Central Perk

joi, 7 octombrie 2010

Damn Cool Pics

Girl Plays Jingle Bells With Cleavage Kazoo
25 Smoking Monkeys
Lingerie-clad Russian Students Wishes 'Happy Birthday, Mr Putin'
Frog in Wine Bottle
Beautiful Golden Tabby Tiger
Man with Huge Arms
16 Interesting Facts About Sleep

Girl Plays Jingle Bells With Cleavage Kazoo

Posted: 07 Oct 2010 07:44 AM PDT

Crafting a kazoo out of her cleavage and a straw? There's nothing this girl can't do with her ta-tas. I hear the Swiss government is hard at work developing their own pair for their army.

25 Smoking Monkeys

Posted: 07 Oct 2010 07:25 AM PDT

Sometimes, looking at monkeys, I start to believe that they are much alike many people.

Lingerie-clad Russian Students Wishes 'Happy Birthday, Mr Putin'

Posted: 07 Oct 2010 04:33 AM PDT

Lingerie-clad students from Moscow's most renowned university have posed in an erotic calendar proclaiming their love for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who turns 58 on Thursday.

The calendar, called "Vladimir Vladimirovich, We love you. Happy Birthday Mr Putin, Call me and get your present, What about the third term?",etc features twelve women wearing only underwear and pouting at the camera with saucy slogans.

The women are all named as journalism students at the Moscow State University and a spokeswoman for the faculty confirmed to AFP that the models study there.

Frog in Wine Bottle

Posted: 07 Oct 2010 01:58 AM PDT

A woman in the UK is reportedly suing supermarket giant Asda after she allegedly found a frog in a bottle of wine purchased at one of its stores. Isolde Beesley of Leicestershire said the small frog fell out of a bottle of Moscatel de Valencia Spanish wine as she poured a glass at a family celebration.

She claims to have suffered from stomach pains ever since the incident, which occurred on December 26th 2009, and as such is pursuing a claim for compensation, reports Decanter magazine.

At the time, Asda removed the wine from its shelves while it conducted an investigation. Ms Beesley's lawyer, Michael Connor of TPS Solicitors, said that Asda was 'under a duty by virtue of the Sale of Goods Act to make sure the wine was fit to drink'. He added that the fact the wine apparently contained a dead frog clearly made it unfit for consumption.

Source: decanter

Beautiful Golden Tabby Tiger

Posted: 07 Oct 2010 01:37 AM PDT

This one is called a golden tabby tiger. It is a tiger with an extremely rare color variation, which is caused by a recessive gene and is normally found only in captive tigers. But it is not a separate species of tigers, it's just a color form.

Golden tigers also tend to be larger and, due to the effect of the gene on the hair shaft, have softer fur than their orange relatives. There are currently believed to be fewer than 30 of these rare tigers in the world, but many more carry the gene.

Man with Huge Arms

Posted: 07 Oct 2010 01:31 AM PDT

Synthol injections sucks.

16 Interesting Facts About Sleep

Posted: 07 Oct 2010 01:22 AM PDT

Did you know that 1 in 50 teens wets the bed? And that you will die of sleep deprivation before starvation? Check out these and more dreamy facts from Psychology Degree about getting your Zzzzs.

Click to Enlarge.

More Infographics.

SEOmoz Daily SEO Blog

SEOmoz Meetups Coming to New York, Sofia, Las Vegas, Dublin, San Diego and More

Posted: 07 Oct 2010 05:36 AM PDT

Posted by randfish

You've probably already noticed that here at SEOmoz, we tend to travel quite a bit. Often times we're speaking at a conference or covering it on the blog, but sometimes we find ourselves wishing we had more time to hang out with the community. We needed to come up with a way to spend some quality time with you. So, we're sending mozzers out to cities all over the world to have Meetups and give us a chance to get to know you in a more intimate setting.

We're interested in learning first-hand what we can we do to make our software work harder for you, if you'd like to learn about a specific subject on the blog and in general, anything you'd like to tell us! Of course, we'll provide the beer, probably some food and at the very least some interesting conversation.

Upcoming Meetups

New York City - Oct. 19, 6-9pm Eastern
637 W. 27th Street - 8th Floor
New York, NY 10001

New York City is probably the best place we could think of to have our first SEOmoz meetup. Promediacorp has been gracious enough to let us use their amazing office to host the event. This should be a really great event as we'll have a few speakers in addition to food and drink. We are limiting the event to 50 people, so if you can definitely join us, please be sure to RSVP!

