I first started wearing Injinji toe socks when I began working out in the previously reviewed Vibram Five Fingers. However, it didn't take me long to realize the benefits of wearing them with normal shoes as well.

When worn with traditional shoes these socks provide a barrier of fabric between your toes that cuts down on moisture and friction thereby preventing the formation of blisters. While hiking you can wear them with another pair of traditional socks layered over them for added warmth and comfort.

For anybody interested in wearing Vibram Five Fingers, these are a must-have as they significantly cut down on the well-known odor problem. The toe socks that I ordered are a wool poly-blend (they make them with a variety of different fabrics) that do a great job of keeping my feet dry while running and minimize any odors. I have only blistered once since wearing them; and that was on the third day of the fantastic Lost Coast hike which included wet sand, mountain climbing, and soaked feet. They make the already comfy VFFs even better, especially in the winter when the minimal protection leads to chilly feet.

The only downsides to these socks are that they wear quicker than traditional pairs, they are more expensive, it takes a little longer to put them on, and it is all too easy to mix up left and right when doing the laundry.

I love my toe-socks, and I highly recommend them to anybody who wears VFFs, easily blisters while hiking or running, or is simply looking for a more comfortable alternative to traditional socks.

-- Oliver Hulland

Injinji Tetrasok Nuwool Toe Socks
$12

Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Injinji

Paul over at PlanetInAction is at it again. The man that brought us Ships and Helicopters has a new toy for us to play with. This is more of tech demo than a game, but it's quite impressive.

He's simply calling it a 3D sound demo. Here is a brief video of it in action:

You can read the full write-up on his site, but here's the basics of it:

sound3D manages a collection of soundSource objects that have knowledge of the location they are at. A soundSource has a collection of channels. Each channel represents a sound file with associated falloff range. Outside this range the channel can not be heard.

Multiple sound channels per sound source enables you to use different sounding audio files for nearby and far away. The "far" file should sound more muffled and have a longer falloff range. These audio effects can be prepared in a sound editor such as Audacity.

The helicopter on the beach is a great example showing how this works. Move in close and notice how the engine sounds louder but also sharper.

Be sure to check out the PlanetInAction site for more info.

Collected by DzineBlog

If you are searching for free stock photo databases, there are quite a few sites on the web that do that, and even at high quality: there are sites that are made by artists or designers for other artists and promote sharing their creations, there are also others which have a double policy, offering both photos for sale and for free, in distinct sections, and there are also sites which offer exposure to new talented photographers who are willing to collaborate.

In any case, there are huge resources of free stock photos on the internet and this article means to help you get to some of the best sources available online at the moment.

So check them out- among all these links you are bound to find what you are looking for!

1. Stock Xchng – The Leading Free Stock Photography Site

A famous and very reliable free stock photo site, with a huge gallery containing over 350.000 quality stock photos by more than 30.000 photographers! You can find any picture you need: wallpapers for your desktop, illustration for your blog, pictures for website design and so on. It is also a place where you can share your photos and get exposure. It also has a forum where you exchange ideas with other photographers or artists! You have to register in order to download pictures but it is a very quick and safe procedure.

2. Dreamstime – Free Stock Images Section

Another huge stock photo database, where you can search among more than 9 million images is Dreamstime. Here the policy is different, as the site offers photos both free and for sale – in different packages. You have several options: you can take photos from the free section just by registering or you can buy high-resolution stock images with very low prices. If you are a photographer you can sell your stock images and get 30-60% from each sale you make.

3. Stockvault.Net Free Stock Photos And Free Images

Here you can download free stock images without any registration necessary. They have a very big collection of high quality stock photos both free and for sale, in separate sections again.

4. PhotoXpress – Royalty Free Subscription Images and Pictures

It’s a site with a huge collection of stock photos, either free or for sale. You can download for free 1 photo per day if you sign up, 5 photos per day if you join PhotoXpress on Facebook and 10 photos per day if you offer your personal information. It could be a continuing resource if you agree to these terms!

5. Everystockphoto – Free Stock Photos From Different Sites

This site checks out at the same time several other free stock photo sites and offers you the results for your search coming from all of them combined. It is a huge resource and you will save a lot of time by using it!

6. Free Stock Photos Bank

Similar to Stock Xchng, here graphic designers can choose from a huge collection of high quality photos which are completely free. No registration needed! Just hit download and you’ll get the high resolution image that you need!

7. Free Digital Photos – Free Stock Photos

In this case there is a different policy: you can download for free the pictures from the huge stock photo collection available here, at a medium resolution, on the condition that you promote them on your site (by providing a link to the source of the picture you choose to publish) It seems like a fair trade to me! If you want a very high resolution you can buy them at a very affordable price.

8. Morguefile – Free Photos For Creatives By Creatives

It is a site where creatives can share and exchange their work. You can easily download any picture you wish without any authentification needed. If you wish, you can add to the collection of photos as well! They are generally photos provided by very talented photographers!

9. 5000 Free Stock Photos

Here you can choose from a collection of 5000 free stock photos and 8000 cliparts that are completely free to download without registration. It’s quick and simple!

10. Unprofound – A Public Domain Stock Photo Collaboration

This site was created by a graphic designer and other collaborating creatives who were bothered by the fact that it was very difficult to find quality, free to use photos on the internet for using in their graphic creations. So they took their cameras and made their own high quality collection of photos and then they generously decided to offer it for free to any other designer out there who might happen to need it. If you wish, you can make a donation to the site – it would be a nice way of saying thanks!

11. Freerangestock – Totally Free Stock Photography And Textures!

It is another site that has a huge collection of high quality stock photos. Here you just need to sign up, and then you can download as many pictures as you want, at a very high resolution. If you wish, you can contribute with your own photos as well!

