Win $$$ w/ CWS and MyBlogLog

MyBlogLog.com continues to amaze me. You know they're hot when rumors about being aquired by Yahoo start after only a couple of months. Our community has grown from a handful of people to over 50 in a matter of a few weeks. I have even been the "Featured Member" on the members page for a couple weeks now. Thanks to the staff at MyBlogLog for doing this, especially Scott Rafer.

We've had so much success with MyBlogLog that we decided to reward our new members. We thought long and hard about what we could do to "give back" to the people who had put faith in our blog. And then we decided to have a contest! Yes... a contest to give stuff away. Everyone loves free stuff, right?

To show our appreciation, we're going to randomly give away $50 to a member of our community EVERY Friday (through January 1st). All you have to do to be eligible to win is be a member of our blog community. We'll randonly pick a new winner each week and let everyone know you're the big winner. It's really easy, fun, and only takes a few seconds to sign up. As an added bonus, you'll probably meet lots of other cool people from all over the world too! Check it out today.

Scouting Breakfast is Dec. 7th

Next Thursday (12/7) is the Annual "Good Turn for America" Scouting Breakfast at the Radissson Hotel. I've been the chairperson for this event for the past 2 years and this is your personal invite. Scouting does so much for our community and helps build strong youth. Last year alone, Scouts conducted over 93,000 hours of service in our community doing things like planting trees, collecting food for Channel One, and cleaning up our bike paths.

Did you know, on average, it costs $140 per year to provide scouting to a youth? That's a rather small investment for building our future leaders. As an Eagle Scout, I learned first hand about how this organization builds strong character and develops leadership skills. It's important that we continue to support their activities.

Here's a copy of the full page ad in yesterday's Post Bulletin:


If you'd like to attend, drop me a note and I'll get you on the RSVP list. The breakfast meal is paid for by Corporate Web Services, Alvin E. Benike, Associated Bank, and Yaggy Colby & Associates. 100% of the money raised goes directly to support scouting. If you cannot attend and would still like to support scouting, please mail your donation to:

Gamehaven Council
Attn: Good Turn Breakfast
1124 11 1/2 St SE
Rochester, MN 55904

We hope to see you there!

Pssst, it's time to take a day off!

You almost didn't get a fresh blog post today because I had an easy excuse to take the day off. I've had an unfortunate turn of events where my uncle passed away on Sunday. I've taken a couple days off and spent yesterday in a car driving to Chicago for the funeral. It's a long trip from Minnesota, but it was quality time with my parents (who I see less now that they have a second home in Texas).

I'm taking time out of my day to write this post just to share my thoughts with you. You see, it's important that we remember what's important in our lives and not get distracted by everyday events. It often takes a tragic event, such as death, to bring us together with our extended family. Too often, several years will go by where we are so "busy" that we don't connect with the people who really matter in our lives, our family. I'm guilty of this, and you might be too.

If you're like me, you work very hard. You probably spend more time at the office than you do at home. It's easy to get caught up in work, making a living, and growing a business/career. But, this is no excuse for losing focus of what's important in your life, your family.

I had the chance tonight to spend a few hours with a cousin from Idaho. It was great to learn about the new things in her life, see her baby for the first time, and talk about the good old days. I missed several important events in her life, such as her wedding, because she lived far away and I was too busy "working" to attend. It's unfortunate that it took a tragic event to bring us back together, but I am very grateful for today.

Don't lose sight of what's important in your life and be thankful for each day. Nobody in their "final days" has ever said they wished they had spent more time at the office. Tell that special someone how much you appreciate them and take a day off from time to time. I know that I will.

Goal Setting is Your Key to Success

I loved being inspired. Earlier today, I was doing a review for a future blog post and stumbled upon Ben Yoskovitz's blog. He spoke about writing goals and how they are vital to your success. I like that. I always have a list of goals in my head but very seldom do I make them specific, write them down, set a target date, and hold myself accountable. In fact, I often find myself doing things which can lead to failure.

Ben took personal goal setting one step further and started a "Post-Thanksgiving Goal Writing Project". This is cool because it forces you to tell your blog readers about what you plan to do. Public disclosure makes it much more difficult to skip out on your commitment.

So, here it goes.

With you as my witness, I set a goal to lose 10 pounds by January 1st. I'm not obese or anything... but I have noticed that my pants are starting to get a little tight. To make matters worse, we've just finished a long Thanksgiving weekend. And with all the holiday parties coming up next month... it could get ugly by the first of the year. We don't want that, so it's time to set a goal and start slimming down a bit. Thanks to Ben for the kick in the butt!


