Saturday, December 31, 2016

Happy New Years America! Wishing everyone a Peaceful and Prosperous 2017!


Happy New Years America! Wishing everyone a Peaceful and Prosperous 2017!

And remember that it's always ok to make your mistakes - be it today, next year, whenever. That is the best opportunity to learn, grow and improve. :) Below is one of my favorite New Year quotes from educator, author and extraordinaire Neil Gaiman (currently on a 5 year professorship appointment at Bard College from 2014 to 2019).



“Cheers to the New Year and to everyone making mistakes, improving on it and becoming better people!" ~ Gloria Buono-Daly, blogger, inventor and mistake-maker :)


“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.


Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”

~~   Neil Gaiman,   “Professor in the arts at Bard College, in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York (appointment from 2014-2019), author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre, and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book.



Photo of Neil Gaiman courtesy of Open Rights Group, November 19, 2012; Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOFDHEYvpwU&list=UUtZBMVI7r8HMHsTUkdrRABw&index=18; Author: Open Rights Group

Top pick reSEOlutions tips for 2017; 'Evergreen marketing insighter' ▲▲▲by Gloria Buono-Daly - FREE Digital Marketing Budget Calculator from WebStrategies

This blog has been updated annually to include the latest trends and findings since the original publication, December 31, 2009 on the AllThingsDigitalMarketing "Evergreen Marketing Insighter" blog post.

Video - video - video
      music . ly is looking to be huge.
      House Party is looking to be big as well. Instagram has integrated extensive video capabilities and extending the time from 15 - 60s.
      Snapshat is basically a video platform and is huge. Learn the differences between each.”
 ~~ Saif Khan, CEO / Founder at Leg Up Social, answering my Quora Q, "What are the latest social media marketing trends for 2017?"  (see Quora screenshot below)

You’ve tried several years before but this time, come January 1, your New Year reSEOlution © is to be more SEOrganized © , pay more attention to the detail, save on SEM spending and track those milestones once and for all. 

As amateur live videos continue to create buzz, hype and engagement, learning about the various new social media platforms is key, this according to Saif Khan, CEO / Founder at Leg Up Social.


Que sera sera whatever 2017 will be, 2016 was the year MEMEs became a main ingredient in social media culture. According to the "Stumbleupon Time Machine," "2016 was the greatest year for meme culture. "
There is plenty to learn and this year there's an abundance of powerful links with a wealth of information about the latest trends in social media for 2017 (note "My Favorite Resources" section below ). Video and wearable technologies coupled with the convergence of online and realtime are at the forefront  when it comes to the latest social media trends.

According to a report  by WebStrategies, in 2016, the average firm will allocate 30% of their marketing budget to online, this rate is expected to grow to 35% by 2019 and search engine marketing (SEO & SEM) will capture the largest share of online spend with online display (banner ads, online video, etc.) taking the second largest share. Additionally, social media investments will continue to grow as an overall share of online spend, but will only represent about 15% of the total online spend while mobile marketing has grown to a point that it’s no longer tracked in the forecast and it’s presumed to be considered across all channels.  

WebStrategies has a great app on their site which enables marketers to calculate what a company's digital marketing budget should be. Simply plug in a few numbers and voilà, you get your overall plus all the breakdowns as to how you should allocate your spending. Click here to get your "Calc Away your Digital Marketing Budget with FREE Digital Marketing Calculator from WebStrategies!"

According to ShoutMeLoud, a blog for bloggers, video ads will continue to dominate the webosphere and therefore Digital Marketing spending. Also, 2017 will be the year of wearable technology marrying "real" and "online" marketing into one.
You’ve been ready since digital marketing became popular in 2007 but are so busy that you get off track and end up putting it back in the proverbial rainy-day pile for next quarter. Hundreds of rainy days later and you have no idea what your SEO program is let alone the basic concept of relevant keywording, linkbuilding and the latest, MOBILE tail end phrases.

There are probably hundreds to thousands of FREE SEO tips you can incorporate into your internet marketing program. Although previous years listed the top social as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google and Instagram a recent report by Inc.com indicates the top four as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Yet, according to another reliable source eBiz MBA Guide | December 2014, the top 5 of their top 15 most popular social are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google -- which happen to be the 5 most popular social I use most ( Google it's mostly a combination of blogger, Youtube and Google+). Surprisingly Instagram came in at #7 behind Tumbler their 6th. More is at the eBiz MBA Guide site (see link below in the resources section.


I’ve listed below key tips to help jump-start your 2017 New Year reSEOlution. Along the way, I’ve included a few helpful URLs that will provide you with many more SEO tips to choose from.


