tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-147690492009-07-14T09:44:33.189-05:00Media by SistrunkWelcome to my world of news, culture and public affairs. Don't miss this unique opportunity to share ideas on hot topics in media, publications and education.Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.comBlogger519125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-72265856615540574702009-07-08T08:34:00.002-05:002009-07-08T08:36:16.450-05:00Twittorati, a marriage of blogging and tweeting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SlSguQtgLxI/AAAAAAAAAuM/7EYmyj0QMEs/s1600-h/twitterati.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 154px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SlSguQtgLxI/AAAAAAAAAuM/7EYmyj0QMEs/s200/twitterati.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356082573470609170" border="0" /></a>Media search engine Technorati has launched a new site, <a href="http://twittorati.com/">Twittorati</a>. The site shows what top bloggers are tweeting about. Twittorati allows visitors to filter tweets by topic, see the most tweeted blog posts, and compare leading blogosphere and Twitter trends.<br /><br />The launch promotes the Technorati Top 100 bloggers. The site is toted as "where the blogosphere meets the Twittersphere." Details at <a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/07/twittorati-will-show-you-how-awesomely-fascinating-bloggers-lives-are-or-not/">TechCrunch</a>.<br /><br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Twittorati" rel="tag">Twittorai</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Technorati" rel="tag">Technorai</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Blogging" rel="tag">Blogging</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Blogs" rel="tag">Blogs</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by Sistrunk</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-7226585661554057470?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-63195179519074258082009-07-06T12:48:00.002-05:002009-07-06T23:31:56.728-05:00WSJ: Telecommunications industry under DOJ scrutinyAccording to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Justice Department has begun an initial review of the U.S. telecommunicaions industry. WSJ cites people familiar with the matter. It isn't clear whether the Department of Justice intends to launch an official inquiry.<br /><br />In recent weeks, lawmakers and regulators have raised questions about deals such as AT&amp;T's exclusive right to provide service for Apple's popular iPhone in the U.S. Verizon Communications may also be under scrutiny. The statute that governs such behavior – the Sherman Antitrust Act – was used by the government in cases against giants ranging from Standard Oil to Microsoft.<br /><br />DOJ could explore several areas of concern, such as whether wireless carriers are hurting smaller competitors by locking up popular phones through exclusive agreements, as the Wall Street Journal <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124689740762401297.html#mod=djemalertNEWS">reports</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-6319517951907425808?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-64919027743344423692009-07-03T09:16:00.002-05:002009-07-03T09:33:41.326-05:00Novel explores race, women's attitudes in the Deep South<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/Sk4RZsr3bHI/AAAAAAAAAtI/3EH4cfTK7sI/s1600-h/Help.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/Sk4RZsr3bHI/AAAAAAAAAtI/3EH4cfTK7sI/s200/Help.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354236140179647602" border="0" /></a>A new novel examines racial tensions in the Deep South from three perspectives. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Help-Kathryn-Stockett/dp/0399155341/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1246628398&amp;sr=1-1"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Help</span></a> by Kathryn Stockett is generating some positive chatter. The story takes place in Jackson, Miss., in the early 1960s, during the civil rights movement.<br /><br />Stockett writes in black and white voices. She said that she felt it was important to examine both sides of life in segregated Jackson.<br /><br />She writes from the perspective of frustrated middle-class white women. She also attempts to explore Jackson from the vantage point of two black housekeepers - women who have put their personal lives second -- or even third -- in order to meet the needs of the families they serve.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Help</span> is published by G.P. Putnam's Sons/Amy Einhorn Books.<br /><br />National Public Radio takes a <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105920680&amp;sc=nl&amp;cc=bn-20090702#104656646">closer look at Stockett and her debut novel</a>. Read an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/reader/0399155341?_encoding=UTF8&amp;ref_=sib_books_pg&amp;qid=1246628398&amp;query=Kathryn%20Stockett#reader">excerpt</a>, and share your thoughts.<br /><br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/The+Help" rel="tag">The Help</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/" stockett="" rel="tag">Kathryn Stockett</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Books" rel="tag">Books</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Civil+Rights" rel="tag">Civil Rights</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Race" rel="tag">Race</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by Sistrunk</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-6491902774334442369?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-59519123917948592702009-06-25T22:57:00.000-05:002009-06-25T22:57:52.104-05:00Michael Jackson quotes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SkRGhdQJPsI/AAAAAAAAAs4/zShnmg8vAAk/s1600-h/michael-jackson.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SkRGhdQJPsI/AAAAAAAAAs4/zShnmg8vAAk/s320/michael-jackson.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351479797824962242" border="0" /></a><br /><blockquote>I'm never pleased with anything. I'm a perfectionist. It's part of who I am. </blockquote><br /><blockquote>I was a veteran before I was a teenager. </blockquote><br /><blockquote>Let us dream of tomorrow where we can truly love from the soul, and know love as the ultimate truth at the heart of all creation. </blockquote><br /><blockquote>If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with. </blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-5951912391794859270?