Make peace and kindness go viral! [image and commentary] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Make peace and kindness go viral! [image and commentary] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

The solution to a peaceful and kind world does not lie  in government, law, or religion. In fact, they tend to steer us in the wrong direction. Both government and religion call for justice and punishment more than goodness.

I would like to believe that we have evolved to a new era culturally, and we are on the brink of something marvelous. The secret lies in each individual choosing to actively spread peace and kindness. Believing in these values is not enough because it extends no farther than one person.

You must know this to create excellent content [infographic & review] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

You must know this to create excellent content [infographic & review] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Mines the content marketing strategy that produces material connected the the products you sell, educating and promoting at the same time in order to develop a trusting relationship.

Why creating a blogging website is essential - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Why creating a blogging website is essential - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Who benefits from a blogging website?
You do. Whoever you are you will benefit from blogging, but you must locate your reasons for blogging or you will fail. Most of you seek out blogging as a forum for expression, and this is the ideal, but not only motivation.

The secrets of viral content: How to stimulate the correct emotions - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

The secrets of viral content: How to stimulate the correct emotions - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Mines the mayhem of traditional marketing strategies which are mere noise in the market place, in order to investigate what makes current marketing content go viral.

The potential in Twitter to revolutionize fiction. [video & review] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

The potential in Twitter to revolutionize fiction. [video & review] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Mines the way that new forms of media create unique methods of storytelling, focusing on the current status and potential of stories on Twitter.

Notes that radio and television generated new mediums of story telling because of the unique features that each had. For example, traditional storytelling on radio morphed into a blend of rehearsed lines and live action recording, capturing the spontaneity of the moment.

Similarly, Twitter is giving rise to new stories told in unique ways. The author Jennifer Eagan, for example, collaborated with The New Yorker to tell stories in the evening, one tweet, 140 words at a time. The experience of reading a short story in a paced and segmented way is far different than sitting down to read a story in a magazine from start to finish.

Other authors have experimented successfully with writing novels, segmented into Tweets that readers follow as they are posted. The sequential novel Wolf began this way and turned into an episode 60,000 words long because of its success.

Potential for new formats still exist and are only limited by the creativity of authors and publishers.

Secrets of the successful, introverted blogger - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Secrets of the successful, introverted blogger - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Maybe you are a shy person and are not sure if blogging is for you. Or, perhaps you just feel insecure in your blogging. In either case, this article is to empower you with reality and to dispel fear with facts.

When I was in high school, I took on the challenge of memorizing and reciting a passage from Shakespeare's Hamlet in order to bump up my English grade. I was introverted, and I stood up in front of those 25 classmates, and froze. A sentence into it, and I was lost. "I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth ..." I turned red, started sweating, and the teacher showed me no sympathy, not even throwing me a line. I knew that I was introverted, and I let it become a disability.

As humans, we tend to think of things as either/or. Either black or white, good or bad, hot or cold. We call these binaries, and they are almost never true opposites.  Reality shows us that, between the colors black and white, there are infinite shades of gray. True binaries are rare, and computer programming is one of the few endeavors that finds them useful.

What you need to know about the fundamentals of great design - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

What you need to know about the fundamentals of great design - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Mines the global design influencer Dieter Rams of Germany to uncover secrets of powerful designing that he has learned through years of experience.

Notes that as Rams gained global recognition in the 1980s, he began to contemplate the essentials of good design. In attempt to simplify his personal design code, he wrote out 10 simplified but highly respected rules, which state that "Good Design:"

Power Quotes on negotiating and inflicting pain: Trent Reznor and Tool. - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Power Quotes on negotiating and inflicting pain: Trent Reznor and Tool. - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Thud, two songs that strike you in the gut. I listen to them as I write this morning.

Trent Reznor sings of the pain that reminds us we are alive, by causing suffering. In suffering, we awaken to the realities of life and are able to distinguish pain from pleasure. We awaken to who we are as human beings and to the reality of life, that we not only feel pain but we inflict it on others.

The moment pain arrives, we long for it to leave, to be numb again. Tool sings of the individual pain that we extend to others, recognizing our role in the suffering of others. We recognize the reality of our guilt as the cause, that we are at times "worthless liar[s]" who inflict pain because we feel it so deeply ourselves. As with Reznor, there is a longing for relief from the pain, through drugs or some other numbing recourse.

Why you must read Huckleberry Finn: The ultimate introduction [infographic] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Why you must read Huckleberry Finn: The ultimate introduction [infographic] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

I came to Huck late in life and hope to prevent that from happening to you. Mark Twain's novel is genius, for high school and beyond, and it's an essential read to understand a part of the history of the United States.

Technology and games will soon supercharge education - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Technology and games will soon supercharge education - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Mines the talk delivered by Jane McGonigal, gaming and education expert, in Anaheim, CA at the Educause 2013 conference.

