Times are tough and the economy stinks. We already know this. More people are having their homes foreclosed than ever before. The homeless rate is continuing to skyrocket. Jobs are being lost and homes are sitting empty because no one can afford to buy them – even at reduced auction prices after the bank has taken them away. Everywhere you turn online, you see stories just like these and desperate pleas for someone to step up and do something. One company is aiming to help homeowners in a very big way. But is the price a little too steep?

Mobile advertising network Adzookie wants to pay your mortgage AND give your home a facelift in the form of a brand spanking new paint job. The catch – and you knew there was going to be one – is that your abode will be turned into a giant billboard for the company.

The company is looking for people who own their homes – you cannot be a renter, for obvious reasons. They will paint the entire outside of the house not including the roof, windows or awnings. It only takes a couple of days for the entire paint process to be completed, so you won’t be dealing with contractors for weeks on end. The house has to stay painted as a billboard for a minimum of three months, but that can be extended for a year. If the homeowner decides to cancel after the three months (or if Adzookie decides to cancel) they will repaint your house back to its original colors.

Can you even begin to imagine what your neighbors would say if your house looked this way? I imagine neighborhood property values would plummet and an angry mob may beat on your door with lynching ropes in hand. Seriously, though, I shudder at the mere thought of someone doing this. Yes, I completely understand that it’s nearly impossible for so many out there to pay their mortgages while maintaining the balance with other obligations. This seems like an easy way out, but is selling out in this manner really worth it?

Apparently, more than a thousand homeowners feel it’s definitely worth it. That’s how many applications the company has already received. The sheer number of citizens who are hoping for a chance to turn their home into a spectacle overwhelmed Adzookie to the point they have had to push back the project starting date in order to weed through the hopefuls.

My question to all of you is this: Would you be willing to turn your home into a giant billboard in exchange for a few mortgage payments? Are you comfortable with having to hide from your neighbors for at least three months? More importantly, how far do you feel is “too far” in the advertising world? Am I completely crazy, or is this well beyond acceptable marketing practices?

Turn Your Home Into a Billboard

Project Phoenix understands that the economy isn’t doing so hot right now. They also understand that developers are an integral part of moving technology AND the economy into the future. Even though you may be underemployed – or even completely unemployed – right now, the folks at Project Phoenix wants to help. Over the next five months, 24 of you will be selected to receive a pretty sweet package of software and tools to help you in pursuing your development goals.

Each week, one eligible developer will be selected due to their non-profit proposals submitted. They’ll then receive a package of software, dev tools, training and books.

You are invited to propose a software project for a non-profit agency, school, or church. The idea is that we will provide a package of the latest software, tools, and training resources to help you improve your skills, get up to date with current technologies, gain practical experience, potentially earn a recommendation for your efforts, and in general, enjoy the feeling of accomplishing something useful for others. We are not giving out a ‘free lunch’, just supporting your efforts to personally gain from your own ‘sweat equity’. The award packages are provided with the support and generosity of the Microsoft MVP’s and vendors listed below.

The winners will receive:

• Microsoft: Visual Studio Ultimate with MDSN subscription
• Pluralsight: three (3) month Standard subscription to On-Demand!™ .NET Training Library
• APress: three books(3) of the winner’s choice
• O’Reilly Press: three (3) eBooks of the winner’s choice
• ComponentOne: license for Studio Enterprise components and tools
• Microsoft Learning: Vouchers for two (2) Free Certification Exams
• Quest Software: license for Toad® for SQL Server

You can find full details on the contest page, which will outline criteria that must be met, as well as the types of projects available to work on.

Underemployed Developers to Receive Software and Tools

America deserves a Congress that respects the priorities of the people it serves. Sadly, they folks in Washington haven’t been listening to us all that much. America Speaking Out is your new opportunity to be heard. The hope is that this will bring about change in the way Congress works by having the citizens propose ideas for a new policy agenda. It doesn’t matter if you are a Democrat, a Republican or have no party affiliation at all. This site was create in the hopes that it will foster better communication between the U.S. government and the people of our country.

The GOP teamed up with Microsoft to develop the site. It will allow people to log on anytime they choose. There, you’ll be able to talk, blog or tweet about the issues that matter most to you, and let the Republicans know what the biggest priorities should be. California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy gave CNN an exclusive sneak peek at the site. “This is a new townhall mechanism — never used before. To me it’s revolutionary, because it allows the individual to have greater control and say. For too long, people think nobody in Washington listens to them. This starts listening across the country and lets them provide the idea, but also debate the idea,” McCarthy said.

