Bear River Post (Kumagawa Juku), Fukui Prefecture, Japan

I thought I'd share where we went today. It was a tiny town preserved in much the same way it was built hundreds of years ago as an outpost in the Wakasa area of South Western Fukui Prefecture, Japan.

The English on this page is an example of automatic translation and it is a hoot! It is fun to read it just for the laughs.

Wish you were here.

Google Maps - Live Traffic on your Cell

Who needs a GPS device now? Just a good data plan on your cell and you are set:

Give Google Maps a try using our interactive demo. Directions, search results, maps and satellite imagery will appear exactly as they would on your mobile device. (If you don't see a phone on your left, you'll need to download the JRE browser plugin. Get it for free.)

To begin the self-guided Maps tour, just read the instructions below. If you'd like a wallet-sized walk-through, download our convenient tips sheet. [pdf]

Gmail Manager

I am using this now, and it has simplified my gmail use.

This is a Firefox extension that allows you to manage multiple Gmail accounts and receive new mail notifications. Displays account details including unread messages, saved drafts, spam messages, labels with new mail, space used, and new mail snippets.

Features

• Manage multiple Gmail accounts
• Receive new mail notifications
• Support for Gmail hosted accounts
• Ability to import/export account preferences
• Tooltip with account details and new mail snippets
• One-click access for loading your Gmail account
• Mailto: links detection
• Quick mail compose for Gmail accounts
• Customizable icon placement in the toolbar/statusbar

New Google tool for Blogger users: Word Plugin

You know I don't recommend Microsoft products, but I know that there are alot of you using those products and I thought you might want to know that you can use Word to post to your blog now:

About Blogger for Word

Blogger for Word is a free add-in for Microsoft Word that lets you save a Word document as a post to your Blogger blog with just a few clicks, and without even opening up a browser. Blogger for Word makes it even easier to express yourself online, save your documents to the web, and edit your work both online and off.

With Blogger for Word, publishing a Word document to your blog is just as seamless as saving it to your computer, and it's easy to get started; all you need to do is download and install the Blogger for Word add-in, and three buttons appear in your Word toolbar:

• Publish creates and publishes a new post from the text in your document.
• Open Post enables you to edit your last 15 Blogger posts in Word.
• Save as Draft enables you to keep a post unpublished; it will appear in your Blogger account, but not publicly on your blog.

System Requirements

The Blogger for Word add-in requires Microsoft Windows 2000 or higher and Microsoft Word 2000 or higher. You can use your existing Blogger username and password; if you need a Blogger account, sign up now for a free account and blog.

Related Articles:

• Blogger for Word FAQ and Known Issues

Building a list is the basics in any online business

If you have heard "the money's in the list" but have not been able to build a big list or profit from your list you are going to love this...

Click here to learn how to build a profitable list.

Keith Wellman put together one of the best list building and profiting courses I have seen in a long time...and no it's not expensive ;)

There are quite a few fast action bonuses so make sure you check it out now...

Keith shows you how to build your online business the right way.

Thanks,
Eric

Microsoft switches to Linux

You knew it had to happen: Microsoft switches to Linux Inquirer, UK - Jul 18, 2006 IN A MOVE that shows that Microsoft is switching its tack on Open Sauce software, Vole has announced that it is teaming up with Linux distributor XenSource. ... You don't have to stick with Windows just because it is Microsoft anymore...

Gmail: Take Action on all messages in a label or section

Since I have almost used 50% of my gmail free space and I have more than 10 accounts in my gmail, I have been waiting for these changes. Thank you gmail.

Now you can apply the same action to all messages in a label or section of your account (Inbox, Sent Mail, Spam, Trash, etc.), in just a few steps. Use this feature to archive all mail in your Inbox, apply labels to every message meeting certain criteria, delete all messages in Spam or Trash, or apply a filter to all relevant messages in your account.

Do you listen to Radio Leo?

I listen to Radio Leo to stay up on tech and questions people have about it.  Every once in a while I recommend a podcast that I really found useful.

This podcast has some very useful information about security and windows, about linux, about the comming multi-billion dollar switch of advertising monies from TV and Radio to videocast and podcast networks in the near future.