1. As always (since my first reSEOlution blog December 31, 2009), review your SEO stats for the past 3 years; This is crucial in order to effectively analyze and incorporate SEO strategies and plans. Make sure your existing marketing program is enhanced with MOBILE and REAL-TIME campaigns and consider the mindset logic that mobile is much different than laptop/desktop, phablet, etc. Create a spreadsheet of your SEO program and include timelines, milestones, language, personas, and other relevant items unique to your product/brand. Make sure you update and review this spreadsheet on a daily to weekly basis and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly; Don’t forget to include ALL CAMPAIGNS and leave plenty of space to add on to as you move down this list

2. Wearable technologies and online marketing have been converging ~ newlyweds Real-Time and Online marketing will become bigger than mobile.  A Forbes post last year, Real-Time Marketing Analytics will converge Online and Offline Behavior for Richer Lead Scoring and Nurturing in 2016, and this prediction indeed came true. And  Twitter will continue to be the key mix in helping marketers track their brand particularly in regards to product awareness, competitors and word of mouth. Also, according to Social Technology Review, since 2011, Twitter users are well educated ... "16%+ of their users hold advanced degrees and 30%+ hold 4-year degrees..." This means Twitterers live in higher income areas and have much higher purchasing power than the other social media. Free downloadable applications are also big and enable companies to increase reader engagement. Web Strategies has a great app and it's free - a Digital Marketing Budget Calculator.  MOre on this

Branding strategies are crucial and Social Technology Review also reported that Twitter users are +68% more likely to follow brands than the social media platform average (e.g.,Social Technology Review reported that 51% of Twitter users follow brands versus the 16% average from the social media spectrum). Also worth noting, Twitter users are more global than the other social networks, which optimizes international consumer potential at the lowest cost.

3. Mobile HAS WON and Worldwide Digital Marketing has replaced the traditional Digital Marketing arena. According to a 2016  eMarketer post, Mobile Ad Spend Topped $100 Billion Worldwide in 2016, and will reach a milestone of having more than half (at least 51%) being spent on all digital ad expenditures for the first time. eMarketer also predicts that between 2016 and 2019, the last year mobile ad spending will nearly double, hitting $195.55 billion to account for 70.1% of digital ad spend as well as over one-quarter of total media ad spending globally. Besides optimizing web sites for MOBILE webpages and rankings in SERP – user agents for search and bots should go to the same webpage version. Traffic is important but not if drops in conversion rates continue. Relevant messaging and mobile layouts need to be tailored to customers to create engagement and minimize the risk of higher bounce rates. It is also still important to create a map. Make sure web and mobile have consistent (vertically oriented) navigation especially since MOBILE devices have touchscreens. I’m amazed at how many web sites are not optimizing their site maps; Yes you’ve had a site map since the web site was first created but is it optimized to include relevant keyword descriptions, etc?

4.Although the old marketing rule "incorporate keywords in your anchor text" still applies, besides focusing on algorithms by Google, digital marketing program also needs to incorporate Facebook and Bing algorithms.  Depending on your product or service, keywords may need to be revised regularly.

5. Create a schedule for frequency in updating meta tag descriptions consistently; A Meta tag description is the snippet that is included with your organic search listing. The more creative and appealing your copy with relevant keywords that match your web site the better chances you have of being indexed more prominently. So frequently review meta tag keywords and make sure a comma is after each keyword and that the max is no more than 250 characters (including spaces). This is a common error that is mosty overlooked; However, this can make or break you organic positioning in search engine rankings and listings. Also, don't forget other platforms particularly MOBILE. Make sure to incorporate end phrases in mobile campaigns as well.

6. MARKETING MEMES are integral to spreading word of mouth and increasing brand awareness. Make sure to incorporate hastags, at signs, etc. in every digital marketing platform particularly for Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Also for websites, review title tags and use 3 to 4 relevant keywords -- repeating them each at least 2X but no more than 3X; Characters should not exceed 150 (including spaces). For example, a jewelry site might have the following title: "AnnHarringtonJewelry.com, discount diamond rings, diamond jewelry, diamond engagement rings, antique jewelry, modern jewelry" – note the web site URL address is 1st, then followed by the use of keywords "diamond" used 3X, "rings" used 2X, and "jewelry" used 3X, all relevant to this web site; All following the SEO industry standard as mentioned in this section (see 1st sentence).

7. Maximize the social networks, e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Equally important is to repeat your posts (e.g., Hoot Suite for repeating Tweets). For more ideas visit these resourceful sites that have plenty of suggestions - seobook.com, searchengineland.com and moz.org (formerly seomoz.org)

8. There is no room for "writer's block" when it comes to blogging. Good web content is more important now than ever before. Make sure to blog regularly and here is a great resource for helping new and experienced bloggers written by David Moth of econsultancy.com titled 14 places to look for blogging inspiration when writer's block strikes.

9. THE AGE OF IN-STORE MARKETING AND LIVE VIDEO ARE KEY FOR 2017:  According to Digital Marketing Institute, online video now accounts for over 50% of web traffic and 80% of millennials use their phone in-store and 74% claim to be willing to receive location-based mobile alerts

“In order for retailers to compete with the 800lb gorilla that is Amazon, they must provide shoppers with a unique in-store experience with tailored-made engagement. Leveraging location-based marketing through a retailer’s branded mobile app allows retailers to drive traffic through relevant, contextual mobile marketing” - Eric Newman, VP of Products & Marketing at Digby

According to many social media periodicals and leading marketers in New York City, Pinterest and Instagram still remain top platforms for lead generation and visual integration. No surprise here that YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Vine will play more prominent roles in digital marketing strategies for brands and products especially as video production and posting videos become more mainstream. However, one of Forbes 2016 predictions is that wearable technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) will pave new ground. This is leading way for virtual and augmented reality including self-driving cars, Facebook's acquisition of Oculus, the Oculus Rift augmented-reality product soon to be launched along with Microsoft's HoloLens and next-generation Google Glass.

