So far I am not a fan.

When I am looking for info on Bronycon, I don’t need to see the Bronycon info that I shared, or that my friends have shared, as the default result. Would be much better as an option to filter the results.

And who came up with that mouthful of a name?

Great post from Muckerlab on the agony and the ecstasy of Local:

“By my count, around 100 startups focused on local were launched between Q2 and Q3 of 2011. there are mobile apps, deals/offers companies, social relationship management dashboards, ad networks, merchant acquiring/ processing solutions and more. (Although the slow down in the last 30-60 days has been seriously alarming). By 2013, I doubt no more than 10 of them will still be in business (and potentially none, if the Euro collapses – but in that case we are all in trouble anyway). Most would have gone out of business because they failed to solve the “Local Innovator’s Dilemma” – how the heck do you profitably acquire hundreds of thousands of SMBs when hundreds of companies large and small failed to do so in the past 20 years.”

One minor quibble: The author assumes an average $2 CPM for a local web business as part of a back of the envelope calculation to show how hard it is to make money.  While I agree it is hard to make money, many local media sites can do a lot more than $2 CPMs, which is why the business can be so damn attractive.  I have seen some really targeted local sites doing $150 CPMs.

As you may have noticed over the past week the blog has morphed into Google Plus Guide. Local’s interesting and all, but G+ is where my head is at and I am liking it so I will keep posting until you stop reading.

I have been fascinated by the original ways that Google Plussers (Plusters?) have adapted the G+ system to their imaginations. A couple that caught my eye:

Christopher Hewitt has been testing group meditation via Hangouts.
“Within an hour it was up and running. I set up some shakuhachi music, and was joined online by another meditator from New York State (others expressed interest but couldn’t attend due to insufficient notice). Using the hastag #PlusZen we also promoted the session on Twitter. The half hour session ran very well based on the interest received by Natalie and myself there will no doubt be more of these mindful sessions. Some discussion also included a global 24 hour meditation sitting using Google+. What this process taught me was that the connectedness that we experience through computers and other technologies need not only be about doing – reading, watching, talking & sharing. It can also be about stillness – if we let it.”

Memories: A Circle for the Future
“This idea is a Google+ version of what I do with a Google calendar of the same name (the difference there is I have a reminder set for each year so we can talk about it again each year).

Essentially the Memories circle is a feed for all the funny and important things that happen in your Children’s lives (or family if you don’t have children). It can be trips, funny things that were said (My favorite), Important moments/milestones in your lives, etc. Later, when they are older you can go through the post similar to a slideshow or home movies viewing during the holidays. Maybe in time a feature will exist whereby just adding them to the circle can open up the older posts too.” – James May

Improving Hangouts for Deaf People
“One area that i’m personally quite passionate about is facilitating communications and community for the deaf. my grandfather, aunt, and uncle were/are all deaf. while i’m very much a novice, i find ASL to be a beautiful expressive language. i hope that hangouts can be awesome for the deaf & hh community as well as the hearing.

that said, i know that Hangouts aren’t good enough yet for this purpose. voice switching on the loudest speaker isn’t the right cue in this world; we need an indicator for who has the floor; i’m sure there are subtle issues that i don’t know.

so i’m asking for help. i’d like to invite a set of deaf/hh users and their signing families into Google+. we need folks who will actively dogfood Hangouts with their friends and family. we need folks who will partner with us, giving us feedback and iterating with us. i’ll jump them to the front of the invite line to get into Google+.” – Chee Chew, Engineering Director at Google

Anyone got any others?

Just caught Greg’s post on this infographic from Foursquare on the Rudest Cities in the world based on the # of expletives mentioned in tips

First the Oscars and now this. Methinks Foursquare has recently put a linkbaiter on payroll.

Another triumphant #1 image ranking for the blog.  It’s the little things that count right?

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Cari McGee pens a New Yorker-worthy piece on how Facebook can create incredible social-local experiences as seen through the lens of a woman who was downsizing and needed help moving:

But another friend of hers, (we’ll call her Mary), said, “No, you won’t. I’ll get others to help. No biggie.” And Mary rallied the troops. She called and e-mailed and Facebook-posted “Our friend needs help!” She had a spreadsheet created, shifts posted, donuts and coffee procured, and she was ready.

AND WE SHOWED UP.

Not to put a business spin on everything, but can you imagine if a local mover had seen this message and donated their services? The publicity would have been killer.

Via @mattmcgee