Posts: 113

1. 

   Free Computers!

   07.Mar.08, 22:13 EST
   
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   Yes, you can buy a new or used computer online. Next time, we’ll talk about Craigslist and eBay, but this time, before we get into shopping on the Internet, here’s a good question: how about a free computer?
   
   For many years, I’ve used computers given to me by friends who’d gotten new ones. Yeah, they weren’t the best and glitziest machines available, but in most instances, more memory, a bigger hard drive and, in a couple of cases, an accelerator or upgraded processor made them rock and roll. And since I wasn’t using the computers for missile strikes or other intensive operations, they were more than adequate. And free!
   
   How did I get my free computers? Well, most everywhere I’ve ever worked, I tightened up with the IT and Helpdesk folks. Not a bad thing to do under any circumstances, and though it wasn’t done for avaricious reasons, there were benefits to having these friends. Policies vary, but some companies have no problem allowing employees to recycle surplus computers. Of course, make sure that it’s cool before taking anything, so no one gets into trouble — especially you!
   
   It’s also worth asking just about everyone you know if they have any spare computers kicking around. Most people seem to hate throwing out their old machines (assuming they work) after they get new ones. In many cases, they’d be THRILLED for you to give their old friend a good home. Or their spouse, partner or roommate would appreciate the space. It doesn’t hurt to ask, and you can always say “No thanks!” if it’s an old piece of crap, or claim technological ignorance or incompetence if it’s a fixer-upper or too old to do what you need to do.
   
   There’s no shame in scavenging and recycling old computers. It’s a good use of resources and not a bad way to save money and get a decent computer.
   
   But if you have the bucks and want to buy a new (or newer) one, you can still save money by shopping online.
   
   Websites that act as online aggregators for deals, updated daily, can help you get a sense of what’s out there. I like Dealmac and Dealhack but you can use the Google and find more, including Google’s own shopping search engine. The Consumerist and Bargainist sites aren’t bad, either.
   
   Amazon.com also has some pretty good deals from time to time. They also have special offers with codes, which can be found here.
   
   As we’ve mentioned earlier, do your homework and get a sense of what you need, what it costs, and what you have to spend.
   
   If you’re a student or work for a big company, check with student services or human resources for discounts from manufacturers and retail stores. Apple, for example, offers substantial discounts to students and educators.
   
   And be sure to go to the manufacturers’ websites. Dell usually advertises web-only deals, and Apple offers considerable savings on refurbished equipment that they cover with the same warranties they offer on the new stuff. There are also periodic clearance sales, often just before the introduction of a new model or line.
   
   Next: Dealing with Craigslist and eBay.
   
   Richard Pachter is the MOLI View's Grand Vizier.

2. 

   Get Creative!

   18.Jan.08, 13:00 EST
   
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   This will be the final post in the "promote yourself and your blog" series. Next Friday, I'll begin a new weekly blog for MOLI (and you) called "The Savings Account," devoted to personal finance. The first post will be about... savings accounts! Pretty creative, huh?
   
   And that's our topic this time: Creativity.
   
   Whatever your blog topic is, engaging your readers (and potential customers) is the goal of your creativity, not just showing off your brilliance... unless your product is art.
   
   It's important to approach your blog creatively, but don't let that word frighten you. Often, what passes for "creativity" is really just a recapitulation of an earlier version of something... or something else; a twist on a story or a fresh juxtaposition of characters. Like the current movie, "Enchanted," for example. Nothing new there, but taking a fairy tale setting and splicing it onto the "real" world makes for an interesting twist.
   
   The film "Pulp Fiction" was nothing really new either, but Quentin Tarantino took a bunch of cliché's, mashed them together and came up with something really interesting and cool.
   
   Now, you don't have to do that exactly, but what constitutes creativity is often just adding an element of surprise — or making connections between disparate elements. Of course, being original is very good, too, but that may not always be possible.
   
   Think about what you like and "echo" it. You're almost guaranteed that it will be different because you are filtering it through your own consciousness. Remember, The Beatles and Rolling Stones tried to emulate their idols: blues singers and other black performers, but filtered through their own values, experiences and talent, the music became something other than what it had once been. U2 claims to have been inspired by The Ramones, by the way. I don't hear it but it doesn't matter. Bono and Edge may imagine The Ramones in their heads while they play, and we hear something completely different. That's creativity!
   
   This is not to say that merely copying something and changing it cosmetically is creativity. It's the opposite of creativity, in fact! But putting something of yourself into a thing will make it special if you are honest and skilled. That's creativity!
   