10. VIDEO CLOUD and THE AGE OF SOCIAL VIDEO AFICI0NADOS ARE HERE TO STAY: Are you a "social video aficionado?" If you're on FB you definitely are more "videofied" than previous years. Facebook's already doing it for you and the rest of the world for free, with "LookBack" and the latest out just in time for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the New Year with "Your Year." A recent Forbes report titled The Top 7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2016 indicates that videos will continue to dominate and apps will gradually replace optimized mobile sites. Although Facebook is winning with Social Videos -- "80 percent said they create videos to keep in touch with friends and family, 72 percent said they use videos as keepsakes ... " according to the Animoto research survey there is an even spread as to where video creators store their videos (who will the new dominant force be for personal video stoage?) -- i.e., 28% of consumers store their photos and videos on their PCs, 21% of consumers store their photos and videos on a USB or external hard drive, and 21% of consumers citing a cloud storage service as the primary place they store their photos and videos.

Brightcove continues to lead the way for powering the Next Generation of Online Video by incorporating HTML5 user interface. Platforms like Video Cloud are key and will enable marketers to expand audience reach, propagate their brand, and engage audiences across devices and platforms.

11. Submit your site to reputable search engines such as Google, Yahoo, DMOZ, Aviva, Business.com, etc.

Remember your "New Year reSEOlution program" is a WIP (work in progress) and the more regularly you review, update and add to your existing SEO program, the more impact your SEO will have to your bottom line.

Wishing you and yours a healthy and prosperous New Year!


Please bookmark, subscribe and share with your social media and other professional networks. Thanks!

The terms reSEOlution © and SEOrganized © were coined by Gloria Buono-Daly in 2005.

What's your New Year reSEOlution? Top ten reSEOlutions for 2015 is part of the evergreen marketing insighter ▲▲▲ series by Gloria Buono-Daly

Photo above is snapshot of New Year 2017 decorations in New York City with "reSEOlutions" layered over. All photos courtesy of Wikimedia unless otherwise indicated.

This blog has been updated annually to include the latest trends and findings since the original publication on December 31, 2009 on the AllThingsDigitalMarketing "Evergreen Marketing Insighter" blog post.

Please visit this blog frequently and share this with your social media. Thanks.



My Favorite 2017 Resources:
♦ The 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites , eBizMBA (December 2016), http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-networking-websites
♦ 7 Social Media Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2017, Forbes.com, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2016/11/10/7-social-media-marketing-trends-that-will-dominate-2017
♦ Big 2017 Social Media Marketing Trends You Need to Know, Search Engine Journal https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media-trends-2017/181768/
♦ 2017 Social Media Trends, SmartInsights.com http://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/2017-social-media-trends/
♦   Marketing: top 8 Social Media Trends to Watch in 2017, BrandWatch.com https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/social-media-trends-2017/
♦ Where Social Media Is Headed in 2017: The Biggest Trends to Watch For, Social Media Marketing https://blog.bufferapp.com/state-of-social-media
♦  THE TOP 17 SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS IN 2017, ACCORDING TO THE EXPERTS, bitly https://bitly.com/blog/social-media-trends-2017/
♦ A MASSIVE LIST OF 2017 SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS, FusedLogic.com http://www.fusedlogic.com/social-media/social-media-social-media/a-massive-list-of-2017-social-media-trends/
♦ VR, education and customer service: The social media trends to watch in 2017, CNBC http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/29/vr-education-and-customer-service-the-social-media-trends-to-watch-in-2017.html
♦ 5 B2B Social Media Marketing Trends to Expect in 2017, oktopost http://www.oktopost.com/blog/b2b-social-media-marketing-trends-2017/
♦ 4 Trends to Watch on Social Media in 2017 http://www.business2community.com/social-media/4-trends-watch-social-media-2017-01715094
♦   How Much Should You Budget for Marketing in 2017? , WebStrategiesInc.com (updated October 2016) http://www.webstrategiesinc.com/blog/how-much-budget-for-online-marketing-in-2014
♦  Quickly Calculate Your Digital Marketing Budget, Web Strategies Inc. http://www.webstrategiesinc.com/calculator


