Fun Find: Color Box Game

April 30, 2006 by Liz

Playtime for your right brain . . .

Great Find: Color Box Puzzle Game by Eyehook
Type of site: Addictive color box puzzle game
Permalink: http://www.eyehook.com/games/colorBox/index.html
Target Audience: Everyone who likes puzzle games
Content: I’ve found that a way to recharge my brain after writing is to do something colorful that has no words involved. This game by eyehook does trick far longer than it needs to . . . uhm . . er . . . I get started and I don”t want to stop. Click the screenshot to play with this coloful little gem.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Normal Computer Users — Do You Know Any?

April 27, 2006 by Liz

Exploring the SOB Directory

Every week at about this time, I go exploring the SOB Directory. It’s my Thursday night reward to me. I get to read instead of write for a bit. I need to do that on Thursday nights, because Thursdays have this way of getting me down. Working at home I get aware that folks are getting things done and don’t need me bothering them. So I head off to go exploring to get me back on an upward swing.

I put my headphones on and head to the SOB Directory to read what you have been doing all week.

Sometimes I find that takes me to something that makes me laugh. Then I have to come back home again and tell you about where I’ve been, carrying with me links and all. [Read more…]

Bad Strategy Deserves Bad Poetry

April 10, 2006 by Liz

Bad Poetry Night on Successful Blog

If you’ve got some bring it over.

I’m watching more than one company do everything they can to tell their customer to go away. Too many companies leave today’s customer sitting alone, while they try to think up “strategies” that will bring them new ones.

S-T-R-A-T-E-G-I-Z-E

They said the latest thing
and I came to realize
This company couldnÃ¢â¬â¢t strategize
They chased trends
like fireflies

Like kids loose in a candy store
they search every candy drawer
and shake every magic door
pinning hopes on that one big score

They’re on the corner preaching
to customers who don’t their need teaching

They see the world with tiny eyes
and let their wishes hypnotize
They can’t even spell strategize

No wonder they always talk about customers with fear.

Strategy in the hands of those who can’t spell it is even worse than a really bad poem.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

300 Naked Women Feared Lost [Branding The Onion]

April 2, 2006 by Liz

Sunday Afternoon Reading

Chicago.

If you get to know Chicago, you’ll understand why I like it so–despite the winters. It’s the American midwest work ethic, the reason Chicago is called the City of Big Shoulders, the City that Works. It’s the people and the midwest sense of humor.

It was Sunday. I stopped by a neighborhood bar, picked up a free newspaper from the stack by the door. I ordered a glass of wine and asked for a hamburger with pickle, onion, ketchup, and mustard. Then I scan the headlines.

Immediately I saw 300 Naked Women Feared Lost . . . . I was reading the – America’s Finest News Source. A great friend to have along with a glass of wine and a hamburger on a Sunday afternoon in Chicago.

I know that you can find this free paper in other cities–it’s even online–but it’s in every neighborhood bar, bookstore, and coffee shop in downtown Chicago. We think of it as our own. Maybe it’s an onion-connection thing. Historians say the word, Chicago, means stinking onion.

The Onion is not only America’s Finest New’s Source . . . per their trademark. According to their media kit, they are also hailed by the New Yorker as “The Funniest Publication in the United States.” “A Message from The Corporate Office” attributed to “the esteemed Captain of Commerce” promises that

. . . Every one of our readers is firmly ensconced within the plum 18-49 demographic . . . we went so far as to lobby the halls of Congress . . . to make reading The Onion mandatory for this group . . . Thankfully the law passed in 1997, forever ensuring that our readers are highly paid easily persuadable young folk with money to burn. . . .

Now there’s brand-centered promotion that knows its goal and communicates its big idea–crisp, clear, sweet. It’s what I call Frosted Mini-Wheats promotion. It satisfies my adult sophisticated sense of humor and my kid-like sense of fun at the same time.

If you’re not familiar with this news source, it’s a perfect thing to try this day after April Fool’s Day, when we’ve just changed the clocks to lose an hour of sleep.

And about those naked women . . . check the story. It ran July 18, 2001. I still remember it. I still think it’s funny.

Now that’s a brand that lives up to its promise.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Great Find: Top Ten Desktop Diversions of 2006

April 1, 2006 by Liz

What’s most interesting about this list is that sites once unknown outside of the blogosphere are included. Wouldn’t expect to find Technorati here. Would you?

Great Find: Top Ten Desktop Diversions by Liz Ryan of BusinessWeekonline
Type of Article: List of online sites, with commentary
Permalink: http://www.businessweek.com/careers/content/mar2006/ca20060327_414798.htm?campaign_id=nws_insdr_mar31&link_position=link18
Target Audience: Anyone looking for an online diversion from work

Content: Liz Ryan writes this list as a follow up to a piece BW did last year called Top Ten Time Wasters. ( I searched but couldn’t find us a link.) The premise here is to offer informational and interactive sites that provide a break and diversion from work. Included in this list are links to sites where you can

estimate the value of your home
send an email to a monk
make a map of any number of things
publish your ideas
check your popularity on the Internet
catch a flick
make fun of pop culture
get groceries
get the 30,000 foot view

My guess is that you will know 3-5 sites on this list already. I’d be interested, if the answer for you is less or more than that many. Certainly bloggers are more Internet aware than the average magazine reader, but this is BusinessWeekonline after all. To read the article, click the screenshot.

Top Ten Desktop Diversions, 2006 Screenshot Link

A year ago, the information flow was one way only–bloggers getting ideas from the mainstream media. Have they started getting ideas from us? I think we’re seeing a trend that is growing.

Technorati? Interesting. Really.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

The Mysteries of Chartreuse BETA

March 28, 2006 by Liz

Welcome Friends of Chartreuse BETA . . .

You may not know about this place. The Massif de la Chartreuse in France is known for it’s scenic beauty and mysterious caves.

[Reproduced with permission from www.braemoor.co.uk. Click on the map to see more details of the Chartreuse area,]

The Massif de la Chartreuse is not half so interesting or mysterious as Chartreuse BETA.

I’d only go walking the Massif de la Chartreuse with Chartreuse BETA. He’s a prince of a fella.

Please feel welcome to look around. Stay as long as you like. Snacks and beverages are in the sidebar. Tips are not allowed. Comments are always welcome.

–ME “Liz” Strauss