Is the economy improving or are we just “muddling through”? Over the last year I’ve tried to note what we should look as reams of economic data are released and then spun by an eager, if naïve press. It’s time to go back and review what’s happening now that data for the end of 2010 is starting to come in.
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Category Archives: Writing
The musings of someone who picked it up on the streets.
Grounding
Life on the ‘net is a new world full of promise to increase the connection between people, create new business opportunities, and develop new ideas. Who can possibly argue with that? I won’t. But as I discuss what this means, online and off, I’ve come to realize that there is often a disconnect between how things are done in real life (IRL) and in this new world that exists in the ether around us.
Bridging that gap is an opportunity to make the online world more relevant – and make a decent living, if I can figure it out. The problem is not an academic one at all. Yet I can’t help but think that the solution can be found in how it is all grounded. For all this new stuff the people who use it are still people. It takes me back to the beginnings of academia itself, or how the Western world came to be what it is.
Hoax
Some might call it a publicity stunt, but I prefer to call it a hoax – the “x” makes it sound more exotic. Yes, the whole “Something’s up in Lowertown” routine was just a little game that a few of us cooked up to get attention to a part of Saint Paul that’s been struggling through the construction that has ripped up their streets and made access nearly impossible. It was a pretty tame gag, really, and it appears that most people have taken it in the spirit of fun it was intended. But is it ever acceptable to lie to your customers?
By the way, that shirt really looks great on you – it brings our your eyes nicely!
The Nightmare Before Christmas
A crisp fall day greets us with a crunchy carpet of leaves as my dog and I make our way out first thing in the morning. August, a Westie, is restless and excited by all the new smells and feelings that hang in the air. But he’s not the only one. This is a season of restlessness and change, a time when we’re moving on to something else that isn’t quite in front of us yet.
I find myself singing songs from one of my favorite movies, a wonderfully crafted musical about restlessness, missing the point – and ultimately love. The kids and I watched Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” as we do every year just as the spooky season starts to sink in and change everything around us, and we all sing along. It’s a wonderful stop-action animated movie with intricate songs passionately written and sung by the great Danny Elfman.
Forget SEO & Write for Humans
“Get to the top of Google and stay there!” The notices spam out to thousands of inboxes, probably including yours. Many people make some kind of living pitching their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) methods to businesses small and large who hope to make a killing off this internet thingy. But for all the noise and money spent, the vast majority of it is a terrible waste.
Real articles, blogs, or other content are written for humans, not machines. If you forget this, there is no magic formula to undo your mistake.
Barataria - The work of Erik Hare 