My Favorite Previous Years Resources (latest listed on top):
♦ 2016 US Digital Marketing Budgets: Statistics and Trends by Robert Allen, http://www.smartinsights.com/internet-marketing-statistics/2016-us-digital-ad-spend-statistics-trends
♦ Mark Zuckerberg Confirms Facebook Has Plans For Augmented Reality, UberGizmo, http://www.ubergizmo.com/2015/10/facebook-has-plans-for-augmented-reality
♦ The Top 7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2016, Forbes, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/09/29/the-top-7-online-marketing-trends-that-will-dominate-2016
♦ MarketWatch 2016 predictions: The six tech trends that will rule, MarketWatch, http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-six-tech-trends-that-will-dominate-2016-2015-12-29
♦ 15 Digital Marketing Trends for 2016 That Could Destroy Your Business, Jeff Bullas, http://www.jeffbullas.com/2015/11/22/15-digital-marketing-trends-for-2016-that-could-destroy-your-business
♦ My Best Posts of 2015|Scott Berkun, ScottBerkun.com, http://scottberkun.com/2015/my-best-posts-of-2015
♦  Digital Marketing Trends for 2015, Social Media Today, http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/digital-marketing-trends-2015
♦ How to Determine the Perfect Marketing Budget for your Company, Entrepreneur.com, https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243790
♦ The Importance of Twitter to your Social Media Marketing Strategy, Social Technology Review, http://www.socialtechnologyreview.com/articles/importance-twitter-your-social-media-marketing-strategy
♦ Survey Says Facebook Is Winning Social Video, But A Bigger Trend Looms, Forbes.com, http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhumphrey/2014/10/02/survey-says-facebook-is-winning-social-video-but-a-bigger-trend-looms
♦ eBiz|MBA Guide Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites | December 2014
♦ What Comes Next? 5 Social Media Trends for 2015, LinkedIn, Ryan Holmes, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-comes-next-5-social-media-trends-2015-ryan-holmes
♦  How to Master the 4 Big Social-Media Platforms, Inc.,  http://www.inc.com/magazine/201311/gary-vaynerchuk/how-to-master-the-four-major-social-media-platforms.html
♦ 10 Digital Marketing Trends for 2015, ClickZ, https://www.clickz.com/10-digital-marketing-trends-for-2015/28006/
♦ 10 interesting digital marketing statistics we've seen this week, eConsultancy, http://econsultancy.com/blog/64047-10-interesting-digital-marketing-statistics-we-ve-seen-this-week-16
♦ 10 Simple tips for Effective Mobile SEO, Search Engine Land, http://searchengineland.com/10-simple-tips-for-effective-mobile-seo-129100
♦ The 3 Worst Ways to use Social Media, Social Media Today, http://socialmediatoday.com/fixcourse/793301/3-worst-ways-use-social-media-grow-your-business-and-what-you-should-do-instead
♦ 5 SEO Tips To Get Mobile Apps Ranked In SERPs, Search Engine Land, http://searchengineland.com/5-seo-tips-to-get-mobile-apps-ranked-in-serps-104595

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Happy New Year 2017 America!

A Charlie Brown Christmas by atsau  About 25 minutes. Enjoy one of my favorites
Twelve more days until Christmas: Merry Christmas America! Happy New Year too!

Wishing you a very "Charlie Brown Christmas," and The Gift of Silver Bells and Chocolate!



"...When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things -- not the great occasions -- give off the greatest glow of happiness..."
~~ Bob Hope

(May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003)English-born American comedian and actor on Broadway, in vaudeville, movies, television, and radio. 

This year, Hanukkah will begin on Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24 and will end on the evening of New Years Day, Sunday, January 1, 2017.

Kwanza will begin on Monday, December 26 and will also end on the evening of New Years Day, Sunday, January 1, 2017.  



Like many households during Christmas season, in the center of our table you will find all sorts of desserts --cookies, cakes, Italian pastries, etc.

During the 12 days before Christmas and the 8 lights days of Hanukkah have fun decorating, baking and partying with family and friends.

During the 12 days before Christmas and the 8 lights days of Hanukkah have fun decorating, baking and partying with family and friends.

There are so many other traditions and cultural customs during this festive season. Week-long holiday, Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26th through January 1st and symbolizes "fruits of the harvest." Held in the United States since 1966, Kwanzaa honors African heritage in African American culture. Kwanza was created by Maulana Karenga in 1965 and has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba). Traditions include baskets full of fruit and gift-giving.

Every once in a while during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I would bring that favorite, rich treat to my family table -- dark, decadent chocolate mousse.


Every once in a while, I would bring that favorite, rich treat -- dark, decadent chocolate mousse. 

What makes mousse so unique is the light and airy texture from air bubbles.

Depending on preparation and mix intensity mousse variations range from light and fluffy to creamy and thick and can be sweet, bitter or savory. The great thing about this dessert is the prep time is only six minutes and then all you need do is refrigerate it for an hour.

INGREDIENTS:
[Use numbers in parentheses for larger quantity servings
► 1 (4) teaspoon unflavored gelatin
► 1 (4) tablespoon cold water
► 2 (8) tablespoons boiling water
► 1/2 (4) cup sugar (can substitute with splenda, equal, etc.)
► 1/4 (1) cup cocoa (AT LEAST 60% cocoa concentration for best flavor)
► 1 (4) cup whipping cream (can substitute w yogurt but texture will change
► 1 (4) teaspoon vanilla extract
► chocolate curls

OPTIONAL:
► 2 tablespoons of instant espresso
► Be imaginative. Try something different and share it by commenting on this blog
► I've tried with the usual raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, but also tried cinnamon sticks, walnuts, cranberries, etc. 

Step 1 : Gelatin mixture (3 min) 
► In a small bowl sprinkle unflavored gelatin over the cold water; let stand 1 minute
►Add the boiling water, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved.


Step 2 : Mousse (3 min) 
► In a separate bowl combine the sugar, cocoa, whipping cream, and vanilla; stir to blend
► Beat on medium speed of electric mixer, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times, until the mixture is stiff
► Add the gelatin mixture and beat until well blended.

Step 3 : Spoon in dish and chill (60 min) 
► Spoon the chocolate mousse into dessert dishes or glasses
► Sprinkle mousse with chocolate curls, if desired
►Chill for at least 1 hour before serving makes eight 6oz servings (parenthesis numbers make up to 32 6oz servings

Total time - 1 Hour and 6 Minutes 


Click this link to view my eCard and "Have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!"

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Happy 395th Thanksgiving America! November 24, 2016

This has been posted annually with minor revisions since the first 2012 Thanksgiving post! Enjoy 



"My cooking is so bad my kids thought Thanksgiving was to commemorate Pearl Harbor." 
~~ Phyllis Diller, American stand-up comedienne, actress, voice artist, and comedienne, best known for her eccentric stage persona and her wild hair and clothes.(b. July 17, 1917 – d. August 20, 2012)


Happy 395th Thanksgiving Day America!

