allvoices -

If you cheat 'virtually' is it still cheating?

onlinebusinesswoman — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:09:43 -0700

Just when you thought technology couldn't get any more controversial, a new dating sim call Love Plus has taken cheating to a whole new realm of possibilities. Complaints about the new sim include wives voicing their frustrations with the new game in online chats and bulletin board forums.

Love Plus is a game that has garnered huge popularity in its home country of Japan. The sim allows the user to "date" one of three girls in order to have them fall in love. The game doesn't stop there, however. Once you have hooked your favorite love, the game continues with typical real life dating rituals that are to be performed with your virtual girl.

As an example, see photos of one Love Plus player, shopping for wedding dresses with his virtual girlfriend. But whatever you do, if you are going to keep your girlfriend's heart, don't forget her birthday! Manaka, one of the sim's virtual girlfriend choices, celebrated her birthday in grand style with hundreds of men buying cakes and otherwise joining in celebration of her big day.

The blog Tokyo Mango reports that the virtual sim has many wives up in arms, as their husbands not only participate in these rituals with their virtual gal, but also sleep with them, and take them with them in the bath tub.

According to these woman, their husband have taken the game too far so the debate has begun: can "virtual cheating" be just as bad as real cheating? If so, how far is society willing to go to discourage such practices? What do you think about the idea of allowing your spouse the right to "cheat" with a virtual sim, if it keeps him from cheating with another real human?

Can you get a DWI from a Laz-Y-Boy?

onlinebusinesswoman — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:40:12 -0700

If you believe the key to avoiding those drunk driving charges resides in concocting some other motorized means of getting from point A to point B, think again. Sixty two year old Dennis LeRoy Anderson recently learned the hard way that drinking, and motors, no matter their size, do not mix.

Anderson plead guilty in the St. Louis County District Court to a DWI charge stemming from an accident with his motorized Laz-Y-Boy and a parked vehicle. According to police reports, Anderson claims that he was doing just fine after having left a local Proctor, MN bar, until a woman knocked his chair off course by jumping up onto it while it was in motion.

The chair consists of a lawnmower engine and a small steering wheel coming out directly in the center of the chair. In addition to the motor and steering capabilities, the chair also reportedly sports a Hot Rod Racing sticker, a stereo, cup holder, and some pretty slick detail work.

The crash involving the parked car did not cause any serious injuries but according to police records Anderson's blood alcohol level was nearly three times that of legally allowed limits, measuring 0.29 on a breathalizer.

The chair was forfeited to Proctor police who reportedly will be selling it along with other forfeited items in the future.

See the news reports attached to this article for images of the chair.

Need a quick chill fix?

onlinebusinesswoman — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:49 -0700

You are at work, trying to ignore the boss screaming in the other room, and your pod-mate next to you clicking their pen in, and out.. and in and out. What do you do?

Why not try chilling to some great music; plug in your iPod and eat that last piece of chocolate in your desk draw. Soon you'll be dreaming of the warm sunny beach, and a place far away!

Of course you'll need some good chill music, and what could be better than downloading some for free! Just hop on over to Cloudfactory.com to download and listen to the results of the annual Chillits festival, an outdoor music festival that takes place in Willits, CA.

First, take a moment to throw a few bucks at the folks who are paying for the bandwidth to make this happen, then download your favorites as an MP3, or better yet for torrent freaks like me, fire up your favorite P2P software and download the torrents instead (this option saves the website host from having to pay for the extra download bandwidth).

Last but not least, share this site with all your stressed out colleagues and be prepared for the praise and adulation for days, weeks and months to come!

For more great online sites and ideas, visit Roxanne at her blog, Online-Business-Woman.com. Better yet, hire her for your next social media project; she would be eternally grateful for weeks, and months on end!

Blog Action Day 09: 5 Fun Ways to Support Earth-Friendly Charities

onlinebusinesswoman — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:01:38 -0700

These days, with economies stretched to the limit and people cutting back on everything from designer label clothing to brand-name toilet paper, trying to help out a favorite cause may seem like an impossibility. But helping out your best-loved non-profit or charity organization doesn't have to cost a dime.

There is no question that charities and non-profits need monetary support in order to keep running. But these organizations need even more than that; they also need exposure - and the more eyeballs they can get on their website, the more chance they will receive monetary support.

So if you are short on cash, but know your way around the Internet (even if you don't!) there are a few fun ways in which you can do your part to spread the word, and keep your favorite organization in the spotlight. For today's Bog Action Day article I offer the following five fun and simple ways that you can help support your favorite cause for climate change and the environment.

Fun Idea #1 - Send eCards to your friends and family

No one enjoys boring text email anymore, but everyone loves e-cards! There are many places online where you can sign up to send free cards. Or, for a small fee get a membership and send out an informative, fun e-card each month to all your family and friends. There is nothing more enjoyable than a fun, animated e-card waiting for you in your inbox.

E-cards typically allow unlimited text space where you can share information about an upcoming charity event, link to news announcements, or just let people know what organizations you care about and why. And if you have a birthday coming up, why not send birthday e-cards to your friends and family, asking them to contribute to your favorite charity instead of sending you all those gifts of cash and technicalogical gadgets! Now THAT would be a testament of good will and dedication to your cause!

Fun Idea #2 - Add links to your favorite cause in signatures and profiles

Most everyone who is on the Internet these days has memberships with forums, community bulletin boards or social media networks. These sites almost always allow you to provide customized information in your profile, or a custom "signature" that is attached to each post you make on the site. Customize your profile or signature with a link to your favorite charity site. Add a quick, eye-grabbing sentence to entice readers to click the link. Or better yet, create a snazzy graphic and link it to your favorite site.