Notes that a current trend in education merges gaming with formal education to enhance learning. The future will integrate gaming technology seamlessly with higher education, empowering students with intense and personalized learning at a deep level never before possible.

5 Essentials for new leaders who aim to impress - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

5 Essentials for new leaders who aim to impress - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Mines the methods new CEOs should employ, but the lessons apply more broadly to people just arriving in a leadership position.

Notes that included in the 5 commandments are:
Focus on increasing revenue immediately. Some CEOs try to generate revenue by taking from departments, but this is the surest way to create friction in the organization. Better to focus yourself and all departments on increasing all streams of revenue so that you then have money to work with. Increase money spent in priority areas, waiting for more money to come in. After proving yourself by  increasing revenue, you can then cut more easily in the non-priority areas.
Commit yourself to following the processes in place. CEOs new or old do not have to do this because they can change the rules. Everyone will be watching you closely until you prove yourself, and actions that seem arbitrary or one-sided will hurt your image. For example, don't begin by firing a ton of people you feel you don't need. Far better to work with what you have to show results, and wait to make cuts down the road. You need to increase productivity in low producing areas, but do it the hard way: employee evaluations, counsel, team work, mentors, etc.

Power Quotes, happiness requires kindness, not religion: Zig Ziglar & Dalai Lama - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Power Quotes, happiness requires kindness, not religion: Zig Ziglar & Dalai Lama - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

I am skeptical of Zig Ziglar's quote, despite the fact that he is the guru of positivism. The act of dreaming up something does not make it possible.

For example, I can dream of being President of the U.S., but circumstances do no exist where this would be possible (within reason). This is an American Dream as well, that functions differently depending on the circumstances.

I like the idea of dreaming and hoping for the future, and I would agree that dreaming makes something more likely to happen. The last part of his quote, I am more likely to agree with. I believe that happiness comes through kindness to other people.

However, I am speaking of happiness not "you will get all you want in life." If all you want is happiness, the kindness and empathy are the surest routes. I don't understand why this is, but in human beings, our happiness is caught up in the lives of other people and how we treat them.

What is the global future of social media? [infographic & review] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

What is the global future of social media? [infographic & review] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Mines the current status of social media, to make global estimations for the next few years and to see which areas will be hot spots.

Notes that the major areas of growth will be in "India, Indonesia, Mexico, China, and Brazil." The infographic discusses this and the use of world-wide social networks, pointing to global growth. The infographic was designed by Wishpond.com, but can be found by clicking the infographic.

Amazingly, 25% of people across the globe will use social media this year. While the rate of growth in use is slowing, it has grown by 18% this year, and further growth is expected in coming years.

How to find your place in the web jungle - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

How to find your place in the web jungle - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

With the hyper-social nature of (we)blogging, a truly unique social age has arrived, where all members of the community can participate in creating, changing, and recording history. Instead of obscure events long past, history has become yesterday’s blog social posts. We capture history in social media as we live it, and like a rainforest, our culture is thick with life.

When  you think of a rainforest, abundant life and variety defines it. The tallest trees provide a canopy for other plants and organisms, the tree tops even buzzing with life. In the social ecosystem, (we)blogs are the gigantic trees of content that support the world below them, growing taller and larger because of the rich fresh content they provide. Bloggers also make up the thick lower levels of the forest.

This connection came to me as I reflected on a journey I traveled. I was 20 when I spent a year working in the Dominican Republic. You know, the country that shares a border with Haiti. On that tiny island, the ecosystems are diverse, desert to rainforest.

To-do lists are poised to take over your life. Find out how. - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

To-do lists are poised to take over your life. Find out how. - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Mines the present condition of the to-do list app industry which is poised to become the next multibillion dollar, big thing on the internet and personal devices.

Notes that the industry has already established its success, but Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, LinkedIn, or another corporation with massive capital will surely enter the market, with the top players seeking to dominate. The to-do list business is already huge and not overly complicated, a simple mixing of pieces of software that already exist. The question is who will come up with the best mix and what it will include.

The to-do list industry will likely combine with "recommendation engines," the likes of Google and Amazon. You know, the algorithms that predict what you might want to purchase and offer recommendations based on data collected about you. These engines invite exploration and innovation in the lives of the consumers that make use of them. When the recommendations are accurate and helpful, people are highly persuaded by them.

Power Quotes on the values and costs in social media: Sean Gardner & Ann Tran - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Power Quotes on the values and costs in social media: Sean Gardner & Ann Tran - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

While some people feel that social media trivializes life and wastes time, this oversimplifies a complex cultural exchange. The level of significance of the time spent in social media depends entirely on the individual and the media: what the person chooses to communicate and with whom.