Thanksgiving, referred to by many Americans as "First Thanksgiving" was originally celebrated by the Pilgrims and Colonists after their first harvest in the New World in the year 1621 when they invited the Wamponaog Indians to their autumn harvest feast. 
Photo above right of a food decoration for Erntedankfest, a Christian Thanksgiving harvest festival celebrated in Germany courtesy of Wikimedia.org.

AllThingsDigitalMarketing blog would not stand to it's allthingsdigitalmarketing motif without a collage of "Thanksgiving Google Doodles" past and analysis of Google's basic design structure over the years. Besides the Google logo differentiating itself from the other search engines (e.g., Yahoo, Lycos, HotBot, etc.) it symbolizes uniqueness and mold-breaking vision. Below are Google's Thanksgiving doodles from the very first doodle in 1998 through present. (This collage will be updated with the most current Google doodle asap, so bookmark and visit frequently). Interesting to see what Google will do this year.

The very first Thanksgiving doodle was posted in 1998 (see collage above, lower right). Note how the clean, conservative signature Google logo design breaks all the conventional rules of branding and logo design. Ruth Kedar, graphic designer of Google's doodle, created one of the most recognizable logos (within a few years, Google's logo became as popular as NBC proud peacock and the CBS eye, also known as the "Tiffany Network"). Below are examples of standard branding rules Kedar obviously ignored:
        •   Don't incorporate more than 2 bold colors (Google uses 4 bold colors, playing with colors created a very child-like, playful yet bold design);
        •   Never over-kern letters (Google has excessive, uneven spacing in-between letters. Even though they have made a few changes (the latest in May 2014) the spacing is way off and obvious to the naked eye);
        •   Stay away from simple, elementary fonts (The original choice was the world's most popular typeface -- "Times Roman;" However Google's simple, chisel-style "Catull" typeface was selected for the subtle, sophisticated sans-serif design which incorporated old world writing style (e.g.,chisel and quill) with new age digital.

Google signature brand elements remained unchanged for the first Thanksgiving doodle (1998) with the exception of an exclamation mark and cartoon-like turkey, respectively at the very end of the word Google.

From a market branding perspective, Google doodles illustrate how breaking rules can be very effective -- violating traditional guidelines of logo brand management yet not minimizing Google brand equity. Interestingly, Google's Thanksgiving doodles gradually integrate design motifs within the Google letters (e.g., doodles from 1999 through 2002).

Beginning with 2003 to the present, Google doodle design integration spread to multiple letters with some doodles entirely replacing actual letters -- particularly with the 2008 cornucopia and in 2010 Google doodle's entire letters were replaced with food servings from the design by Food Network's Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten.



Can you think of other brands who have broken the rules with their logos and still maintained their brand?

Do you think breaking the rules for logos would work for other brands.

The 2015 Thanksgiving Google doodle is not animated. Here's the 2014 animated Thanksgiving doodle. Isn't is adorable? Enjoy!

To view the 2013 animated Thanksgiving doodle, click here!


RESOURCES: Links to Thanksgiving doodles past
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2016  
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2015
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2014
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2013
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2012
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2011
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2010
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2009
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2008
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2007
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2006
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2005
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2004
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2003
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2002
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2001
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-2000
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-1999
  • https://www.google.com/doodles/thanksgiving-1998

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. Although Thanksgiving is celebrated by many in religion and cultural traditions, it is also a world-wide (non-religious) celebration. Photo right miniature pumpkins by Gloria Buono-Daly (taken at Stew Leonards, Yonkers, NY, October 2013). 

Our 16th President of the U.S.A., Abraham Lincoln, declared Thanksgiving Day a national holiday to be held annually in November during the Civil War (1863). Although New York became the first of several states to officially adopt an annual Thanksgiving holiday in 1817.

Not surprising, many Native Americans as well as other individuals disagree with the way Thanksgiving is mentioned historically particularly in text books, school classrooms and other periodicals. They believe millions of deaths resulted from the long and bloody war between Native Americans and European settlers and call Thanksgiving a "day of mourning." A History.com posting, reports that since 1970, protesters have gathered on Thanksgiving Day at the top of Cole’s Hill, which overlooks Plymouth Rock, to commemorate a “National Day of Mourning.” Similar events are held in other parts of the country. 

Photo below left of Black Friday sale courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.

This Thanksgiving for sure many will eat, drink, and sleep while others will shop till they drop for many things especially electronics, smart phones and iPhones.
Samsung usually advertises their new products and for sure many will consider the latest Samsung Notebook 4 (released in mid October).

So be on the lookout for discounts if you are interested. Not surprising, iPhones will not have discounts.

Phone companies offer no-finance monthly plans with a slight discount if you lock yourself into a 2 year plan. Since many are not opting for cell phone lock-ins, you may find great deals for comparative, non-Apple products.
What will you be doing this Thanksgiving Day?

If you plan on being in New York City, there's always the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, this is the 90

th year.

This year, there are many performers including Mariah Carey, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, and Trey Songz. Click here to view the complete line-up for this year.

There are plenty of things to do on Thanksgiving -- see links below in the "Resources" section.

Thanksgiving Day (Jour de l'Action de grâce in Canadian French) is a national holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year.

Several other places around the world observe similar celebrations.