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-91707837153539613602009-06-14T12:53:00.010-05:002009-07-03T09:01:47.906-05:00Examining the changing book industry<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SjU68s1_AZI/AAAAAAAAAsw/h_o1gc7YyRo/s1600-h/google-reader-iphone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 176px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SjU68s1_AZI/AAAAAAAAAsw/h_o1gc7YyRo/s200/google-reader-iphone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347244947076481426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SjU6kr9iy3I/AAAAAAAAAso/YSE84hjlDPU/s1600-h/amazon-kindle-dx.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SjU6kr9iy3I/AAAAAAAAAso/YSE84hjlDPU/s200/amazon-kindle-dx.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347244534522891122" border="0" /></a><br />The book industry as we know it is changing. Google, the latest contender, seems to possess the clout to give the Amazon Kindle a run for its money.<br /><br />The Kindle is a compact, electronic book with instant wireless access to tens of thousands of books sold by Amazon, an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">audiobook</span> player, and a wireless Web browser. Kindle uses a cellular data network to deliver books, newspapers, magazines and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">weblogs</span> to you immediately.<br /><br />Amazon sells e-books specifically formatted to work with Kindle. A few days ago, the company started shipping the Kindle <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">DX</span>, the large-screen version of its line of e-book readers.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Google announced plans to launch a program that will let publishers sell digital versions of their books directly to consumers. The Internet search giant plans to let Google Book Search users "buy access" to copyrighted books with any Web-enabled computer, e-reader or mobile phone.<br /><br />National Public Radio explores <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105169795&amp;sc=nl&amp;cc=bn-20090615">the e-book challenge</a>.<br /><br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/E-Books" rel="tag">E-Books</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Amazon+Kindle" rel="tag">Amazon Kindle</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Google+Reader" rel="tag">Google Reader</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sistrunk</span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-9170783715353961360?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-77001822190274207702009-06-12T06:58:00.004-05:002009-06-12T07:09:25.546-05:00Resisting the seduction of clichés<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><strong></strong></span><em>(This post first appeared here in August of 2005.)<br /><br /></em><br />Public relations writers fall for them. Reporters are lured by them. Communications veterans across the spectrum succumb to the sweet talk of the ever-present, easily accessible cliché. No writing style is immune to these overused phrases, even fiction. The media biz coined a term for these expressions - "groaners". If you're looking for a surefire way to annoy your audience, take the easy way out and slip a series of groaners into your copy.<br /><br />Newswriting.com describes a groaner as "a hackneyed, overblown, stuffy or just plain silly cliché that turns up time after time in news scripts. Groaners show laziness on the part of writers, disrespect for the folks watching, and a general contempt for lively English." I agree. When it comes to many of these euphemisms, I believe in taking quick corrective action. Arrest these overused phrases. Blindfold them, give them a cigarette and place them before a firing squad.<br /><br />When it comes to groaners, seasoned journalist Abe Rosenberg does a great job of identifying some of the worst offenders, often heard in TV news broadcasts. Here is a sampling of groaners from Newswriting.com:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><blockquote><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Area residents</span> -</strong> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“Shhh, Tommy, don’t play the drums so loud. You’ll wake the area residents!” Normal people don’t refer to their neighbors this way. Why should we?<br /><br /></span><p><a name="F"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><strong>Famed</strong></span></a><strong> -</strong> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“Mommy, mommy, I just saw somebody famed over there!” When did “famous” become a dirty word?<br /></span><br /><a name="L"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><strong>Lay the Groundwork</strong></span></a><strong> -</strong> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Doesn’t anybody “prepare” anymore? Too many writers cling to these phrases (“Set The Stage” is another example) when talking about politics, foreign policy, war and peace, etc., as if big phrases made a story important. Important facts make a story important. References to theater and construction belong in stories about theater and construction.</span></p><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Motorists</span> -</strong> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Where have all the drivers gone? Don’t fall into the DMV Handbook trap.<br /></span></blockquote><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Somewhere, some wordsmith is hoping that I'll ease up on folks who like to incorporate clichés into their copy. I'm not completely heartless. As a journalist and PR practitioner, I have fallen into the same trap.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The road to hell is paved with good intentions. If you want your copy to "sing," write as if you're holding a conversation with someone. Put your best foot forward. Work like a dog. Leave a lasting impression. In the end, your copy will be the best thing since sliced bread. Just do it.</span><br /><br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Cliches" rel="tag">Cliches</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Writing" rel="tag">Writing</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Journalism" rel="tag">Journalism</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Public+Relations" rel="tag">Public Relations</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/PR" rel="tag">PR</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by Sistrunk</a></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-7700182219027420770?