Digg Feeder

Blogger, the free publishing tool from Google, is still going strong, and thats quite impressive given that its ten years old and facing potential challengers like Facebook and Twitter. So at SXSW, a product manager over Blogger explained how the tool has kept up with the times.

As Siobhan Quinn, the product manager in question, noted, a share to feature that lets people inform their Facebook and Twitter contacts of new blog posts is one thing thats proven handy. Sending links has allowed bloggers to reinforce connections regardless of differences between networks.

Theres not necessarily a competition taking place, either. Quinn pointed out that Blogging is definitely a different type of media from status updates . . . but its very complementary at the same time.

The Blogger team has tried to give it some advantages, though, and one edge relates to the amount of control blogs offer users. The recent introduction of the Blogger Template Designer is a good example of this. Quinn said, We really wanted to empower our users to express themselves not only through their words, but through how they present themselves in their blog, as well.

To that end, the new template designer allows users to separate attributes so that they can choose designs, layouts, background images, and colors independently of each other. Yet at the same time, there are user-friendly shortcuts, like the option to shift all colors at once.

As for the future of Blogger, more advances are on the way. Look for further upgrades related to presentation, and monetization opportunities will also play a key role.

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More at http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=102

Howard Zinn on class in America Pt4: A reinvigorated labor movement needed for a great social upheaval

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If the world were a perfect place, no one would ever have to spend any time or any money promoting their businesses and everyone would still make money. Sadly, though, the world is far from perfect and business is no exception. Business owners do have to spend money to make money and the all-important exposure doesn’t come easily. The cruel reality is if you don’t get your product the exposure it requires, it’s never going to make you any money.

It can really be a challenge to figure out the best way to spend your advertising dollars for maximum return. You don’t want to take a haphazard, trial-and-error approach unless you have money and time to spare. Since you probably don’t have either of those in spades, you’ll want to opt for a tried-and-true method like the press release.

The reason press releases are used time and again as a promotional tool is because, simply, they work. They are a very effective way to get the news out about your business to a wide variety of media outlets all at once. Moreover, it creates a very effective word of mouth channel. When one media outlet prints or broadcasts your release, there is a good chance that it will catch the interest of one of their viewers or readers who will then pass the information along to people in their social or business circles. That results in even greater exposure for your business, with no extra effort on your part.

A well-written press release can make the rounds through media channels faster than you can imagine. What’s more, the information included in your release can be printed, reprinted or excerpted virtually endlessly, ad infinitum. That’s truly unlimited press release distribution potential!

Enter social media marketing gurus uSocial.net. They’ve developed a program to help businesses like you solve your press release distribution woes. with their unlimited press release distribution services you can get the word out to as many media outlets as possible, within the alloted 30-day time period.

Curious about how to get more information on unlimited press release distribution? Check out some info on this great press release distribution service right here.

http://www.SocialMediaFreak.com

Social Media Training by Rebecca Johnson. Quick overview of social bookmarking and how to submit your content to the social bookmarking sites quick and easy using a free online tool.

Social Media:Social media: Participatory online media where news, photos, videos, and podcasts are made public via social media websites through submission. Normally accompanied with a voting process to make media items become “popular”.[citation needed]

Social Media Expanded Definition: Social Media is the democratization of information, transforming people from content readers into content publishers. It is the shift from a broadcast mechanism to a many-to-many model, rooted in conversations between authors, people, and peers.

Social media uses the �wisdom of crowds� to connect information in a collaborative manner. Social media can take many different forms, including Internet forums, message boards, weblogs, wikis, podcasts, pictures and video. Technologies such as blogs, picture-sharing, vlogs, wall-postings, email, instant messaging, music-sharing, group creation and voice over IP, to name a few. Examples of social media applications are Google (reference, social networking), Wikipedia (reference), MySpace (social networking), Facebook(social networking), Last.fm (personal music), YouTube (social networking and video sharing), Second Life (virtual reality), and Flickr (photo sharing).

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Kieron-Lyons, 2010 Latest Edition – Did You Know 3.0 – introduction to social media, marketing, education, online, marketing, video-course. Strarting-an-online-business. home-based-internet-business

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Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/11/15/Amy_Goodman__Denis_Moynihan_Breaking_the_Sound_Barrier

“Democracy is a messy thing,” says Amy Goodman. The Democracy Now! host revisits her controversial arrest while covering a protest at the 2008 RNC. She praises social media sites like YouTube and Twitter as guardians of free speech.

