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An Interview with Jim Donnelly (from The Internet)

• Aug 20, 2010 from v(Veronica Belmont) in *
  Last week on BuzzFeed, a meme popped up about a man named Jim Donnelly. Jim attracted attention for running an advertisement in his local newspaper in New Bedford, MA, in which he asks people to become his friend on Facebook (to learn, among other things, Useful Information). The internet, being what it is, reacted to the this unusual proposition in its typical manner. Heck, I even added a WTF badge to the comments thread.
  With that simple statement of Hello, Im Jim Donnelly from The Internet! he quickly became a sensation:
  
  After reading the story, I decided to post it to my Facebook page. After all, its not every day someone promotes their Facebook account via newspaper. Lo and behold, Jim paid me a visit in the comments, and so I decided to ask him a few questions to learn more about why he decided to reach out to people in this particular manner, and how the attention this week has been. The interview (and his extensive answers) are after the jump.
  
  Tell us about yourself! What do you do for a living?
  For the past 33 years, I was a TV Producer and manager of a regional Cable TV studio in New Bedford, Massachusetts under a succession of corporate banners. We produced local news and sports programs, talk shows, cooking shows, etc. My run there ended suddenly in the summer of 09. No hard feelings. It was a good ride while it lasted.
  Ive been a tech early adopter, enthusiast and evangelist. Im guessing you dont remember when a spreadsheet was something made of paper that covered half a conference room table. When you changed a single budget number with an eraser and a pencil, you had to recalculate across and down, using an old-fashioned calculator with a paper roll. I helped the Cable TV company build its first computer payroll budget using BASIC code on a Texas Instruments TI-99/4A with data storage on standard cassette tape. It was thrill after thrill over the years, as the first IBM-compatible PC arrived with two floppy drives, then one with a 10MB hard drive, then a Novell token-ring network, and so on.
  People today are spoiled, you hook peripherals up and they work! We used to have to send strings of gobbledygook characters to printers and modems to coax them to work properly.
  Among the TV programs I produced was a series that ran from 1995 through 2006 called world@your.pc. If I may alliterate, I think of myself as a Low-Level Leo Laporte. Lets be clear, Im not worthy to shine Leos shoes, but I participated in the same sport, if not in the same league. If my data is correct, in 1995 about a third of homes in the U.S. had a computer in them and about 5% had a connection to the Internet, so world@your.pc was geeky cutting-edge for its time here in New Bedford.
  world@your.pc consisted of two-minute segments within news programs, and standalone half-hours, playing in several regions of Massachusetts, as well as the Atlanta area, upstate New York and some areas in California. I dispensed computer operation tips, keyboard shortcuts, and explored useful and entertaining websites. You can see a small archive sampler of world@your.pc segments on the YouTube.
  Im unemployed now. I need to write the next chapter.
  Since 2001, Ive been posting restaurant menus on a website called Menu Joy. Now Im trying to make a real business out of it.
  Local print newspapers are screwed. Local radio and TV stations are screwed. What will take its place?
  I own TV shooting equipment and editing software costing relative peanuts that can do what cost a quarter million dollars just a short time ago. And I have a connection to the Internet. Anybody with those things can create a TV channel. Im looking to carry on what we did on the the Cable TV local channel by producing local videos and posting them on Menu Joy, with links on Facebook, to draw traffic. I recently produced a video shot entirely with one of those pocket Handy Cams, the Zoom Q3, one of the first with a decent built-in microphone. The video, Free Parking, is about a seasonal parking meter amnesty deal to coax shoppers to downtown New Bedford.
  I believe Facebook is poised to be an amazing phenomenon, more so than it is already. Ive been calling it the Second Coming of the Internet. I see it drawing in scores of people, including my spouse, who previously had minimal interest in Internetty things. It makes connecting with a lot of people so much easier, and fun, than ever before, from close family to acquaintances, co-workers, clients, etc. Its so much easier than composing an eMail to keep the back and forth, keeping-in-touch going.
  Facebook could become the communications grid for everyone for everything.
  When you first open a Facebook account, youre looking at a blank page. Its empty. Nothing there. You are now like a newspaper editor, you fill your blank page with content. First you connect with your family and friends, theyll populate your page with bulletins about their lives, ranging in significance from what they just ate to what they just gave birth to. Then...