NYC Speakers:

Rand Fishkin, CEO, SEOmoz
Topic: Shhhh.... A sneak peek at new research from SEOmoz

Chris Winfield, CMO & Managing Partner, BlueGlass
Topic: Major Trends in SEO as seen from the team at BlueGlass

Greg Gortz, VP Sales, Zemanta
Topic: Link Building Best Practices for 2010 and beyond

Stock Photo by Nickolay Stanev

Sofia, Bulgaria - Oct. 29, 7-9pm
We're still waiting to finish the final touches on this event. Be sure to follow us on Twitter or keep an eye on our events page and we'll announce changes as they come up.

Las Vegas - Nov. 10, 5:30-7:30pm Pacific

For the past few years we've held our annual Search Spam Party. This year at PubCon we'll be hosting a happy hour with free drinks and light appetizers for all PubCon attendees. We're still looking to finalize the exact location but we're planning on having it at or near the Wynn. So after the last session of the day head on over for a fun, relaxing happy hour with all your favorite peeps. Don't miss it!

As PubCon gets closer we'll have more information about the location and a place to sign up.

San Diego - December

We'll have more information about this one soon. The event should take place around December 20th.

But what about my city?

Don't worry! We are planning more SEOmoz events. You can stay up-to-date on the location of the moz team on this new fancy looking page linked to below. This calendar not only shows our meetups but also shows what conferences we'll be speaking at and who's speaking and/or attending. It will be updated often, so if you're ever curious where we are and what we're up to, you can find out here:

By the way, I'll actually be at all of the events we have listed above. I look forward to seeing you there!

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Content Marketing That Stands Out

Posted: 06 Oct 2010 10:54 AM PDT

Posted by Dr. Pete

Red car in a sea of white cars When you're a small fish in a sea of competitors, getting noticed by search engines is never easy. If you're a car dealer, local restaurant, real estate agent, lawyer, doctor, etc., you're not only competing with hundreds of other businesses just like yours, but when it comes to link-building, everyone is trying to pick the same low-hanging fruit.

Strong content that attracts natural links can really help break the mold of low quality directories, blog comments, and spammy article marketing, but where do you start and how do you stand out? The world only needs so many mortgage calculators. I'd like to offer a few tactics to get you moving (and thinking) in the right direction.

Car Dealers (Tactic: Positive UGC)

Many companies are afraid of user-generated content (UGC). They imagine the worst – negative comments, brand-bashing, customer service horror stories. Although that fear is often overblown, it's easy to sympathize. It is possible, though, to use UGC and still control the message.

Let me illustrate with a story. In the late 90s, my parents bought a Saturn. Back then, Saturn was known for their unique buying experience – when you signed your paperwork, they took your picture, posted it on the wall, and the employees all came out and cheered. It was a little odd, admittedly, but it was definitely a memorable experience.

Why not use that same approach online? Find your brand evangelists - ask your customers to submit photos of themselves with their cars, for example. This type of positive UGC has a number of advantages:

You'll tend to attract brand loyalists.
People will link to their content on your site out of vanity.
You'll create natural testimonials.

Restaurants (Tactic: Positive UGC)

This is another spin on the car dealership idea. If you're a restaurant, you have to deal with reviews. They can really make or break your business, especially now that there are entire companies dedicated to flooding the internet with positive (or negative) reviews. Why not ask for feedback in a way that naturally spins positive? For example, add a feature to your site where you ask people to post pictures of their favorite dish from your restaurant. No one has a bad favorite dish – the haters will naturally exclude themselves. Meanwhile, the brand evangelists will love seeing their photo posted online and will naturally tell their friends.

Real Estate (Tactic: Local Interest)

Real estate websites and even blogs have a tendency to be generic – they talk about why it's time to buy, how to find a decent interest rate, etc. This information, done well, is fine, but it's hard to stand out when you're saying the same things that 1,000 other realtors are saying.

Why not focus on the local angle? Think more broadly than just real estate – talk about the highlights of the neighborhoods you sell in. This could be everything from the best schools and local tourist attractions to talking about your favorite local restaurants. Don't be afraid to get a little personal, and you'll tap into a few advantages:

You'll show you know and like the neighborhood you sell in.
Local content will naturally attract local links.
You'll naturally highlight the reasons to live in your neighborhood.

Lawyers (Tactic: Local Expertise)

Lawyers, like realtors, face the problem of how to say the same things as everyone else and still sound unique. Again, focus on your own niche and the local angle (assuming you're a smaller office). Highlight local stories that show how the law impacts your area – this could be everything from crime stories to civil suits. Discuss these stories in the context of your practice. You could even have fun with it – talk about weird laws in your state or city, for example. The advantages?

You'll show that you're up to date with current laws and events.
People will see that you understand how the law impacts them.
Local interest stories naturally attract local links.

Don't Be Afraid to Get Creative

If there's a theme here, it's that you can't be afraid to start getting creative, even if you think you're in a "boring" industry. Think about what got you into your business in the first place – there's always a story, and the more you put your own spin on content, the more authentic and unique it will naturally become. Say something that no one else is saying, and natural links will create themselves.