As of this morning, I weighed in at 190lbs. I'm 6ft tall, so that puts me on the upper limit of the healthy weight chart. Shedding a few pounds definately won't hurt me any. I'll keep you posted on how it goes and I encourage you to set your own Post-Thanksgiving Goals. If you don't have a blog, feel free to join in by posting your goal as a comment to this post. Go ahead, try it! New Year resolutions are highly over-rated, so get started today.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few goal setting tips from The GoalGuy's website:

1. Write It Down- Goals are specific, measurable, and time-bounded. Write your goals so that they reflect all three components.

2. List Your Personal Benefits- Identify exactly "Why" you want to achieve this goal. List all the ways you will you benefit personally.

3. Analyze Your Current Position- Success is information dependent. You need integrity in your information. Identify exactly your specific strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities as it relates to achieving this goal.

4. Identify Obstacles and Risks- List everything that could possibly prevent you from achieving this goal.

5. Identify Investments and Sacrifices- List everything, including time, money, and sacrifices that you can anticipate.

6. Knowledge Requirements- Identify what additional knowledge you need to acquire or have access to.

7. Support Team- List the people, groups, and organizations you may need help from as well as the specific role each one plays.

8. Develop Your Plan- List in chronological order each activity and their corresponding target dates for completion. Use all the information gathered in previous steps to develop your plan.

9. Set a Deadline- Determine on what date you will achieve this goal.

10. Reward and Celebrate- Identify your reward for the achievement of this goal. You deserve it!

Filed in: CWS, post-thanksgiving goal writing project, goal setting

Get Paid to Surf from AGLOCO

Last week, I criticized AGLOCO for not having an email signup form to be notified when they launched. It appears they have since gone live and are now accepting members. As with any MLM type business, "getting in early" is important so I took the plunge just in case they hit it big. Here's the scoop on this new concept.

Whenever you are online, either surfing, blogging, clicking on an ad or making a purchase, all the money generated by your activities is currently pocketed by a small number of players. At AGLOCO, they say not anymore!

AGLOCO is a global community, whose owners are its members (you and potentially the millions of internet users out there). Their goal is to capture a significant portion of the value generated by your online activities and return it to members in cash. It was free to sign up and they say members will NEVER have to pay anything, nor will they have to disclose ANY personal information (unless, of course, you consider your surfing habits "personal").

How does it work? Once you sign up on their website, you will eventually be able to download the Viewbar software (it wasn't ready as of this post), a free toolbar-sized application that quietly sits on your desktop. If you don't want to see or use the Viewbar at any given time you can minimize it and it stops working. As a member, that's all you'll need to do... just continue using the Internet as you used to.


So, if you sign up how can this make you money? Their website says the following:

Cash: You get cash by surfing the Internet while the Viewbar is running. AGLOCO's profits are distributed back to its Members. And you can also receive real-time discounts should you choose to purchase from AGLOCO's partners.

Shares: In addition to cash, AGLOCO will give out shares in the company to its members. Eventually, AGLOCO plans to go public and will be traded on the London Stock Exchange AIM. You can start earning stock options by keeping Viewbar active while you surf. In addition, you will gain extra shares by referring active users to AGLOCO (they lose nothing).

Click here to see their calculator on how much you can earn.


The more people who join AGLOCO, the more value the community will generate for itself. The company believes those that build the community deserve more: your own profits become larger the more people you refer. You can accumulate hours not only from your Internet activity but also from those who you refer, and their referrals too... Up to 5 levels underneath you. For example, if you refer 10 people and all of them refer 5 people each, you could make over 7000 shares a month!

The guys behind this idea include several Stanford MBA's and a few individuals who started AllAdvantage back in 1998, which gave over $100 million to its users before falling victim to the burst of the internet bubble.

$100 million? That's enough to count me in and we'll see what they can do the second time around. You can jump on the bandwagon yourself by completing the short sign up process. If you'd like to help put my kids through college, feel free to use my referral code: BBBD1409.

Are You Smarter than a 6 Year Old?

In 8th grade, I memorized the complete list of US Presidents and wowed my family and friends. This kid took it up a notch... when she was 3.



What have you memorized? The ABC's don't count. :)

Filed in: CWS, Rochester, youtube, oprah, memory

7 Years of Google Thanksgiving

This Thursday, many of us will celebrate Thanksgiving. For most, this means a huge family meal of turkey, potatoes, corn, cranberries, and lots of pumpkin pie followed by the Macy's Day Parade and NFL Football. For Google, it means another custom logo for their homepage. The following logos appeared on the Google Homepage on Thanksgiving Day each year. As you'll notice, a turkey has been included in the design every year since 1999.