You can log on to the site and create a profile to participate, choosing any name you would like to use (it doesn’t have to be your real name). You will have to confirm your zip code and email address. There will also be filters in place to block out offensive language and hate speech. Beyond that, you can be as anonymous as you like while interacting with the service.

The site is organized by different subjects. If you choose to click on “Fiscal accountability,” you will see headings under there for several more branches, including “waste,” “tax reform,” “budget process,” and “long term debt.” Other broad topics found on America Speaking Out covers everything from national security to the prosperity of Americans.

Within each section, users can submit a policy proposal, respond to the ideas others have submitted or debate specific proposals. Next to each topic, users can click on a Facebook or Twitter icon to take the discussion with them to their favorite social network. Also next to every idea posted, users can vote and idea up or down, much like the “like” feature found on Facebook. Sort proposals to read through by how popular they are to find out what other Americans are passionate about.

While this website may not change the world, I do feel it is a giant step in the right direction. What are your thoughts? Will you participate in the discussions?

Microsoft Helps GOP Reach Out to Americans

I not only remember my first Tweetup, I remember them all! Each one I attend or host gives me an opportunity to meet new people, reconnect with old friends, and make some all-important business contacts. There is always a lot of fun to be had, a lot of networking to do, and more laughter involved than should be allowed by law. However, some people are not as fortunate as I am.

Take my Community Manager Kat, for example. The poor woman has never attended a Tweetup before. Can you believe that? I decided that this simply wasn’t acceptable. She’ll be in Seattle for a week in February, to attend her second Microsoft MVP Summit. So, I decided to throw together a little Tweetup in her honor that Friday, February 19th! If you’re in the Seattle area, we’d love for you to join us.

Have you ever attended a Tweetup – or perhaps a Facemeet? What memories and connections do you still carry with you? What advice might you have for our Kat, as she embarks on her first-ever Twitter meetup? Let’s rally together as a community, and show her the time of her life.

• Have fun with your text! Use fUNICODE: The Ultimate Fun Text Generator to instantly transmogrify everything you type!
• Do you need to know what USB devices are connected to your computer at any given time?
• How do you count the ways in which Apple has grown?
• What does the use of LOL while chatting actually mean?
• Have you been to an auto show lately?
• Is the Magic Mouse a mighty one?
• Fake anti-virus program popups are a sure sign of a malware infection.
• The myth of the Sony kill switch plagues the company.
• What will be the next big tech war?
• Do you need an easy guide to maintaining computer networks?
• What business Identity Theft risks are there this year?
• Social networking can assist with on-boarding new employees.
• Have you played the beta yet for Star Trek Online? What are your thoughts so far?
• Providing excellent customer service is the key to surviving this economy.

Don’t forget to check in at our software center to see what new deals we have for you today on the hottest software and apps available.

Do You Remember Your First Tweetup?

Even those of us who are power users or experts with technology need help sometimes. None of us can possibly know everything there is to know. Who do you go to when you get stuck and need an answer, or an extra set of eyes? Who can you call up to pick their brains, hopefully helping to solve your problem? I’m lucky to have a good network of friends that I know I can turn to, depending on what the problem is I’m facing. Being a Geek (and a guy!) – I admit I have a hard time reaching out and asking for help. I tend to research and fiddle, trying to fix whatever it is myself. But sometimes, you just have to wave that white flag and say “Help me!!”. So – who can you count on to give you those answers? Have you ever thanked them for taking the time out of their day to patiently help you? Make sure you do!

So much is going on around here right now. Gnomedex is only a week away, and the team is all very excited. We have an excellent lineup of presenters this year, many fun and exciting things going on in the hallways and in the evenings. I know we’re going to have a fabulous time – but not without a few more days of all of us running around like crazy. To all my volunteers and helpers… bless you, every one. No way would this ever be happening without you all!

Even amidst the hectic days right now, I still make time to check up on all of you. I love reading what you’re up to and what’s on your minds. I hope you make time in your day to do the same.

• Does John Dvorak need your money?
• A nation is outraged over a police officer taking down an 84 year old Alzheimer’s patient.
• Partaking in simple pleasures can make life much more relaxed, and productive.
• What do healthcare, monopolies, inflation and the government have in common?
• In-flight Wi-Fi is changing in-flight entertainment.
• Shuttleworth is kicking in some real Debian support.
• How much does that bottle of water really cost?
• What ever happened to the GOP rebranding effort?
• What’s your best gaming memory?