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-22359722494164083512009-06-10T06:52:00.004-05:002009-06-11T13:36:50.869-05:00Michelle Obama<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/images/First_Lady_Michelle_Obama_Official_Portrait_2009_2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 146px; height: 199px;" src="http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/images/First_Lady_Michelle_Obama_Official_Portrait_2009_2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>First Lady Michelle Obama is a much-sought-after speaker. Of course, it goes with the job. Still, her popularity rivals her husband’s. A recent letter to the editor in Time magazine described Mrs. Obama in two words -- "national treasure".<br /><br />The first lady often talks about her humble beginnings.<br /><br />"I am an example of what's possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved and nurtured by the people around them," she recently told an audience at an all-girls school in London.<br /><br />Mrs. Obama added that as a girl, she was surrounded by many encouraging influences – family members, teachers, and neighbors. She believes that she would not be the woman she is today without the nurturing she received as a child.<br /><br />The girl who grew up in a small home on the South Side of Chicago would grow up to be, among other things, an attorney, an associate dean at the University of Chicago, and a vice president at University of Chicago Hospitals.<br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Michelle+Obama" rel="tag">Michelle Obama</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by Sistrunk</a> <p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-2235972249416408351?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-686331882528382392009-06-08T19:34:00.003-05:002009-06-08T19:51:32.590-05:00Dangerous little hands<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/iphone-kid.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 430px; height: 366px;" src="http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/iphone-kid.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Any parent knows that toddlers and fancy cell phones are a dangerous combo. This is especially true if you're talking about smartphones, such as the iPhone or the BlackBerry.<br /><br />Children who fiddle with keys can easily delete important e-mails, dial 911 or break a fancy phone. As I was driving home recently, I heard a delightful interview on this issue on National Public Radio's <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105121034">All Things Considered</a>.<br /><br />(By the way, if you click on the darling image above, it will take you to the NPR blog, <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2009/06/the_toddlerphone_connection.html">All Tech Considered</a>.)<br /><br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Smartphones" rel="tag">Smartphones</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Cell+Phones" rel="tag">Cell Phones</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Technology" rel="tag">Technology</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Children" rel="tag">Children</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by Sistrunk</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-68633188252838239?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-16887138929190689472009-06-04T08:13:00.000-05:002009-06-04T08:13:53.840-05:00Political humor<span><span><span>Here are some gems from late-night comedians</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">.<br /><br /></span></span>Conan O'Brien</span>: "Did everyone see Brian Williams' special with President Obama that was on? Yeah? ... Anyway, there's this big NBC News special with Brian Williams, and in the special, President Obama showed Brian Williams what tricks his new puppy, Bo, could do. Isn't that cool? Yeah, in fact, Bo has already learned to sit up and beg for Federal bailout money."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">David Letterman</span>: "Think about this. Obama is in the Middle East trying to straighten out the world, trying to make things better than they were. And talk about pressure, talk about a guy who's being busy, talk about a guy, every move is being scrutinized. Meanwhile, on the other hand, you have John McCain. He's at a bakery waiting for his number to be called."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jimmy Fallon</span>: "President Obama used the word shukran, the Arabic word for thank you, in response to a compliment from the king today. The compliment, 'I appreciate that you didn't bring Joe Biden.'"<br /><br /><br />Source: U.S. News &amp; World Report<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-1688713892919068947?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-62792692403300013992009-06-04T08:00:00.003-05:002009-06-04T11:36:55.158-05:00Obama: 'I have come here to seek a new beginning'<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SifE_rFdUFI/AAAAAAAAArA/P0q4CrGHQ7E/s1600-h/Obama-Cairo+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343456081074802770" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SifE_rFdUFI/AAAAAAAAArA/P0q4CrGHQ7E/s200/Obama-Cairo+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><blockquote>So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.<br /><br />I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles – principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.<br />-- President Obama, speaking Thursday at Cairo University<br /></blockquote><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/us/politics/04obama.text.html">Text of Obama's address at Cairo University on June 4, 2009</a></div><div align="center"><br /><br /><a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/NewBeginning/">To view President Obama's speech, click here</a>.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-6279269240330001399?