FCC Head Kevin Martin Recommends Action Against Comcast

You've all heard the story a bajillion times -- that Comcast was secretly slowing the traffic of people who were using file sharing networks. These networks, which, in addition to many legal activities, are also used to download music and other media illegally, are big consumers of bandwidth.

Comcast's action was plainly designed to reduce the amount of bandwidth these users consumed. Problem is, they sold the service as unlimited access, and reducing bandwidth for certain activities is a violation of the principle of net neutrality.

This Huffington Post article on the FCC action highlights the central role that Robb Topolski played in this win. Topolski, who has more recently published a report about ISP targeting firm NebuAd, was the man who discovered Comcast's secret slowing activity.

His proof of this activity quickly spread throughout the web and was one of the early rallying points for broader consumer interest in net neutrality, a concept that confuses many consumers.

Mr. Topolski first discovered Comcast's activity when he was sharing legal music files from his own barbershop quartet. His report begat other reports, and today strong government action.

Here's some of his testimony to the FCC on this topic.

Expect DC to get pretty noisy over this.

And let it serve all of us in marketing and tech as a lesson. Beyond the many many obvious advantages of always telling the truth and being transparent, there's another reason not to do things like this in secret: truth always outs online.

I am sure Robb is feeling mighty good tonight. In the words of HuffPost: "...it all started with one person." What particularly tickles me is that barbershop music has led to profound government action in the technology sector. The Buffalo Bills would be proud. ;-)

I pride myself on my scrounging abilities online. But try as I might I could not find any Funchords music to place here so you could hear what started it all. But I did find this silly Family Guy barbershop song (It's off color. For those who prefer to avoid such things, just bypass that play button.) Otherwise, enjoy.



Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

Find the Threads of Bigger eStore Sales

Remember when Amazon's collaborative filtering seemed the be all and end all of retailing? Well, it's still amazing, and has sold me more books than I care to mention, but a company called Strands can provide a similar service quickly and easily to any retailer site.

Strands combines user recommendations, user and retailer tags, and click stream info to instantly provide recommendations to users as they surf the site. It's a way to get your entire catalog of items showcased to people who may be interested in products beyond those that they find on their own.



I think the value of this for many retailers can be enormous. First, because the recommendations of people are the single most important piece of information prospects have to help drive their decisions. Second, because many people are LOOKING for additional ideas and suggestions. And finally, this blend of touchpoints can provide a powerful platform to drive such recommendations.



There are a number of providers of such services but I like the turnkey approach they offer.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

Chihuahua Guevara?

Triumph In The PopUp/Under Arms Race?

According to AdRelevance, the PopUp/Under is all but dead. Halllujah. Is it possible that an arms race (blockers v. new serving methodologies) has finally ended?



You've heard of V-E Day, and V-J Day. This is V-PU Day.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

Video Streams Up 27% Between January and April? Lordy!

Forgive me as I don't remember which newsletter I got this from, but according to data from Nielsen Online VideoCensus the number of US Home and Work streams per month increased from 5.987B to 7.613B between January and April. That is growth of 27% in just 4 months.

I'm guessing poltiics is a big driver. And the NBA. But Wow!

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

Divine Caroline, 10 Ridiculous Diets, and a Classy Group of Broads (and Fellas)

Divine Caroline continues to amaze and tickle me despite the fact that I am not a W18-49. This piece on the top ten most ridiculous diets is an example of their reporting and wit.

The piece gives the rundown on:

Dr. Siegel's Cookie Diet.
The Subway(tm) Diet
The Cereal Diet
The Cabbage Soup Diet
The Slim Fast Diet
The Blood Type Diet
The Russian Air Force Diet
The Hot Dog Diet
The Apple Cider Diet
The Write Yourself Right Sized Diet
The Atkins Diet

I myself am on Atkins at the moment, and while the author felt icky on it, I just cooked up a lovely New York strip and a big mess of broccoli so I feel icky antithetical.

But seriously, this post is about Divine Caroline. It's one of the first sites I wrote about on this blog, and I continue to believe it is the sleeper of the web.

As with every site that doesn't have $30MM to piss away in month one, traffic was a little slow to build in the first couple of months, but has improved quite nicely since.

