I’m Stupid

I’d like to talk to you today about a problem I’ve experieced recently.  I seem to be suffering from, what I hope is only a passing case, of Stupid American Syndrome.

For those who have never heard of Stupid American Syndrome (SAS*) I’m not surprised.  For, while it’s been estimated that nearly 95% of all United States citizens suffer from this horrid and contagious disease, very little research has been done to combat its spread or cure those who suffer from its effect.

SAS is a vigorous contagion spread by casual social contact.  Symptoms include:

We’ve Become “Those People”

Liv and I went out to dinner last night with my friend Lara and her brother and sister-in-law.  We had a great time, as good food, good beer, and good conversation flowed over the course of the evening.  But I realized something.  Something that frightened and disturbs me.  Something that changes the way I look at myself, and not in a good way at all.

You see, during our conversation we started talking about our dogs and I realized that Liv and I (and Lara too) had become “those people.”  You know the ones I’m talking about.  Those people who talk about their dogs as if they were talking about their children.

Those people who relay stories with the delight of a mother showing off the drawings their five year old has done.  Those people who somehow, inevitably, frighteningly, sadly, lead the conversation back to their dogs.  Always.   Every time.  Without fail.

I’m sad for myself that I have become this person.  I would like to change and NOT be that guy.  I really don’t want to be one of “those people.”  But at the same time, I love it.  I love my little monsters.  I’ll admit that the antics they play, the escapes, the toys, the games, they’re all hilarious, and I wouldn’t give them up for the world.

Sunday Brunch; Linkfest Week 15: The Unknown Social Sites

Web Communities are popping up all over the place these days and it seems that everyone wants to dip their toes into the water. The driving force, as usual, is the promise of big money IF you can attract people to your site.

Either through the sale of ad space (smaller money now, but with a good community easy money to make) or the sale of the entire community (MySpace sold to NewsCorp for $580 million, and Facebook is asking $2 billion) there is a bundle to be made.

So, who are these new communities, and where can you find them? Here’s a short list of some that I’ve found recently and a quick breakdown of what they’re doing to draw your attention.

Sunday Brunch; Linkfest Week 14: Making Money

The ultimate goal of most people who start a website is to make money. Fortunately people these days understand that they’re not going to be millionaires overnight like many believed in the late 90s. That’s not to say that you can’t make money online at all.

Here are some great places to learn about making an extra dollar or two off your website.

• John Chow: John is one of those who has made his millions online, and now he’ll help you make yours too.
• ProBlogger: If you’re running a blog and are looking to make money doing so, Darren at ProBlogger will quide you in the right direction.
• Copyblogger: Other than being a great resource for writing and marketing tips, Copyblogger also has a great training program that will teach you to make money from teaching.
• Affiliate Programs: We’ve covered them in the past, but they’re still a good way of making a couple extra bucks.
• CafePress: If you’re a good (or even a bad) artist, or just good with words, you can create and sell your own tee shirts, coffee mugs, and bumper stickers here.

Well, those are some fast and dirty ways to make some money online. If you get really good at them, you can become one of those multimillionaire online moguls too. Good for you.

Sunday Brunch; Linkfest Week 13: Places To Go When Avoiding Work

This week I’m going to change things up a little and instead of taking about places and products that can help you, I’m going to go over some places and sites you can go to when you just don’t feel like working.

Note: I really don’t suggest going to these sites while you’re at work, some employers might not look to kindly on it.

So, here’s the list:

• Digg: This is a social news site that allows readers to submit and vote on stories. The most “Diggs” a site receives, the more popular it is, and the most popular sites get onto the front page.
• Facebook: I’ve covered this site before, so you know the social aspects of it. But with all the third party applications that are available now, you can become a vampire and bite all your friends, drag them into a pirate war on the open seas, or just throw sheep at them.

Sunday Brunch; Linkfest Week 12: Social Round Up

Well, here it is, Sunday again and frankly, I was a bit out of ideas. So, instead of the normal techie help links I’ve decided to post a list of places you can go online to stay connected to others on the web.

Social Sites have been springing up lately and most of them are basically pointless or are merely copies of other sites (e.g., BakeSpace, a MySpace clone for chefs.) So this list goes over the ones you should be on and why.

• MySpace: Inarguably the largest and most influential of the social web. MySpace may not be the most professional site, but they did innovate the personal profile. It’s also a good place to find people that you haven’t heard or seen in years. There’s a good chance they have a profile.
• Facebook: Starting life out as a place for University students, Facebook has grownby leaps and bounds lately. More professional than MySpace and with a higher education level, Facebook is another place where you can connect with people you’ve lost contact with. You can also be a pirate and fight ninjas!