Successful Blog

Kent Blumberg Is a B.A.D. Blogger

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Blogger A Day Call: Hello is Kent there?

After a talk with Barbara at my cellphone company to adjust my minutes higher — I should hold a contest to see who can guess how many a month are in my plan. — I was able to sit back, relax, and meet Kent Blumberg for our conversation.

Kent was well worth that cellphone plan adjustment.

I started with comments about Kent’s blog — how well focused and branded the message is. We discussed the short list of categories that tell a story and the short blogroll that relates and expands on the same theme. I wished out loud that I had such a clean sidebar. That discussion led to a comparison of WordPress and TypePad, with explanations of how he ended up on one and I ended up on the other.

Then I asked one of my favorite questions, “What do you do when you’re not doing this?” Kent explained his background in the paper business. I could related to that. We talked about the ways in which the paper business is shrinking, which led Kent to sharing his interest in a new industry.

Kent sees his future in working with cellulosic-ethanol. I didn’t know what it is either. Lucky for me, Kent does a great job explaining it. Get him talking about it and you might suspect that he had it for breakfast — his energy level goes up, as if he’s been refueled. (Okay so, now and then I go for the easy one. Sorry, Kent.)

Kent’s not only sure cellulosic-ethanol is in his future, but also sure that it’s in ours. He knows that the industry needs strong business leaders. He plans to be there to make the new fuel and new jobs this fledgling industry will bring.

I love the way that when bloggers talk, we can’t help but learn new things from each other.

B.A.D. Blogger Quote

People will hear more and more about cellulosic-ethanol. . . . All of the companies are run by by PhDs and they need people to build and run the businesses.–Kent Blumberg

Stop by Kent’s blog, and say hi!

Thanks, Kent, you B.A.D. Blogger!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Want to be a B.A.D. Blogger see the. . . a B.A.D. Blogger? page in the sidebar.

Net Neutrality 11-21-2006

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Net Neutrality Links

I’m adding this link to the Net Neutrality Page.

On Net Neutrality: Congress Wakes Up to a Watchful Public

On the issue of Net Neutrality, companies like AT&T, Verizon, BellSouth and Comcast outspent public interest advocates on a scale of 500 to 1 – pushing Congress to remove the longstanding nondiscrimination rules that enabled the Internet to become the greatest vehicle for free speech and economic innovation.

[ . . .]

As much as anything, the election sent a message to Congress to stop currying favor with moneyed interests and return to governing in the public interest.

Near the top of this new agenda will be restoring Net Neutrality. Many in Congress came to this realization after receiving more than a million letters from concerned citizens urging them to maintain a free and open Internet.

Whereas before, the phone companies had been confident that Congress would simply sign-off on industry-written legislation. Now — as the 109th Congress comes to a close — no member can vote with the telecom cartel without feeling the full heat of public scrutiny.

Want to know what you can do?
MA Bell Monopoly Versus the Free Internet — Tell the FCC Net Neutrality Is Not Negotiable

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

Wayne Turmel Is a B.A.D. Blogger

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Blogger A Day Call: Hello is Wayne there?

A Chicago podcasting guru! It started with a voicemail from Phil Gebyshak saying he knew someone from Chicago — someone I didn’t know. Phil likes to leave messages like that. He knows they’ll get me to call him back. That’s how I came to meet the Cranky Middle Manager, Mr. Wayne Turmel. That’s how I came to be talking to him yesterday.

My conversation with the Cranky Middle Manager actually started via email when Phil introduced us. I sent an email to Wayne Turmel with a few snappy words and a hello. I saw I was in for something when Mr. Turmel read my signature that says a 65th crayon if there ever was one and replied with a promotion to 63rd crayon. We set a date in that email banter to continue the conversation as a B.A.D Blogger call.

Wayne and I talked about his podcast and how it’s grown over the 15 months since he started it 71 shows ago. He and I agreed that everything is supposed be fun, including the things that people call work. He says he enjoys the experience of talking to people all over the globe amd hearing how they deal with issues, then passing those conversations on.

We analyzed the world of blogging and podcasting and the people who are part of it. He mentioned that his strength is in audio and spoke highly of the podcasting team that supports him. I spoke highly of the community of folks who hang out at Successful-Blog.

We traded stories of writing and talked about how visuals draw people in. We shared our amazement at how easy it is to say something for an audience via the Internet and how much harder it is to get paid for it. We also spoke about how important it is that folks feel that a real person is on the other side of the screen.