The Go-To Guy

As you might know, my conference (Gnomedex) is headed into its 9th year, this August 20th – 22nd, having come a VERY long way since its inception. We just posted a Gnomedex FAQ a few minutes ago, too.

Would you like to register for Gnomedex? Awesome.

For Gnomedex, everybody loves the Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle for a lot of reasons: unlimited munchies, unlimited drinks, relatively steady WiFi in recent years, relatively comfortable chairs, ample room to move around, lots of natural light, etc. It’s certainly one of the fancier venues in which to hold a tech conference – definitely NOT cheap.

Today, I’m announcing registration changes that should make Gnomedex more affordable (and accessible) for anybody who has always wanted to go. Ready for this?

• Full Passes are now being lowered from $500 to $299 – effective immediately. This is a full-access pass, and includes a scrumptious lunch on-site, seating in the Bay Auditorium, and access to a power outlet or two.
• Hall Passes (aka Half Passes) are being introduced at $179 for two days or $99 for a single day. This is a partial-access pass, and doesn’t include a scrumptious lunch on-site, doesn’t include seating in the Bay Auditorium, and doesn’t include guaranteed access to an electrical outlet.

Of course, if you’d rather have a cash refund for the difference – we can arrange that, too.

Why am I cutting prices? First, I realize the economy is hitting all of us hard – but that doesn’t mean we should be kept from enjoying a world-class venue (with plenty of amenities) together. Second, I want to open up the hallways to more people – the conversations there are always amazing. We’ll have run of the entire top floor at Bell Harbor! It was like that a couple of years ago when the economy was doing better, and it was awesome. It’s still a single-track conference, officially.

Now, if you’ve already registered for Gnomedex, you might care to pay attention:

• If you purchased a ticket at $500 or $450, you have one of three options: (a) You can invite a guest into the Bay Auditorium with you! That’s insta-savings for them. Spouse? Friend? Family member? Boss? Co-worker? Colleague? It’s up to you. (b) You can receive a $200 credit for the next Gnomedex event; (c) You can have $200 of your ticket cost donated to DonorsChoose.
• If you purchased a ticket at $350 or $400, you have one of four options: (a) You can spend $100 more to bring a guest into the Bay Auditorium with you; (b) You can receive a “Geek” Care Package TBD (worth ~$100); (c) You can receive a $100 credit for the next Gnomedex event; (d) You can have $100 of your ticket cost donated to DonorsChoose.

We wanna work with everybody this year, and you know that we’re gonna do what we can do to make sure you’re happy (with these changes, or the conference in general).

The hallway should be full of sponsors and participants, and the auxiliary rooms will have the live video feed piped in from the Bay Auditorium. If enough people sign up before too long, we’ll be able to accommodate an “unconference” to run in the same building as the official conference itself. Moreover, a couple of lucky hallway pass holders may be selected to present their ideas on the Bay Auditorium stage!

I’m really hoping to pack the place this year – and hope that the new pricing proves it. We’ll be announcing more sponsors, speakers, and partnerships very soon. Don’t let that stop you from registering, because YOU are 90% of what this conference is about.

Attendees, past or present, are more than welcome to join Gnomedex.com at any time. If you have any questions, please ask through this form.

Gnomedex 2009 for $99?!

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Have you thought about Green Computing? Do you have what it takes to make the next great Green Computing application?

Gnomedex and the Microsoft Live Search have teamed up to sponsor a developer contest called Will Code for Green. The hope is to make a difference in the economy (Green = Money) and the Earths ecology (Green = Environment) that lasts long after the contest is over. For more details, you can read my earlier blog post.

All Semi-Finalists will present their creations at the Gnomedex conference August 20-22, 2009. Attendees at the Gnomedex conference will be invited to vote to determine a Grand Prize winner in each Category – and three runner-up winners from both Categories combined. Each Grand Prize winner will receive $10,000.00 to further their ideas and projects, and each runner-up will receive $3000.00.

Do you have a passion for the environment or economy? Do you have the mad skills to put that passion to work to help others? If so, get busy! The deadline for entry is on August 12th. You just never know… you could be our winner.

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Will Code for Green

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As you know, I’ve been hosting my Gnomedex conference for the past nine years. We have just found out that this year, we will be sponsored by Microsoft Bing. I have some big news to go along with this… we’ll be giving away two grand prizes – $10,000.00!!! You have to use the Bing API to either help people save money, or be more environmentally friendly.

