but picture this:

- a bird feeder hung by a long wire
- the wire is greased with a lubricant
- midway on the wire . . . an embedded nail ball
- smart squirrels work their way down the wire, hit the grease, pick up speed, hit the nail ball with their tiny heads, they then fall to the ground with a thump, dazed and confused.
- bird feeder remains in tact
- birds are happy
- humans are entertained

I didn't create the contraption, I'm just relaying the concept! Happy Squirrel watching!

Posted via web from Michael's posterous

Who's a spammer and who's for real

I am a believer of collecting followers that matter - not using these services that advertises "get thousands of tweets in a single click" is not what I'm trying to accomplish building my twitter network.  I've had this conversation many times, it's the quality not the quantity that counts.

But there are times I get "followed" and I have to wonder . . . are they real or is it just another scam? 

Last week I attended this awesome session at USA Today about Cause Marketing.  The timing was perfect as it led into some amazing discussions I had with colleagues, co-workers and friends looking for advise and guidance in this area.  Since the conference which I tweeted about http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23u2MAD , I have had a slew of new "followers" - I have a rule about "followers" - 

• I don't follow in return unless I like what I see posted by the follower, 
• they have an actual avatar and not John Cussacks face - only Joe Meehan can get away with that, and preferably the avatar should not be wearing a bikini - not that there is anything wrong with that . . .
• and they have to have something written in their bio - anything
  

I came across a recent follower I almost decided to follow until I saw their tweets.  Here is a sampling:

1. Deleting a few hundred spam followers. When will they ever learn?
   

2. 6:09 PM Jul 4th from web
   

3. Make a living on twitter, check it out http://bit.ly/tjUUL
   

4. 4:42 PM Jul 4th from web
   

5. Noticed there is not much swearing on Twitter... how does that work?
   

6. 4:01 PM Jul 4th from web
   

7. Getting ready to celebrate the Lakers wining the NBA Championship!
   

8. 3:58 PM Jul 4th from web
   

9. Make a living on twitter, check it out http://bit.ly/tjUUL
   

10. 1:03 PM Jul 4th from web
    

11. Been sat working in McDonalds all day, like a lonely loner...
    

12. 12:31 PM Jul 4th from web
    

13. I got laid off, making money on twitter saved my lifehttp://bit.ly/tjUUL
    

14. 11:50 AM Jul 4th from web
    

15. too much to do so little time
    

16. 9:25 AM Jul 4th from web
    

17. Taking the day off today
    

18. 7:11 AM Jul 4th from web
    

19. Jobless, but now I am even making more money on twitterhttp://bit.ly/tjUUL
    

20. 7:11 AM Jul 4th from web
    

21. Make a living on twitter, check it out http://bit.ly/tjUUL
    

22. 3:49 AM Jul 4th from web
    

23. Thanks to all the people following me! Looking forward to your Tweets!
    

24. 3:34 AM Jul 4th from web
    

25. I want a sexy business man with a brain, who's single
    

26. 3:09 AM Jul 4th from web
    

27. Let twitter pay your bills http://bit.ly/tjUUL
    

28. 2:58 AM Jul 4th from web
    

29. Want something stronger than tea to drink.
    

30. 2:52 AM Jul 4th from web
    

31. Jobless, but now I am even making more money on twitterhttp://bit.ly/tjUUL
    

32. 2:22 AM Jul 4th from

Call me crazy but why do I think this is nothing but a spammer trying to sell or promote how to make a living on Twitter?  I don't believe the in between posts.  I think they are trying too hard to do the "balance" thing of sharing "personal" and mixing in professional. 

I think there should be balance on the twitter front, it's how we build and earn relationships but this . . . maybe I'm getting too suspicious in my middle age but I just don't know anymore who's real and who isn't.
In the kingdome of blind men the one ey'd is king. [1640 G. Herbert Outlandish Proverbs no. 469]

Posted via email from Michael's posterous

Making the Digital Switch - Hello FiOS

We made the switch this week from Comcast to Verizon FiOS mostly to avoid the rate increase after the promotional period ended and the need for increased web speeds. So besides getting use to the new menu options I have to say so far I don't miss the tiling that would occur on the digital channels and there are certainly more channels in High Def offered by Verizon. On the Internet front, I don't miss my old wireless router and this one has more range bringing the hammock and laptop together again. Up-speeds are in the 20mb range where as download speeds are in the 4 - 5 not great when you consider all the gaming happening, not by me of course but by the boys - yeah that's it, the boys. on the down side, Verizon didn't make it easy to access the router, in fact they don't even allow you to access the admin menu, at least they never shared the password. . . . here's what else I don't like, and in no particular order: - the guide menu is way to crowded, too many words - it takes much longer to figure out what channel I'm on. - no FX On-Demand. How the frak am I suppose to catch up on Rescue Me, Always Sunny - all the other twisted shows? and am I crazy, but FX is not available in High Def!!! - a week later I had to reset the Internet router - like in turn it off, press and hold the reset button. It just stopped working for no reason, that better NOT become a normal occurrence. - and now comes the worst infraction: Both AMC and WE owned by Cablevision - like Fx not only are neither of these stations on-demand but they are NOT available in High Def. Evidently the Dolans who own Cablevision hate Verizon. Hey Dolans, the hate goes both ways, as they say on Southpark "you bastards" bottom line - I can't finish catching up on Mad Men previous seasons and if I miss an episode life as I know it may end. I could care less about WE. - it was also noted that the little interface cable box that each TV HAS to have, requires an AC adaptor, more electricity AND it included ALL the subscription channels except the High Def. no wonder the 16 year old started camping out in his room late at night - Max at Nite was available as was HBO's Cathouse and Real Sex . . . not that I watched those shows, noooo, well at least he doesn't have access to them. Many more channels but surprisingly the same "there's nothing on" has been uttered more then once.  

Go figure.

Posted via email from Michael's posterous