A New Zennie62 Blog Under Construction

A new Zennie62 blog is under construction, and about 60 percent complete, but well enough along the way to show you and ask you to check it out.

It's called Zennie62Blog.com and you can see it here: http://zennie62blog.com . It reflects a switch from Blogger to Wordpress for this flagship blog of the 96 blogs in the network, and also a switch from "free" to a paid hosted server environment.

I had the idea for a while, but Executive Editor Nikky Raney, who prefers Blogger, was understandably resistant. But after Google focused more on "original content" as a factor in Google News submissions, and because we were producing original content, and Google wasn't favoring Blogger blogs for Google News (even though Zennie62.com was on it) I started to think about a switch.

Also, I'd taken the Zennie62.com blog as far as it could go in template changes on the Blogger platform. The simple fact is Google has not installed a full permalink system on Blogger, so what we get are URLs that don't have all of the words in a blog title, if the title is longer than four words. So you have to do a "workaround" just to deal with that problem.

It's a huge problem because it means that one word which may cause you to get more traffic because it's in your URL is left out of Blogger's permalink design.

That can translate into thousands of dollars of lost potential ad revenue. Moreover, Wordpress does not have that problem; I think its something Google does deliberately to counter the wave of massive impact millions of well-optimized Blogger blogs would have on the media climate today.

There's a reason even Matt Cutts, Google's Engineering "public face" switched from Blogger to Wordpress a few years ago. I should have taken Matt's cue and did it then, but I was stubbornly married to the idea that I could push my Blogger blogs to new levels of performance. I did that, but now and with what I've learned, I want to apply that to this new, even more powerful blog under development.

Making this switch is not easy, but it's worth it. I feel like I'm building the new Enterprise.

It means learning a new programming language, PhP, "on the go." It means locating a good hosting service, finding the appropriate design theme, then one-by-one, installing the files from that theme into the server. It means re-coding some files to meet certain needs, particularly in the area of Google AdSense ads. It means working on a strategy to transfer the remaining blogs posts, after already moving over 7,000 posts to the new blog.

And it means working on a system to transfer links and URLs to the new blog so that a search allows a reader to come to the new blog, rather than the old one.

The Zennie62 Blogger blog will be used as "Zennie2005.blogspot.com" and a place for YouTube video placement and for occasional blog posts pointing to activities at Zennie62Blog. Eventually, "Zennie62.com" will point at the new blog, and be the "go to URL" for it. But I prefer to keep "Zennie62Blog" for SEO purposes.

The process of making the new blog from scratch has been exciting; I love the challenge of building new platforms.

First, Wordpress just may be the most powerful blog platform on the planet today (which is old news to some of you). Second, Google seems to have deliberately avoided making a Blogger that completes with Wordpress in the area of SEO. Even before my focus on it, the Zennie62Blog.com platform started to be listed on Google and generate comments for existing blog posts! Third, the new Zennie62Blog.com is already Google News ready, as I have found plugins specifically for that purpose, and installed them.

Zennie62Blog.com will be positioned to compete with news blogs from PerezHilton.com to The Huffington Post and ProFootballTalk as well as Red State and the great liberal blogs at Banter Media. While that may seem like a tall order to some, let me inform you we have over 9,000 blog posts going back to 2005. We also have the 96 Blogger blogs to use to "point" at the new blog - those blogs will remain and with their own unique content.

We have the over 2,000 videos on what will be called the Zennie.tv video network. And we have our social media and broadcasting base, including what stands at almost 30,000 Twitter Followers, with an objective of 1 million. That's the perfect foundation from which to build this new blog and explains why I assert we're in a great place to catch those blogs.

Finally, as Old Media continues to prove it's not capable of succeeding in the digital space, this is the best time to attack. To strike while the iron is hot. Blogs will rule media in the 21st Century, and with over 70,000 blogs made each day as of this writing, that forecast is becoming all the more true each day.

Stay tuned.

AT&T Buys T-Mobile

Mashable.com reports that AT&T has bought T-Mobile for $39 billion.

PC Magazine

For T-Mobile customers (like myself) this could be a good thing, because AT&T has the iPhone as well as many other features that T-Mobile does not currently have. Many T-Mobile customers that have questions regarding this change, and it seems so strange that since T-Mobile is putting out commercials about 4G that it is about to be bought out by AT&T.

PC Magazine reports that this could be a huge in for AT&T - because AT&T would become the nation's largest carrier and get better coverage, 34 million more customers and an opponent is eliminated.

It also reports that T-Mobile's owner has been struggling and T-Mobile has been in the fourth place spot as a carrier.