12. Lomography – Free Photos

In this case, you will find a site that specializes in art photography, with a retro look, and using old cameras that give a special color effect to all the pictures. You can search the database and you’ll also get information about the type of camera or film that was used! Unfortunately, the pictures are not at a very high resolution, but you can contact the artist that created them and discuss with him/her if you need a high quality picture. Of course, you are free to join the club too, if you are fond of creating such pictures and if you wish, you can even order yourself a very good old camera from the site!

13. Imagebase – Free Images Public Domain

It is a site with a very big collection of free downloadable pictures sorted on different sections.(No registration is needed).They are high quality pictures created by a graphic designer who has traveled a lot with his camera by his side. You can check his portfolio too.

14. PixelPerfect – Free Stock Photos Section

This is a site where you ca download photos and digital art for free with no registration needed. The site also promotes the creators of the photos and offers you the possibility to communicate with them, if you wish, or comment on their art.

15. Cepolina Photos – Free Photo

On this site you will find a wonderful collection of high resolution pictures on nature, geography and traveling mostly, but not only. Again, no registration needed but you should credit the site on your website.

16. PhotoRack – Stock Photos and Free Images

Another site with a very big collection of pictures that you can download for free without any registration. The images are very well structured on subjects so it’s easy to find what you need.

17. Abstract Influence – Image Portal

A huge collection of photos available for download for free- at medium and high resolution! Quick and easy: no registration necessary!

18. FreeMediaGoo – Free Stock Photos, Background and Web Images

Here you will find not only free stock photos but also free audio or free flash but unfortunately you don’t have a big range of choice. You could give it a try, though.

19. FreePixels – Free Stock Photos

This is a collection of 4000 stock photos at high resolution and very high quality that you can download for free and without login.

20. ImageAfter – 25k+ Free Textures And Images

You’re completely free to use the 25 000 stock photos and textures available on this site for personal or commercial use. No identification needed.

21. FreeImages – Free Stock Photos

Another collection of free stock photos of medium or high resolution that you can download as long as you provide a link to the site when you use them.

22. InterArtCenter – Free Clip Art Gallery and Images

A special feature of this site is that beside high quality stock photos it also has 3D cliparts, 3D wallpapers, 3Dmodels, and Flash animations to download for free. No registration is needed again!

23. Openphoto – More Than 14K Images

A site with a huge collection of 15 000 free stock photos

24. Photorogue – Original Photos by Request

This is a site based on a very creative idea- but only at its beginning at the moment. We’ll mention it for the cool idea: the creators of of the site considered the situation when a graphic designer searches desperately for a certain picture and doesn’t manage to find it and they thought about reversing the process. This time it is the designer who requests the exact picture that he/she needs and a volunteer photographer will try to obtain it. After that, the picture will be available for everyone to see and download for free.

25. Woophy – Free Photos

A site with a huge collection of high quality stock photos that also shows you the place on the world map where the picture was taken! You are free to download them for personal use but they are copyrighted by photographer and cannot be used for commercial purposes unless he/she agrees with that.

Google's SketchUp 3D Basecamp in Boulder, Colorado has just begun, and they kicked it off with a big announcement -- the release of Google SketchUp 8!

The biggest difference in this version of SketchUp is the amount of geodata that can be pulled into it. They've rewritten the UI for geolocating models, and they'll pull in a patch of terrain data along with color aerial photos via the Google Maps API. Because they're doing that way, Google Earth doesn't need to be open while you're working in SketchUp, saving system resources.

You can also perform geospatial searches from the 3D Warehouse to show nearby 3D models from other SketchUp users. This helps to add context to your project and offers some nice advantages.

Another neat feature is Building Maker integration with SketchUp. You can start Building Maker from within SketchUp, work on your building, and then convert the Building Maker model into a SketchUp model. The model will be cleaned up a bit (removal of unnecessary interior polygons), but it will maintain the imagery that you'll applied to the exterior of the building.

SketchUp Pro has also seen some upgrades, including some new tools and support for boolean operations such as intersect, union and split.

If you're a SketchUp user, this is a great update for you. You can download SketchUp 8 here, or watch the video below to learn more about the new features available to you.

Like traditional tractors, two-wheeled tractors (aka 'walk-behinds') use an independent power take off (PTO) for attaching and powering various farming and landscaping implements. Rather than purchasing specialized power equipment (i.e. mowers, branch chippers, snowblowers, soil tillers etc.) that each have their own engines that perform only one or two functions, the walk-behind owner has to maintain only one engine and attach whatever tool is required for the job at-hand.

The beauty of a walk-behind tractor's design is that it is quite nimble, and can work in spaces where traditional tractors can't. Ours is equally comfortable in the forest - shredding branches and hauling out firewood - as it is in open areas tilling soil, removing snow and bailing hay. It can also serve as a material transport machine by attaching a cargo trailer (with the added bonus of giving the operator somewhere to sit!). A cool and unique feature is that the handlebar steering mechanism can be rotated 180° so the business-end of the PTO can be positioned in push mode (mowing, tilling etc.) or pull mode (dozing, transport, etc)

Two-wheeled tractors have a long history of agricultural use in Europe. The two major manufacturers, BCS and Grillo, are both based in Italy and make commercial-grade lines of machines that are built to last. Unlike two-wheeled units one finds at the big box stores, these machines have all-gear transmissions, and wheel differentials on the higher-end models which allow for quick and easy turns. There are multiple attachments and implements available from the manufactures and third-party providers, and a reasonably-wide US dealer network.

The upfront costs are higher, but the long-term benefits of owning equipment that will last for decades, plus the convenience of only maintaining one 12HP Honda gas engine for all our needs, made for an elegant and practical solution for our property (diesel versions also available). While these machines may not be the best tool if you are working 40 acres, they can serve as a practical alternative to a full or medium-sized tractor if you have the right mix of homestead, farming or gardening needs.