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

For your own amusement, you can find additional holiday logos here.

Please Note: Google has requested that the above logos are only available for historic purposes and should not be used for daily use. Official Google logos which may be used on a daily basis are available here.

Filed in: CWS, Google, thanksgiving, parade, logos

Web2.0: CrossLoop.com

As you can imagine, I'm considered the "computer geek" by all of my friends and family. When you're given that title, you're also given the responsibility of answering questions about everyone's computer problems (for free). This is especially true for your parents, who like to inadvertently break things from time to time by trying to do things themselves. This wasn't a problem for me... until they moved thousands of miles away.

One day I received a call from my father, who needed some help installing a new printer. He was now 2000 miles away and I had no idea what type of router his new ISP had provided or what type of firewall blocking he was behind. I was trying to help him but it was really hard not knowing what he was seeing (or doing) on his computer.

CrossLoop solved this problem.

CrossLoop is a FREE secure screen sharing utility designed for people of all technical skill levels. It's built on VNC, which is a utility I'm already familiar with. But CrossLoop extends the boundaries of traditional screen sharing by enabling non-technical users to get connected from anywhere on the Internet in seconds without changing any firewall or router settings. It only takes a few minutes to setup and it's very easy to use.

Joining a session with my father enabled me to access his PC in Texas in a matter of seconds. I was able to effortlessly connect to his PC by him simply connecting to CrossLoop and generating a unique access code for me. I was then able to view his screen and share control of the mouse and keyboard.

If you're a "computer expert" or a "confused parent seeking help", you should check out this screen sharing alternative.

Filed in: CWS, Rochester, crossloop, pcanywhere, vnc

Show me, don't tell me

I nearly passed over a house that I ultimately bought, just because the pictures of it on the Internet looked terrible. Seeing it in person told a completely different story.

Likewise, it's hard to describe a web-based application in print. Even screen captures don't really give you a feel for what it's like to use software. For example, a large part of good user experience comes from the responsiveness of a tool's interface. This is why a number of product reviewers like Screeniac (motto: "Screenshots Suck! Screencasts Rulio!") are taking advantage of the growing availability of broadband and capturing full-motion video to show what it's really like to drive around a Web-based application.

We decided to put together a guided tour of GroupLoop to help people better understand what the software can do and how nice it is to use. Although GroupLoop's signup process is pretty painless, some of us just don't like registering for anything until we really know what we're going to get. Plus, it's hard to see how an application can be useful when there's no data in it.

The demo is pretty quick to watch, but it will give you a good idea of what GroupLoop does. Of course, you're always welcome to take the wheel yourself by creating an account on our Free Plan. There are no ads or obligations for free accounts.

The tour covers all of the latest features we've added, too, like RSVP handling and integration with Outlook and iCal, so if you haven't seen the product since it was first launched, you're sure to notice some nice improvements.

See the demo at http://demo.grouploop.com.

A Huge Mistake from AGLOCO

I recently heard about a new company, AGLOCO, at this post on TechCrunch. AGLOCO asks users to disclose personal information and install a toolbar that rests at the bottom of the browser screen. They then reimburse a portion of affiliate fees earned from ecommerce sites when users make purchases, and they have a multi-level payout scheme where users can get part of the fees generated by referred members.

Seems interesting enough.

So, I followed a link to their website only to find their logo and a "Coming Soon" message. That's it. Nothing more. Nada. Zitch.

I'm sorry, but you just made your first huge mistake as a company. You just received thousands of visitors by getting "crunched" from one of the largest blogs in the world and you have no "sign up" to be notified about your launch. This simple mistake caused you to miss a huge opportunity to collect email information from thousands of interested people. With this type of blog exposure, they would have collected emails from hundreds of people, possibly even thousands.

We had an email signup box on our homepage in the months preceding the launch of Grouploop, and the result was the collection of thousands of emails of people interested in our product. When we launched, we let them know and it resulted in the signup of hundreds of accounts within the first few days of launching.

According to the post, this is the second attempt at making this company go. If they want to be successful, they had better start avoiding costly mistakes and pay attention to the details.