Most of all, we just had fun.

B.A.D. Blogger Quote

There’s something cool about a Canadian living in Chicago interviewing someone in the UK for a podcast hosted in Australia to be listened to by someone in Brazil- all with $15 in software. . . . —Wayne Turmel

Stop by Wayne’s blog, The Cranky Middle Manager Show, listen in and say hi!

Thanks, Wayne, you B.A.D. Blogger!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Want to be a B.A.D. Blogger see the. . . a B.A.D. Blogger? page in the sidebar

Net Neutrality 11-20-2006

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Net Neutrality Links

I’m adding this link to the Net Neutrality Page.

New Congress Likely To Support Net Neutrality

Internet neutrality proponents believe that the recent change in Congress is likely to boost their efforts to push legislation that would prohibit tiered access to the Internet.

[ . . .]

“The outlook for better, more public-spirited Internet legislation is now quite good,” the group said through a prepared statement.

In fact, U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat who proposed legislation supporting their cause, is set to lead telecommunications policy for the House majority in 2007. So is U.S. Rep. John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, who said he would propose a telecommunications reform bill with public interest and net neutrality in mind.

Dingell is positioned to take over as the chair of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, which held hearings on the issue during the last congressional session. The committee presides over telecommunications and Internet policies. Markey will chair a subcommittee devoted exclusively to those issues.

SaveTheInternet also sees hope in the U.S. Senate, where all representatives who supported net neutrality were re-elected and several challengers who came out in favor of the issue were also elected.

Want to know what you can do?
MA Bell Monopoly Versus the Free Internet — Tell the FCC Net Neutrality Is Not Negotiable

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

Bloggy Life Question 30 — How Does He Get the Book to Readers?

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The Return of Door to Door Sales?

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life hypothetical question. . . .


A friend has written and self-published a targeted, much needed book, Turning a HIgh School Teaching Career into a Profitable Business Training Practice. It’s solid and well written. Every teacher who’s read it wants a copy.

The audience for the book can’t be reached by direct mail. Direct mail no longer works. It goes straight into the circular file. The no call law means telemarketing is out. Your friend has only 800 emails for prospective customers. He can’t afford to take a book tour. Besides, how would the customers know he’s coming to town?

He asks your advice on how to let people know that he’s got this great information to help them start a new career.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Bloggy Life Question 29 — Will You Sell the URL to the Porn King?
Bloggy Life Question 28 — The Prince and the Pauper in the Blogosphere?
Bloggy Life Question 27 — Can You Spare a Ten?
Bloggy Life Question 26 — Do You Wish to Comment?

John T Unger Is a B.A.D. Blogger!

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Blogger A Day Call: Hello is John there?

Much like the innovative mosaic art John T Unger has received acclaim for, so went our bubbling conversation yesterday. It was piece after beautiful piece fitting perfectly into one another. We were a pair of champagne flutes constantly filled with effervescent Veuve Champagne. Those tiny bubbles started us laughing immediately.

John and I jumped right into talking about his marriage next summer. The wedding rings the couple chose, specially-made will have bubbles where the stone would be. That says a lot about the artistic couple — John who writes, does mosaic, scuplts, and makes other beautiful things, and his wife-to-be, lawyer, who does mosaic.

John and I let our curiosity run wild as we talked about blogging, techies, poetry, and how-to writing. In the middle of our talk, we discovered that we were both kissed by famous people — no I’m not saying who. You’ve heard of both of them. You’ll do fine not knowing. I have faith in you.

We agreee that blogging allowed us to leave the world where it’s hard to find people to talk to and enter a world where there are many who understand what we’re saying. It’s as if we’ve found a way finally to be in the majority. The irony is that we “find our feet” in a virtual world where our fingers are in charge of getting us where we need to go.

The conversation was rollercoaster — made from that original mosaic inside the Veuve bubbles — with a best friend on a Satuday afternoon. We could both let go of the rail with two hands knowing that we’d still be together no matter what route we to the end.

B.A.D. Blogger Quote

You should read it and should instantly get it. Then wonder why you didn’t know you knew that already. — John T Unger on reading well written work

Stop by John’s blog, John T Unger Studio, and say hi!

Thanks, John, you B.A.D. Blogger!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Want to be a B.A.D. Blogger see the. . . a B.A.D. Blogger? page in the sidebar