Travel $mart for the Fourth

• Jul 01, 2010 from nbcchicago(NBC Chicago) in World news
  The economy isnt keeping folks home this year! AAA predicts travel to be up nearly 20 percent this fourth of July weekend.No doubt people are still budget conscious in this economy and thats why most people will drive not fly to their destinations.The good news is that you dont have to break the bank to change your scenery. IbisWorld Research finds camping is still the best bet for the money. A four day trip for a family of four costs about $630.00 dollars.Traveling to a hotel or renting an RV runs about $1,500.00. Flying is five times more expensive than camping at $3,300.00."If you can play with the travel dates you can save some big money," said Gabe Saglie with Travelzoo. The Fourth is the cheapest day to fly, and if you go in the morning you still wont miss the fireworks.Push the return to Tuesday or Wednesday and the flight can drop 50 percent.Saglie said websites like Kayak and Fly.com are the best places to search and comparison shop. He also said the airlines often give big discounts to "friends" on social media sites.For hotels, Saglie suggests calling them directly, not the toll-free number of the chain. And then negotiate.Saglie said travelers should be warned that hotels are now charging more fees like the airlines."While advertised rates can look attractive some hotels tack on another 10-20 percent in resort fees," he said.The total for new fees in the hotel industry this year is expected to hit "$1.7-billion," he adds.Las Vegas is the #1 spot for the summer according to a survey by Travel Ticker. With so many vacancies, hotels are slashing prices."Some 4-star hotels are $50 a night," says Saglie. The "bells of the ball" right on the strip are going for $100 with free show tickets!New York is #2, the Caribbean #3. Chicago ranked #8 in the most popular destinations in Travel Ticker's survey. Priceline.com named it the top spot in the country.Considering beaches, cultural and sightseeing excursions are the most popular getaways, Chicago and its lakefront also make staying close to home affordable and enjoyable.But, if you want to wing last minute travel plans Saglie offers this short list:1) Osthoff Resort (Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin) - $230 per night for a suite any Sunday-Tuesday through Sept. 2 including July 4-6, stay 2 nights and get 3rd free bringing the nightly rate down to $153 - Great for a long 4th of July weekend getaway for the family since the suite can sleep 4 people. There is fireworks show in town that weekend on Friday and a parade on Sunday. - AAA 4-Diamond resort with a private lakefront, indoor & outdoor pools, tennis, water sports & bike rentals - Three hour drive from Chicago2) Hotel 71 (Chicago) - $159-$179 per night July 1-5; this deal saves 40% - Located downtown minutes from the shopping, dining and sights of the famed Magnificent Mile - Great deal for Chicago residents with family visiting July 4th weekend3) Royalton Hotel (New York City) - $195 July 2-4 including a room upgrade based on availability and a $20 MetroCard; this deal saves $150 on regular rates - AAA 4-Diamond hotel 5 minutes from Times Square4) Renaissance Dupont Circle (Washington, D.C.) - $159 July 2-4; this deal saves 45% on regular rates and includes a $50 credit towards a future stay - 4-star hotel in Dupont Circle conveniently located near the citys metro system - The 4th of July celebrations in D.C. are among the most attended events of the year. Its an all-day event starting with a parade along Constitution Avenue and ending with a spectacular display of fireworks over the Washington Monument - You can still get a flight for $239 to fly roundtrip from Chicago to D.C. July 2-45) US Airways Las Vegas Vacation - $527 per person for 4 nights at the Vegas Hilton and roundtrip air departing from Chicago OHare departing July 3 or depart July 4 for $473 per person - $625 per person for 4 nights at the MGM Grand, 2 Cirque du Soleil tickets and roundtrip air and from Chicago OHare departing July 3 or depart July 4 for $536 per person - A great deal because airfare over 4th of July weekend costs at least $400 from Chicago