Enter the Will Code for Green! developer contest. If your economy or ecology-themed web application is chosen as one of the two grand prize winners at Gnomedex in August, you’ll win $10,000!! No, that isn’t a typo. I said TEN! THOUSAND! DOLLARS!.

Even if you aren’t a developer, you may have a great idea about how to make the world a greener place – or help people save money. Grab a dev friend, and share the project… and the prize! There will also be three runner-up prizes of $3000.00 each so get to creating!

Change the world. Make some money. What’s wrong with that?

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Will Code for Green: Make Money!

Reading through things today in our community, I came across yet another post that gave me pause for thought. That seems to happen daily, doesn’t it? It’s so great to have all of you posting things that makes us all stop and think about life… often in a different way than we might otherwise have.

With the economy so tough and so many thousands of people out of work, it’s easy to lose hope. The house is getting foreclosed. The bills are stacking up. Luxuries are a thing of the past, as are dinners out – even at McDonald’s. It’s hard to see your way clear to remembering that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. It’s nearly impossible at times like this to keep your hope alive, until one small, random act of kindness restores your faith.

Even though the post I mentioned above talks about a company who reached out to unemployed people, there are things all of us can do in order to help bolster the spirits of those we know and love who are having a rough time. I encourage YOU to reach out. You can do something simple, like taking a home-cooked meal to a family you know is having a hard time making ends meet. You could offer the use of your car to someone whose may have been repossessed due to job loss… they need wheels to go out and put in applications! Why not offer free babysitting time to that neighbor who is stressed out? Take her kids to your house for a few hours, and encourage her to relax and recharge herself.

All it takes is one simple little gesture to remind us that life is so much better than it may appear. Even during our worst times, there’s still hope.

Thank you to all of you who touch MY life each and every day just by being a part of this community. Even on the days when I struggle to do the things I need to do, I simply restore my own hope by reading what all of you contribute. I am so blessed to do something that I love so much – and it’s thanks to all of you.

• Apple is exploring application sharing.
• Have you ever built your own home server?
• Is Bing going to get hammered over live thumbnails?
• Controlling the UAC in Windows 7 is simple!
• Would you pay a hundred bucks in order to have an email address from Linux?
• Can a purely digital lifestyle work?
• Ready or not, here it comes – Windows 7 is just around the corner.
• Do you actually make money with AdSense?
• Regular light bulbs are made super-efficient with ultra-fast lasers.
• The Air France crash demonstrates the limits of technology.
• What do you feel was the downfall of General Motors?
• Newly discovered reaction to old drugs may lead to new antibiotics.
• What do women love about Geek guys?

One Small Act of Kindness…

I bet you thought the “Big L” meant Love, didn’t you? Well hah on you! I’m actually talking about being laid off, unfortunately. As I was roaming through our communities today, I came across a post on Geeks discussing layoffs. Sadly, several of our community members have been affected in this way by the Economic downturn. It’s sad to see people who have worked for more then half their lives in a decent-paying job suddenly end up with nowhere to go. In many cases, the person may be considered “too old” for many jobs that might be available. In other instances – there just isn’t anything out there.

If you’ve been affected by job layoffs, or know someone who has been, how have you/they dealt with it? How are you coping? Are you hanging in there?

Be sure to take time to read other things throughout our community. You just never know what you may identify with.

• Hide your Twitter addiction at work easily!
• Is Ubuntu starting to edge out Windows?
• Do as the officer says – not as he does.
• Are you interested in meeting new people online?
• Give me an Android – without a contract, please.
• Beware of the possibility of losing your identity through theft when you’re using P2P applications.
• Enter a weekly contest through our community!
• Could Oxytocin be the next great communication breakthrough?
• Together, we can be successful.
• Hackers are finding opportunities during the Swine Flu epidemic.
• Are you looking for a great Mother’s Day gift idea? Why not get her a new camera?
• Seagate is introducing their new Replica backup appliance.
• Are you interested in learning American Sign Language quickly?

How Have You Handled the “Big L”?

This is Bryan Haskell’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

Capitalism is the world we live in. It’s the polluted air we breathe, the water we drink, the frozen dinners we eat, the computers we spend hours on, the rules we follow, the conflicts we face… all influenced by popular opinion and wrapped up into a big box covered in green paper made of lies, misconception, deception, and the idea that enough is never enough. Capitalism has a very pliable structure, one that can withstand abuse, change shape, and perhaps even be recycled when need be. In my opinion, there really is no straight definition of the term. Capitalism simply consumes us, and we consume it, too.