Filed in: CWS, techcrunch, AGLOCO, webdesign, marketing

10 Year Anniversary for CWS

Corporate Web Services turns 10 years old on Sunday, November 19th. On that day in 1996, I registered our first domain, corporate-web.com. Being in college, the registration fee was one of the big "start-up" expenses for my new business concept. If you recall, it was $100/year to register a domain name at that time. For you history buffs, we registered cws.net and switched to the shorter domain in November of 1999.

Our first customer was All American Products of San Fernando, CA. They became a customer on December 13, 1996 and remain a valued customer today. All American Products Co. is the largest drill bushing manufacturer and workholding solutions provider in the United States. On this anniversary, we thank them (and all of our customers) who have contributed to our success. We could not have done it without you!

Our first company logo was created in 1998 by Robert Nelson. We spent hours tweaking the angles on the "swish marks" and working on a company slogan. "Dynamic Solutions for the Internet" was finally selected after hours of deliberation. It's somewhat ironic that the slogan still describes what we do 10 years later. The logo, however, was updated in 2002 with the current two-color version.

Filed in: CWS, Rochester, domains, anniversary, logos

Brent Fredrickson Joins CWS

Brent Fredrickson has joined CWS as a sales associate. Brent will be focusing on sales for our new committee management software, GroupLoop.com.

Brent is a Southeastern Minnesota native growing up in Wanamingo and then graduating from Goodhue. He attended DCTC for computer graphics for two years, RCTC for some general education classes, and just recently received a Management degree from RCTC. He has several hobbies which include softball, golfing, weight training, basketball, and writing music/singing when he has the time.

We're excited to have him on the sales team. You can reach Brent via email, brent(at)cws.net or by calling (507) 289-2229 x206.

Filed in: CWS, Rochester, MN, brent, fredrickson

The Art of Procrastination

During my vacation, I spent hours and hours sitting with nature doing nothing but thinking. This helps you realize some things you can improve on. My personal favorite is procrastinating. After all, why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?

Filed in: CWS, Rochester, MN, youtube, comedy

How Would You Change Rochesterfest?

I'm back from vacation and have been catching up on all my favorite blogs. A special thanks to James and Cori of the KROC Early Morning show for stimulating some interesting conversation while I was away.

Jeff Kiger's post on "Why Rochester Sucks" caught my eye this morning. Not so much for the original post, but for many of the comments that followed. It was shocking to see how so many could join in on the bashing without offering real solutions. Sure, it's easy to say "we need this" or "we need that". In reality, if there was a need for your great idea some entrepreneur would probably already be doing it. The truth is, it's probably already been tried and the business closed because it couldn't make ends meet. If it was something else (like poor management), then I encourage you to start that business and you'll be rewarded handsomely (in theory).

I'm currently the Vice President of the Rochesterfest Board and will takeover as President in November of 2007. It's one of the many ways that I try to "give back" to my community. Each month, the Board has an official meeting where we discuss Rochesterfest and how to make it better and still provide something for everyone.

First, did you know that Rochesterfest is not "managed" by the city? Rochesterfest is a separate non-profit organization that has a Board of Directors, an Executive Director and an annual budget that provides constraints. There are only a few "Rochesterfest Owned" events (events that are run by Rochesterfest), and the vast majority of events are organized and managed by local volunteers like you. As a citizen, you have the opportunity to organize a new event and add it to the list of events happening that week.

So, what events are Rochesterfest "owned"? The parade, Lumberjack, Country Night (Thurs), Friday Night Band, and the Saturday Night Street Dance. There might be a few more, but you get the drift. All of the other events are not organized and managed by the Rochesterfest Board.

When considering new events, you have to consider the following things:

1) Can the event sustain itself financially?
2) Does the event appeal to a large portion of our community?
3) Can we get the necessary volunteers for this event?

As a non-profit with limited resources, these three things are very important when we consider what events to "bring back" each year and what could be added as a new event. Keeping these three things in mind, I ask you.... What would you like to see at Rochesterfest?

My Modeling Days?

Hello - Cori Jensen from the KROC Early Morning Show. As James said when he authored the last blog "WE" are both new at this. Blogging that is. Lord help Alan when he gets back to the havoc that we've caused.

One of the appeals of blogging is to journal about your life. I've decided to share something that has happened to me that I find slap your knee, "oh no he didn't" funny. First let me say this; I LOVE being on the radio. In my humble opinion good radio is when you can be as conversational and real as possible to connect with someone listening. And this personal story is as real as it gets. When it happened I was beside myself with the anticipation of getting on the air with James and sharing with the world my embarrassment.