25+ Upcoming Social Media & Tech Events

• Jul 12, 2010 from mashable(Mashable) in Technology
  Its Monday, which means its time for Mashables guide to upcoming social media and web events, parties and conferences. For more upcoming event listings, check out Mashables Events section.This summer, dont forget to check out the Mashable U.S. Summer Tour thats making stops at:Seattle July 10th San Francisco July 14th Washington D.C August 5th New York August 9th Chicago August 11th Would you like to have your conference or event listed here? If so, please contact us at least one month before your event to establish a media partnership.Here are some tips on how to network, share your information and/or promote your event using social media: HOW TO: Plan and Promote Events with Social Media 35+ Ways to Find and Plan Events Online 8 Ways to Create Paperless Business Cards 5 Useful iPhone Apps for Business NetworkingMashables Weekly Social Media and Marketing Event Guide is proudly supported by Eventbrite, the Webs Event Marketplace.July 12, 2010, Washington, D.C.: Online Marketing Summit (OMS) is coming to D.C. with all new B2B and B2C case studies and social media integration tracks, unparalleled networking opportunities and an exclusive Social Media and Content Marketing Workshop and Breakfast, brought to you by the Online Marketing Institute and Wharton Interactive Media Initiative. Learn search, social media and integrated marketing from the leading experts at Kodak, ExactTarget and HubSpot. Register now with promo code MASH20 for 20% off.July 12-13 & 15-16, 2010, Singapore and Hong Kong: Join us at this Media Relations conference. This two-day event will see leading PR practioners gather to share more about the integration of social media and traditional media. PR professionals can look forward to discussing strategies that help you achieve your communication objectives and enhance your media relations and positive coverage. Learn how top B2B and B2C companies integrate new media tools for a well-rounded approach. Register today. Save 10% when you enter Mashable under Additional Info.July 12-13, San Francisco, CA: MobileBeat 2010, VentureBeats third annual executive conference on the future of mobile, has expanded this year to a new two-day format. The theme: The Year of The Superphone and Who Will Profit. Were assembling the major players in the industry to discuss, debate and explore wholl win in the midst of the superphone revolution and why. Join 500 mobile industry leaders from the major U.S. and international carriers, to the top device makers, developers, startups, marketers and investors for two packed days of exciting content, breakaway sessions, power networking and deal-making. For all events details, click here. Register with promo code VB_Mashable and save 15%.July 12-15, 2010, Washington, D.C.: Attend the Advanced Learning Institutes 19th Forum on Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using The Latest Web 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results, to learn how to incorporate social media into your communications and marketing plans and leverage the latest interactive Web 2.0 tools and techniques to advance your organizational goals. Hear practical advice, firsthand, from leading organizations such as: Army Corps of Engineers; National Wildlife Federation; USDA; City of Raleigh, NC; University of Georgia Libraries; CDC; U.S. Department of Defense; U.S. Navy; Social Security Administration; U.S. General Services Administration; Transportation Security Administration; and more. Mention Mashable when registering to save $200.July 13, 2010, London, UK: This senior level forum offers SVPs, VPs, Directors & Heads of eCommerce, Online, Marketing, Digital and Customer Experience the opportunity to discuss strategies, solutions and best practice for enhancing the customer experience and delivering competitive differentiation by effectively managing and integration online, social and mobile channels. Offering a unique mix of keynote briefings, interactive discussions and one-to-one meetings Customer Experience Online will provide you with a unique opportunity to propel your online initiatives to success and position yourself at the forefront of the industry. Spaces are limited and by invitation only, click here to find out if you qualify. When booking your place, please use discount code MASH_BAN for a 10% discount.July 14, 2010 London, UK: Just what does all this chatter mean and how do you use it to further steer your comms? To manage brand perception? To measure success? And how do you build on success? Strengthen customer relationships? React to negative sentiment? Well, weve persuaded a whole raft of whizzes to tackle those issues and many more besides at IAB HQ in central London. Therell be Pecha Kucha-style presentations aplenty, a heavyweight panel discussion, plus a networking and drinks session where the conversations can flow. Register today for 10 off the full price of 95 at http://www.brand-e.biz/buzzmashable.htmlJuly 14, 2010, New...