   Most art is derivative, to some extent anyway, but presentation and context are the things that make it different, even unique. To some, creativity is part of a mysterious — even mystical — process, but if you're going to blog on a regular basis, you'll need to invoke it without going into a trance, getting drunk or conducting elaborate rituals. Creativity is a tool to get your ideas across so that attention is paid. (And maybe you will be, too.)
   
   There are plenty of exercises that you can do either solo or with a group, but I think the harder you make it, the harder it will be. But I have a few tricks that I'll share with you for reading this far. First, ask a lot of questions. I'm afraid of a few things, but asking stupid questions isn't one of them! Put your ignorance to work for you. If you approach a subject without knowing very much about it and you're reasonably intelligent, you should be able to ask questions or search online, and put your findings together in a form that makes sense. From there, you should be able to explain what you've learned and connect it to something else to make the idea clearer and more compelling.
   
   Also, don't be afraid to say "What if?" That's almost always a good place to start. Turn things around. Imagine if Al Gore had gotten elected. How would the Republicans have reacted if he'd invaded Iraq?
   
   As a blogger, it doesn't matter how many links or videos or other media you use if you're a crappy writer. Blogging is just another medium, after all. I don't know any good writers who aren't avid readers, so be sure to check out other blogs in your chosen field... as well as some that have nothing to do with it.
   
   And one final hint. Cut. Edit. Writing is rewriting, so edit your work as ruthlessly as possible. Read it out loud to see how it flows, too. But brevity is the soul of of wit, or as another writer once said, "You must be unafraid to kill your darlings." A little harsh, but you know what was meant: Cut and cut again,
   
   That's it for now. I have to edit this. It's way too long. Good luck!

3. 

   Dining al Desko

   17.Jan.08, 13:00 EST
   
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   When working in an office, other than going out to a nice restaurant (especially when the boss is picking up the tab), I prefer dining al desko. At first, I thought I'd originated the expression, but a quick search revealed that it appeared as early as 1981 in The Washington Post. But I don't care! It's still a great term!
   
   Now, dining al desko could be as simple as chomping on a ham sandwich, chips and a glass of water, or as elaborate as a cooked or assembled and heated meal. Leftovers are great, either as-is or "repurposed." It also depends on your office accommodations. Right now, I'm toiling in a wide-open cubicle in a big room with several hundred others. There's nary a coffeepot in sight or scent, and the only brew available is in the cafeteria. That's the office culture here. There are banks of microwaves in the café and a couple of stinky toaster ovens, which I avoid. So, the most I've done here from "scratch" is cutting up a few celery sticks, combining them with a bit of mayo, then tossing in the contents of a pouch of wild pink salmon. Voila! Salmon salad.
   
   But several lives ago, I had a private office and a nice little toaster oven. Though I didn't actually cook from scratch, it was pretty sweet, nonetheless, reheating leftovers (I'm a pretty deft chef) or even making a pita pizza. Yum!
   
   You have to be careful about what you cook, of course. Reheating fish, steaming broccoli or spinach, or chopping up a sulfurously smelly egg salad can evoke anger from your officemates, so give it some thought before you become a nuisance!
   
   Most workplaces, though, are pretty cool about these things as long as you don't make a big scene or stink up the joint. It's a great way to save money, eat better and healthier, and avoid junk food, too. (I usually finish my lunch off with an orange or tangerine to clear the palate, by the way; a habit I picked up from sushi joints.)

    

   Bon appetit ... and get back to work!

4. 

   Drugged

   16.Jan.08, 13:00 EST
   
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   First, a few questions:
   
   Should the Food and Drug Administration determine a drug's effectiveness, and prohibit or allow its sale based on that determination?
   
   Should you be able to use an unapproved or experimental drug? How about if you're dying and approved medication isn't working?
   
   One more: what if a drug that's been approved by the FDA is found to be ineffective?
   
   It's not for nothing that the industry is collectively referred to as Big Pharma. Drugs are a huge, profit-making enterprise. One of the reasons that healthcare costs are so high is the cost of medication. Pharmaceutical companies say that it's because of the high expenses involved in conducting research, and that many potential medicines never make it to market because they don't get past the testing stage. Yet profits for drug companies are stratospheric.
   
   The U.S. Supreme Court, this week, upheld a ruling by a lower court stating, in effect, that a terminally ill patient did not have the right to take an experimental medication that had not been approved by the FDA — even if it might be their last hope.
   
   The human cost of the ruling is immeasurable but if you want the FDA to act as a watch-dog against unfair and unscrupulous purveyors of potions, lotions and pills that may not heal or may, in fact, cause harm, then perhaps that's the price we must pay.
   
   The same day, Vytorin, a cholesterol medication that combines drugs made by two companies, Schering-Plough's Zetia and Merck's Zocor, was found to be ineffective, after a long-delayed study was finally released, based on pressure from a congressional committee, which feared that the data from the test was being messed with.
   