-- RS Parikh

BCS Two Wheeled Tractor
Model 850
$3,749

Available from and manufactured by BCS

Last week I announced the launch of the 360 DI series on Gov 2.0 and our upcoming DI Ogilvy Exchange. There has been a phenomenal response to the upcoming panel. The following panelists are confirmed Ari Melber, The Nation and Politico; Mark Murray from NBC Universal; Lovisa Williams, Deputy Director from the State Department’s Office of Innovative Engagement; Alex Howard, O’Reilly’s Gov 2.0 correspondent; Micah Sifry, co-founder of the Personal Democracy Forum. The date is set for Monday September 27th.

As we enter the second week of our series of posts on Gov 2.0, we wanted to highlight/introduce some of the other members of the DI team interested in this space and their musings on Gov 2.0.

Kelly Ferraro-

In 2008, how I connected to the world began to change during the presidential election. A graduate student, I was more than familiar with the word-of-mouth power of Facebook, and was an early adopter and avid user. But at that time, I had been using social media simply to communicate with my law school peers, and keep in touch with family and friends.

Enter the election of 2008.

Suddenly, a platform that I had used to stay connected with people became a news resource for campaigns, expressing political views, sharing articles, and making donations. Instead of reading the New York Times or the Washington Post online, I would log in to Facebook for my daily news. There, I would find the latest campaign development through a shared article, or a conversation thread about a candidate.

But more importantly, Facebook coupled with other social media tools  helped Barack Obama secure the presidency. With the use of various digital platforms, Barack Obama rejected public financing and raised a record-breaking $650 million, largely from private, individual on-line donations. And now, for the first time ever, we have a President who is accessible via Facebook, Twitter, and a blog.

To me, this shift means two things: ACCESSS and POWER.

In my view, Gov 2.0 is about the power and ability of citizens to gain access to government like never before. Gone are the days when writing a letter to Congress helped voice an issue. Today, you can send a 140-character message that’s publicly available to every follower of a Congressman.

Think about the bargaining power that holds! You can publish your message not just to the leader with whom you want to speak, but to every person paying attention to every move that leader makes. The pressure on the figure to respond is heightened when he or she is up for re-election, or is working on a contentious issue. In this sense, Gov 2.0 not only gives citizens greater access to their government, but also gives them greater power to leverage their voice and perhaps a greater change of  getting a response.

The hope is that this heightened access and power will lead to action, and ultimately, change. I believe that is what will define the next iteration: Gov 3.0

Jackie Titus-

My Georgetown colleague, Mike Rupert, a Communications Director for a major government agency in DC was the first to introduce me to Gov 2.0 communications. By watching his work I learned about the power behind social media and digital communications for Government agencies. Mike changed the way his agency communicated with college students through a new website www.thisshouldbeillegal.com – the goal of the page is simple, “Helping Keep College Students Safe and Healthy in DC”. What I love about this work is the core mission of the agency stayed the same but the new approach facilitated a more direct conversation with the target audience.

At its core Gov 2.0 is taking the information the public is entitled to and makes it more accessible. However we know that this new form of communication is not just about pushing out more information and providing more access, it is also about a dialogue. Government agencies can scale their approach use it to raise widespread awareness or communicate at the local level about public safety and neighborhood alerts.

Charlie Tansill-

Integrating social media into government agencies will be a mammoth challenge. Bureaucracy, special interest organizations, national security, and resistance to change all present incredible obstacles; however, it is crucial that these challenges are overcome and that government begin to incorporate social media for many reasons.

1. Transparency: Especially in a democracy where officials are elected, it is crucial that the government be as transparent as possible. Citizens are not comforted by a government that is trying to hide their operations; rather, when a government is open, it breeds trust and confidence. Social media does exactly that: facilitates a more open, translucent, corruption-free and accountable government. Obama is a huge proponent of transparency and its importance in holding officials and policies accountable for their actions. There are even international organizations that exist for this very purpose such as Transparency International!

2. Empowerment: For the most part, social media is inexpensive, simple and mobile and, because of this, it brings a voice to more people; it provides another outlet through which common citizens can share a voice and be empowered. It encourages the power of Collective Intelligence!

3. Collaboration: Social media tools allow for quick information-sharing between international organizations, agencies, politicians, and humanitarian agencies, which allows for more partnerships and collaboration. Especially at a time when special interest groups have so much influence, social media tools could be used to combat this trend so that organizations can cross boundaries and work together toward the collective good.

These are just a few of the reasons I believe social media is critical to the future of government.

More details, including the launch of the Eventbrite are forthcoming. Please stay tuned to our blog for further information. Thank you for all your interest and support. We are very excited about the upcoming event.

Written by Amy Porterfield

Does your business have a Facebook page? Have you ever wondered what successful Facebook page owners are doing right? Well, look no further.

This article examines 10 of the top Facebook pages from brands you’ll likely recognize. Regardless of the size of your business, you’ll discover great ideas that will help you take your Facebook experience to the next level.

Each of these pages has incorporated unique features that have attracted hundreds of thousands (sometimes millions!) of fans and attracted the notice of major media publications. That’s a pretty big feat, considering there are thousands of new pages popping up on Facebook daily!

There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Instead, check out what others are doing and tweak these strategies to make them your own!

#1: Red Bull

The team behind the Red Bull page is extremely in tune with their target audience. This is evidenced in their custom apps and unique content throughout their page.

Red Bull knows what their audience will respond to best and they deliver it. For example, they’ve created a series of online games for their fans, aptly called the “Procrastination Station.” The games are geared toward sports and high-impact competitions.

