Successful Blog

July 3rd, the Liz-t

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On This Day

324 – Constantine defeated Licinius at the Battle of Adrianople

1511 – Giorgio Vasari, Italian painter and architect was born (d. 1574)

1567 – Samuel de Champlain, French explorer was born (d. 1635)

1608 – Quebec City founded by Samuel de Champlain

1767 – Norway’s oldest newspaper still in print, Adresseavisen, is founded (first edition published this date).

1848 – Slaves are freed in the Danish West Indies (now U.S. Virgin Islands)

1878 – George M. Cohan, American composer, was born

1883 – Franz Kafka, Czech writer was born. (d. 1924)

1886 – The New York Tribune becomes the first newspaper to use a linotype machine, eliminating typesetting by hand

1928 – First color television broadcast in London.

1938 – World record for a steam railway locomotive is set in England, by the Mallard, which reaches a speed of 203 km/h (126 mph).

1947 – Dave Barry, American writer was born.

1951 – Richard Hadlee, New Zealand cricketer

1964 – President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits segregation in public places.

1969 – Kevin Hearn, Canadian keyboardist (Barenaked Ladies) was born.

The youngest child of Geno and Daisy was born.

Do you have more to add to the list?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Thanks to wi- wi- wi-ki-pedia for help in putting this list together.
Yes, I purposely left Tom Cruise out.

Great FUN: IM the Encarta Robot on MSN Chat!

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For Research, Homework, Fun

Keith Dsouza could carry on an intelligent conversation with anyone. So when MSN made a robot toanswer questions based on the information in Encarta. Keith was the perfect guy to challenge the robot to a conversational test run.

He did it to make sure that children everywhere would get the right answers on their homework.

Great Find: Talking to a robot on MSN Chat

Permalink: http://techie-buzz.com/technology-buzz/talking-to-a-robot-on-msn-chat.html

Audience/Topic: Anyone with MSN Chat and questions to research or kids with homework

Content: It’s easy to tell that Keith had fun doing the research and writing this article. He also spent the time to see exactly how and how well a the robot interface works. You can follow his questions and see word for word what the exchange was. The value the robot offers for kids who want to learn more about their favorite subject is right in Keith’s post. I can only imagine what my son might have done with this had it been around when he was young.

At the end of the conversation, Keith explains the easy as 1,2,3 how-to that is working with MSN Instant Messenger encarta@conversagent.com. MSN has found a great way to take on the ubiquitous Gmail with this one.

Keith has a future in reporting for kids. He kept me spellbound. He also might have a budding friendship with the Encarta robot.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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SOB Business Cafe 06-23-2006

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SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the title shots to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Lorelle VanFossen discusses what she considers as she’s doing an informal study to find out the best days and times to post new content on her blog.

Keith Dsouza continues his series on the right software for blogging with a post on helping us choose the right blogging software and templates.

Ann Michael reminds us that all change involves conflict, and explores passive aggressive behaviors.

Manage to Change

Jason at Mental Tech pulls software from his archives to offers us free alternative software for popular office and photo-editing programs.

Mental Tech

Related ala carte selections include

Cheryl at Mad Baggage offers us hope for the Fairy Peguins. Linux lovers should like this.

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

Have a great weekend!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

A Deal Is a Deal — Shirley Buxton Wins!

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Scavenger Hunt Was On

As you might recall the Scavenger Hunt is on at this post about the Link Leak Virus at New York City Open Comments Night.

Question 2 was answered by Jason Boog.
Question 4 was answered by Tom Vander Well.
They got their awards with great fanfare.

Question 7 was called by Shirley Buxton, but I wondered because when I went to her blog I couldn’t find an answer to the question. That Shirley, she’s a fun one. I found it today. Can you find it? I’ll give a link to the first person who writes in my comments here where her answer is. Here’s the question.

7. What word made Liz color on her flat screen with crayons?

Here’s the post link.