This is unfortunate for T-Mobile employees who will be facing major lay offs.

The lack of choices will be unfortunate for the consumers because there will be less to choose from and not as much flexibility.

For those with questions read the PC Magazine post that answers questions for the specific consumers of T-Mobile and AT&T by clicking here.

We Need Beer Money Song By 69 Degrees At Powell St. BART, San Francisco

Two men who were sitting on the floor in the lobby of the BART Powell Street Station and singing this really catchy tune called "We Need Beer Money," so I paid them and made this video.

Moreover, I will share a percentage of any money made from this video with the men who make up 69 Degrees. They deserve it!

They said that they were also going to play in front of AT&T Park before the SF Giants Baseball games this season, be on the look out for them.

The one problem is the Facebook page they mention is such that it's hard to identify who they are. But that should work itself out.

And on that idea train, BART should have some kind of program to help promote the street singers and performers who are very talented people just trying to make ends meet. They add to the color and culutre of the Bay Area Rapid Transit System.

Mac Book Pro And iPad 2 Line: A Day At Apple Store San Francisco

Mac Book Pro And iPad Line: A Day At Apple Store San Francisco. This started as a visit to check on an iPad 2 for my Mom (who still has to be talked into the idea of having on, but it will be good for her to use it). As I approached the Apple Store on Stockton in San Francisco's Union Square, I noticed (couldn't miss) a line of people who were sitting on lawn chairs. They were waiting to buy iPad 2 tablet computers...at 9 AM the next morning.

(That would be this Saturday morning at 9 AM.)

While at the Apple Store, I learned from an Apple representative (who didn't want their name used) that the people first in the line, all elderly and Asian, had waited since 12 noon that day (in the rain) and were buying the iPads for export and "do this regularly." That's the Apple person's statement.

(I went over to talk with them but they all said they couldn't speak English. Or they managed enough English to tell me they couldn't speak English. They were friendly enough, but also bundled, a little cold, and a lot tired.)

While looking at the iPad 2, I inquired if I could upgrade my MacBook I bought last fall after an emergency. After a good talk, and to my surprise, the Apple Store people helped me. I was able to upgrade my MacBook. That was really great because I was trapped in a situation where I had to buy the 2010 MacBook just before the upgrade. Thanks Apple! You guys rock!

Mac Book Pro And iPad 2 Line: A Day At Apple Store San Francisco

Line For IPad 2 At Apple Store SF, originally uploaded by zennie62.

Mac Book Pro And iPad Line: A Day At Apple Store San Francisco? Yes. Read on...

This started as a simple visit to check on an iPad 2 for my Mom (who still has to be talked into the idea of having on, but it will be good for her to use it).

As I approached the Apple Store on Stockton in San Francisco's Union Square, I noticed (couldn't miss) a line of people who were sitting on lawn chairs. They were waiting to buy iPad 2 tablet computers...at 9 AM the next morning.

(That would be this Saturday morning at 9 AM.)

While at the Apple Store, I learned from an Apple representative (who didn't want their name used) that the people first in the line, all elderly and Asian, had waited since 12 noon that day (in the rain) and were buying the iPads for export and "do this regularly." That's the Apple person's statement.

(I went over to talk with them but they all said they couldn't speak English. Or they managed enough English to tell me they couldn't speak English. They were friendly enough, but also bundled, a little cold, and a lot tired.)

While looking at the iPad 2, I inquired if I could upgrade my MacBook I bought last fall after an emergency. After a good talk, and to my surprise, the Apple Store people helped me. I was able to upgrade my MacBook.

That was really great because I was trapped in a situation where I had to buy the 2010 MacBook just before the upgrade. Thanks Apple! You guys rock! Thanks to store manager Angela, and assistants Ricado and Nicholas, I now don't feel like I was caught at the hind in of Apple tech.

The new Mac Book Pro 13 is, by my estimation, one-third faster for video compression compared to my 2010 Mac Book Pro. This video made with my Flip Video Ultra HD Camcorder would normally take about 30 minutes to compress - this did it in 20 minutes.

Overall, it's faster to respond, the speakers are a bit louder when playing Come Together by The Beatles, and it has a few treasures, like Thunderbolt and the HD FaceTime Camera, I've yet to try.

Stay tuned.

Couch at 386 Euclid in Oakland Reflects Lack Of Pride Of Place

Couch at 386 Euclid in Oakland still there, originally uploaded by zennie62.

The couch you see in the photo that was at 386 Euclid Avenue near Lake Merritt in Oakland, California is gone now. But it was there for a good six days straight (at least), and is the latest in a totally awful set of examples of the overall lack of price of place that's exhibited in the Adams Point area.