Resources: 

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014 R, TimeOut
 NEEDTOBREATHE to Play at 88th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade , Urban Christian News
Ruth Kedar On Designing the Google Logo Google BlogoScoped
10 Reasons Not To Spend Thanksgiving with your Family, Babble by Disney
5 Tips for Viewing the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade , LuxeAdventureTraveler
How to do Thanksgiving without Family, Elephant 


Please remember to check out the links in the resource section above and share this on your LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media networks you enjoy! Thanks! 

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia.org unless otherwise indicated.




Visiting this blog frequently and sharing this with your social media and professional network is much appreciated. Thanks.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Articles by white liberal elitist women and why Hillary Clinton lost

 Articles by white liberal elitist women and why Hillary Clinton lost 

Below is a comment I posted on my FB page and on the Teachers College Columbia University. Note this blog has been updated on January 8, 2017.

I'm tired of the liberal articles by liberal white elitist women with white elitist husbands, complaining and sorry for being white, worried about being white, raising their white children in their white neighborhoods and driving them to their private white schools.

No one has the right to cast stones or accuse anyone of anything, and no one should ever excuse themselves for being White, Black, Hispanic, whatever.

I'm tired of Hillary Clinton voters accusing women who didn't vote for her as being unsupportive and hostile towards women. I think everyone needs to get over it, go for walks instead of march in protests, and face reality, our new President Elect is Donald Trump - who was voted in by Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, etc. Regardless both presidential candidates were equally bad/wrong for holding presidential title; Unfortunately, our great United States of America as we once knew it, is doomed and on the brink of economic collapse

As of January 2017, the media reports that our great governmental officials are accusing Russia of interfering to control presidential election votes. Yet no mention of other reasons why Clinton lost. How can media not mention the reason being due to disgraced political New York 9th congressional district's former representative Anthony Weiner (aka “Carlos Danger”) who was sexting to teenagers as early as 2010 through November 2016 (when he got caught) all while his wife, Huma Abedin Weiner was campaigning with presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Instead our media blames FBI for doing its job. Media bias? You be the judge.

This is just one of the many reasons why we need to shut down the "political liberal correct" Department of Education." Not only MEDIA BIAS but EDUCATIONAL BIAS IN OUR UNIVERSITIES. Can you imagine what educators are doing to our younger students in the lower, middle, and high school grade levels? Our educational system has turned into nothing but a sess-pool for brain-washing educators and students with bull-shit and encouraging them to behave like liberals or else, "no funding, no grants, no raises, no pencils, no paper." Education is supposed to be a platform for freedom, leadership and open-mindedness, not brain-washing. Do they realize the risk of potential terrorism they breed every time they create biased protests and havoc? putting students at risk of death and injury.

On Sunday, January 8th during the 2017 Golden Globes awards, Meryl Streep accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award. Her acceptance speech did not mention acting, film and her career but instead Streep went on to spend 5 minutes criticizing the status quo of politics, accusing president elect Donald Trump of bullying Serge Kovaleski, disabled New York Times reporter with a condition called arthrogryposis. Streep ultimately patronized a disabled reporter on national TV during what was suppose to be an entertainment (non opinionated, non political) event.

Did Serge Kovaleski ever accuse Trump of bullying him? I honestly believe the reporter, although disabled, is a fully competent human being and man enough to speak up for himself.

Did disabled NYT reporter, Serge Kovaleski, really need to be pitied and patronized on national TV by Meryl Streep?

The 4:55 minute video is on a posting by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) (or copy/paste link in your browser: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/01/08/meryl-streep-called-out-donald-trump-at-the-golden-globes-read-her-speech-here/?utm_term=.9aaba5fbdb20).

It was obvious from Streep's opinionated speech that it was more of a patronizing, pity and sore loser tactic especially since her BFF Hillary Clinton lost the election, an election campaign that liberal elitist Streep worked so hard campaigning for her, obviously Streeps efforts weren't effective enough, obviously we the people finally saw the fluff - Streep is not living in the real world and is out of touch.

Do I need to remind you that Meryl Streep is a white liberal elitist, living in an all white neighborhood, riddled with botox, cheek implants, and all sorts of plastic surgery, sent her kids to all white schools, etc.? Need I say more?

Streep also requested that the HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS "protect journalists." Don't we have police, law enforcement, FBI, etc., for protection? Aren't journalists powerful enough to protect themselves?

Do you think Streep's approach was a desperate attempt to spread more dissension, racial polarization and create havoc/riots in our American society? Do you think was was more propaganda? DO YOU THINK MERYL STREEP'S APPROACH IS POTENTIALLY STALINISTIC? Don't you think that disabled reporter Serge Kovaleski can handle his own issues while working on the job?

Schools and colleges are giving students time off due to Hillary Clinton losing her dream. This is pathetic liberalism and a form of brain-washing and propaganda that serves no purpose other than to cause violence, hatred and divisiveness in our schools ~ making our students imprisoned and ignorant instead of empowered and intelligent.

Parents are paying for 4 years of kindergarten instead of 4 years of college. All the more reason why exorbitant tuition costs and fees need to be lowered and less government subsidy as well as lowering teachers/instructors/professors salaries. Our students are being deprived of a good education and we the people, parents, and student loans are still footing the bill. This is crazy

As Hillary Clinton would always say "face the facts" and "what difference does it make?" Donald Trump is President Elect, and she can thank herself and her campaign for that. She ruined her chances of making herstory not Donald Trump or the Republicans.