"Hundreds of cars" image provided by ShutterStock.

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Solar Panels on the White House and in the California Desert

Energy and Climate Agenda
Thursday, October 7, 2010

The Week in Energy and Climate

This week, Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced plans to install solar panels and a solar water heater on the roof of the White House residence. Later that same day, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar approved the first large-scale solar energy plants on public lands.

In his Weekly Address on Saturday, President Obama announced that a company called BrightSource will break ground this month on a new, revolutionary type of solar power plant, thanks in part to clean energy incentives launched by the Administration. The solar power plant will be the largest of its kind in the world, and it will put about 1,000 people to work and power up to 140,000 homes.

In case you missed it, October is National Energy Awareness Month. Be sure to check out our calendar of energy events happening throughout the Administration in October.

Highlights

The First Large-Scale Solar Energy Plants on Public Lands
October 5, 2010
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announces a big step on our nation’s path to a clean energy future with the approval of the first large-scale solar energy plants ever to be built on public lands.

Commitment to Lead: Solar on the White House
October 5, 2010
At the first annual GreenGov Symposium, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley announce plans to install solar panels on the roof of the White House Residence.

The Paris Motor Show
October 4, 2010
David Sandalow, Assistant Secretary of Energy for Policy and International Affairs, looks at the future of electric cars -- and America's role in it -- at the Paris auto show.

Weekly Address: Solar Power & a Clean Energy Economy
October 2, 2010
The President points to a revolutionary new solar plant that will employ 1,000 people and power 140,000 homes. The plant is possible because of the President’s investments in the clean energy economy, which Congressional Republicans want to eliminate.

Kicking Off National Energy Awareness Month
October 1, 2010
The Obama Administration kicks off National Energy Awareness Month with a calendar of clean energy events and activities from around the Administration.

Get Updates

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Daily Snapshot: A Little Lady Meets the First Lady

Your Daily Snapshot for
Thrusday, October 7, 2010

Photo of the Day

Lynne Silosky, a niece of Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller, curtsies with First Lady Michelle Obama during a meeting with Miller’s family in the Oval Office, Oct. 6, 2010. Later, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, President Barack Obama awarded Staff Sergeant Miller the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in Afghanistan. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Today's Schedule

All times are Eastern Daylight Time

10:15 AM: The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing

10:45 AM: The President meets with senior advisors

11:30 AM: The Vice President attends an event for Gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett

12:05 PM: The President signs the Intel Authorization Bill

12:20 PM: The President signs the Reducing Over Classification Bill

12:30 PM: Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

1:30 PM: The President meets with Secretary of the Treasury Geithner

2:30 PM: The President departs the White House en route Bowie, Maryland

3:15 PM: The President delivers remarks at a rally for Governor Martin O’Malley

4:15 PM: The President departs Bowie, Maryland en route Andrews Air Force Base

4:35 PM: The President departs Andrews Air Force Base en route Chicago, Illinois

6:15 PM: The President arrives in Chicago, Illinois

6:15 PM: The Vice President attends an event for Senatorial candidate Robin Carnahan

7:00 PM: The President delivers remarks at a reception for Alexi Giannoulias

7:40 PM: The President attends a dinner for Alexi Giannoulias

9:20 PM: The President departs Chicago, Illinois en route Andrews Air Force Base

10:55 PM: The President arrives at Andrews Air Force Base

11:10 PM: The President arrives at the White House

Indicates Events that will be livestreamed on WhiteHouse.gov/live.

Seth's Blog : Generous gifts vs. free samples

[You're getting this note because you subscribed to Seth Godin's blog.]

Generous gifts vs. free samples

Free isn't always generous. Free can be a legitimate marketing strategy, an ultimately selfish way to increase sales. Once you spread your ideas (and free is the best way to do that), there are all sorts of ways to profit. But don't be confused. Free samples and free ideas and free bonuses are not necessarily generous acts.

A generous gift comes with no transaction foreseen or anticipated. A gift is a gift, not the beginning of a transaction. When you see a Picasso painting at the Met, Picasso doesn't get anything (he's dead). Even his heirs don't get anything. His art is a gift to anyone who sees it.

Giving gifts is a fairly alien endeavor. In most families, even the holidays are more about present exchange than the selfless act of actually giving a gift.

The cool part, the punchline, is that giving a gift for no reason and with no transaction contemplated is actually incredibly powerful. It changes your approach to the market, it changes your relationship with the recipient and yes, it changes you.

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joi, 7 octombrie 2010

Damn Cool Pics

Damn Cool Pics

SEOmoz Daily SEO Blog

SEOmoz Daily SEO Blog

Upcoming Meetups