ajb{log}: learn something new each day

I guess I was wrong. The rumor last May from WSJ was true after all.

$44.6 Billion. Wow. I guess the number is so big, we can’t really understand it (especially the value). Our minds are just not hard-wired to hearing such numbers.

I hope it’s good for Yahoo! employees. I don’t want to sound pessimistic, but there are lots of competing products between Yahoo and Microsoft. Someone has to go or move on.

It’s sad for the yahooeys. But I guess it’s the only way to save the company. Now, how do you yodel Microsoft? See? It didn’t sound right eh?

Do you Yahoo Microsoft?

–aj

UPDATE: Getting a lot more interesting every minute. Yahoo may consider Google alliance

Most website owners and webmasters wonder if the site they’re managing is on Google. We often search our domain, our company name, or even our own name and some specific keywords to see if the website we’ve done a few days back has been crawled and placed on the massive index of Google.

Yes, most SEO (Search Engine Optimization) professionals already know these things. However, for the newbies and for the rest of us, here’s a quick tutorial to know if your site’s status is in the Google index or not.

It’s a basic 2-step process to be in the know. But, you can further move forward enhancing your SEO efforts like verifying your domain, adding a sitemap, getting to know your search rank, top keywords search for a specific time, etc. at the Google Webmaster Tools.

Let’s start. Here’s how:

1) Go to https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/sitestatus

2) Enter your domain on the input box (ex. http://www.mployd.com). Click on the “Next” button

Now, if your website is in the Google index, you should be able to see this notification

And you will be asked if you want to go and manage your website at the Google Webmaster Tool

If your website isn’t listed yet on the Google index, you should see something like this

Google will also suggest that you submit a Sitemap on their Google Webmaster Tools (which will eventually help your rankings on the Google’s search engine results).

Pretty simple huh? Go and check your website now if it’s listed and I hope it is.

Cheers!

–aj

Street Fighter IV specials has been uncovered at Eurogamer. Some exciting screenshots of a powerful haduken from Ryu kicked Ken’s butt. Oh man, I can’t wait to play it!

Ryu getting ready to do a haduken

Gathers power to a final blow

Haduken!

Boom! Just like the famous expression of Steve Jobs.

I hope Ken is alright after that blow. But I’m pretty much sure he’s going to be in a bad shape after that!

Pretty obvious how much I love games eh?

–aj

While checking out the search keyword “level of education required to understand your blog”, I found this widget which has a spam link on its code. The supposedly helpful tool “Blog Readability Test” inserts the below link in the html code:

<p><small>Fast <a href=”http://www.cashadvance1500.com”>Payday Loans</a></small></p>

So, if you have placed this code (widget) in your blog. You might as well remove it as it gives a backlink and additional PR for this very intrusive widget.

Always be careful before you place anything on your blog.

–aj

I received yet another threat looking invoice from The Economist. For those who doesn’t know, it’s a printed magazine. They also have an online edition.

I got their so-called “risk-free subscriptions” from a popular website. The 6 RISK-FREE issues free trial advertised on tons of websites is not even a big secret. In face, you can easily find one with a simple google search “the economist trial subscription“. But beware though. Don’t even think of subscribing or even entering your personal information on their form. Or you might end up just like me.

Here’s what they tell people all over the net:

Subscribe to The Economist today and you’ll get 6 RISK-FREE issues as a free trial. If you wish to continue your subscription, you’ll receive 18 additional issues (24 in all) for just $49.90. That’s 65% off the cover price. You’ll also receive a free gift, The World in 2008 from The Economist, upon payment for your subscription. If you decide The Economist is not for you, write ‘cancel’ on the bill, return it and owe nothing.

That’s right folks. Write ‘cancel’ on the bill and you owe nothing. Yeah, right.

Unfortunately, if you have fallen to their trap and subscribed - they will start to mail you (after your 3rd or 4th magazine) invoices stating (or looked like) you owe them. I wish I still had those mails so I can scan them and show it to you.

I have the “final notice” invoice though to show you how threatening (look like) they are if you don’t pay (read: subscribe).

Here’s the scanned invoice:

Lets take a closer look at the invoice and let us analyze it word for word they use to…

1) Make it look like you owe them something (look for “Outstanding Debt”)
2) Use terms to look like you are in trouble (look for “reinstate your “GOOD” credit status”)
3) Tell and scare you if you don’t subscribe to their magazine your file will be flagged as a “BAD DEBT”

Wow! What a way to treat someone from trying your magazine which you advertise (see above) and then force them to subscribe (pay) to their magazine. Most people receiving these kind of invoices will fall prey to their scheme. Please don’t be that person.

