Browsed by
Author: Mark Cahill

XRumer and Blog Spam

XRumer and Blog Spam

If you blog, you no doubt already are aware of the huge problem that blog spam represents.  Few of us who have been at it for any period of time haven’t had the awakening moment of logging into our blog to find we’ve got 200 or more new comments, all about teen boy sex or viagra.  The same problem exists for forums, and it’s often worse there. These are automated comments which have been posted by a mindless bot someone…

Read More Read More

The Harley Brand

The Harley Brand

I’ve been thinking a lot about legacy brands of late.  You see, I live with one every day.  It’s been around a long time, and although we were once considered the absolute cutting edge to the point that we defined our industry, we are now looked on as old technology.  Even though we’re still in so many ways on the cusp of greatness. My post last week reminded me that I’m not the only one who wrestles with the problems…

Read More Read More

Microsoft Update, Update

Microsoft Update, Update

I finally got my “Express Vista Upgrade” last week for our emachine computer.  Total elapsed time 4 1/2 months, which really put the lie to the word “Express.”  So I sat down Sunday am at our “Vista Ready” Emachine T5048 to do the upgrade, only to be warned that more memory was required.  Of course, that sunk the upgrade for Sunday since the stores were closed. I guess Emachines should have called the T5048 “Vista Almost Ready.” So I grabbed…

Read More Read More

Ouch – Dental Emergency

Ouch – Dental Emergency

I got one of those calls every parent dreads Friday night; my 8 year old daughter Mackenzie had knocked out her two front (permanent) teeth when she fell off her skooter.  Luckily my wife Mary Jane had worked for years as a Dental Assistant and she went out and found the two teeth and jammed them back into Mackenzie’s mouth (my wife notes that she didn’t “jam them back” but rather carefully worked them back into place).  She then called…

Read More Read More

My How Times Change

My How Times Change

So I was sitting around with my buddies JB Menides and Mike Branche, both good friends from high school, and JB mentioned he’d picked up a balm for sore muscles earlier in the day for his dad.  Mike commented that his knee was aching quite a bit.  I then recounted the story of my torn ligament and meniscus, and that some linament my wife provided the other day had seemed to make a big difference – no more of those…

Read More Read More

Vario Customer in the News – R & R Rubbish

Vario Customer in the News – R & R Rubbish

Congratulations to Roger Wykes of R & R Rubbish, both on his up coming marriage, and on the great interview published in the Worcester Telegram on Monday.  He and his brother Robert have been providing rubbish removal, remodeling, gutter and siding work in the Worcester area (and beyond) for many years, and it’s tremendous to see them recognized. There’s a few points that the contractors (and any small business) among us can take from Roger.  Many are the same points I…

Read More Read More

The Human Web – Part II – Small Business

The Human Web – Part II – Small Business

Maureen Rogers posted a comment on my post “Business Websites with a Human Side” that got me thinking. Your list is great, but would look overwhelming to an understaffed company with one product, little news, etc. Any suggestions for the little guy?  Maureen’s right – the list does seem daunting, but in my mind, it can be done by the small business easily.  The trick is to work smarter, not harder. Here are a few points: Regular content updates on the site (besides press release) can…

Read More Read More

Business Websites with a Human Side

Business Websites with a Human Side

Let’s face it, most business websites could use a little love.  Make that a lot of love.  Honestly, it’s rare for me to find a site that really speaks to me, that encourages me to do any more than simply read what I want and leave, generally to never return. It’s the human side that’s missing for me.  The day of the static website is over; done, finito, all she wrote.  Static websites remind me of the dark old days…

Read More Read More