And don't forget about your e-mail signature; many of my small business clients forget that e-mails are a ripe source for advertising efforts, especially if you are prone to sharing those all favorite jokes and funny email photos and stories. Customize your email signature with links to your favorite causes, then set your preferences to add your signature to each e-mail that you send. Before you know it, your links will be circling the globe, along side that "what does the chicken get when he crosses the road" cartoon!

Fun Idea #3 - Use Facebook and Twitter to help disseminate your charity's message

Most people who are familiar with Facebook or Twitter realize that there are many ways to share links, and information with their friends, but there is more you can do than just send off random links!

First, support your favorite environmental charity by adding a Twibbon to your Facebook and Twitter profile photos. Twibbons are small icons that are attached to your photo in support of charities and other groups and organizations. This is a more passive support effort, but it allows you to easily share your support with each Tweet and post you make. Give it try - you can support Earth Force, one of my favorite non-profits, with this Twibbon icon.

But don't leave it at that. Send private and direct messages to your followers and friends as often as you are able. Make the message simple and sweet, with a convenient link they can click to get exactly where you need them to be. But don't make the mistake many businesses make in using these social media tools - if you expect to get any support from your followers you have to be a part of the conversation before you make your plea. Otherwise you're doing no more than standing in front of a house, knocking on the door and asking strangers to give you money. Make a presence, and others will follow where you go with it.

Fun Idea #4 - Citizen journalism

Today marks one of the best decades for citizen journalism ever! Anyone with the desire and inclination can write articles that can be viewed by dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of others. There are even websites specializing in citizen journalism efforts, like AllVoices.com.

These sites allow you to catch the action as it happens, or provide commentary on events after-the-fact. Whatever your comfort level or experience you can jump into the fray and express your opinions, thoughts, ideas, and join the discussion with others. Citizen journalism sites have far more reach than most personal blogs, but a personal blog article can reach others as well.

Regardless of which option you choose be sure your articles are interesting and relevant to the article topic. The key is to get people reading in the first paragraph, so they are enticed to read further. And offer them a reason why to continue reading as soon in the article as possible. And most important, make sure the title is an eye grabber!

Fun Idea #5 - Play games!

This last idea is my favorite, and is probably the least recognized venue for supporting charity events. Second Life, a live interactive software game where users interact with one another using animated avatars in a 3D environment, is a growing and significant venue for charity fund-raising efforts.

Consider this - in 2007, the Relay for Life Second Life Walk-a-thon event raised more then $118,000 and attracted more than 1,700 participants. That's a lot of Linden dough for one virtual game!

So how can you help? Joining the Second Life community is something that requires a small learning curve, but once you've mastered moving and flying around in this fun virtual environment, you can participate, advertise or otherwise volunteer for favorite charities. Purchase virtual art items in one of the many art auction for charity events, or fund your own event and donate the proceeds.

These are just a few of the many creative and fun ways in which you can take part in an effort to reduce the effects of climate change through your favorite environment charity or other worthy cause. Although these efforts may not seem like a lot in the whole scheme of things, every effort, everywhere, counts.

Last year I participated in a Second Life Earth Day event that raised awareness for the carbon footprint that every human leaves behind each and every day. These type of events put together are significant in raising the awareness necessary to begin to curb the effects of climate changes and negative environmental impacts, and every small effort helps. Just like making the choice to not throw your empty wrapper out the car window, you too can make your small place on earth one which supports and encourages awareness and respect for our environment. So let's make our every action, online and offline, count!

This article is a reprint from my blog at http://online-business-woman.com/

Joe the Plumber says

onlinebusinesswoman — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:15:30 -0700

If you haven't heard yet, Joe the Plumber, a.k.a., Samuel Wurzelbacher, also referred to as the "last straw" of the McCain campaign last year, has quit the GOP. Yes, sad to hear, I know.

But if you're wondering how this sad event has come to pass, it appears it has followed a rather progressive yet these days rather typical chain of events in what now appears a new social media world order. The chain of events, in retrospect, are so simple and easy to recognize that in hindsight, one wonders how it was overlooked. So for those of us who are a little slow to the draw, here are the events and, for posterity, their social media corollaries, so these events can never be overlooked again.

First, the meteoric rise. Obama, unaware of how lucky he was that the cosmos had all lined up for him that day on October 12, 2008, answered the innocent questions of a bystander. Joe made the advantageous move to speak out about the responses he felt were "anti-American dream", some GOP brainchild overheard him and said "Ah hah, we've struck gold now Lucy!". In the social media world, this is called coming up with the next Facebook idea.

Second, McCain takes this "ah hah" moment and decides (one has to wonder exactly whose brilliant idea it was) to make "Joe the Plumber" a national catch phrase. He mentions Mr. Joe, before the world, at least 1/2 dozen times, always in reference to ideas that were, we now know, simply assumed, and not investigated, kind of like a Sarah Palin mini-me. Within 24 hours the media was all over Joe the Plumber, trying to get the first, juiciest plum of information about the new super-star of the GOP (well, second only to Palin herself). In the social media world, this would be like a blog article being picked up by the national AP wire.

Third, now that Joe is a superstar success story, bandying his tale far and wide, stumping with the woman who perfected the art, some began to wonder just why in the world he was there anyway? While he obviously had some "super-star" backing, in the end his success seemed largely more virtually grown than real. And as soon as the "real" story began to surface, the life of Joe the Plumber as a campaign success began to erode along with all the other half-baked ideas the campaign had come up with in the twilight hours. The social media corollary: Twitter as a business tool.

Lastly, after months of campaign, national book deals, right-wing blog assignments overseas, Joe the Plumber has begun to actually start asking questions again. Aside from the fact that his name is not, in fact, Joe, he is not actually even a plumber, and in fact, he doesn't make anywhere close to the kind of income he alluded to when he first spoke to Obama, he seems to have done pretty well for himself as a national icon.

