Successful Blog

The Mic IS on: We're Talking About What 21st Century Schools Should Be

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It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

The Mic Is On

Here’s how it works.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

An Apple for the Teacher Means Something Different

Once an apple for the teacher was gift of fruit for her desk. Should it now be a Macintosh Pro that will offer her resources and connectedness better than any school librarian might concieve of offering?

Computers, cell phones, and Internet apps … kids are learning in new ways from their interaction with new technology. What should 21st Century School be doing?

733791_class_room 733792_class_room 733793_class_room

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey . . . and flamenco dancing (because we always get off topic, anyway.)

Oh, and bring example links to share —

–ME “Liz” Strauss
image: sxc.hu
Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Open Mic 7pm Chgo: What Should 21st Century Schools Be?

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Join Us Tonight

An Apple for the Teacher Means Something Different

Once an apple for the teacher was gift of fruit for her desk. Should it now be a Macintosh Pro that will offer her resources and connectedness better than any school librarian might concieve of offering?

Computers, cell phones, and Internet apps … kids are learning in new ways from their interaction with new technology. What should 21st Century School be doing?

Oh, and bring example links to share —

The rules are simple — be nice.

Do be nice. 🙂

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Thanks to Week 202 SOBs

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muddy teal strip A

Successful and Outstanding Bloggers

Let me introduce the bloggers
who have earned this official badge of achievement,

and the right to call themselves
Successful Blog SOBs.

I invite them to take a badge home to display on their blogs.

muddy teal strip A

crazysuburbanmom
extremetech
savor-the-thyme
spoon-graphics

They take the conversation to their readers,
contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.

I thank all of our SOBs for thinking what we say is worth passing on.
Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.

Should anyone question this SOB button’s validity, send him or her to me. Thie award carries a “Liz said so” guarantee, is endorsed by Kings of the Hemispheres, Martin and Michael, and is backed by my brothers, Angelo and Pasquale.

deep purple strip

Want to become an SOB?

If you’re an SO-Wanna-B, you can see the whole list of SOBs and learn how to be one by visiting the SOB Hall of Fame– A-Z Directory . Click the link or visit the What IS an SOB?! page in the sidebar.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

SOB Business Cafe 09-03-09

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SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking — articles, books, podcasts, and videos about business online written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Copyblogger
To avoid this awful fate, you probably try to keep your posts short, chopping up longer ideas into a series of posts. No need to scare away readers by dumping too much information on them all at once, right?

Makes sense, but what’s weird is it doesn’t work that way.

Freelance Folder
If you’ve ever faced a client who has tried to low-ball you on a project, then you know that it’s not much fun. Your excitement at finding a potential new client quickly fades when you discover that he or she is merely trying to take advantage of you.

How to Save the World
Last week I had a fascinating chat with Mark Brady, marketing/design guru extraordinaire, whose Alchemy model of business elements, using the metaphor of the periodic table of elements, is so achingly beautiful and original that I don’t really care whether it makes sense or not.

Photo Matt
I often get asked something along the line of, “If you weren’t leading Automattic, what would you work on?” There’s not a single answer to this question; the answer changes day to day. But I think if you asked me today, I’d say I would like to start a bank.

problogger
I should say that while this post contains 9 ways to promote a blog post – that I rarely use all of them at once. Keep in mind that the idea of ’seeding’ is not about forcing things but rather it is about getting things going and then letting something organic happen.

Related ala carte selections include

AdRants
People always pay more for the paranormal.

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Thanks to Week 201 SOBs

by

muddy teal strip A

Successful and Outstanding Bloggers

Let me introduce the bloggers
who have earned this official badge of achievement,

and the right to call themselves
Successful Blog SOBs.

I invite them to take a badge home to display on their blogs.

muddy teal strip A

audio-tuts
complexions1
rock-roll-mama
seocom

They take the conversation to their readers,
contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.

I thank all of our SOBs for thinking what we say is worth passing on.
Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.

Should anyone question this SOB button’s validity, send him or her to me. Thie award carries a “Liz said so” guarantee, is endorsed by Kings of the Hemispheres, Martin and Michael, and is backed by my brothers, Angelo and Pasquale.

deep purple strip

Want to become an SOB?

If you’re an SO-Wanna-B, you can see the whole list of SOBs and learn how to be one by visiting the SOB Hall of Fame– A-Z Directory . Click the link or visit the What IS an SOB?! page in the sidebar.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

SOB Business Cafe: 300 Outstanding Logos, Portfolios, and Design Sites

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SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking — articles, books, podcasts, and videos about business online written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the titles to enjoy each selection.

This Week Featuring Design and Presentation

imjustcreative
This is Part 10 of the Logo Design RoundUp series. A special edition, with a whopping 27 logos shown below. This series showcases a collection of logos and brand marks, self submitted by a bunch of freelance designers and creative folk in many creative areas. These designers use the logos to sell, promote, brand and market their various skills.

design sponge
sometimes i fall in love with product photos as much as the product itself. these photos from the new collection of toldbod 120 pendant lamps from louis poulsen lighting are just too lovely to ignore.

Blog. Spoon Graphics
Retro Futurism is the term used to describe artwork depicting a view of the future, from the eyes of the past. The artwork itself also has the appearance of something old and vintage, basically blending both past and future into one style of artwork that blows your mind!

graphic design blog
To succeed in the world of Graphic Design, always exhibit you creativity skills in a tempting and presentable manner. If you are a fresh graduate and looking for a job as a graphic designer, the first tip to success is to create a “smashing portfolio” …

2EXPERTDESIGN
Below you’ll find a collection of 40 beautiful and creative typography designs to inspire you that will allow you to expand your knowledge base of what typography really is …

Web Design Booth
In the previous post, we showcase 50 creative portfolios and soon there are readers who request us to share beautiful blog designs. A great portfolio will attract more clients to a designer while great blog design will bring you more visitors too.

Hongkiat
When we talk about design, the key word is ‘impression‘. A visually attractive blog leaves behind a deep impression among people such that the person remembers it enough to actually revisit the site another time. This list of absolutely gorgeous-looking blogs below was compiled to provide you with some ideas on what you can do to come up with an attractive and well-designed blog.

freelance folder
In this list we’ve compiled 30 of the most gorgeous navigation menu designs — all of which are big, bold, and beautiful. Take a look and see what you think:

Studio-XL
In this post, we’d like to show you 50 great examples of how hand drawing and web design can fit beautifully together. Full list after jump.

Functioning Form
Today at their headquarters in Palo Alto, Facebook’s design team walked through their philosophy and approach to designing for a quarter billion users. In particular, they emphasized the importance of writing code, sharing designs early and often, being involved with a project from start to finish, and not falling in love with your work.

Related ala carte selections include

Dawud Miracle is celebrating with something for everyone!
But only until Sunday … a $350 website with so much stuff!! (I’m an affiliate.)

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

–ME “Liz” Strauss