The set up:

It's a weekend. I decide to make a quick run to the grocery store. My husband is watching our daughter at home while awaiting my return with the goodies. I grab a hoodie and slip on some flip flops. In other words; I've made no effort what so ever to find a comb to run through my hair or swipe some mascara over my lashes. I'm out the door looking......well, grubby weekendish. I don't care, because to me it's just a quick run to the store. I grab my 10 items or less and I'm flashing through the check out. I use my debit card, and the older gentlemen behind the register asks to see my ID to check my signature. Clearly routine, until.........

SCENE…and….ACTION!

Clerk: "Wow! This picture must have been taken' in your modeling days."
Me: (uncomfortable laugh)
Clerk: (now turning my id from front to back, and giving it the complete once over while saying in disbelief) "How long ago was this?"
Me: (perturbed and lying) "Long time ago"
Clerk: "No it was only 2 years ago"
Me: (shocked that this is actually happening, and cheeks glowing red) "2 1/2, it was right after I got married"
Clerk: (handing me back my card while shaking his head) "Wow - marriage has been ruff on you."
Me: (jaw on floor!!!!) "Gee - that's quite the compliment"

END SCENE as I run out to my car giggling.

THIS is why I love my job, and my life. Before working in radio I'll be honest that little incident might have sent me in to a grave state of mind. That kind of thing is what eating disorders and cosmetic surgeries are made of. OR at the very least a personal vow to never leave the house with out makeup and your hair done. BUT instead I left that store and that graceless older man with a spring in my step and giggle in my throat, because I knew that that little story would make great radio. It was just a snapshot in my life that I would get to share that would make others relate or laugh their butts off. Because like those mini laughable visual bites that we get to enjoy on YouTube; radio is my vehicle to share the embarrassing "if only the camera was rolling" momentos of life. I also know that to those that matter to me (i.e. God, my husband and family) they of course only think I get better inside and out as each day passes ;)

The more I learn about blogging I know that if you share you get feed back. So if you want to through in on the side of the filter less vomit mouthed old clerk and tell me to cover my witches snout before leaving the house please do. OR if you want to support my life's little embarrassments by sharing one of your own than by all means please let this space be your venting grounds. But I warn you. If you are anything like me, once you begin to share you might just find that you develop a thick skin and will learn to laugh at yourself. Blog on BloggyMcBloggerson's.

THE BEST SCHOOL CLOSING CALL EVER

Hi! James Rabe from the KROC Early Morning Show here. First, thanks to Alan for letting Cori and me fill in while he's off killin' stuff. This is my first time bloggin', so be kind. I'm writing this while on the air, and with all the snow and the incomming school delays, I'm reminded of the Best School Closing Call of All Time.

About two years ago it was a madhouse...school superintendants calling in cancelations, our interns were racing around delivering the information to all the stations in the building (here at Cumulus Rochester we have 6 radio stations in one building), constant updating of kroc.com, the studio line was ringing off the hook...you know, general mayhem.

To find out the status of their school, many many people go to the School Closing page on kroc.com (a lot of people also check out the KROC Ladies Night Pictures, too). Still, though, a lot of people call the KROC Early Morning Show for the info, which is cool. We love talking to our listeners. On snow days, the calls are usually sound like this,

Caller: Is (insert school here) closed?
Me or Cori: Yep.
Caller: Ok, thanks!

Once, though...a call was a little more involved...

Me: Hi, KROC...
Caller: Yeah, is my school closed?
Me: Which school do you go to?
Caller: (already frustrated) John Adams!
Me: Oh, well...Rochester Public and Private schools are closed.
Caller: (confused) So...is John Adams closed?
Me: Well...all Rochester Public and Private schools are closed.
Caller: (frustrated again) So, is JA closed?!
Me: I just told you, all Rochester schools are closed.
Caller: So...(big 12 year old sigh of anger) is John Adams closed or not?!
Me: (Yeah, I know I could have just said, "yes", but c'mon...would you? NO! You would have some fun...wouldn't you?) Let's try this a different way...where do you go to school?
Caller: John Adams.
Me: And where is John Adams...what city?
Caller: Rochester.
Me: OK...well if John Adams is in Rochester and all Rochester Public and Private
schools are closed...is JA closed?
Caller: (really not happy with me now) I DON'T KNOW THAT'S WHY I CALLED!
Me: (OK, he's ticked...time for me to stop being a jerk) Yeah, John Adams is closed.
Caller: (another big 12 year old sigh of anger) Big hang up!