But there is trouble in paradise, and now Joe the Plumber has seen the light. "You can't sell principles," Joe was heard to say of RNC Chairman Michael Steele, who he says wants to make conservatism "hip hop". And on gay marriage, Joe appears to be unwavering, stating that God has been "explicit in what we're supposed to do--what man and woman are for" and that gays are not welcome around his children.

So now it has come to pass that on May 7, 2009, Joe is bidding adieu to the GOP, stating, we might surmise, irreconcilable differences. Joe's short shrift with the GOP is nothing short of astounding, but in today's age flash-pan stardom seems the norm, rather than the exception.

Successful "up and coming" websites and blogs are all the rage, for at least a year or two. On their heels are the next "up and comings" which, also, are around for a year or two. There is no question that the ideas are foundations, and the developments help future developments and technological breakthroughs, but has anyone asked "at what cost?"

Is it significant that a world of "one hit wonders" should be the rule rather than the exception? In an age where true leadership appears to be eroding, and ideals of principle, fellowship and considerations for man-kind are fleeting, are our attention spans going to be developed enough to handle an idea that lasts longer than a few months, let alone a few years?

Perhaps it is time to ask ourselves whether politics is mere sport, or has some higher function or purpose. If political efforts can be sifted to mere sound-bite realities, and the media relegated to the quickest wit and the most palatable presentation, what happens to intellectual pursuit of a better world, a better human race? Perhaps, already, I've lost the masses by contemplating ideas that require thought, effort and determined concentration. Is this the age of our future? A Twitter-esque reality of politics and decision-making.

If we wish to thank Joe properly, we will relegate his memory into the archives of our history, and leave the pages locked, until such time that we can look back on history and say "ah yes, thank goodness we were able to come out of that one alive".

For more on Joe's timely departure, see the Time article Republicans in Distress: Is the Party Over?

See more about social media and politics in my blog at Online-Business-Woman.com

International Ada Lovelace Day - Why I admire IT gal Sandra Lerner

onlinebusinesswoman — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:47:07 -0700

Tuesday, March 24th is International Ada Lovelace Day. It is a day of blogging, and drawing particular attention to women who excel in the technology world. Lovelace was the world’s first computer programmer, and one of the first people to recognize the potential for computers to be used for more than just adding 2 + 2.

Until recently women’s contributions in technology, among other industries, had often gone unnoticed. Today, with the advent of Web 2.0 and social media revolutions, a new world of tech savvy women leaders is emerging. But before the leaders of 21st century technology there were pioneers in the technology revolution, including one of my favorites, Sandra Lerner. Lerner co-found Cisco Systems (yes I mean THE Cisco Systems). She co-found the company with her then boyfriend and future ex-husband back in 1984.

This is not the only reason I admire Lerner, however. My admiration is for Lerner’s pioneer determination. After being fired from the company she helped to found in 1990, Lerner took profits from her stock in Cisco and began investing in start-ups, including Urban Decay Cosmetics, an alternative cosmetics business with the tag line “does pink make you puke?”. Further small business start up efforts resulted in some successes and some failures, but onward she blazed.

Lerner today is involved in many philanthropic efforts, including the restoration of the Jane Austen family dwelling Chawton House, which is now a center for the study of English women’s writing [cited: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Lerner].

Despite Lerner’s early successes, however, her name is often not recognized as one of the early pioneers in technological advancements, which is what makes International Lovelace Day is so spectacular. As women and men of the world, we can recognize and pay homage to those women who have helped to bring about technological changes that even a generation ago would have seemed unattainable. Today we reach and meet technological advances in the blink of an eye, and more and more women are becoming the centerpiece of these developments.

It is, however, to these early women pioneers in computer science, technology, engineering, and advanced technical sciences that the first foundations of acceptance for women in the industry have been built. As it always is with advancements for women through the centuries, it takes those first few to break through and, despite opposition, determinedly accomplish their goals and at the same time, help millions of women who come after them find an easier route to their own success.

Though I have chosen Ms. Lerner as a women in technology I most admire, there are hundreds of others I would have liked to have mentioned as well, including many who have founded or co-founded some of the hottest social media sites out there and numerous start ups. Here are just a few from some of the sites and start ups I enjoy:

Caterina Fake - Flickr
Gina Bianchi - Ning
Mary Hodder - Dabble
Sandra Jen/Elaine Wherry - Meebo
Xochi Birch - Bebo
Halley Suitt - Top Ten Sources
Rashmi Sinha - SlideShare
D Millack - Zazzle
Linda Furrier - Podtech
Maggie Fox - Social Media Group
Arianna Huffington - Huffington Post
Kelly Goto - Gotomedia

This of course is a very small list, but it is representative of the hundreds and thousands of women in technology today who have actively proven the ability of women to succeed in anything they choose, including technological and computer-related industries.

For all those women who have helped accomplish the unthinkable, and most especially for those whose credit was often always due, but not given, I salute and thank you for your efforts! These women inspire, and amaze me, and I feel lucky to be following in their worthy footsteps, to help take on the world of social media and technological changes of the future.

Reposted from Online Business Woman blog

Are we the last generation to experience the 'paper' news?

onlinebusinesswoman — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:17:36 -0800

If the last several decades of local newspaper industry downturn wasn't enough to indicate a change in the news reading habits of Americans, then certainly the newest developments online will. Recently NBC launched a hyper-targeted media site, intending to delve deeper into the "sweet spot" of the local news market.

The site will aggregate news from local TV affiliates, which doesn't seem to be much different than what local TV station websites would be doing. However, the advantage for this site will be the ability to tap into national and international news as well.

