From the monthly archives:

October 2009

Easy Listening Is Easier Than Ever

October 28, 2009
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Now, I can simply purchase a song whenever I want! I just open my iTunes music store, pay the fee, and download the song. I can even find similar artists and songs using tools like Pandora and Last.fm. Has easy access to music ruined my enjoyment of it?How has the digitization of music affected your listening experience? Though issues of legality dominate the discussion about digitized music, I think that we can all learn something from thinking about the experience of listening to the music itself.

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PC Queasy, Mac Heart Attack

October 26, 2009
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My general frustration with my Dell, coupled with the emergence of Apple’s brilliant marketing campaign (circa 2007), inspired a general hatred for Windows. In retrospect, I realize that my laptop problems had nothing to do with the Windows operating system, but I was convinced that Mac would save me.

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Online Chit, Chat Rooms and Clients

October 22, 2009
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Ever since the Internet first created a worldwide network, users have been looking for newer and more efficient ways to communicate in real time. Online chat is so prevalent that a chat culture has developed, spawning “chatiquette”, slang, specialized acronyms, and emoticons and each chat client is appropriate for use in different situations.

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Interactive Customer Service, FTW!

October 21, 2009
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I truly believe that Twitter could be used best as a customer service tool. The ability for customers to interact with companies and vice versa is probably Twitter’s best feature. I have connected with customer service departments in a number of ways, all positive.

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Untag Those Unflattering Facebook Pics

October 20, 2009
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A few weeks ago, I was riding the PATH train from Manhattan to Jersey City with my friend. We had just finished a fun night in the city, and we were people-watching on the train, giggling at the interesting cast of characters. Now, I admit that I sometimes lapse into “Valley Girl” mode.

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New Computer, New Responsibility

October 19, 2009
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We start to believe that we can get everything we need digitally. Got Internet access? You have the world at your fingertips. Need love? Check out Match.com or E-Harmony. Need an apartment? Visit Craigslist. Need a job? Browse Monster.com.

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Understand Violence to Understand Peace

October 15, 2009
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Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to someone who strives to create peace could be a really powerful gesture, but I don’t think the media clearly presented the implications. Most people aren’t aware of the violence happening in other countries, as much of it is not reported by the American news media.

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For Anyone Still Considering Facebook

October 14, 2009
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My mom is a real estate agent. She is awesome at what she does, and she is an extremely knowledgeable resource for her customers. However, she is self-conscious about the “social networking craze”, and she is always asking me, “Laryssa, should I get a Facebook or a Twitter? I want people to know who I am”.

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Time Is a Precious Form of Currency

October 13, 2009
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I am not only doing something I enjoy but also making myself more marketable in the process. So what’s the problem? I think I caught the entrepreneurial bug in the process. Most employers aren’t necessarily thrilled by employees who like to pursue their own endeavors.

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