Not that Adams Point is the only place in Oakland that exhibits this problem, but the one within my immediate sphere of influence. I took three photos of this couch and placed them on my Facebook page. But something should be done about this beyond my cyber-complaints. It's a clear sign that many people in the neighborhood just don't care how it looks.

It's not the first time this has happened.

The first time, for me, was last year, when someone left, in order as you walk up Euclid, a couch, two chairs and a table, and a mattress. All between 378 and 380 Euclid and right in the walk path.

What really galls me is we have a nice place to live. Many of the homes are classic Victorians that recall the days when such homes dominated the Lake.

And with this, you'd think someone would care enough to report this. Well,OK, I did. But I feel like the minority here because the first time I took note of the problem I complained to some one riding by on a bike, who came out of one of the homes on that part of the street. Instead of saying anything in agreement, the biker looked at me like I was nuts and said "It's not me."

Yeah, I know. I know.

That wasn't the point.

I just wish he'd have cared.

Red Riding Hood Reviewed

Sitting at Chunky's Cinema in Nashua, New Hampshire is a treat. The Cinema provides tables with big chairs and while watching the movie there is the ability to order food and have a waitress come and bring a meal and drinks during the movie. It was Saint Patrick's Day 2011 on a double date.

Red Riding Hood with Amanda Seyfried is rated PG 13 with some violence, a tad bit of gore and a steamy make-out scene which almost leads to sex but stops short.

The ending is the real kicker, because throughout the entire movie the audience is trying to guess who the wolf is. Which one is the wolf? Well, no one will be correct in guessing who the wolf is so just enjoy the movie to the end.

It was supposed to be a scary movie, but the movie wasn't frightening. It was actually quite suspenseful though and the movie definitely is almost four star quality (out of five stars).

Seyfried's character, Valerie, is arranged to be married to the sweet boy, Henry, who comes from money, but she has her heart set on the bad boy, Peter, that she used to catch rabbits with when she was younger. When the wolf kills someone in the town she runs to her grandmother and tries to figure all of this out.

The movie is directed by Catherine Hardwicke which explains why it is kind of Twilight-esque in reference to the directing of the first Twilight movie which was the only movie in the Twilight saga which was also directed by Hardwicke.

Currently on IMDB the movie is rated 4 out of 10 stars.

One thing is for sure picking between Henry played by Max Irons or Peter played by Shiloh Fernandez; while Henry may have the charming accent and sweet boy charm, Peter and his bad boy ways along with those sexy eyes that scream "Don't mess with me" makes it a very hard choice in the end for Valerie.

Rebecca Black Knows The Days of The Week

What better day than Friday to blog about Rebecca Black?

Rebecca Black is someone who was never supposed to get her own blog post on this blog, but alas the time has come and it is time to let loose about this lyrically-impaired 13-year-old. Rebecca Black sings the obnoxious song "Friday." She became a "youtube hit" and everyone on Tumblr knows who she is and has gifs of her and her awkward friends dancing in pink.

Yahoo News reported earlier this week about the background of Rebecca Black and the awkward girl in her video dancing in pink has her own Tumblr where she tells everyone she is a real life friend of Rebecca.

Yahoo News says: Honestly, we're not sure if these questions will ever be properly answered. But we do know that "Friday" is the churned-out product of a Los Angeles-based company called the Ark Music Factory, which sends out casting calls looking for singers between the ages of 13 and 17 to record its songs and, if all goes well, become overnight YouTube stars (a la Justin Bieber). Rebecca Black's "Friday" is Ark's first major hit--and after this, we sincerely hope it's the company's last.

Rebecca was completely obscure on Twitter until one day she started trending.

Mashable poses the question: What do you think? Is this a cruel trick to play on a teen wannabe singer or should Black embrace her sudden fame?

The lyrics to this song are horrendous, honestly. She is 13-years-old and even Willow Smith (10-years-old) is a much more credible performer with whipping her hair back and forth (granted she's the daughter of Will).

There's some random rapper guy in the video who looks like Ice Cube, but clearly isn't. It's kind of strange and confusing - where did he come from and why is he creeping behind a school bus?

Here are the lyrics, and yes these seriously are the lyrics:

(Yeah, Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah-Ark)
Oo-ooh-ooh, hoo yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Yeah-ah-ah
Yeah-ah-ah
Yeah-ah-ah
Yeah-ah-ah
Yeah, yeah, yeah

[Rebecca Black - Verse 1]

7am, waking up in the morning
Gotta be fresh, gotta go downstairs
Gotta have my bowl, gotta have cereal
Seein’ everything, the time is goin’
Tickin’ on and on, everybody’s rushin’
Gotta get down to the bus stop
Gotta catch my bus, I see my friends (My friends)

Kickin’ in the front seat
Sittin’ in the back seat
Gotta make my mind up
Which seat can I take?