Travel $mart for the Fourth

• Jun 30, 2010 from nbcchicago(NBC Chicago) in World news
  The economy isnt keeping folks home this year! AAA predicts travel to be up nearly 20 percent this fourth of July weekend.No doubt people are still budget conscious in this economy and thats why most people will drive not fly to their destinations.The good news is that you dont have to break the bank to change your scenery. IbisWorld Research finds camping is still the best bet for the money. A four day trip for a family of four costs about $630.00 dollars.Traveling to a hotel or renting an RV runs about $1,500.00. Flying is five times more expensive than camping at $3,300.00."If you can play with the travel dates you can save some big money," said Gabe Saglie with Travelzoo. The Fourth is the cheapest day to fly, and if you go in the morning you still wont miss the fireworks.Push the return to Tuesday or Wednesday and the flight can drop 50 percent.Saglie said websites like Kayak and Fly.com are the best places to search and comparison shop. He also said the airlines often give big discounts to "friends" on social media sites.For hotels, Saglie suggests calling them directly, not the toll-free number of the chain. And then negotiate.Saglie said travelers should be warned that hotels are now charging more fees like the airlines."While advertised rates can look attractive some hotels tack on another 10-20 percent in resort fees," he said.The total for new fees in the hotel industry this year is expected to hit "$1.7-billion," he adds.Las Vegas is the #1 spot for the summer according to a survey by Travel Ticker. With so many vacancies, hotels are slashing prices."Some 4-star hotels are $50 a night," says Saglie. The "bells of the ball" right on the strip are going for $100 with free show tickets!New York is #2, the Caribbean #3. Chicago ranked #8 in the most popular destinations in Travel Ticker's survey. Priceline.com named it the top spot in the country.Considering beaches, cultural and sightseeing excursions are the most popular getaways, Chicago and its lakefront also make staying close to home affordable and enjoyable.But, if you want to wing last minute travel plans Saglie offers this short list:1) Osthoff Resort (Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin) - $230 per night for a suite any Sunday-Tuesday through Sept. 2 including July 4-6, stay 2 nights and get 3rd free bringing the nightly rate down to $153 - Great for a long 4th of July weekend getaway for the family since the suite can sleep 4 people. There is fireworks show in town that weekend on Friday and a parade on Sunday. - AAA 4-Diamond resort with a private lakefront, indoor & outdoor pools, tennis, water sports & bike rentals - Three hour drive from Chicago2) Hotel 71 (Chicago) - $159-$179 per night July 1-5; this deal saves 40% - Located downtown minutes from the shopping, dining and sights of the famed Magnificent Mile - Great deal for Chicago residents with family visiting July 4th weekend3) Royalton Hotel (New York City) - $195 July 2-4 including a room upgrade based on availability and a $20 MetroCard; this deal saves $150 on regular rates - AAA 4-Diamond hotel 5 minutes from Times Square4) Renaissance Dupont Circle (Washington, D.C.) - $159 July 2-4; this deal saves 45% on regular rates and includes a $50 credit towards a future stay - 4-star hotel in Dupont Circle conveniently located near the citys metro system - The 4th of July celebrations in D.C. are among the most attended events of the year. Its an all-day event starting with a parade along Constitution Avenue and ending with a spectacular display of fireworks over the Washington Monument - You can still get a flight for $239 to fly roundtrip from Chicago to D.C. July 2-45) US Airways Las Vegas Vacation - $527 per person for 4 nights at the Vegas Hilton and roundtrip air departing from Chicago OHare departing July 3 or depart July 4 for $473 per person - $625 per person for 4 nights at the MGM Grand, 2 Cirque du Soleil tickets and roundtrip air and from Chicago OHare departing July 3 or depart July 4 for $536 per person - A great deal because airfare over 4th of July weekend costs at least $400 from Chicago

Righteous Wrap-Up, Week 3

• Sep 28, 2010 from gearupforsports(Gear Up For Sports) in Sports
  Hold on a second.
  (surfacing for air)
  Great. Ive summarily dunked my head forty times in the toilet from Trainspotting as penance for my awful, historically crappy picks from Friday. Ive never had a week of whiff after whiff. This calls for a dramatic re-assessment of my methodology, but Im still too wounded to do that now. Especially not on the heels of such a sucker-punch victory of the Bears over my Packers. Why dont I lick my wounds with a little distraction, a re-cap of this weekends triumphs and tribulations?
  As always, I start with the Packers game, followed by highlights/lowlights of the week and the No Huddle section to follow. I welcome comments (I am starved for attention) in the box below, so if you feel like you need to scorn me one more time, theres your opportunity. Ill also take the time to plug my Twitter (@greenbayblog) which is probably a better bet for you in the future since I can only be so incorrect in 140 characters or less.
  THINGS IM STILL PONDERING
  