Ok. I know what you are thinking, “You should have mailed them to CANCEL your account! Moron!”. In fact I did (I just honestly didn’t know if it should have been ‘Cancel’ or ‘cancel’ or ‘cANCEL’, it might have been case-sensitive.

Also, I felt something on my gut that that wasn’t enough so I even used their online contact form and asked them to CANCEL my account ASAP (even before I received the invoice above 01/04/08). This time though, I used ‘CANCEL’. It might just work, I told myself.

Then I received an email confirmation (below) I got that I’m out (supposedly) of their mailing list (that was Dec 17, 2007):

Neodata by the way, is a company they use to outsource their direct marketing service. More here.

My original request was:

Please remove my name, address and my information out of your database. I keep on receiving invoices with “financial obligations” requesting me to pay a subscription. Get me out of that list. Please.

Yes, my friend, “The Economist” kept on mailing me invoices to settle my “Financial Obligations”. See how they use words to seemingly scare and force you to pay? I’d bet my cats life I am not the only one receiving these kinds of invoices.

Risk-free trial is good for business. If the customer really wanted the magazine, they will subscribe (heck, I am getting Business 2.0, Forbes and Fast Company for pete’s sake!). However, if they feel it wasn’t worth it or didn’t like it (especially if he has opt-out, CANCELled), get that customer out of the mailing list. And DON’T send them that kind of invoices your Credit Department send!

Alright, this post is now becoming a TV drama series.

Seriously, don’t ever subscribe to them if you are unsure you really want the magazine. It is going to be one hell of cat and mouse to get out!

Let me end this by quoting a famous person who said something about “The Economist”.

“I used to think; now I just read The Economist.” - Larry Ellison, CEO, Oracle Corporation

For the rest of you, maybe you need to think again. And again… and again…
–aj

8Apps, a uber-cool collaboration tool that slightly resembles Basecamp is closing its doors come January.

While we have thought that the service was very useful, it might have dawned on users that they can do it all in Basecamp and/or other online tools such as goplan and Activecollab.

I would also say that it might have also been a lack of marketing promotion. It might have also be that the service was invite-only - that can have some impact on the growth too (invite-only service is cool if you need to manage the growth and scalability, but sometimes with too much competitors invite-only can prove fatal… *cough*pownce!*cough*).

Quoting factoryjoe:

“we’re using the invite system to start out slowly on purpose. We want to not only be able to scale up organically, but we also want to cultivate relationships with our brave early adopters so that we can build the best experience possible over time. And to that end — we want to make sure that when we do launch publicly, we’ve hammered out all the glaring issues — as well as minor one…”

Seriously, I really like to know the real reason why such a complete web application I consider very good shut down.

–aj

We are inviting all employers and job seekers to test drive our beta site, Mployd.com.

What does Mployd offer job seekers?

• Create unlimited resume profiles
• Job alerts and RSS feeds (soon)
• Public and employer-only resume
• Get Vouched by friends and colleagues
• and more features to come…

A screenshot of the job seeker dashboard (still under development but works). What’s your favorite theme? I love the black and plum!

Here’s a screenshot (below) of the employers’ dashboard. Still pretty bare, but I’m working on it. Expect a lot of features that will be added over the next couple of weeks.

What does Mployd offer employers?

• Unlimited job posting (until 01 03/01/08)
• Unlimited resume search (TBA)
• Job management (update/re-post/put on-hold)
• Job seeker applications management
• Connect with job seekers and setup interviews
• and more features to come…

According to thejobbored, “January is the busiest month for hiring and job searching. If you begin the process now, you can get in ahead of the rush.” One of the reasons why we’ve opened this early.

Hope you like the new free service. It’s a “David” that will take on the “goliaths” out there.

Bugs, comments, feedback on Mployd.com is most welcome, please email me at ajbatac (at) mployd.com and I will reply to inquiries ASAP. And oh, please be gentle.

Visit it now at www.mployd.com

Thanks!

–aj

P.S.
And just for fun, while experimenting with iMovie last night I made this video. Don’t know why it’s stopping before it even ends. Oh well, newbie.

More information here

If you have $150, what would you buy? A 30GB Zune or a 4GB iPod Nano?

Still a tough choice huh? Hint: #2.

–aj