1.21.2005

flickr zeitgeist

I've known about flickr for a while but never signed up because I wasn't totally sure what it was. Basically flickr is a really easy-to-use and free way to store your photos online. It's pretty cool because you can categorize your photos, share them with who you want to, and all that. I am considering getting a paid account so I can upload with absolute impunity. Anyway it's a totally awesome site and you should all be a part of it. It's a better way to put photos up that doing this for sure. If you sign up then you can be my contact, and I can check out pictures you put up online easily, etc. It really is, in the words of Peter from the Family Guy, "freakin' sweet."

On the right I have a little zeigeist which takes random selections from the pictures I've put up there. So yeah, I like flickr a lot and you all should too and you all should sign up with it.

Also - while I'm touting online stuff - two more things.

Smartcommons.com launched around Christmastime and it has some potential as a way to link family and friends in a real way. I know there are other social software sites out there, like myspace and friendster, but Smartcommons seems like it has the most potential to be used "for good." Myspace is cool and all, but there is a lot of randomness and huge networks. My desire for Smartcommons would be to have my family and friends all signed up so we can share thoughts, pictures, plans, updates, etc with everyone and not have to send out e-mails or whatever. And you could get a whole conversation going. Say, for example, I put up some pictures from a family event. Others in the fam could come and comment on the pictures and start a conversation about it. Then we could do cool things like argue over the internet over family drama.

Anyway, take a look at it over at smartcommons.com and sign up if it's something you think looks good. I have a tendency to like gadgets/technology/software even if it's really not that useful. It just seems like it could be.

Secondly...

Maybe you've seen freeipods.com. Basically it's a kind of pyramid scheme site that asks you to sign up for one free offer with an affiliate (like Blockbuster Online, BMG Music, a Credit Card, etc), and get five friends to sign up for an offer. The offers are mostly of the kind that are free for the first month, and then you have to cancel them or you start to get charged. Janelle did this for her boss, signed up for the Blockbuster and it's free for the first month. It's actually useful. Anyway, once you and five friends sign up for something (and the friends use YOUR referral link), you get either a free 20G ipod, ipod Mini, or a $250 certificate to itunes.com. This site actually does work. They just make money counting on people to not cancel their free subscriptions to services, or whatever. But you could sign up for this and it would cost you nothing - you'd just have to go through the time and effort of signing up with one of the affiliates. So if I could get five of you to do that for me - then I could get a free ipod. Then you'd have to find five of your friends/family to do it, etc.

Would any of you want in on something like that? I am looking for five people that'd be willing to get me that hookup to a free ipod. Any takers? You could then get five of your friends to do so, and then get your own ipod. I've seen proof that this actually works and it's not just a ripoff - it IS a pyramid scheme-ish thing but you can get your prize and get out. Anyway I'd be your bestest friend if you said you'd sign up for me.

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