Ok, so here’s the deal. Before the Microsoft borg consumed Jellyfish.com, it was my favorite e-commerce site. In fact, we had hooked up with their director of development, working towards an opportunity to integrate their merchants into the UltraCart platform.
Then, the evil Microsoft borg purchased them. After said purchase was made public, we were relegated to second-tier status. Never mind how much our merchants process per day (more than I can say, but more than you can possibly imagine… seriously), but when we tried to integrate with MSFT, we were told that we would have to make our merchants sign up for MSN Advertising, as well as a number of other hoops, before they would qualify for MSN cash back.
We disagreed. Microsoft said naughty words to us. But that was pre-Bing.com… Since then, non-Google search / “decision” engines are begging for our advertising dollars.
I’m not going to shift my advertising, but I know that my traffic is organic, and when a site as brilliant as alice.com launches, I should expect my natural traffic to shift. But the truth is that, since the gang at Alice chose to reach out to me early, they have probably saved thousands of PPC dollars since I can, and indeed, WANT to offer them natural search engine placement.
Check out Alice.com, and if you want to send me some toilet paper my way, I won’t complain. But hey, this is a brilliant venture for Brian and Company.
Internet, Life, Technology
Long time net surfers know what a Woot! Bag Of Crap means. It brings thousands of people pressing refresh over in over in hopes of purchasing a coveted bag of crap.
Now, imagine if you will, several million people pressing refresh at once to get a coveted piece of real estate. And behold, you have the upcoming Facebook URL land grab.
Facebook Countdown
So what will happen? If any company could deal with that kind of insane load, Facebook can. It’s going to be fun to watch, and I have my eye on that prime spot for “Internet God”
Update: Ok, I had 3 computers, all doing their thing. I was unable to register any normal version of John Anderson or JohnA. Methinks that Facebook succumbed to the trademark / copyright industry. Anyway, visit me at http://www.facebook.com/johna1.
Internet, Technology Facebook, Memcached, Woot
Today is Layer Tennis Day! What is Layer Tennis, you ask? From their site…
We’ll be playing matches using video, animation, sound, photos, type and lots more, but the basic idea is the same no matter what tools are in use. Two competitors will swap a file back and forth in real-time, adding to and embellishing the work. Each artist gets fifteen minutes to complete a “volley” and then we post it to the site live. A third participant, a writer, provides play-by-play commentary on the action, as it happens. A match lasts for ten volleys.
If you’ve never watched a match before, I highly recommend you watch Week 11’s match, which is probably the best match I’ve ever seen.
Internet
A Facebook Trail, censored to protect the innocent
I didn’t like President Bush or his policies. But I never once wished his wife would have to be bathed in cattle feces before I even considered her worthy of comment.
Welcome to the new face of the Republican Party. It is a face filled with anger, hate, and extremism. Call it free speech, call it enforcement of the 2nd Amendment. Whatever you call it, it spells extremism, and it spells hate, plain and simple.
If you are racist, admit it. Don’t hide behind politics because you’re worried about being stereotyped. Be proud of your heritage! You wish our President was dead, why not advertise it? It’s a free country, right? Isn’t that what Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh are preaching? Have you bought the latest Prussian Blue album? It’s on sale!!
Oh, and if you think I’m a hypocrite, feel free to browse my publically accessible blog archive. It contains over six years of posts, and I don’t feel the need to rewrite or censor a single entry.
In the prior administration, when someone disagreed with the official White House position, you labeled them as unpatriotic. In the same vein, I will label those who make loose comments as traitors. I mean, who would ever question the Commander-In-Chief’s choices, right?
Life
I love my first-gen Kindle, but since I apparently lost it somewhere, it’s time to buy a new one. That being said, I had a choice. Buy the Kindle 2
, or wait for the Kindle DX
?
For me, the choice is easy. I love the Kindle because it is the size of a paperback. I can take it anywhere, and I don’t have to “think” about it.
The Kindle DX may be great for someone who only carries a single device, or is in school, but for someone who is wanting a device to replace his laptop or iPod for reading, it is simply too large.
I’m in for a new Kindle 2. But if you end up ordering a Kindle DX, let me know, as I’d love to check it out sometime.
Technology Books, Kindle
So, Robin (swoon) has a pre-paid phone which absolutely rips her off. I have spent more than I care to admit refilling her phone lately, so I decided to get her a brand-spanking-new iPhone to replace her money pit that is her GoPhone. I bought her a 16GB White iPhone 3G, but since she’s not able to come down until Monday, I’ve been playing with it like it was my own.
Oh. My. God. I have had an iPod touch forever, but the iPhone blows it away. The screen is much nicer, and the always available data causes me to use the device so much more than I do my iPod. Since Robin is, well, Ms. Social, I added the unlimited text message option to her account, and have been using it to text her. Surprisingly, using two hands, I can text faster on the iPhone than I can write graffiti on the Palm / Windows Mobile platform. The self-correction is amazingly accurate, and is completely seamless.
It’s expensive, sure, but it is definitely worth it. Obviously the first thing I decided to do was jailbreak it, and install the tethering application, which works wonders. I now know what my next phone is going to be. Sorry Google, but it’s an iPhone life for me.
Apple™, Internet, Technology
One of my good friends Leigh is now on her way into the heart of the military. She made the decision to defend our freedoms on the front lines, and I love her for it. Enter my friend Catherine. She has promised to blog every single handwritten entry Leigh mails to her. Remember you heard it here first… this is the blog to follow if you are ever curious about how the military manages basic training.
Leigh’s Naval Adventures!
I’ve written and sent her a couple of snail-mail letters, as she has no internet access. If you want to reply to any of her blog postings, you should send her a snail-mail letter after the fold. Read more…
Liberty, Life
I’d like to introduce my girlfriend Robin… she’ll soon be able to post on this blog her own thoughts and feelings, and I just wanted to make sure that you offer her the same respect you offer me.
She’ll be posting under her own user name soon enough. Oh, and if you thought I had opinions, wait until you get her going…
Life
From the chat transcripts…
John Anderson 10:47
Additionally, I want to do naughty things to Michelle Trachtenberg.
friend 10:48
yea, can you say euro trip????
John Anderson 10:48
Tivo apparently knows that I am a pervert, as it recorded “Ice Princess” in HD for me.
friend 10:48
best movie ever
John Anderson 10:48
Fucking Tivo.
friend 10:49
it is just trying to help a brother out don’t hate on it
John Anderson 10:49
I need to set up the “Tivo Fap-O-Matic” channel.
Sadly, there isn’t anything else to add. But reference this blog when TiVO achieves singularity. And please don’t mind me when it figures out my Save The Cheerleader, Save The World fetish…
Movies
So tonight, 30 Rock did the best parody of a Jobs keynote in recent memory, choosing to feature a spot-on recreation of the famous iPhone reveal. Gizmodo has the story, but as usual, they weigh it down with all kinds of Apple-fandom.
30 Rock Shows Apple-Style Keynotes Aren’t Always the Best Business Strategy
But they are, as always, missing the point. The reason 30 Rock is “late to the game” is because their style of comedy and parody wouldn’t have made sense in the high-flying stock market times. Instead, they have chosen to use their platform to show that in the worst of times, everyone will try anything to succeed.
I loved the sketch, and once Gizmodo stops begging for Walt Mossberg table scraps, they will as well.
Well done, Tina Fey.
Apple™, Television
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