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-17283156008841356762009-06-01T07:59:00.002-05:002009-06-01T08:01:59.171-05:00Obama to seek reconciliation in EgyptIn his column for <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/200027">Newsweek</a>, Howard <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Fineman</span> writes about President <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Obama's</span> scheduled visit to Cairo:<br /><br /><blockquote>Barack Obama believes in his voice and his life story. Autobiographical speeches powered his campaign. ... Now comes the ultimate test of autobiographical <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">speechmaking</span>. Obama this week speaks at Cairo University, in the hub of Muslim-Arab culture. Obama "has privately told friends that his goal is far higher: nothing less than to help 'reconcile Islam and modernity.' ...</blockquote><br /><blockquote>He will pay homage to the Golden Age of that culture—its glorious achievements in mathematics, science, literature and diplomacy—and note that Muslim scholars rescued from oblivion the Greek and Roman (i.e., the "Western") canon. He also will draw on the by-now-familiar story of his own life. A Christian son of an African-Muslim father, he spent years in Muslim-majority Indonesia, attending a public school run by, but not suffused with, the teachings of Islam. All of this, Obama thinks, not only allows him, but obliges him, to play a grand role as bridge builder.</blockquote><br /><br />The world will be watching as the president seeks reconciliation.<br /><br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Obama" rel="tag">Obama</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Egypt" rel="tag">Egypt</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Muslims" rel="tag">Muslims</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Reconciliation" rel="tag">Reconciliation</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sistrunk</span></span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-1728315600884135676?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-25856591115027406952009-06-01T00:01:00.001-05:002009-06-01T00:01:00.067-05:00Send photos of military loved ones to NBC's Today ShowIf someone near and dear to you is currently serving in the armed forces, you have a special way to honor them. The NBC Today Show is inviting viewers to submit photos of enlisted loved ones. In addition to sending an image, you have the opportunity to describe the photo. Click <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/30872565/">here</a> for details.<br /><br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Armed+Forces" rel="tag">Armed Forces</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Today+Show" rel="tag">Today Show</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NBC" rel="tag">NBC</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media" rel="tag">Media</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by Sistrunk</a><br /><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-2585659111502740695?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-83632825747414179192009-05-31T20:53:00.003-05:002009-05-31T20:58:24.096-05:00Having a little fun with the Southern horoscopeFor all of my friends with Southern roots - and those who appreciate Southern roots<br /><br />OKRA-Dec 22 - Jan 20<br />Although you appear crude, you are actually very slick on the inside. Okrans have tremendous influence. An older Okra can look back over his life and see the seeds of his influence everywhere. Stay away from Moon Pies.<br /><br />CHITLINS-Jan 21 - Feb 19<br />Chitlins often come from humble backgrounds. Many times they're uncomfortable talking about just where they came from. A chitlin, however, can make something of himself if he's motivated and has plenty of seasoning. When it comes to dealing with Chitlins, be very careful. Chitlins can burn and then erupt like Vesuvius, and this can make for a really terrible mess. Chitlins are best with Catfish and Okra. Remember that when marriage time rolls around.<br /><br />BOLL WEEVIL-Feb 20 - Mar 20<br />You have an overwhelming curiosity. You're unsatisfied with the surface of things, and you feel the need to bore deep into the interior of everything. Needless to say, you are very intense and driven as if you had some inner hunger. Nobody in their right mind is going to marry you, so don't worry about it.<br /><br />MOON PIE-Mar 21 - Apr 20<br />You're the type that spends a lot of time on the front porch. You probably need to get out more. You should marry anybody who you can get remotely interested in the idea. It's not going to be easy. This might be the year to think about aerobics. Maybe not.<br /><br />POSSUM-Apr 21 - May 21<br />When confronted with life's difficulties, you tend to have a "don't-bother" attitude. Sometimes you become so withdrawn, people actually think you're dead. This strategy is probably not psychologically healthy, but seems to work for you. One day, however, it won't work, and you may find your problems actually running you over.<br /><br />CRAWFISH-May 22 - Jun 21<br />Crawfish is a water sign. If you work in an office, you're always hanging around the water cooler. Crawfish prefer the beach to the mountains, the pool to the golf course, the bathtub to the living room. You tend not to be particularly attractive physically, but you have very good heads.<br /><br />COLLARDS-Jun 22- Jul 23<br />Collards have a genius for communication. They have a zest for life and share their essence with the essences of those around them. Collards make good social workers, psychologists, and baseball managers. As far as your personal life goes, if you are Collards, stay away from Moon Pies. It just won't work. Save yourself a lot of heartache.<br /><br />CATFISH-Jul 24 - Aug 23<br />Catfish are traditionalists in matters of the heart, with one exception: Whiskers may cause problems for loved ones. You Catfish are never easy people to understand. You prefer the muddy bottoms to the clear surface of life. Above all else, Catfish should stay away from Moon Pies.<br /><a href="http://www.qksrv.net/click-578091-529373" target="_blank"></a><br />GRITS-Aug 24 - Sept 23<br />Your highest aim is to be with others like yourself. You like to huddle together with a big crowd of other Grits. You love to travel, though, so maybe you should think about joining a club. Where do you like to go? Anywhere they have cheese or gravy or bacon or butter or eggs. If you can go somewhere where they have all these things, that serves you well.