   This is no small thing. According to a report, Zetia, accounted for $1.3 billion in third-quarter sales, and was projected to generate about 70 percent of Schering-Plough's profit in 2008 and 22 percent of Merck's. The extraordinary delay in releasing this data, by the way, will be investigated by congress.
   
   There was no indication whether or not the FDA will order the companies to cease the sale of Vytorin, incidentally.
   
   Bottom line: There are, no doubt, many dedicated and committed professionals involved in the pharmaceutical industry. But never forget that it is a business; a very big business.

5. 

   Scars

   15.Jan.08, 13:00 EST
   
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   Have you shopped at Sears lately? Me neither. Why would we? What do they have to offer there that you can't get almost anywhere else? Die Hard car batteries? Craftsman socket wrenches? Kenmore refrigerators? Maybe you need to have a key made.
   
   But if you want to buy clothes or furniture or luggage or electronics or whatever, I'm sure there are a zillion or two places that come to mind before you think of Sears. And that's a pity, because they were a pioneering retailer with a rich history.
   
   And even in today's turbulent economy, they try to do the right thing.
   
   But they just reported a huge drop in earnings ; nearly 60 percent, in fact. They may not be around much longer, despite their history and everything else. They are the victims (if you want to call it that) of capitalism. Unless a company can compete in the marketplace by selling things that people want to buy, they will not survive. That's the way it is.
   
   Even if you're a kid, you can remember stores that are no longer around. Sears may soon join those memories.
   
   I think I need a pair of cutting pliers. How about you?
   
   

6. 

   It's the Stupid, Economy!

   14.Jan.08, 13:00 EST
   
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   Since the economy is spiraling into a recession (or we're already in one), what can the government do to help turn things around?
   
   A few things, actually, and the sooner the better.
   
   First of all, psychologists (and smart parents) usually say that you can't fix a problem unless you acknowledge that you have one. That would surely be a novelty, as the current occupant of the White House, recently touring the Middle East (near the Nile) has been in denial when it comes to the economy.

   Or worse, when things are going well, he recommends a tax cut. Not so well, "Hey, how about a tax cut?" It's the universal cure-all, apparently! Of course, the taxes that are cut are only those of the wealthiest Americans, whose savings are expected to trickle down upon the rest of us. (Yeah, right.)

   But having Bush admit that the economy is not wonderful would be a good place to begin the healing. After saying that and waiting a moment for everyone to pick their jaws up off the floor, he could then declare that he has a few ideas to get things going.
   
   A stimulus package is what it's called, and they often include public works projects.
   
   Unfortunately, throughout his tenure, Bush's idea of stimulating the economy is implementing... well, you guessed it... tax cuts.
   
   With increasing evidence that the infrastructure of this country is deteriorating, a program that involves fixing bridges and roads, public buildings, and other such projects would be really smart. It would also help boost employment, aid the ailing construction industry and more.
   
   But if Bush is dying to cut taxes, how about targeted tax cuts for middle and lower income families and individuals? What a concept! Give working people more money to spend, which would really stimulate the economy, or at least help them pay bills. (Note: paying bills is also good for the economy.)
   
   In the event that Bush and the federal government (including Congress) doing nothing substantial, maybe things will correct themselves, but maybe not. At least occasionally, leaders need to lead.

7. 

   RSS Rocks!

   11.Jan.08, 13:00 EST
   
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   Here's an easy and smart way to promote your blog: Make sure that its rss feed is turned on. "Real Simple Syndication" ensures that your readers know whenever you update your blog, with a quick peek at your header and first line. Depending upon who hosts it, enabling it is easy. Just look for it in the settings panel of your blog and turn it on.
   
   You should also make sure that the link for your readers to subscribe to your rss feed is prominent. You might even want to set up a separate page or a box to explain what it is, since not everyone may be hip to it.
   
   How do you receive the feeds? Many web browsers have rss subscriptions built in. Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer all do, but the interfaces vary, so check your browser's preferences and "help" files to enable it. Some people use Yahoo or Google to collect (or "aggregate") their feeds. MOLI allows you to add rss feeds through your control panel. You can even make them public or private, and add them to whichever profile you like, too. Cool!
   
   You can also use a freestanding, dedicated aggregator and if you're technically inclined, customize it.
   
   If you don't subscribe to any feeds, start now. Look for the symbol, illustrated above, on your favorite blogs or other sites where the content changes regularly, like newspapers. Copy the link by either right-clicking or command-clicking, then follow your aggregator's instructions to add the feed by pasting the link wherever they tell you to.
   