In addition, Red Bull created a web TV program that’s highlighted on their Facebook page. There are multiple segments, many spotlighting the lives of their sponsored athletes. Not only is the web TV show a great way to align with celebrity athletes, but it is also a way to incorporate video into the page, thereby giving the audience another way to interact.

Another smart feature of Red Bull’s page is their welcome tab. When a non-fan lands on their page, he or she sees the image below. Red Bull creatively encourages fans to “Like” their page with an attention-grabbing image. Also, they only put one thing on their welcome tab, making it very clear what they want to happen. When you add too much to your welcome tab, your fans will get confused and likely not take any action. Less is more. Stick to one call to action.

Tip: One area you might want to consider spending a little money on is creative design for your page. Design, when done right, makes a great first impression for non-fans. Also, when you design your Facebook page, pay close attention to your call to action, specifically for the “Like” button. What can you do to grab the attention of your new viewer and encourage him or her to click on your “Like” button quickly? Red Bull’s creative design on their welcome tab does just that!

#2: Burt’s Bees

One of the best features on the Burt’s Bees page is their use of photos and video. They use the photos and videos to give a behind-the-scenes view of their company and products.

In the image below, notice how Burt’s Bees not only mentions the type of ingredients used, but they also suggest their ingredients are safe and they welcome all visitors into their lab. This is a great example of a way to promote your company and products, while adding value in the form of interesting details.

Tip: We all have something unique about our products or services and Facebook is one of the best places to highlight this. How can you incorporate video or images to help you stand out from your competition?

#3: Uno Chicago Grill

Uno Chicago Grill has taken full advantage of the Facebook app FBML to highlight their menu options in an extremely appealing way. They have many tabs dedicated to specific areas of their menu and use imagery to entice their fans. In addition, on their welcome tab they link to the most important areas of their website, including locations and online ordering options. When non-fans come to their page for the first time, they get an instant snapshot of Uno’s offerings.

In addition, Uno has incorporated a Fan of the Week contest on their Facebook page. Fans get their photo posted directly on the profile image of the restaurant’s wall.

This is great exposure for the fan, making it a fun activity to participate in.

To take it one step further, Uno does something unique with their Fan of the Week contest—they ask fans to post photos of themselves while at an Uno restaurant, thereby encouraging fans to come in and dine.

This is a great way to bring their online fans into their brick-and-mortar establishment!

Tip: If you have a brick-and-mortar establishment, think of creative ways to entice your fans to visit in person. Contests, promotions and special offers are all great ways to invite new fans to come in and check things out!

#4: LiveScribe

LiveScribe has incorporated two features into their page to help them sell more products and cut back on support calls.

First, they’ve created a savvy storefront as one of their tabs. Not only can you buy directly from the Facebook page, but you can also tweet about their products and post about them on your Facebook wall. These two options help create greater exposure for LiveScribe’s products. When your friends see that you’re posting about a new product, it’s natural for them to want to know more.

In addition, LiveScribe has incorporated a support desk directly into their Facebook page. As you can see below, you can ask a question, share an idea, report a problem or even give praise directly from their Facebook page. What’s even more important is that others can see these posts. Fans and potential buyers can then go to this tab to get answers or see what others are saying about the products.

It’s another great way to educate fans about your products and services. In addition, this tool can cut down service calls when executed correctly, saving your company time and money.

Tip: If you’re providing a product or service, consider incorporating a support feature to your page. It’s common for customers to use social media sites to post questions or complaints. If you provide a designated place for support, you’re likely to keep your customers happy and turn them into repeat buyers!

#5: Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 has done an exceptional job of making their page both fun and functional. The fun factor is expressed in their new application, Toy Creator, where you can turn yourself into an animated toy. Both kids and adults can get in on the action and then share their new creation on their Facebook wall (yet another viral exposure opportunity!).

To make their page functional, they’ve built a tab where you can purchase movie tickets without ever leaving Facebook. This makes ticket buying easy and fast for their fans.

Tip: Keep your fans inside Facebook as much as possible. Bring your content, unique experiences and buying opportunities to them instead of making fans leave the site to interact with your business. Your chances for greater interactions and a bigger return on investment will dramatically increase the longer you keep them on your page.

#6: Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola has secured their spot at the top of many best-of-the-best Facebook page lists due to their innovative promotions and fun, interactive features.

Their latest promotion is the Summer Snapshot contest, where they encourage their fans to take photos with the summer Coca-Cola cans. Not only does this get fans involved with their page, but the contest also incorporates photos of their products with fans.

Photos are viewed more than anything else on Facebook. They go viral quickly because when a fan posts a photo, that photo is then sent out to the news feeds of all of their friends. Hundreds of thousands of potentially new fans will see these photos.

Here’s an example of a photo a fan posted for the Coca-Cola contest. Notice how others can vote on the photos? This allows everyone to get in on the fun.

Tip: When creating a contest, keep it simple. The less your fans need do to enter, the better. Make it easy, fun and make sure to incorporate a sharing component so your contest spreads virally.

#7: Oreo

Oreo does a fantastic job of creating unique experiences for their fans. Oreo knows that their cookies have been part of many people’s lives since childhood and they use this angle to create nostalgia with their fans. And it’s working for them because they have over 8 million fans to date!

One of their latest campaigns is their “Back to School Memories” campaign where they ask their fans to share their memories and photos directly on their Facebook page. By offering unique experiences like Oreo has done with their back to school campaign, brands create a connection to the fans, who become loyal followers and keep coming back for more.

Tip: You’ll get a much greater response when you ask your fans to share something about themselves. Ask them their thoughts, opinions and feedback and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how quickly they start talking!