<br /><br />BOILED PEANUTS-Sep 24 - Oct 23<br />You have a passionate desire to help your fellow man. Unfortunately, those who know you best - your friends and loved - may find that your personality is much too salty, and their criticism will probably affect you deeply because you are really much softer than you appear. You should go right ahead and marry anybody you want to because in a certain way, yours is a charmed life. On the road of life, you can be sure that people will always pull over and stop for you.<br /><br />BUTTER BEAN-Oct 24 - Nov 22<br />Always invite a Butter Bean because Butter Beans get along well with everybody. You, as a Butter Bean, should be proud. You've grown on the vine of life and you feel at home no matter what the setting. You can sit next to anybody. However, you, too, shouldn't have anything to do with Moon Pies.<br /><br />ARMADILLO-Nov 23 - Dec 21<br />You have a tendency to develop a tough exterior, but you are actually quite gentle. A good evening for you? Friends, a fire, some roots, fruit, worms and insects. You are a throwback. You're not concerned with today's fashions and trends. You're not concerned with anything about today. You're really almost prehistoric in your interests and behavior patterns. You probably want to marry another Armadillo, but Possum is another somewhat [adventurous] mating possibility.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://dawns.iqonline.net/EbonyEarthGoddess/EEG30.htm">Muse 30</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-8363282574741417919?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-79777977059550705412009-05-29T03:26:00.004-05:002009-05-29T13:11:49.085-05:00Examining workers' compensation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/Sh-bIAq-AtI/AAAAAAAAAqo/04EknnIDLIg/s1600-h/j0341649.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341158245006181074" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 142px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/Sh-bIAq-AtI/AAAAAAAAAqo/04EknnIDLIg/s200/j0341649.jpg" border="0" /></a>I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ve</span> been working in communications many years. Few people know that I once held a job handling workers' compensation claims. You learn a lot about the workplace when you see the reports. Sometimes you hear some amazing stories about injuries and workplace conditions.<br /><br />I am not an attorney, but I do know that all states have workers’ compensation laws. Most were enacted during the 1920s. These statutes are designed to ensure that employees who are injured or disabled on the job are provided with lost wages, as well as medical and other benefits. These laws also provide benefits for dependents of those workers who are killed because of work-related accidents or illnesses.<br /><br />For instance, the state of Pennsylvania has established the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. The agency is charged with protecting employees’ rights and making sure that employers are in compliance with the law. However, even though statutes are in place to protect employees, circumstances arise that prompt employees to seek legal counsel. For such employees, there are <a href="http://www.oxenburgandfranzel.com/workers-compensation" target="_blank">Philadelphia workers' compensation lawyers</a>.<br /><br />Unfortunately, there are times when employees die as a result of work-related accidents or illnesses. Families of the victims may elect to contact a <a href="http://www.oxenburgandfranzel.com/workers-compensation" target="_blank">Philadelphia workers' compensation attorney</a> to consider their options.<br /><br />The claims process can be complex, and employees (or their families) may be unsure about their rights under the law. In those cases, those affected may ask seek advice from <a href="http://www.oxenburgandfranzel.com/workers-compensation/" target="_blank">Philadelphia workers' compensation attorneys</a>.<br /><br />Most of us know friends or family members who have filed workers’ comp claims. The claims are not processed overnight, and employees often want to know what to expect. An injured worker may wonder if the employer is acting in his best interests.<br /><br />Claims are serious business. Employees who are injured on the job rely on their incomes to care of their families. Any employee with serious concerns has the right to call a <a href="http://www.oxenburgandfranzel.com/workers-compensation/" target="_blank">Philadelphia workers' compensation lawyer</a>.<br /><br />It pays to know your rights under the law. Call experts in the field to make sure that you are receiving the protection you deserve.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-7977797705955070541?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-37531128699284426002009-05-29T03:00:00.002-05:002009-05-29T03:54:18.748-05:00Skyrocketing bank feesU.S. House Democrats are urging the Federal Reserve to issue rules requiring banks to obtain approval from customers before allowing them to overdraw from their bank accounts using debit cards and automatic teller machines, a step that could include a hefty fee.<br /><br />Reuters reports that the proposals would apply only to electronic fund transfers using debit cards and automatic teller machines.<br /><br />The Federal Reserve is considering new rules on possibly requiring banks to offer customers an opt-in to overdraft programs or whether an opt-out mechanism is sufficient.<br /><br />Overdraft fees is the next area lawmakers want to address. This comes after Congress passed a comprehensive credit card bill. Consumers had lodged complaints of hidden fees and unexpected changes to their credit card terms and billing practices.<br /><br />Meanwhile, USA Today reports that banks are finding ways to boost fees, with checking accounts being the latest target. Click <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/banking/2009-05-27-checks-fees-banks_N.htm">here</a> for details.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-3753112869928442600?