i-Lights

Spring is Busting Out All Over

Depending upon the authority, tomorrow heralds the northern hemisphere's first day of spring, although some say the new season arrived today, March 20th, when the vernal equinox appeared.

Spring is my favorite season because after months of freezing in a house with a thermostat turned down too low, I finally begin to feel warm again. I also love brisk morning walks around my neighborhood where I can see the first flowers poking golden white petals above ground. The sights and smells of spring are invigorating. Maybe that's why they say things like "Put some spring in your step," and "Spring into action."

Pet Controversy Creates Focus on Rescues and Shelters

animal rescues and sheltersspay and neuter

The City of Los Angeles, California recently passed an ordinance requiring, with few exceptions, all cat and dog owners to spay or neuter their pets by the age of four months. Owners of older pets and those who move into the city are required to comply. Violators can be punished with a fine and/or sentence of community service.

The new law is considered a humane measure, reducing the number of pets who are abandoned or euthanized, making neighborhoods safer, and saving taxpayers million of dollars on animal control costs. It follows in the footsteps of a state-wide measure called the California Healthy Pets Act.

The law has its critics. Enforcement is envisioned as a practical nightmare. Does the city intend to send inspectors door to door? Also, the practical effect of allowing exceptions for purebreds and breeders will eventually reduce the number of available mutts. People who may not have the financial means to purchase costly purebreds may forgo pet ownership altogether. Worse, the number of stolen purebreds may increase.   

Twitter Mixes Come in All Shapes and Sizes

Ah, Twitter. What is it that separates Twitter users from your average ordinary blogger?

The first thing you may notice about a Twitterphile is their obsessive compulsive need to tweet and follow. Lull in the conversation? No problem. Hand held portable phone device to the rescue. Complete with automatic picture display and video capture. Boring moment in the cubicle? Again, not a problem. A quick 140 character or less tweet from a second easily retractable window and it’s back to the grind.

The irresistible desire to be first, second only to the horse’s mouth, is Twitter’s driving force. If you follow the make-up stylist for Nicole Kidman’s new picture and learn that a certain someone  missed the cue for her next shot because she was busy throwing up in the toilet, let's say, that makes you someone with valuable insider knowledge. You get to blog and/or gossip about Nicole Kidman worshiping at the porcelain throne before your corner gossip rag. Knowledge is power and therein lies the lure of Twitter.

A Twitter Primer for Non-Believers

This morning, someone who I like and very much admire forwarded a curious invitation to an after party in Washington, D.C.

"Curious" because the "before party" event is a TeleSummit for Women in Technology, a networking conference for "talented and renowned" women in tech. If ever there was a woman with no talent or renown in the field of technology, that woman would be me. Party person? Yes. Technologically able-bodied? No way. 

Despite these limitations, as I have mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of the Twitter and i-Lighter feature, Twitterlights. But does one need a fundamental understanding of the technology one adores to fully embrace it? That depends. If "need" means "needs" in the sense of "being in need" rather than "needy," then I would say, "No, one need not fundamentally understand such a technology to fully embrace it. If, on the other hand "need" means "needs" or "needing," as in "You need to stop the car because we're about to crash into that pole," then probably it goes without saying one does need a fundamental understanding of such a technology to fully embrace it.

Spotlight on Twitterlights Users and Fans

Continuing the focus on our power couple, i-Lighter and Twitter, and illustrating the way Version 2.1 has hit the ground running as one of the more helpful free tools online, today's article spotlights Twitterlights users and fans in their natural milieu.

Infobunny is a law librarian from London, England. Her blog, lo-fi-librarian, reviews useful tools from the Internet. On February 22, 2008, at 7:49 p.m., Infobunny tested Twitterlights by tweeting MSNBC's press release about Version 2.1, "I-Lighter, Inc. Unveils New Twitterlights Web-Based Text Highlighting Tool for Twitter Users." Bonus material included links to other Twitter mixes such as Twitterfox and Snaptweet.

On February 23, 2008 at 11:35 a.m.,Warrenss tweeted, "Started using twitterlights. Very cool and helpful--thanks." Warrenss describes himself as a "Social media wannabe and strategist for VML." Too bad I didn't have more time to explore his Facebook profile.