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2011: Annus Mirabilis Waiting To Happen
Contributed by Rick DeVan on December 31, 2010 at 12:44 pm ET
As I have said in the past, I do not make predictions, but that has never stopped me before. Bad things will always happen. Bad things will happen in 2011. We will deal with them. I am hoping, though, that we can make 2011 an annus mirabilis — a year of wonders, a year of miracles. The important word in that sentence is “we”. It is just waiting to happen and it will take all of us to make it happen.
Filed under Life, Work, and Society
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Banished Words List for 2011
Contributed by Rick DeVan on at 11:43 am ET
Resource: Lake Superior State University 2011 List of Banished Words
I look forward to each December 31 when Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, MI, publishes the Banished Words List. I get shivers just using Sault Ste. Marie and December in the same sentence.
I generally don’t like the word police — and if ever a term deserved banishment it is “word police” — but I dislike overuse even more. I think I have successfully avoided most of these, but I still use Facebook and Google as verbs. They have become like using “Kleenex” to describe any tissue — so ingrained that it is in the lexicon whether we like it or not.
I do occasionally utter “Cowboy up” which is subtly different than “Man up”, so I hope I’m safe on that one.
I know for certain I have never used the word “fail” to describe anything other than brakes failing or some other mechanical or architectural mishap. “Epic” is for the movies.
Anyway, it’s time to cowboy up and head into 2011.
Filed under Life, Work, and Society
Tags used: Banished Words List, Lake Superior State University —
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Statistics: Paying for Content
Contributed by Rick DeVan on December 30, 2010 at 1:45 pm ET
Resource: Cash for Content Online via Pew Internet Research.
Nearly two-thirds of internet users (65%) have paid to download or access some kind of online content from the internet, ranging from music to games to news articles. Music, software, and apps are the most popular content that internet users have paid to access or download, although the range of paid online content is quite varied and widespread.
According to this survey, the typical user spends about $10.00 US per month for online content.
Filed under Business and Commerce, Media, Statistics
Tags used: Content, Pew Research —
Comments and discussion are welcome on the PW2 Web Facebook Page up to four weeks after publication date.
Getting It: GiveItBackForJobs.org
Contributed by Rick DeVan on at 1:27 pm ET
Resource: Give It Back For Jobs
Americans who have the means should collectively give back our Bush tax cuts by making donations to organizations that promote fairness, economic growth, and a vibrant middle class.
Resource: Website encourages the rich to give back their tax cuts via Cleveland.com – The Plain Dealer.
Upset the federal government recently extended tax cuts for the rich, three professors at Yale and Cornell universities have created a website that encourages wealthy Americans to give their tax savings to charities and send a political message in the process.
And, from the comments in the Plain Dealer article:
I am going to start a website that encourages rich people to use their extra money, that the government doesn’t extort from them, to expand their businesses to give people jobs so they dont need charity.
Whether you agree with giving tax cuts to charity, using them to expand business, or something else, this is how the conversation expands our thinking. I hope to soon see an alternative website that encourages business expansion. I will be ready with a “Getting It“ for them. Websites that encourage using the tax cuts for a yacht to berth in Monaco, maybe not. But, then again, yachting does create jobs. Dock it in Perth Amboy and I will reconsider.
Filed under Business and Commerce, Getting It, Life, Work, and Society
Tags used: Business, Charity, Perth Amboy —
Comments and discussion are welcome on the PW2 Web Facebook Page up to four weeks after publication date.
Statistics: Voters Fear FCC Regulation of Internet
Contributed by Rick DeVan on December 28, 2010 at 6:27 pm ET
Resource: Just 21% Want FCC to Regulate Internet, Most Fear Regulation Would Promote Political Agenda via Rasmussen Reports.
The survey was conducted shortly after the FCC decided on a party line vote to impose so-called “net neutrality” regulations on the Internet world. Republicans and unaffiliated voters overwhelmingly oppose FCC regulation of the Internet, while Democrats are more evenly divided. Those who use the Internet most are most opposed to FCC regulations.
Interesting poll results from Rasmussen Reports.
Filed under Media, Statistics
Tags used: FCC, Net Neutrality —
Comments and discussion are welcome on the PW2 Web Facebook Page up to four weeks after publication date.