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What is viral marketing, really?

Green Innovation

Judge rules craigslist is not pimping

Here in the Bay Area, Craigslist is an invaluable resource. People use CL to find everything - jobs, apartments, furniture, free stuff... just about everything.

The site has come under attack for ads related to prostitution, but this past Tuesday, a U.S. District Judge threw out a civil complaint that accused Craigslist of pimping.

Read the full article on cnet.com

In this article on guardian.co.uk, the judge is quoted as saying: "A woman advertising erotic dancing for male clients is offering an adult service, yet this is not prostitution," he said, adding that Dart "cannot sue Craigslist for their conduct."

Innovative

Software: The Unsung Hero

Most people don't think about software - we just use it every day, whether we're using our cell phones to make calls, looking up the weather report online, or changing the station on our car radios.

Here's a short video from by Common Craft that talks a little bit about software's role in making our electronic devices work for us. Check it out.

Innovation

What does "Social Media" mean anyway?

You've probably heard the term "Social Media" - but what does it really mean? Is "Web 2.0" just a fancy buzzword, or does it actually mean something? This video from Common Craft might help clear things up.

Essentially the idea is that before, people got content (news, music, pictures... everything) from official sources with established production and distribution channels. The people who had the printing press made the books, the record companies made the music, and so on. But thanks to advances in technology, just about anybody can create and share content - by starting a blog, putting their music online, sharing photos with the world, and more.

They also discuss the other main point - the idea of tagging, rating, and commenting on content. Now if you're looking to buy a new bicycle, you can quickly and easily read reviews written by your peers, rather than making a decision based on the advertisements.

Be careful though - watching the video might give you a craving for pickle ice cream.