It’s Friday, Friday
Gotta get down on Friday
Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekend
Friday, Friday
Gettin’ down on Friday
Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend

Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Fun, fun, fun, fun
Lookin’ forward to the weekend

[Rebecca Black - Verse 2]

7:45, we’re drivin’ on the highway
Cruisin’ so fast, I want time to fly
Fun, fun, think about fun
You know what it is
I got this, you got this
My friend is by my right
I got this, you got this
Now you know it

Kickin’ in the front seat
Sittin’ in the back seat
Gotta make my mind up
Which seat can I take?

[Chorus]

It’s Friday, Friday
Gotta get down on Friday
Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekend
Friday, Friday

Gettin’ down on Friday
Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend

Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Fun, fun, fun, fun
Lookin’ forward to the weekend

[Bridge]

Yesterday was Thursday, Thursday
Today i-is Friday, Friday (Partyin’)
We-we-we so excited
We so excited
We gonna have a ball today

Tomorrow is Saturday
And Sunday comes after...wards
I don’t want this weekend to end

[Rap Verse]

R-B, Rebecca Black
So chillin’ in the front seat (In the front seat)
In the back seat (In the back seat)
I’m drivin’, cruisin’ (Yeah, yeah)
Fast lanes, switchin’ lanes
Wit’ a car up on my side (Woo!)
(C’mon) Passin’ by is a school bus in front of me
Makes tick tock, tick tock, wanna scream
Check my time, it’s Friday, it’s a weekend
We gonna have fun, c’mon, c’mon, y’all

[Chorus]

It’s Friday, Friday
Gotta get down on Friday
Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekend
Friday, Friday
Gettin’ down on Friday
Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend

Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Fun, fun, fun, fun
Lookin’ forward to the weekend

It’s Friday, Friday
Gotta get down on Friday
Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekend
Friday, Friday
Gettin’ down on Friday
Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend

Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Fun, fun, fun, fun
Lookin’ forward to the weekend

Yes, that was not a joke. That was the lyrics.
And even better is the video:



Oh Daniel Tosh, Tosh.0, what have you done? Taking this girl from obscurity and bringing her into the light and all over the Media. Even appearing on television shows and claiming she'd like to work with Justin Bieber!

Since today is FRIDAY she was chosen to appear on Good Morning America TODAY, and that was a treat. Oh please, this is something that needs to stop. Seriously. She needs to go back to school, take some vocal lessons or maybe something else - but really, she should not think that she is on the same level as Bieber. Happy for her for getting recognized, but it just seems like a bad joke.

Here's a poll taken from the LAtimes as to what the consensus about her song is:

-Nikky Raney


And yes, Daniel Tosh is to blame.

NPR Funding In Danger

The House voted 228-192 to block public radio stations from spending federal funds on programming as reported by Wall Street Journal.

The bill passed by the House would ban NPR's local affiliates from spending any federal money on radio programming, limiting them to using taxpayer dollars only for administrative costs. The proposal, advanced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R., Colo.), doesn't cut government expenditures, since public radio is funded through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The long-running tensions burst into the open last week when a secretly recorded video tape showed NPR fund-raiser Ron Schiller describing the tea party as "xenophobic" and suggesting NPR may be better off without government funding. The tape was heavily edited, a review of the unaltered footage shows. The sound bites still prompted the resignations of Mr. Schiller and NPR President Vivian Schiller, who aren't related.

This would definitely take its toll on PBS in general, because the television and radio stations work together in many aspects like providing news and informations to the public.

The Berkshire Eagle reports:

If federal funding for PBS were cut, according to the general managers of the two PBS stations that can be seen in the Berkshires, some local employees would lose their jobs, program offerings would pale, and the public broadcasting system that evolves afterward will be a very different operation.

Congress should not do this. Let's see what Barack Obama does about this.

NY Times Junks Paywall For The Benefit Of An Advertiser: Lincoln

According to AdAge, The New York Times has worked a special deal with the Ford Motor Company, and such that Lincoln ads offer "Free, Unlimited Access to NYTimes.com." The value of the offer is reported to be around $150.

The new New York Times Digital Subscription System asks readers to pay $15 per month for total access to the news offerings at NYTimes.com. The announcement was panned on Twitterwhen the New York Times bought the promoted #hashtag #NYTimesOnline on Wednesday.