What I am trying to say is that capitalism is a subconscious state of being. Capitalism isn’t real. Capitalism is a utopia that we’ve created; a utopia filled with inhuman characteristics that are masked by the hopes and dreams to be a successful figure amongst your peers. Capitalism is an excuse to be unethical, to get away with doing improper things in order to gain self satisfaction. Capitalism forces you to abide by the holiness of items called money. I would not disagree with the suggestion that capitalism could be considered a mental disorder. After all, the single most important aspect to this thing called capitalism is the root of all evil, the reason for how people act, the reason why people commit crimes.

Throughout the history of man-kind, competition and the will to survive have always been the most important parts of life. So what exactly makes capitalism so important? Well, capitalism simply is just a name for our will to survive and compete, except that these preconceived notions are influenced by technological advancement. It is a known fact that human-beings throughout the history of their presence on earth will perform actions only if they have some motive or receive some sort of reward for doing it. Any other activity is really just a distraction. The wonderful thing about capitalism is that it motivates people to do many things they otherwise would not do. Capitalism preserves personal hopes and dreams and creates ambition. In turn, this allows substantial progress to be made technologically. All this is able to occur because of the level of importance capitalism has made money become.

Capitalism controls us. Everything we do, say, write about, and act on is because of capitalism. Capitalism can easily be referred to as “Big Brother”, a subconscious man overlooking our every motion. What is right necessarily isn’t always right and what is wrong necessarily isn’t always wrong. I think the movie “The Matrix” and the rest of the trilogy have depicted capitalism quite well. The world we live in is created by capitalism. Capitalism is a fantasy world created for the overall success of those in charge. The fact that people on the bottom of the ladder seek some sort of satisfaction through whatever means is great for those on top of the ladder. In capitalism, the only means of success is the acquisition of money. It is as simple as that.

Can we live without capitalism? Just go ahead and try to do something without a reward (even without personal satisfaction as a reward). I absolutely feel that capitalism is the end all to human ideology. Capitalism gives humans everything they want in an accepted fashion while allowing the freedom of life to mask a much larger picture that is progress and success. Even though there are those more successful than others, capitalism allows everyone to feel some sort of success; success of which benefits those above.

What is Capitalism?

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We all cringe when we pull up to the gas pumps these days. Unfortunately, our griping won’t lower the prices at the pump. Here are some tips sent in by a reader to help you conserve gasoline, and hopefully save you some money.

• Drive at the speed limit. Not only are speed limits designed to save lives and keep people from driving recklessly, but are factored into saving gas mileage. Driving at 55mph instead of 70mph on the freeway can save a lot of gas. The faster you go, the higher your engine’s RPM’s will raise, causing the engine to work harder. The harder the engine has to work, the less gas mileage you will see.
• Remove any and all unnecessary items from the trunk or interior of your car. That golf bag in the trunk – while it may be convenient to just leave it there, is adding extra weight to your car. The heavier your car is, the more the engine must work to drive it, resulting in less gas mileage. Also, make sure nothing is changing the car’s aerodynamic design such as empty crate boxes strapped to the roof.
• Roll your windows up on the highway. Sure you may think that turning on your A/C while driving down the highway will lower your fuel economy, but the drop in aerodynamics due to your windows being rolled down is far greater. When your windows are down, air passing over the sides of the car flows into the passenger compartment and produces drag – thus lowering your gas mileage.
• Leave unneeded people at home. It may be nice to have a companion riding along with you, but this person is nothing more then a 160lb object added to your car’s weight. The more people you travel with in your car, the heavier it becomes, once again lowering your fuel mileage.
• Last but not least, do not stop and go quickly at stop lights. A smooth acceleration is key to maintaining your gas mileage. Do not jerk between lanes to pass people. Passing causes your car to down shift into overdrive, effectively dumping a large amount of fuel into the motor for an instant boost in power. Doing this often can produce dramatic loss in fuel economy in a short amount of time. Having a vehicle that gets 6MPG, I have learned to ease on the accelerator when leaving stop signs or lights. When done right, you can see a fluctuation of at least 1-2MPG.
• Bonus Tip!! Having your car serviced on a regular basis, changing your oil when the manufacturer recommends and having your fuel injectors cleaned at a tuneup can add to your gas mileage in the long run. Clogged or damaged fuel injectors on a fuel injected car can lower your horsepower as well as your fuel economy! I always feel that my truck runs better after a fresh oil change – and noticed a significant increase in gas mileage after my last tuneup.

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How to Save Gas without Gas Savings