There is no question that in the past decade, newspapers have been slow to react to changes in local news readership. Not long ago Google jumped on an opportunity to mass sell advertising in local newspapers across the country by creating a marketplace that allowed anyone to upload and pay for an ad automatically online. Newspapers were despondent when they realized after-the-fact that they should have been the ones to incorporate technology with their advertising products. Additionally, changes in technology have been happening so quickly that large conglomerate news industries have had a hard time keeping up.

This new website idea by NBC reflects yet another notch that will be whittled from newspaper industry grasp. With the popularity of video and audio-enhanced news stories, who can provide local video feed as it happens faster than television? Is it truly realistic for the newspaper industry to now try to develop expertise in video and audio when their real expertise is print medium?

It appears this change is yet another that some day may be referenced as the big "digital industrial" revolution. The changes at least today appear to mirror those of the industrial revolution - those who are not ready for the change or are too dug into an "old way" of doing things, will not survive. Is it possible that this generation of newspapers will some day be seen only through the windows of a glass museum case?

Social media cures Saturday doldrums around the globe!

onlinebusinesswoman — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:21:48 -0800

For those who know what it's like to have Saturday doldrums, there was social media to the rescue this weekend! In Phoenix, AZ, everyone was a'Twitter about the #nopantsaz story lines passing through cyber space about as quickly as one could think "Why no pants?"

According to @tremendo on Twitter (and we all know, if you see it on Twitter, it must be true!) Forbes named three Arizona towns on their Top 10 Most Boring list. As a result, some brilliant folks dreamed up a way to revive the Arizona spirits and, I guess, live a little lighter!

The result was a celebration of "no pants" on the light rail system. The activity began to generate so much Twitter traffic that it hit the top 10 Twitter traffic list within a few hours.Local station KPHO, began a slide show on their website for the event shortly thereafter.

The effort is all in celebration of global "No Pants Day". According to the Austin Chronicle, however, No Pants Day is suppose to be the first day in May. Apparently someone decided it was too hot in Arizona to wait until May, and so today, perhaps a new tradition is born.

So to spare you from spending your entire Saturday afternoon filtering #nopantsaz Twitter feed on your computer, I've compiled some of the best Tweets I've seen so far to commemorate the event.

@markdudlik: If I ride my scooter without pants to the store, can I be part of #nopantsaz too?

@bfeddern: this ladies face makes #nopantsaz all worth it: http://twitpic.com/11n6p (and indeed he is correct!)

@ToniaMBartz: might end up inadvertently on #nopantsaz as i just realized i have no clean clothes...

@marvinforte: older couple, arms crossed, pretending they haven't noticed I am pantless.

@AndraLeah: Can someone explain this #nopantsaz thing? Like, are we still participating if we don't put on pants and don't leave house?

@rachelreese: I have to admit, with the train this crowded, I'm appreciating the... extra air flow....

@evo_terra: Too bad the train windows are tinted. I'd consider some pressed ham for the passersby

@livejamie: I hope the creepy homeless man staring at me is really @clintus in disguise

@marvinforte: two lovely ladies from Atlanta ask why I am pantless, me "that's Phoenix for you"

@mercilessflirt: Boxer, boxer briefs, or tightie whities? Ain't no need to ask now! ;-)

@tdhurst: I may have just scarred two kids in strollers for life.

@livejamie: Times baby in front of me has touched my thigh so far: 3

@biddle: Took light rail home from alt fuel meetup, saw all these people who FORGOT THEIR PANTS! Weird.

Clearly based on this exchange among hundreds of Twitter users this Saturday, if you weren't on the light rail in Arizona, or pantless at home in front of your computer on Twitter, you were truly missing out on a good thing!

Special thanks to @jmoriatry for the photos, through TweetPic, and to all the Tweeters above. If you enjoyed their comments, why not follow them! And thanks to @Kinchie for helping make everyone's No Pants Day on Twitter so much more enjoyable!

Social media as the new can't-be-without-it for non-profits

onlinebusinesswoman — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 09:44:57 -0800

By now, whether you have your own blog or not, you probably have heard about all the "make millions of dollars blogging" get rich quick hype. But many have likely forgotten how, in its infancy, the Internet had people believing that this virtual "world" might be more altruistic, and would be a place to share, communicate and view the world without all the marketing hype.

Much like a child that loses their innocence as they grow older, the Internet has become more focused on profits as it has matured. Yet there is still a way in which you can provide some positive karma in a virtual world that has become very capitalistic-centric.

SocialVibe.com, now in Beta testing, has developed a site in which you can advertise (they call it sponsor) your favorite charities and "feel-good" non-profits and earn fun prizes at the same time. Essentially you sign up with the site, choose your favorite charity or feel-good organization, then copy and paste the code into your blog or website to display sponsorship ads letting your readers know of these organizations. When your readers click on the ad you earn points toward "perks" like products and downloads.

There is no question that non-profits have the most to gain from social media developments. In the virtual world of Second Life, the non-profit Relay for Life has earned millions (yes, literally millions) through hosted events, signs, banners and other efforts. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons this organization has done so well is that it essentially has a monopoly on the non-profit "please help us out" market there. Today, you can't move an inch in this virtual world without coming across some type of advertising for a Relay for Life event or sponsorship ad.

The effort of SocialVibe will be one with far more competition than that of Relay For Life in the Second Life context, but it is one that could prove quite effective. There is no question that organizations, especially the media industries, are having a tough time monetizing their web content, but when non-profits can reach billions of individuals in a day, asking for just a few cents appears to have more appeal to users than listening to a five minute sales pitch for laundry detergent.

One great example of this type of success is the recent Obama campaign. During the election campaign Obama's team capitalized on small campaign contributions from millions. And while these small monetary contributions didn't add up to billions, they are still pennies, and nickels and dimes, that add up in the end.