#8: Jones Soda

Jones Soda does a great job of incorporating many different ways for their fans to interact with their page. Not everyone communicates the same way, so providing multiple options is a smart strategy.

Specifically, Jones Soda does a weekly poll directly from their welcome tab. Polls are a great way to learn more about your audience as well as a fun strategy to get them to interact with your page.

Tip: Think of different ways to get your fans to engage with you. Polls, contests, questions, iPhone apps and videos are just a few different ways to reach your fans. All fans are different; make sure to provide options.

#9: The Twilight Saga

No matter if you have seen the movies or not, you can’t deny that the Twilight Saga is hot. There are two strategies they’ve launched on their Facebook page that you can model for your own page.

First, they’ve created a “Tweet Sweeps,” where they encourage fans to tweet about the movies for a chance to win movie tickets. The best strategy with this type of contest is to tell fans specifically what to tweet so there is no confusion and they can take action quickly. Check out how they’ve done this in the image below:

In addition, the Twilight Saga page has taken advantage of the “Discussion” tab where fans can post topics of discussion and all fans can join in and comment. The discussion tab creates a great sense of community and dramatically increases the engagement on the page.

Tip: To encourage more conversation among fans on your page, start a few discussion streams to get people talking. Once this takes off, your fans will continue to post discussion topics on their own and the page engagement will grow organically.

#10: Travel Channel

The Travel Channel has done something unique on their page that’s worth checking out. They’ve created a space for their fans to share how Facebook has played a part in their travel experiences. You can post your own story or just read what others have posted. It’s a creative way to get people with similar interests to engage with your page.

Tip: Facebook Stories can be incorporated on your page as well. Go here to see how it works and check out the different story themes offered.

What do you think about the above Facebook pages? Have you tried any of these techniques with success? Let us know! Please leave your comments below.

Bonus: Never give up on your dreams!

Two recent posts, both in Fast Company, are a great reminder that when it comes to cultivating a company culture, sometimes it’s the little things that matter most.

In “It Isn’t Just a Myth: A Little Thanks Goes A Long Way,” Robert I. Sutton quotes an academic study that provides evidence for the value of a simple thank you:

“The simple act of having a boss come by and offer a public thanks to one group, and but not the other, really packed a wallop. These fundraisers were paid a fixed salary, so Grant and Gino compared the number of phone calls made be each fundraiser before and after the “thank you” intervention. The results were pretty impressive, as while there was no change in the average number of calls made by the group that was not offered thanks, the folks who heard a warm two sentence thank you from a boss made an average of about 50% more calls during the subsequent week.”

In “Chip Conley Took the Maslow Pyramid, Made It an Employee Pyramid and Saved His Company,” Kermit Patterson interviews the founder of the Joie de Vivre hotel chain, who’s just published a new book called Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow. Conley says, “What really is meaningful to people is genuine appreciation shown in real time. My basic belief is that life and business is all about where you pay your attention. Let’s pay some attention in our management and leadership to the idea of recognition. It’s not just platitude.”

What is the best way to make “thank you” a consistent part of a company’s culture?

I hate kitchen gadgets with a passion. Seeing things like an avocado slicer, mango corer, "butter bell", or left-handed inverted egg whatsizinger gives me the hives. I prided myself for the longest time on being able to do the most with the least in the kitchen. I say all this because I wanted to convey how hard it was to buy the Smart Stick a year ago on the recommendation of my wife. I hate blenders with a passion. They're hard to clean, bulky, loud, and can only be used for low-viscosity liquids - if the mixture is too thick, the blade just whirs uselessly. And you might as well just buy a new blender if you break the pitcher, lose the lid or lose the gasket.

The Smart Stick solves all that. It takes up virtually no space. It is easy to clean. Compared to scrubbing out a blender, the Smart Stick's head pops off and can be cleaned in 8 seconds under running water after use. It's impressively powerful and can be jammed full force down into a glass of ice to chop it up quickly, but it's still much quieter than a blender. The cup it comes with is well designed to break up the vortex the blender creates and is a measuring cup to boot.

It's also very versatile. I don't have to do the process of "pour boiling hot broccoli soup into blender to cream it, then pour back into pot" anymore. You can use the Smart Stick right inside the stockpot on the stove. You can use it on thicker things because you can stir and mash while blending, meaning you're bringing new material into the blade as opposed to a stand blender's reliance on gravity. Making hummus, salsa, applesauce, and pesto went from "giant mess" to "easy". Making smoothies went from "big production" to "2 minutes". Guacamole and whipped cream turn out wonderfully smooth. Margaritas can be made right in the pitcher. Almond butter can be made without too much trouble. I can imagine this would be a lifesaver for making instant baby food.

There are some downsides. It's only one speed (high!), so you have to be careful and use in bursts if chopping ice as it will happily sling iced coffee circumferentially around your kitchen in a 10 foot radius if you get too enthusiastic. You also have to be careful using it with plastic bowls as the metal head can punch through the bowl bottom if you push it too hard (seeing a pattern here?). It's not really suitable for use by children (or klutzy adults) due to the necessity of placing the blade on the bottom where it's accessible to fingers. The blade is SHARP. If you need to clean around the backside of the blade with a finger, REMOVE the head from the motor first, I'm pretty sure this thing would chop your finger to bits right quick.

The Smart Stick is the cheapest and most basic hand blender I could find. Others come with whisks and choppers and brushed metal finishes, but I think the regular head works just fine. I found that the Smart Stick did 150% of what I used a blender for and 75% of what I used a food processor for.

Again, I really really wanted to hate this thing and didn't buy one for the longest time because I considered it useless. But now it is the only electric kitchen tool I have that remains permanently plugged in on the counter other than my KitchenAid 6qt mixer (also a Cool Tool in its own right).