You should really listen: http://www.twit.tv/kfi/kfi_tech_guy_265

--
Eric Standlee
http://www.linkedin.com/in/ericstandlee
Prospered not to increase my Standard of Living,
but to increase my Standard of Giving
Take this entrepreneurial quiz: http://www.7kovernover.com/quiz.pdf

See what our Team Members have to say:
http://www.7kovernover.com/testimonialsar.htm

Download Slay Your Giant (orignally $29.95) at no cost quick before this link stops working:
http://businessconferences.info/SlayYourGiant.pdf

http://feeds.feedburner.com/ChristianBusinessDevotion
http://feeds.feedburner.com/crusaderx

Veterans Helping Veterans get Government Contracts

Are you a Veteran or do you know a Veteran? They should know that their Veteran Owned Business can qualify for special goverment set-asides. Tell them.

Service-Disabled Veteran Network

(Veterans Teaming with Veterans for Government Awards)

List Random Join

Veterans like me sacrificed a portion of their life for all of our freedoms. They should know that their business can benefit from being a government contractor.

LinkedIn Personal Networking Contract

I am honored to be a part of your personal network. That carries a responsibility that I take seriously. I pledge to help, support, and inform you so that we both may grow and succeed in our personal and business endeavors. The following outlines some specific aspects of my commitment.

I trust you feel similarly in return as a part of my network. If you do not agree with this social contract, do not feel that you can commit the same to me, or do not accept my ongoing contact, please break our network connection immediately or let me know and I will do so.

• CURRENT. I will provide current information on my email address(es), other forms of contact as appropriate, and my availability either directly or through our mutual online network. I will make sure that my primary email address is current.
• TIMELY. I will endeavor to process your online network requests on a timely basis. Sometimes this will be same day. Generally this will be 3 days or less. However in case of vacation, travel, or personal or business emergency, the delay may be up to 1-2 weeks.
• CONTACTS. I will use the online network where we are connected for requests or contacts over that network. I will not ask you for email addresses of individuals unless you and I have a close relationship and there is an emergency.
• UPDATES. Staying in touch with your contacts (or "pinging") is a fundamental part of networking. I will send you updates generally no more than once every one to three months. These updates may be of a personal, professional, or business nature. I invite you to similarly update me. If I contact you more frequently than an average of once a month, I will provide and use a separate opt-in process for such communications.
• USE EMAIL. I will not use default forms for updates as they do not respect you and your time. They provide virtually no information and force you to start up your browser and then search for what is new on my profile. Instead I will provide the new information for the updates in the update email subject and body itself.

If you agree to this LinkedIn Personal Networking Contract, send an email to eric@7kovernover.com. Then feel free to invite me to join your connections on LinkedIn.

If not, please break your connection with me on LinkedIn immediately.

What is Net Neutrality

Save the Internet : Fighting for Internet Freedom

Did you know that the internet is in danger?

Congress is pushing a law that would abandon the Internet's First Amendment -- a principle called Network Neutrality that prevents companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast from deciding which Web sites work best for you -- based on what site pays them the most. If the public doesn't speak up now, our elected officials will cave to a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign.

Go to savetheinternet.com and do you part by letting the non-tech representatives and senators know how important this really is.

Euphoric Reality

One of my LinkeIn contacts is also former USAF and she runs a blog called Euphoric Reality. This interesting piece of news was on this post:

The Lebanese Foundation for Peace has written an open letter to Israeli PM Olmert saying as much

Now where is our liberal press with this human interest side of the conflict in Lebannon? Or are they set to side against Israel at all costs?

FBI grapples with out-of-date computers | CNET News.com

Having served 4 years of my 6 years in the USAF in a Top Secret SCI position which some deemed more important in some ways than the FBI, I have seen first hand how outdated upper management and congress overseers have no business managing technology of any kind.

As technology screems along at hyper speed, I doubt if there will ever be anyone in those levels qualified to manage such an important task.

Depending on how many PCs and how many mini-mainframes and other specialized systems there are in the FBI's inventory which need to be upgraded in this fiasco, I doub't that it should cost anywhere near $100 Million and instead Lockheed is getting $305 Million.

When will the government stop paying several thousand percent higher for prouducts and services than they need to be paying?

Until there are IT competent congressmen and judges and govenors and mayors, I have absolutely ZERO confidence in anything Tech related coming from those areas and the areas they influence.

My suggestion is to find those like me who are still red-blooded citizens after serving in TS SCI jobs who are technology competent and hire them as the heads of IT for important posts in government, but if and only if their non-techie supervisors can commit to let them run it the way they should and not have those IT Directors have to play patsy to the non-techies. And, ZERO jobs should go to LARGE company executives. Large company executives don't have any idea how to innovate and thus even if they are tech competent would only continue to incompetently manage our tax monies.