But the most significant element of Obama's success was not the money that was raised - compared to high-profile giving, these contributions were still chump-change. No, the significance was in the "feel-good" that contributers received knowing that they were "part" of the process. Many of these givers had never contributed to a political campaign before, but were compelled in this case because the Obama campaign made it not only easy, but a great thing to do! It also helped that most small contributions included a button, sticker, or other small memorabilia that made contributors feel they were getting something too.

So this new social media effort by SocialVibe has the potential to reach a very willing and eager group - those who want to feel good about contributing, participating, and being a "part" of something important, but can't contribute much. By offering them a chance to contribute by doing nothing more than just posting a small sponsorship ad on their blog or website, this site is providing users with an easy way to feel good about what they do online, and a simple way for non-profits to get the word out for little cash up-front.

Is Gay Marriage Really a 'Right'?

onlinebusinesswoman — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:19:36 -0800

Since the November election, gay rights activists have been foaming at the mouth over lost opportunity for gay marriage legislation. But all these efforts must beg the question, "Just why should gay rights include marriages that mimic those of heterosexual marriages?"

An article in today's New York Times discusses a new wave of individuals coming to the forefront for gay rights in wake of the recent ban on gay marriage in California. It seems the defeat at the polls on November 4, combined with a wave of new votership among typically disenfranchised voters, has created a stir that is not likely to disappear soon.

While there is no question that individuals, regardless of sexual preferences and orientations, should not be discriminated against, my question is, why should the treatment of gay relationships be the same as those between heterosexual individuals? Isn't that a bit like making an apple look like an orange?

In fact there is every reason to believe that Americans are all for gay rights and relationship perogatives. A recent USA election polls survey indicates that 55% of Americans are happy to provide gay relationships the same rights afforded heterosexual marriages, they just don't seem to want to have it called a "marriage".

And why should that be so terrible? For example, if laws were designed to protect gay spousal rights, and to afford them the same family medical benefits, as well all other rights afforded heterosexual marriage partners, wouldn't that be enough? Why exactly must it be considered a "marriage" per se? Wouldn't "hand fasting" or "communal union" or some other equally representative term do just as well?

Hopefully my inquiries don't appear insensitive, but at some point it appears to me that the gay community has to ask themselves why it is so important that laws be deemed a "marriage contract". If in fact the purpose is more an attempt to try to force "acceptance" among the masses for their sexual orientation, it appears their efforts will only suffer as a result.

While many may believe that "gay marriage" is a right, it is just as equally appropriate to say that marriage itself is not a right at all. Instead it is a socially designed "union" of individuals, sanctioned by our legislative bodies, that essentially are designed to keep track of who is having children with whom. In many states, one needn't even share marital vows to be considered "married"; after seven years of mutual habituation with one another, a couple can be considered "lawfully married" even if they never signed on the dotted line.

Perhaps it would be advantageous to consider educational opportunities in which it is okay to say "we are gay, and we are proud, and we just want access to the legal rights afforded every union between partners, no matter what it ends up being called."

IL Gov Blagojevich Arrested for Corruption

onlinebusinesswoman — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:58:04 -0800

The Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, has been arrested on corruption charges based on attempts to try and personally benefit from the appointment of Barack Obama's empty Senate seat.

The New York Times reports that Blagojevich tried to arrange for positions for his wife that would provide substantial salaries, gain promises for money and otherwise tried to "sell" the seat, apparently attempting to trade the appointment for the highest and most promising "bid".

The New York Times reports:

According to the statement from prosecutors, Mr. Blagojevich told an adviser last week that he might “get some (money) upfront, maybe” from one of the candidates hoping to replace Mr. Obama. That person was identified only as “Candidate 5.”

In an earlier recorded conversation, prosecutors say, Mr. Blagojevich said he was approached by an associate of “Candidate 5” with an offer of $500,000 in exchange for the Senate seat.

The authorities also say Mr. Blagojevich threatened to withhold state assistance from the Tribune Company, the publisher of the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, which filed for bankruptcy on Monday. According to the authorities, Mr. Blagojevich wanted members of the Tribune’s editorial board, who had criticized him, to be fired before he extended any state assistance.

The Favreau Effect - AKA, the Dangerous Side of Social Media

onlinebusinesswoman — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:18:44 -0800

While social media in politics reached historic heights this election year, don’t expect speechwriter Jon Favreau to be singing its praises anytime soon. Favreau, 27, was expected to be White House Director of Speechwriting for President-elect Barack Obama, but a recent photo posted to his Facebook account, showing him fondling a life-size cutout of Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton, may end the young writer's dreams of Whilte House fame.

Favreau's photos from a party he attended while chief speechwriter for Obama’s presidential election campaign were posted to Facebook; according to a CNN.com report, the photos were up for only a couple of hours before he pulled them from his profile page, but by then the damage had already been done.

The moral of the story - discretion in a digital age is especially significant when, in just hours, one photo, one quote, or just one article, can cause irreparable damage and harm to reputations and future prospects.

Although this event is obviously significant from a social media standpoint, what has not been recognized yet is that this type of insensitivity happens all the time; people do, say, and behave in stupid ways and in this case, the behavior should not be tolerated for any reason.

In today’s world, all it takes is two hours to ruin a lifetime of work and effort. Most interesting though is that behaviors haven’t changed for the better - just the medium of exposing those who behave in stupid, sexist, degrading, and wildly tasteless ways. Perhaps this event will go down in political history as the “Favreau effect” - what not to do right before you start a job with a new presidential administration.

What do you think of Favreau's future as a result of this stunt? Should he be allowed to retain his appointment as Director of Speechwiting for the Obama White House? You can also take the poll, Should Favreau be allowed to keep his position as White House Speechwriter after having posted photos of himself fondling a Hillary cut-out?.

Cross posted from Online Business Woman blog.