-- Jon Braun

Cuisinart CSB-76 Smart Stick Hand Blender
$29

Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Cuisinart

Note: For those looking for added attachments and functionality, I heartily recommend the KitchenAid Hand Blender Kit. -- OH

Google has just released a very impressive tour showing the potential repercussions of the proposed Belo Monte Dam Complex on the Xingu River in the Amazon. The tour consists of a handful of 3D models, water animations, and a variety of other graphical elements to show the potential impact.

To be fair, Google makes it clear that they don't necessarily oppose the dam, stating on their blog entry: "This is a complicated issue with many facets, and the views of this poster do not necessarily represent the official viewpoint of Google Inc.; we support the use of Google Earth for visualizations to create dialog."

It is indeed an excellent use of Google Earth to show data in this way. You can download the full tour KMZ file from the International Rivers site, or watch the video below:

For more information, check out the full entry on the Google LatLong Blog, or you can read the press release here:

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Amazon Watch and International Rivers have teamed up to create a state-of-the-art 10-minute Google Earth 3-D tour and video narrated by actress Sigourney Weaver, with technical assistance from Google Earth Outreach, in support of Brazil's Xingu River Forever Alive Movement. Download the tour or view the video on amazonwatch.org. The tour allows viewers to learn about the harmful impacts of, and alternatives to the massive Belo Monte Dam on the Amazon's Xingu River.

If built, the Belo Monte Dam would be the third-largest hydroelectric dam in the world. The dam would divert the flow of the Xingu River, an important tributary of the Amazon River, in order to produce electricity for industrial mining operations in the region. The dam's reservoirs would flood 668 square kilometers and displace more than 20,000 people. Late last week, the Brazilian government signed the concession to build the $17 billion-dollar project, ignoring local, national, and international opposition, proven financial and technical risks, and the ready availability of clean energy alternatives.

The tour and video, called "Defending the Rivers of the Amazon," illustrates the impacts that diverting the river along a 100-km stretch will have on the two indigenous tribes who have lived there for generations. It also animates the flooding associated with the dam, impacts on the region's spectacular biodiversity, and maps over 60 dams planned for the Brazilian Amazon over the next two decades.

The original concept for the Google Earth interactive tour and video emerged when Avatar director James Cameron and Sigourney Weaver traveled to the Xingu River in April, accompanied by Amazon Watch and the Brazilian environmental organization Instituto Socioambiental (ISA). After speaking with some of the indigenous tribes and riverbank families who would be directly affected, Weaver commented that the Belo Monte Dam would be "a disaster for the Xingu River, for the rainforest, and certainly for all the indigenous people and families living along the river. Their way of life will disappear."

Bonus: Ever look at one of these and imagine that it’s from some anti-construction protesters?

I've been making my own yogurt for the past couple of years, and not only is it much tastier than store bought yogurt, it's also much cheaper. At my local supermarket, an 8-ounce cup of yogurt costs $1. That adds up to $16 for a gallon of yogurt. At the same supermarket, one gallon of low fat organic milk costs $4.

Because I'm a yogurt lover (and a believer in the power of probiotics: bacteria that is good for your immune system) I usually eat three cups of home-made yogurt a day. That translates to a savings of $2.25 a day, or $67.50 a month. That means my $89 Waring Pro YM350 yogurt maker paid for itself in just a few months. Even if you don't eat as much yogurt as I do, I recommend that you try making it yourself, because it is so easy, and even fun, to make your own.

How to make yogurt:

1. Pour 4-6 cups of low fat milk into a microwave-proof glass mixing bowl, and heat it until the milk begins to boil. (Boiling changes the milk's composition so that it will solidify when mixed with the starter culture.) If a skin forms on top of the milk, that's a good sign that you boiled it enough.

2. Let the milk cool down to the point where you can tolerate holding your hand against the bowl. Remove the milk skin and discard. Add one tablespoon of your previous batch of yogurt (or plain store bought yogurt if you are just starting out) and mix it with a whisk. Resist the temptation to add more starter yogurt to the mix in an attempt to speed up the process. It will paradoxically slow down the fermentation (I've read that too much starter crowds out the bacteria from doing its job).

3. Pour the yogurt into 8- or 16-ounce containers. Do not put the lids on yet. If you have an older-style oven with a pilot light, you can stick the glass jars in there and allow the warm oven to act as an incubator. Otherwise, you can use a yogurt maker or use a seed-starter warming pad to ferment the milk into yogurt.

4. Wait 8-10 hours, then screw the lids onto the jars and put them in the refrigerator. I like to mix my yogurt with nuts, blueberries, and honey from my beehive. My kids love yogurt, banana, and berry smoothies.

-- Mark Frauenfelder

[Watercolorist Jana Bouc has put together a great set of illustrated instructions on how to make yogurt using the Waring Pro YM350. -- OH]

Waring Pro YM350
$59

Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Waring

Note: The pricing on this product seems to vary wildly even on Amazon. The price listed here is reflective of one on sale new from the well-reviewed merchant The 34th Psalm on Amazon. This is not the price listed on the front page. -- OH

We love tools that work. Unfortunately, there are times when a tool simply doesn't exist. Or there are times when the tool you need isn't on hand, so you have to improvise.

Our newest contest is a search for the best home-brewed tools out there. We want to discover the many creative ways our readers have responded to problems by creating their own tools and hacks. You could be using a tool for something other than it's original purpose. Or, as the name implies, it could be something you have made yourself for a problem only you have ever encountered. We are looking for creative solutions to any and all dilemmas, whether they be everyday or once-in-a-lifetime.

