A very cool and simple way to save your Kuler color themes to the Mac
Thomas in Germany reminded me of a very cool plug-in for Mac OSX called Mondrianum from Lithoglyph. Mondrianum is a plug-in that makes it easy to save your Kuler themes and search all Kuler themes right inside PowerPoint or Keynote or any other app on your Mac. Once the free plug-in is installed it acts like a built-in, system-wide color picker, available in any Mac application that supports this feature. This plug-in absolutely made my week — totally awesome! (What's Kuler? I talked about it here a few days ago.)
Above: After you install the plug-in you'll notice a new option on the upper right of your color inspector. As long as you have an internet connection you can search the entire Kuler community of public themes. In the screenshot above, I searched all the color themes that I created in Kuler from photographs by searching for my user name — you can search by user name or idea, concept, season, whatever...
Above: Here I am saving the theme to the system-wide color picker so that I can have access to it even when not online. It is easy to created themes in Kuler and then save them to Mac so you can access them anytime.
Above: Here is the color scheme now from within iWork. You can rename the colors or theme at this time as well.
Above: You can search by any keyword you like or by a user's name if you happen to fancy someone's particular themes.
If you are using Kuler, then you must have the Mondrianum plug-in. Amazingly simple and powerful. I assume there is something this easy for the PC as well? If so, can you please let me know of any plug-in for the PC that will integrate Kuler with your system color picker? I will post the link here.Mondrianum
http://www.lithoglyph.com/mondrianum/
FakeAPStyleBook explained
If you haven't already heard of @FakeAPStyleBook, you're apparently not one of the 9,000 who followed the feed in the first four days. It's explosive growth, even for one of the wittiest Twitterfeeds I've ever seen. In a single day, they had 1,000 followers, and by day two, they had literary agents at their tweet. How did they do it? Actually, who did it? Well, beyond sheer wit, Media Shift finds out. Mark Glaser interviews @FakeAPStyleBook founders, Ken Lowery and Mark Hale.
To give you a taste, here's one of the questions and answers:
Why do you think out of all the things you've done that this one has resonated with so many people
Lowery: Initially, the first popularity came from journalists who said, "I needed this" or "this made my week" or "this is very cathartic." My own highfalutin theory is that journalists have taken a pretty bad beating the past few years in public perception and job security, and this is a way to goof off without being mean or cynical. It's been journalists, salespeople, marketing people, English teachers, students, and fans of word humor [following us].
The power of the viral Internet continues to amaze me.
Read the full interview.
Keep up with the latest in journalism.
Subtle romance: my favorite clip from Fallen Angels
Eating Brazil nuts in Brazil. Would they just be called "nuts"? These are the deep things I usually think about :)
I'm seriously in love with my @Sonos. I want to do informercial for them!!!
Sent from my iPhone, but I'd rather be using my blackberry frankly.
Looking for Big Bad Wolf - Mike
Persistence and branding that wins
What does it take to dominate branding? Persistence, according to an insightful post on Designer Daily. As an example, check out this stimulating comparison between Pepsi and Coca-Cola:
Both soda brands have the fortune of long and celebrated histories, but the design proves an interesting point. In the case of Coke, images and products become "classic" (in the various positive senses of the word) when we allow them to be. That is, longevity and model leadership occurs when we trust the brand enough to endure and then persist in it.
The post throws out one more observation that I like: eliminate time sensitive elements from your brand. I like it because it allows your branding to last the ages but also because it pushes some provocative questions. Is either your product or message something that engages essential humanness? Could your brand transcend time? The answer is probably not the same for all successful businesses.
More branding insights.
Inspirational videos to supercharge your day
Need to jumpstart your day? Mashable's rounded up seven inspirational videos. As a taste, here are two of them.
Jason McElwain: the Autistic Basketball player
Embedded media -- click here to see it.
How a blind teenager sees with sound
Embedded media -- click here to see it.
Click over to see all seven.
Here's a firehose of inspiration.
