WebWarriors of Ft. Hard Knox

WebWarriors of Ft. Hard Knox PTSD, Religion in the Schools, Virus Updates, SEO info...

2009-10-28T10:12:17Z

Post-Trauma Resources

In the process of providing resources for online activists over the last couple of years, we have discovered many things about online activists. One discovery we’ve made is that folks who are dealing with post-trauma issues (either from incidences occurring during military service or from personal trauma, or from a combination) often find that they are able to be productive and excel in the online environment, and often enjoy online activism as a way to retain their privacy while also sharing the wisdom and knowledge gained from their life experiences.

So, we are beginning a list of free online resources here, specifically for victims and their loved ones who are seeking information for coping with and recovery from PTSD, C-PTSD, PTSS, and other post-trauma issues (either professionally or self-diagnosed). This is meant to be just the beginning of a developing resource, so if you have additional links that you would like to share... (more)

McCain Still Fighting for Vets – to Become Teachers

Michael Riley of the Denver Post is following a story on two U.S. Senators who would like to pass legislation that would pave the way for more military personnel to put their skills to use in the Nation’s classrooms...(more)

Online Resources for Religious Student Groups and their Rights in the Public School System

Bob Heath, from Kids for Christ USA sent me this link today. The Rutherford Institute has compiled a comprehensive report which includes information on:

Religion in the Public Schools (and so-called “Separation of Church and State”)
Students’ Free Speech Rights
Religious Expression at Graduation Ceremonies and Assemblies
Non-Student Expression on School Property
Teachers’ Rights in Public Education
“Zero Tolerance” Policies and School Searches

Read and download the .pdf’s HERE.

If you haven’t JUST NOW re-set your Facebook password, don’t open that e-mail!

Mashable is reporting that there is yet another trojan horse making the rounds, appearing to be an e-mail confirmation that your Facebook password has been reset:

…This one – known as Bredolab – masks itself as a ‘Password Reset Confirmation Email,’ appears to come from Facebook, and attaches a file that purports to contain a new password.

That file is actually a trojan horse that will download a host of nasty files from the Web and infect your computer with them…

Continue reading Facebook Password Reset Confirmation Email Contains Virus >>

How to deal with e-Mail overload…

243 New Messages! I wonder what would happen if I just marked them all as "read," and started over? (Funny Pic)

The Reconstruction of American Journalism

I just read through the document, The Reconstruction of American Journalism by Leonard Downie, Jr. and Michael Schudson. I found it a bit disturbing.

The article discusses the current transition of traditional media in light of the Internet, and the future funding of traditional media.

“As this report will explain, credible independent news reporting cannot flourish without news organizations of various kinds, including the print and digital reporting operations of surviving newspapers. But it is unlikely that any but the smallest of these news organizations can be supported primarily by existing online revenue. That is why we will be exploring a variety and mixture of ways to support news reporting, which must include nonmarket sources like philanthropy and government.” (emphasis mine)

The authors recommend creating government-sponsored news organizations (tax exempt and government funded – in part or in full) as the solution to this problem.

In addition, they want universities to train students in “enterprise and accountability journalism, which by definition bring new information to light, can grow into society-changing work not that dissimilar to academic research that makes original contributions to knowledge in history and the social sciences.” (more)

Not News: There’s no such thing as privacy on the web. (Google and Bing are ‘officially’ searching Twitter and Facebook, now.)

Google and Bing have been searching Facebook and Twitter for a long time, in case you hadn’t discovered this by doing routine vanity searches for yourself on Google, Bing, and 123People, etc..

But the search engines this week are announcing new deals and technology that make these searches easier. For more details on that, follow FHK’s Web 2.0 Reader.

Bottom Line

If you’re using the social networks primarily to keep in touch with friends and family, and want to continue believing that you have some privacy on the web, stay off of Twitter, and use the “just friends” settings on Facebook. According to Facebook, it’s default settings are not supposed to be searchable…yet…I would recommend choosing your own settings.
However, if you’re using the social networks primarily for online profile management, and WANT your posts, etc., to be viewed in the search engines, you’re in luck. This is happening automatically on Twitter, and on Facebook, you just need to adjust your settings to “everyone” under the privacy features.