At the beginning when I heard from a friend that works there that traffic growth was desired I suggested a complete shift to 96 point Blippo Bold headlines about:

Pock Attack: Celebs with Cellulite!
Outfits from Hell (They Should have STAYED in Hell!)
Help! My Husband Watches Online Porn

My friend, who shall remain nameless but is rumored to eat microwaved sweet potatoes every day at her desk, knew better than to follow me in a descent into National Examiner land. And the result is that 18 months in they've got high quality eyeballs, what must be an incredible composition of influencers, and arguably the most beautifully designed site online.

This amazing members of this social community write good, tight, interesting, thought provoking stuff. They also have a really witty sense of art direction.
Witness:



They snag advertisers that want women, influencers, and an environment of dignity.

One of the best kept secrets of this community is their partner list that goes on and on and on and...

2inSync
7x7 Magazine
10% Solution
Act Locally SF
Alexandra Levit
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
American Lung Association of New York
Angela Shelton
Ariel Meadow Stallings
Artista Creative Safaris
Arts Engine
Ask Patty
Audacity Magazine
Babygadget
Barefoot & Pregnant
Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative (BAWSI)
Been There Ate That
Better World Books
BettyConfidential
Beyondmedia
Bill Russell
The BizWorld Foundation
Blog Talk Radio
Books for Boys
BrandHabit
BrightHorizons
Budget Fashionista
Builders Rx
Caille Millner
Canteen Magazine
CARE
Carolina Breast Friends
CarTangoCelebrating Mothers
Center for Business Women's Research
Chez Pim
Christian Carter
CODEPINK Women for Peace
Common Sense Media Community Alliance with Family Farmers
Connecting Moms
Connie Glaser Women Leadership Expert
Conscious Living TV
Courtney Cochran of Hip Tastes Events
Craigslist Foundation
Creative Juice Arts
Creative Visions DAMEDamsels in Success
Dana RocDawn Dias
DearSugar
Dell Larcen
dLife
Don Mills Diva
Donors Choose
Don’t Date Him Girl
Dr. MelinaEliminate Chaos
EcoBrain</a>Elle Newmark </a>
Empty Nest Support Services
E/The Environmental Magazine
Eve Tahmincioglu</a>
Exquisite Safaris
Family Matters Radio
FatFighterTV</a>
Fashion Fit Formula
FatManUnleashed</a>
Fearlessness, Inc.
Femme Fan
The Femme Network
Fempire</a>Fertility Tomorrow
The FindFirst Resort
Flavors of Rome
Forte Foundation
Frequently Wrong But Never In Doubt
Full Circle Fund
Gen Art Pulse Get the PointGirls on the Run
GirlSource</a>
Girls With Dreams
Glimpse.com
Global Chefs
Global Opportunity for Women Campaign
Dr. Robert GreeneGuideposts
Here Comes The Guide
Her Sports and Fitness
Hidden Villa Ideal Bite
idealist.org
iFood.tv</a>
International Justice Mission
Invincibelle</a>
Jamie Reeves, Blonde Mom Blog
Jane Straus</a>
Jeanette Bronee, Path for Life
Jennifer's JourneyKarletta Moniz</a>
Karn Knutson</a>
Karol Ward
Kate Jacobs
The Keep A Breast Foundation
LadiesWhoLaunch</a>
Las Olas Surf Safaris
Let's Knit2gether</a>
Linx Dating
Lisa Osborne, Lisa.fm</a>
Litlife</a>
Los Angelista</a>LUNAFEST</a>
MakeupGourmet</a>
ManicMommies</a>
Marcia Wieder</a>me* Magazine
Michelle Goodman
Miss O & Friends
Media Village
Michelle Moss
The Modern Mom’s Guide to Dads
ModernMums
Mom Advice
MomCorps
Mom Inventors
Momference
MommaSaid
Mommy Track'd
Moms in Business Network
Mothers Acting Up
Mrs. Fussypants
Ms. Foundation for Women
MyPrivateCoach
National Association of Women Business Owners
National Brain Tumor Foundation
NaturallyCurlyNerd's Eye View
The Next Right Thing
New Progressive Coalition
Nina Kaufman
Nobel Women's Initiative (NWI)
Not Just the Kitchen
ODC and the Rhythm & Motion Dance Program
OffsprungONE
ParentingTeensOnline
Pax Programs
Peace X Peace
Pink Collar Club
Pink Lemonade
Pink Magazine
Planned Parenthood
Popgadget
Pow.Wow
Presidio School of Management
Pretty Sharp
Project Peace for All
Qlu
Rasa Malaysia
Rebuilding Alliance
Refugees International
The Rookie Mom’s Handbook
Lori Harfenist, The Resident
Safety Chick
SandyOvarian San Francisco Women's Film Festival
SATORI
Sex with Emily
ShamelesslySassy
SheSez
Shoetube.tv
SHOWTIME
Skeptic Yogi
SkinnySongs
Social Diva
SomaGirls.tv
Spark
Sparkplugging
Stephanie Elizondo Griest
Stephanie Klein
Stephanie Quilao
StyleBakery
The Stylephile
Suburban Turmoil
Success in the City
Sunny Chayes
Susan G. Komen Foundation, San Francisco
Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation
SustainLane
Tango Diva
TeachersCount
Ten Thousand Villages
Text in the City
The Social Cause Diet
The Well Mom
Total Candor
Travel Betty
Travelgirl Magazine
TripTouch
True Mom Confessions
Truth in Hand
Tug McGraw Foundation
Two Angry Moms
Uncorked Events
University Chic Media
Valérie Orsoni
Variety
Viator
Vince Thompson
Wenzel Coaching
What Is Enlightenment Magazine
Whit Honea
White House Project
WICinema
Women 2.0
WomenBloom
WomenCo.
Womenable
Women & Wine
Women Build Habitat for Humanity
Women’s Earning Institute
The Women’s Foundation of California
Women’s Initiative Network
The Women’s Mosaic
Women President’s Organization
WomanSavers
Women’s Sports Foundation W.O.M.E.N—Women on Maintaining Education and Nutrition
Women Thrive Worldwide
Working Mother Magazine
The World Affairs Councel of Northern Califorina
WorldBlu
World of Good
World Pulse
wowOwow
Writing Mamas Salon
Young and Healthy of Pasadena
YourOnRamp
Young Women Social Entrepreneurs
ZOOMA Women’s Race Series