   You need to see what it's like to subscribe to feeds so you'll know how it works. It's a cool way to follow great blogs — like yours!
   
   

8. 

   I Want My Flying Car!

   09.Jan.08, 13:00 EST
   
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   Would you ride in a driverless car?
   
   In order to make a quantum leap over Toyota, their main competitor, General Motors is working on a driverless car and says that they will have it ready within ten years. Assuming we don't get struck with a relativistic bomb from outer space, face an attack by Islamofascist terrorists or some other racist hallucination, or suffer from another depression, I doubt that the market for a driverless car will be very strong.
   
   Is anyone actually clamoring for a driverless car? If so, can't they just take a bus or a train? Or maybe a taxi (and just close their eyes?)
   
   Riding in a car with no driver doesn't sound very safe, especially given the variables of other drivers, pedestrians, weather, and traffic conditions. It's one thing when a normal car breaks down, but a driverless car could really screw things up if it dies in the middle of the road. Or in front of me at a drive-through.
   
   My favorite line in the story, however, is: "the biggest obstacles may not be technical, but bureaucratic. Government regulation, liability laws and other issues pose a bigger impediment to driverless cars than any technical hurdles."
   
   Let's hope so!
   
   But if GM is dying to outpace Toyota, how about a flying car? It's 2008 already, and I want something more futuristic than an internal combustion engine-powered, ground-based vehicle running on fossil fuel. Hell, my father and grandfathers drove cars. I want something better.
   
   Come on, GM. Toyota's gonna beat you on this one, if you don't get started right away!
   

9. Slusho!

   08.Jan.08, 13:00 EST
   
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   OK. I'm writing about Cloverfield again because everything I've seen has either focused on the plot, the monster or the backstory, and the rest have concentrated on its viral marketing. But I noticed today a website that listed other Cloverfield sites, including some that were "oog" an acronym for "out of game," meaning that they not in on the thing. Then it hit me.
   
   DUH!
   
   What is so interesting about the Cloverfield phenomenon is that the producer, J.J. Abrams and his cohorts, have created a full tapestry that is itself an art form — and a marketing campaign. But if you're uncomfortable using the word "art," fine by me. Call it a multimedia project, if you like, but it's the harbinger of how marketing is evolving into something that is part of the product. In this case, it's become a game that began in July with the release of the first, untitled trailer, preceding the showing of The Transformers movie.
   
   From there, multiple websites appeared with clues. Some clues, undoubtedly, were generated by the Abrams teams, others were "leaked" to fan sites, and more came from sites created to simulate characters — human, corporate or otherwise — from the forthcoming film. The viral part of the marketing kicked in, but it might have died then if the story and the ideas were not compelling. But they were, and "new" clues, videos, photos, websites, "news stories" and such trickled out. The virus not only lived, but spread, and was nurtured by the "infected." The game was on, and in the process, a richer fabric; a more detailed and compelling story was created that extends beyond the movie.
   
   This is the wave of the future, now that television is no longer the dominant cultural and advertising medium (Seth Godin refers to it as the end of the television-industrial complex)
   
   Cloverfield is a game, a movie, a marketing campaign and a story. And stories are powerful tools to sell ideas and products... and have been since one caveman needed to persuade another to go hunting, or explore a cave, or share food. Our future is the same as the past. Marketing is storytelling, and Cloverfield may be significant for that, more than the millions of dollars, yen and Euros it will rake in at the box office when it opens a week from Friday.
   
   But I have one more question: What will they do when they release the the DVD?
   
   

10. Slow News

    07.Jan.08, 13:00 EST
    
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    Fox Business Network started up about a dozen weeks ago. But unlike other infants, the new network was expected to make an immediate impact. It hasn't. In fact, recent ratings reports say that FBN has an average of 6,000 weekday viewers, which is pretty feeble.  By comparison, competitor CNBC has 283,000, according to the same survey.
    
    FBN is available in 30 million homes, so availability isn't the problem.
    
    The slow start has not gone unnoticed. It's been widely reported domestically  and internationally. And some have even declared the channel dead on arrival.
    
    My take is that the success of the Fox News Channel (which FBN is modeled after in many ways) is predicated on a bellicose, rightward slant that caters to its core demographic: cranky old white guys who need their opinions reinforced. Business news may not lend itself to a similar presentation. Warmongering, xenophobia and cognitive dissonance are not things that lend themselves to the presentation of the information needed to make financial decisions.
    
    But anyone counting FBN out is making a big mistake. Owner Rupert Murdoch closed on his latest acquisition almost at the same time his new channel launched, so don't be surprised if he marries his Business Network to it, creating a new and very potent brand: The Wall Street Journal Network, perhaps?