Obama Plans for 2.5 million New Jobs by 2011

onlinebusinesswoman — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 08:45:48 -0800

President-elect Barack Obama revealed Saturday new ideas for shoring up the economic woes that are engulfing the country. Vowing to push for immediate action once he is sworn into office in January, Obama indicated that his plan would allow for the growth of 2.5 million new jobs by 2011.

Obama's weekly radio address, posted on YouTube Saturday, showcased his willingness to go the extra mile to help middle-income workers and to revive the economy. His plan has been dubbed by the New York Times as the biggest public works construction program since development of the Interstate Highway system more than 50 years ago.

Although this may help breath some life into the troubled U.S. economy, many conservatives aren't buying the logic. Instead, conservative politicians see the program as one that will bring more trouble than help, as many of the newly created jobs may not be able to sustain themselves in a free market economy in the future.

The job plan will include jobs that range from Broadband Internet upgrades for libraries, schools and hospitals, infrastructure improvements to roads and bridges throughout the country, and eco-friendly initiatives that Obama indicates will help save taxpayers money and create new jobs.

In his address Obama stated, "It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption. Here, in the country that invented the Internet, every child should have the chance to get online."

His statements come in the wake of a Friday report released by the Department of Labor which indicated a job loss of 533,000 in November alone. A CNN report noted that this was the "largest monthly job loss since December 1974." This year alone Americans have lost nearly 2 million jobs, with unemployment rising to 6.7 percent, the highest rate since October of 1993.

Create Your Own Stress-Free, Budget-Friendly, Magical Christmas

onlinebusinesswoman — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 08:17:21 -0800

This year, more than ever, people are longing for the magic of the Christmas spirit. It's that magical time of year when memories are made that will last a lifetime and be fondly remembered year after year.

Even though times might be tough this year, the holidays are still a time to rejoice. One eBook entrepreneur is taking that message seriously with a new book entitled Saving Christmas: Magical Tips for Creating Lasting Christmas Memories.

Saving Christmas was compiled by Denise Willms, owner of WAHM-Articles.com. Willms felt inspired to create a book on Christmas spirit when her local librarian announced she was canceling Christmas this year. Willms wanted to remind frustrated parents and grandparents how to celebrate Christmas without stress, and without money. "It's a pleasure to use this book to help people rediscover the simple pleasures of Christmas," says Willms.

This book is a compilation of nearly 30 personalized stories of triumph over hard times and difficult circumstances at Christmas. The 90-page eBook includes articles such as:

"Homemade Christmas Gifts," which shares a family's tradition of creating gifts for each other and easy-to-follow instructions to help you make your own gifts.

"Work Skills for an Organized Holiday," a look at how families can apply work skills such as scheduling, prioritizing, and archiving, to plan a perfect Christmas.

"Surviving the Holidays During a Divorce," which offers encouragement and practical advice to those going through a divorce at Christmas time.

"Gordon's Gift," a touching personal story of how the author's son gave her the lasting gift of gratitude.

The eBook also includes a selection by allvoices.com contributor, Roxanne Weber. Weber contributed an article entitled "Keep the Holiday Spirit, Even if You Cannot Be Together Over the Holidays". The article provides ideas for divorced moms and dads on how to stay connected with their children even if they cannot be with them physically during the holidays. Tips include using new technologies such as interactive software like Second Life to stay connected and still be a part of their children's lives, even when they are apart.

For more information visit the Online Business Woman blog article, 5 Simple Ideas for Creating a Stress-Free, Budget-Friendly Christmas or visit WAHM-Articles.com for more holiday magic including Santa letters for the kids, free printable coloring pages and so much more. Visitors to the website can also download a free sample of Saving Christmas.

O.J. Sentenced to Min. Nine Years Jail Time

onlinebusinesswoman — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:45:38 -0800

For years many felt that O.J. Simpson deserved to be behind bars, and now their wish has come true. Today O.J. was sentenced to what will be at minimum, nine years in prison for his part in a 2007 hotel raid. Simpson was charged with robbing collectible dealers of thousands of dollars in sports memorabilia.

The New York Times also reports that Simpson made a surprising statement to the judge at the sentencing. Simpson reportedly told Judge Jackie Glass of Clark County District Court, "I didn’t want to hurt anybody. I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong."

The Judge additionally denied a bail request for Simpson pending an appeal trial.

A Palin-esque Social Media World - Good or Bad?

onlinebusinesswoman — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:10:22 -0800

As President-elect Barack Obama's transition teams wind up for an historic inaugural event on January 20th, the campaign machine is still running strong. This time though, instead of an election the Obama team is constructing a new direction in government administration. What many may overlook, however, is whether or not this is really such a good idea.

This week a message went out to all of Obama's campaign supporters as if to say "we're not done with you yet, this campaign is just getting started!" According to a CNN report, the message included a statement from Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe, asking for Obama supporters to rally once again on December 13 and 14, with house meetings apparently designed to initiate support for upcoming Obama directives.

The message directs supporters to Obama's website, change.gov. The top of the website indicates the current date, and just to the right, how many more days until inauguration day. A model social media effort, the website includes information about policy initiatives, a blog with daily and weekly updates and information about the transition team, and other news. Also included are areas where users can provide their own stories about what is going on in their world, and even a section where Americans can provide their own ideas for change and government reform.

While all this is impressive, is anyone else concerned that our "it's all about me" society could become even more polarized and selfish as a result of new social media-type developments in politics? Or, does it seems overly obsessive to fear the influence of "regular Americans" on public policy when clearly, most Americans don't have the first clue about major policy initiatives that are suppose to support the welfare of millions, even billions of others, all of whom have different and distinct values and goals for their own lives?

Sarah Palin's rise to fame with her recent Vice Presidential bid is a perfect case in point. While a good 60% of Americans recognized, after at least a couple months of listening to her nonsense, that she was wildly unprepared for such a high office in government, there was and still is, another 40% who feel she would have done a good job.