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In the Gallery: Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan talk about Breaking The Sound Barrier. Amy Goodman, award-winning host of the daily internationally broadcast radio and television program “Democracy Now”, breaks through the corporate media’s lies, sound bites, and silence in this wide-ranging new collection of articles.

In place of the usual suspects—the “experts” who, in Goodman’s words, “know so little about so much, explain the world to us, and get it so wrong”—this accessible, lively collection allows the voices the corporate media exclude and ignore to be heard loud and clear.

From community organizers in New Orleans, to the courageous American soldiers who’ve said “No” to Washington’s wars, to the victims of torture and police violence, we are given the extraordinary opportunity to hear ordinary people standing up and speaking out. – Book Passage

Amy Goodman is the host and executive producer of Democracy Now!. She is co-author of the national best-seller The Exception to the Rulers: Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers, and the Media that Love Them written with her brother David Goodman.

Democracy Now! is a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program airing on over 300 stations in North America.Pioneering the largest public media collaboration in the U.S., Democracy Now! is broadcast on Pacifica, community, and National Public Radio stations, public access cable television stations, satellite television (on Free Speech TV, channel 9415 of the DISH Network), shortwave radio and the internet.

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Press releases have been around as long as the media has been in operation. Magazine and newspaper editors from publications all over the world receive many thousands of pieces of information daily and they then choose the information most relevant/ newsworthy to their publications needs for that day. The internet has changed and is changing the face of journalism as the online press release is here and making a massive impact on the online and offline publishing world.

Write your press release about something interesting. If you are intent on doing nothing more than writing a sales pitch for your product, you are missing the point. Nobody likes to be sold to so make sure that you research the current trends in your industry and make a point that people will be genuinely interested to read about. If you were the editor, don’t you think that you would be a little tired of hearing the same old rubbish all the time?

If a press release site submission is to is a major reference site, your press release can end up being syndicated (published by other sites) as they will pick up news from the major reference site. I send press release to my list of 24 reference sites and have ended up with those press releases being picked up by many more site, including Google news. This can be a very useful source of backlinks to your website from recognised, authority websites.

Writing compelling, interesting content is absolutely essential if your press release is going to hold the attention of anyone in today’s information age. We are all very busy all of the time so write with the reader in mind. What do they want to know? Why should they read this information? A good headline will entice the reader to want to read more information. This is also an excellent way of getting additional traffic to your own website if you add in the main keyword phrase in to the headline of your press release.

A press release should be around the 300 word mark. Making it longer than this will mean that it will probably get edited and shorter will mean that it gets thrown out as being too lightweight. A seies of small paragraphs makes for easy reading and the editor will feel that he doesn’t need to waste his time with the content and will often publish it in full as long as it of interest to his readership.

Glenn H is a local search engine optimization expert, working with local businesses in Wales. If you are interested in Cardiff computer services or indeed in SEO in Cardiff then please contact him

No other natural resource offers the potential of hemp. Cannabis Hemp is capable of producing significant quantities of paper, textiles, building materials, food, medicine, paint, detergent, varnish, oil, ink, and fuel. Unlike other crops, hemp can grow in most climates and on most farmland throughout the world with moderate water and fertilizer requirements, no pesticides, and no herbicides. Cannabis Hemp (also known as Indian Hemp) has enormous potential to become a major natural resource that can benefit both the economy and the environment.

THE REAL REASON MARIJUANA IS ILLEGAL IS BECAUSE IT’S HEMP!

President Obama probably didn’t anticipate that his brief dismissal of marijuana legalization during the online town hall would light up a potent movement of support for decriminalization.

The fact that he even addressed such a controversial and oft-ignored topic impressed some. But the way he seemed to deride the question angered man who quickly expressed their dissent online in website comments, on blogs and throughout Social Networks.

“There was one question that was voted on that ranked fairly high and that was whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy and job creation,” the president said during the town hall, amongst a thunder of laughter from the crowd. “And I don’t know what this says about the online audience.” More laughter.

“The answer is, no, I don’t think that is a good strategy to grow our economy,” Obama said.

No further explanation given. Next question.

