Last night, Ehren Watada’s story caught my attention, and brought me back to this long neglected blog. Well, here is an update from someone who appears to be right there at the trial. I share the writer’s pessimism that Watada will likely be found guilty but also the hope that something might turn in his favor at the appeal.

Popularity: 30% [?]

Regular readers of this blog will remember me talking deliriously about the Fremantle Dockers, an Australian Rules Football club every now and then. Yes, six years away from the land where they bounce and punch the football around, where they “bump” players in those bone crunching “shirtfronts” but wear no protection, and where thirty-odd crazy men with short shorts run around kicking that fat inflated pigskin in between two upright sticks, and I am still a crazy Docker supporter.

Well, it has paid off, and I wish I am in Australia for the next month. Fremantle is high up the premiership table and are even threatening to win it all! (what did I tell you, I am a diehard true believer!)

Anyway, for the duration of their Finals campaign, this blog will fly the flag high and don the color purple as part of that Passionate Purple Army.

Go Fre-oooooooo!

Popularity: 6% [?]

Technorati Tags: Freo, Fremantle Dockers, Dockers, Aussie Rules, AFL, AFL Finals

You are all probably aware of the chicken soup series of books phenomenon industry. Although I am not original with the title, I was thinking today, if there were such a book with just this title, what would you find in it?

What do you think should be included in a tome titled, Chicken Soup for the Blogger’s Soul. Presumably, it’ll be an inspirational volume for bloggers. It would be a book you’d go to when you are down from your blogging, or when you have a massive writer’s block, or even, if you just wanted to have a pick-me-up to carry on… Or perhaps, just maybe the blogger in you just wanted to feel good. This book will be the answer for any such scenario.

So, if you were to be asked to put together such a volume, what kinds of articles would you include in it? Would you choose posts that are culled from the best of the blogosphere? Would you add advice or encouragement or perhaps feel-good stories about blogs, blogging or bloggers? Perhaps, you will even register a website www.chickensoupforbloggersoul.com so that you can continue the phenomenon and publish unplifting posts for your avid followers. Now you might then attract undue negative publicity, but who cares then, you might have cashed in on the wealth and/or notoriety. Or, not!

Anyway, care to let your creative juices flow? Then, comment away! Let me know what you think should be included in it!

Popularity: 2% [?]

Doubtless many would have heard about, or read, Newsweek cover story on Billy Graham: . I read with great interest Graham shares from the wisdom of his years of living and serving. Graham is noted as the man who has preached to more human beings than anyone else in history, and who has served as the “nation’s pastor” and spiritual counsellor to more Presidents than any other minister, is now frail and weak, battling the ravages of age and disease.

A key observation:

“All my life I’ve been taught how to die, but no one ever taught me how to grow old.”

His daughter, Anne Lotz Graham sums it up aptly:

“When you get older, secondary things, like politics, begin to fall away, and the primary thing becomes primary again—and for Daddy, the primary thing is, as Jesus said, to try to love God totally, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.”

Some other key passages from the article: Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 2% [?]

Technorati Tags: Billy Graham, gospel, salvation

If you’re like me, you like to win free stuff!

So, here’s a chance to win a free book. Blogging for Business is giving away a free book (Blogging for Business) to the top three posts about blogging for business. As you are already aware, businesses are taking to blogging seriously. Entrepreneurs, consultants, even big businesses are blogging about their work, their products and services.

When I was at Convergence this year, the annual Microsoft User Conference, I hear them talk about blogs with great enthusiasm. There those blogs that were discussing trends and events at the conference and there were also blogs that had been created specifically for the conference. Since then, I have seen an increase in the number of blogs that were talking about the latest in Microsoft technology.

It makes sense, because as someone else has said, the marketplace is a conversation. Sounds like the bigger we get, the smaller we become. In any case, if you are interested, put together your business blogging posts and submit it to Blogging for Business so you can snag yourself a prize!

Popularity: 32% [?]

Technorati Tags: blogging, win, prize, business, business blogging

UPDATE: For all those who saw this post in Technorati, but couldn’t find it on this site, here is what happened: I accidentally marked this post as private! Sorry about this!

I have heard the name before… just don’t remember from where. Steve Farber, author of Radical Edge recently highlighted my blog profile over at his blog. Steve is also CEO of Extreme Leadership, Inc., a business consulting firm and is apparently a popular keynote speaker on business leadership. He also was a highly popular speaker and consultant with the Tom Peters Group.

Not sure why he found my profile exemplary, because to me I think some of the stuff I wrote might be considered “TMI”, but I guess at the time, I thought, “Why, this is a blog after all, and I need to at least feature some of the half interesting events in my life for my profile.”

Still, it is quite satisfying being mentioned. So, if you have come over here via Steve’s site, welcome! Even though this isn’t a professional blog, you might find some stuff here quite thought provoking. Search under business, ethics and leadership for some of my thoughts in those areas. And, don’t forget to leave me a comment and let me know you’re here!

Popularity: 2% [?]

Technorati Tags: blog, link, Steve Farber, profile

Go visit Ruth and tell her the Bloke says “Hi!”

She is not a new blogger, but this is her new blog. So, you gotta go and visit, and send her lotsa love, you hear? Tell her you love her and you will be a devoted reader of her blog from here on end!

What are you waiting for?

Go!

Popularity: 2% [?]

Technorati Tags: blog, new blog, blogging

This is pretty cool. A few years ago I decided to catalog my books. So I searched high and low for a good personal library program and could not really find one. Finally I downloaded an older program written in an obsolete version of a database fourth generation language. It worked well as a catalog (sorta) but it was not very friendly and was rather difficult to maintain.

Then, today, browsing Phil Baker’s blog, I found the LibraryThing. It is a wonderful web thingy. You can use it to catalog your books, what you’re reading, and you can even link to your reviews. What is more, you can also share with others and see who are reading or have the same books as you. It’s also quite addictive! Which means, good for bloggers, espeically those who are avid readers. And, of course, booklovers!

Popularity: 16% [?]