How to get noticed by important people - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

How to get noticed by important people - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Mines the essentials of content creation to be noticed and develop a brand through blogging, podcasting, posting on social networks, and filming videos.

Notes that the famous blogger Chris Brogan revealed that eight years of writing passed before he reached his first 100 subscribers, but also that most of us don't have that kind of time or patience for slow, painful strategy.

To help accelerate the pace, three essential concepts will help:

(We)Blog: The new, hyper-social blog - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

(We)Blog: The new, hyper-social blog - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Think of you and me right now separated by time and space, each individual thinking and working. If we had no electronic technology, we would be isolated and lack the ability to collaborate and communicate. 

You have talents and knowledge that I don't possess. I have studied about literature, writing, and science, and more than likely you have ideas about these topics as well. If we were to collaborate, knowledge creation would increase exponentially because we could communicate ideas with one another. We would help each other.

Communication is essential to knowledge creation because two minds actively engaged are better than one acting independently. This is a generalization, but in most cases it stands true. Consider Columbus in 1492. If he were by himself with no crew or help, he would not have made the  exploration that he is now famous for.  A journey to a new land required collaboration, communication, and teamwork.

Humans are social creatures, and we function best when we work together. Not coincidentally, the tools we create work better when used in combination with other tools and workers. Computers are a prime example of the power that comes through collaboration.

How to fill the gap between blog posts with valuable real-time content - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

How to fill the gap between blog posts with valuable real-time content - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Mines the connection between the most important content you generate through blog posts and other types of "real-time" content that can keep you connected with your community.

Notes that fresh content is essential to survive in the social media marketplace, and blog posts alone are insufficient to keep your audience engaged. Social networking on the big 4 sites can keep your clients participating in an ongoing discussion, rather than one that happens once a week.

Here's how blogging makes you a better person - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Here's how blogging makes you a better person - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Mines the good and diversity in blogging, whatever the motivation of the individual, especially for people who have ideas they feel passionate about.

Notes that among the benefits of regular blogging are:

It forces you to write which improves your ability to communicate with other people, refining what you have to say and listening to the comments of others.

With this communication practice, you'll begin to notice success and improvement in other, unrelated areas. Examples include writing emails and papers at work and social communication with friends and families. You will also notice an improved ability to transmit what you actually intend in a way that another person understands easily. 

Why do you blog? 31 million people do for some reason [infographic & review] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Why do you blog? 31 million people do for some reason [infographic & review] - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

Mines the puzzle of why so many people choose to blog, posing some reasons for it, and exploring the blogosphere in greater depth.

Notes that some of the reasons bloggers give for the work they do are:
Unfortunately a primary reason for blogging is to make money. This is not a solid reason to found a blog as most bloggers make very little and only over a long period of time.
More likely, a blog can help an existing or new business to thrive. They use their blogs to market products, reach out to costumers, and grow business. Still only 60% of businesses are blogging, and many are barely functioning, updated rarely.
Some people actually like writing and working with photographs and treat blogging as a hobby. Many times because these bloggers are so passionate, their hobby becomes more than they expected.
Many use blogs as launching points for finding new jobs. Their blog becomes a dynamic portfolio they use to impress their potential employers and show them what they are capable of.
Others have no real business aspirations and simply want a creative way to record a personal journal.

For those with a cause, a blog is a useful tool to disseminate information about an important topic. Grass roots movements often begin this way.

Power Quotes on innovation, change, and women: Karl Marx & Leo Tolstoy - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Power Quotes on innovation, change, and women: Karl Marx & Leo Tolstoy - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Social and business innovation are the subject of much content on the internet today. Innovation is change in a positive direction, and I believe that Karl Marx is correct in pointing to the importance of women in any social change. Despite being demeaned as property by men, they have taken the lead in many important social changes. Think of the anti-slavery movement, women's suffrage, the Civil Rights Movement, and the fight for the equality of women. 

Now is a time for great change and innovation because women hold more power. While equality still may not be a reality, with the power women hold, great social change is possible. Women have more power today than ever before in our culture. Leo Tolstoy describes a kind of organic change, where culture changes because we cannot live as we do any longer. Mental resolutions fail if they lack the pressure of necessity.

Blogging on the edge: How to release your demons - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

Blogging on the edge: How to release your demons - ZipMinis: Science of Blogging and Writing

You have felt this, the fear of exposing too much of yourself.

I panicked the first time I clicked the publish button. I knew that few people would read my words, but publishing requires bravery. Putting your words out to the public eyes is frightening.

Blogging on the edge embraces that fear and uses it to gain confidence and overcome obstacles. I first realized this when I wrote of my mother's death from breast cancer, 16 years after the fact. Through those years I wrestled with demons that I could not exorcise, after more than a decade.