Finch on Feeding Sock

There are still seven more questions, if you’d like to play for a link. I’ll be continuing to update as winners come in. After all as Rumpelstiltskin said, “A Deal is a Deal.”

–ME “Liz” Strauss
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Great Find: Blog Snobbery

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Ara Pehlivanian wrote this clever treatise on how to be as important as any blog snob might aspire to be. I present it you as some Saturday night fun.

Great Find: Blog Snobbery 101 by Ara Pehlivanian
Type of Article: Blog Humor
Permalink: http://arapehlivanian.com/2006/05/22/blog-snobbery-101/
Target Audience: Any blogger with a sense of humor
Content: Ara’s sense of humor and his writing skill combine to spoof the traditional how-to post. In this send-up he explains how with only one blog and one reader, even the lowliest of us can be a super-important blogger who makes sure that rest of the world knows it.

Ara’s hints include how to handle fan mail, how to act in the all important clique of snobs, giving special attention to name dropping, and how to astound and impress our adoring fan base by re-inventing something they already have. To learn the tricks of being a blog snob yourself, click the title below and read very carefully to take it all in.

Ara proves that being a blog snob is truly an art form.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Link Leak Virus NYC Comments Scavenger Hunt

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The Link Virus Epidemic

Link Leak Virus is a special strain of the indie virus with blogtipping mutations that occur in threes. On Open Comments Night the virus got out of control again. This time in NYC. Here are some cool links that were shared:

Many of the likely link leak virus carriers were there. The Advice Librarian started the conversation with talk of conquering the world. Scot Herrick sent a note from his vacation about why he couldn’t come. Joe joined in with talk of reindeer games.

Next thing you know Mark was missing NYC and sharing his accent. Chris Cree added some explanation on how New Yorkers talk. Ben came without the donkey about the time Chris was propagating something. Ben told us about the contest at his blog. HART taught us the correct way to make toast. Brian stopped in to be amazed that we could be talking instead of watching the Mavs. Then along came Tracy with real-life stories.

We managed to discuss Joe’s interview with Darren, how bad traffic can make a good design seem bad, and new tricks spammars are using.

Scavenger Hunt

Now for some fun for those who didn’t attend. I have a few links still trying to jump through this bloggy boat. So, pick a question and then go to the post below (just click the title to get there.) You’ll find the answer to every question somewhere in the comments.

The comment with the answers are on this post. The Mic Is on in New York City!

Playing is easy as 1 2 3 —

    1. Pick one question. Only one question and answer per person. That way I can give more people a link.

    2. Go find the answer.

    3. Post your answer on your blog and leave a comment here. That way I can have post to link to when I proclaim you a winner and other folks know which question you’ve answered and they can come read it.

That’s it.

BE THE FIRST TO ANSWER and YOU’LL BE PROCLAIMED A LINK LEAK VIRUS WINNER

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS

    1. What is the correct pronunciation of Long Island and who is from Long Island?

    2. Who asked “and I feel so alone… every body must get stoned,” who knew the answer, and who said he was too stoned at the time to remember?

    3. Who prefers Pink Floyd?

    4. What was Chris propogating?

    5. In which comment does it tell how many people actually played THE THREE STOOGES and how many actors were there?

    6. Where is Tracy’s first paying client going in August?

    7. What word made Liz color on her flat screen with crayons?

    8. Which two people ordered coffee black?

    9. Why did Liz apologize and say she was wrong?

    10. Who said he would write a cool referral script and share it?

As I’ve said before, everyone who hangs out here is incredibly cool and incredbily intelligent. Stop by next week when we go to Tuscany for Open Comment Night. We might find out: whatever happened to Ben’s donkey while we were busy talking about Jimi Hendrix, Civilization, and forensic accounting with Tracy and HART.

PS. I’m off on an airplane to NYC, so I won’t be able to check your answers until later tonight. Good luck to all who pitch in and give it a try.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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