But if you go through Lincoln's new NYTImes ad, you don't have to pay anything at all.

Nat Ives of AdAge.com reports that the New York Times brought the idea to Ford and for the Lincoln luxury car brand. Lincoln's also sponsoring "parts" of the Times technology and design topics archives.

The question is will this open the flood gates for free-readers running around the NY Times webste? The Times is betting that will not happen, but I can't see how they can easily block it, really. Even if the ad period passes by, the links and code for free access can be saved and used again by a savvy web surfer.

Stay tuned.

Restaurants - Cafe Americano San Francisco Restaurant Has Kory Stewart

Kory Stewart, the Executive Chef at Cafe Americano Restaurant San Francisco, has done it again, and this blogger was the recipient of an impromptu exhibition of his newest offerings, and presented in this video above.

The reason is simple: Cafe Americano, located at 8 Mission Street in the Hotel Vitale at the corner of The Embarcadero and Mission Street near the San Francisco Bay, is known as an after-work, and Friday evening place to cocktail, watch and be watched, especially during the summer months. But the great flow of dollars for drinks doesn't always translate to food purchases, which is a shame because the food is great.

To make up for that dynamic and bring the food to the people hanging out on the expansive patio, Kory's tried the successful Porquetta Outdoor Grillfest (my term). I happened to be there on that Friday when he made it for the first time:



And now, all three dishes in the new video at the top are brand new on the Cafe Americano menu. Kory, again to my surprise, brought them out for me to try, not expecting that I would fire up my Flip Video Camera to make the vlog, but I figured why waste an opportunity to showcase a master chef at his best.  That's what video-blogging is all about.

So the result is the video, and this request from Kory and myself.  Visit Cafe Americano,  order something from the dinner menu, and when you're finished ask for Kory Stewart and tell him you saw the videos on Zennie62.   If you do that, he'll have something special for you.  Just what it will be is a surprise and will vary, but take him up on this.

And this closing note: the Porquetta Outdoor Grillfest will be back for another round of summer fun in San Francisco at Cafe Americano. Check it out and call (415) 278-3777 for reservations.

My Thanks to Bill O'Reilly

In the wake of the earthquake-induced crisis in Japan, O'Reilly let Ann Coulter demonstrate her willingness to talk about radiation and nuclear fallout - she has no apparent understanding of the risks inherent in either - thus further clarifying for his audience that Ms. Coulter is more interested in sensationalism for the sake of ratings and readers than she is in reality. (At least, reality as most people understand it.)

“There is a growing body of evidence that radiation in excess of what the government says is actually good for you and actually reduces cancer,” she told a very skeptical O’Reilly, citing her latest column on her website as filled with evidence of this being true.

From Ann Coulter On The O’Reilly Factor: ‘Radiation Is Actually Good For You’

Parts of the plume of radioactive ash may hit parts of the U.S. west coast very soon, and naturally enough concern and interest are running high. O'Reilly, who is not averse to taking provocative stands for the sake of exploring an issue himself, was earnest in trying to get her to back off, making references to sunbathing, and yet Ms. Coulter remained firm and basically said "it's the media's fault" (evidently she's not part of the media despite how she earns her living) for not covering the positive health benefits of radiation.

I'd love to see her sources if it didn't mean giving her even more time to mislead the public. I admit I understand that anybody who worries about the impact of energy production on climate has to at least give a nod to the nuclear industry in terms of greenhouse gas production -- but the argument against it has always been the risks from radiation, both at the plant and wherever the waste is stored. I'm a proponent of lower-risk solutions, which largely means wind, solar, geo-thermal, and so on, so I suppose you should consider my take on this might be less-than-perfectly objective.

Still, I'm up front about where I stand; unlike Ms. Coulter I'm admitting my personal ideology may temper my view. No pundit or journalist can be utterly objective, but when their income clearly benefits from sensationalism you have to be very, very careful to examine and think critically to sort what's truthful versus what's possibly self-serving, ratings-chasing nonsense.

“There is a growing body of evidence that radiation in excess of what the government says is actually good for you and actually reduces cancer...”

Ann Coulter On "The O’Reilly Factor"

Bill O'Reilly has just exposed a flagrant example of the ratings-chasing behavior that undermines access to reliable, trusted information. Unfortunately, it's hard to point such behaviors out without shedding even more attention on the culprit(s).

Thomas Hayes is a Irish-American Entrepreneur-Journalist, and former Congressional Campaign Manager; he's a follow-the-money communications strategist-consultant, photo-videographer, over-hyphenated union-supporter, and computer-geek (recovering) who writes on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community.

You can follow Tom as @kabiu on twitter. Tweet