Send us a description of your favorite DIY Cool Tool you have discovered/made and used, and explain why it is so great. Bonus points for reviews that come with a set of instructions so other readers can try it out at home. Include all relevant information including supplies, instructions, prices, pictures and anything else you feel might be useful for others to know about.

Remember, A great Cool Tool review consists of the following five parts:
1) a succinct description of what the tool is,
2) how it changed your behavior,
3) why Cool Tools should run the item,
4) why it is superior to other things, and
5) why we should believe you.
and a special DIY-themed
6) how do you make it

Here are some previously reviewed DIY- Cool Tools:
Hands-Free Phone-Interview Setup
Vinegar
Pepsi Can Stove
Oven Stick

You don't have to be the original inventor of the DIY-tool to submit the idea, but please give credit where credit is due. Finally, don't limit yourself. Feel free to be creative with your interpretation of what qualifies.

Submissions will be accepted until Monday, September 4th. As usual, the author of the most publishable review gets to select a prize from the Prize Pool and will be published the following week. Get your DIY thinking caps on and tell us what you love!

Good Luck!

-- Oliver Hulland

When marketing on behalf of regulated industries (such as the healthcare companies that I spend the majority of my time focusing on), working within strict guidelines is a large part of the process - both from an external perspective (FDA, FTC, HIPPA, etc) but often internally as well.  Legal and regulatory experts work to help companies stay within safe boundaries by providing review and oversight, which can often challenge marketers who want to be cutting edge as they draw attention and appeal to their target audiences.

Using new communications channels, such as social media, can provide new challenges for those working to keep their companies safe. But regulation and innovation don’t need to be at odds with one another. Below are just a few sample ways marketers can work with those providing regulatory and legal oversight to leverage the Social tools their customers are rapidly consuming.

• Partner early and often with regulators to develop guidelines: by developing guidelines together of what is acceptable use of social media, and the precautions the company will take, marketers and legal/regulatory specialists can both become invested in the rules of the road. The teams can and should work together to update the guidelines as new channels are used, leveraged in new ways, and new media emerge (as they frequently do these days…)

• Get regulatory specialists to weigh in and become a part of the development process - and not just be a “reviewer”: involve regulatory experts throughout the process - from concept development through to final review - to incorporate their feedback, guidance and best practices. Often other groups in the company have worked on similar concepts or ideas where best practices or even sample language can be shared by review groups.

• Provide real and relevant examples: showing what others in the industry - or related industries - have done before can help alleviate fears or help provide precedent to move forward. Things have been done before are inherently less scary - especially to those tasked with keeping their employers away from risk. When making a case to regulatory and legal teams, we often look for similar examples from those in the industry working in other specializations - or tap into colleagues who work in fields that are similarly regulated.

• Provide samples: Beyond showing examples, nothing helps sell-in a concept than providing samples of how a project will look and feel. Demonstrating a user experience with samples takes concepts out of others’ imagination (where you have no control) and brings them to life. Proposing a microsite? Develop wireframes to demonstrate. Integrating Twitter in your campaign? Mock up sample tweets that show the range and types of information you’ll communicate. Driving your target to YouTube? In addition to storyboarding out your video concepts, show regulators channels that are laid out and have similar controls (such as turning off comments) to what you are proposing so they can interact with a similar idea.

• Have an issues management review and response plan in place: As the boy scouts say, be prepared. Reviewing the risks - and having a plan in place to address them - from smallest issue to biggest crisis, can help alleviate some of the fear around the unknown. And working with legal/regulatory experts to develop the response plan can help bring them around to feeling a smart approach is in place.

Yesterday marked the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina making landfall in New Orleans, Louisiana, causing over $80 billion in damage and killing nearly 2,000 people. Google Earth Blog offered a great deal of coverage to the event, as Google was able to contribute a variety of imagery updates and other resources to help. I had just started running Google Earth Hacks at that time, and users submitted quite a few KML files related to the hurricane.

Despite only being on the market as "Google Earth" for a few months (it was previously available as "Keyhole", though it was far less popular) many people, such as this couple, were able to use Google's oft-updated imagery of the area to see the condition of their home.

In early 2007, after having posted post-Katrina imagery in Google Earth, they reverted the default layer to pre-Katrina imagery. While this was only done to insure the highest quality imagery, Google caught a lot of flack for this and resolved it a few days later.

Late last week, Google posted a short entry that recognized the anniversary of Katrina. As they mention in the article, Google Earth's historical imagery tool is a great way to look back and see how the city changed from pre-Katrina, after the storm hit, and how it looks today.

Fucking Putin….

source

If you haven’t yet seen the Emmy winning Old Spice commercials in action and haven’t quoted the Old Spice Guy at least once in conversation over the past few months, you must be sleeping under a rock (well, okay, maybe only a few fanatics are actually quoting the commercials…).

Never-the-less, the Old Spice phenomenon has created a surge of conversation around virality and brand engagement with the online audience. But let’s talk about the brand personality, because - to me - that’s one of the main things that really made this campaign go big.

So, what makes a great brand personality?

- Authenticity: Companies like Sharpie and VTech (an Ogilvy client) have recruited either internal brand fans (like @SharpieSusan) or external fans to actively get involved in social media conversation. These individuals are fully transparent with the audience, helping the audience to understand where they come from and how they can relate. Maria Pilar Clark, the VTech Mom, is a mom of two and loves helping her kids learn, so she has a great connection with other moms interested in VTech toys.

- Consistency: Talk about consistency - how does 205 Old Spice videos sound?? Whatever your brand personality is, make sure you keep it consistent. Don’t be the voice of the Old Spice Guy one day and Jimmy Fallon the next. Think about the conversations you plan to have through the eyes of your brand personality. Answer a few of the questions from Brian’s Solis’ new book, Engage:

If the brand was a person, how would it appear? How would it sound? How would it interact with others? How would others describe it?