Contribute 4 Released, Includes Blog Support

Here at CWS, we're big fans of the Contribute software package. A new version has just been released which mainly adds blogging support. Nearly 90% of all websites we deploy include a copy of Contribute for our customers. This enables our customers to quickly, easily, and safely update existing website content (and now blogs too).

Thanks to integration with Dreamweaver, we can create custom website templates with editable regions, helping to ensure that a website's look and feel is not compromised - yet still provide customers the ability to update content across the site. While deploying Contribute, permissions can be defined as to who can edit the website or update specific content on a page within your site. We can even limit certain users to "edit only, no publish" to help ensure content adheres to defined approval workflows.

While the newest version of Contribute does have some neat features, an upgrade would be optional for most users. Unless you're an active blogger (and using Blogger, TypePad or WorPress}, you probably wouldn't notice too many new features. An upgrade is $79 and the full version is $149, which can be purchased here. They also offer a 30 day trial version if you jusr want to take it for a spin.

Filed in: blogging, contribute, blogger, typepad, wordpress

Give Them 5 Days and You'll Want Me Back!

As I previously mentioned, I'll be going on vacation for a few days later this week. I put a challenge out there to have someone take my place. Originally, I had your best interests in mind, I really did. Unfortunately, things have taken a turn for the worse. You see, James and Cori of the KROC morning show will be taking my place for a few days and I'm a bit nervous. Isn't the whole point of going away on vacation to be able to relax and unwind?

James said:

We should be selected because we never have trouble finding something to talk about, I type at lightening speed and, now and then, we have something to say worth hearing. Occasionally, worth reading. Oh, and we'd make sure it was talked about on the KROC Early Morning Show.

He seemed to know how to spell and form complete sentences, which is better than some bloggers (I won't mention any names). But, I have to admit, it was the "on-air" publicity that put them over the top.

We'll be teaching them a few blogging tips over the next few days to prepare them for their big debut. Look for their words of wisdom right here on the "Everything Internet Blog" from Thursday to Monday. Oh, and Cori, I'll be holding you personally responsible for James' actions while I'm away. Bad things tend to happen when he is left unsupervised. :)

Take a break, go vote

It's your obligation as an American to vote today. If you haven't registered, don't worry, you can do that when you get there. All you need is your driver's license or a recent utility bill with your name and address on it.

Don't know where to go? No problem, you can find that out right here (MN residents). Don't know who to vote for? No problem! After you enter in your mailing address and find your polling place it will give you a list of candidates (and a link to their website). If you're not in Minnesota, check out VoteSmart for a link to your state.

There, no more excuses. Stop reading blogs, stand up, tell your boss that you're taking a break, and go vote. The best part is that you'll even get one of those neat little "I Voted" stickers. If you have one and a co-worker doesn't... call them funny names.

Filed in: CWS, votesmart, vote, voting, ivoted

MyBlogLog.com Increased Our Subscribers by 34%

You may have noticed that our blog has started to display the popularity of various links. In addition, we've added pictures of the most recent "registered" visitors to the right sidebar. This has all been made possible by a new blog tracking website, www.mybloglog.com.

I first noticed the link tagging on Emily Chang's eHub Blog a few days before we implemented it here. If you're a blogger, you should become familiar with their service as soon as possible. Even popular blog sites like TechCrunch have gotten on board, so you know they might be on to something.

MyBlogLog started out as a service to track where your visitors were coming from, which posts they were reading, and which links they were most interested in. All handy things to know if you're a blogger.

But it quickly evolved into a new blogging community and it's taking the net by storm. Thus far, I am very impressed with the service they offer and I think they will continue to prosper. For too long, blogs have been one-sided with very little feedback from visitors. This new service helps solve that by connecting bloggers with their readers in a community environment.

If you have a new blog, getting involved in the MyBlogLog community could increase your readership substancially. Within a few days of joining the community, we've become one of the "Top 50" blogs in the "E" directory. OK, I understand that there are 26 letters in the alphabet, but it's nice to feel loved. :) If you'd like to join the Everything Internet community you can do so here.

So, you want to be a blogger?

I'm going on vacation this Thursday for 5 days. It's an annual hunting trip to northern Minnesota where they have nothing but trees. The 3 people who do live there don't qualify for getting a cell phone tower. This leaves me "unplugged" for the entire weekend, which doesn't happen very often.

It didn't hit me until today, "Oh no, the blog readers! What will they do without fresh content for 5 days?" It was kind of like that feeling when you just realized you've left home and forgot to turn off the iron. I can't let that happen to you... you deserve better.

