Props To My Peeps

This weeks prop goes out to my Sister-In-Law, who held Thanksgiving dinner at her house. I know the amount of work that goes into putting on a production like this. Everyone had a great time.

Past props.

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Do You Know What Facebook’s Beacon Project Is?

I really don't like this Project Beacon from Facebook. Even though I spend time developing applications that use services like Facebook, this one is personal. Take for instance these entries from the main user feed in Facebook:



While I appreciate the ability to advertisers to make connections with customers and their social networks, people have to be concerned with the amount and type of data being pushed around. The problem will be people not understanding or forgetting they can turn this feature off in Facebook.

Take for instance the example in the image above. What if the purchase made on Fandango was a gift for my wife, who is also a Facebook user and a friend of mine. Have I just ruined it without realizing? I think so.

I don't really care if advertisers and Facebook have figured out a way to create a viral buying process, I do care about the exposure its creates. Learn more about Beacon and how to keep yourself from being unnecessarily exposed here.

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WordPress Plug-ins I Use And Why

My WordPress blog uses several plug-ins, and I thought I would share with you what they are and why I use them.

• Akismet: Comment spam prevention. This is an essential plug-in for any blog.
• All in One SEO Pack: This plug-in helps me build SEO friendly links.
• Comment Referrers: This give me additional information when someone posts a comment. Its sent to me via the notification email and doesn't appear any where on the blog.
• Comment Timeout: I use this to lock comments on posts so many days after I post them.
• Counterize II: This is a great statistics plug-in. I'm using this because I'm trying to find a really statistics program for WordPress.
• Dunstan-style Error Page: This plug-in allows me to create a custom 404 error page.
• Easy Tube: This plug-in helps me embed YouTube videos in a post.
• Enforce www. Preference: I like my blog URL to be www.digitalthom.com. When someone enters digitalthom.com it basically prepends www to incoming URL.
• Exec-PHP: This plug-in allows me to add PHP code top posts or widgets.
• Executable PHP widget: This is a plug-in that lets me add PHP specific widgets to the sidebar.
• Feed Locations: This plug-in allows me to change the default location of my RSS feed.
• Fotobook: Small plug-in that allows me to integrate my Facebook Photos. It integrates right into my blog and works better than the Flickr photo albums I've tried.
• Full Feed: This plug-in creates full posts in my RSS feed.
• Gravatar: Some themes require this plug-in to allow users avatars show in comments.
• iWPhone: This is a plug-in/theme specifically for the iPhone. I use this for all my iPhone readers.
• Link Harvest: I'm testing this plug-in to see of it has any value to my readers. It basically takes all links referenced in posts and pages and creates a collapsible list.
• Most Commented: This plug-in creates a small list of the most commented on posts.
• Popularity Contest: This plug-in shows a popularity percentage on each post.
• Recent Comments: This plug-in shows the last number of comments made.
• Recent Posts: This plug-in shows me the last number of posts.
• Related Entries: This plug-in displays 5 links that relate to the current post.
• Secure and Accessible PHP Contact Form: This plug-in allows me to create a secure comments form.
• Spam Karma 2: This plug-in eats spam for lunch.
• SpotMilk: This plug-in changes how the administrative tool looks, like a skin, well, it is a skin.
• Subscribe To Comments: This plug-in gives my readers the ability to subscribe to comments via email. I use this so readers can track comments on a post.
• WordPress Heat Map: this plug-in creates a heat map collection of post tags.
• WordPress Mobile: This plug-in makes my blog mobile accessible. I use this plug-in for all my PDA users.
• WP-ShortStat: This is a statistics plug-in.
• WP-UserOnline: This plug-in shows me who's online reader in real time.
• WP-UserOnline Widget: This is the widget that actually shows who's online.
• WPhone: This plug-in allows me to manage my blog from a mobile phone.
• WP lightbox 2: This plug-in blows up images in a blog post making them easier to see.

That's it. Not too many but they really help me keep this blog running.

What do you use on your blog, WordPress or not?

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Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Let us spend the day reflecting, with family and friends; laughing and eating together. I'm thankful for my health and family. I'm thankful for being able to live in a Country that allows me to do and be what I want.

However you spend your Thanksgiving day, please remember a few things:

• Our Military friends, no matter where they are, keeping us safe and free
• The less fortunate in our community
• The less fortunate globally

I wish everyone the best.

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American Girl Is The Perfect Lovemark

I'm sitting here watching Oprah with my daughter. I hardly ever watch Oprah, but this particular episode she was spotlighting a company called American Girl. If you own a company you would be doing your customers a disservice, if you didn't spend as much time as you can, learning how American Girl is a true Lovemark.

Dolls are big business and American Girl seems to have taken it to a whole new level. I'm learning the lengths this company is going to create a life long customer. Here are some examples:

1. Each doll comes with a real book, not a brochure, about its life, based on some period of American history.
2. When you purchase a doll you can have a professional portrait taken with the two of you
3. American Girl has what they call a Doll Hospital. When your doll has an accident this department performs all the medical procedures necessary to fix the problem
4. Your doll's lifestyle would not be complete without additional clothing, furniture and accessories.

Here's where the Lovemark comes into play. They make buying an American Girl doll an experience beyond the customers wildest expectation. There is a social aspect to the products. The company is 100% dedicated to making sure their doll owners get the red carpet treatment. The value of one young girl convincing her friends to buy an American Girl doll is priceless.

Take time to wow your customers. Take time to listen to what they want. Take time to give them what they want. Learn from your customers. Use what ever social and viral marketing is available.

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