Honestly, can't everyone comprehend how people were disgusted with the way the Clinton campaign was run ~ like that of a candy store circus. Fact is the middle and poor working class Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, etc. were all fed up with the way our country has been footing the bill for nonsense, constantly paying higher taxes, etc. for corrupt programs that do nothing but favor the ultra liberal rich and paying higher healthcare insurance to essentially foot the bill for illegal immigrants, etc.

On the matter of ObamaCare. I do believe intentions are good and a good start. However healthcare reform is desperately needed. Costs must be lowered significantly and we need choice and competition for some procedures. (Recall the many procedures that weren't covered by healthcare were thousands of dollars and eventually went down to $299 like lasix eye surgery, etc.)

While I'm on healthcare: A very successful alternative to healthcare insurance is what many large hospital chains are doing ~ cutting out insurance companies altogether and insuring patients themselves. This saved millions of dollars for patients and hospitals/physicians received more money. For example: patient pays their health insurance premiums directly to the hospital group rather than through insurance companies thus reducing costs phenomenally. That is the type of healthcare reform our country needs ~ choice to choose or pay more through the corrupt insurance company where 90% of the money goes to the insurance companies (mostly to the greedy CEO salaries) rather than the healthcare.

Fact of the matter is, Donald Trump won fair and square, yet Hillary Clinton spent more than twice as much as he did. (According to the Washington Post, as of September 30th Hillary spent total of $1.3 Bllion (vs $795 Trump) of that $556M campaign (vs $284M Trump) $544M Party Fundraising (vs. $486.7M Trump), $188M Super Pacs (vs. $60.1M Trump). (These numbers will be higher to account for October and November spending.)

Yet the media touted Clinton's higher campaign $$$ spending as an advantage over Trump ~ MEDIA PROPAGANDA AT WORK? You be the judge.

After the election presidential elect sore loser, Jill Stein (who never even stood a chance with less than 1% total votes) began fundraising for a recount in 3 states with the following results:
-PA - rejected count;
-MI - denied Jill Stein's appeal;
-WI - Trump ended up with 131 more votes).

Yet the dumb Green Party, lead by political, corrupt, crook Jill Stein raised $7 million in donations only to prove water is wet (Trump had more votes after all). More waste of energy, time and we the people's monies. Green Party recount came to a close on December 13, 2016.

Never once did the media mention Hillary Clinton's comments i.e.,"I wish he was an American and not a Muslim," while referring to a terrorist attack, saying "What I say to people publicly is different than what I personally feel," etc. mocking particular religions and ridiculing others, etc.

Trump mentions immigrant reform he's labeled "racist" but when Bill Clinton mentioned it back in 1995 he was applauded. (see image and there is also a video on Liberal Logic site.

We the people felt that the democratic campaign was a disaster for many reasons especially for what Representative Deborah Wasserman Schultz, former chair of democratic national committee, did to the democrat's own, Bernie Sanders.

A blatant example of the way Hillary Clinton would have run the White House ~ Lies, cheats, greed, back-stabbing their own, racial polarization, patronizing the ultra rich for her own financial gain, not to mention selling White House access to Clinton Foundation donors. She and her fellow democrats call her "Presidential."

Well the election voted otherwise. Let's not even include the email scandal, Donna Brazile questions, Benghazi, etc. We the people just had enough and needed change.

Resources will be added as they come in:

A message from the President and Provost, Teachers College Columbia University

Friday, November 11, 2016

Happy Veterans Day America! Let's give thanks to all our veterans and families November 11


Happy Veterans Day America!

Veterans Day honors those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11th.


 “Courage – Honoring All Who Served”  is the Veterans Day theme this year


Veterans Day coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark the anniversary of the end of World War I. Thank you to all of our Veterans and families.

The United States originally observed Armistice Day and it was renamed to Veterans Day holiday in 1954.

U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed Armistice Day as November 11, 1919.

Seven years later, the United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution (June 4, 1926), and requested that President Calvin Coolidge issue another proclamation to observe November 11th.
Photo right of soldier with folded American flag courtesy of wikimedia.



I was fortunate to receive this interesting article from one of my dearest cousins about my late father and his 3 brothers(total 7 brothers, 1 sister) who served during World War II.

Coincidentally, major hostilities of World War I formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect.


Do you plan on doing anything this Veterans Day?


Many celebrate with family and friends, and there are so many special ways to celebrate.

For example, sharing photos of loved ones who have served in the armed forces (I've just done that via the photo above), posting to your social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, blogs, etc. Also the traditional VD Parades, especially in New York City.
Photo below right of bald eagle courtesy of wikimedia.

Parades are wonderful especially for children. Being creative with children is also an excellent way to help them learn about history and Veterans Day. Have them read various periodicals (e.g., books, newspapers, magazines, internet, photos of soldiers, etc.) and ask them to draw pictures of various images that remind them of Veterans Day such as our American flag, relatives in uniform, Veterans Day Memorials, and our national emblem, the bald eagle. And you can also enjoy the parade at home with family by watching it on TV live or online  ~ Watch the Parade!

If you happen to be in New York City, there's always the Veterans Day Parade, this year, the theme is “Honor and Remember, Home of the Brave” commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the end of World War II and the 25th Anniversary of Desert Shield. Organized in New York since 1929 by the United War Veterans Council (UWVC) this parade is the largest Veterans Day event in the nation with over 25,000 parade participants, and this year marks the 87th year! 