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-65371066160789477642009-05-28T23:11:00.005-05:002009-05-28T23:15:07.661-05:00Making the case for personal checksMaybe I'm a little old-fashioned, but I still carry a checkbook. My young adult daughter, Elizabeth, holds a different view when it comes to <a href="https://www.carouselchecks.com/see_all_our_checks.htm">checks</a>. She doesn't believe she needs them. Even though I handle many of my banking transactions electronically, I still keep personal checks on hand. Elizabeth has never ordered checks. From time to time, she has come to regret this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/Sh9g2mrwO5I/AAAAAAAAAqg/8ThY3VMEa-o/s1600-h/Checks-Fish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 147px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/Sh9g2mrwO5I/AAAAAAAAAqg/8ThY3VMEa-o/s320/Checks-Fish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341094174297963410" border="0" /></a><br />Occasionally, my daughter will need to pay a bill and the company doesn't have an electronic pay feature. Usually, she'll come to me with cash and ask me to write out a check. Recently, my daughter started a new job. She wanted direct deposit for her paychecks, but she didn't have a personal check that she could void. The employer also wouldn't accept starter checks. So my daughter is stuck with picking up her checks on payday and running to the bank.<br /><br />Without a doubt, Americans are using paper less and less in their financial transactions. Many predict that someday we'll be a paperless society, but I'm not sure if will ever be the case.<br /><br />Some of us still have a bit of "old school" in us. We like to whip out a check now and then. We're not ready to be totally dependent on plastic.<br /><br />If I'm going to have <a href="http://www.carouselchecks.com/">checks</a>, I want a little personalization -- something that expresses "me". I like anything that has to do with water, so checks with tropical fish are perfect.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-6537106616078947764?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-70737871177383092292009-05-26T16:26:00.001-05:002009-05-26T16:27:11.380-05:00Slumping economy impacts vacationsAccording to a survey by CareerBuilder.com, 35 percent of workers say they haven't gone on or aren't planning to take a vacation this year. Of those, 71 percent said they just can't afford a vacation during the recession. As a result, more people are electing to stay close to home during their time off.<br /><br />Meanwhile, small business owners say that vacations and holidays are luxuries they can hardly afford. That's according to a recent survey of 750 small-business owners by credit card issuer <kwd href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Discover+Financial">Discover Financial Services</kwd>. As these entrepreneurs continue to hunt for new clients and survive the ailing economy, they are scheduling less down time.<br /><br />Is the recession impacting your leisure time?<br /><br /><br />Sources: Houston Chronicle, USA Today<br /><br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Vacations" rel="tag">Vacations</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Recession" rel="tag">Recession</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Business" rel="tag">Business</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by Sistrunk</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-7073787117738309229?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-59145503719589503892009-05-26T11:30:00.003-05:002009-05-26T14:59:22.127-05:00Vacation remedies for a workaholic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/ShweZFHVY3I/AAAAAAAAApg/2udISxMutOQ/s1600-h/Telluride+logo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 67px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/ShweZFHVY3I/AAAAAAAAApg/2udISxMutOQ/s200/Telluride+logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340176674373067634" border="0" /></a>I am a self-professed workaholic, and I'm way overdue for some R &amp; R. Recently, I stumbled across some images on the Web of Telluride, Colo. It didn't take me long to learn more about this mountain community from the <a href="http://www.visittelluride.com/" target="_blank">Telluride Tourism</a> Board.<br /><br />The mountains themselves are breathtaking, especially to someone like me, who grew up in America's central plains. When I read about Telluride's rich history and culture, I began to consider the region as a perfect vacation getaway.<br /><br />If I decide to opt for a long weekend, I'd love to experience Telluride Jazz Festival, which will be held June 5-7. The event is billed a<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/ShwfSU1Ol_I/AAAAAAAAApw/tBh96jWSem4/s1600-h/Telluride+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/ShwfSU1Ol_I/AAAAAAAAApw/tBh96jWSem4/s200/Telluride+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340177657844635634" border="0" /></a>s a "celebration of the art, soul, history, and future of an all-American art form." A hot-air balloon event is also taking place that weekend.<br /><br />If I hold off until the first weekend in July -- the Independence Day weekend -- I could be on hand for the Red, White &amp; Blues Concert. I'm always up for a good blues event.<br /><br />Telluride is hosting 20 weekend festivals this summer, and there's something for everyone. I could even make this a family affair. Telluride has a special going right now. If I buy three plane tickets, the fourth person flies free. The <a href="http://www.visittelluride.com/places-to-stay/4th-Flies-Free-Promotion">4th Flies Free</a> offer is good for anyone purchasing three tickets if they fly into Montrose Regional Airport.<br /><br />When I take my next vacation, it might be a long weekend. I might take a whole week off. Either way, if I'm in Telluride, I'll have plenty of things to enjoy.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-5914550371958950389?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-27106237430608245642009-05-24T12:19:00.002-05:002009-05-24T12:21:56.331-05:00Writing tip of the weekLetting too many people comment on the style and substance of a document you have written is a surefire way to slow down progress. It also hampers communication.<br /><br />The reason is simple. People who review the document feel compelled to change a word, add a phrase or leave some other imprint, even if the copy is well written. Unfortunately, some people equate wordiness with effective writing. Some even insist on imposing out-of-date grammar and writing styles. And let's be honest. Some people simply cannot write.<br /><br />If you've ever faced this problem, there <em>is</em> a solution: Restrict comments on style to only one or two colleagues who are skilled enough to make such comments. From the others, insist that they read only for substance and accuracy. Always make the case for simple and concise writing, and stick to your guns.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-2710623743060824564?