Attacked by Viral Marketing!

Viruses are in the air. They are in my body and a course of antibiotics will hopefully cure me–but a virus is also in my computer!

Did I infect my own computer?

No, it is not possible to transfer human viruses to machines; at least, not yet. My computer genius, Mitchell Price, tells me that “Malware has destroyed my computer!” This means that a “company has made a false anti-virus application” and then swooped right in ostensibly to protect me from their own spyware.
For a fee, they offered to correct the problem that they themselves had caused. I refused to ransom my computer and so they ruined my hard drive, just hijacked it.

This can happen to anyone of us. As yet, there is no protection against it. Rather, the only protection against it is to never go on the internet. Mitchell advises us all to be “very careful of links that we may in good conscience, click. They may have a bug or a virus.”

Continue reading on Chesler Chronicles >>

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WebWarriors of Ft. Hard Knox Message

2009-10-21T09:44:01Z

Newsbusted on the GOP’s New Website

This is may be the only time in history that HuffPo and the Media Research Center agree on something – how the RNC still doesn’t get it. Jodi Miller also comments on Balloon Boy, kids asking Obama why people “hate him so much,” polling, Rush Limbaugh, senior stimulus, Mike Huckabee, etc....(Watch Video)

BalloonBoyGame.com (How much tax payer $$ can you waste?)

Well, you won’t be wasting any tax payer money – just time with this...(Play the Game)

What Happened to Jenn Sierra on Facebook?

Greetings, fellow WebWarriors!

This is just a quick update on that Facebook database problem that I wrote about last week.

Facebook claims the problem has been fixed, but the problems with my account are continuing. I’m having a very difficult time accessing my account, my friends list, my pages, my groups, and my FB e-mails. It’s obvious there’s an attack of some sort going on – I don’t believe I’m the target of the attack, but instead that my account is being used somehow. I also don’t believe it’s because of my conservative activism, per se, but instead I believe it’s related to my support for the JIDF on the web and on Facebook.

I can’t get a response from Facebook on this after NUMEROUS tries, and I’m not comfortable with not understanding what is happening to the account – I have no way of knowing if the account is secure, and whether or not my friends’ accounts are being affected by this. So, I have deactivated the “Jenn Sierra” user ID for now.

Ft. Hard Knox is still going strong, and the FHK Facebook Group will not be affected by this. We have several great administrators who will continue to keep this going, and I’m still working in and supporting the group – just “from behind the scenes.”

-Jenn

P.S. – Several people have asked for more details on exactly what is happening to my account, to see if their own experiences are similar. Basically when I’m logged in, my account is acting the same way home computers act when the modem has been hijacked…like the account has a “mind of its own.” It works sporadically, but simply accessing any page (or the account itself) usually takes several tries. Plus, my entire friends list (of nearly 3,000 people) keeps disappearing.

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WebWarriors of Ft. Hard Knox Weekly Newsletter

2009-10-14T16:52:06Z

Can’t Talk ON Facebook? Just Talk ABOUT it.

That describes much of my week…more than a week, actually. Since October 3rd, due to a reported apparent database failure, approximately 150K of Facebook’s 300M users have been experiencing serious access issues. “Lucky” me – I was one of the 150K.

Some folks decided to vent on Twitter, and reported not being able to access their accounts at all. I was able to get on sporadically. On some days, I could access my home page, but not my friends’ feeds. On other days I had to try several times to just get on to my own feed – after being told several times that my account was down for site maintenance and to try again in a few hours. For minutes at a time on some days, I was able to access everything. Occassionally my entire friends list (nearly 3,000 people) simply disappeared; other times, it appeared that certain friends had “un-friended” me, but then the problem would clear up in a couple of hours. This has gone on for over 10 days, now...(more)

Google Reader in Plain English

This is a video from LeLeFever on Google Reader in Plain English. Also, be sure to visit the FHK WebWarriors’ Web 2.0 Reader!