  Aaron Rodgers had his team in position to win, but a bizarre bounce was all it took to end his comeback bid.
  Really, do you think ten penalties is too much? Try fifteen. Wait, make that seventeen, tying a franchise record. Most of the penalties were on the offensive line. Aaron Rodgers wasnt sacked Monday night (phew!) but four of the five Packers starters on the O-line had a penalty against him. There were a few potential game-changing penalties in the fourth quarter. Rookie linebacker Frank Zombo stupidly hit Jay Cutler helmet-to-helmet, wiping out an extremely athletic (and what would have been a back-breaking) INT by Nick Barnett. At the two-minute warning, rookie safety Morgan Burnett got called for pass interference on a Nick Collins INT. The penalty placed the ball at the Packers 9 and essentially gift-wrapped the win for the Bears (Robbie Gould would go on to kick the winning nineteen-yard field goal four plays later).
  Those werent the only self-induced injuries. A Jermichael Finley touchdown was nullified by a holding penalty. Two plays later, Julius Peppers jumped between Josh Sitton and Bryan Bulaga to block a Mason Crosby field goal (Crosby had been 5-for-5 on the year to that point). How about the James Jones fumble that aborted a Packers drive at midfield and gave the Bears the ball back with 2:15 to go? HOW DOES THAT BALL NOT BOUNCE OUT OF BOUNDS LIKE IT DOES NINETY-NINE PERCENT OF THE TIME? Caps Lock is not strong enough to express my bewilderment. The play happened right on the Packers sideline, so youd think someone would have gotten a great view. Except not. Mike McCarthy burned a timeout on a foolish challengethink that T.O. would have come in handy I dont know right at the end when you needed to conserve time for your quarterbackbutinsteadlettheclockwinddown. I better move to a new paragraph before I take a bath in whiskey.
  My highly analytic assessment of the Bears win: whatever. Theyre 3-0, but its smoke-and-mirrors. Jay Cutler hangs so many balls up in the air youd think someone on the sideline was yelling PULL! Matt Forte was invisible. Their defense is swarming and hard-hitting, absolutely, but I dont see the Bears winning on the road very often. Dont think the Packers didnt beat themselves in this game? Let the statistics bear my argument. Aaron Rodgers alone (316 yards passing) outgained the entire Bears offense (298 total yards). The Packers sacked Cutler three times while Rodgers got sacked zero times and Green Bay didnt turn the ball over (no, I dont count an INT on a Hail Mary at the end of the first half as a legitimate turnover). Charles Woodson ripped the ball out twice but unlike the Bears, didnt get the breaks. One fumble hopped out of bounds, one was mysteriously ruled down by contact (replays showed otherwise). No Bears defender had an answer for Jermichael Finley (9 catches for 115 yards) but of course, he had to leave the game with cramps during the second half. The Packers had almost 12 minutes more in the TOP battle (thats almost a full quarter!). You tell me that a goofy fumble, Packers penalties, and a nice Devin Hester punt return TD arent the only reasons the Bears won, and Ill challenge your sanity. Time to move on. I dont need an aneurysm tonight.
  MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH
  
  Polamalu, seen here mid-transit to his moon base, has taken the Steelers D to great heights.
  Keystone statements.
  On Friday, my buddy Devin (lifelong Steelers fan) informed me that I had picked against Pittsburgh the first three weeks of the year. I had been 0-2 at that point and he wanted to know what I had against the Stillers, as they are called in the ingratiating Yinzer accent of Western PA. I told him that I felt weird backing a team that put in Dennis Dixon then Charlie Batch at quarterback. In their first two games, Pittsburghs offense had a whopping zero touchdowns in regulation time. That offense was ranked 31st in the league and had to travel to humid Florida to take on a young, energetic squad? Smelled...