Archive for July, 2007

ABC News has a new feature story on their site, Virtually There: Small Businesses Look Far Away for Help.

The article talks about the many benefits of working with virtual assistants, particularly for small business owners.

Candy is mentioned, both as a VA and as the president of IVAA on page 2.

Okay, confession time.

I get all my news from other people.

It’s true. I am a writer, not a journalist, and a bit liberal, so the news has mostly depressed or annoyed me for the last, oh, 10 years, so I just stopped watching/listening/reading.

What this translates to is that I get ALL my news from other people, usually via listservs and occasionally via email links. Occasionally this leads to my “hot topics” being woefully out of date.

In this case, I posted on July 24th about the IRS using private tax collectors, here. Turns out, the article I used to source that post came out on June 29th. On July 18th – six days BEFORE I posted about the House’s failed efforts to eliminate private tax collection, it was overturned.

For the real, current scoop, check out this article from CNNMoney.com. And remember, always check the dates on information BEFORE you pass it on. And if you happen to be my mother, always check snopes.com before forwarding me urgent news about how microwaving food in plastic containers will give me cancer.

As those of you know that have been following my blog, know that I’ve been following the 1000 Days Non-Stop at Sea blog. I’m obsessed with these guys, who have a dream and are following it. So many people give up on something they really, in their hearts, want to do. Stop by their blog and check it out. Amazing. You can see it at http://1000daysatsea.blogspot.com

Aside from that, I don’t even camp. The idea of spending 100 days (Today is Day # 100 – That’s what the Congrats is about) on a boat just amazes me. Dude, I need my A/C and books and internet and… and… and… what about a pedicure?!?!?!

*laugh*

First it was the IRS, as we noted here. Now it’s the DOJ and the IRS.

Seriously. As much as I don’t always agree with the government, I think they are the only people/group on the planet who have NEVER spammed any of my many email accounts. What’re the odds they’re gonna start now?

Or, indeed, that your first official notification of a confidential matter from any government agency would come in the form of email?

Can I just smack the Internet’s forehead and say, “Duh!”?

For the record, if you do get one of these suspect emails, Uncle Sam wants to know.

Yahoo!’s latest advertising “innovation” is something called “SmartAds“. Basically, it is an ad template that has a few blanks to be filled in based on the user’s geographic location and various other demographics collected by Yahoo!.

I have to admit, as a writer this “fill in the blanks” ad methodology intrigues me. As a web user, it appalls me.

I know, I know, to keep things like Yahoo! Groups free to users they have to sell advertising. To more effectively sell advertising they have to tell advertisers who hangs out where in order to find a target audience. It doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.

I’m off to search for skydiving lessons, sushi, and sword fighting instructors, just to confuse the SmartAds.