Federal Trade Commission now Regulating Blogger Product Endorsements

Download the Guides Concerning the Use of
Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising .pdf

Subject to interpretation, the FTC may be regulating bloggers who post “endorsements” for products, books, etc., effective December 1, 2009, Site-51)

Also see:

Creative Icons…so Easy, even a Church Mouse Can do it.

Here’s this week’s cartoon from ChurchMice.net, a project of Karl “Pastor Z” Zorowski, a Methodist minister.

#NobeLOL

What else is there to say?! This is from College Politico (h/t Michelle Malkin – DNC humor czar condemns Nobel Prize jokes). Also, be sure to follow the #nobelol feed on Twitter.

Wondering what to do with all of those old phone cords?

Wondering what to do with all of those old phones and cords now that the world has gone wireless? Jean Luc Cornec put some to good use…these sheep are on display in the Museum For Communications in Frankfurt Main, Germany. (Hat-tip POPFi). To see more pics, visit CualQuiera.

Family + Facebook = Aaawkward!

Yet another of life’s little lessons in “be careful what you put online!”

Graph Jam

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WebWarriors of Ft. Hard Knox UPDATE: It's not just Hotmail Anymore - Everyone Update your Passwords!

2009-10-06T09:44:15Z

Hotmail Users: Update your passwords forthwith! UPDATE: Everyone else update your passwords, too.

UPDATE: ReadWriteWeb is reporting that Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, Comcast, and Earthlink have also been hit by the same phishing attack that hit Hotmail. Bottom Line: Update your e-mail passwords, ASAP. Then, it is important to update your password on any other social network where you’ve used that password.

Also see: Scam hits more e-mail accounts

ORIGINAL POST 10/5/09: NetworkWorld is reporting that a hacker posted about 10K passwords of hotmail users briefly, and that other lists may exist. Here’s what you need to do to protect yourself, if you’re a hotmail user:

Update your password.

Log-in
Go to your username at the top-right of the page, then click “view your account” on the drop-down list
In the left-hand column, about half-way down, click “Change” next to “Password: ******” and follow the instructions.

For more information, go to NetworkWorld >>

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WebWarriors of Ft. Hard Knox Important info for Hotmail Users!

2009-10-05T20:54:52Z

Hotmail Users: Update your passwords forthwith! (That means NOW!)

NetworkWorld is reporting that a hacker posted about 10K passwords of hotmail users briefly, and that other lists may exist. Here’s what you need to do to protect yourself, if you’re a hotmail user:

Update your password.

Log-in
Go to your username at the top-right of the page, then click “view your account on the drop-down list
In the left-hand column, about half-way down, click “Change” next to “Password: ******” and follow the instructions.

For more information, go to NetworkWorld >>

-Jenn

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2009-09-30T16:29:28Z

Should you post your childrens’ photos online?

by Jenn

There’s a lot of information availble on teaching your kids to be safe online, but one aspect of child safety online that seems to seldom be addressed is the behavior of the parents.

Lately, I have been noticing an increasing number of parents who seem to have no qualms about posting their kids’ photos on the social networks. Some even use a child’s photo in place of their own for their profile avatar. This, to me, seems about as safe (not!) as bumper stickers I’ve seen which list the name of each child on the back of the family minivan. I mean, any child predator that might be on the network instantly has your child’s first and last name, and a good idea of where they live…in some cases, even a link to contact them through their own social networking profile. I did some research on this, and the good news is that it seems that my fears on this might be a bit somewhat overblown. I wasn’t able to locate examples of child predators locating victims in this manner. At least not yet. Right now, kids are too easy to locate through their own online activities...(more)

MajorityConnections: Turn Casual Supporters into Engaged Activists

by Dr. Bill

Jessica, of MajorityConnections, writes:

…One of the most frequent comments I hear from activists is that they don’t understand why they need Facebook, Twitter, Ning, or any other social networking site and yet they can’t seem to get their groups off the ground. A similar lament is that while finding supporters isn’t a problem, getting them to stick around and become part of the organization is. When the success of your group depends on member engagement, fundraising, and spreading a certain message, it’s important that your internet presence give members and potential activists as many avenues for acting as possible...(more)

