ktoddstorch @ business thoughts

What if...? #9

Week number 9 of the What if? Monday feature!  Leave your comments below.

What if you could fly?

Come on!  Dream a little with me and think like a child. 

Where would you go?  Who would be the first person you would show?  What do you think your day would be like now, with your new talent? 

I'm really looking forward to your comments!  Be a kid and dream.

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tag: dream

Having a bad day at work?

If you are, click on the link below and read.  How would you like to be the one responsible for this major mess up.

Sorry, but sometimes you need some perspective to get you through...

[link] via

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tags: data loss | bank of america

Why are CD sales slowing down?

The music industry blames p2p networks.  Others blame that the quality of new music is poor.  Others say that CD's are ridiculously overpriced.

I think it is much simpler.

It's too dang hard to open a stupid CD.  14 layers of plastic.  Tape over every square inch of edges.  I end up breaking the case trying to get the stupid wrapper off.

Forget that.  Could someone just email me the songs?

Now that was easy...

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tags: compact discs | p2p

2005 Business Blogging Award Winners

The results are in and thank you to everyone that voted for Business Thoughts.  We put up a good fight and was the runner-up for Best New Blog.  Congrats to all the winners!

Best Overall Blog - Security Awareness
Best Group Blog - 800-CEO-READ
Best New Blog - Monty’s Bluff <--congrats for the late voting surge!
Best Law Blog - Phosita
Best VC/Entrepreneur Blog - Business Opportunities
Best Financial Industry/Investment Blog - Between the Hedges
Best Personal Finance Blog - PFBlog
Best Blog by a Small Business - The Tin Basher Blog
Best Blog About Small Business - eBizBlog
Best PR Blog - Media Guerilla
Best Tech Company Blog - Security Awareness
Best Media Blog - Fast Company Blog
Best Real Estate Blog - Tampa Bay’s Inside Real Estate Journal
Best Marketing Blog - JSLogan
Best SEO Blog - Blog Business World
Best Project Management Blog - AgileManagement
Best Leadership Blog - Leadership Now
The Picasso Award (Best Design) - Signal vs. Noise
The Peacock Award (Most Self-Important) - Inside Real Estate Journal
The Chris Pirillo Award (For Shameless Self Promotion) - Chris Pirillo

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tag:  blog awards

What TiVo has done for my family

As much as I love this product, I thought I would share how it really works in my family's daily life.

I would have to say that I am a Raving Fan of this product, but there is a downside to it.  You don't keep up with the normal "goings-on" of the world, unless you get info from other places (for me, Google News, Bloglines, a few radio stations and the Sunday paper).

My kids are 4, 6 and 9, so my wife saves programs like Maisy, Oobi, Speed Racer, High 5, Animal Planet and That's So Raven.  Just put on a 30 minute show for the kids when its TV time.

Tara and I really look forward to our TV time now.  We have turned our favorite programs into almost a "date night".  Once we finish with everything that needs to get done once the kids are in bed, we watch what we want.  We have Watchlists for Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Woody Allen, for example.  Shows we specifically watch are 24, Alias, Apprentice, Inside the Actors Studio, Significant Others and Suvivor (I know...total brain dump).

I have Watchlists for podcasts (G4 had a quick mention a week or so ago), poker, Ironman, triathlon, Tour de France and Lance Armstrong.

I save the ESPN show Tilt (I love me some poker!) and a bunch of BBC shows.

Managing TiVo is a lot like email.  You have to prioritize what you want to watch. 

I would say that I watch about 50 to 60% less TV than I did before TiVo.  You just don't need to channel surf anymore and with our schedule with kids, there's no time anyway.

TiVo, we love you!

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tags: tivo

Panel at SXSW - The Future of Podcasting

I recently found Tom's blog through a Blogline's search on podcasting and this guy is on it!

At the 10 day SXSW "festival", there will be a Future of Podcasting Panel, in which Tom is a feature speaker.

[read] via

[list] of all the 2005 SXSW panels

[read] the guest blogging feature The Future of Podcasting

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tags:  podcasting | sxsw

Apple to buy TiVo?

Total rumor, but this could be potential greatness.  Make sure you read the comments; there's some pretty funny stuff there.

[read] Engaget's post

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tags: apple | tivo

The Greatness of Google

So many ways that Google can save you time during the day and help you save money as well!

Terry has a great post today recapping some great Google hacks and uses.

[link]

[read] my Google SMS lifehack post

UPDATE
[link] to Paul's 7 Reasons Why Google Will Rule the World post

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tags: sms | google | lifehacks

Web design so easy, my wife can do it

For those of you that know my wife, you know she is really smart, but just not a tech geek.  She recently put her home based business on-line using a web design service called CityMaker.

Easy to use, very good customer service and an interface similar to Typepad for building templates, adding pictures, editing, etc.

The service isn't for major creative sites, but is perfect for small businesses that need a website with secure transactions.  Josh, I know you would cringe with design work you do!

Check out her site at www.beadedbuckets.com.

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tags: web design

Motorola will force Apple to deliver an iPod phone

I believe its just a matter of time before Apple will have to offer an iPod phone.  Motorola and Apple are in bed together for a cell phone with integrated iTunes, but according to the CNN/Money article (2/16/05) there are restrictions to the amount of downloads to the phone.

Motorola's competitors don't have these restrictions, so guess what?  Consumers will want and demand it.  Cell phones and the networks continuously restrict the access to features (bluetooth, locking phones, etc.).

I'm sure the new Motorola "ROKR" phone will be in high demand and it will be a matter of time before hackers have ways to get around this restriction.

I applaud Motorola's new found creativity with the RAZR thin phone, but if you really want to deliver what consumers want, give them access.  However, we all know that this had to of been a restriction that Apple forced on Motorola for the iTunes deal.  They can't openly support an alternative to the iPod, now can they?

Apple, the rumors are abound on a phone.  How long until you satisfy this demand?

Thoughts?