Quality vs. Quantity in Search Results.

In reading The Huffington Post Monday, I came across this article about Google trying to stay in the social media running, err rather “Boost Social Media Offerings” against Facebook with the acquisition of Angstro. Angstro is a start up company focusing on analyzing “a wide breadth of information from multiple data sources to deliver very few, yet very intelligent results.”

Methinks this means Google will become more relevant again when it comes to specific information. I think this is pretty cool, as I search for VERY  specific items at times and get shafted with non-relevant results that I end up having to sift through or thinking up other random words that might possibly relate to the original term I throw out to Google. Obviously, when we Google something, we get a plethora of information, but with this new offering, results would make more sense to the Googler (Or would it be the googlee?).  This also should prove to boost ad sales for Search Engine Marketing. The post also shares Social Media ad spending estimates for the next couple of years, “Research firm eMarketer estimates that social network ad spending will hit $3.3 billion in 2010 and $4.26 billion in 2011.”

What do you think about all of this online, public? I am all eyes!

Avoid Awkward Moments with Frenemies using Avoidr

Can you even count how many times you’ve been in the weird situation of running into an ex-boyfriend, an ex-friend or just someone who you really don’t like while out somewhere?

Now that Foursquare has become a fun and useful tool for many people to use, there comes that awkward moment when a friend you often try to avoid hanging out with or an ex who “just happens” to show up at the same place as you and your friends appears (AWKWARD!)

Enter avoidr.org. Simply sign in using your Foursquare login and avoidr literally cross-checks “where your not-friends are so you can avoid them.”

Pretty brilliant! If you had avoidr and Four Square sooner, you could have saved yourself some unwanted forced cordial conversation or just the occasional dirty looks (second 28) from across the room.

What would you do for a free trip?

Today I received a link from a co-worker. It was to davidondemand.com, a live feed of David Perez, who really wanted to go to the Advertising Festival in Cannes, France. Leo Burnett agreed to pay for his trip out to Cannes, but under one condition, he had to do whatever the Twittersphere told him to do for the entire week while in Cannes. He was at our mercy for the entire week, 24 hours day. I was even honored by a very “sweet” limerick dedicated to me because I told his dinner mates to put salt in his wine while he was away from the table. He was none too pleased upon taking a sip and spitting out the spoiled beverage. It has been a really funny week watching him. He got a tattoo of the Twitter Fail Whale, ran on the beach like Bo Derek in “10″ and para sailing. This was a pretty hilarious and refreshing site to come across. Watching the ridiculous commands from other tweeters in the feed next to the Live video feed was both distracting and hilarious. I had to remove myself from watching the site all day, so I could get my work done, but returned to the video at the end of the day to see what trouble David Perez has gotten into. My question to you is, would you do really do ANYTHING for an awesome prize like a week trip to Cannes?

What comes first in your life? Email or Facebook?

So before I get completely off on a tangent about what *I* do first, here is an interesting Mashable article today questioning whether people start their days with email or Facebook. It even comes equipped with awesome coffee and bagel charts! Yum!

The first thing I do when I come into the office is say good morning to those who arrived before me. The second? I go straight to my computer and sign in.

And the first thing I click on after my usual tools finish opening up? Well, it switches back and forth: I check my email, Twitter, Facebook, but not necessarily in a set order. I always attempt to make sure I check my email to see what my day will be like or if their are any fires I need to put out to make people like me again.

Then I go into the whirlwind I call social media.

Yes, it’s a whirlwind because there is so much to catch up on and read and know about–and of course my current distraction right now is the World Cup. Can it take me off task at times? Yes, but all for the greater good!The good of knowing what everyone is up to and who you need to catch up with in the vast world of Social Media.

What do you check first, email, Twitter or Facebook? And will it be the same over time, or change?

Have you found Meaning in our “Throw Away” Society?

I came across this interview of Mark Frauenfelder, editor-in-chief of Make Magazine, on The Colbert Report last week. They were talking about his new book, “Made by Hand: Searching for Meaning in a Throw Away World“, now available. Contrary to what we would assume the book’s synopsis is–a look back at projects and tips–Frauenfelder goes deeper, and talks about both becoming a Do-It-Yourselfer and getting closer to his children by working together on DIY projects.  