Convergence and Technology: The Changing Media Landscape

by Jenn

From xplanevisualthinking on YouTube:

This is another official update to the original “Shift Happens” video. This completely new Fall 2009 version includes facts and stats focusing on the changing media landscape, including convergence and technology, and was developed in partnership with The Economist. For more information, or to join the conversation, please visit MediaConvergence.Economist.com and ShiftHappens.Wikispaces.com...(View the Video)

Brent Bozell on the Power of Alternative Media

by Dr. Bill

Brent Bozell, of the Media Research Center talks about the power of alternative media...(View the Video)

Social Media Revolution

by Orlando

Is social media a fad? Or is it the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution? Welcome to the World of Socialnomics...(View the Video)

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WebWarriors of Ft. Hard Knox Weekly Newsletter

2009-09-23T16:46:07Z

Obama wants you to read this post.

Actually, President Obama doesn’t know about this post (yet), but I was very curious about this advertising tactic I’ve been seeing in Facebook ads recently. So, I did a little research, and have come up with more questions than answers.

Lately, I’ve been seeing these ads in the right sidebar of my Facebook profile.

Obviously, with the popularity of Obama during the last election season among internet users, it’s easy to see why some advertising companies would be tempted to wring every last bit of social energy they can out of his name for as long as possible. These ads are appearing on Facebook feeds that talk about Obama, so they are apparently utilizing keywords, but obviously not semantic web techonology (as any reading of “tone” would detect that I am not exactly a fan of the current administration, and would not be likely to do ANYTHING simply because “Obama urged me to”).

Several companies have tried this, unsuccessfully. Here are some examples:

The problems encountered by the above companies have been carefully avoided in the ads appearing on Facebook. Obama’s name was not used as the name of the company in any of the ads, and the content of the ads was not controversial in nature.

Ok. But wait, there’s more… (Continue reading, and give your opinion!)

No, that’s not you in the video, and don’t click on that link! (New Twitter Worm)

This is from Mashable:

Unsuspecting users are receiving DMs [Direct Messages on Twitter] with the following text:

If you get this DM, DO NOT VISIT THE LINK. It takes you to a replica of the Twitter login page where the hackers will steal your account and use it to send out more infected DMs to your friends.

If you’re one of the unlucky ones to be fooled by this worm, make sure you change your password. Also delete any tweets or DMs that have the link. If you can’t log into your account, reset the password and contact Twitter Support…Continue reading WARNING: Twitter Worm Spreading via Direct Messages

Well, isn’t that just precious? The Lockerbie Bomber has a blog.

Remember Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi? He’s also known as the “Lockerbie Bomber,” for his part in killing 270, including 190 Americans in 1988. Scotland recently released him, ostensibly on “compassionate” grounds, because he is supposedly terminally ill. After he was given a hero’s welcome in Libya, information has begun to surface, indicating that his release was most likely a deal for oil.

So…what’s the dying martyr wannabe up to now? He has his own website, declaring his innocence: MegrahiMyStory.net (Yes, I used rel=”nofollow” on that link!) Feel free to check it out – download the .pdf’s at your own risk (I didn’t, and wouldn’t recommend it).

“Poking,” the old Fashioned Way

With no interwebz, Frank had to poke his friends manually…(Hat-tip to Tiekirae for this one, via the Web 2.0 Reader!) Also see: Networking with Facebook: Tutorial for Beginners

See more Lolcats and funny pictures.

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WebWarriors of Ft. Hard Knox Weekly Newsletter

2009-09-16T10:15:49Z

Thanks for following FHK’s Web 2.0 Reader! We’d love to follow you back…

The response to our new FHK Google Web 2.0 Reader has been overwhelming, and we welcome our new followers. Thank you!