What a nice blend of major media, charities, activist groups, and bloggers. I am not exactly sure what the total monetization story is to harness this unique kind of partner power. Of course ad network comes to mind, and that may well be it. I don't know their plans. But there are 126 other directions they could go as well.

Anyway, cheers to DC, and the classy broads (and fellas) that make it better every day.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

TSA Shock Bracelets: The Madness of King George

According to a variety of mainstream media sources, the TSA is contemplating mandatory shock bracelets for passengers. Equipped with GPS, they will enable the government to follow your every move before during and just after a flight. And they will also be equipped with a taser -- which can be activated by a crew member to shock you until you are paralyzed (temporarily.)

Apparently the controversy was started a Washington Times story. The WT is a major DC newspaper much beloved in conservative circles. So you can't call me a bleeding heart for bringing this up.

The company developing the product, Lamperd Less Lethal (no I did not make that up, the company's slogan is "Keeping the situation under control.") features a vid on their web site talking about how most consumers are sure to love this magical idea. This is an excerpt taken from the YouTubes.



An open sentence to current partners, coworkers, clients, prospects and future prospects:

The day I am required by law to strap on a GPS taser to gain permission to be crammed into a filthy, crowded tin can to be hurtled across the country at 500 miles an hour is the day I will NEVER fly again.

How absurd is this? I may now have a device strapped to me that, at the discretion of a flight attendant (no disrespect to flight attendants -- but it is not as if you get Secret Service training) can be made to shock me until I am paralyzed.

Meanwhile, millions of 10x10x40 foot containers stream into the US uninspected. But opening the lids on those would hurt profits of a certain big box retailer that I'll refrain from naming here. Much better just to shock airline passengers that grumble because their kneecaps are fracturing their ribs.

I guess this is the ultimate form of police power privatization. Torture with my peanuts indeed. Oh wait, torture with my...nothing.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write to the TSA to tell them how ridiculous you think this is.

White Paper Thursdays: Hot Off The Grill: SEM Benchmarking Guide

The fine people at the Sherpa have made an exec summary powerpoint available about SEM benchmarks here. Grab it while you can, people!

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

White Paper Thursdays Blogging Styles and How to Use Them

From Ogilvy,a nice simple deck about how companies and indeed individuals can create a sort of editorial calendar to improve interest and readership of their blogs byt adopting certain blogging styles within a given calendar week. Really interesting. And a lot of truth in it, I think.

| View | Upload your own

White Paper Thursdays Mobile 2.0

A stellar deck on Mobile 2.0 by Rudy De Waele at Dotopen is available here:

| View | Upload your own

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.