His short response was not only disconcerting for marijuana supporters but also a bit perplexing. After all, Obama called for marijuana decriminalization during …

… a debate at Northwestern University when he was running for U.S. Senate in 2004.

The legalization debate is not a new topic for websites like YouTube, Digg and Facebook, where a pot-smoking niche has long congregated. But it has exploded in the days since the town hall.

The Huffington Post prominently featured an editorial titled “Pot Saved My Life, Mr. President.” In it, the writer concluded, “The president will be asked this question again, and maybe next time he won’t laugh at us.”

The Times had a story Sunday quoting former federal judge Jim Gray claiming the war on drugs had failed and that pot should be legal. The so-called failed drug war was, incidentally, the same claim made by Obama in 2004.

The lit-up lobby rages strongly on social networking channels as well. The Facebook page, called M A R I J U A N A, has seen a spike in membership as of late.

And on the Social News website Digg, a story about marijuana benefits, decriminalization or reactions to Obama’s weedy treatment of the pot question has been voted to the home page every day since the town hall — and in many cases, multiple times a day.

So what doesthat say about the online audience? Considering that many political analysts attribute a major part of Obama’s election to his popularity on social networks, maybe he shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss something they clearly feel strongly about.

– Mark Milian

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/03/obamamarijuana.html

United States Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp, used products made from hemp, and praised the hemp plant in some of their writings. Under the laws written by today’s politicians, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson would be considered a threat to society–they would be arrested and thrown in prison for the felony crime of growing plants.

From 1776 to 1937, hemp was a major American crop and textiles made from hemp were common. Yet, The American Textile Museum, The Smithsonian Institute, and most American history books contain no mention of hemp. The government’s War on Marijuana Smokers has created an atmosphere of self censorship–speaking of hemp in a positive manner is considered taboo.

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The Haight-Ashbury Homepage

http://www.LoveHaight.org

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Popular talk radio host Rush Limbaugh has long been one of the United States most polarizing media figures. He may soon become one of the National Football Leagues most controversial owners. On Tuesday, Limbaugh announced that he is teaming up with St. Louis Blues owner David Checketts to make a bid to purchase the struggling NFL team.

Limbaugh issued a statement that was short on details due to various confidentiality agreements, but made clear his intention to purchase the football team:

“Dave Checketts and I have made a bid to buy the Rams and we are continuing the process.”

The statement didnt place a value on the Limbaugh/Checketts bid, nor did it specify any other individuals whod be involved in the bid. He did specify that he and Checketts would be responsible for the operation of the team. Forbes Magazine has estimated the value of the franchise at just over $900 million.

The team is currently owned by the estate of Georgia Frontiere, specifically her children Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez who inherited 60% of the team upon her death in 2008. The remaining 40% is owned by Stan Kroenke.

A statement issued by the Frontiere estate to coincide was the Limbaugh statement revealed very little additional information:

“Our strategic review of our ownership of the Rams continues. We will make an announcement upon the completion of the process.”

The other parties to the negotiations–Checketts and the National Football League–both declined comment.

Limbaugh is a native of Cape Girardeau, Missouri and an avid sports fan. He once worked in a sales capacity for the Kansas City Royals baseball team, and had a short stint as a studio analyst on Monday Night Football.

Despite Limbaugh and Checketts ties to the area, the rumor of the sale has raised concern in St. Louis. The city has already lost one NFL team, when the Cardinals moved to Tempe, Arizona in 1987. The NFL passed over St. Louis for an expansion franchise in 1993, awarding it instead to Jacksonville, Florida. In 1995, Frontiere”a St. Louis native”was persuaded to move the team back to her hometown. There is a clause in the Rams lease that would allow the team to relocate without penalty as soon as 2014 if their current home at the Edward Jones Dome is not deemed to be one of the top 25% of NFL stadiums. Its already one of the oldest facilities in the league, and there are no current plans to replace or renovate the structure.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and World Cup betting sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

http://www.ted.com In a funny, rapid-fire 4 minutes, Alexis Ohanian of Reddit tells the real-life fable of one humpback whale’s rise to Web stardom. The lesson of Mister Splashy Pants is a shoo-in classic for meme-makers and marketers in the Facebook age.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the “Sixth Sense” wearable tech, and “Lost” producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate. Watch a highlight reel of the Top 10 TEDTalks at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

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