While you’re obviously under no obligation to allow us to follow you back, we suspect many of you would like to also share your favorite items with us, and perhaps even have us share your “Web 2.0″ posts on our reader. So far, only a handful of folks have set up their own readers to allow us to do that. Basically, you can see our items, but we can’t see yours...(more)

Michael Moore Says Capitalism Killed Newspaper Industry

They say the most dangerous lie is a half-truth, and the half-truth is Michael Moore’s specialty.

He actually made some good points during the first couple minutes of this video. He even addressed an important issue that bloggers, as well as the newspaper industry has begun to deal with (i.e. How do you produce a profitable newspaper/blog that your target audience actually wants to read?), BUT...(more)

Stand with Joe at JoeWilsonforCongress.com

Congressman Joe Wilson is under attack by liberals for standing up against a government take-over of health care...(more)

Common Sense: Craigslist, eBay and Twitter

Could California’s budget crisis be solved by a triumvirate of Internet services, Craigslist, eBay and Twitter? (more)

A Blonde and Her Password

During a recent password audit, it was found that a blonde was using the following password:

MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofy

When asked why such a long password, she said...(apologies in advance for this...)

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WebWarriors of Ft. Hard Knox Welcome Back!

2009-09-09T17:05:45Z

Greetings, fellow WebWarriors! I hope everyone had a great summer attending Tea Parties and Townhalls, and maybe even managing to squeeze in a little much-deserved R&R.

As promised, we've done a little re-organizing here at the Fort while we were on break and had time to breathe.

THE FAMILIAR

First, some things HAVEN'T changed. The Facebook Group is still going strong, and the YouTube account (managed by Orlando) is getting a lot of traffic. We will also continue to have a Weekly WebWarriors newsletter which will go out on most Wednesday (because "W" is just a fun letter). Now for the changes.

BLOG CHANGES

Our blog (still at FortHardKnox.com) has been re-arranged just a bit. Ron, our IT Guy, has been updating stuff like crazy behind-the-scenes (thanks, Ron!). I don't know what all he has done, but he must be doing something right, because we didn't weren't victimized by that nasty worm that hit so many Wordpress blogs over the Labor Day weekend. Anyway, we think the blog format is a bit easier to navigate and use, now, and we hope you enjoy it. There are some great op-eds, videos, cartoons and more from some of your favorite FHK authors - Tex (TXPoet), Orlando, Buffoon, Victor Chabala, Jack Givens, Phyllis Chesler, Arlen Williams, Stephen Kruiser, Dr. Bill, Zack Rawsthorne of Diversity Lane, Drake Dunnaway of The Draking Point, Danno JYD, Barb of FaultlineUSA, Paul Jacob's Common Sense, yours truly (Jenn Sierra), and more!

NEW! WEB 2.0 READER

There's so much really great Web 2.0 stuff on the web that we simply don't have time to write about, so we're experimenting with using Google Reader to share it. Whether you have a Google account or not, you can view some great info for social networking, blogging, and using the web more effectively by clicking HERE, or on the Web 2.0 Reader tab on the blog. If you do have a Google account, be sure to add forthardknox@gmail.com to your contacts, and follow our reader.

TWITTER - TWEAKED!

Our official FHK Twitter account is now being updating with our blog posts, AND stuff from our reader, so that's another way to keep up with what's going on at FHK.

Well, that's a lot of new stuff to absorb all at once, we'll leave it there for this week. Watch your in-boxes in upcoming weeks for some very exciting Conservative 2.0! If you would like to submit something for next week's newsletter, please e-mail jennsierra@gmail.com

Jenn

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WebWarriors of Ft. Hard Knox Summer Break

2009-07-22T15:54:57Z

Greetings fellow WebWarriors!

We're taking a short Summer break from the weekly WebWarriors Newsletter, to rejeuvenate, refresh, regroup, re-think strategy, re-...okay, you get the idea. We're planning to return shortly after Labor Day.

Meanwhile, we are seriously needing good ideas from online political conservatives about what is needed to help us all become more effective online. If you have ideas, please send them to Jenn@FortHardKnox.com, or call (918) 200-9345, and we'll add them to our "brainstorming" list. For example:

Is there some sort of training or workshop that you've been thinking is needed?
Do you have questions about how to be more effective in a certain area and aren't sure who to ask?
Do you have a brilliant idea for how to get social and fiscal conservatives to work together, but need help maiing it happen?

