DISQUS

Finally, Tom! Thank you! Why is Palin's decision political suicide, yet we have a sitting President whose record of actual achievements is far less? Put the laundry list of Palin's achievements above next to Obama's legislative and policy work prior to January, 2009. Are we going to forever be cowed by the double standard? Wake up! The party is in disarray; Republicans in Congress don't know what keeps hitting them. Palin's about the only one with real cojones among the lot. Sheesh, enough with the friendly fire already!

It would be nice if Obama's speechwriting department hired a Freshman Comp professor to oversee what these clowns upload to the teleprompter. But I suppose coherency and premise support are just too much to ask.

Outsider (capitalized) in Alaska-speak means someone in the lower 48.

This woman can't work, but she volunteers for the Obama campaign doing exactly what? Are we allowed to ask?

Oh, how sweet! Just heartwarming! Thanks.

Deluxe resort vacation or standing in a sea of humanity in 1000 degree heat is not the point, Paul, although we can agree that he is deeply flawed, ideologically and ethically. The point IS the benefactor, and also that the Star Tribune, per usual in its dereliction, is late to the table. The Strib dances around in this vague piece, still not quite bringing itself to connect the dots for the casual reader who remains oblivious to who the MAS is and what they do.

Ellison has received the most magnificent of passes from this so-called news organization, ensuring that a sheepishly slavish Democrat electorate in his district has guaranteed him an income for life courtesy of the taxpayer. Ellison gallivants around the Middle East with an agenda whose centrifuge is designed to spin Israel off into the stratosphere of oblivion. In this respect, he's our very own Jimmy Carter with a longer lifespan.

Uncanny the way the universe provides the direction. We're launching another project, and there's absolutely no reason not to use this blueprint. We'll keep you in the loop, Chris. Thanks a heap!

Jason - A copy of this should be on every government employee's desk. Particularly the speechwriting department. Great post.

Hi Jim - When I lived in California years ago, a Castilian woman told me I spoke Spanish "like a wetback." Um, thanks?

<abbr></abbr><abbr>Betsy Wuebkers last blog post..FROM THE ROAD: INTO THE YUKON</abbr>

Congratulations on being selected at BWAB! This post was a fabulous introduction - comprehensive and thought-provoking. It's going to help me in several endeavors I have going! I had read about the three types of learners when the kids were little in an attempt to help them and their teachers. It was a "Doh!" moment to realize the knowledge is so critical to business practice, too!

Hi Shawn - You hit it: good selling isn't selling. We blogged about it a couple of days ago. I can pretty much tell when someone had sales training - how many years ago - if at all, by their methodology. I've often fantasized about asking to see the manager for a few minutes and calmly stating along the lines of what you've written. Unfortunately, with most I'd anticipate a deer in the headlights response. Not long for the world. Thanks.

Finally, a plug-in that works the way I think. I agree with your assessment that it's a little more involved than Zemanta, but holy smokes - it hits one out of the park with respect to being able to stack the links and not leave the page. Awesome recommendation. I've installed it and looked at the videos. This is a fabulous product! Thank you!

Thanks, Chris - very timely and masterfully focused.

Our gift basket franchise's private online community's blog is one week old. These tips will help me maintain the best standards in delivering quality content to our franchisees. Including these guidelines in our editorial calendar will help "sell" topics and series to Head Office - who has come around nicely to the concept after being totally against it when I first recommended last fall.

I also agree with Joanna that private blogs will benefit greatly from this advice.

Yes - or just lack of refresh on Tweetdeck and/or the Firefox plug-in. Seems to be working okay now, but yesterday the Firefox plug-in self-adjusted to updates in longer increments because traffic was down at Twitter. I'm still scratching my head...that doesn't follow.

Wow - awesome! I am dying to replace our kitchen floor. The idiot who lived here before did such a wonderful job of installing it: it runs halfway up the toekick on the prehistoric cabinets. Unfortunately, I have yet to locate a live hand grenade - which everyone agrees is the first step of any kitchen remodel. :)

In response to the commenters (journalism purists?) who question the relevancy of the scoop to a presser rather than breaking, harder news: This is a scoop of a different nature. The feedback immediacy is totally relevant and accelerates the reactive process to the launch, which in turn - down the road - will accelerate any modifications Panasonic might make in response to customer demand.

By now, companies should understand that business is relationship-based. Those that don't won't have a prayer of selling a product. It's great news that a large company like Panasonic is demonstrating not only an understanding, but is working within the paradigm.

YAY! Triple YAY! Ryan is giving, consistently talented, and just all-around wonderful! Great pick, Chuck! Congratulations, Ryan, now maybe we'll get more out of you!

Hi Chris - Recently Pete and I were working on something and it dawned! He's a linear thinker, a list-maker, a sequential. I think like a web or a net. All those little intersections of thoughts and ideas. Curves, webs, remain open to the unexpected and the connectivity.

Oh yeah, I do. Because I'm the one who invariably paints the entire landscape instead of zooming in on the leaf, or the rock, that is so perfect and deserving in its own right. Here's a writing goal I've set: zoom in. And you've helped by explaining the feeling of why it needs to happen more than anyone has. Up til now. I can't wait to hear/read your takes. :D

Isn't it a great piece of work? I loved it! We affiliated with his Unconventional Guide series, too. Very smart and a fellow Triiiber.

Hi Megan - Greetings and thanks for the mention from sunny and frosty Northern Minnesota! It's 9 degrees and we're ice fishing, x-country skiing and eating! Best wishes for a fab New Year!

How can I say this bluntly? It seems like the ladies on the corner who are giving it away for free are accusing you of working at their profession for money? And so... ???

I think if there was a huge concern about journalistic ethics - an oxymoron now if ever there was one - from within the Fourth Estate, we might have had a different outcome in the recent elections. Or at least a little parity in favorable coverage. Talking about how the coverage you produced favored one candidate AFTER the election doesn't count. We know it's an attempt to regain credibility. The notion that journalism remains unsullied by the stain of lucre belies all the ongoing fawning throughout the media. Glass houses, pots, kettles, and all that. Just sayin'.

Don't look back, Chris. "Journalism" (said with breathy reverence, looking heavenward) exists to stir up the crap. There will always be those who look to bring a leader down. Ironically, they wouldn't have known about this if you hadn't told them in the first place. :D

Back in the Stone Age, which you whippersnappers don't remember, this was called Radical Chic.  Now, it's chic to be against the war, it's darkly chic to be an anarchist, and it's mainstream chic to be a Democrat.  Ask someone the why part, though, and you'll get a blank look more than anything.  Meanwhile, the doers go on doing under the radar.  You get a second AMEN, Matthew, from me this week.
And Jim, what's up with the cool tweaks to the comment options?  The twitter thing is cool and the option bar for the comments box is cooler!  Thanks!

Sean, this is your all time best because it has all you are and strive to be. Bravo. Hall of Fame. Hats off to you!

Love it! We've been dressing in Thesis, too, since early September. I customized our header, dropped the stock rotating images, and made our blog title "live" using the help of the forums and the tutorials, all in a day. Without. One. Bit. Of. Experience. Ever!

Looking at your rss and other icons up top makes me want to do more! I love the font you've selected and the background color in the sidebars adds just the right touch with your background - very handsome!