The four styles of leadership
Ever wondered how your, your boss's or your mentor's leadership style compares with others? Forbes publisher Rich Karlgaard comments on the four types of leadership he observed at the Forbes Global CEO Conference in Kuala Lumpur. The leadership types are:
• Visionary
• Emphathetic
• Humble servitude
• Moral/ethical
These distinctions are great ways to grow your leadership skills by thinking about those with a similar style. It also aligns you when working with other leaders, your employees or your bosses. Where would you or your boss fit?
Read the article to understand Mr. Karlgaard's full definitions.
More tips and observations on leadership.
Dalai Lama visits monastery close to Tibetan border
The Dalai Lama made a visit to a monastery close to the Tibetan border. He visited Tawang which is in India's state called Arunachal Pradesh. BBC caught the visit in pictures.
More coverage of Politics.
Mauricio Anzeri
Reverse graffiti artist
Artist Paul Curtis has a new spin on graffiti: he strips away "soot, dirt, and atmosphereic detritus" to make a statement.
More Art.
Look at who I found in my front seat--video!! Busted!
Sent from my iPhone, but I'd rather be using my blackberry frankly.
How to get the most marketing bang out of your next event
DoSomething recently held a party and successfully raise half a million dollars for its charity work. That's the good news. Nancy Rubin, the CEO of DoSomething, considered the event a failure from the standpoint of PR. That's the bad news.
With hindsight, she came up with seven recommendations on how she could have reaped more marketing and PR benefits. The recommendations include doing more pre-event digging, granting a media exclusive, and making your own paparazzi. Read her post to get the most out of your next event.
More help for Entrepreneurs.
10 beloved but unhealthy gaming snacks
Whether you're settling in for an overnight World of Warcraft session or you're gearing up for some Left 4 Dead, it's safe to say you gamers likely have your food plan secured. But there are designated guidelines for what is considered acceptable snacking during gameplay.
Ideally, you need to be able to grasp the food item with one hand, and without having to look. To maximize your gaming time, it should take no more than ten minutes to prepare. Finally, it's probably going to be loaded with calories, sugar, caffeine, and cholestoral.
Topless Robot has compiled a funny list of the ten most beloved and unhealthy gaming snacks - from pizza rolls to mountain dew.
All the food stories your tummy desires.
Do you know the difference between goals, strategies, and tactics?
Do you know the difference between goals, strategies, and tactics? You'd be surprised at how many people use these terms inter-changeably. The terms are most certainly very different. John Furguson explains the difference over at the Brand Insight Blog. Short story: a goal is what you want to achieve. A strategy is how you could achieve your goal. A tactic is an action to execute a strategy.
For example, my goal for Alltop is worldwide domination of RSS. My strategy is to us Twitter to reach thousands of people with Alltop's hundreds of topics. My tactic is to create a large following using informative links so that I earn the right to promote Alltop to them.
More help for Marketing.
10 cool gadgets to add to your holiday wishlist
You're never too old to write up a holiday wish list. Santa won't deliver, but with the right hint-dropping strategy, a loved one might! If not, you can always treat yourself - because these ten great gadgets (like the Kodak pocket video camera or the Olive Opus No.4 digital music server) are worth saving up for.
Get your gadget fix.
How to monetize your writing with donations
Fiction authors like Stephen King, John Scalzi, Sharon Lee, Steve Miller, and Cory Doctorow are conducting interesting attempts at online donation models. PBS has a very article that examines the methods that each of them have tried. Interesting reading if you're a writer trying to figure out how to monetize your work.
More on Publishing.
Why fruit juice is no better than soda
Hurt me, fruit juice is no better, and perhaps worse, than soda? According to the Los Angeles Times, that's the bittersweet truth:
A glass of juice concentrates all the sugar from several pieces of fruit. Ounce per ounce, it contains more calories than soda, though it tends to be consumed in smaller servings. A cup of orange juice has 112 calories, apple juice has 114, and grape juice packs 152, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The same amount of Coke has 97 calories, and Pepsi has 100.
Get your Nutrition news here.
How to avoid dumb mission statements
Would you like to learn how to craft a better mission statement for your business? Nancy Lublin at Fast Company explains how to write a good one. A mission statement should identify quantifiable goals and omit the jargon and flowery language that appear on the walls at corporate headquarters. Too often, companies and non-profit organizations fail identify a clear objective, and instead opt for sentimentality.