I find this guy really intriguing. He reminds me a little bit of myself, but much quirkier. His wild hand gestures and eclectic way of speaking draw me to want to learn more about doing more DIY projects. I don’t know if I would go as far as being able to  find uses for a fallen tree limb, but his points about how we have grown lazy and less connected to our things, because we have no pride in creating our anything special like we did 50 years ago really struck me. For the past year, this impulse has taken hold of me as well. Most recently I stripped, sanded stained and finished my own dresser. It was a bit of a pain to do the work, but when I finished, I was really proud of what I was able to do. Check out the book and blogs, makezine.com and craftzine.com for more tips and ideas on being crafty or just doing some DIY projects, like a homemade hands-free lawnmower!

By the way, you can also download an excerpt of the book here as well [heads-up, it's a pdf link].

Personal favorite of the segment: Mark shows Colbert the most useless machine in the world–its only function?  To turn itself off.

Colbert: “I’ll tell you what it does, Mark.  It breaks my heart.”

Who is your Team gonna be for World Cup 2010

So, every 4 years we get the privilege of watching the some of the top athletes representing their countries in the World Cup. I know, I know, it isn’t the Olympics. But hey these are some pretty talented men battling it out to take home the bragging rights to the World Cup Championship! Makes me tear up just thinking about it! Watching countries play their hardest for one trophy is a true fight!

The World's Obsession

My question for you is, what country are YOU routing for? I know I’ve got my St. George’s flag ready to go for my country of choice. I just need to grab some face paint and dig out my England jersey to rock while they play USA on Saturday. Whose my other country of choice? Brazil of course! My two favorite teams are just two of the top contenders! So tell us, will you be sticking to your American roots or venturing outside of the country to cheer  on another team?

Let’s Hear it for the Blackhawks!

Yes, a Stanley Cup victory is much sweeter when won in your team’s hometown, but seriously after last night’s victory, who cares!! WOOT WOOT! Our Chicago Blackhawks played an awesome game and crushed the Flyers, bringing home the Stanley Cup after a 49 year separation. The only two things that could have made this victory even sweeter would be 1.) a home game championship win and 2.) if it was a 50 year separation. I don’t know if the second one is really THAT big of  a deal, but hey, I like to keep things in even numbers for whatever bizarre reason, but I digress. Here’s to the Chicago Blackhawk’s Stanley Cup Victory and here’s hoping one of our other Chicago teams can and will follow suit this year! Any takers – Cubs? White Sox? Bears? Fire? You can do it! May be start growing out your facial hair NOW!

Would you put money in a Swear Jar if it helped Charity?

How often would you say you use a naughty word on your facebook page or your Twitter account? I know I do it every once in a while. Enters Swearjarr.com. The site allows you to enter you Twitter handle to view how often you use your naughty words and calculates a recommended dollar amount to each verbal offense should be worth. You can change the amount and donate it using paypal. The money collected is split between two worthy charitable causes: Malaria No More and Stand up to Cancer. Words range in naughtiness from Crap to the F bomb. Check it out if you want to feel like your naughtiness on Twitter can help do some good!

Friday’s “Monsters and Money”

For those of you who missed the segment of “Monsters and Money” on CBS2 Friday morning, here is the link to watch our President, Shannon Smith, talk Social Media and Money with the peeps. Its really interesting to see how Social Media is really taking things over even more now! Stay tuned for more blog-tastic stories! Oh and Go Hawks! Win the Stanley Cup!

Blueye on CBS2 Tomorrow!

We’re super excited that Shannon Smith, the President and Managing Partner of Blueye Creative and CEO of Always be Social, will be on the CBS2 show, “Monsters and Money in the Morning” tomorrow morning. They will be discussing Social Media and Making Money. We’re really excited the have such exposure for our company. Ever since we have been added to Facebook’s list of preferred developers, we have seen a lot of new opportunities open up for us. Its great to be able to continue to grow and have new experiences year after year. Good luck tomorrow Shannon!

You can catch Shannon’s segment at 5:15 AM Friday Morning!