Then keep that in mind whenever you create your content and conversation.

- Engagement: As John Bell mentioned in his CNN Commentary, the Old Spice campaign actively listened to the audience and engaged on a one-on-one basis with some of the audience members through direct video response.)

- Entertainment Factor:Whether you are creating a new drama skit every day/week like the Old Spice Guy, sharing new Sharpie art work or simply bantering back and forth with others, your audience will come back if they like what you’re giving them. This goes back to the ever-present value exchange — what is your audience looking for? What will make them come back to your brand time and again? Now add in your brand personality and ‘voila!’ you may just have entertainment!

- Versatility: Expand your brand personality’s horizons from commercials to direct response viral videos, from a Twitter handle to a personality column in the consumer e-newsletter. (*LIGHTBULB*) From an online presence to an offline presence! A great example: If your bored, or need some more Old Spice entertainment, go ahead and create your personalized Old Spice voicemail…

Of course all this goes back to your brand definition. Make sure you understand your brand’s core values, it’s history, it’s business and communication objectives as you look to define (or spice up) the brand personality in social media. To help with this understanding, check out Brian Solis’s Brand Reflection Style - a great way to map out your brand’s personality and persona.

Written by totallyoffbeat

Did you know Chicago has a law that forbids eating in a place that’s on fire? Have you heard about the law in Mississippi that makes it illegal for a man to seduce a woman by lying to her and claiming he will marry her (damn! There goes my pickup line if I’m ever in Mississippi)? In New Jersey, it’s illegal to wear a bullet-proof vest while committing a murder (whether or not the murder is illegal, who knows?).

These are just some of the dumb laws still on the books in America. And those aren’t even the 10 dumbest.

1. Hey sister, wanna get hitched?

In Alabama, incestuous marriages are legal. Section 30-1-3 says: The issue of any incestuous marriage, before the same is annulled, shall not be deemed illegitimate.

2. Are those playing cards I see? You’re going to jail!

In Alabama, you also technically aren’t allowed to play cards and other games on Sunday. Section 13A-12-1 says: Any person who compels his child, apprentice or servant to perform any labor on Sunday, except the customary domestic duties of daily necessity or comfort, or works of charity or who engages in shooting, hunting, gaming, card playing or racing on that day, or who, being a merchant or shopkeeper, druggist excepted, keeps open store on Sunday, shall be fined not less than $10.00 nor more than $100.00, and may also be imprisoned in the county jail, or sentenced to hard labor for the county, for not more than three months.

3. Is that a slingshot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

Haines, Alaska has a law that prohibits citizens from carrying concealed slingshots without a license. The law says: It is unlawful for any person other than a law enforcement officer to carry concealed about his person, in any manner, a revolver, pistol or other firearm or knife (other than an ordinary pocketknife), or a dirk or dagger, slingshot, metal knuckles or an instrument by the use of which injury could be inflicted upon the person or property of another, except that any person in possession of a valid State of Alaska concealed weapon permit may carry a weapon as allowed by that permit.

4. But this is my home!

In Anchorage, Alaska, there’s a law that prevents people from residing inside a house trailer as its being moved through the streets. The law says “Riding in house trailers. No person may occupy a house trailer while it is being moved upon a public street.”

5. Give me a f$!@ing sandwich!

In Little Rock, Arkansas, it’s illegal to honk your car horn at a sandwich shop after 9 pm. Sec. 18-54 says, “Sounding of horns at sandwich shops. No person shall sound the horn on a vehicle at any place where cold drinks or sandwiches are served after 9:00 p.m.”

6. The rock was F’d up beyond all recognition.

Colorado has a law that says it’s illegal to “mutilate” rocks, trees, and flowers. The law says, “Except as otherwise provided in this article, it is unlawful for any person: To willfully mar, mutilate, deface, disfigure, or injure beyond normal use any rocks, trees, shrubbery, wild flowers, or other features of the natural environment in recreation areas of the state.”

7. The “no fun” law is in full effect.

Rocky Hill, Connecticut has a law that disallows arcades from having more than 4 amusement devices (pinball machines, shuffleboard tables, etc.). The law says, “Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A, no person shall have in any place within a permanent structure open to the general public more than four mechanical amusement devices.”

8. Seriously, Connecticut isn’t fun at all.

In Southington, Connecticut, the sale of silly string is banned. Why? Because about 15 years ago, a group of kids sprayed a police officer with silly string. Seriously.

9. Time to reinstall those doors.

There’s a law in Florida that says the doors of public buildings must open outwards. The exact text of the law is as follows: All buildings erected in this state for theatrical, operatic, or other public entertainments of whatsoever kind shall be so constructed that the shutters to all entrances to said building shall open outwardly and be so arranged as to readily allow any person inside said building to escape therefrom in case of fire or other accident.

10. Hand over the dildo right now!

Georgia still has laws that technically ban sex toys.

Are there any dumb laws in your city or state? Share your favorites by leaving a comment.

Bonus: Presidential Prank of the Day

via: The White House [Flickr]

We mentioned astronaut Douglas Wheelock (aka @Astro_Wheels) a few months ago, showing off a great photo he captured of an atoll from the Line Islands.

A few days ago, he posted a stunning image of the Great Barrier Reef, just off the east coast of Australia.

As I often love to do, I spent some time to find this location in Google Earth and lay out his image as a Image Overlay. It took a while a to find this precise location, as it's just a small dot in the great Reef, but I was able to track it down. You can download the KML file here or just view the full image on TwitPic (normal - full size).

If you're on Twitter, you should certainly follow him, or you can just subscribe to the feed for his images using Google Reader or similar.

He's posted a lot of great stuff over the past few months. Which image of his is your favorite?