Adam Kazwell is...somewhat concerned

Introducing the Snoggers

Social Networking + Blogging = Yahoo 360. Here's some of my thoughts on this new snogging platform.

Drop me a line in the comments section if you want an invite to Yahoo 360.

update: Since I really don't know how to handle this convergence of SN's and blogs, I decided I'd have some fun by sending out invites to all the A-list early adopters. Here's an example, sent to MamaMusings:

(her blast read: Okay, the blasts are fun....but now what? Once you're done seeing your friends join up, why come back?)

You don't get it, do you Mama? The Snogging platform is a synergistactical breakthrough...Social networks = good, Blogs = good, therefore Y360 = even better.

Why come back? Same reason why people come back to their blogs everyday. Except instead of reading about how Jason Kottke likes gluehands, you'll be checking in with your REAL friends and family. Then again, it could totally suck.

Wonder if anyone will accept my invitations.

Cabin sign reads "No vacancy"

Damn you Evelyn Rodriguez. Why'd you have to write this post! I'm trying to move on with things (ie - become a more effective human being), and now you're totally messing with my head. How am I supposed to willingly re-enter the 'real-world' after reading this:

Tremendous things can be accomplished by those who follow their bliss-- but the prerequisite for that is first FINDING it. Joseph Campbell believed that every adult should take 3-5 years to loaf and wander. He wandered out to California, lived in a cabin, and read books. Thoreau likewise retreated to a cabin. Many embark on grand journeys of discovery. The point is that you must leave the comfort of routine... the conditioning of society and parents... and strike out on your own: take a few years to just ask questions: "What is my purpose?". "What is the nature of life and existence?". "What brings me bliss?"... "What is my particular genius?".... "What do I want my legacy to be?". "Who & what, exactly, am 'I'?"

These are vital questions... deep questions. Shouldn't we take a few years of our lives to engage them? Shouldn't we attempt to find our own answers for them...

You're kidding right? Don't you think running out to a cabin in the woods to loaf and wander for years at a time is so last millenium...I mean, just think of how poor the wi-fi reception would be (and let's not forget about Into the Wild). Besides, it seems like the main product of living in the woods for an extended period of time is to write a book about how f-ed up it is to be living in the woods for so damn long.

When I get back into the real world I want to actually be involved in DOING SOMETHING. I don't want to write about doing something, I don't want to consult others on how to get stuff done, and I definitely don't want to hold meetings and write up progress reports on stuff that needs to be done. I just want to create a somewhat tangible and useful product/service...and I'm totally lost on how to best prepare myself for that.

Consolidated Feeds

Blogs(text) + Flickr(pics) + Del.icio.us(links) = new AKISC feed. Just cut and paste the URL into your favorite RSS reader.

update on 3.30: seems that the Feedburner feed isn't including my latest posts, most likely due to my XML being invalid (which is an issue since I don't create the XML). Got a help ticket in with Typepad to fix it. Until then, please don't use the link above :(

Here's the broken, but working version.

Give feedback to CBS on their NCAA coverage

Have you been watching the NCAA tournament on CBS this year? As usual, their coverage has been terrible. You can give CBS sports some feedback here.

Questioning the Long Tail (is Amazon.com a long-tail business?)

I'm a big believer in the power of the Long Tail, but after reading this post on Bnoopy,  I've got a few questions (see my original comments at the end of the post).

Quoting Bnoopy (by the way, wtf is a Bnoopy??):

57% of Amazon’s sales come from books you can’t even buy at a Barnes and Noble (to be fair, there is some skepticism around this number voiced here). This runs totally counter to the traditional 80/20 rule in retailing – that 80% of your sales come from 20% of your inventory. In Amazon’s case, 57% of their book revenue comes from 0% of Barnes and Nobles inventory.

First things first, turns on that 57% is more like 25-30% (says Jeff Bezos). Secondly, does this really "run totally counter to the traditional 80-20 rule"?

I don't think it does at all - or at least, you can't say that it does just by comparing Amazon's and Barnes & Noble's inventory. What does the fact that 30% of Amazon's sales come from books that are unavailable at B&N mean?

If you look at Amazon's inventory (~2.3M books), they have about 400K books available in their top 20%. While at the same time, B&N only has 130K books period. So Amazon could have well over 100% of its sales come outside of B&N's inventory and yet still not be outside of their top 20%.

Is that correct or am I missing something?