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-34909396197787448692009-05-13T23:16:00.007-05:002009-05-14T20:17:15.524-05:00Under the weather? Google wants to know.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/Sgua1ziLtbI/AAAAAAAAAno/zx0MnHdm1sE/s1600-h/j0422201.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/Sgua1ziLtbI/AAAAAAAAAno/zx0MnHdm1sE/s200/j0422201.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335528432707810738" border="0" /></a>Are you stuffy, sneezy, or in pain? Do you go online to figure out what ails you? If so, Google wants to know.<br /><br />The Internet giant has a new post on its blog -- <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/understanding-health-related-searches.html">Understanding health-related searches</a>. The new post reads, in part:<br /><br /><blockquote>Today we've started a temporary experiment that some people might find interesting: we're researching how Google users search the Internet when they or someone they know is feeling sick.<br /><br />Understanding how people search when they're feeling sick is an important problem to solve, as it can help improve projects like <a href="http://www.google.org/flutrends/">Google Flu Trends</a>, which uses aggregated search data to detect influenza epidemics. Statistics gathered in this experiment may also help Google deliver more relevant search results in the future.</blockquote><br /><a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/more-search-options-and-other-updates.html">Google recently announced several new efforts to enhance its search features</a>. To read the health post in its entirety, click <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/understanding-health-related-searches.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Google" rel="tag">Google</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Internet" rel="tag">Internet</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Health" rel="tag">Health</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by Sistrunk</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-3490939619778744869?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-7640903557862477662009-05-10T22:57:00.001-05:002009-05-10T22:59:29.960-05:00Offbeat news<a href="http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/05/07/Gun-teacher-accidentally-shot-student/UPI-71011241732079/" target="23"><b>Gun Teacher Accidentally Shot Student</b></a> <div class="article_text"><nobr><span style="font-size:100%;">(United Press International)</span></nobr><br /><li>Police said a Michigan concealed weapons teacher accidentally shot a student in the face during a demonstration.<br /><br /></li><br /><a href="http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090507/D981JK0G0.html" target="23"><b>Snake Head in Food Rattles Diner at Restaurant</b></a> <nobr><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />(Associated Press)</span></nobr><br /><li>A diner at a T.G.I. Friday's in upstate New York says he got a little something extra with his broccoli: a severed snake head.<br /><br /></li></div><br /><a href="http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/04/29/Postman-bitten-by-snake-in-a-box/UPI-36301240987139/" target="23"><b>Postman Bitten by Snake in a Box</b></a> <div class="article_text"><nobr><span style="font-size:100%;">(United Press International)</span></nobr><br /><li>A British letter carrier got an unpleasant surprise when a venomous snake lurking in a post box bit him on the hand.</li></div><br /><br /><a href="http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090506/D980E4MG0.html" target="23"><b>Man Steals 'Prisoner' T-Shirt from Jail</b></a> <div class="article_text"><nobr><span style="font-size:100%;">(Associated Press)</span></nobr><br /><li>A 20-year-old man was locked up once again after being charged with stealing his prisoner T-shirt from a previous stint at the Fresno County Jail. </li></div><br /><br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Strange+News" rel="tag">Strange News</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sistrunk</span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-764090355786247766?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-20346084873612645792009-05-04T08:33:00.002-05:002009-05-14T08:07:25.311-05:00Political humorComedian Jay Leno recently delivered these gems on his show:<br /><br /><blockquote>The White House says as of now, it is not contained. It could continue to get worse. And they were just talking about Joe Biden.</blockquote><br /><blockquote>A vacancy on the Supreme Court. This is something we haven't seen in awhile. Let's just hope the President is better at picking a justice than the justices were at picking a president.</blockquote><blockquote><br />As you may have heard, the White House has a brand-new puppy. I believe his name is Arlen Specter.</blockquote><br /><br /><br />Source: U.S. News & World Report<br /><br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Political+Humor" rel="tag">Political Humor</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Humor" rel="tag">Humor</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Politics" rel="tag">Politics</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Sistrunk</span></span></a> <p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-2034608487361264579?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-37869490378118477702009-05-01T18:43:00.001-05:002009-05-01T19:26:16.760-05:00White House steps up Web presence<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SfuTFLbZQaI/AAAAAAAAAko/3d6-XRxHZ2I/s1600-h/White+House+MySpace.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 170px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VTSqYTSUqMc/SfuTFLbZQaI/AAAAAAAAAko/3d6-XRxHZ2I/s200/White+House+MySpace.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331016301099434402" border="0" /></a>The White House took a major leap into the Web 2.0 world on today, launching pages on social networks <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">MySpace</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Facebook</span> and sending its first "tweets" on Twitter.