Bo Jacobson's Posterous

naturally contrary, loves cool things, food fan, athlete, marketing and communications professional, son of organic farmers

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seriously, you already have this information [productivity]

You keep an active google reader right? You might interface through Feedly, Pulse or Flipboard or any number of other apps, but you do keep a good set of RSS fed content from the top minds and sources from your industry/hobby/interest whatever.

So, when you have a question about a topic, why do you immediately go to Google search? Let's say you wanted to find out about a basic technology like QR codes. Google search is good for getting you to the wikipedia entry, or to a free QR code generator. But, even going through the News search, you're going to have to do plenty of on-the-spot filtering through spam blogs and disconnected references that don't get you where you want to go.

Enter your Google reader search. So what if you haven't checked your reader in two weeks/months/years and your 1000+ unread items are staring at you like so many freshly purchased and neatly stacked books you promised you'd read, reminding you that you are neither as organized nor as informed as you wish you were. What you've got is a direct feed from as many pre-qualified (by YOU no less) sources that you want. If your feed contained Mashable, TechCrunch, Business Insider and Fast Company, you'd have an awesome cross-section of posts, listed in chronological order. 

The QR code example throwing you off? Cool - how about something like chicken recipes? If you've got Orangette, Chez Pim and Smitten Kitchen in your reading list, then you're moments away from some recent twist on Pollo al Horno, Tortilla soup or Chicken Cordon Bleu. 

With such a simple, powerful and free tool at your disposal, it just seems silly to think that Readers are only for the hyper-aware, dry-eyeballed crowd who have a twitch in their index finger from click-click-clicking of the J-key all day. 

So don't forget to search your reading list when you have a question (if you don't have one set up then find a few sources that you trust and start one today) It takes just a few moments, and will save you hours of manual data sifting in the long run. 

what @bing really did wrong

Backstory at AdAge.

My take? Bing should have pushed back on Michael Ian Black, who was as guilty (if not more so) for using these tragic events as a platform for self-aggrandizement. Twitter is huge, and a guy with 1.6 Million followers told you to go eff yourself. So what?

Among others (like plenty of not-famous people) Ryan Seacrest and Alyssa Milano participated in the 'drive' without objection. You can't hit your knees and beg forgiveness because one caustic comedian decides to set his sites on you. 

How about "We're sorry you disagree with us using twitter, but we're just trying to get the word out and help people." in one tweet and "if you'd like to contribute using other means, we encourage you to do so. Start here [link to American Red Cross page]" in the next?

Everybody is allowed their POV, but they don't get to dictate the terms of your charitable actions. Feel good about what you're doing and stand up for yourself? (and the people you're trying to help)