So, until September, have a great summer, and remember: It's not enough to just be on the internet. It's important to make a difference while you're there!

Jenn

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WebWarriors of Ft. Hard Knox Weekly Newsletter

2009-07-15T19:01:37Z

IN THIS ISSUE:

WebWarrior: 'Buffoon' of D=S
Social Networking for Promotion: DIY vs. Free
Lon Safco: The Ten Commandments of Social Media
Skype for Phone Calls and Podcasting

WEBWARRIOR: 'BUFFOON OF D=S

Last year I received the funniest e-mail.

A reader was writing to let me know that the Ft. Hard Knox logo we were using at the time looked all "pixely," and that he'd taken it upon himself to create a new one for us.

Huh ?!

I didn't even know what to think about that, but the sample logo he'd created was really good. I wrote back, and explained to him that we were working with a zero budget, and that we were all volunteers...he assured me he didn't want to be paid. (Apparently, he just couldn't stand looking at my stock photo modified in Microsoft Paint any longer.) Since then, he has worked back and forth with me many times to modify our various logoas as needed and to create the logo we're using now, and has continued to help us with graphics that the project has needed as we've gone along. He's kept us "looking good."

So, who was this audacious reader? He goes by "Buffoon," and has his own blog, Democrat = Socialist: Unhinged, Unashamed, Unfiltered, Right Wing Punditry (or D=S for short). The blog is not for readers with senstive ears (or eyes); there's no question, however, about which side he's on or what he (and his his "agitators") stand for.

In the short period of time Buffoon's been blogging, he's already attained a Google Page Rank of 4/10, and a Technorati rating of 195 (excellent!), through aggressively and effectively using social networking techniques, and by posting original, entertaining blog content that other bloggers enjoy linking to.

We are very thankful for 'Buffoon's,' (an amusing misnomer) help on the Ft. Hard Knox project, and for his contribution to the conservative right blogosphere. He is this week's WebWarrior.

If you'd like to nominate a "WebWarrior" (a conservative using Web 2.0 effectively) e-mail Jenn.

SOCIAL NETWORKING FOR PROMOTION: DIY vs. FREE

"I don't have TIME to learn how it works - I just want it done!"

That's the sentiment that we, at Ft. Hard Knox often encounter in speaking with politically conservative professionals who are in the beginning stages of incorporating new media and online social networking into their marketing campaigns. What many of them have observed and concluded about social networking is:

The social networking sites are free to use - therefore they must not have much value.
There are instructions for how to do this, literally, all over the web (again, for free), so it can't be that hard to learn.
The level of communication among adults on the front page of most of the social networking sites (like Digg.com, and reddit.com) is taking place at aproximately a third-grade level of maturity and reading - so, obviously, even any idiot can do it.
I'm a busy person. Social networking sounds like something I can hire clerical help off the street to do for me, so I don't have to waste my time on it.

Several years ago, I knew a man who very much wanted to be self employed. He wasn't sure what he wanted to employ himself to do - He didn't have much education, and no real job skills. He just figured that as a self-employed person, he could be his own boss, get paid as much as he wanted to pay himself, and do as little as he wanted. At least, this was his perception. Eventually he learned, after numerous failed attempts at such a lifestyle, that self-employed people tend to work harder, longer, and often for less take-home pay than those who are working for others. He finally gave it up and got a job. Being self-employed sounded easy, but turned out to be a lot more complicated than it seemed.

Anyone who has taken on "DIY" (Do-It-Yourself) projects around the house now understands that in many cases it would have been cheaper to hire a professional. By the time they bought all of the necessary tools and instruction manuals, corrected mistakes, and factored in the cost of their time and labor - "DIY" work turned out to be costly. Of course, it might have been worth it. Maybe they did the work with a family member, and enjoyed the time spent, or maybe they learned valuable skills they'll be able to re-use. Perhaps they just enjoyed the satifaction of being able to say to themselves and the world - look what I did - all by myself (a good feeling, indeed)! But it is rare for a DIY-er to brag about money saved, unless they are already basically a professional in the work they are doing.