More tips and news about Leadership.
You need Feed
Razorfish just released the 2009 version of Feed. This report is probably the best analysis of online consumer behavior. Here are some of the major conclusions:
Contrary to popular belief, consumers are not shutting out brands – they're interacting with them. According to FEED, 77 percent of consumers surveyed have watched a commercial or video advertisement on YouTube with some frequency; 69 percent have provided feedback to a brand, either through a website or a third-party service like GetSatisfaction.com; 65 percent have played a branded browser-based game, and 40 percent of consumers have friended a brand on Facebook. Moreover, 70 percent have participated in a brand-sponsored contest or sweepstakes.
Digital experiences create customers. The overwhelming majority of consumers who actively engage with a brand in digital fashion are much more inclined to purchase products and recommend the brand to others.
Digital can make or break a brand. Sixty-five percent of consumers say that a digital experience, either positive or negative, changed their opinion of a brand. Of those, 97 percent said that their experience influenced whether they eventually purchased from the brand.
Feed is a must-read if you're interested in social media and marketing.
Total Branding knowledge in minutes per day.
How to stay on top of what's happening in Silicon Valley
If you're a Bay Area tech entrepreneur, you should subscribe to the digest of the Business Association of of Stanford Entrepreneurial Students (BASES). It provides a weekly wrap up of interesting events, blog posts, and job openings. Here's last week's. Even if you're not in the area, it provides a very useful perspective of what's happening in Silicon Valley.
Here's another way to stay on top of what's happening in Silicon Valley.
How to train your brain to be in a better mood
It's easy to get caught in a cycle of depression, foul moods, and frustration. We've all been there. Sometimes it's caused by hormonal shifts in the body, a major life change, and so on. Whatever the reason, we all have our personal triggers. It's normal that this happens, but it is possible to train yourself to be in the positive mood you want. By following a framework of steps, we can work towards pulling ourselves out of dark.
The first step is to agree with yourself that you don't want to be in the miserable mood you're currently in. It seems obvious, but by acknowledging it, you refrain from allowing yourself to stew in a pity party.
Second, you need to focus on the mood or emotion you desire to gravitate towards. Don't say, "I don't want to feel this way anymore." Rather, focus on how you do want to feel. Define your goal mood in a few words like - calm, happy, confident - whatever the case may be.
Read on to get all the steps, and take back control over your state of mind.
Learn to make the most of everyday by getting things done.
300,000 birds swarm over Denmark: amazing video
Buzzfeed posted this incredible video of an immense flock of starling birds flying over Denmark. The cluster of 300,000 birds form a dark, shape-shifting cloud. The clip is amazing, eerie, and just plain cool. Learn a little more about the video here.
Embedded media -- click here to see it.
[Via The Huffington Post]
Plenty more stories about animals.
What to do with all that leftover Halloween candy
Another Halloween has just passed, and for most of us, that usually means there's a leftover bowl of candy sitting somewhere in the house. Instead of staring at it for the next couple months - or throwing it away - why not read about the twelve ways to use up leftover Halloween candy?
One great way to make good use of those goodies is to save it for your holiday gingerbread house. Or for those of you with a real sweet tooth, you can toss those smarties or M&M's into some homemade trail mix. And if you're all candied out, you can even sell it to your dentist. Seriously - many dentists participate in a program called Halloween Candy Buy Back!
Be sure to read all the twelve ways to use up that leftover sugar. These great ideas will help save you a little money, and be less wasteful.
Many more tips and tricks for your frugal self.
Everything you need to know you can learn on a high-school wall
I saw this on a wall at Menlo-Atherton High School and took a picture of it because it's a good philosophy of life.
More tips for Life.
8:30pm dinner for one
Chicken drumstick pan-fried with garlic and parsley, and leftover braised salted-fish eggplant from R&G Lounge (my favorite dish there!) reinvented with some zucchini and chili flakes. All over coconut rice.
Really nice chocolate omiyage from "Treasure Island" in Korea -- cool package
Hmmm, how do you say "omiyage" in Korean? Anyway, really nice package. Received this from one of my students returning from Korea.
