Not wanting to fall too far behind leading social sharing sites (primarily Facebook), Google is rolling out it’s new socially connected experiment they are calling “+1.” The new “+1” button is an opt-in service and will permit socially connected users to give their stamp of approval to a search results, therefore helping friends “find the best stuff.”
Not unlike the Facebook “Like” button, the Google “+1” button will keep a log of your favorite finds on Google and then use them to gauge the content that you’ll receive on the search page – and obvious plus for Google is for ad placement. The changes to the algorithm that Google uses is also suppose to reduce the “cluttery” on a user’s search results and help them hone in on quality results. According to Google, their goal“is to get you the most relevant results as quickly as possible.”
The opt-in page explains: "Your +1’s are public. They can appear in Google search results, on ads, and sites across the Web. You’ll always be able to see your own +1’s in a new tab on your Google Profile, and if you want, you can share this tab with the world." If this sounds a little like Delicious to you, you’re not alone, although remember Google has been experimenting with "social stuff" for awhile with the likes of Wave and Buzz.
According to tech news sites, Google admittedly considered buying Digg too, a user voting service that ranked popular links, but the talks fell through – Digg has since languished. With Google’s “+1” there isn’t a Digg-like central repository for the most popular links. There isn’t a list of how many people have given each result a seal of approval, only that one of your Google contacts has given a +1 to a link. Who know’s what Google is collecting behind the scenes?
Considering an excellent education and respected alma mater is critical for career opportunities, it is important that the administration, alumni and the student body work together to rehabilitate Miami’s tarnished reputation. Miami University’s student body president Heath Ingram is on the right track. Blaming just a couple sororities as many defending Miami as a whole have done, isn’t the answer … considering an atmosphere with ‘potential for embarrassment’ is blatantly obvious almost every weekend in the college town of Oxford. As an alum, it is good to see a student leader recognizing the value of a positive Miami reputation and inspiring other students to do the same.
Miami University’s student body president on Tuesday called the drunken behavior of sororities last spring that made national headlines “ridiculous.”
He challenged all students to help the school regain the respect it lost when two greek organizations made Miami a punch line due to excessive drinking and partying that included destroying property.
“I’m asking us to work harder and play smarter,” Heath Ingram said.
“I’m not advocating that students not enjoy themselves. But I would hate it if when people think Miami that they think of Green Beer Day. …
“If you don’t want to do it for the sake of Miami, do it for the sake of your own educational background.”
Ingram spoke during his State of Miami address at the Farmer School of Business before more than 100 students.
During the speech, he stressed school pride, ways the school is working to attract the best students and strengthen its bond with alumni.
Ingram said few Ohioans are aware that Miami competes with the nation’s elite institutions and ranks higher academically than Yale, is tied with Princeton and is behind only Darthmouth.
“I want to inspire students here to recognize that Miami has a remarkable reputation as an institution and to play a role in making the university better,” Ingram said.
I continue to be impressed with the Canon DSLR cameras and their ability to capture some pretty impressive video. Alexandra Erickson added this to her Vimeo blog in January when northwest Oregon was experiencing flooding.
Although many in our government advocates for green or sustainable transportation, something tells me that driving a sailboat on the roadways around here … with sails up … would not be applauded by our city police or state highway patrol. This nationalclass.ruYouTube video clip made me smile
Volkswagen’s new 2011 Jetta model suffers a voluntary anti-theft and horn safety recall: “to reconfigure a wiring layout.”
VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL OF 71,000 2011 MODEL YEAR JETTA VEHICLES
March 28, 2011 – Herndon, VA – Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced a voluntary safety recall of 71,043 2011 model year Jettas in order to reconfigure a wiring layout associated with the anti-theft alarm system and horn. No injuries or accidents have been reported as a result of this condition.
The recall affects sixth generation Jetta sedan vehicles built between March of 2010 and March of 2011.
Affected owners will be notified via first class mail regarding the corrective measures and anticipated repair timeline.
Customers with questions or concerns should contact Volkswagen Customer Care at 1-800-822-8987.
How much of Volkswagen’s unique ‘transparent’ Phaeton factory in Dresden, Germany will be found in their new Chattanooga, Tennessee operation? (The VW Phaeton is Volkswagen’s flagship ‘premium class’ automobile)
Although I’d be hard pressed to convince anyone that spring is here based on the long winter and the cold temperatures we have been having, our Star Magnolia is telling us that winter is over and that spring weather is here or suppose to be here. Let’s hope the latest cold weather will be our last. (full sized photo below)
Magnolia stellata, sometimes called the star magnolia is a slow growing shrub or small tree native to Japan with large showy white or pink flowers in early spring before the appearance of the leaves.
It does seem a little early, but it is nearing the time we’ll find out who is a viable and electable 2012 Republican candidate for President.
As I look at the current field of previous GOP presidential candidates, a couple of them seem to be getting their names out early. One well known political hopeful is Newt Gingrich, and his 10 second sound bite this weekend resonated with me (above). I think it is well past time for politicians to curb their borrowing and looking for new places to tax … and “to quit spending.”
If our elected representatives need something to do, how about addressing entitlement reform since the majority of Americans of all ages and political parties see it as a major problem – Medicare, Social Security, etc.
The next big Google thing? 