Likewise, those of you who are reading this who are long-time conservative bloggers who have been promoting your own blogs to draw traffic and support causes that are important to you know that taking on the task of self-promotion is not easy. It's a skill that constantly needs to be updated. While uisng social networking sites does not cost money, the activity takes a toll in time (LOTS of time), and in terms of the emotional wear and tear of doing battle with the "progressive" left. As in many other things in life (to address #3 above), just because there are plenty of idiots involved in social networking, doesn't mean that any idiot can do it effectively.

While some aspects of traditional marketing also apply to social networking, social networking (effectively) is a separate skill. It is done on a much more personal level, and in order for someone to do it for you, that person must know you and your business very well, and must be authorized to speak publicly on behalf of you and your business at all levels. Social networking (again, effectively), requires first the development of a substantial (quality) network, then soft promotion of whatever goods or services one wants to offer.

To be successful in social networking, you'll need to convince complete strangers to help you promote you for free. People need to know who you are, and they need to believe in you and like you before they'll help promote your "stuff." The "viral" phonomenon (where by a fluke, a person or idea suddenly becomes outrageously popular on the web, and no one is quite sure why) is rare, and most of us do not have the name recognition and fan base of a celebrity or national politician. Therefore, accomplishing effective social networking, for the majority of us requires personal interaction over a period of time, on a variety of topics with our potential peers, then clients. Hiring someone off the street or assigning the task to a clerical worker who has no real knowledge of you, your business, your industry, or online social networking will not be effective.

Self promotion using social networking is a "DIY" project. It's not easy, and it's not free. If you decide to hire a professional, be sure to hire someone who knows you and your industry. Also, be aware that the professional is working along side you as a consultant, but that this type of marketing is done on a very personal level, and that you will need to be personally involved in the entire process.

Not for you? No problem - there's still paid online advertising.

LON SAFCO: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Last week's WebWarrior, Dr. Bill, forwarded this link to me, and it's great:

As an author of The Social Media Bible, I am often asked, "What do I need to do engage my company, my products, and myself in social media?" The answer is easy: participate. Get out there and get involved. If you aren't in the game, you can't win. Here's your Ten Commandments or things you need to be doing to get in and win with social media.

Thou Shalt Blog (like crazy).

Thou Shalt Create Profiles (everywhere).

Thou Shalt Upload Photos (lots of them).

Thou Shalt Upload Videos (all you can find).

Thou Shalt Podcast (often).

Thou Shalt Set Alerts (immediately).

Thou Shalt Comment (on a multitude of blogs).

Thou Shalt Get Connected (with everyone).

Thou Shalt Explore Social Media (30 minutes per week).

Thou Shalt Be Creative (go forth and create creatively)!

...Continue reading on the Fast Company Blog >>

SKYPE FOR PHONE CALLS AND PODCASTING

This comes to us by e-mail from Paul "Paulie" Croteau, TheLoudTalker, on RFCRadio.com, and with his permission we are passing it on:

"...Before I joined RFC I never used the free internet phone service Skype. If you’re not familiar with it, Skype is the voice/video equivalent of instant messaging and is actually quite dependable. Calls between Skype accounts are free all over the world. You can also call 'real' phones via Skype for super cheap. I signed up for the 'Unlimited US&Canada' account, for just $2.95 per month. Pretty darned cool.

"Once you have Skype I suggest you find an application for recording Skype calls. “Audacity” is a free audio editing application available on the PC and Mac. (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) Here is a link on how to record Skype calls with Audacity on a PC: (http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=369131)

"I use a Mac at home, so I use 'Audio Hijack Pro' which is absolutely worth the $32 cost. In addition to recording Skype calls it captures all audio from your soundcard. I use it extensively to grab audio from news video clips on YouTube. And, since it grabs sound straight from your soundcard you can record ANY audio… game sounds, streaming live events, music, etc. Of course, always be aware of copyright issues...."

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