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Sunday, October 09, 2011

Alvin C. York Day

Yesterday was Alvin York Day.  Most people do not know this, but he is the namesake for York Avenue in NYC,  His birthday is coming up soon, so I may try to use that to build awareness and get some of my York Ave friends together for a pseudo block association. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_C._York

Friday, August 12, 2011

iPad Tips

I'm teaching a friend how to use an iPad and found this tipsheet to be helpful:
http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/50-really-useful-ipad-tips-and-tricks-688556

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Steuben

Tickets for the Steuben Parade & Oktoberfest are now on sale.  We are also working to get the Parade televised on PBS this year. 

Videos from prior years are available on Youtube.  If you would like to download the 2009 video, the 250MB MP4 file is available by right-mouse-clicking to download from here.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

How to protect your identity online

A friend sent me this checklist from the Telegraph on how to protect your identity online


1. Change your passwords
Many people use the same password for multiple websites. If you entered a Sony Pictures contest with a password that you use on other sites then it is essential that you change it as soon as possible. Go to the website concerned then login and look for an option to change your account details. Choose a new, secure password.

2. Look out for fraudulent emails
If the hackers have your email address, one thing they are likely to try is a 'phishing' attack - sending an email purporting to be from a bank or ecommerce site asking for your details. View any such email with suspicion and do not follow links from emails that ask you to provide personal information. If you are particularly concerned then you might want to consider changing your email address.

3. Be alert for suspicious phone calls
If your phone number was among the details you submitted to Sony Pictures then it might be used by fraudsters attempting to sell you services or trick you into buying things that you don't need. Treat any unsolicited calls with suspicion.

4. Monitor your bank account
Though there is no evidence that bank or credit card details was stolen in this attack, much of the compromised data could be used for identity theft. Keep a close eye on your bank account and check any payments that you don't recognise.

5. Consider an ID fraud monitoring service
If you're concerned about the possibility of identity theft then you could register for an ID fraud monitoring service. These services will look for credit checks against your name, such as those carried out when a credit card account is opened or when a loan application is made, and will warn you when they occur. Typically, this protection will cost a few pounds a month.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Help A Reporter

I recently got a chance to help a writer on a story about CRM.

The site helpareporter.com pairs experts with reporters who need sources. Peter Shankman runs the service, which is only available via email.

There are also other services that have similar goals, I'll post about them later.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

I'll see your pair and raise you trips...

I'll see your pair and raise you trips: 

Network work

I am looking for a few suggestions. Contact me via email or via the comments.

1) Is there a good alternative to TimeWarner or FIOS in Manhattan on 26th St.
2) Can anyone recommend a good low-cost dual-WAN router or firewall?
3) Who do people use as their WWW registrar? I'm thinking of moving mine.
4) Can someone recommend a good WordPress ecommerce back end? I need a good gateway for a friend with an Intuit Merch account.

Thanks for any advice. I'll update this post with the referrals.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Business Cards

I get a lot of business cards from tradeshows and I am really appalled at how bad some of them are.

People are spending lots of money to make them spiffier and stand out more, but they really just make them tougher to work with. Many people have business cards scanners and people are even using their camera-phones to collect cards these days and these weird black on grey color screens really make it tougher on the eyes and the machinery to keep my rolodex up to speed.

So here are my tips:
1- Use dark type on white cards to make reading them easier. Use a bigger font for your name so you can use it as a name tag in certain venues when needed.
2- Keep it simple. Don't put the magna carta on the back. If you do want someone to keep it in their wallet, put something useful on the back like a local map or calendar of upcoming events in your industry.
3- Keep the graphics conservative. In some businesses a photo of yourself is expected, so that makes sense. Having huge graphics or swirls just make them tougher to read in nightclubs.
4-Use normal card stock so they are easier to scan in a machine and fit in my wallet. Unless your Kevin Mitnick and can afford stainless steel cards.
5-Use multiple cards for multiple events. I give vendors a card with my info@ and voicemail #s because they always call at the wrong number and I do not want the spam to appear on my cellphone. I also have cards for personal friends and college alumni so that stuff does not appear in my office email.
6-Include links to your social media like twitter and facebook if you are using them for professional purposes.
7-Include a link to your IM or freebusy information so I know when there is a good time to contact you and we don't spend days in telephone tag.

That's all for now. Email me anytime for more personal advice. -M

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Loaner

LOLCATS