Since my monitor is about four years old and nearing the end of its operational life, I went display-shopping today. The fact that the Elf got a new monitor for Christmas has nothing to do with it. I swear.

Most of my early shopping was done online, but I was having trouble. “I spend most [...]

So there’s Amanda Hocking, and she’s done a good job with indie publishing. And there’s Robert Kroese, whose book Mercury Falls also did quite well. Self-publishing is beginning to look like the smart move rather than the last resort of the wannabe writer. But as Fred points out, there’s [...]

Here’s a great tip. If you have an iPad, be sure to get iBooks. And if you have any of these devices be sure to download the Kindle book reader for it.

Get it even if you’re opposed to electronic books. Even if you never plan on buying an electronic book. Get [...]

Overall wages have been stagnant for a good long time, but Scott Sumner suggests that doesn’t matter because our standards of living are so much better than it used to be. He compares now to 1973:

1.  Houses are bigger and have more baths.
2.  Electronics are so much better it is [...]

Designer Frank Chimero writes:

In a time when the final result is placed on a pedestal and obsessively consumed, I think it’s wise to discuss process. By putting so much of our emphasis on the product and not on the process, I think we’ve led our younger practitioners to some false assumptions:

Good work [...]

I won’t pretend that there aren’t bad Search Engine Optimizers out there. There are lots of them. Their ancestors packaged morphine in attractive bottles and called it an colic cure. Powazek is right when he calls these people “bastards” and “jerkwads.” And he is absolutely right that this activity is the impetus behind [...]

Since it’s vacation time for me I’ve been reading The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. His suggestions seem pretty straightforward: reduce your workload through automation and effective communication. Find ways to maximize your effective hourly rate, preferably by generating passive income. Don’t allow yourself to be trapped by monster work loads and decisions [...]

AT&T iPhone owners are a little bit upset. The new phones are out, but if you want to upgrade you have to pay the full price of the phone ($700 for the 32 gigabyte model). Or you can wait until you are eighteen months into your two-year contract and get the subsidized price — as [...]

Here are my security questions this time:

What is your favorite film? What is your favorite hobby? Last name of your favorite elementary school teacher? What was the name of your favorite childhood pet? Who is your favorite author?

Not only do the answers to these change from day to day and mood, but most [...]

Classmates.com is being sued in California for misleading marketing:

The plaintiff, Anthony Michaels of San Diego county, alleges that he signed up for a free membership to the site last Christmas Eve, but then upgraded to a paid one after receiving e-mail ads stating that other schoolmates were trying to contact him. [...]