So, I have an idea. My staff usually run the other way when they hear me say that... but this one is good.

I want YOU to write for the Everything Internet Blog.

C'mon, it's only 5 days and we usually have one post per day... how hard is that? For your hard work, I'll even throw in a $50 gift card to the restaurant of your choice and all the "fame" you can muster.

If you're interested, send me an email at alan(at)cws.net and tell me why you should be selected (ie: you write killer headlines). As an added bonus, if your name is Michael Arrington or Emily Chang, you'll be selected automatically. :)

Filed in: CWS, ehub, blogging, contests, techcrunch

10 Secrets to Reaching the "Connected Generation"

There's a new group of renegade, passionate consumers who are changing the rules of the marketplace: Meet the Connected Generation.

Baby Boomers may still hold the purse strings, but these savvy 18- to 40-year-olds are changing the way all of us do business. It doesn't matter whether you're a fashion designer, a nonprofit organization or a sporting goods outlet, you need to understand what makes this generation tick.

Why the Connected Generation? They're connected to technology and their social networks around the clock. They're all but immune to traditional advertising and will only pull in the products that they want. In fact, this group of consumers has 10 highly specific cravings that drive their behavior:

1) Shine the spotlight: Extreme personalization gives marketing a new face. The Connected Generation is clamoring for personal recognition. They're itching to stand out, stand up and be celebrated with their names in lights (or print or pixels). Businesses that tap into this powerful need with highly creative efforts will get not only great buzz but a whole new level of loyalty and brand ownership to match.

2) Raise my pulse: Adventure takes its place as the new social currency. There is a new premium placed on venturing into the world, collecting exotic adventures and memories, and pushing personal limits. Customers are seeking highly interactive encounters that teach and challenge and, in the process, give them personal insight to explore who they are. Today, more businesses are responding to this craving for adventure by offering unique experiences. From stiletto shoe-making classes to test-driving new careers, it has never been easier to raise your pulse.

3) Make loose connections: The new shape of "families" and social networks. The Connected Generation has embraced technology to build social and professional networks with a brave new structure. This generation is rejecting traditional associations and club-style memberships in favor of loose connections that more accurately reflect their interests, lifestyles and busy days. Brands need to understand how to interact with these powerful new social structures if they want to stay hot.

4) Give me brand candy:Everyday objects get sharp, delicious, intuitive design. Design has emerged as a sign of the good life. The look and feel of objects, places and things is becoming increasingly important. Design is shifting paradigms and spurring people everywhere to rethink established products and industries. Design, along with its strategic twin innovation, has become a vital tool to stand out and stay strong in an increasingly competitive market.

5) Filter out the clutter: Editors and filters step into a new role of prominence. In a world that's inundated with choices, editing is a critical market phenomenon and an important process in our daily lives. Consumers rely on editors to sift through the raw data and identify the top picks. As a result, many savvy brands are learning to build editing mechanisms into their brands, products and websites. In today's globalized world, it feels good to be "in the know" and to avoid costly and frustrating purchases.

6) Keep it underground: The rejection of push advertising and the rising influence of peer-to-peer networks. The Connected Generation has grown up feeling saturated with advertising. They are suspicious of ordinary "push" campaigns and gravitate toward integrated, contextual offerings from trusted friends and members of their networks. A select group of people discovers something new, from shoes to bands to politics to neighborhoods, and translates it to satisfy a much wider audience. This is the way of the underground.

7) Build it together: Connected citizens explore their creative power and influence change. With so many people conducting large portions of their lives online, we've only just begun to tap into the power of Web-based networks. The Connected Generation is becoming intoxicated by its growing ability to spark change- both as consumer groups and as end users. This awareness is spurring mass creativity and launching a power shift away from companies and into the hands of consumers.

8) Bring it to life: Everyday activities are orchestrated to deliver a dramatic sense of theater. From beverages to designer fashions to dinnertime solutions, brand theater is popping up in virtually every industry as savvy companies deliver compelling and entertaining new experiences. Brand theater allows companies of all kinds to create emotional connections with their customers. It takes typical experiences a few steps forward by engaging the senses, the imagination and the spirit, and transforms routine experiences into riveting entertainment.

9) Go inward: Spiritual hunger and modern media find common ground. Increasingly, the meaningful life is defined as the spiritual life, and spirituality has become a dominant value among today's consumers. Companies and media channels are introducing new products, services and forums to support this spiritually hungry generation. The Connected Generation has embraced modern media and blurred the lines between secular and sacred, finding spirituality in all aspects of their lives.