The wreath laying ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at the Eternal Flame in Madison Square Park (located in the Flat Iron district of New York City) and the parade begins at 11:25 a.m. and ends 3:30 p.m.


Photo below left of Aviation High School at Madison Square Park during the NYC Veterans Day Parade courtesy of wikimedia.


The parade goes up Fifth Avenue, from 26th to 52nd Street. The route is 1.3 miles (approx. a 35 minute walk).

The Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard are also represented.

If you can't be there, you can still see the parade live at PIX11 ~ America's Parade to Air on PIX11



Resources:
▼   Visit this link and share the 2015 Veterans Day Teaser Poster http://americasparade.org/share-the-2015-teaser-poster/
▼   America's Parade to Air on PIX11 http://americasparade.org/pix11-to-air-americas-parade/
▼   Veterans Day 2014: Deals on meals for military personnel, New York Daily News,
▼   Veterans Day Parade in New York City,About Travel,
▼   America's Parade in New York City,About Travel
▼   Veterans Day Parade information on Wikipedia
▼   Office of Public Affairs http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/

This is a reporting of a previous VD post with updates. Please bookmark this blog and share this with your social media and other networks. Thanks.

Monday, October 31, 2016

Happy 105th Halloween - October 31, 1895


"Double, double toil and trouble;
fire burn and cauldron bubble."  
 
 
   
~~ William Shakespeare, “Macbeth, 1611 

English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". (1564-1616)























Google Doodle celebrates Halloween with the Memo the Cat and her Magic Academy interactive contest doodle.

Follow feline freshman Momo on her quest to rescue her  magic academy. Score points and help ward off mischievious ghosts by swiping in the shape of the symbols above the ghosts’ heads. And you’d better pounce fast—the ghost that stole the master spellbook is getting away! 



HAPPY HALLOWEEN DOODLE and BoooOooH ha ha ha to all ghastly ghosts & evil spirits!

 


Save Momo's Music Academy and earn game points by swiping the shape on top of the ghosts' heads and wipe out all the ghosts.  

I scored 1660! 


How many ghosts can you wipe out?












Much more than a just a Google doodle, today many internet surfers enjoyed spooky, interactive, search results instead of Google’s customary and “I’m Feeling Lucky” search options.

Eighteen Halloween's ago, Google posted it's very first Halloween Google Doodle.

Photo right, screen capture of Google's first Halloween Doodle, October 31, 1999.

Internationally, Halloween's first celebration traces back to 1895 in Scotland and for North America the first Halloween was celebrated in 1911.


Enjoy this collage of Halloween Google Doodles above or to experience Google Doodles of Halloween's past, visit the following links:

Halloween Momo on Her Mission 2016
Halloween Global Candy Cup 2015
Favorite Monsters Google Doodle 2014
Google Halloween 2013 doodle.
Google Halloween 2012 doodle
Google's 2011 carving pumpkin doodle celebrating 100 Halloween years
Google Halloween 2010 doodle
Google Halloween 2009 doodle
Google Halloween 2008 doodle
Google Halloween 2007 doodle
Google Halloween 2006 doodle
Google Halloween 2005 doodle
Google Halloween 2004 doodle
Google Halloween 2003 doodle
Google Halloween 2002 doodle
Google Halloween 2001 doodle
Google Halloween 2000 doodle
Google Halloween 1999 doodle

Happy Halloween to you and yours!



What do you think of Google’s Halloween doodle today?

ABOUT HALLOWEEN AND HISTORY

Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of "All Hallows' Evening"), also known as All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly celebration observed in a number of countries on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows (or All Saints) and the day initiating the triduum of Hallowmas.

Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy or sometimes money, with the question, "Trick or treat?" The word "trick" refers to "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given.

According to Frank Leslie's popular monthly, (Volume 40, November 1895, p. 540-543) in Scotland and Ireland, guising – children disguised in costume going from door to door for food or coins – is a traditional Halloween custom, and was recorded in Scotland at Halloween as far back as 1895 where masqueraders in disguise carrying lanterns made out of scooped out turnips, visited homes to be rewarded with cakes, fruit and money.

The practice of Guising at Halloween in North America was first recorded in 1911, where a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario reported children going "guising" around the neighborhood was first noted by Rogers, Nicholas, "Coming Over: Halloween in North America". Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night. p.76. Oxford University Press, 2002, ISBN 0-19-514691-3.

American historian and author Ruth Edna Kelley of Massachusetts wrote the first book length history of Halloween in the US; The Book of Hallowe'en (1919), and references souling in the chapter "Hallowe'en in America":

"The taste in Hallowe'en festivities now is to study old traditions, and hold a Scotch party, using Burn's poem Hallowe'en as a guide; or to go a-souling as the English used. In short, no custom that was once honored at Hallowe'en is out of fashion now."

OTHER RESOURCES 

▲ Google's Halloween doodle turns you into a witch, CNET, http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57610125-93/googles-halloween-doodle-turns-you-into-a-witch/
▲ The wizards behind Google's doodles, CNET, http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57573307-93/the-wizards-behind-googles-doodles/
▲ Halloween witch: The real history behind Google's doodle, The Christian Monitor, http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/2013/1031/Halloween-witch-The-real-history-behind-Google-s-doodle 
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