Whether Palin was or is qualified for such a position is not the most significant concern for the future, however, although it is pretty high up there. Instead the concern stems from the reasons why 40% of Americans felt she would do a good job, despite her obvious lack of experience and knowledge of world affairs. For many it was because she was an "average hockey mom". Somehow this qualification would allow her to make better decisions for America, at least according to her supporters.

So the question is, are average American citizens like you and me truly qualified to make major political and administrative decisions that will affect billions of other lives? And, is it unrealistic to believe that a truly "social media world" could turn into a political nightmare in which public referendums will be required for all major political decisions?

And finally, if these social media efforts are simply to appease, and to gather grassroots support in favor of initiatives Obama hopes to spoon feed to the masses instead of offering real public input on policy positions, then that flags another set of concerns about the health of our political world.

At some point it seems possible that these efforts could lead to either 1) all decisions will require referendum in order to meet the standards of the American electorate, and government will stall, or halt completely, without such referendums, or 2) major political polarizations will occur, in which interest group will be pit against interest group, all jockeying for administrative favor in return for electoral support.

Although these ideas may seem wildly aggrandized, polarization in American politics is a topic that has been widely studied in political circles for many decades now. Most recently in a book by three well-known political scientists, Nolan McCarty, Keith Poole, and Howard Rosenthal. The Book Polarized America: The Dance of Ideology and Unequal Riches, is a difficult read for those not used to an academic-heavy read, but well worth the effort. The book points to the potential problems of an ever increasingly polarized nation, similar to the one that could be produced as a win-happy Obama electorate looks for more ways to influence politics.

What the book doesn't account for, however, is how events like the 2008 national elections, and the large grass roots efforts of the Obama campaign, may change the political landscape. Will the poor and disenfranchised begin to gain power in a new, social media focused world? Or, will it just take time for the wealthy to find ways of controlling even these political strings as well? And how does Obama's plan for an open government help or hinder polarized political efforts?

In the end, no matter how one feels about an Obama Presidency, there can be no question that Obama's post-election social media roll outs are paving the way for a new and different approach to American Presidential administration. However, what today may be innovation and change could tomorrow become stalemate and revolution if not handled carefully.

ATTENTION Car Buyers - Buy one, Get One Free in Miami

onlinebusinesswoman — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:38:35 -0800

Amidst U.S. car manufacturer worries, and the hundreds of car dealerships that have already closed in the United States, dealerships are offering creative incentives to buyers in order to sell cars. In Miami, that includes a Buy One, Get One Free campaign that seems almost too good to be true.

But with all the talk of an Automaker bailout in Washington, what seems to be ignored is the fact that the hit to auto makers is not just relegated to U.S. made cars. Honda, Toyota and Nissan profits have also dipped as sales have dropped by nearly 40%. That drop is not as large as the nearly 50% drop for American manufacturers, but it indicates that the problem is an economic shift, not something that requires a bailout at a time when everyone is being hit hard.

Those who have money to spare will see big buyer incentives and huge deals on cars, real estate and other goods as the economy reduces prices to levels that investors can use to scoop up assets that will, eventually, result in even more profits.

But until the middle class comes out of this economic slump with some money in the bank, it is likely that businesses will continue to decline, with many finding it impossible to keep their heads above water. As with any economic shift, these changes will open new avenues of revenue elsewhere, despite the warnings of apocalyptic proportions from car dealerships.

That may not be promising news for unskilled laborers who will be harmed the most by these slumps, but at least it is somewhat of a silver lining for the economy as a whole in years to come.

New contract proves social media connections work

onlinebusinesswoman — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:55:22 -0800

For anyone who has been following my blog or my posts to this website, you may already know that I also have several other social media accounts including a Twitter account, a book club account, Facebook and many others. Recently these efforts have been fruitful in helping me obtain a new contract, proof positive that social media efforts help not just businesses, but individuals as well!

So beginning today, I will start training for a new business start up. Since the site has not launched yet, I cannot provide you with all the details, but what I can tell you is that this site will cater to small business needs, including social media, business development, and other consulting for a wide range of topics. The company is already successful in providing small business consulting services, so the website is a social media extension of their current success.

Over the past year or so I’ve worked for clients from all over the globe on freelance and consulting projects, including France, Belgium, Africa, and many states within the U.S., but this opportunity allows me to explore the wide ranges of small business needs while learning, participating, and helping others succeed as well! Given the fact that this is the direction my own business has been going, I’m thrilled to be allowed to work with this team of individuals. The contract also allows for a potential permanent position in the future.

The message here is that my success helps prove the advantages of utilizing social media efforts for both personal and professional purposes. The ability to network, communicate, interact and share with others whether in your own field of business, or for personal reasons, just could end up leading you in a direction you never before imagined! For those of you who are interested, I’ll be updating my work with this company on my blog, as I have information that I can share.

So share the possibilities, and experience the opportunity to make new connections and friends and learn about opportunities you may never have believed possible for yourself. After all, every success begins with just one great idea!

To your success and mine! Happy networking.

Article cross posted from Online Business Woman blog.

Debate over Marijuana Use Heats Up in SD

onlinebusinesswoman — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:34:07 -0800

The Presidential election year may be over, but for folks at South Dakotans for Safe Access the election is just beginning, for 2010 of course. The group has recently announced it's intent to submit a proposed medical cannabis law for consideration by the 2009 South Dakota Legislature. If those efforts fail, the group is fully poised to begin the process of getting a public referendum on the ballot in 2010.

The intent of the new law would be to provide safe access to medical marijuana for certain qualified persons. Only ten other U.S. States currently legalize or decriminalize the medical use of marijuana, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

This effort is not a new one in South Dakota. A public referendum was on the ballot in 2006. The proposition failed that year, but received the support of 48% of those who voted on the measure.