10) Give back: Redefining volunteerism and the meaning of contribution. There's a new spirit of volunteerism in the air, led by a young Connected Generation that has new ideas about how to give back. Today's volunteers want to give their time and talent instead of simply writing a check. Modern volunteer associations combine fresh structures with fun people and a chance to make direct, meaningful connections with the community.

Source: Lisa Johnson and Cheri Hanson are coauthors of the new book, Mind Your X's and Y's: Satisfying the 10 Cravings of a New Generation of Consumers, from Simon & Schuster's Free Press, and cofounders of the Reach Group (www.reachgroupconsulting.com), a boutique consultancy that provides fresh insights about the Connected Generation.

Filed in: CWS, Rochester, connected, marketing, consumers

How to Ruin Your Life

When I hear stories about kids posting incriminating pictures and stories on social websites like MySpace- it makes me sick. You are inadvertently doing something which will affect you for years to come. You may not realize it now, but it will happen. I pulled up a copy of a website today (that I developed in 1996) on The WayBack Machine internet archive. In case you've never heard of it, it's an archive of websites- saved for future viewing. You can find copies of almost anything, even if has been deleted off the internet for over 10 years.

As a young adult, you'll be heading off to college soon and applying for jobs in another 5-10 years. When you do, your potential employer will "google you", only to find the pictures of you doing a keg stand at that all night bash. It was cool that you bragged about it when you were 16, but they won't see it the same way.

And then there are the kids that lack any common sense. Whatever you do, don't confess to murder on your homepage. In fact, don't get drunk and drive a car in the first place (as she did). This story hit our local newspaper yesterday and I couldn't believe my eyes. I bet she wasn't thinking "self incrimination=prison" when she was posting that. As with everything you do, THINK before you act and you might stop yourself from doing something that could cause you problems for years to come.

Filed in: CWS, Google, myspace, WayBack, confession

Guys Only: Peeping Tom

I received this via email last night from a high school buddy. This is for the guys only... turn your sound up. I hope you enjoy.



Happy Belated Halloween! We are working on a post with halloween costumes from this week. If you have a good one, send a picture via email to blog_comments (at) cws.net. Thanks!

Filed in: CWS, Rochester, porn, adult, youtube

Launch: LowerMyDrugBill.com

The cost of prescription drugs is a hot issue at the moment (although in an election year, everything is a hot issue). People are tired of relentless marketing subsidized by high prices at the pharmacy.

For many people, there are lower-cost alternatives available to the prescription medications they take. Like everyone else, doctors are busy people and are subjected to fierce marketing efforts by pharmaceutical companies, so even your doctor may not necessarily be aware of all the choices that can save you money.

This is why a group of physicians and pharmacists founded Medication Informatics, LLC and developed the website LowerMyDrugBill.com.



CWS developed the e-commerce and data-driven portions of this site. LowerMyDrugBill.com provides simple, easy to follow reports that explain lower cost alternatives to specific dosages of commonly prescribed medications. These are not just general guidelines -- the reports are specific and detailed, with references to supporting scientific data that you can discuss with your doctor.

If you're taking any prescription medication on a regular basis, check to see if they have a report on your prescribed dosage. In general, the alternatives listed can reduce your monthly prescription cost by $15 to $100.

Filed in: CWS, Rochester, perscriptions, medicare, drugs

Launch: PrehnBuildingSales.com

The kind staff at Prehn Building Sales, located in Rochester, Minnesota, has recently launched their new company website (designed by CWS, of course). As an authorized Lester dealer, Prehn has the ability to custom design just about any building you may need.

Prehn can help make your storage problems disappear. Check out their product samples and photo gallery, and see for yourself!

From permits to completion, Prehn's knowledge and expertise can assure you that your next building project will be done right, and on time.

Filed in: CWS, Rochester, prehn, lester, building

"Y" Auction Starts Today

Once again, it's time to "Bid High for the Y!" CWS is a proud sponsor of the Rochester Area Family YMCA's annual auction and the bidding begins today. Register to bid and you'll be entered in a drawing to win an iPod. How cool is that?

Each year, the online auction helps raise valuable funds to support their mission. There are hundreds of donated items (like gift certificates for area restaurants, golf memberships, and even a condo in Colorado) from local businesses up for auction at bargain basement prices.

And the best part? When you purchase an item you'll be helping a local non-profit! So remember, "Bid High for the Y!".

Filed in: CWS, Rochester, YMCA, auction, nptech