<br /><br />Content from President <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Obama's</span> website <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">WhiteHouse</span>.gov is being fed in real time to White House profile pages on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">MySpace</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Facebook</span> and members of the communities can sign up as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Facebook</span> "fans" or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">MySpace</span> "friends."<br /><br />The White House had more than 31,000 fans on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Facebook</span> and more than 4,000 friends on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">MySpace</span> within a few hours of the pages going online while more than 8,500 people had signed up as "followers" of the White House on Twitter.<br /><br />"Technology has profoundly impacted how -- and where -- we all consume information and communicate with one another," the White House said in a blog post on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">WhiteHouse</span>.gov titled "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">WhiteHouse</span> 2.0."<br /><br />The White House invited feedback from users and both the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">MySpace</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Facebook</span> pages were deluged with comments.<br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Barack+Obama" rel="tag">Barack Obama</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Social+Media" rel="tag">Social Media</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Technology" rel="tag">Technology</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Politics" rel="tag">Politics</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Media+by+Sistrunk" rel="tag">Media by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Sistrunk</span></span></a> <p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-3786949037811847770?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-30581798868217581202009-05-01T18:10:00.001-05:002009-05-01T18:12:16.721-05:00Intergenerational project honors preservationistThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joins two other organizations in sponsoring a photo, essay, and poetry contest "that best expresses the Sense of Wonder that you feel for the sea, the night sky, forests, birds, wildlife, and all that is beautiful to your eyes." Generations United and Rachel Carson Inc. are co-sponsors. The contest honors Rachel Carson, the late preservationist and ecologist.<br /><br />In her book <span style="font-style: italic;">The Sense of Wonder</span> (written in the 1950s and published in a magazine in 1956), Carson used lyrical passages about the beauty of nature. She enjoyed helping children develop a sense of wonder and love of nature.<br /><br />Prize: Publication on the websites of EPA Aging Initiative, Generations United, and Rachel Carson Council, Inc.<br /><br />Eligibility: Entries must be joint projects involving a young person under 18 and someone aged 50 or older.<br /><br />Deadline: June 10, 2009.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-3058179886821758120?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14769049.post-31929220034515025052009-04-29T13:50:00.004-05:002009-06-01T06:25:37.037-05:00LED lighting - business solutions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://solarwindandlights.com/images/rightImage1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 177px;" src="http://solarwindandlights.com/images/rightImage1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>We could soon see a "revolution" in the way we illuminate our world, according to a paper published recently by professors at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Rensselaer</span> Polytechnic Institute. <br /><p>Innovations in technology, including solid state lighting, will lead to trillions of dollars in cost savings, along with a huge reduction in the amount of energy required to light homes and businesses around the globe, the researchers predict.</p> The study suggests that a new generation of lighting devices based on light-emitting diodes (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">LEDs</span>) would replace the common light bulb in a few years.<br /><br />More and more businesses are making changes in the name of "going green". Solar, Winds &amp; Lights, a firm specializing in renewable energy products, recommends installing <a href="http://solarwindandlights.com/" target="_blank">LED light bulbs</a> to get started. According to the firm, industrial and commercial organizations using LED lighting significantly decrease energy costs by reducing their use of electricity.<br /><br />Companies that decide to go to LED light bulbs also switch to <a href="http://solarwindandlights.com/products.php" target="_blank">LED light fixtures</a>. Look for fixtures that are designed well. Effective cooling extends the life of your fixtures, another guaranteed cost-saving measure.<br /><br />No one knows when the recession will let up, so it's no surprise that municipal governments are also looking for ways to save money. <a href="http://solarwindandlights.com/products.php" target="_blank">LED street lights</a> offer a viable solution to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">MH</span> or sodium vapor streetlights.<br /><br />LED light bulbs and <a href="http://solarwindandlights.com/" target="_blank">LED fixtures</a>: For businesses looking for ways to reduce their energy bills, these solutions are worthy of serious consideration.<br /><br />---<br /><br />To obtain the all Cisco certifications you need at least 6 months work experience in the related field. Cisco <a href="http://www.testking.com/CISSP-certification-training.htm">CISSP</a> Certified Information Systems Security Professional, <a href="http://www.testking.com/640-802.htm">ccna 640-802</a> Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), <a href="http://www.testking.com/642-812.htm">ccnp 642-812</a> Cisco BCMSN and <a href="http://www.testking.com/642-892.htm">ccnp 642-892</a> exam require the working experience. Microsoft Deploying and Maintaining Windows Vista Client <a href="http://www.testking.com/70-624.htm">70-624</a> and CompTIA <a href="http://www.testking.com/220-601.htm">a+ 220-601</a> are the middle level certification exams and can be obtained easily.<br /><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14769049-3192922003451502505?l=mediabysistrunk.blogspot.com'/></div>Deb S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14072871724975222638MediaBySistrunk@gmail.com0