This time around the group will again be sporting legislation and hopes to find a sponsor this legislative session which starts January 13, 2009. But such legislation, although well-meaning, is not without it's difficulties even if it does pass.

The legal status of similar legislation in other states has been continually challenged, specifically in California. And, current Federal law maintains that marijuana is a banned substance, regardless of circumstances.

What is intriguing about this debate, however, is not the legal aspects, or even the medical necessity for such a law, but in the politics. Specifically, who is supporting these measures, and who isn't?

According to The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), a change in the law would not only help patients and doctors, but would also reduce the amount of taxpayer dollars that go to jails, and law enforcement.

Oddly enough, it is law enforcement workers who stand to lose the most from propositions that legalize elements of marijuana use, and who have come out strongest against such propositions.

NORML's blog site points to a recent proposition in California, Prop. 5, as a case-in-point.

According to the 'No on 5' website, the California State Sheriff’s Association, the California Narcotics Officers Association, the California Peace Officers Association, the Police Chiefs of California, and the California District Attorneys Association all oppose Prop. 5.

As with any proposed law, whether by legislative action or public referendum, money talks. In the case of Proposition 5, law enforcement organizations appeared to be somewhat responsible for it's failure. According to the Huffington Post, California's prison guard union spent close to $2 million dollars lobbying against it.

Why would law enforcement be so adamant about such measures? According to NORML, law enforcement workers have the most to lose, in lost overtime and other compensations they currently enjoy.

Ultimately though, the question should not be "who stands to lose" from the partial legalization of marijuana, but "who stands to gain".The NORML website states:

Marijuana prohibition applies to everyone, including the sick and dying. Of all the negative consequences of prohibition, none is as tragic as the denial of medicinal cannabis to the tens of thousands of patients who could benefit from its therapeutic use.

But as the SDSA group found out in 2006, regardless of need, getting legislation passed can be a difficult process, which is why they are seeking the help of others. The SDSA hopes to get their message through to as many South Dakotans and others interested in such laws as possible. Their website even invites others to comment on proposed legislation. If you have suggestions for the group, visit their website, or review the proposed legislation and make your own suggestions for improvements. After all, this is the year of change!

Tom Daschle Cabinet Nomination May Upset SD Prairie Dogs

onlinebusinesswoman — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:12:26 -0800

Today is a proud day for my home state of South Dakota. One of our very own (not only from South Dakota, but also from my home town of Aberdeen), former Senator Tom Daschle, has accepted the nomination as President-Elect Barack Obama's Secretary for Health and Human Services. If confirmed Daschle will lead the charge toward an historic rewrite of this nation's health care policies.

This news is likely a shock for many of my fellow South Dakotans, who not only supported a McCain ticket on November 4, but who are also responsible for ousting Daschle from the Senate at the height of his leadership in Congress because of (but not limited to) a prairie dog war during his 2004 re-election bid.

Senator Daschle had gained prominence in the state with his bid for U.S. House in 1978 by traveling from county to county in an old beat-up green Pontiac that he drove until it literally fell apart. He won his election bid that year with a margin of just over 100 votes after a state recount.In 2004 an RNC backed candidate, John Thune (who had previously lost a bid to the House) was chosen to unseat the Senator.

The controversies were many that year, including a South Dakota visit from Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who campaigned for Thune. His visit broke what had been an unwritten rule - that majority leaders not stump directly for the defeat of another senate member.This effort alone, however, wouldn't have likely left the incumbent high and dry.

What really riled the electorate was the prairie dog controversies. Much to the ire of environmentalists, Daschle came out in favor of mass poisoning of the rodents, but only after Thune made it a campaign issue. The prairie dog had been a stickler issue in Western South Dakota for some years. The animal had been added to the endangered species list and their population had exploded, hindering farm lands and grazing pastures.

But the prairie dogs themselves were not as much the problem as what the issue represented. For many Daschle had become too much of a political "insider" and had lost touch with the realities at home. His failure to respond to the prairie dog problem led voters to believe that he had more interest in his own future career moves than in what was going on at home. Thune was able to easily encourage these sentiments.

In addition, Thune's campaign was accused of using racial tactics to get the point across even more strongly. One of Thune's campaign flyer's showed a picture of prairie dogs with the words "The dogs are lining up to vote for Tom Daschle".

While the words themselves seem harmless, many felt the blatant reference to "dogs" instead of "prairie dogs" was meant to stir up racial feels regarding the Native American population in the state. "Dogs" had become known as a racial epithet, and many felt that it was used specifically to appeal to racial prejudices.

These issues, along with $2 million dollars in Republican campaign backing, a 58% conservative Republican electorate and a popular Republican president, ended Daschle's re-election hopes.

I can't say though, that this was necessarily a bad day for Daschle. In an environment that had become increasingly Republican-centric, Daschle's loss probably opened more opportunities than it closed. In addition, Daschle could now devote himself full-time in Washington in leadership roles that better suited him than cow-towing to an electorate that never really appreciated what his qualifications could bring to the table for the state.

Since his electoral defeat Daschle has become a prominent representative for Democrats in Washington. He teaches law and policy and in February, released his book entitled "Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis". His backing of Barack Obama in 2008 was no accident either. Daschle had considered a Presidential bid himself, but instead he decided to utilize his role in Washington to back Obama.

There is no question in my mind that Daschle will fill the role of HHS Secretary with professional and dynamic zeal, in an effort to bring about real change in our health care industry.

In some ways, we have South Dakotan's and prairie dogs to thank for this cabinet appointment - if they hadn't tossed him aside on a whim and a prairie dog itch, perhaps he wouldn't be as prepared as he is today for this significant national post!