This is the voice of the technology generation. You'd better listen because whether you like it or not technology is now very important. Geeks Rise and take your rightful responsibilities in our country and the world!

Clear your Spam box on Gmail

Did you see the simple new link in the spam folder on GMAIL?  I have been waiting for that for a while.  It lets you clear you spam box.  I know it doesn't mean anything, but it sure is a stress releiver like one of those spongy toys. <grin>

Have a blesse weekend,

--
Eric Standlee
http://www.linkedin.com/in/ericstandlee
Prospered not to increase my Standard of Living,
but to increase my Standard of Giving
Take this entrepreneurial quiz: http://www.7kovernover.com/quiz.pdf

See what our Team Members have to say:
http://www.7kovernover.com/testimonialsar.htm

Download Slay Your Giant (orignally $29.95) at no cost quick before this link stops working:
http://businessconferences.info/SlayYourGiant.pdf

http://feeds.feedburner.com/ChristianBusinessDevotion
http://feeds.feedburner.com/crusaderx

Eric Mariacher: HOW DOES QUANTITY BRING QUALITY?

I have been on LinkedIn a little over one month and I now have more than 280 connections and have had a bunch of quality contact with people I would have otherwise never have met. I in fact was just invited by a guy named Eric from Switzerland and his blog has this wonderful explanation of why quantity does bring a quality to your connections on LinkedIn.
I stand by this ideal and it is how I operate on LinkedIn:

Eric Mariacher: HOW DOES QUANTITY BRING QUALITY?

GmailGems: Open composer in a new window

Do you use gmail? My entire gang does. In fact I have move entire corporations onto gmail. Why? Well, there are tons of reasons, but the best one is other mail just isn't as good.

Check out this little gem:

Friday, May 07, 2004

Open composer in a new window

In a conversation there is an icon & link on the right hand side to open it in a new window. The same feature is available when you're composing a message. Need to look up some old message? Click on the icon on the upper right corner of the composer to bring it up in a new window.

Inside AdWords: View your Ad Group stats in tabs

More updates on AdWords:

View your Ad Group stats in tabs

Have you noticed that the Ad Group page looks a little different these days? Here's Jon D. from the Campaign Management team to give you more info on the new 'tabbed' look:

Doesn't affect ads, but it might effect your efficiency. I'd rather see stats at the campaign level...

Linux Pipeline | Google Threatens Lawsuits To Defend Net Neutrality

Linux Pipeline | Google Threatens Lawsuits To Defend Net Neutrality:

Google will use its warchest to fight Telco's abuse of their unwarranted power according to Reuters. This due to the recent legislation on communcations. If the legislature cannot get it right, then Google is willing to bet it can show the courts the truth and set precedence with a win in court.

Either way the Regional Telcos aren't winning any friends and they are showing their true faces as trolls trying to extract more revenue from places they are already charging what the market can bear.

SOFIA, July 4 (Reuters) - Google (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) warned on Tuesday it will not hesitate to file anti-trust complaints in the United States if high-speed Internet providers abuse the market power they could receive from U.S. legislators.

How does this affect you? If companies like Google don't stand up against the tirany of the Regional Telcos, then you and I might have to start paying money to use google's search engine for instance.

Tell your representatives and senators how you feel about their lack of tech-savvy and siding with the ogres of Telco.

Google Checkout - Merchants

I honestly haven't been following every change at Google recently, or reading my feeds either. That is what being in Japan will do for you.

But, I did see this when I logged into adWords today and thought I'd share it.

Google is slowly but very certainly taking this segment over.

Eric

Google Checkout helps you increase sales.
And process them for free when you advertise with Google.

Every online merchant has two goals: sell more and spend less. Google Checkout™ is a new way to process transactions that helps you achieve both. Checkout works with Google's search advertising program, AdWords, to increase your sales and minimize your expenses throughout the online sales and marketing process.

	Attract more leads. Shoppers who see the Google Checkout™ badge on your AdWords ads will more easily find you when they search.
	Convert more leads into sales. A fast, secure checkout process helps persuade shoppers to buy on your site and buy more often.
	Process sales for free. For every $1 you spend on AdWords, you can process $10 in sales for free. For sales that exceed this amount or if you don't use AdWords, you can process them at a low 2% and $0.20 per transaction.
	Protect yourself from fraud. Our fraud prevention tools stop invalid orders from reaching you. And our Payment Guarantee policy helps protect you from chargebacks.